The Rock Chalkboard

A detailed look at the frantic final 5 minutes and how No. 2 Kansas pulled off its wild comeback to beat OU | KUsports.com Mobile
“I do think it’s this place,” Kansas coach Bill Self said of the Allen Fieldhouse mystique after Tuesday’s win. “But sometimes when you talk about this place, you don’t give enough credit to the players. The place is special. Guys have so much confidence here. But that was some guys making some individual plays.”

A closer look at why the Jayhawks struggled at the rim in win over Sooners | KUsports.com Mobile
At the nine-minute mark, Jalen Wilson missed a hook shot in the paint before grabbing his own rebound. He whiffed on the putback attempt, but Zach Clemence collected his misfire. Clemence then missed two point-blank attempts of his own before Oklahoma mercifully ended the possession with a defensive rebound.

Eraser Dust

Ryan Zinke Rants About ‘Deep State’ Plan to Destroy ‘American Cowboy’ – Rolling Stone
Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT), a newly elected representative from Montana, celebrated his second day in Congress with a lengthy rant about the American “Deep State” and the endangered “American cowboy.”

What is NOTAM? The latest on the outage that led to a nationwide ground stop : NPR
This NOTAM technology, which alerts pilots and airports of real-time hazards, failed by late Tuesday. Pilots could still get updates through other means while there were fewer flight departures. But as morning approached on the East Coast — and more flights were slated to take off — the issue hadn't been resolved. The FAA ordered a ground stop a little after 7 ET and ended it around 9. It took hours for flights to get back on track.

Mega Millions lottery: Where does lottery money go in different states? : NPR
After weeks of no winners coming forward, the Mega Millions jackpot has increased to an estimated $1.35 billion — the second-largest jackpot in the game's history, according to Mega Millions officials.

US inflation falls to slowest pace in more than a year | Financial Times
The annual US inflation rate fell in December to its slowest pace in more than a year, in a further sign that price pressures have peaked amid the Federal Reserve’s historic tightening campaign.

Jeff Beck: British guitar legend dies aged 78 - BBC News
"On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck's passing," the statement said.

How Montana Took a Hard Right Turn Toward Christian Nationalism - The New York Times
The fifth season of the hit show “Yellowstone” premiered on the Sunday after the midterm elections, with Kevin Costner’s character, the rancher John Dutton, assuming Montana’s governorship. “This was never my plan,” he says, wearing a cowboy hat outside the State Capitol building in Helena. Dutton has reluctantly entered politics in part to stop an influx of rich outsiders he believes are transforming his home. In the last three years, Montana has become the second-fastest-growing state in the nation, largely because of the arrival of wealthy transplants. Unlike Dutton, many influential figures in the state’s real Republican Party have welcomed them, sometimes calling them “political refugees” fleeing blue states.

Meet the Missoula pinball man
Last year, one Missoula man followed his passion and started a pinball machine business and Seff Propios recently celebrated one year of his company, Spin A Rip. The idea for the business came from a lifelong love of arcade games.