MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball

Benton  Harbor 71, Watervliet 68
Grant  Gondrezick II had 21 points in the first half but did not play in the second half  of Benton Harbor’s 71-68 win over previously unbeaten Watervliet.  Watervliet had a 35-33 lead at halftime  before the Tigers rallied in the second half for the win. Antwan Callahan added  15 points for the Tigers.  Tyson Williams  had a game high 24 points for Watervliet, and Kaiden Bierhalter had 17.   Benton  Harbor improves to 7-2 on the season while Watervliet falls to 6-1.

Schoolcraft  71, Centreville 51

  Fruitport  Calvary Christian 76, Fennville 71

Girls Basketball

  Benton  Harbor 59, Watervliet 58

Wrestling

  St.  Joseph, Kalamazoo Central, Loy Norrix at Lakeshore
Lakeshore  60, Kalamazoo Central 14
Lakeshore  75, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 6
St.  Joseph 36, Kalamazoo Central 33
St.  Joseph 54, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 28

Tonight
Boys Basketball
SMAC

  Battle  Creek Central at Kalamazoo Central, 4:15 p.m.

BCS

  Our  Lady of the Lake at Covert, 6:00 p.m.

Southwest  10

  Bangor  at Comstock, 7:30 p.m.

  Bloomingdale  at Hartford, 7:30 p.m.

  Cassopolis  at White Pigeon, 7:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball
SMAC

  St.  Joseph at Portage Central, 7:00 p.m.

  Lakeshore  at Portage Northern, 7:00 p.m.

  Gull  Lake at Mattawan, 7:00 p.m.

  Battle  Creek Lakeview at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 5:45 p.m.

  Battle  Creek Central at Kalamazoo Central, 4:15 p.m.

Lakeland

  Dowagiac  at Buchanan, 7:00 p.m.

SAC

  Bridgman  at South Haven, 6:00 p.m.

Boys Swimming and Diving

  St.  Joseph at Portage Northern, 6:00 p.m.

  Bridgman  at Battle Creek Lakeview, 6:00 p.m.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Tonight

  Rutgers  at Michigan State, 6:30 p.m.                            Superhits 103.7 Cosy FM 5:30

Michigan  at Maryland, 7:00 p.m.                                  News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 6:30

NCAAMBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night

  (10)  Iowa 84, Michigan State 81 – OT 

  Akron  80, Central Michigan 65

  Western  Michigan 68, Ohio 57

  Kent  State 79, Eastern Michigan 66

(10) Iowa 84, Michigan State 81 – OT – Clark helps No.  10 Iowa edge Michigan State 84-81 in OT 

  Caitlin  Clark had 26 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to help No. 10 Iowa beat  Michigan State 84-81 in overtime. Clark, who leads the Big Ten in scoring, hit  a turnaround jumper wit 31 seconds left to give Iowa the lead, then sealed it  with a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left. Monika Czinano added 22 points  hitting all 11 of her shots _ a school record _ for Iowa (15-4, 7-1 Big Ten)  before fouling out. Kamara McDaniel had a team-high 21 points for the Spartans  (10-9, 2-6). Matilda Ekh added 13, while Moira Joiner and Isoline Alexander had  11 apiece.  The Spartans had a final  chance to win the game in overtime. With five seconds left, Clark was called  for an intentional foul. McDaniel hit both free throws to get Michigan State  within 82-81. McDaniel traveled on the ensuing possession with two seconds left  and Molly Davis hit two free throws to seal the win.

Tonight

  (7)  Notre Dame at Clemson, 7:00 p.m.

  (14)  Michigan at Rutgers, 8:30 p.m.

NHL – NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight

  Chicago  Blackhawks at Philadelphia Flyers, 7:00 p.m.

  Detroit  Red Wings at Vegas Golden Knights, 10:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night

  Oklahoma  City Thunder 126, Indiana Pacers 106

Thunder 126, Pacers 106 – Thunder beat Pacers 126-106  for 4th straight victory 

  Shai  Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Joe each scored 23 points and the Oklahoma City  Thunder rolled past the Indiana Pacers 126-106 on Wednesday night for their  fourth straight victory. Joe, a reserve, tied a career high with seven made  3-pointers in just 22 minutes. Lu Dort had 22 points and a career-high 11  rebounds and Kenrich Williams added 12 points and a career-best 10 assists for  the Thunder. Andrew Nembhard scored 18 points for the Pacers, who lost their  fifth straight.

