Feb

instead of the left and drained it for three. Robinson joined the three point parade for the Bluehawks himself as he made one from deep as well.

Nathan Coppersmith posted up in the painted area for Hudson and backed down a defender to create space and make the layup. The Titans made a few shots but Robinson answered with two made free throws and a three-ball on the following possession for the Bluehawks.

Wallace had a nice shortrange jumper directly over Taconic Hills’ Damian Doty that banked in off the backboard. Each team missed a shot to end the half and Hudson led, 37-24, at the break.

The Bluehawks’ defense came out to compete as the third quarter began. They stayed aggressive on offense as well with Cunningham earning a bucket and the foul, and Kam Taylor grabbing a rebound off his own miss to put it back, up and in for two points.

A Titans pass went out of play for another turnover as their offense struggled mightily in the third quarter. Taconic Hills was called for a goaltend on a Maines layup on the fastbreak, with the defender hitting the ball off the backboard as it came down.

Isaiah Maines passed to Keith Robinson for another deep shot from beyond the three point line, and Robinson buried it to end the period and extend the lead to 60-27 through three quarters.

Hudson stole the ball on defense to begin the fourth, and Maines took it coast-tocoast for a one-handed dunk on the fastbreak. He also got a nice chasedown block on defense for the Bluehawks. Maines threw a long pass to Cunningham shortly thereafter for a layup and the foul. Cunningham made the extra foul shot to complete the three point play.

With just over 5:00 remaining, Hudson led Taconic Hills comfortably 68-38. After being held to just three points the entire third period, the Titans made a few baskets in the closing minutes of the game.

Hudson was content to use up the most amount of time they could however, and were more selective with their shot attempts in the final quarter. Christian Burgos knocked down a three pointer for the Bluehawks, and Jaheim Mackey had a nice fake in the paint and made the layup over his defender.

Once the final buzzer went off, the Hudson Bluehawks defeated the visiting Taconic Hills Titans 73-50 as they celebrated their seniors at home and drew nearer to the Patroon Conference Tournament later this week.

T A C O N I C H I L L S ( 5 0 ) : R o w e 6 - 0 - 1 2 . R u s s o 1 - 3 5 , H o w a r d 4 - 2 - 1 1 , S u p e r 2-2-7, Beck 4-1-9, Doty 1-0-2, Holmes 2-0-4. Totals 20-8-50. 3-pointers: Howard, Super.

H U D S O N ( 7 3 ) : M a i n e s 8-0-18, Cunningham 6-2-15, Taylor 2-1-5, Robinson 4-214, Coppersmith 2-0-4, Burgos 1-0-3, Mackey 1-0-2, Wallace 5-0-12. Totals 29-5-73. 3 - p o i n t e r s : R o b i n s o n 4 , Maines 2, Wallace 2, Cunningham, Burgos.

ZOEY CATLIN PHOTO Hudson’s Isaiah Maines brings the ball up the floor during Monday’s Patroon Conference boys basketball game against Taconic Hills at Hudson High School.

ZOEY CATLIN PHOTO Dez Wallace scored 12 points to help Hudson defeat Taconic Hills, 73-50, in Monday’s Patroon Conference boys basketball game at Hudson High School.

Hockey

years, and the heightened stakes of a gold medal promises to ratchet up the tension.

“Definitely a lot of hostility out there,” Canada forward Sarah Nurse said after Tuesday’s win, which served as the next step for her team to reclaim the gold medal after the Americans won it in a shootout over their rivals four years ago in PyeongChang.

“Obviously not the result wanted to get here today,” American captain Kendall Coyne-Schofield said. “Take the positives away, take the negatives and learn from it.”

Among the positives: Team USA finished with 53 shots on goal, generating offense at will and controlling the puck in their rivals zone for long stretches, matching Canada’s speed and physicality from the onset. But the negatives were also glaring. The Americans went 0-for-6 on the power play, including at a decisive moment in the game when Poulin came up with a breakaway and eventual penalty shot goal with just under three minutes remaining in the second period. Team USA couldn’t fully solve Canada goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens, who finished with 51 saves in one of the best performances of her career.

