COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann came into his post-game news conference ready to talk about some good stuff for a change.

"It's been awhile since I sat in front of you in a good mood," Holtmann told the assembled media after No. 21 Ohio State snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Nebraska on Tuesday night. "It seems like forever."

Actually, it was two weeks, since Dec. 21 when they Buckeyes beat Kentucky. They were 11-1 after that and rose to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 before the losing streak started after the Christmas break. That means 80-68 win over Nebraska was Ohio State's first win of 2020.

The Buckeyes seemed to find their way on the floor again, shooting 54.5% for the game after hitting a dismal 34% combined in the four losses.

"Confidence," said guard C.J. Walker, who led Ohio State with 18 points. "Once we saw the ball fall in the first half, it just went from there. That's kind of all we needed to see. We've been playing defense really well, we just haven't been making shots."

Walker and freshman guard D.J. Carton both logged more than 37 minutes each because of the suspension of guards Luther Muhammad and Duane Washington Jr. Carton had 13 points to go along with five assists, and stalwart big man Kaleb Wesson added 13 points and 14 rebounds.

The Buckeyes (12-5, 2-4 Big Ten) took charge early and rolled over the Cornhuskers, whose transfer-heavy lineup is still learning to play together. Ohio State led by as 25 in the second half.

Thorir Thorbjarnarson paced Nebraska (7-10, 2-4) with 15 points and three players had 10. The Huskers shot 42.4% in losing their second in a row.

"They were a confident team tonight," first-year Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said of Ohio State. "You know, you go through stretches where you don't shoot the ball as well as you'd like. But when this team knocks down shots, they're going to be tough to beat."

Ohio State had failed to score 60 points in the string of four losses. On Tuesday, it reached that number during a 12-0 run before the mid-way point of the second half.

Ohio State started the game 0 for 5. Then Andre Wesson hit three straight 3-pointers and the Buckeyes took off from there.

"It gave us a big jolt of confidence," Holtmann said.

Nebraska: The Huskers hoped to come to Columbus and catch Ohio State at the bottom of a slump, but it wasn't going to happen. They shot better in the second half but couldn't keep up with the more polished Buckeyes.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes were reeling and needed a feel-good game like this, even if it was against an over-matched opponent. They seemed to get their shooting eye back after struggling mightily getting the ball in the basket in the past two weeks. Fun fact: Last January's five-game losing streak also ended with a loss to Nebraska.

"I just think there's so much basketball left, and it's not the end of the ups and downs," Holtmann said. "We've had some better practices here as of late. I'm just anxious to see how that continues, and I'm anxious to see collectively what our approach and attitude is consistently. I think when we see that consistently and feel good about that, then I'll live with results."

Ohio State announced shortly before the game that Muhammad and Washington would be suspended. It's not clear what they did or if they will sit out for more games. Holtmann said it's "day to day."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann came into his post-game news conference ready to talk about some good stuff for a change."It's been awhile since I sat in front of you in a good mood," Holtmann told the assembled media after No. 21 Ohio State snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Nebraska on Tuesday night. "It seems like forever."Actually, it was two weeks, since Dec. 21 when they Buckeyes beat Kentucky. They were 11-1 after that and rose to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 before the losing streak started after the Christmas break. That means 80-68 win over Nebraska was Ohio State's first win of 2020.The Buckeyes seemed to find their way on the floor again, shooting 54.5% for the game after hitting a dismal 34% combined in the four losses.The difference?"Confidence," said guard C.J. Walker, who led Ohio State with 18 points. "Once we saw the ball fall in the first half, it just went from there. That's kind of all we needed to see. We've been playing defense really well, we just haven't been making shots."Walker and freshman guard D.J. Carton both logged more than 37 minutes each because of the suspension of guards Luther Muhammad and Duane Washington Jr. Carton had 13 points to go along with five assists, and stalwart big man Kaleb Wesson added 13 points and 14 rebounds.The Buckeyes (12-5, 2-4 Big Ten) took charge early and rolled over the Cornhuskers, whose transfer-heavy lineup is still learning to play together. Ohio State led by as 25 in the second half.Thorir Thorbjarnarson paced Nebraska (7-10, 2-4) with 15 points and three players had 10. The Huskers shot 42.4% in losing their second in a row."They were a confident team tonight," first-year Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said of Ohio State. "You know, you go through stretches where you don't shoot the ball as well as you'd like. But when this team knocks down shots, they're going to be tough to beat."FINALLY SOME BASKETSOhio State had failed to score 60 points in the string of four losses. On Tuesday, it reached that number during a 12-0 run before the mid-way point of the second half.TURNING POINTOhio State started the game 0 for 5. Then Andre Wesson hit three straight 3-pointers and the Buckeyes took off from there."It gave us a big jolt of confidence," Holtmann said.BIG PICTURENebraska: The Huskers hoped to come to Columbus and catch Ohio State at the bottom of a slump, but it wasn't going to happen. They shot better in the second half but couldn't keep up with the more polished Buckeyes.Ohio State: The Buckeyes were reeling and needed a feel-good game like this, even if it was against an over-matched opponent. They seemed to get their shooting eye back after struggling mightily getting the ball in the basket in the past two weeks. Fun fact: Last January's five-game losing streak also ended with a loss to Nebraska."I just think there's so much basketball left, and it's not the end of the ups and downs," Holtmann said. "We've had some better practices here as of late. I'm just anxious to see how that continues, and I'm anxious to see collectively what our approach and attitude is consistently. I think when we see that consistently and feel good about that, then I'll live with results."ABOUT THOSE SUSPENSIONSOhio State announced shortly before the game that Muhammad and Washington would be suspended. It's not clear what they did or if they will sit out for more games. Holtmann said it's "day to day."UP NEXTNebraska: Hosts Indiana on Saturday.Ohio State: At Penn State on Saturday.--- Associated Press ---

Nebraska falls on the road at No. 21 Ohio State 80-68

GIRLS Liberty North 56 Central 43 (7-5, 1-2 Suburban) KEARNEY TOURNAMENT - 1ST ROUND Kearney 56 Lafayette 20 (0-11)

GIRLS Liberty North 56 Central 43 (7-5, 1-2 Suburban) KEARNEY TOURNAMENT - 1ST ROUND Kearney 56 Lafayette 20 (0-11)

City High School Basketball Scores - Monday, January 13



For the third time this season, Northwest Missouri State junior forward Ryan Hawkins has been named the&nbsp;MIAA's&nbsp;Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week.

Hawkins (Atlantic, Iowa) averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and shot 53.1 percent from the field in leading Northwest to a pair of road&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;victories. Hawkins played all 80 minutes in the two games.

Hawkins collected his third double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 71-56 win at Emporia State.&nbsp;

Hawkins scored a game-high 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting and grabbed four rebounds to go along with five steals in a 73-68 victory at Washburn. Hawkins hit a driving left-hand layup with 3:38 to play and added two free throws with 2:33 left to put Northwest on top of Washburn for good at 66-65. It was the fourth 30-point plus scoring game this season for Hawkins.

Hawkins leads the league in scoring (23.6 ppg) and in steals (2.2 spg). He is second in the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;in three-point field goals made (45) and in three-point field goal percentage (45.0%). He ranks third in the league in field goal percentage (56.3%) and in minutes per game (34.6 mpg).

The Bearcats will play a single game this week on Saturday at home against Missouri Western. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena following the women's matchup between Missouri Western and Northwest.



For the third time this season, Northwest Missouri State junior forward Ryan Hawkins has been named the&nbsp;MIAA's&nbsp;Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week.Hawkins (Atlantic, Iowa) averaged 23.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and shot 53.1 percent from the field in leading Northwest to a pair of road&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;victories. Hawkins played all 80 minutes in the two games.Hawkins collected his third double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in a 71-56 win at Emporia State.&nbsp;Hawkins scored a game-high 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting and grabbed four rebounds to go along with five steals in a 73-68 victory at Washburn. Hawkins hit a driving left-hand layup with 3:38 to play and added two free throws with 2:33 left to put Northwest on top of Washburn for good at 66-65. It was the fourth 30-point plus scoring game this season for Hawkins.Hawkins leads the league in scoring (23.6 ppg) and in steals (2.2 spg). He is second in the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;in three-point field goals made (45) and in three-point field goal percentage (45.0%). He ranks third in the league in field goal percentage (56.3%) and in minutes per game (34.6 mpg).The Bearcats will play a single game this week on Saturday at home against Missouri Western. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m. in Bearcat Arena following the women's matchup between Missouri Western and Northwest.

--- Northwest Athletics ---

Northwest's Hawkins named MIAA men's basketball Player of the Week

After helping their teams to wins over ranked opponents, Baylor’s Jared Butler was named Big 12 Men’s Basketball Player of the Week while his teammate Macio Teague and West Virginia’s Miles McBride were named Newcomers of the Week. Butler picked up his second weekly award of the season and the third of his career. McBride was honored for the second time while Teague garnered his first recognition.