Today

  Detroit  Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls, 3:00 p.m.                  at  Accor Arena, Paris, France

NBA – In Paris, Bulls and Pistons enjoy sights,  culture and opera

  The Detroit Pistons are playing a game in Paris on  Thursday night. But two nights before the game, the Pistons were the spectators  and the City of Lights played for them. The Pistons had a team party at the  Paris Opera House to highlight their trip to France’s capital for a game  against the Chicago Bulls. It’s been a midseason immersion into French cuisine,  wine and culture for both teams. Everybody saw the Eiffel Tower, everybody saw  the Champs-Élysées, but both teams decided they couldn’t come to Paris and not  make every effort to enjoy the opportunity.

NBA – Chris Ford, champ as player, coach with Celtics,  dies at 74

  Chris Ford, a member of the Boston Celtics 1981  championship team, a longtime NBA coach and the player credited with scoring  the league’s first 3-point basket, has died at the age of 74. His family  announced his death in a statement issued by the Celtics. No official cause was  given, but the statement said Ford died Tuesday. The Press of Atlantic City reported  he died in Philadelphia after suffering a heart attack earlier this month. Ford  was voted the team’s MVP in his first season with Boston. He retired following  the 1981-82 season and was an assistant coach for the Celtics for seven seasons  from 1983 to 1990, helping coach former teammates Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and  Robert Parish to two titles in 1984 and 1986.

NFL – Bears Getsy, Raiders Graham to coach Senior Bowl  teams

  Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and Las  Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will serve as Senior Bowl  head coaches. The Senior Bowl says Getsy will coach the American team and  Graham the National team in the Feb. 4 showcase game for senior and graduate  NFL prospects. The Bears have the top overall pick in April’s draft, and the  Raiders own the No. 7 selection. It’s the first time the Senior Bowl won’t have  two full team staffs coaching the game. NFL Football Operations has implemented  a “coach up” format to promote professional development for coordinators and  other assistants.

NFL – Bills, Bengals focus on playing with Hamlin  home, recovering

  The Bills and Bengals can refocus on their next matchup  now that Buffalo’s safety Damar Hamlin has shown remarkable signs in his  recovery some three weeks after collapsing on the field in Cincinnati. Hamlin  went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated in the first quarter of  Buffalo’s since-canceled game against Cincinnati on Jan. 2. The teams meet in  Buffalo on Sunday in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs. Bills coach Sean  McDermott says his team has been uplifted by the sight of Hamlin starting to  make regular visits to the team’s facility this week.

WNBA – WNBA to play preseason game in Canada

  The WNBA will head north for a preseason game in  Canada. The Chicago Sky will face the Minnesota Lynx on May 13 in Toronto. It  will be the first WNBA game to be played in the country and the third WNBA  preseason game to be played outside of the United States. In 2004, the Detroit  Shock and San Antonio Silver Stars met in Monterrey, Mexico, and in 2011 the  Atlanta Dream played the Standard Life Great Britain Women’s basketball team in  Manchester, England.

FIFA – Witness: Bribes helped Fox execs get soccer TV  rights

  The U.S. government’s star witness in a big-money  bribery case engulfing the world of soccer has begun testifying at the trial of  two former Fox executives accused of paying bribes to rig the bidding process  for broadcasting rights to two of the sport’s biggest competitions. The trial  in New York is the latest development in a tangled corruption scandal that  dates back nearly a decade. The witness, Alejandro Burzaco, alleges that he and  former Fox executives Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez conspired to bribe South  American soccer officials for broadcasting rights to the Copa Libertadores and  get inside information that helped them bid for the World Cup. Lawyers for  Lopez and Martinez have asserted they are being framed.

Tennis – American Jenson Brooksby beats No. 2 Ruud at  Australian Open

  Jenson Brooksby has eliminated No. 2 seed Casper Ruud  in four sets in the second round of the Australian Open. This upset comes a day  after Mackenzie McDonald beat defending champion and No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal.  So a pair of 20-something Californians have knocked out the top two players in  the men’s bracket at Melbourne Park. The 22-year-old Brooksby Brooksby is  ranked 39th and is making his debut at the Australian Open. Ruud was the  runner-up at the French Open to Nadal last June and at the U.S. Open to Carlos  Alcaraz last September. American men Michael Mmoh, Ben Shelton, J.J. Wolf and  Tommy Paul also advanced. But the highest seeded man from the U.S., No. 8  Taylor Fritz, lost.

Tennis – Nadal MRI shows hurt left hip flexor;  recovery of 6-8 weeks

  Rafael Nadal’s manager says the 22-time Grand Slam  champion injured his left hip flexor during his loss at the Australian Open and  could need about six to eight weeks to fully recover. Nadal had an MRI exam at  a hospital in Melbourne under his doctor’s supervision on Thursday. That was a  day after Nadal got hurt during a straight-set exit against Mackenzie McDonald  in the second round at Melbourne Park. Nadal was the defending champion and  seeded No. 1 in Australia. The 36-year-old now will head home to Spain to rest.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night

  Grand  Rapids Griffins 5, Rockford Ice Hogs 2

  Chicago  Wolves 6, Manitoba Moose 2

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Last Night
Women’s Basketball

  Southwestern  Michigan 56, Kellogg Community College 52
SMC  had three starters score in double figures as the Roadrunners beat Kellogg CC  56-52.  Macey Laubach had a team high 14  points while Ariana Lemons and Cameron Thomas each had 12.  SMC was outscored 21-11 in the final quarter  and held on for the conference win.

Men’s Basketball

  Southwestern  Michigan 62, Kellogg Community College 59
The  SMC men pulled off the sweep on the night, and like the women had to hold on  late for a 62-59 win over Kellogg CC. Sean Burress had 17 to lead the  Roadrunners.  Mari Nichols scored 13 and  Mikel Forest added 11.