“I got some great advice when I was younger: It’s 50-50 every time you shoot the puck,” American Hilary Knight said. “You just have to keep shooting it. There’s no such thing as a hot hand or a hot streak. It’s just numbers.”

The numbers for Canada weren’t as staggering; it finished with 27 shots on goal, but found its offensive rhythm after the Americans blitzed their rival with 12 of the game’s first 14 shots. Canada got on the board on just its third shot of the game. Sarah Fillier, who entered the game with five goals in the tournament, fed a puck into the crease for Brianne Jenner, who chipped the pass above Rooney into the top of the net.

“We really want to focus on quality shots versus quantity . . . I think we have a big focus on Grade A scoring chances,” Nurse said. “Yeah, the U.S. got a lot of perimeter shots, but we have a stellar goaltender. So if you’re going to shoot from the outside, you’re not going to score on her.”

One of Team USA’s best early chances coming after forward Abbey Murphy flipped a backhand off the post after a steal midway through the first period - the puck deflected off the back of Desbiens and bounced off the post again before being cleared - and Murphy screamed into her gloves after the missed opportunity.

“That sucked. It was close. That happens,” Murphy said. “It will come.”

Players from both teams had to adjust to a heightened speed and physicality they hadn’t seen in blowout wins in their three preliminary games earlier this week - Canada had outscored Switzerland, Finland and Russia by a combined 29-3, while the U.S. had beaten those teams by a combined 19-2 margin - but both teams had settled in by the second period.

The United States took a brief lead earlier in the second, as forward Dani Cameranesi scored off a rebound to tie the score and Alex Carpenter added the go-ahead goal a few minutes later to give the Americans a 2-1 lead. Less than a minute after that, Canada tied the score after Jenner scored her second goal of the game, and Jamie Lee Rattray beat Rooney for the go-ahead goal with 5:35 left in the second.

The United States had three power plays in the second period but came up empty-handed on each, watching as Desbiens came up several acrobatic saves and her teammates in front blocked a number of quality shots.

The dagger came as Poulin, a four-time Olympian who helped Canada win gold medals in 2010 and 2014 before 2018’s crushing silver against the Americans, blew past two Team USA defenders in the middle of the ice, including Cayla Barnes, who slashed Poulin at the end of the breakaway to try to disrupt a scoring chance. Rooney had stopped a Poulin shot at the point, but after an official called a penalty shot, Poulin glided in and deposited the puck into the lower left pocket of the net.

There were only the sounds of Canada’s players celebrating inside a mostly empty arena at that point, and after the Americans were unable to keep up the frantic pace in the third period, they returned to their locker room and vowed to stew over this loss only until midnight Tuesday. Then they will turn their attention to Saturday’s quarterfinal, which will be the first step in what many expect a path back to a rematch with their rival in the gold medal game next week.

Mets

From B1

government official.

“The clearest path to a fair and timely agreement is to get back to the table,” read the statement. “Players stand ready to negotiate.”

As far as preparing for a season that he well knows c o u l d b e d e l a y e d , t h e 37-year-old was emphatic about his adherence to a throwing routine that he’s been using since he was 23. He also came to grips with the fact that he can’t squat anymore after several “tweaks” in his body that he noticed after trying to squat heavy amounts of weight.

An overwhelming port i o n o f S c h e r z e r ’ s c o mm e n t s i n T h e A t h l e t i c touched on the idea that h e k n o w s h i s b o d y o n an obsessive level at this point. The righty had to miss a start in last year’s National League Championship Series after “overcooking” his arm, which ironically came when the Dodgers altered his routine to give him more rest, not less.

The uncertainty of the coming season could be hellish for pitchers, creating what would essentially be a third consecutive unconventional year, given that ramping back up to their normal workload in 2021 after just 60 games in 2020 was unprecedented.

“ T h i n g s c a n g e t s i d eways with your arm really fast this year, and if they do, understand you’ve got to pull the parachute and get out of there; 2021 was not the year to try to be a hero,” Scherzer said. “You really have to be cautious with your arm, and not only that, (but) be cautious in 2022 as you continue to build back up.”