Butler led Baylor to back-to-back road victories over top 25 teams, including the program's first win at Kansas, which was also the first road win against a top 5 team in program history. He scored a game-high 22 points and played turnover-free with three assists and two steals in 32 minutes at No. 3 KU. The sophomore guard scored 10 straight points in a 2:25 span late in the second half, and the Bears led by double-digits for the final 8:54 of the game. Butler made consecutive buckets in the final four minutes at No. 22 Texas Tech, extending Baylor’s lead to six points both times. He helped the Baylor defense limit TTU to its fewest points (52) in a home game in the four-year Chris Beard era and KU to its fewest points (55) in a home game in the 17-year Bill Self era.

Teague scored 16 points, posted a team-high seven rebounds and added three assists with no turnovers in 35 minutes in Baylor's win at No. 3 Kansas. He scored eight straight points in the final three minutes of the first half at Kansas, extending the Bears’ lead from two to 10 points. The junior guard drove and dished for three straight BU field goals in the final five minutes. Teague added seven points and two rebounds in the win at No. 22 Texas Tech and assisted with the Bears’ defensive efforts in both games.

McBride posted double figure scoring in both of West Virginia’s games as the team won at Oklahoma State and beat No. 22 Texas Tech at home. The freshman guard scored a career-high 22 points in the win over the Red Raiders with 13 of those points in the second half. He connected on 8-of-11 from the field. McBride contributed 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting in the road win at Oklahoma State. He averaged 16.0 points for the week while shooting 66.7 percent from the field, 60 percent from 3-point range and 83.3 percent from the free throw line.

After helping their teams to wins over ranked opponents, Baylor’s Jared Butler was named Big 12 Men’s Basketball Player of the Week while his teammate Macio Teague and West Virginia’s Miles McBride were named Newcomers of the Week. Butler picked up his second weekly award of the season and the third of his career. McBride was honored for the second time while Teague garnered his first recognition.Butler led Baylor to back-to-back road victories over top 25 teams, including the program's first win at Kansas, which was also the first road win against a top 5 team in program history. He scored a game-high 22 points and played turnover-free with three assists and two steals in 32 minutes at No. 3 KU. The sophomore guard scored 10 straight points in a 2:25 span late in the second half, and the Bears led by double-digits for the final 8:54 of the game. Butler made consecutive buckets in the final four minutes at No. 22 Texas Tech, extending Baylor’s lead to six points both times. He helped the Baylor defense limit TTU to its fewest points (52) in a home game in the four-year Chris Beard era and KU to its fewest points (55) in a home game in the 17-year Bill Self era.Teague scored 16 points, posted a team-high seven rebounds and added three assists with no turnovers in 35 minutes in Baylor's win at No. 3 Kansas. He scored eight straight points in the final three minutes of the first half at Kansas, extending the Bears’ lead from two to 10 points. The junior guard drove and dished for three straight BU field goals in the final five minutes. Teague added seven points and two rebounds in the win at No. 22 Texas Tech and assisted with the Bears’ defensive efforts in both games.McBride posted double figure scoring in both of West Virginia’s games as the team won at Oklahoma State and beat No. 22 Texas Tech at home. The freshman guard scored a career-high 22 points in the win over the Red Raiders with 13 of those points in the second half. He connected on 8-of-11 from the field. McBride contributed 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting in the road win at Oklahoma State. He averaged 16.0 points for the week while shooting 66.7 percent from the field, 60 percent from 3-point range and 83.3 percent from the free throw line.--- Big 12 Release ---

Big 12 hands out weekly men's basketball awards

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State kick returner Joshua Youngblood received his second honor from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and sixth overall All-America accolade as he was named a Freshman All-American by the organization on Monday.

Youngblood, who was a Second Team All-American by the FWAA, was previously named to ESPN’s lone All-America team and was a Second Team All-American by CBS Sports, while he was a Freshman All-American by The Athletic and a True Freshman All-American by 247Sports.

The freshman was part of an overall kickoff-return unit that led the nation in both average (29.50) touchdowns (4). The unit’s average tied for the 14th best mark in NCAA history and set a new school and Big 12 record.

A product of Tampa, Florida, who was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, Youngblood led the country with three kickoff-return touchdowns during the regular season. His three scores rank third in school history for a season and fourth in a career, while he ranks third in Big 12 history for a season and already tied for seventh in a career.

Youngblood held a Big 12-leading 35.9-yard kickoff-return average, which would rank first in the nation and broke both the school and conference records if he had two more attempts to meet the NCAA required minimum.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State kick returner Joshua Youngblood received his second honor from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and sixth overall All-America accolade as he was named a Freshman All-American by the organization on Monday.Youngblood, who was a Second Team All-American by the FWAA, was previously named to ESPN’s lone All-America team and was a Second Team All-American by CBS Sports, while he was a Freshman All-American by The Athletic and a True Freshman All-American by 247Sports.The freshman was part of an overall kickoff-return unit that led the nation in both average (29.50) touchdowns (4). The unit’s average tied for the 14th best mark in NCAA history and set a new school and Big 12 record.A product of Tampa, Florida, who was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, Youngblood led the country with three kickoff-return touchdowns during the regular season. His three scores rank third in school history for a season and fourth in a career, while he ranks third in Big 12 history for a season and already tied for seventh in a career.Youngblood held a Big 12-leading 35.9-yard kickoff-return average, which would rank first in the nation and broke both the school and conference records if he had two more attempts to meet the NCAA required minimum.--- K-State Sports ---

Kansas State's Youngblood named FWAA Freshman All-American

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Patrick Mahomes stalked up and down the sideline like a field marshal rallying his troops, the brilliant young quarterback imploring the Kansas City Chiefs to stay together even as the Houston Texans were on the verge of taking them apart.

The Chiefs already faced a 24-0 hole, bigger than any deficit they had overcome in franchise history.

"The biggest thing I was preaching," Mahomes said later, "was, `Let's go do something special. Everybody is counting us out. Let's go out there and play by play put it out there.' And play by play, we did what we were supposed to do."

Beginning with the first of his five touchdown passes, Mahomes and the Chiefs slowly chipped away at Houston's seemingly insurmountable lead. They continued to pick up momentum, outscoring the Texans 28-0 during the second quarter alone, and eventually reeled off 41 consecutive points before cruising the rest of the way to a 51-31 victory Sunday that propelled Kansas City back to the AFC championship game for the second consecutive season.

In doing so, the Chiefs (13-4) became the first team in NFL history to win a playoff game by at least 20 points after trailing by at least 20. They matched the fourth-biggest comeback in playoff history while winning a postseason game in back-to-back seasons for the first time. Travis Kelce and Damien Williams scored three touchdowns apiece, joining the 49ers' Jerry Rice and Ricky Waters in Super Bowl 29 as the only teammates to score that many times in a postseason game.

Meanwhile, Mahomes led by example as much as by voice. He finished with 321 yards passing, becoming the first player in postseason history with at least 300 yards passing and five touchdowns while running for at least 50 more yards.

"You saw him going up and down the bench, he was talking to everybody, -- `Just settle down," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "As a head coach, you can't ask for more than that. When he's the leader of your team and he's going, `Hey, we're going to be fine. Let's not wait for the fourth quarter. Let's go!' And he did that."

Now, after losing to the Patriots in overtime in last year's conference title game, the Chiefs are back on the brink of their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years. They will host Tennessee next Sunday in a rematch from earlier this season after the Titans upset Lamar Jackson and the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night.

"We've already played them and we know they're a tough team," Mahomes said. "They're a team that battles all the way until the end. They're a team that's really hot, playing really good football right now, so we know it's going to take our best effort. And, whatever way, we've got to find a way to win."

Deshaun Watson, meanwhile, threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns while running for another, but not even his heroics could bail out the Texans (11-7) after their calamitous second quarter and dismal third. The result: The reborn Houston franchise is 0-4 in the divisional round and has never won a road playoff game.

"I definitely thought we were going to have to score more than 24," said Texans coach Bill O'Brien, who made a series of debatable calls during the collapse. "I think that they're, obviously, a very explosive team and it just didn't work out."

The Chiefs certainly gave Houston a chance to end their frustrating playoff streak in the first quarter.

On defense, Kansas City blew coverage on Kenny Stills on the opening possession, allowing him to walk into the end zone from 54 yards. On offense, they wasted timeouts, dropped a series of easy passes and managed just 46 yards. And on special teams, the Chiefs had a punt blocked for a score and fumbled a return that set up another touchdown.

Indeed, the Texans kept humming right along after finishing on a 22-3 run to beat Buffalo last week, while the mountain of miscues made by the Chiefs made them only the fourth home playoff team to trail 21-0 after the first quarter.

Things turned around on a series of plays -- and a call by O'Brien in particular -- that will be debated for a while.

After the Texans stretched the lead to 24-0 early in the second quarter, the Chiefs began to nip into their deficit with a quick touchdown drive. And the comeback really gained momentum when O'Brien called for a fake punt at the Houston 31-yard line and the Chiefs stuffed it, giving them a short field and setting up another easy touchdown.

"We had that play ready for a variety of different teams and situations," said the Texans' Justin Reid, who took the snap and was stopped short of the first down. "Credit to them, they made the play."

As the Chiefs continued to take off, the Texans continued to stumble.