MHSAA – High School Sports 
 Last Night 
 Boys Basketball 
Benton Harbor 71, Watervliet 68
<ul>
<li>Grant Gondrezick II had 21 points in the first half but did not play in the second half of Benton Harbor&rsquo;s 71-68 win over previously unbeaten Watervliet.  Watervliet had a 35-33 lead at halftime before the Tigers rallied in the second half for the win. Antwan Callahan added 15 points for the Tigers.  Tyson Williams had a game high 24 points for Watervliet, and Kaiden Bierhalter had 17.   Benton Harbor improves to 7-2 on the season while Watervliet falls to 6-1.</li>
</ul>
Schoolcraft 71, Centreville 51 
 Fruitport Calvary Christian 76, Fennville 71
Girls Basketball 
 Benton Harbor 59, Watervliet 58
Wrestling 
 St. Joseph, Kalamazoo Central, Loy Norrix at Lakeshore
<ul>
<li>Lakeshore 60, Kalamazoo Central 14</li>
<li>Lakeshore 75, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 6</li>
<li>St. Joseph 36, Kalamazoo Central 33</li>
<li>St. Joseph 54, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 28</li>
</ul>
Tonight 
 Boys Basketball 
 SMAC 
 Battle Creek Central at Kalamazoo Central, 4:15 p.m.
BCS 
 Our Lady of the Lake at Covert, 6:00 p.m.
Southwest 10 
 Bangor at Comstock, 7:30 p.m. 
 Bloomingdale at Hartford, 7:30 p.m. 
 Cassopolis at White Pigeon, 7:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball 
 SMAC 
 St. Joseph at Portage Central, 7:00 p.m. 
 Lakeshore at Portage Northern, 7:00 p.m. 
 Gull Lake at Mattawan, 7:00 p.m. 
 Battle Creek Lakeview at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 5:45 p.m. 
 Battle Creek Central at Kalamazoo Central, 4:15 p.m.
Lakeland 
 Dowagiac at Buchanan, 7:00 p.m.
SAC 
 Bridgman at South Haven, 6:00 p.m.
Boys Swimming and Diving 
 St. Joseph at Portage Northern, 6:00 p.m. 
 Bridgman at Battle Creek Lakeview, 6:00 p.m.
NCAAMBKB – Men&rsquo;s College Basketball 
 Tonight 
 Rutgers at Michigan State, 6:30 p.m.                            Superhits 103.7 Cosy FM 5:30 
Michigan at Maryland, 7:00 p.m.                                  News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 6:30
NCAAMBKB – Women&rsquo;s College Basketball 
 Last Night 
 (10) Iowa 84, Michigan State 81 – OT 
 Akron 80, Central Michigan 65 
 Western Michigan 68, Ohio 57 
 Kent State 79, Eastern Michigan 66
(10) Iowa 84, Michigan State 81 – OT – Clark helps No. 10 Iowa edge Michigan State 84-81 in OT 
 Caitlin Clark had 26 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to help No. 10 Iowa beat Michigan State 84-81 in overtime. Clark, who leads the Big Ten in scoring, hit a turnaround jumper wit 31 seconds left to give Iowa the lead, then sealed it with a pair of free throws with 17 seconds left. Monika Czinano added 22 points hitting all 11 of her shots _ a school record _ for Iowa (15-4, 7-1 Big Ten) before fouling out. Kamara McDaniel had a team-high 21 points for the Spartans (10-9, 2-6). Matilda Ekh added 13, while Moira Joiner and Isoline Alexander had 11 apiece.  The Spartans had a final chance to win the game in overtime. With five seconds left, Clark was called for an intentional foul. McDaniel hit both free throws to get Michigan State within 82-81. McDaniel traveled on the ensuing possession with two seconds left and Molly Davis hit two free throws to seal the win.
Tonight 
 (7) Notre Dame at Clemson, 7:00 p.m. 
 (14) Michigan at Rutgers, 8:30 p.m.
NHL – NHL – National Hockey League 
 Tonight 
 Chicago Blackhawks at Philadelphia Flyers, 7:00 p.m. 
 Detroit Red Wings at Vegas Golden Knights, 10:00 p.m.
NBA – National Basketball Association 
 Last Night 
 Oklahoma City Thunder 126, Indiana Pacers 106
Thunder 126, Pacers 106 – Thunder beat Pacers 126-106 for 4th straight victory 
 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Joe each scored 23 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled past the Indiana Pacers 126-106 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight victory. Joe, a reserve, tied a career high with seven made 3-pointers in just 22 minutes. Lu Dort had 22 points and a career-high 11 rebounds and Kenrich Williams added 12 points and a career-best 10 assists for the Thunder. Andrew Nembhard scored 18 points for the Pacers, who lost their fifth straight.
Today 
 Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls, 3:00 p.m.                  at Accor Arena, Paris, France
NBA – In Paris, Bulls and Pistons enjoy sights, culture and opera 
 The Detroit Pistons are playing a game in Paris on Thursday night. But two nights before the game, the Pistons were the spectators and the City of Lights played for them. The Pistons had a team party at the Paris Opera House to highlight their trip to France&#8217;s capital for a game against the Chicago Bulls. It&rsquo;s been a midseason immersion into French cuisine, wine and culture for both teams. Everybody saw the Eiffel Tower, everybody saw the Champs-Élysées, but both teams decided they couldn&rsquo;t come to Paris and not make every effort to enjoy the opportunity.
NBA – Chris Ford, champ as player, coach with Celtics, dies at 74 
 Chris Ford, a member of the Boston Celtics 1981 championship team, a longtime NBA coach and the player credited with scoring the league&rsquo;s first 3-point basket, has died at the age of 74. His family announced his death in a statement issued by the Celtics. No official cause was given, but the statement said Ford died Tuesday. The Press of Atlantic City reported he died in Philadelphia after suffering a heart attack earlier this month. Ford was voted the team&rsquo;s MVP in his first season with Boston. He retired following the 1981-82 season and was an assistant coach for the Celtics for seven seasons from 1983 to 1990, helping coach former teammates Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish to two titles in 1984 and 1986.