A m a n i a c a l w o r k o u t fiend -- the man describes himself as having a “no pain, no gain” type of attitude toward his offseason conditioning — Scherzer will surely show up game ready on the first day of spring training. Whether that’s in a matter of weeks or a matter of months is the dilemma.

Welcome back, Super Bowl. L.A. is where you belong

Los Angles Times

Hey, Super Bowl!

Welcome home.

Hey, you big kooky lug of a rollicking national celebration disguised as a football game!

Great to have you back.

You were born in Los Angeles. You grew up here. You never should have left here. You belong here.

You spent seven different occasions here, some Coliseum, some Rose Bowl, always Hollywood. It was here you set a record for attendance. It was here you watched New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms become the first person to shout, “I’m Going To Disney World.” And, yeah, of course it was here that a halftime show was performed by Michael Jackson.

Welcome, welcome. Come on in. We know it’s different now. We understand. But put away those $10,000 tickets and gold-plated party passes for a sec and make yourself comfortable. We super missed you.

You were created at the Coliseum 55 years ago, two years before you were actually named the Super Bowl, long before the Twitter world would have obliterated those two fellas flying around that first game wearing jetpacks.

We were the first to want you. We were the first to love you, even if there were about 30,000 empty seats at your debut between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. We gave you the best football weather we can summon, 59 degrees and clear. You gave us halftime with Al Hirt. We didn’t complain.

You came back six years later when the Miami Dolphins were storming around the same Coliseum field celebrating the last unbeaten season in the NFL. You then moved up the road to the Rose Bowl five times in the next 17 years, in games featuring such iconic moments as John Madden stalking the sidelines, John Riggins storming down the field, the first nationally celebrated postgame Gatorade bath and a messy-haired Jimmy Johnson shouting, “How ‘bout them Cowboys!”

We asked, how ‘bout Los Angeles as one of the rotating Super Bowl sites? We wondered, how perfect would it be to host this game every couple of years?

We earned you. We deserved you. The Rams were the West Coast’s first NFL team. The Rams were the first NFL team to employ a Black player, Kenny Washington signing a contract at the Coliseum’s insistence. The Rams were also the first team to have a Black quarterback start and win an NFL playoff game, thank you James Harris.

Los Angeles was the NFL at its smartest and most sophisticated and, after those first seven visits, your biggest game should have just laid down roots here.

But then you, foolishly finicky Super Bowl, blew us off.

The NFL left town and so did you, disappearing in the winter of 1993 and not returning for 29 long years, and how could you?

You went to Jacksonville, yes, there’s somewhat of a stadium there. You went to Detroit, where the game-time weather outside enclosed Ford Field was 30 degrees. You went to New York, and wasn’t that an unholy mess. You went to Indianapolis, so boring. You went to Minneapolis, where your intrepid columnist suffered frostbite waiting for an Uber.

You went all over the country when your rightful home was here. Then the NFL returned to Los Angeles in 2016, Rams owner Stan Kroenke spent $5 billionto build SoFi Stadium, he opened it in 2020, and, finally, you came to your senses.

You came back. At last.

Super Bowl LVI will be played at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 13, Valentine’s Day eve, and not that you deserve it, but what a love letter we have scripted.

The Rams will be one team, only the second squad to play a Super Bowl on its home field, the manifestation of Kroenke’s investment, a star quarterback named Matthew Stafford surrounded by a glamorous and richly paid group worthy of our brightest of lights -- Sunset Boulevard meets the Red Zone.

The Cincinnati Bengals will be the other team, the opposite, pesky underdogs, a kid quarterback named Joe Burrow surrounded by mostly anonymous striped helmets and a quaint little cheer that goes, “Who dey, who dey, who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals ... nobody!”

Some believe that cheer was stolen from the New Orleans Saints, others believe it came from a local Cincinnati beer vendor, but no matter, it will be a worthy competitor to the Rams’ cheer of, “Whose house? Rams house!”