On the ensuing kickoff, Houston return man DeAndre Carter had the ball pop loose and into the arms of Darwin Thompson, whose recovery set up a second Mahomes-to-Kelce touchdown in a matter of seconds. And their third came after the Chiefs forced a punt -- a successful one, for a change -- and they drove 90 yards to take a stunning 28-24 halftime lead.

"I mean, it was an amazing thing. Everything was working," Mahomes said. "The play calls were open, everybody was getting open against man-coverage which we've been preaching all season long, and guys were making plays."

The comeback became a clobbering by the time the third quarter ended.

The Chiefs breezed downfield to start the second half, and Williams finished the drive with his first TD run. Their overhauled defense under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sacked Watson on fourth down to get the ball right back, and Mahomes and Co. required just six more plays to position Williams for another TD run and a 41-24 lead.

The 41 consecutive points, spanning most of the second and third quarters, were the most since the Jets had the same against the Colts in the 2002 wild-card round.

Even when the Texans finally cracked the scoreboard, when Watson scrambled to his left and dived over the pylon, the Chiefs rendered the touchdown moot. In four plays they went 72 yards to set up the fifth TD pass by Mahomes, the strike to little-used tight end Blake Bell giving coach Andy Reid's team a postseason-record seven straight TD drives.

It also gave a festive crowd that turned out early in freezing weather and a slight drizzle a chance to celebrate early.

"We've got full confidence not only in the players but the game plan going into it. Just got to deal with what's going on in the game -- what's real and what's not -- and what was real was we were hurting ourselves early," Kelce said. "With that, you just rally the troops, lean on the leaders of this team and make plays. That's what we did."

Houston played without S Jahleel Addae (hamstring) and TE Jordan Akins (hamstring). They also lost RT Chris Clark to a knee injury early in the game, and backup Roderick Johnson struggled against the Chiefs pass rush the rest of the game.

Kansas City sat defensive tackle Chris Jones, who strained his calf muscle late in the week and couldn't make it through pregame warm-ups. WR Tyreek Hill left briefly after a hard hit but eventually returned to the game.

The Texans will spend the offseason wondering how they let a 24-0 lead slip away, and the Chiefs will begin preparing for the Titans in the AFC title game. Kansas City lost lost 35-32 at Tennessee in Week 10, when Derrick Henry ran for 188 yards and two touchdowns against them. It was the Chiefs' most recent loss.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Patrick Mahomes stalked up and down the sideline like a field marshal rallying his troops, the brilliant young quarterback imploring the Kansas City Chiefs to stay together even as the Houston Texans were on the verge of taking them apart.The Chiefs already faced a 24-0 hole, bigger than any deficit they had overcome in franchise history."The biggest thing I was preaching," Mahomes said later, "was, `Let's go do something special. Everybody is counting us out. Let's go out there and play by play put it out there.' And play by play, we did what we were supposed to do."Beginning with the first of his five touchdown passes, Mahomes and the Chiefs slowly chipped away at Houston's seemingly insurmountable lead. They continued to pick up momentum, outscoring the Texans 28-0 during the second quarter alone, and eventually reeled off 41 consecutive points before cruising the rest of the way to a 51-31 victory Sunday that propelled Kansas City back to the AFC championship game for the second consecutive season.In doing so, the Chiefs (13-4) became the first team in NFL history to win a playoff game by at least 20 points after trailing by at least 20. They matched the fourth-biggest comeback in playoff history while winning a postseason game in back-to-back seasons for the first time. Travis Kelce and Damien Williams scored three touchdowns apiece, joining the 49ers' Jerry Rice and Ricky Waters in Super Bowl 29 as the only teammates to score that many times in a postseason game.Meanwhile, Mahomes led by example as much as by voice. He finished with 321 yards passing, becoming the first player in postseason history with at least 300 yards passing and five touchdowns while running for at least 50 more yards."You saw him going up and down the bench, he was talking to everybody, -- `Just settle down," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "As a head coach, you can't ask for more than that. When he's the leader of your team and he's going, `Hey, we're going to be fine. Let's not wait for the fourth quarter. Let's go!' And he did that."Now, after losing to the Patriots in overtime in last year's conference title game, the Chiefs are back on the brink of their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years. They will host Tennessee next Sunday in a rematch from earlier this season after the Titans upset Lamar Jackson and the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night."We've already played them and we know they're a tough team," Mahomes said. "They're a team that battles all the way until the end. They're a team that's really hot, playing really good football right now, so we know it's going to take our best effort. And, whatever way, we've got to find a way to win."Deshaun Watson, meanwhile, threw for 388 yards and two touchdowns while running for another, but not even his heroics could bail out the Texans (11-7) after their calamitous second quarter and dismal third. The result: The reborn Houston franchise is 0-4 in the divisional round and has never won a road playoff game."I definitely thought we were going to have to score more than 24," said Texans coach Bill O'Brien, who made a series of debatable calls during the collapse. "I think that they're, obviously, a very explosive team and it just didn't work out."The Chiefs certainly gave Houston a chance to end their frustrating playoff streak in the first quarter.On defense, Kansas City blew coverage on Kenny Stills on the opening possession, allowing him to walk into the end zone from 54 yards. On offense, they wasted timeouts, dropped a series of easy passes and managed just 46 yards. And on special teams, the Chiefs had a punt blocked for a score and fumbled a return that set up another touchdown.Indeed, the Texans kept humming right along after finishing on a 22-3 run to beat Buffalo last week, while the mountain of miscues made by the Chiefs made them only the fourth home playoff team to trail 21-0 after the first quarter.Things turned around on a series of plays -- and a call by O'Brien in particular -- that will be debated for a while.After the Texans stretched the lead to 24-0 early in the second quarter, the Chiefs began to nip into their deficit with a quick touchdown drive. And the comeback really gained momentum when O'Brien called for a fake punt at the Houston 31-yard line and the Chiefs stuffed it, giving them a short field and setting up another easy touchdown."We had that play ready for a variety of different teams and situations," said the Texans' Justin Reid, who took the snap and was stopped short of the first down. "Credit to them, they made the play."As the Chiefs continued to take off, the Texans continued to stumble.On the ensuing kickoff, Houston return man DeAndre Carter had the ball pop loose and into the arms of Darwin Thompson, whose recovery set up a second Mahomes-to-Kelce touchdown in a matter of seconds. And their third came after the Chiefs forced a punt -- a successful one, for a change -- and they drove 90 yards to take a stunning 28-24 halftime lead."I mean, it was an amazing thing. Everything was working," Mahomes said. "The play calls were open, everybody was getting open against man-coverage which we've been preaching all season long, and guys were making plays."The comeback became a clobbering by the time the third quarter ended.The Chiefs breezed downfield to start the second half, and Williams finished the drive with his first TD run. Their overhauled defense under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sacked Watson on fourth down to get the ball right back, and Mahomes and Co. required just six more plays to position Williams for another TD run and a 41-24 lead.The 41 consecutive points, spanning most of the second and third quarters, were the most since the Jets had the same against the Colts in the 2002 wild-card round.Even when the Texans finally cracked the scoreboard, when Watson scrambled to his left and dived over the pylon, the Chiefs rendered the touchdown moot. In four plays they went 72 yards to set up the fifth TD pass by Mahomes, the strike to little-used tight end Blake Bell giving coach Andy Reid's team a postseason-record seven straight TD drives.It also gave a festive crowd that turned out early in freezing weather and a slight drizzle a chance to celebrate early."We've got full confidence not only in the players but the game plan going into it. Just got to deal with what's going on in the game -- what's real and what's not -- and what was real was we were hurting ourselves early," Kelce said. "With that, you just rally the troops, lean on the leaders of this team and make plays. That's what we did."INJURIESHouston played without S Jahleel Addae (hamstring) and TE Jordan Akins (hamstring). They also lost RT Chris Clark to a knee injury early in the game, and backup Roderick Johnson struggled against the Chiefs pass rush the rest of the game.Kansas City sat defensive tackle Chris Jones, who strained his calf muscle late in the week and couldn't make it through pregame warm-ups. WR Tyreek Hill left briefly after a hard hit but eventually returned to the game.UP NEXTThe Texans will spend the offseason wondering how they let a 24-0 lead slip away, and the Chiefs will begin preparing for the Titans in the AFC title game. Kansas City lost lost 35-32 at Tennessee in Week 10, when Derrick Henry ran for 188 yards and two touchdowns against them. It was the Chiefs' most recent loss.--- Associated Press ---

Chiefs rally from 24-0 hole to beat Texans 51-31 in divisional playoffs

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Chelsea Dungee scored a season-high 38 points, Taylah Thomas added a double-double and No. 21 Arkansas overcame a slow start to defeat Missouri 90-73 on Sunday.

The Tigers scored the first six points of the game and had a 10-point lead in the first quarter, which ended with the visitors on top 22-14. Dungee had 10 points in the second quarter, including the last eight, and had 17 at the break, when the Razorbacks led 34-30.

Dungee opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer, part of an 8-0 and ended it with a buzzer-beating 3 for a 62-50 lead. A 10-0 run in the fourth quarter broke the game open.

Alexis Tolefree scored 13 points for the Razorbacks (14-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) and Thomas scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Arkansas shot 56% in the second half (20 for 36) after shooting 32% (12 of 37) in the first.