 NFL – Bears Getsy, Raiders Graham to coach Senior Bowl teams 
 Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will serve as Senior Bowl head coaches. The Senior Bowl says Getsy will coach the American team and Graham the National team in the Feb. 4 showcase game for senior and graduate NFL prospects. The Bears have the top overall pick in April&rsquo;s draft, and the Raiders own the No. 7 selection. It&rsquo;s the first time the Senior Bowl won&rsquo;t have two full team staffs coaching the game. NFL Football Operations has implemented a &ldquo;coach up&rdquo; format to promote professional development for coordinators and other assistants.
NFL – Bills, Bengals focus on playing with Hamlin home, recovering 
 The Bills and Bengals can refocus on their next matchup now that Buffalo&#8217;s safety Damar Hamlin has shown remarkable signs in his recovery some three weeks after collapsing on the field in Cincinnati. Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated in the first quarter of Buffalo&#8217;s since-canceled game against Cincinnati on Jan. 2. The teams meet in Buffalo on Sunday in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs. Bills coach Sean McDermott says his team has been uplifted by the sight of Hamlin starting to make regular visits to the team&#8217;s facility this week.
WNBA – WNBA to play preseason game in Canada 
 The WNBA will head north for a preseason game in Canada. The Chicago Sky will face the Minnesota Lynx on May 13 in Toronto. It will be the first WNBA game to be played in the country and the third WNBA preseason game to be played outside of the United States. In 2004, the Detroit Shock and San Antonio Silver Stars met in Monterrey, Mexico, and in 2011 the Atlanta Dream played the Standard Life Great Britain Women&rsquo;s basketball team in Manchester, England.
FIFA – Witness: Bribes helped Fox execs get soccer TV rights 
 The U.S. government&rsquo;s star witness in a big-money bribery case engulfing the world of soccer has begun testifying at the trial of two former Fox executives accused of paying bribes to rig the bidding process for broadcasting rights to two of the sport&rsquo;s biggest competitions. The trial in New York is the latest development in a tangled corruption scandal that dates back nearly a decade. The witness, Alejandro Burzaco, alleges that he and former Fox executives Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez conspired to bribe South American soccer officials for broadcasting rights to the Copa Libertadores and get inside information that helped them bid for the World Cup. Lawyers for Lopez and Martinez have asserted they are being framed.
Tennis – American Jenson Brooksby beats No. 2 Ruud at Australian Open 
 Jenson Brooksby has eliminated No. 2 seed Casper Ruud in four sets in the second round of the Australian Open. This upset comes a day after Mackenzie McDonald beat defending champion and No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal. So a pair of 20-something Californians have knocked out the top two players in the men&rsquo;s bracket at Melbourne Park. The 22-year-old Brooksby Brooksby is ranked 39th and is making his debut at the Australian Open. Ruud was the runner-up at the French Open to Nadal last June and at the U.S. Open to Carlos Alcaraz last September. American men Michael Mmoh, Ben Shelton, J.J. Wolf and Tommy Paul also advanced. But the highest seeded man from the U.S., No. 8 Taylor Fritz, lost.
Tennis – Nadal MRI shows hurt left hip flexor; recovery of 6-8 weeks 
 Rafael Nadal&#8217;s manager says the 22-time Grand Slam champion injured his left hip flexor during his loss at the Australian Open and could need about six to eight weeks to fully recover. Nadal had an MRI exam at a hospital in Melbourne under his doctor&rsquo;s supervision on Thursday. That was a day after Nadal got hurt during a straight-set exit against Mackenzie McDonald in the second round at Melbourne Park. Nadal was the defending champion and seeded No. 1 in Australia. The 36-year-old now will head home to Spain to rest.
AHL – American Hockey League 
 Last Night 
 Grand Rapids Griffins 5, Rockford Ice Hogs 2 
 Chicago Wolves 6, Manitoba Moose 2 
MCCAA – Junior College Athletics 
 Last Night 
 Women&rsquo;s Basketball 
 Southwestern Michigan 56, Kellogg Community College 52
<ul>
<li>SMC had three starters score in double figures as the Roadrunners beat Kellogg CC 56-52.  Macey Laubach had a team high 14 points while Ariana Lemons and Cameron Thomas each had 12.  SMC was outscored 21-11 in the final quarter and held on for the conference win.</li>
</ul>
Men&rsquo;s Basketball 
 Southwestern Michigan 62, Kellogg Community College 59
<ul>
<li>The SMC men pulled off the sweep on the night, and like the women had to hold on late for a 62-59 win over Kellogg CC. Sean Burress had 17 to lead the Roadrunners.  Mari Nichols scored 13 and Mikel Forest added 11.</li>
</ul>

Southwest Michigan's Sports Leader

WSJM Sports

MHSAA – High School Sports Last Night Boys Basketball Benton Harbor 71, Watervliet 68 Grant Gondrezick II had 21 points in the first half but did not play in the second half of Benton Harbor’s 71-68 win