In keeping with this city’s Super traditions, the game featuring at least one prominent first. The Los Angeles Rams have never won a Super Bowl. Neither have the Bengals. The winners will likely cry. The losers will likely cry. Just your typical histrionics on a Los Angeles Sunday afternoon that will feel like a movie audition.

This, Super Bowl, is why it’s so cool that you’re back. This soulful town fits you. It’s pulsing emotion suits you. Its perhaps the only place in America that’s not too big for you.

Of course, it’s been a minute since we’ve seen you, and while you will certainly be familiar with the dramatics, you may not recognize the location.

The Coliseum is nice, but now it’s run by the city’s third professional football team, known as USC. The Rose Bowl is historic, but it’s the domain of a UCLA team that nobody watches.

SoFi Stadium is a different animal entirely. It’s a beauty, but it’s a beast. It’s a grandiose palace with a breathtaking video board, but it’s wedged in a cluttered corner of Inglewood where the traffic is hell and the parking is worse.

You need to arrive four hours early and be prepared to pay a month’s rent for a parking spot, and even then, it could take you most of the night to exit your lot. The postgame chaos is so great, there are stories of folks attending Rams or Chargers night games who simply abandoned their cars and slept in a local motel and drove home the next morning.

Not that you’re here just for the game. In fact, since you left, you’ve become a vehicle for far more than the football field. The parties are the real guts of the Super Bowl, and for that, you’ve obviously come to the right place.

From the Convention Center to Crypto.com Arena to Century Park to the Petersen Automotive Museum, the weekend will be filled with drinking and dancing and blatant mask removing. If the crowds at recent Los Angeles sporting events are any indication, an alarming number of fans ignore mask rules, including L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and Gov. Gavin Newsom, both of who were photographed maskless at the recent NFC championship game.

So be careful. Be safe. And if you must party, perhaps check out the one party that epitomizes the blending of Los Angeles sports and celebrity cultures. It’s called, “Shaq’s Fun House.” It’s on Friday night before the game at the Shrine Auditorium. It could be a traditional Super Bowl ripoff, but because it’s being thrown by lovable former Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal, it could be fun. For a ticket that could cost as much as $1,799.99 -- rip-off alert! -- folks can attend a party that includes rap performances and carnival rides and almost-famous sightings.

Welcome home.

RONALD MARTINEZ/GETTY IMAGES A view of SoFi Stadium as workers prepare for Super Bowl LVI, on Feb. 1 in Inglewood, California.

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Help Save A Life. Donate Blood Today! NHL at the break: Surprises, disappointments and award contenders from the first half

The Detroit News

DETROIT — Somehow, the NHL has gotten to the midway point of its season.

Despite more than 100 games being postponed because of COVID-19 issues, and games that went on despite lineups that looked more like preseason game rosters, the NHL has reached All-Star Game weekend, the point in the schedule many correlate as the halfway point.

It’s been quite a ride.

It hasn’t been smooth, but the NHL is hopeful the second half will be much more smoother, given the expectation COVID isn’t going to be as impactful and games will be made up this month during the time the league expected to be at the Olympics.

Playoff positioning will be interesting.

The eight spots in the Eastern Conference appear to be almost set right now, but in the West, it’s likely going to be a thrilling race with many teams still in the hunt.

As usual, there have been surprises, disappointments, and plenty of unknowns heading into the final several months.

Here is a look at the NHL, heading into its halfway mark in the schedule.

Hart Trophy (MVP) n Alex Ovechkin, Washington: At age 36, Ovechkin has carried a Capitals team that’s been riddled with injuries and COVID issues into a secure playoff position. Ovechkin has been a constant, with 29 goals and 29 assists and making an impact every game. n Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida: Leads the NHL with 47 assists and 64 points, and finally is getting the respect and notoriety he deserves for his talent. Huberdeau has gotten consistently better throughout his career, and now leads a loaded Panthers lineup that is a Stanley Cup contender. n Connor McDavid, Edmonton: Will McDavid be the top choice at the end of the season? Likely, if the Oilers rebound as many expect them to do. But currently, the two-time Hart winner is, arguably, a hair behind the others at the halfway point of the season.