Hayley Frank led the Tigers (4-13, 1-3, who had won seven-straight in the series, with 19 points and Aijha Blackwell had 18. Hannah Schuchts grabbed 12 rebounds, a career-high. Mizzou shot 36.5% and had 18 turnovers.

There were 54 fouls in the game, including four technicals, and the teams combined to shoot 56 free throws.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Chelsea Dungee scored a season-high 38 points, Taylah Thomas added a double-double and No. 21 Arkansas overcame a slow start to defeat Missouri 90-73 on Sunday.The Tigers scored the first six points of the game and had a 10-point lead in the first quarter, which ended with the visitors on top 22-14. Dungee had 10 points in the second quarter, including the last eight, and had 17 at the break, when the Razorbacks led 34-30.Dungee opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer, part of an 8-0 and ended it with a buzzer-beating 3 for a 62-50 lead. A 10-0 run in the fourth quarter broke the game open.Alexis Tolefree scored 13 points for the Razorbacks (14-3, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) and Thomas scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Arkansas shot 56% in the second half (20 for 36) after shooting 32% (12 of 37) in the first.Hayley Frank led the Tigers (4-13, 1-3, who had won seven-straight in the series, with 19 points and Aijha Blackwell had 18. Hannah Schuchts grabbed 12 rebounds, a career-high. Mizzou shot 36.5% and had 18 turnovers.There were 54 fouls in the game, including four technicals, and the teams combined to shoot 56 free throws.--- Associated Press ---

Mizzou women fall at No. 21 Arkansas 90-73

EMPORIA, Kan. - It was cold in Emporia, Saturday, and not much warmer for the Griffon Men's Basketball team (7-10, 3-3 MIAA) inside White Auditorium. Missouri Western shot 37% from the field in an 81-68 loss at Emporia State (9-5, 3-2).

The Hornets led all 40 minutes, stretching their lead to as many as 16 points more than once. Missouri Western did use a late little run to get within three points, 59-56, with 7:09 left before Emporia State answered to stretch the its lead back to 10 with five minutes remaining.

- MWSU used 43% shooting in the second half to get to 37% for the game. The Griffons shot 30% from the field in the first half.

- The Griffons went 7 for 28 from behind the 3-point arc (25%) with Emporia State making 11 of its 25 long range attempts for 44%.

- Emporia State controlled the glass, out-rebounding MWSU 42-32

- Alex John scored 13 points on 6 of 7 shooting and added four rebounds.

- Will Eames led the team with 19 points, six rebounds and two steals.

- Tyrell Carroll scored 13 points with a team-high six assists and five rebounds.

The Griffons wrap up two weeks away from St. Joseph with a trip to No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (15-1, 5-1) on Jan. 18. Northwest Missouri State survived for its 15th win of the season, 73-68 at Washburn on Saturday.

EMPORIA, Kan. - It was cold in Emporia, Saturday, and not much warmer for the Griffon Men's Basketball team (7-10, 3-3 MIAA) inside White Auditorium. Missouri Western shot 37% from the field in an 81-68 loss at Emporia State (9-5, 3-2).The Hornets led all 40 minutes, stretching their lead to as many as 16 points more than once. Missouri Western did use a late little run to get within three points, 59-56, with 7:09 left before Emporia State answered to stretch the its lead back to 10 with five minutes remaining.NOTABLES- MWSU used 43% shooting in the second half to get to 37% for the game. The Griffons shot 30% from the field in the first half.- The Griffons went 7 for 28 from behind the 3-point arc (25%) with Emporia State making 11 of its 25 long range attempts for 44%.- Emporia State controlled the glass, out-rebounding MWSU 42-32- Alex John scored 13 points on 6 of 7 shooting and added four rebounds.- Will Eames led the team with 19 points, six rebounds and two steals.- Tyrell Carroll scored 13 points with a team-high six assists and five rebounds.UP NEXTThe Griffons wrap up two weeks away from St. Joseph with a trip to No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (15-1, 5-1) on Jan. 18. Northwest Missouri State survived for its 15th win of the season, 73-68 at Washburn on Saturday.--- MWSU Athletics ---

Griffons fall on the road at Emporia State 81-68

TOPEKA, Kansas – The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcat men’s basketball team overcame a four-point deficit down the stretch and secured a 73-68 road win over the Washburn Ichabods on Saturday at Lee Arena.

Northwest’s victory improves the Bearcats to 15-1 overall and 5-1 in MIAA play, while Washburn falls to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in league action.

Junior Ryan Hawkins put the ‘Cats on his shoulders with a 32-point scoring barrage on only 18 shots from the field. Hawkins was 11-of-18 shooting and was 3-of-7 from three-point range. Hawkins drained seven of his eight free throw attempts. Hawkins also did damage on the defensive end with five steals and four rebounds.

Even with Hawkins’s scoring heroics the Bearcats had to overcome a 62-58 Washburn lead with 5:58 to play. Freshman Luke Waters hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to two with 5:21 to left. Diego Bernard evened the game at 62-62 on a driving layup but missed the ensuing free throw to leave it level.

Washburn’s Jalen Lewis sank three free throws after getting fouled by Northwest’s Trevor Hudgins with 3:57 to play that gave the Ichabods a 65-62 advantage.

Hawkins hit a left-handed layup to trim the lead to one with 3:38. Hawkins then drew a foul and sank two free throws to give the Bearcats the lead they would not relinquish with 2:33 on the clock.

Hudgins buried two free throws with 1:54 to play to put Northwest up 68-65. Bernard made two more at the charity stripe with 47 seconds left to put Northwest up five, 70-65.

After a Bernard turnover, Washburn’s Lewis knocked in a three-pointer with 23 ticks left to cut the Northwest lead to two at 70-68. Hudgins then made three of four at the line to close out the scoring and a Northwest win, 73-68.

Hawkins paced the Bearcats in the opening half with 22 points. Hawkins was 9-of-13 from the field and added three steals on the defensive end. Northwest led 41-35 at the break, despite Washburn shooting 68.4% from the floor (13-of-19 FGs).

Both teams shot better than 50% from the field as Washburn made 56.5% (26-of-46 FGs, while Northwest shot 52.3% (23-of-44).

Northwest’s next action will be at home Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against the Missouri Western Griffons. Northwest has won 25 straight games in Bearcat Arena.

NOTES: It is the 10th straight win for Northwest over Washburn … Hudgins has scored 999 career points … Waters scored 14 points in his second career start … Bernard stuffed his stat sheet with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals … Hudgins added five assists.

TOPEKA, Kansas – The No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcat men’s basketball team overcame a four-point deficit down the stretch and secured a 73-68 road win over the Washburn Ichabods on Saturday at Lee Arena.Northwest’s victory improves the Bearcats to 15-1 overall and 5-1 in MIAA play, while Washburn falls to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in league action.Junior Ryan Hawkins put the ‘Cats on his shoulders with a 32-point scoring barrage on only 18 shots from the field. Hawkins was 11-of-18 shooting and was 3-of-7 from three-point range. Hawkins drained seven of his eight free throw attempts. Hawkins also did damage on the defensive end with five steals and four rebounds.Even with Hawkins’s scoring heroics the Bearcats had to overcome a 62-58 Washburn lead with 5:58 to play. Freshman Luke Waters hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to two with 5:21 to left. Diego Bernard evened the game at 62-62 on a driving layup but missed the ensuing free throw to leave it level.Washburn’s Jalen Lewis sank three free throws after getting fouled by Northwest’s Trevor Hudgins with 3:57 to play that gave the Ichabods a 65-62 advantage.Hawkins hit a left-handed layup to trim the lead to one with 3:38. Hawkins then drew a foul and sank two free throws to give the Bearcats the lead they would not relinquish with 2:33 on the clock.Hudgins buried two free throws with 1:54 to play to put Northwest up 68-65. Bernard made two more at the charity stripe with 47 seconds left to put Northwest up five, 70-65.After a Bernard turnover, Washburn’s Lewis knocked in a three-pointer with 23 ticks left to cut the Northwest lead to two at 70-68. Hudgins then made three of four at the line to close out the scoring and a Northwest win, 73-68.Hawkins paced the Bearcats in the opening half with 22 points. Hawkins was 9-of-13 from the field and added three steals on the defensive end. Northwest led 41-35 at the break, despite Washburn shooting 68.4% from the floor (13-of-19 FGs).Both teams shot better than 50% from the field as Washburn made 56.5% (26-of-46 FGs, while Northwest shot 52.3% (23-of-44).Northwest’s next action will be at home Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against the Missouri Western Griffons. Northwest has won 25 straight games in Bearcat Arena.NOTES: It is the 10th straight win for Northwest over Washburn … Hudgins has scored 999 career points … Waters scored 14 points in his second career start … Bernard stuffed his stat sheet with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals … Hudgins added five assists.--- Northwest Athletics ---

No. 2 Bearcats come from behind to win at Washburn 73-68

EMPORIA, Kan. - The Missouri Western women's basketball team needed another quarter Saturday at Emporia State.  The Griffons (12-3, 4-2 MIAA) got better and better as the game went on, but a big first half hole was too much to dig out of as the No. 16-ranked Lady Hornets (12-2, 5-0) ended Missouri Western's seven-game win streak, 74-70.

