NFL – National Football League – Week 17
Last Night

Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals, Suspended and Postponed

Bills at Bengals, PPD – Bills’ Hamlin in critical condition after collapse on field 

Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after the Bills say he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field following a tackle hours earlier, leading to the indefinite postponement of Buffalo’s pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills said in a statement: “Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”  In a chilling scene, Hamlin was administered CPR on the field, ESPN reported, while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, while they shielded him from public view. He was hurt while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn’t appear unusually violent.  Jeff Miller, an NFL executive vice president, told reporters on a conference call early Tuesday that the league had made no plans at this time to play the game, adding that Hamlin’s health was the main focus.  Vincent said the league took no steps toward restarting the game and did not ask players to begin a five-minute warmup period as ESPN’s broadcasters had announced.  There was a heavy police presence at Buffalo Niagara International Airport when the team arrived at about 2:45 a.m. A small group of fans gathered across the street from the players’ parking area near the airport. Police blocked off the road to allow the players to leave.

NFL – Detroit familiar with heart issues in sports

On Oct. 24, 1971, Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions had a heart attack late in the fourth quarter of an NFL game against the Chicago Bears.  He was officially pronounced dead about 50 minutes after the game, with an autopsy revealing that the heart attack was caused by a massive stoppage in his left coronary artery.  Doctors later said he was essentially dead on the field — and the closest defender to him when he collapsed, Bears star Dick Butkus, immediately began waving for help when Hughes tumbled to the turf, clearly aware of the severity of the situation.  The game was delayed and the final 62 seconds were eventually played.  On Nov. 21, 2005, during the first period of a Detroit Red Wings game against Nashville, Detroit defenseman Jiri Fischer slumped over while seated on the Red Wings bench, and coach Mike Babcock began furiously waving for help.  Fischer had a seizure, fell forward and CPR was quickly administered. His heart had stopped and medical personnel could not find a pulse, Babcock said, before emergency workers shocked his heart and got it beating again.  The game was delayed, then ultimately postponed. Fischer never played again.

NFL – Lions looking forward to potentially playing for playoffs

The Detroit Lions will play at Green Bay Packers on Sunday in a matchup of 8-8 teams with much at stake for at least one of the NFC North teams. Detroit must win at Lambeau Field and have the good fortune of the Los Angeles Rams beating or tying Seattle on the road earlier in the day. If the Packers win, they are in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and 12th time in 15 years since Aaron Rodgers became their starting quarterback. The NFL has flexed the game to Sunday Night Football with an 8:20 kickoff.

NFL – Bears’ Fields uncertain to play with rushing mark in reach

Justin Fields might not get the chance to break the single-season rushing record for an NFL quarterback. Coach Matt Eberflus threw Fields’ status for the Chicago Bears’ season finale against Minnesota into question Monday. He says there are “ongoing conversations about everybody” with general manager Ryan Poles. Fields needs 63 yards to break the QB rushing record of 1,206 set by Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in 2019 during his MVP season. But it’s not clear he will get that opportunity when the Bears host the NFC North champion Vikings on Sunday. The Bears set a franchise record by extending their skid to nine games.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Tonight

Nebraska at Michigan State, 7:00 p.m.                           Superhits 103.7 Cosy-FM 6:00

Notre Dame at Boston College, 7:00 p.m.

Western Michigan at Kent State, 7:00 p.m.

Miami (OH) at Central Michigan, 7:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night

Cleveland Cavaliers 145, Chicago Bulls 134 – OT

Portland Trailblazers 135, Detroit Pistons 106

Indiana Pacers 122, Toronto Raptors 114

Cavaliers 145, Bulls 134 – OT – Mitchell scores 71 points, Cavs beat Bulls 145-134 in OT 

Donovan Mitchell set a Cleveland record with 71 points, most by an NBA player in 17 years, and the Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime. Mitchell’s total matched the eighth-highest in league history and marked the most points by any player since Lakers great Kobe Bryant had 81 against Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006. Wilt Chamberlain owns the NBA record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962. Mitchell scored 13 points in the extra period after forcing OT by grabbing his own intentionally missed free throw and making a circus shot with three seconds left in regulation, tying the game at 130.

Blazers 135, Pistons 106 – Grant scores 36, Blazers rout Pistons in Payton’s debut 

Jerami Grant scored 36 points against his former team, Anfernee Simons added 30 and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Detroit Pistons 135-106. Gary Payton II played 14 minutes in his Portland debut, finishing with seven points, four assists and two steals. The son of Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton missed the first 35 games this season following surgery for a core muscle injury. He signed with the Trail Blazers as a free agent after winning an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors last June. Grant was 12 for 17 from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and Payton’s debut buoyed a Blazers team that had lost four of five. Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 points to lead Detroit.