Norris (best defenseman) n Cale Makar, Colorado: Makar has 18 goals, 44 points, a plus-26 rating, and is making highlight plays every game, it seems. Only an injury, it appears, will keep Makar from winning this award for the first time. n Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay: The two-time Stanley Cup champions still have a deep, talented roster, but Hedman is a player that would be nearly impossible to replace given his production, stability and experience. n Roman Josi, Nashville: The Predators have been a surprise team, and Josi, who won the Norris in 2020, is a major reason why. He makes noticeable plays at both ends of the ice and plays big minutes in all situations.

Calder (best rookie) n Moritz Seider, Detroit: The defenseman plays a tough position for a rookie, but you wouldn’t notice it with the poise with which Seider plays. He leads all rookies in minutes played and assists, and he’s been great on the power play. Just slightly more impactful than his teammate at this point ...

n Lucas Raymond, Detroit: ... which is Raymond. From Day 1, Raymond hasn’t looked out of place. Raymond leads all rookies with 35 points, he has 11 goals, and he’s been more than fine defensively. The Wings’ future is bright with these two part of the nucleus. n Trevor Zegras, Anaheim: Sure, the lacrosse goal highlights are fantastic, and few players in the NHL are as imaginative on the ice. But with 12 goals and 32 points, the important thing is Zegras is simply a really good player in his first full NHL season.

Jack Adams (coach of the year) n Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh: Sullivan has been a successful coach for a long time, but what he’s done with this particular roster has been awfully impressive. n Gerard Gallant, N.Y. Rangers: As he always does, Gallant has stepped into a situation that looked to be a couple of years from big success, and quickly fast-forwarded the timeline. n John Hynes, Nashville: Has made that entire roster better, and convinced the Predators to buy into a grinding, physical style of play that has made them playoff contenders.

Vezina (best goaltender) n Igor Shesterkin, N.Y. Rangers: The Rangers have been a pleasant surprise, ahead of their expected timeline in the rebuild, and having a rock like Shesterkin in net has been a big reason why. n Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay: It’s surprising Vasilevskiy has only won one Vezina in his career. He’ll obviously have a chance for a second here with a strong second-half finish. n Jack Campbell, Toronto: Campbell is 21-6-3 with a 2.30 GAA and .925 SVS, and is a key reason the Leafs have become nearly unbeatable the first half of the season.

Selke (best defensive forward) n Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay: The Lightning needed Cirelli to take a step forward given all they lost in free agency, and Cirelli has delivered. The defensive analytics are good. He has 28 points, and playing important minutes. n Patrice Bergeron, Boston: The four-time Selke winner easily will be in the hunt for five if he’s healthy the rest of the way. Bergeron is nearing the end of his career, but his level of play isn’t falling at all. n Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota: There are plenty of surprises on the Wild, and this two-way stalwart is helping lead the team into Stanley Cup contention. At 25, Eriksson Ek has improved steadily and is becoming a star.

Surprise teams

n Pittsburgh: It doesn’t make sense the Penguins have 62 points and are firmly entrenched in the playoff picture. Not with the injuries and COVID issues they’ve dealt with this season. The coaching staff deserves a load of credit. n Anaheim: The Ducks were expected to be a season or two away from playoff contention, but here they are, occupying a playoff spot, and new GM Pat Verbeek is the type of manager to keep them there. n Nashville: Many folks felt the Predators were better off rebuilding, and given many of their veterans were sliding in performance, that seemed the right call. But those same veterans are enjoying banner seasons, rookies have surprised, and Nashville is a dangerous team.

Disappointing teams n Chicago: It’s just been a mess from the start, with office abuse issues, poor play, a head coach getting fired, and stars not playing to expectations. The analysts who felt the Blackhawks had one more playoff run in them were terribly wrong. n N.Y. Islanders: Simply put, COVID completely ravaged the Islanders’ season, and they’re not going to be able to recover. For some reason the NHL didn’t postpone games while the Islanders were playing a lineup laden with minor leaguers, and it sent their season into a spiral. n Montreal: Last spring, the Canadiens were in the Stanley Cup Final and appeared to have a bright future with several promising young players. Retirements, injuries, freeagent signings who’ve disappointed, COVID ... all of it has sent the Canadiens plummeting to the bottom.