Missouri Western used 32 fourth quarter points and 56% shooting over the final 10 minutes to climb back and get within as many as three points late in the game. It was a stark contrast from the seven point, 27% shooting first quarter that put MWSU down by 14 after 10 minutes of play. Missouri Western outscored Emporia State 22-5 from the five minute mark, getting nine points from Corbyn Cunningham and seven from Anastacia Johnson to cut the ESU lead to 70-67 with 23 seconds left. Emporia State went 4 for 4 from the free throw line after that with Johnson adding a 3-pointer late to reach the final score.

- Missouri Western trailed by 22 with 34 seconds left in the first half and went to the locker room down 19.

- The big run came in the fourth quarter, but MWSU clawed back in the game in the third when ESU shot just 23% from the field.

- MWSU forced five ESU turnovers in the third quarter with the Lady Hornets scoring eight of their 15 points in the quarter at the free throw line.

- The Griffons went 10 of 18 from the field in the fourth after going 8 for 26 in the entire first half and outscored ESU by 12 in the quarter.

- Cunningham scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the fourth quarter while drawing six fouls. She ended the game with 18 points and 11 boards.

- Johnson scored 10 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter and added five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

- Logan Hughes scored 10 points, with all 10 coming in the second half.

- Chris Wilson exited in the first half with an injury. Wilson was leading the Griffons with eight points on 4 for 4 shooting and four rebounds when she was injured.

Missouri Western ends a three-game road swing with a trip to Northwest Missouri State (8-7, 3-3) on Jan. 18. The Bearcats lost 59-43 at Washburn on Saturday.

EMPORIA, Kan. - The Missouri Western women's basketball team needed another quarter Saturday at Emporia State. The Griffons (12-3, 4-2 MIAA) got better and better as the game went on, but a big first half hole was too much to dig out of as the No. 16-ranked Lady Hornets (12-2, 5-0) ended Missouri Western's seven-game win streak, 74-70.Missouri Western used 32 fourth quarter points and 56% shooting over the final 10 minutes to climb back and get within as many as three points late in the game. It was a stark contrast from the seven point, 27% shooting first quarter that put MWSU down by 14 after 10 minutes of play. Missouri Western outscored Emporia State 22-5 from the five minute mark, getting nine points from Corbyn Cunningham and seven from Anastacia Johnson to cut the ESU lead to 70-67 with 23 seconds left. Emporia State went 4 for 4 from the free throw line after that with Johnson adding a 3-pointer late to reach the final score.NOTABLES- Missouri Western trailed by 22 with 34 seconds left in the first half and went to the locker room down 19.- The big run came in the fourth quarter, but MWSU clawed back in the game in the third when ESU shot just 23% from the field.- MWSU forced five ESU turnovers in the third quarter with the Lady Hornets scoring eight of their 15 points in the quarter at the free throw line.- The Griffons went 10 of 18 from the field in the fourth after going 8 for 26 in the entire first half and outscored ESU by 12 in the quarter.- Cunningham scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds in the fourth quarter while drawing six fouls. She ended the game with 18 points and 11 boards.- Johnson scored 10 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter and added five rebounds, three assists and two steals.- Logan Hughes scored 10 points, with all 10 coming in the second half.- Chris Wilson exited in the first half with an injury. Wilson was leading the Griffons with eight points on 4 for 4 shooting and four rebounds when she was injured.UP NEXTMissouri Western ends a three-game road swing with a trip to Northwest Missouri State (8-7, 3-3) on Jan. 18. The Bearcats lost 59-43 at Washburn on Saturday.--- MWSU Athletics ---

Missouri Western women rally, but come up short at No. 16 ESU 74-70

TOPEKA, Kan. - The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team fell to the Washburn Ichabods 59-43. Northwest really struggled to find the basket in this game shooting only 26% from the field in the game. The Bearcats were outrebounded 34-19. The Bearcats took care of the ball well only committing nine turnovers to Washburn's 17.

The first five minutes of basketball of this game resulted in just 8 points total with the Ichabods leading 5-3. The Bearcats played great defense and part of their offensive struggle may have been in part to the fact, that leading scorer Kendey Eaton did not play in this game. The Bearcats trailed 11-9 at the end of the first quarter.

The Ichabods started the second quarter on a 6-0 run. After that 6-0 run the Bearcats won the quarter 11-9. Northwest was able to stay in the game by hitting 7-8 free throws and forcing eight Washburn turnovers in the first half.

The third quarter was a low scoring quarter as well, after the third quarter the Ichabods led 39-31. Washburn's Hayley Thompson hit a half court shot to end the third quarter.

The Ichabods asserted their dominance in the fourth quarter, winning the final quarter 20-12.

Mallory McConkey was the only Bearcat in double figures with 16 points. Jayna Green led Northwest with six rebounds.

Hunter Bentley led the Ichabods with 16 points, and Hayley Thompson and Shelbe Piggie added 11.  Bentley added nine rebounds and two steals.

Northwest will be back in action against Missouri Western in Bearcat Arena on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 1:30 p.m.

TOPEKA, Kan. - The Northwest Missouri State University women's basketball team fell to the Washburn Ichabods 59-43. Northwest really struggled to find the basket in this game shooting only 26% from the field in the game. The Bearcats were outrebounded 34-19. The Bearcats took care of the ball well only committing nine turnovers to Washburn's 17.The first five minutes of basketball of this game resulted in just 8 points total with the Ichabods leading 5-3. The Bearcats played great defense and part of their offensive struggle may have been in part to the fact, that leading scorer Kendey Eaton did not play in this game. The Bearcats trailed 11-9 at the end of the first quarter.The Ichabods started the second quarter on a 6-0 run. After that 6-0 run the Bearcats won the quarter 11-9. Northwest was able to stay in the game by hitting 7-8 free throws and forcing eight Washburn turnovers in the first half.The third quarter was a low scoring quarter as well, after the third quarter the Ichabods led 39-31. Washburn's Hayley Thompson hit a half court shot to end the third quarter.The Ichabods asserted their dominance in the fourth quarter, winning the final quarter 20-12.Mallory McConkey was the only Bearcat in double figures with 16 points. Jayna Green led Northwest with six rebounds.Hunter Bentley led the Ichabods with 16 points, and Hayley Thompson and Shelbe Piggie added 11. Bentley added nine rebounds and two steals.Northwest will be back in action against Missouri Western in Bearcat Arena on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 1:30 p.m.--- Northwest Athletics ---

Northwest Missouri State women lose at Washburn 59-43

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Dru Smith scored 22 points and dished six assists to lead Missouri to a 91-75 victory over Florida on Saturday. The Tigers (9-6, 1-2 Southeastern Conference, who entered the game ranked next-to-last in the league in scoring offense, tied their season-high point total. They shot a blistering 61.5% from the field and 63.2% from 3-point range. Javon Pickett and Mark Smith scored 14 each, and Mitchell Smith finished with 10. Kerry Blackshear led Florida (10-5, 2-1) with 22 points, Noah Locke added 12 and Scottie Lewis had 10. Mark Smith sank a 3-pointer on the game's opening possession, and the Tigers were off and running. In the first half, they created fast breaks with five steals, scored 20 points in the paint and made 8 of 11 shots from beyond the arc. Xavier Pinson drew one of the biggest roars of the season from the Mizzou Arena crowd when he led the break, faked a pass to the right corner and dunked in traffic to give Missouri a 13-5 lead. The Tigers led 51-36 at halftime. The second half started the same way, as Mitchell Smith sank a 3-pointer, causing an animated Florida coach Mike White to call a timeout just 40 seconds after intermission. The Gators cut an 18-point deficit to 10 when Tre Mann hit a 3-pointer with 14:50 left, and they had Missouri in so much foul trouble they were shooting free throws in the bonus at the 13:20 mark. But Florida couldn't get enough defensive stops to get any closer. BIG PICTURE Florida: The Gators usually fly back to Gainesville right after road games, but White decided before the trip to spend an extra night in Missouri because of ice and snow in the forecast. White said he was concerned that flight delays might cost his players valuable sleep. Missouri: The Tigers improved to 6-0 when scoring at least 70 points. Offense has been the problem most of the season. They scored just 59 points in each of their first two SEC games. They almost reached that total by halftime against the Gators. UP NEXT Florida: The Gators play Mississippi on Tuesday at home. Missouri: The Tigers visit Mississippi State on Tuesday. --- Associated Press ---

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Dru Smith scored 22 points and dished six assists to lead Missouri to a 91-75 victory over Florida on Saturday. The Tigers (9-6, 1-2 Southeastern Conference, who entered the game ranked next-to-last in the league in scoring offense, tied their season-high point total. They shot a blistering 61.5% from the field and 63.2% from 3-point range. Javon Pickett and Mark Smith scored 14 each, and Mitchell Smith finished with 10. Kerry Blackshear led Florida (10-5, 2-1) with 22 points, Noah Locke added 12 and Scottie Lewis had 10. Mark Smith sank a 3-pointer on the game's opening possession, and the Tigers were off and running. In the first half, they created fast breaks with five steals, scored 20 points in the paint and made 8 of 11 shots from beyond the arc. Xavier Pinson drew one of the biggest roars of the season from the Mizzou Arena crowd when he led the break, faked a pass to the right corner and dunked in traffic to give Missouri a 13-5 lead. The Tigers led 51-36 at halftime. The second half started the same way, as Mitchell Smith sank a 3-pointer, causing an animated Florida coach Mike White to call a timeout just 40 seconds after intermission. The Gators cut an 18-point deficit to 10 when Tre Mann hit a 3-pointer with 14:50 left, and they had Missouri in so much foul trouble they were shooting free throws in the bonus at the 13:20 mark. But Florida couldn't get enough defensive stops to get any closer. BIG PICTURE Florida: The Gators usually fly back to Gainesville right after road games, but White decided before the trip to spend an extra night in Missouri because of ice and snow in the forecast. White said he was concerned that flight delays might cost his players valuable sleep. Missouri: The Tigers improved to 6-0 when scoring at least 70 points. Offense has been the problem most of the season. They scored just 59 points in each of their first two SEC games. They almost reached that total by halftime against the Gators. UP NEXT Florida: The Gators play Mississippi on Tuesday at home. Missouri: The Tigers visit Mississippi State on Tuesday. --- Associated Press ---

Missouri rolls to big win against Florida 91-75

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Jared Butler scored 22 points, MaCio Teague added 16 and fourth-ranked Baylor beat No. 3 Kansas 67-55 on Saturday for the Bears' first win in 18 tries on the hallowed hardwood of Allen Fieldhouse.

Freddie Gillespie added 13 points for the Bears (13-1, 3-0 Big 12, who snapped a whole slew of ignominious streaks with their victory in Lawrence: They beat a top-five team on the road for the first time in 22 attempts, won their fifth consecutive game against a ranked team for the first time in school history and, perhaps most importantly, beat Kansas (12-3, 2-1) in their personal house of horrors for the first time since the building opened in 1966.

Isaiah Moss scored 15 points and Marcus Garrett had 11 for the Jayhawks, who lost leading scorer Devon Dotson to an injury for a long stretch midway through the game and could never solve the Bears' league-best defense.

Kansas was 4 of 15 from beyond the arc and committed 14 turnovers, which Baylor turned into a 21-2 edge in points off turnovers. The result was just the Jayhawks' second loss to the Bears in their last 15 meetings.

The two Big 12 heavyweights spent the first 10 minutes of the game sizing each other up, and the Jayhawks opened a brief 20-15 lead before the Bears -- and Teague and Butler in particular -- finally asserted control.

Teague began a 22-4 run to close the first half by beating the shot clock with a 3-pointer. He turned the same trick a few minutes later, right after Butler knocked down a 3 and added a jumper of his own. The quick flurry forced Kansas coach Bill Self to call the first of two fruitless timeouts in the closing minutes of the first half.

The second timeout came as the Bears were hitting seven straight field goals to take a 37-24 lead into the break.

Making matters worse for Kansas? Dotson appeared to tweak his hip or oblique down the stretch. He played on and began the second half, but he grabbed his side again 30 seconds in and immediately returned to the locker room.

The Jayhawks still made a run without the Big 12's leading scorer.

Holding the Bears to a pair of field goals over the first 10 minutes of the second half, Kansas slowly managed to trim its deficit. Udoka Azubuike's alley-oop dunk got the Jayhawks within 41-36, and Ochai Agbaji's acrobatic layup a few minutes later provided an answer to yet another 3-pointer from Teague.

But the Jayhawks also misfired on plenty of opportunities to get closer. Garrett committed his fourth turnover with a chance to make it a one-possession game, Moss air-balled a 3-pointer and the Bears collapsed on easy looks in the paint.

That's when Butler and Teague refused to let another Baylor lead dissipate in the Phog.

The sophomore guard and his junior running mate, who together had carried the Bears to 11 straight wins, began to score at will on the offensive end. They attacked the basket against the Jayhawks' vaunted big men, dropped a series of open 3s to silence another sellout crowd, and seemingly willed the rest of coach Scott Drew's team to the finish line.

Even when Dotson returned to the game, the Jayhawks struggled to find their mojo. The Bears answered every bucket by Azubuike with one of their own, and they kept harassing Garrett into mistakes on offense and silly fouls on defense.

The Bears' lead eventually swelled to 60-44, and all they had to do was nurse it the rest of the way.

Baylor had been 0-3 in matchups in which both teams were ranked in the top five, with two of those losses coming to the Jayhawks -- add that to the streaks that were broken Saturday. The Bears were efficient on offense, going 8 of 19 from beyond the arc, and they committed just five turnovers in a peerless offensive performance.

Kansas failed to get Azubuike and fellow big men David McCormack and Silvio de Sousa involved in the game, often throwing the ball away while trying to dump it down low. The result was a stunning 28-26 deficit on points in the paint, something few teams will be able to accomplish against the Jayhawks this season.

Baylor returns home to face Iowa State on Wednesday night.

Kansas begins a two-game road swing Tuesday night at Oklahoma.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Jared Butler scored 22 points, MaCio Teague added 16 and fourth-ranked Baylor beat No. 3 Kansas 67-55 on Saturday for the Bears' first win in 18 tries on the hallowed hardwood of Allen Fieldhouse.Freddie Gillespie added 13 points for the Bears (13-1, 3-0 Big 12, who snapped a whole slew of ignominious streaks with their victory in Lawrence: They beat a top-five team on the road for the first time in 22 attempts, won their fifth consecutive game against a ranked team for the first time in school history and, perhaps most importantly, beat Kansas (12-3, 2-1) in their personal house of horrors for the first time since the building opened in 1966.Isaiah Moss scored 15 points and Marcus Garrett had 11 for the Jayhawks, who lost leading scorer Devon Dotson to an injury for a long stretch midway through the game and could never solve the Bears' league-best defense.Kansas was 4 of 15 from beyond the arc and committed 14 turnovers, which Baylor turned into a 21-2 edge in points off turnovers. The result was just the Jayhawks' second loss to the Bears in their last 15 meetings.The two Big 12 heavyweights spent the first 10 minutes of the game sizing each other up, and the Jayhawks opened a brief 20-15 lead before the Bears -- and Teague and Butler in particular -- finally asserted control.Teague began a 22-4 run to close the first half by beating the shot clock with a 3-pointer. He turned the same trick a few minutes later, right after Butler knocked down a 3 and added a jumper of his own. The quick flurry forced Kansas coach Bill Self to call the first of two fruitless timeouts in the closing minutes of the first half.The second timeout came as the Bears were hitting seven straight field goals to take a 37-24 lead into the break.Making matters worse for Kansas? Dotson appeared to tweak his hip or oblique down the stretch. He played on and began the second half, but he grabbed his side again 30 seconds in and immediately returned to the locker room.The Jayhawks still made a run without the Big 12's leading scorer.Holding the Bears to a pair of field goals over the first 10 minutes of the second half, Kansas slowly managed to trim its deficit. Udoka Azubuike's alley-oop dunk got the Jayhawks within 41-36, and Ochai Agbaji's acrobatic layup a few minutes later provided an answer to yet another 3-pointer from Teague.But the Jayhawks also misfired on plenty of opportunities to get closer. Garrett committed his fourth turnover with a chance to make it a one-possession game, Moss air-balled a 3-pointer and the Bears collapsed on easy looks in the paint.That's when Butler and Teague refused to let another Baylor lead dissipate in the Phog.The sophomore guard and his junior running mate, who together had carried the Bears to 11 straight wins, began to score at will on the offensive end. They attacked the basket against the Jayhawks' vaunted big men, dropped a series of open 3s to silence another sellout crowd, and seemingly willed the rest of coach Scott Drew's team to the finish line.Even when Dotson returned to the game, the Jayhawks struggled to find their mojo. The Bears answered every bucket by Azubuike with one of their own, and they kept harassing Garrett into mistakes on offense and silly fouls on defense.The Bears' lead eventually swelled to 60-44, and all they had to do was nurse it the rest of the way.BIG PICTUREBaylor had been 0-3 in matchups in which both teams were ranked in the top five, with two of those losses coming to the Jayhawks -- add that to the streaks that were broken Saturday. The Bears were efficient on offense, going 8 of 19 from beyond the arc, and they committed just five turnovers in a peerless offensive performance.Kansas failed to get Azubuike and fellow big men David McCormack and Silvio de Sousa involved in the game, often throwing the ball away while trying to dump it down low. The result was a stunning 28-26 deficit on points in the paint, something few teams will be able to accomplish against the Jayhawks this season.UP NEXTBaylor returns home to face Iowa State on Wednesday night.Kansas begins a two-game road swing Tuesday night at Oklahoma.--- Associated Press ---

No. 3 Kansas falls at home to 4th-ranked Baylor 67-55

AUSTIN, Texas -- Matt Coleman III scored 14 points and Texas used suffocating second-half defense as the Longhorns earned their first Big 12 win of the season, 64-50 over Kansas State on Saturday night.

Texas led 31-27 at halftime, then held the Wildcats scoreless for the first eight minutes of the second half. The Longhorns forced four shot-clock violation turnovers before Kansas State scored its first basket of the half. And those points came on a basket interference call against Texas.