Pacers 122, Raptors 114 – Mathurin, Hield lead Pacers past Raptors for 4th straight 

Bennedict Mathurin scored 21 points and Buddy Hield added 19 to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 122-114 victory over the Toronto Raptors for their fourth consecutive victory. Myles Turner had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton added 16 points and eight assists for the Pacers. T.J. McConnell scored 15 off the bench. Gary Trent Jr. scored 32 points and Pascal Siakam had 26 for Toronto. Scottie Barnes added 23. The Pacers, who shot 45% from the field, had a 50-36 edge in rebounds. With the score tied at 101 in the fourth quarter, Haliburton sank a 3-pointer to put the Pacers ahead for good.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night

Michigan State 71, Northwestern 64

Today

Penn State at (14) Michigan, 1:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight

Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NCAAFB – College Football – Bowls
Yesterday

Mississippi State 19, Illinois 10                                  ReliaQuest Bowl – Tampa, FL 

(17) LSU 63, Purdue 7                                                Cheez-It Citrus Bowl – Orlando, FL

(16) Tulane 46, (10) USC 45                                       Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic – Arlington, TX

(11) Penn State 35, (8) Utah 21                                   Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential – Pasadena, CA

MHSAA – High School Sports
Tonight
Boys Basketball

New Buffalo at SB Career Academy, 7:15 p.m.

GR Wellspring Prep at Holland Black River, 7:00 p.m.

Schoolcraft at Hudsonville Unity Christian, 7:00 p.m.

Kalamazoo Hackett at Saginaw Nouvell, 7:00 p.m.

Girls Basketball

Lakeshore at Niles, 7:15 p.m.

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

Holland Black River at Potters House, 7:00 p.m.

Bangor Invitational

Wyoming Lee vs. Parchment, 5:30 p.m.

South Haven vs. Bangor, 7:00 p.m.The Buffalo Bills players pray for teammate Damar Hamlin during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (12) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, left, guard Josh Hart, center, and forward Jerami Grant, right, react after Grant scored during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, in Portland, Ore., Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) makes a pass during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors in Indianapolis, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

NFL – National Football League – Week 17 
Last Night 
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals, Suspended and Postponed

Bills at Bengals, PPD – Bills&#8217; Hamlin in critical condition after collapse on field 
Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after the Bills say he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field following a tackle hours earlier, leading to the indefinite postponement of Buffalo’s pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills said in a statement: “Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”  In a chilling scene, Hamlin was administered CPR on the field, ESPN reported, while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, while they shielded him from public view. He was hurt while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn&#8217;t appear unusually violent.  Jeff Miller, an NFL executive vice president, told reporters on a conference call early Tuesday that the league had made no plans at this time to play the game, adding that Hamlin&#8217;s health was the main focus.  Vincent said the league took no steps toward restarting the game and did not ask players to begin a five-minute warmup period as ESPN&#8217;s broadcasters had announced.  There was a heavy police presence at Buffalo Niagara International Airport when the team arrived at about 2:45 a.m. A small group of fans gathered across the street from the players&#8217; parking area near the airport. Police blocked off the road to allow the players to leave.
NFL – Detroit familiar with heart issues in sports 
On Oct. 24, 1971, Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions had a heart attack late in the fourth quarter of an NFL game against the Chicago Bears.  He was officially pronounced dead about 50 minutes after the game, with an autopsy revealing that the heart attack was caused by a massive stoppage in his left coronary artery.  Doctors later said he was essentially dead on the field &#8212; and the closest defender to him when he collapsed, Bears star Dick Butkus, immediately began waving for help when Hughes tumbled to the turf, clearly aware of the severity of the situation.  The game was delayed and the final 62 seconds were eventually played.  On Nov. 21, 2005, during the first period of a Detroit Red Wings game against Nashville, Detroit defenseman Jiri Fischer slumped over while seated on the Red Wings bench, and coach Mike Babcock began furiously waving for help.  Fischer had a seizure, fell forward and CPR was quickly administered. His heart had stopped and medical personnel could not find a pulse, Babcock said, before emergency workers shocked his heart and got it beating again.  The game was delayed, then ultimately postponed. Fischer never played again.
NFL – Lions looking forward to potentially playing for playoffs 
The Detroit Lions will play at Green Bay Packers on Sunday in a matchup of 8-8 teams with much at stake for at least one of the NFC North teams. Detroit must win at Lambeau Field and have the good fortune of the Los Angeles Rams beating or tying Seattle on the road earlier in the day. If the Packers win, they are in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and 12th time in 15 years since Aaron Rodgers became their starting quarterback. The NFL has flexed the game to Sunday Night Football with an 8:20 kickoff.
NFL – Bears&#8217; Fields uncertain to play with rushing mark in reach 
Justin Fields might not get the chance to break the single-season rushing record for an NFL quarterback. Coach Matt Eberflus threw Fields’ status for the Chicago Bears’ season finale against Minnesota into question Monday. He says there are “ongoing conversations about everybody” with general manager Ryan Poles. Fields needs 63 yards to break the QB rushing record of 1,206 set by Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in 2019 during his MVP season. But it’s not clear he will get that opportunity when the Bears host the NFC North champion Vikings on Sunday. The Bears set a franchise record by extending their skid to nine games.
NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball 
Tonight 
Nebraska at Michigan State, 7:00 p.m.                           Superhits 103.7 Cosy-FM 6:00 
Notre Dame at Boston College, 7:00 p.m. 
Western Michigan at Kent State, 7:00 p.m. 
Miami (OH) at Central Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
NBA – National Basketball Association 
Last Night 
Cleveland Cavaliers 145, Chicago Bulls 134 – OT 
Portland Trailblazers 135, Detroit Pistons 106 
Indiana Pacers 122, Toronto Raptors 114