Sleeper teams n Pittsburgh: It’s amazing the Penguins are entrenched in the playoff chase given the amount of injuries, COVID issues, and incorporating new personnel into the lineup. This is an extremely dangerous team heading into the playoffs if everything keeps clicking. n Boston: Somehow, the Bruins keep defying the expectations they’re going to slip into oblivion or mediocrity. It helps having two Hall of Famers (Bergeron, Brad Marchand) and several other stars, but getting the right rentals at the deadline could make the Bruins a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. n Calgary: The Flames have a lot of home games the second half of the season and they’re playing the type of hockey gritty coach Darryl Sutter loves. Nobody is going to want to face them in the playoffs.

Surprise players n Evan Rodrigues, Pittsburgh: Already with a careerhigh 15 goals and 32 points, Rodrigues has been one of the surprises that has propelled Pittsburgh into its lofty place in the standings. n Troy Terry, Anaheim: This is a neat story. Some folks were putting Terry, 24, into the washout category, and all he’s done this season is score a career-high 25 goals and become a threat every time he’s on the ice. n Ville Husso, St. Louis: With the Blues’ goaltending in flux, Husso has been a revelation with a 9-3-1 record, and a sterling 1.90 GAA and .941 SVS. Husso is displacing Jordan Binnington as the No. 1 netminder.

Disappointing players n Elias Pettersson, Vancouver: The Canucks re-signed Pettersson to a generous contract last summer ($7.35 million per season, three seasons), and he’s been a major disappointment with only 11 goals and minimal impact on the ice. He’s a more dangerous player than this. Isn’t he? n Jamie Benn, Dallas: Benn gives the effort, and he’s a key voice in the Stars’ room, but at age 32, and 6-foot-2, 210-pounds, he appears to be slowing on the ice. The 11 goals and 20 points don’t match the $9.5 million per season (until 2024-25!). n Philipp Grubauer, Seattle: The expansion Kraken made a big splash in free agency ($5.9 million per, for six years) signing Grubauer -- and it hasn’t worked out (12-17-4, 3.09 GAA, .887 SVS). Simply put, the below-par goaltending has cost the Kraken at least several games.

Most likely traded n Tomas Hertl, San Jose: The Sharks are likely to work hard to re-sign the prospective free agent, but Hertl, with 22 goals, will be expensive. Then again, the Sharks are likely to receive a nice return if they trade Hertl at the deadline. Hertl, 28, keeps getting better every season and could put several teams over the hump toward a Stanley Cup. n Phil Kessel, Arizona: He’s 34 and only has five goals, but for a cheap rental Kessel would be an intriguing option. Kessel has tons of playoff experience and there’s a gut feeling he’ll be revitalized escaping the dire situation of Arizona. Kessel would improve a lot of teams’ middle-six forwards. n Mark Giordano, Seattle: Giordano, 38, is a rental, but the veteran defenseman brings tons of savvy, experience and leadership to the equation and is still playing fine hockey. A reunion with Calgary might be a possibility.

Keep an eye on n Evander Kane, Edmonton: The wayward winger has quickly given the Oilers a boost. If Kane continues to make a favorable impact, the Oilers could be a tricky team to deal with the remainder of the season, and playoffs. n Jack Eichel, Vegas: The star center has yet to play for Vegas after being acquired in a trade, and needing neck surgery. Eichel could be the final piece to the Vegas puzzle that nets the organization its first Stanley Cup. n Ken Holland: Lots of pressure on the former Wings’ general manager, now in Edmonton. The Oilers, with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their prime, can’t afford to miss the playoffs.

Top 25 roundup: Virginia stuns No. 7 Duke in closing seconds

Field Level Media

Reece Beekman drained a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to give Virginia a shocking 6968 victory against No. 7 Duke on Monday night at Durham, N.C.

Jayden Gardner scored 17 points with eight rebounds, Kadin Shedrick dumped in a career-high 16 points off the bench and Armaan Franklin had 11 points for Virginia (159, 9-5 Atlantic Coast Conference). It was the Cavaliers’ third straight win and fourth in the past five games.

Mark Williams battled foul trouble and finished with 16 points and Trevor Keels had all 12 of his points in the second half for the Blue Devils (19-4, 9-3), who fell into a firstplace tie in the league with idle Notre Dame. The loss snapped Duke’s five-game winning streak.

Paolo Banchero was held to a season-low nine points on 3-for-9 shooting, although he added a game-high nine rebounds. His desperation 3 at the final buzzer was off the mark.

No. 4 Arizona 91,

Arizona State 79

Azuolas Tubelis collected 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Wildcats overcame an early 13-point deficit and dominated the second half to beat the Sun Devils in Tempe, Ariz.

Tubelis posted his second straight double-double and shot 7 of 12 from the floor as the Wildcats (20-2, 10-1 Pac-12) posted their fourth straight victory. Arizona outscored the Sun Devils 44-22 to start the second half, building a 26-point lead and swept the season series.

Jay Heath and Marreon Jackson scored 16 points apiece for Arizona State (7-14, 3-8), which was unable to sustain its quick start after outlasting then-No. 3 UCLA for an 87-84 triple-overtime win on Saturday.

No. 20 Texas 79,

No. 8 Kansas 76

Timmy Allen scored a season-high 24 points and Marcus Carr had a key late steal and two free throws as the Longhorns rallied down the stretch to beat the Jayhawks in Austin, Texas.

The game was tied at 72 after a layup by Allen with 2:33 to play. Kansas answered with buckets by David McCormack and Ochai Agbaji for a fourpoint lead before Texas’ Tre Mitchell hit a banked 3-pointer with 55 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 76-75.

After a turnover by Agbaji, Allen canned a jumper with 21 seconds left to put the Longhorns back in the lead, and Texas (18-6, 7-4 Big 12) held on. Kansas (19-4, 8-2) got 18 points and 11 rebounds from Jalen Wilson.

Innocent internet search reveals shocking secret

Dear Abby,

I recently Googled my brother-in-law to see if I could find his birthdate, which I had forgotten. When his name came up, so did some information I wish I hadn’t seen.

He’s a convicted sex offender (rape) who has served DEAR ABBY time. I am assuming my sister JEANNE knows about his past. But what if she doesn’t? I don’t PHILLIPS want to say anything to her, because if she already knows, she’ll be upset that I now know. If she doesn’t know and I tell her, I’m afraid she may blame me for messing up a good thing.

Should I talk to him and ask him if he’s told her? Or should I leave things alone and let things play out naturally? I was shocked by the revelation because it doesn’t fit the man I know. Shocked In The South

Are you 100% sure the information you found is about your brother-in-law? If it’s true, the revelation that there is a felon in the family (and for rape, yet!) would shock anyone. Talk to your sister. Explain that you forgot the date of her husband’s birthday and what you discovered. It’s entirely possible that she knows about his past. But if she doesn’t, direct her to the site from which you got that information, because she’s entitled to know.

Dear Abby,

My grandson is 30. He lives at home with his mother and father, both of whom are retired. He doesn’t have a job, nor is he actively seeking one. The only so-called job he ever had in his life was as a security guard at a college museum, working some 20 hours per week.

He is healthy but seems to be content to continue living off his parents. They sent him to college, and he says he has a degree. His mother has told me she would never kick him out of the house. I think he should be forced to get a real job. His resume would be pathetic, but I believe if he stays on this course, he’ll never be self-supporting. What do you think? Realistic Grandpa In Florida

I think you are correct. Your grandson is not a self-starter and, thanks to his parents’ “generosity,” he will never find the motivation to become independent. Nothing will change until his parents realize they need to encourage their son to grow up and leave the nest.

Dear Abby,

My middle-aged daughter and her family have been estranged from me for several years, including the last year of her father’s sad battle with dementia. I am told my grandson has been taught to refer to me as “The Devil,” although I don’t know why.

Recently, her husband (my son-in-law) emailed me a list of possessions from my home that they now expect to have. My late husband’s wedding ring was included on the list. What would you say to the demands for items from an adult child with whom you have no relationship? Out Of Their Lives In Virginia

Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your husband. As to what “I” would say in response to these grasping relatives, I wouldn’t dignify their demand with any response at all.

Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069. Pearls Before Swine

Classic Peanuts

Garfield

Horoscope

By Stella Wilder

Born today, you are perhaps the most colorful individual born under your sign, possessed of many talents, composed of many facets and of a sort that attracts both admiration and criticism in equal measure. You never really take either very seriously, however, for you realize that whether or not people like you has less to do with you than it does with them! And in your case, this is very true.

You are sometimes so stubborn that you can actually expose yourself to danger simply because you have decided to do something — or not to do something — that everyone knows should — or should not — be done. When you dig in your heels, no one is likely to move you, one way or the other. The notable exception to this occurs when romance is in the air. You will do anything for the one you love!

Also born on this date are: Joe Pesci, actor; Carole King, singer and songwriter; Travis Tritt, singer; Mia Farrow, actress; Alice Walker, author; William Henry Harrison, U.S. president; Brendan Behan, Irish poet and playwright.

To see what is in store for you tomorrow, find your birthday and read the corresponding paragraph. Let your birthday star be your daily guide.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — No matter how well-meaning you are, there are certain things that you’re not going to get right today — but corrections can be swift.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — It may be time to call in some help if you really want to deal with a problematic situation that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) — You’re on the verge of an important realization, but you may Zits

still make one or two errors of judgment as the pieces finally fall into place.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — You know what’s important, and you know why, but you may have trouble getting others to agree with you — until someone else backs you up.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — You may not be able to drop everything and run to a friend’s side today, but with a little warning, you can provide what’s needed very soon.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — You are likely to receive a warning today that you’ll surely want to heed — but take care you don’t alarm others as you change your plans.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — What you’ve been waiting for is almost here, but you have some work to do before you can consider yourself “ready” for its arrival. Get it done!

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — You may have to navigate some mood swings today, but it’s likely you’re going through something that is familiar and will pass quickly.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — You’ll decide something is worth the effort today, even though just yesterday you considered it too costly. What’s changed?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — You may have decided things cannot be “patched up” between you and an old friend, but the evidence today likely tells you otherwise.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — You’ll learn more than one timely lesson today from someone who does things in a manner that is highly irregular — but you like it that way!

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — You can make guarantees to friends all you want today, but it may not be entirely up to you whether what you’ve promised is possible.

COPYRIGHT 2022 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC. Dark Side of the Horse

Daily Maze

Goren bridge

WITH BOB JONES

©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC THE ONLY WAY East-West vulnerable, South deals

NORTH ♠ 8 5 3 2 ♥ 8 7 ♦ 10 8 3 ♣ Q J 10 2 WEST EAST ♠ Q J 10 9 7 ♠ 6 4

♥ A

♥ K 9 5 2 ♦ 7 2 ♦ J 6 5 4 ♣ A K 8 6 5 ♣ 7 4 3 SOUTH ♠ A K ♥ Q J 10 6 4 3 ♦ A K Q 9 ♣ 9 play is perfectly logical, but we doubt many would find it at the table. Many experts would go down.

East followed with the three of clubs to the opening lead, so West shifted to the queen of spades. South won with his ace and took a moment. He could hold trumps to two losers if they split 3-2, but there would be a slow diamond loser unless West’s had a very short jack. South decided his best chance was to find West with a singleton ace or king of trumps.

South cashed his three top diamonds. If West ruffed, South would later ruff his last diamond in dummy and finesse East out of his known nine of trumps. West foiled this plan by not ruffing the queen of diamonds, discarding a club instead. Now West could ruff the fourth diamond and lead a spade. East would be certain to score two heart tricks. South had the answer. Rather than a fourth diamond, he led a low heart from his hand! West won, but now South could ruff his last diamond, come back to his hand with a ruff, and lead the queen of hearts. East would only get one heart trick.

Well, would you have found this line of play at the table?

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