That gave the Longhorns' struggling offense all the chance it needed to extend the lead and put the game away. Courtney Ramey made consecutive 3-pointers, then fed Andrew Jones a nifty lob pass for a layup that put the Longhorns ahead 43-27.

Ramey finished 11 points and Jase Febres added 10 points for the Longhorns.

The win allowed Texas (11-4, 1-2) to avoid just its third 0-3 start in the Big 12 and its first in six years.

Cartier Diarra scored 14 to lead Kansas State (7-8, 0-3).

Kansas State: Kansas State played the game after long delays getting to Austin. Bad weather across the Midwest grounded their flight on Friday night and the team didn't get to town until about four hours before tipoff.

Texas: The Longhorns were exceptional on 3-pointers under pressure. Texas made four that barely beat the shot clock and didn't even go through the rim before the horn sounded. That included an off-balance shot by Kamaka Hepa that ended the first half.

Kansas State hosts No. 22 Texas Tech on Tuesday.

Texas plays at Oklahoma State on Wednesday.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Matt Coleman III scored 14 points and Texas used suffocating second-half defense as the Longhorns earned their first Big 12 win of the season, 64-50 over Kansas State on Saturday night.Texas led 31-27 at halftime, then held the Wildcats scoreless for the first eight minutes of the second half. The Longhorns forced four shot-clock violation turnovers before Kansas State scored its first basket of the half. And those points came on a basket interference call against Texas.That gave the Longhorns' struggling offense all the chance it needed to extend the lead and put the game away. Courtney Ramey made consecutive 3-pointers, then fed Andrew Jones a nifty lob pass for a layup that put the Longhorns ahead 43-27.Ramey finished 11 points and Jase Febres added 10 points for the Longhorns.The win allowed Texas (11-4, 1-2) to avoid just its third 0-3 start in the Big 12 and its first in six years.Cartier Diarra scored 14 to lead Kansas State (7-8, 0-3).BIG PICTUREKansas State: Kansas State played the game after long delays getting to Austin. Bad weather across the Midwest grounded their flight on Friday night and the team didn't get to town until about four hours before tipoff.Texas: The Longhorns were exceptional on 3-pointers under pressure. Texas made four that barely beat the shot clock and didn't even go through the rim before the horn sounded. That included an off-balance shot by Kamaka Hepa that ended the first half.UP NEXTKansas State hosts No. 22 Texas Tech on Tuesday.Texas plays at Oklahoma State on Wednesday.--- Associated Press ---

Kansas State loses at Texas 64-50

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern coach Chris Collins saw his team playing music and dancing and bumping chests. He hopes the celebrations happen on a more regular basis.

Miller Kopp scored 15 points, and Northwestern snapped a five-game losing streak, hanging on to beat Nebraska 62-57 Saturday.

"Obviously, the understatement of the year is it's a big win for us," Collins said.

Northwestern (6-9, 1-4 Big 10) led by as much as 18 in the first half and came out on top after things got close in the final minutes.

Kopp missed three consecutive 3-pointers late in the game. And the Wildcats missed the front ends of three straight one-and-ones before Nebraska's Cam Mack banked a 3 from the right to cut it to 60-57 with 51 seconds left.

After the Wildcats' Pete Nance missed from beyond the arc, Pat Spencer appeared to tip a potential tying 3 from the wing by Dachon Burke Jr. Kopp then made two free throws with nine seconds left to seal Northwestern's first win since Dec. 15 against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

Spencer scored 14, and the Wildcats matched a season high by making 10 of 29 3-pointers, though they cooled off in a big way after a scorching start. They went from making 8 of 14 in the first half to 2 of 15 in the second against a tighter defense.

"It was just a really good win," Collins said. "A lot of times, people don't realize the commitment that goes in for these players in between games, what they have to do with their bodies -- whether it be strength and conditioning, lifting weights, eating right, sleep. Oh yeah, they go to Northwestern as well. ... You put that kind of investment into it and you don't get to taste some success, it can be hard."

Nebraska (7-9, 2-3) simply came out flat after a win over Iowa that might have been its best performance. And coach Fred Hoiberg took the loss in his first game in the Chicago area since the NBA's Bulls fired him early last season.

Mack scored 11 for the Cornhuskers, who shot just 31.3% and made 9 of 30 3-pointers.

"This team, we knew, was going to have urgency today," Hoiberg said. "We did not come out and match that early in the game. But what positive can we take? The second half."

Northwestern led by as much as 18 in the first half and took a 42-27 edge to the locker room after the hot start from beyond the arc by a team that ranked 11th in the Big Ten in 3-point accuracy.

Spencer scored 14, A.J. Turner 11 and Robbie Beran added 10 points. Back-to-back 3's by Kopp made it 42-24 before Kevin Cross hit one for Nebraska with just under a minute left in the half.

Nebraska: The Cornhuskers gave Northwestern space to shoot in the first half and paid in a big way. Though they were better on defense after that, this was overall a disappointing performance for Nebraska coming off the win over Iowa.

Northwestern: Consider this a confidence-boosting win for the young Wildcats, who hung on in this one after blowing a 10-point lead against Indiana on Wednesday.

"We played three of the first four (Big Ten games) on the road, and our home game was against Michigan State. Thanks!" -- Collins.

Collins said he expects freshman Boo Buie to return this season from a high ankle sprain, though he will miss his fourth consecutive game when Northwestern hosts Iowa on Tuesday. Averaging 10.8 points, the guard has been a bright spot for the Wildcats. The Wildcats are also missing guard Anthony Gaines, who recently had season-ending shoulder surgery.

Nebraska: The Cornhuskers will try to get back to winning when they visit No. 11 Ohio State on Tuesday.

Northwestern: The Wildcats will try to make it back-to-back wins when they host the Hawkeyes on Tuesday.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern coach Chris Collins saw his team playing music and dancing and bumping chests. He hopes the celebrations happen on a more regular basis.Miller Kopp scored 15 points, and Northwestern snapped a five-game losing streak, hanging on to beat Nebraska 62-57 Saturday."Obviously, the understatement of the year is it's a big win for us," Collins said.Northwestern (6-9, 1-4 Big 10) led by as much as 18 in the first half and came out on top after things got close in the final minutes.Kopp missed three consecutive 3-pointers late in the game. And the Wildcats missed the front ends of three straight one-and-ones before Nebraska's Cam Mack banked a 3 from the right to cut it to 60-57 with 51 seconds left.After the Wildcats' Pete Nance missed from beyond the arc, Pat Spencer appeared to tip a potential tying 3 from the wing by Dachon Burke Jr. Kopp then made two free throws with nine seconds left to seal Northwestern's first win since Dec. 15 against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.Spencer scored 14, and the Wildcats matched a season high by making 10 of 29 3-pointers, though they cooled off in a big way after a scorching start. They went from making 8 of 14 in the first half to 2 of 15 in the second against a tighter defense."It was just a really good win," Collins said. "A lot of times, people don't realize the commitment that goes in for these players in between games, what they have to do with their bodies -- whether it be strength and conditioning, lifting weights, eating right, sleep. Oh yeah, they go to Northwestern as well. ... You put that kind of investment into it and you don't get to taste some success, it can be hard."Nebraska (7-9, 2-3) simply came out flat after a win over Iowa that might have been its best performance. And coach Fred Hoiberg took the loss in his first game in the Chicago area since the NBA's Bulls fired him early last season.Mack scored 11 for the Cornhuskers, who shot just 31.3% and made 9 of 30 3-pointers."This team, we knew, was going to have urgency today," Hoiberg said. "We did not come out and match that early in the game. But what positive can we take? The second half."Northwestern led by as much as 18 in the first half and took a 42-27 edge to the locker room after the hot start from beyond the arc by a team that ranked 11th in the Big Ten in 3-point accuracy.Spencer scored 14, A.J. Turner 11 and Robbie Beran added 10 points. Back-to-back 3's by Kopp made it 42-24 before Kevin Cross hit one for Nebraska with just under a minute left in the half.BIG PICTURENebraska: The Cornhuskers gave Northwestern space to shoot in the first half and paid in a big way. Though they were better on defense after that, this was overall a disappointing performance for Nebraska coming off the win over Iowa.Northwestern: Consider this a confidence-boosting win for the young Wildcats, who hung on in this one after blowing a 10-point lead against Indiana on Wednesday.QUOTABLE"We played three of the first four (Big Ten games) on the road, and our home game was against Michigan State. Thanks!" -- Collins.INJURY UPDATECollins said he expects freshman Boo Buie to return this season from a high ankle sprain, though he will miss his fourth consecutive game when Northwestern hosts Iowa on Tuesday. Averaging 10.8 points, the guard has been a bright spot for the Wildcats. The Wildcats are also missing guard Anthony Gaines, who recently had season-ending shoulder surgery.UP NEXTNebraska: The Cornhuskers will try to get back to winning when they visit No. 11 Ohio State on Tuesday.Northwestern: The Wildcats will try to make it back-to-back wins when they host the Hawkeyes on Tuesday.--- Associated Press ---

Nebraska's rally comes up short at Northwestern 62-57

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- AJ Green had 28 points as Northern Iowa routed Missouri State 80-57 on Saturday.

Green shot 6 for 8 on 3-pointers with the Panthers 13 of 22 from the arc as a team.

Isaiah Brown had 19 points with five 3-pointers and nine rebounds for Northern Iowa (14-2, 3-1 Missouri Valley Conference). Trae Berhow added 12 points. Austin Phyfe had 10 rebounds for the visitors.

Isiaih Mosley had 15 points for the Bears (8-9, 2-2). Tulio Da Silva added 13 points, going over 1,000 for his career, and grabbed seven rebounds. Gaige Prim had 10 points.

Northern Iowa faces Valparaiso at home on Wednesday. Missouri State matches up against Bradley at home on Wednesday.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- AJ Green had 28 points as Northern Iowa routed Missouri State 80-57 on Saturday.Green shot 6 for 8 on 3-pointers with the Panthers 13 of 22 from the arc as a team.Isaiah Brown had 19 points with five 3-pointers and nine rebounds for Northern Iowa (14-2, 3-1 Missouri Valley Conference). Trae Berhow added 12 points. Austin Phyfe had 10 rebounds for the visitors.Isiaih Mosley had 15 points for the Bears (8-9, 2-2). Tulio Da Silva added 13 points, going over 1,000 for his career, and grabbed seven rebounds. Gaige Prim had 10 points.Northern Iowa faces Valparaiso at home on Wednesday. Missouri State matches up against Bradley at home on Wednesday.--- Associated Press ---

Missouri State gets blown out by UNI 80-57

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Head Football Coach Eliah Drinkwitz has added offensive assistant coach Marcus Johnson to his new staff, as announced today.  Johnson comes to Mizzou after spending the past four seasons coaching the offensive lines at Mississippi State (2018-19) and Duke (2016-17).  Details of Johnson’s contract with Mizzou, as well as his specific coaching duties, will be released pending completion of the human resources process.

A nine-year coaching veteran in all, Johnson was first an All-SEC offensive lineman in his playing days at Ole Miss, and later played in 53 NFL games (making 18 starts) over five years with Minnesota and Tampa Bay.

The past two seasons saw Johnson work with the Bulldog offensive linemen, as State won 14 games overall and played in the 2019 Outback Bowl and the 2018 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl.  His offensive line paved the way for first-team All-SEC RB Kylin Hill to rank second in the league and 16th nationally in 2019 with 1,350 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while the Bulldogs’ rushing attack ranked third in the SEC and 21st nationally, averaging 220.6 yards per game.

Johnson’s first season at MSU was also a successful one as his line helped the offense rank second in the SEC in both rushing yards per game (223.6) and yards per rush (5.7). Anchored by center Elgton Jenkins, the 44th overall pick by Green Bay in the 2019 NFL Draft, the offensive line helped State rush for 300 or more yards in an SEC-best four games.  Jenkins earned first-team All-America honors from The Athletic and fourth-team honors from Phil Steele.

Also under Johnson’s guidance, Deion Calhoun had a standout senior season in 2018, earning second-team All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches. Calhoun allowed only two sacks over 356 pass-blocking snaps, according to PFF, and signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent.

“I’m excited to add Marcus and his family to our family at Mizzou,” said Drinkwitz.  “The experience he brings as a player and coach in the SEC, coupled with the success he’s had as a player in the NFL and developing a lot of guys who have made it to that next level, make this a great hire for our program.”

Johnson began his coaching career at Duke for his college coach David Cutcliffe, serving various roles over a seven-year period (2011-17) that saw the Blue Devils make five bowl appearances.  Duke had not appeared in a bowl game since 1995.  After beginning at Duke as an assistant strength and conditioning coach (2011-12, he broke into the coaching side in 2013 as an offensive quality control assistant.  That year, Duke finished 10-4, winning the ACC’s Coastal Division and finishing as the first Blue Devil team in 52 years to end a season ranked in the Associated Press poll (No. 23 final ranking). 

“I’m absolutely excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Drink and be part of the Mizzou program,” said Johnson.  “I think Coach Drink is one of the top young, innovative coaches out there, and this is an amazing opportunity for me to continue to grow and develop in the profession.  My family and I are looking forward to this new chapter in our lives and I’m excited to get to work learning everything I need to know about Missouri.”

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Head Football Coach Eliah Drinkwitz has added offensive assistant coach Marcus Johnson to his new staff, as announced today. Johnson comes to Mizzou after spending the past four seasons coaching the offensive lines at Mississippi State (2018-19) and Duke (2016-17). Details of Johnson’s contract with Mizzou, as well as his specific coaching duties, will be released pending completion of the human resources process.A nine-year coaching veteran in all, Johnson was first an All-SEC offensive lineman in his playing days at Ole Miss, and later played in 53 NFL games (making 18 starts) over five years with Minnesota and Tampa Bay.The past two seasons saw Johnson work with the Bulldog offensive linemen, as State won 14 games overall and played in the 2019 Outback Bowl and the 2018 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. His offensive line paved the way for first-team All-SEC RB Kylin Hill to rank second in the league and 16th nationally in 2019 with 1,350 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while the Bulldogs’ rushing attack ranked third in the SEC and 21st nationally, averaging 220.6 yards per game.Johnson’s first season at MSU was also a successful one as his line helped the offense rank second in the SEC in both rushing yards per game (223.6) and yards per rush (5.7). Anchored by center Elgton Jenkins, the 44th overall pick by Green Bay in the 2019 NFL Draft, the offensive line helped State rush for 300 or more yards in an SEC-best four games. Jenkins earned first-team All-America honors from The Athletic and fourth-team honors from Phil Steele.Also under Johnson’s guidance, Deion Calhoun had a standout senior season in 2018, earning second-team All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches. Calhoun allowed only two sacks over 356 pass-blocking snaps, according to PFF, and signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent.“I’m excited to add Marcus and his family to our family at Mizzou,” said Drinkwitz. “The experience he brings as a player and coach in the SEC, coupled with the success he’s had as a player in the NFL and developing a lot of guys who have made it to that next level, make this a great hire for our program.”Johnson began his coaching career at Duke for his college coach David Cutcliffe, serving various roles over a seven-year period (2011-17) that saw the Blue Devils make five bowl appearances. Duke had not appeared in a bowl game since 1995. After beginning at Duke as an assistant strength and conditioning coach (2011-12, he broke into the coaching side in 2013 as an offensive quality control assistant. That year, Duke finished 10-4, winning the ACC’s Coastal Division and finishing as the first Blue Devil team in 52 years to end a season ranked in the Associated Press poll (No. 23 final ranking). “I’m absolutely excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Drink and be part of the Mizzou program,” said Johnson. “I think Coach Drink is one of the top young, innovative coaches out there, and this is an amazing opportunity for me to continue to grow and develop in the profession. My family and I are looking forward to this new chapter in our lives and I’m excited to get to work learning everything I need to know about Missouri.”Johnson spent three years in the quality control role at Duke before being promoted to offensive line coach for the 2016-17 seasons. During the 2017 campaign, Johnson worked with third-team All-ACC center Austin Davis, who was also one of four team-elected captains. Johnson’s offensive line opened holes for Duke to have two 200-200 performances as the Blue Devils reached the Quick Lane Bowl. Off the field, Johnson oversaw the selection of offensive tackle Gabe Brandner to the CoSIDA Academic All-District first team and Allstate AFCA Good Works Team as well as being a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy and Wuerffel Award. In 2016, Johnson oversaw an offensive front that allowed time and space for four 200-200 performances during the season.During Johnson’s three campaigns with the Blue Devil offense in the capacity of quality control, Duke won 27 games, captured the 2013 ACC Coastal Division championship and appeared in three bowl games. Working alongside veteran line coach John Latina, Johnson helped guide seven All-ACC picks including Casey Blaser, Takoby Cofield, Dave Harding, Lucas Patrick, Perry Simmons, Matt Skura and Laken Tomlinson. Duke went 8-5 with a victory over Indiana in the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl, and the Blue Devils joined Clemson and North Carolina as the league’s only three squads to rank among the conference’s top five in rushing offense, passing offense, total offense and scoring offense. Blaser, Patrick and Skura each garnered All-ACC honors.In 2013, Duke ranked among ACC leaders in scoring (5th; 32.8 avg., total offense (4th; 426.1 avg., rushing offense (5th; 178.0 avg.) and passing offense (6th; 248.1 avg.). On its way to the ACC Coastal Division championship, the Blue Devils set a school record for total points (459) while becoming the first team in school history to post at least 25 rushing touchdowns and 25 passing touchdowns in the same season.A standout offensive lineman in his playing days at Ole Miss (2001-04, Johnson earned second-team All-SEC honors as a senior co-captain under Cutcliffe. He helped the Rebels to 28 wins over four years and a pair of bowl game appearances. After earning second-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press as a senior, Johnson represented Ole Miss at the 2004 Senior Bowl.He was a second-round draft pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by Minnesota, and spent four seasons (2005-08) there, helping the Vikings to a division title and playoff berth in 2008. After spending the 2009 campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he closed his playing career with the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League. Johnson graduated from Ole Miss in 2004 with a degree in criminal justice while minoring in sociology. He has one daughter, London. He is married to Veullana Johnson.--- Mizzou Athletics ---