The Bobcat Chalkboard

Mask mandate back at Allen Fieldhouse; chancellor warns crowd size may be limited if compliance wanes | KUsports.com
Chancellor Douglas Girod on Friday sent a message to the campus community reiterating that Douglas County’s new mask mandate does include Allen Fieldhouse. The fieldhouse previously had been under a mask mandate as part of KU policy, but then over the last two weeks lifted the mandate for the fieldhouse in favor of a recommendation that fans wear mask.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self sees same tough and tenacious Red Raiders under first-year coach Mark Adams | KUsports.com
When former Texas Tech coach Chris Beard left the Red Raiders to become the head coach at Texas in the offseason, Tech moved quickly to name veteran assistant Mark Adams its next head coach.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self says KU 'COVID-free' as of Thursday; Pettiford back but not practicing, Martin sat out Thursday | KUsports.com
“He’s around. He’s back,” Self said of Pettiford. “He’s out of quarantine and did all the proper protocols to make sure he was ready to join everybody.”

Bits o Bozeman

Getting there: MSU fans arrive in Texas to watch the Bobcats in championship game
Scott Shanahan of Great Falls said, “Oh yeah, it was awesome. And it's a direct flight here, so that was really cool. No delays. Well, we had a little bit of delay, but we got here. There was some chants, and a fight song. Yeah, it was fun.”

FCS Championship Game odds, picks, analysis for Jan. 8 game: College football expert reveals picks for Montana State vs. North Dakota State matchup - SportsLine.com
Hunt knows the Bison chew up a lot of time and grind down their opponents, averaging 33.8 points per game. North Dakota State averages 32 minutes, 11 seconds in time of possession and is third in the nation in rushing, averaging 273.6 yards per game. Junior running backs TaMerik Williams, Kobe Johnson and Hunter Luepke power the running game. Williams leads the team with 114 carries for 715 yards (6.3 average) and 12 touchdowns. He rushed 15 times for 91 yards and two scores in the Bison's 27-3 quarterfinal win over East Tennessee State.

North Dakota State vs. Montana State: Prediction, pick, FCS championship game odds, live stream, watch online - CBSSports.com
The most formidable dynasty in FCS football faces a tough test as No. 2 seed North Dakota State plays No. 8 seed Montana State with a national championship on the line this weekend. The Bison have won eight national titles since 2011 and earned a trip to Frisco, Texas, after beating No. 3 James Madison, No. 7 East Tennessee State and Southern Illinois along the way. Bison coach Matt Entz is chasing his second national championship in three seasons.

McFeely: Five things to watch in the Bison-Montana State game - InForum | Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo news, weather and sports
The Bison are a 7.5-point favorite on most betting sites, meaning the bookies believe it's going to be a tight affair. And the bookies are rarely wrong.

Game Day notebook: Montana State coach Vigen says Bison fullback Hunter Luepke has MSU's complete attention - InForum | Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo news, weather and sports
“I know in our three years, those last three championships, we didn’t have anybody like Hunter Luepke, I know that. So their willingness to play him all over and really stress him is smart," Vigen said.

Bison Dust

Driver Who Killed Sleeping Kalispell Resident after Crashing into House Sentenced to Prison - Flathead Beacon
“Neither words nor actions can remedy the pain and damage that I have caused other people,” Lefevre said. “The past 18 months of my life have been filled with constant pain and few moments go by where I don’t think of my actions. I also realize the pain I have felt is a fraction of the pain I have caused other people.”

‘Stand by tea’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan mad for a brew with Oasis icon as Masters plan sees Rocket hit 30 golden years at top - Eurosport
It feels like half the world away. When Ronnie O’Sullivan became the youngest Masters champion at the ripe old age of 19 years and 69 days with a 9-3 win over John Higgins in February 1995, Oasis were already huge Rock ‘n’ Roll stars in Blighty courtesy of decade-defining debut album Definitely Maybe.

Cyber Ninjas, Derided for Arizona Vote Review, Says It Is Shutting Down - The New York Times
The organization that conducted the review of the presidential vote in Arizona’s largest county said it was insolvent and had laid off its employees.

Judge again tosses permit for Creston water-bottling plant | Daily Inter Lake
IN A RELATED case, the Montana Supreme Court on Jan. 19 is set to hear arguments regarding appeals to a previous decision in Flathead District Court that found a ballot measure aimed at limiting land uses along Egan Slough in the Creston area including the bottling plant as legal. Voters approved the measure that looked to limit land uses in the Egan Slough Zoning District, but the county allowed the bottling plant to continue operations.