Cavaliers 145, Bulls 134 – OT – Mitchell scores 71 points, Cavs beat Bulls 145-134 in OT 
Donovan Mitchell set a Cleveland record with 71 points, most by an NBA player in 17 years, and the Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime. Mitchell’s total matched the eighth-highest in league history and marked the most points by any player since Lakers great Kobe Bryant had 81 against Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006. Wilt Chamberlain owns the NBA record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962. Mitchell scored 13 points in the extra period after forcing OT by grabbing his own intentionally missed free throw and making a circus shot with three seconds left in regulation, tying the game at 130.

Blazers 135, Pistons 106 – Grant scores 36, Blazers rout Pistons in Payton&#8217;s debut 
Jerami Grant scored 36 points against his former team, Anfernee Simons added 30 and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Detroit Pistons 135-106. Gary Payton II played 14 minutes in his Portland debut, finishing with seven points, four assists and two steals. The son of Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton missed the first 35 games this season following surgery for a core muscle injury. He signed with the Trail Blazers as a free agent after winning an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors last June. Grant was 12 for 17 from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and Payton’s debut buoyed a Blazers team that had lost four of five. Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 points to lead Detroit.

Pacers 122, Raptors 114 – Mathurin, Hield lead Pacers past Raptors for 4th straight 
Bennedict Mathurin scored 21 points and Buddy Hield added 19 to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 122-114 victory over the Toronto Raptors for their fourth consecutive victory. Myles Turner had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton added 16 points and eight assists for the Pacers. T.J. McConnell scored 15 off the bench. Gary Trent Jr. scored 32 points and Pascal Siakam had 26 for Toronto. Scottie Barnes added 23. The Pacers, who shot 45% from the field, had a 50-36 edge in rebounds. With the score tied at 101 in the fourth quarter, Haliburton sank a 3-pointer to put the Pacers ahead for good.
NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball 
Last Night 
Michigan State 71, Northwestern 64
Today 
Penn State at (14) Michigan, 1:00 p.m.
NHL – National Hockey League 
Tonight 
Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
NCAAFB – College Football &#8211; Bowls 
Yesterday 
Mississippi State 19, Illinois 10                                  ReliaQuest Bowl – Tampa, FL 
(17) LSU 63, Purdue 7                                                Cheez-It Citrus Bowl – Orlando, FL 
(16) Tulane 46, (10) USC 45                                       Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic &#8211; Arlington, TX 
(11) Penn State 35, (8) Utah 21                                   Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential – Pasadena, CA
MHSAA – High School Sports 
Tonight 
Boys Basketball 
New Buffalo at SB Career Academy, 7:15 p.m. 
GR Wellspring Prep at Holland Black River, 7:00 p.m. 
Schoolcraft at Hudsonville Unity Christian, 7:00 p.m. 
Kalamazoo Hackett at Saginaw Nouvell, 7:00 p.m.
Girls Basketball 
Lakeshore at Niles, 7:15 p.m. 
Marshall at Gull Lake, 7:00 p.m. 
Holland Black River at Potters House, 7:00 p.m.
Bangor Invitational 
Wyoming Lee vs. Parchment, 5:30 p.m. 
South Haven vs. Bangor, 7:00 p.m.The Buffalo Bills players pray for teammate Damar Hamlin during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (12) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, left, guard Josh Hart, center, and forward Jerami Grant, right, react after Grant scored during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, in Portland, Ore., Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Steve Dykes)Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) makes a pass during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors in Indianapolis, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

Southwest Michigan's Sports Leader

WSJM Sports

NFL – National Football League – Week 17 Last Night Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals, Suspended and Postponed Bills at Bengals, PPD – Bills’ Hamlin in critical condition after collapse on field Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin