The Barton Community College eSports squad sustained its' historic season Tuesday evening as Madden 22&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/esports/2021-22/bios/morris_davon_d55d" target="_blank">Davon Morris</a>&nbsp;and the Rainbow 6 Siege five pack achieved the programs first and second ever NJCAAE National Championship berths.

Opening the postseason with six teams qualifying, the Cougars will seek their third championship berth tonight at 6:00 p.m. as Call of Duty Cold War Gunfight 2v2 of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/esports/2021-22/bios/castro_kindric_sw12" target="_blank">Kindric Castro</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/esports/2021-22/bios/hardin_adam_s17b" target="_blank">Adam Hardin</a>&nbsp;put their 32-0 map and 10-0 match records on the line.

Recap Fresh off a third place finish a year ago, Morris kicked off his postseason with a dominating 2-0 performance over his opponent from Fort Scott Community College. Five days later the sophomore made it back-to-back semifinal appearances with another 2-0 victory over Western Technical College. The Lyons, KS native wrote program history on Tuesday night becoming the first ever to advance into a NJCAAE National Championship with a 2-0 triumph over sixth seeded Bryant and Stratton (VA). Morris will take his 10-0 perfect season and 20-0 perfect games record into Saturday's title match scheduled for 7:00 p.m..

Entering the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the country, the Rainbow 6 Siege mob opened the postseason avenging its' week one loss to St. Clair College earning a 2-1 victory (7-1, 4-7, and 7-5) in a back and forth tilt. Meeting top seeded Hawkeye Community College in Tuesday's semifinals, the five pack overcame a 1-0 map deficit ambushing back with back-to-back map victories 8-6 and 7-3 securing its' spot in Saturday's 5:00 p.m. title bout.

Riding a perfect season entering the playoffs, Castro and Hardin continued their dominance in COD: Cold War Gunfight 2v2 riding to a 4-0 victory over Bryant &amp; Stratton College (WI). Three days later, the duo advanced into the semifinal match with another 4-0 dispatch over Madison College. The pair will look to secure their spot and Barton's third team into the NJCAAE Championship tonight at 6:00 p.m. against Herkimer College.

Securing postseason berths but unable to advance out of the opening round was Rocket League, Overwatch and Madden 22 competitor&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/esports/2021-22/bios/costello_chance_ypxq" target="_blank">Chance Costello</a>.

Postseason Schedule Call of Duty Gunfight 2v2: Rd 3: December 9th – 6pm Championship: December 12th – 1pm

Rainbow 6 Siege: Championship: December 11th – 5pm

Madden 21 Championship: December 11th – 7pm

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639090060087.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College eSports squad sustained its' historic season Tuesday evening as Madden 22&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/esports/2021-22/bios/morris_davon_d55d" target="_blank">Davon Morris</a>&nbsp;and the Rainbow 6 Siege five pack achieved the programs first and second ever NJCAAE National Championship berths.Opening the postseason with six teams qualifying, the Cougars will seek their third championship berth tonight at 6:00 p.m. as Call of Duty Cold War Gunfight 2v2 of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/esports/2021-22/bios/castro_kindric_sw12" target="_blank">Kindric Castro</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/esports/2021-22/bios/hardin_adam_s17b" target="_blank">Adam Hardin</a>&nbsp;put their 32-0 map and 10-0 match records on the line.Recap Fresh off a third place finish a year ago, Morris kicked off his postseason with a dominating 2-0 performance over his opponent from Fort Scott Community College. Five days later the sophomore made it back-to-back semifinal appearances with another 2-0 victory over Western Technical College. The Lyons, KS native wrote program history on Tuesday night becoming the first ever to advance into a NJCAAE National Championship with a 2-0 triumph over sixth seeded Bryant and Stratton (VA). Morris will take his 10-0 perfect season and 20-0 perfect games record into Saturday's title match scheduled for 7:00 p.m..Entering the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the country, the Rainbow 6 Siege mob opened the postseason avenging its' week one loss to St. Clair College earning a 2-1 victory (7-1, 4-7, and 7-5) in a back and forth tilt. Meeting top seeded Hawkeye Community College in Tuesday's semifinals, the five pack overcame a 1-0 map deficit ambushing back with back-to-back map victories 8-6 and 7-3 securing its' spot in Saturday's 5:00 p.m. title bout.Riding a perfect season entering the playoffs, Castro and Hardin continued their dominance in COD: Cold War Gunfight 2v2 riding to a 4-0 victory over Bryant &amp; Stratton College (WI). Three days later, the duo advanced into the semifinal match with another 4-0 dispatch over Madison College. The pair will look to secure their spot and Barton's third team into the NJCAAE Championship tonight at 6:00 p.m. against Herkimer College.Securing postseason berths but unable to advance out of the opening round was Rocket League, Overwatch and Madden 22 competitor&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/esports/2021-22/bios/costello_chance_ypxq" target="_blank">Chance Costello</a>.Postseason Schedule Call of Duty Gunfight 2v2: Rd 3: December 9th – 6pm Championship: December 12th – 1pmRainbow 6 Siege: Championship: December 11th – 5pmMadden 21 Championship: December 11th – 7pm

Barton eSports punches two into NJCAAE Championships

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have been giving defenses the most unenviable of options for years: Do they attempt to take away speedy, big-play wide receiver Tyreek Hill or crafty, equally dangerous tight end Travis Kelce? Yet the Packers and Broncos are among several teams that have figured out the riddle this season, taking away the top two targets of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and succeeding in slowing down the entire Kansas City offense. The Chiefs have still won five straight games to lead the AFC West. But they'll need Hill and Kelce to get on track if they are to make a postseason run.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dalvin Cook rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns in his faster-than-expected return from a shoulder injury, leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 36-28 triumph over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Vikings had a 300-66 advantage in total yards in the first half and led 29-0 before allowing Pittsburgh to get back into the game. Kirk Cousins was picked off twice in the second half, but he also threw a 62-yard scoring pass to K.J. Osborn that put Minnesota ahead, 36-20 with 11 minutes remaining.

UNDATED (AP) — Iowa State running back Breece Hall is The Associated Press Big 12 offensive player of the year for the second year in a row. Conference champion Baylor has the league’s top defender and coach in senior safety Jalen Pitre and second-year coach Dave Aranda. Texas true freshman receiver Xavier Worthy is a first-team All-Big 12 pick at receiver and was voted as the league’s newcomer of the year. Hall is the Big 12's leading rusher with 1,464 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Iowa State junior has an active FBS record with a rushing touchdown in 24 consecutive games.

UNDATED (AP) — Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has been voted The Associated Press college football player of the year. That gives the Crimson Tide their second consecutive winner. Young received 42 of 53 first-place votes from AP Top 25 voters to easily finish ahead of Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who had four first-place votes. Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett was third, followed by Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. Young also won the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Izaiah Brockington had 29 points and 10 rebounds as No. 17 Iowa State dominated rival Iowa in a 73-53 victory. Brockington made his first nine shots and finished 11 for 14 from the field to help the surprising Cyclones improve to 9-0 after going 2-22 last season. Tyrese Hunter added 11 points for Iowa State. Jordan Bohannon scored 17 for the Hawkeyes, who shot just 27% and have lost three in a row. Iowa was averaging 90.1 points per game.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jared Rhoden scored 18 points and made the go-ahead basket as No. 23 Seton Hall knocked off its second top-10 team this season, beating No. 7 Texas 64-60. Cold-shooting Bryce Aiken scored five of his 10 points in the final minute, including a clutch 3-pointer, as the Pirates won their fifth straight game. Seton Hall also has an impressive road win at then-No. 4 Michigan on Nov. 16. Alexis Yetna added 12 points and 11 rebounds for Seton Hall in a game that was part of the annual Big East-Big 12 Battle. The Pirates held Texas scoreless for 7:20 down the stretch. Tre Mitchell had season highs of 19 points and 11 rebounds for Texas, which had won five in a row.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Expect another change atop the AP men’s basketball poll following Purdue’s 70-68 loss at Rutgers. Ron Harper Jr. won it by draining a halfcourt shot at the buzzer, leaving him with a career-high 30 points and 10 rebounds in the Scarlet Knights’ first win ever against a top-ranked team. Jaden Ivey had a team-high 15 points for Purdue, which is ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636541008486.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have been giving defenses the most unenviable of options for years: Do they attempt to take away speedy, big-play wide receiver Tyreek Hill or crafty, equally dangerous tight end Travis Kelce? Yet the Packers and Broncos are among several teams that have figured out the riddle this season, taking away the top two targets of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and succeeding in slowing down the entire Kansas City offense. The Chiefs have still won five straight games to lead the AFC West. But they'll need Hill and Kelce to get on track if they are to make a postseason run.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Dalvin Cook rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns in his faster-than-expected return from a shoulder injury, leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 36-28 triumph over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Vikings had a 300-66 advantage in total yards in the first half and led 29-0 before allowing Pittsburgh to get back into the game. Kirk Cousins was picked off twice in the second half, but he also threw a 62-yard scoring pass to K.J. Osborn that put Minnesota ahead, 36-20 with 11 minutes remaining.UNDATED (AP) — Iowa State running back Breece Hall is The Associated Press Big 12 offensive player of the year for the second year in a row. Conference champion Baylor has the league’s top defender and coach in senior safety Jalen Pitre and second-year coach Dave Aranda. Texas true freshman receiver Xavier Worthy is a first-team All-Big 12 pick at receiver and was voted as the league’s newcomer of the year. Hall is the Big 12's leading rusher with 1,464 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Iowa State junior has an active FBS record with a rushing touchdown in 24 consecutive games.UNDATED (AP) — Alabama quarterback Bryce Young has been voted The Associated Press college football player of the year. That gives the Crimson Tide their second consecutive winner. Young received 42 of 53 first-place votes from AP Top 25 voters to easily finish ahead of Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who had four first-place votes. Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett was third, followed by Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. Young also won the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback.AMES, Iowa (AP) — Izaiah Brockington had 29 points and 10 rebounds as No. 17 Iowa State dominated rival Iowa in a 73-53 victory. Brockington made his first nine shots and finished 11 for 14 from the field to help the surprising Cyclones improve to 9-0 after going 2-22 last season. Tyrese Hunter added 11 points for Iowa State. Jordan Bohannon scored 17 for the Hawkeyes, who shot just 27% and have lost three in a row. Iowa was averaging 90.1 points per game.NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jared Rhoden scored 18 points and made the go-ahead basket as No. 23 Seton Hall knocked off its second top-10 team this season, beating No. 7 Texas 64-60. Cold-shooting Bryce Aiken scored five of his 10 points in the final minute, including a clutch 3-pointer, as the Pirates won their fifth straight game. Seton Hall also has an impressive road win at then-No. 4 Michigan on Nov. 16. Alexis Yetna added 12 points and 11 rebounds for Seton Hall in a game that was part of the annual Big East-Big 12 Battle. The Pirates held Texas scoreless for 7:20 down the stretch. Tre Mitchell had season highs of 19 points and 11 rebounds for Texas, which had won five in a row.PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Expect another change atop the AP men’s basketball poll following Purdue’s 70-68 loss at Rutgers. Ron Harper Jr. won it by draining a halfcourt shot at the buzzer, leaving him with a career-high 30 points and 10 rebounds in the Scarlet Knights’ first win ever against a top-ranked team. Jaden Ivey had a team-high 15 points for Purdue, which is ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history.THURSDAY SCORESNATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	Minnesota	36	Pittsburgh	28	TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	Rutgers	70	(1)Purdue	68	Final	(5)Gonzaga	80	Merrimack	55	Final	(23)Seton Hall	64	(7)Texas	60	Final	(17)Iowa St.	73	Iowa	53	NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Utah	118	Philadelphia	96	Final	Memphis	108	L.A. Lakers	95	Final	San Antonio	123	Denver	111	NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Chicago	2	Montreal	0	Final	Tampa Bay	5	Toronto	3	Final SO	Anaheim	2	Columbus	1	Final	Nashville	4	N-Y Islanders	3	Final	St. Louis	6	Detroit	2	Final OT	Carolina	2	Calgary	1	Final	Boston	3	Edmonton	2	Final	Winnipeg	3	Seattle	0	Final	Minnesota	5	San Jose	2	Final	Los Angeles	4	Dallas	0

Friday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There may be no other time in Tyrann Mathieu’s life that he’s felt such an affinity for the place he calls home.

The three-time All-Pro safety arrived in Kansas City three years ago after a year-long stint in Houston, signing a $42 million deal that gave him some sought-after stability.

And with the knowledge that he’d call the city home for a while, Mathieu not only poured himself into helping the Chiefs win a championship but also into helping the community.

Through his foundation, designed to help underprivileged people in Kansas City and his hometown of New Orleans, he has packed out backpacks to school children and turkeys to families in need during the holidays. Mathieu led an event around National Voter Registration Day, raised money for COVID-19 relief and led donation drives for local food pantries.

That championship? He helped the Chiefs deliver that two years ago, ending a 50-year title drought in Kansas City.

No wonder Mathieu is the Chiefs’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year this season.

“You know the work he puts in, not only on the field but off the field as well. He’s done it in every single community he’s been,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said.

“He truly cares about people, that’s the biggest thing. He came up in a rougher background. He understands how much his impact can be to bring out the greatness in everyone.”

Just this week, Mathieu surprised a nurse at a Kansas City-area hospital with two tickets to the upcoming Super Bowl.

One that he hopes to be playing in again.

“We all grew up experiencing different things,” Mathieu said Wednesday. “For me, I play football because I love that part of it — the team part of it — coming together in the building, helping other people become what they want to be.

“It’s kind of like the same mindset when it comes to the community. You want to feel a part of something. You want those people to feel special. You want to recognize those people, too.”

Mathieu said the importance of giving back really hit home during his time in Arizona. He was surrounded by veterans such as wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and defensive lineman Calais Campbell who showed him how to be a professional.

“I was just blessed and fortunate early on to get both sides of it,” Mathieu said, “what it takes to be a great athlete and a great teammate, and what it takes to extend on that beyond the locker room.”

On the field, the former Heisman Trophy finalist from LSU has molded himself into one of the league’s best defensive backs. He’s started all but two games the past two-plus seasons, picking off 12 passes and returning two of them for touchdowns, while also serving as the one responsible for lining up the secondary most of the time.

“He’s been through a lot in his life. He understands that people need him and he’s able to share his experience with people,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “The guys love him. They voted him captain every year. He’s a good player, the players get how he’s wired. He’s very intense. He makes sure he ”mother hens” everybody out there and makes sure they’re right.”

Mathieu’s contract is set to expire after the season, but the Chiefs — from chairman Clark Hunt through general manager Brett Veach and right down the line — have expressed their desire to sign him to an extension.

Mathieu likewise has said he would like to stay in Kansas City, where he’s become intimately ingrained in the community.

“All you can really do is do your best, really show people who you are. If people decide to keep you around, that’s really their decision, but it won’t change how I do or why I do it,” Mathieu said.

“We won a championship, so I think that team will be really hard to forget; a lot of those players will be hard to forget. But this just feels like home.”

NOTES: CB Chris Lammons missed Wednesday’s practice with a high-ankle sprain. Reid said that CB Josh Jackson, who was protected on the practice squad this week, could replace him on special teams. ... CB Rashad Fenton (knee) and RT Lucas Niang (ribs) returned to work after missing last week’s game. “They’re going to try it this week and get some work,” Reid said, “and then we’ll just see how it goes.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — There may be no other time in Tyrann Mathieu’s life that he’s felt such an affinity for the place he calls home.The three-time All-Pro safety arrived in Kansas City three years ago after a year-long stint in Houston, signing a $42 million deal that gave him some sought-after stability.And with the knowledge that he’d call the city home for a while, Mathieu not only poured himself into helping the Chiefs win a championship but also into helping the community.Through his foundation, designed to help underprivileged people in Kansas City and his hometown of New Orleans, he has packed out backpacks to school children and turkeys to families in need during the holidays. Mathieu led an event around National Voter Registration Day, raised money for COVID-19 relief and led donation drives for local food pantries.That championship? He helped the Chiefs deliver that two years ago, ending a 50-year title drought in Kansas City.No wonder Mathieu is the Chiefs’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year this season.“You know the work he puts in, not only on the field but off the field as well. He’s done it in every single community he’s been,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said.“He truly cares about people, that’s the biggest thing. He came up in a rougher background. He understands how much his impact can be to bring out the greatness in everyone.”Just this week, Mathieu surprised a nurse at a Kansas City-area hospital with two tickets to the upcoming Super Bowl.One that he hopes to be playing in again.“We all grew up experiencing different things,” Mathieu said Wednesday. “For me, I play football because I love that part of it — the team part of it — coming together in the building, helping other people become what they want to be.“It’s kind of like the same mindset when it comes to the community. You want to feel a part of something. You want those people to feel special. You want to recognize those people, too.”Mathieu said the importance of giving back really hit home during his time in Arizona. He was surrounded by veterans such as wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and defensive lineman Calais Campbell who showed him how to be a professional.“I was just blessed and fortunate early on to get both sides of it,” Mathieu said, “what it takes to be a great athlete and a great teammate, and what it takes to extend on that beyond the locker room.”On the field, the former Heisman Trophy finalist from LSU has molded himself into one of the league’s best defensive backs. He’s started all but two games the past two-plus seasons, picking off 12 passes and returning two of them for touchdowns, while also serving as the one responsible for lining up the secondary most of the time.“He’s been through a lot in his life. He understands that people need him and he’s able to share his experience with people,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “The guys love him. They voted him captain every year. He’s a good player, the players get how he’s wired. He’s very intense. He makes sure he ”mother hens” everybody out there and makes sure they’re right.”Mathieu’s contract is set to expire after the season, but the Chiefs — from chairman Clark Hunt through general manager Brett Veach and right down the line — have expressed their desire to sign him to an extension.Mathieu likewise has said he would like to stay in Kansas City, where he’s become intimately ingrained in the community.“All you can really do is do your best, really show people who you are. If people decide to keep you around, that’s really their decision, but it won’t change how I do or why I do it,” Mathieu said.“We won a championship, so I think that team will be really hard to forget; a lot of those players will be hard to forget. But this just feels like home.”NOTES: CB Chris Lammons missed Wednesday’s practice with a high-ankle sprain. Reid said that CB Josh Jackson, who was protected on the practice squad this week, could replace him on special teams. ... CB Rashad Fenton (knee) and RT Lucas Niang (ribs) returned to work after missing last week’s game. “They’re going to try it this week and get some work,” Reid said, “and then we’ll just see how it goes.”

Chiefs’ Mathieu making important plays on and off the field

MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) — Kam Jones scored 15 points, Oso Ighodaro blocked a potential game-winning shot in the final seconds and Marquette edged Kansas State 64-63 in the Big East/Big 12 Battle on Wednesday night, K-State’s first home loss this season.

Kansas State pulled within a point, 64-63 on a Mike McGuirl 3-pointer with 19 seconds left and, after fouling three times in as many seconds after a timeout, the Wildcats got the ball back when Jones missed a free throw and Kaosi Ezeagu grabbed the defensive board.

But after working for a final shot, Ismael Massoud’s drive for the winning reverse layup was cleanly rejected by the 6-foot-9 freshman Ighodaro with Tyler Kolek wrapping up the rebound and the Marquette victory.

Justin Lewis scored 14 for Marquette (8-2), which is now 4-1 this season against Power Five opponents.

Mark Smith scored four of K-State’s last seven points, finishing with a season-high 17, as the Wildcats (5-3) cut a seven point gap down to one. Massoud added 16 points and Markquis Nowell 11 with 11 assists and eight rebounds.

The Wildcats were playing without Nijel Pack, who missed a second game after suffering a concussion in practice. The sophomore point guard leads K-State in scoring at 15.8 points per game.

The Wildcats opened the second half with two Massoud baskets around a McGuirl steal, and when Nowell followed with another bucket, Marquette called time out less than 90 seconds into the half.

Marquette answered with two brief runs, including an 8-0 surge over about two minutes in which K-State missed three straight 3-pointers.

The Golden Eagles hit 11 of 37 from distance despite K-State being ranked fourth nationally in 3-point defense.

There were nine lead changes and eight ties with Marquette taking the lead for good, 52-50, on an Olivier-Maxence Prosper dunk at the 10:03 mark.

Including his time at Texas (2015-21), Marquette first-year coach Shaka Smart is 8-5 against Kansas State, 5-2 in Bramlage Coliseum.

Next, Marquette plays host to No. 4 UCLA on Saturday before opening Big East play Dec. 18 at Xavier. Kansas State hosts Green Bay on Sunday.

MANHATTAN, Kansas (AP) — Kam Jones scored 15 points, Oso Ighodaro blocked a potential game-winning shot in the final seconds and Marquette edged Kansas State 64-63 in the Big East/Big 12 Battle on Wednesday night, K-State’s first home loss this season.Kansas State pulled within a point, 64-63 on a Mike McGuirl 3-pointer with 19 seconds left and, after fouling three times in as many seconds after a timeout, the Wildcats got the ball back when Jones missed a free throw and Kaosi Ezeagu grabbed the defensive board.But after working for a final shot, Ismael Massoud’s drive for the winning reverse layup was cleanly rejected by the 6-foot-9 freshman Ighodaro with Tyler Kolek wrapping up the rebound and the Marquette victory.Justin Lewis scored 14 for Marquette (8-2), which is now 4-1 this season against Power Five opponents.Mark Smith scored four of K-State’s last seven points, finishing with a season-high 17, as the Wildcats (5-3) cut a seven point gap down to one. Massoud added 16 points and Markquis Nowell 11 with 11 assists and eight rebounds.The Wildcats were playing without Nijel Pack, who missed a second game after suffering a concussion in practice. The sophomore point guard leads K-State in scoring at 15.8 points per game.The Wildcats opened the second half with two Massoud baskets around a McGuirl steal, and when Nowell followed with another bucket, Marquette called time out less than 90 seconds into the half.Marquette answered with two brief runs, including an 8-0 surge over about two minutes in which K-State missed three straight 3-pointers.The Golden Eagles hit 11 of 37 from distance despite K-State being ranked fourth nationally in 3-point defense.There were nine lead changes and eight ties with Marquette taking the lead for good, 52-50, on an Olivier-Maxence Prosper dunk at the 10:03 mark.Including his time at Texas (2015-21), Marquette first-year coach Shaka Smart is 8-5 against Kansas State, 5-2 in Bramlage Coliseum.Next, Marquette plays host to No. 4 UCLA on Saturday before opening Big East play Dec. 18 at Xavier. Kansas State hosts Green Bay on Sunday.

Jones, Lewis lead Marquette past Kansas State 64-63

Cloud County Men 69 Barton 66; Barton Women 77 Cloud County 69

<div><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/information/boosterclub/index"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635967480149.jpeg"></a></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625250903956.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cloud County Men 69 Barton 66; Barton Women 77 Cloud County 69<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/vk4ywvph/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

Road wins over a pair of in-state rivals helped the Fort Hays State women's basketball team maintain its spot on top of the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll Tuesday (Dec. 7). Fort Hays State nearly climbed into the top spot in this week's D2SIDA Media Poll, with the Tigers coming in three points behind top-ranked Alaska-Anchorage to once again occupy the No. 2 spot.

The Tigers were a near-unanimous selection at the top of the coaches poll, with FHSU receiving 20 of 23 first-place votes this week. It's the most first-place votes the Tigers have ever received in the DII coaches poll. Fort Hays State improved its point total by 30 points, up to 567 this week. The Tigers are 35 points in front of second-place Lubbock Christian.

Fort Hays State topped four of the 16 ballots in this week's media poll, picking up four additional points for a total of 372. The top four teams in the media poll are separated by just 15 points (Alaska-Anchorage 375, FHSU 372, Texas A&amp;M-Commerce 369, Drury 360).

This is the third week in a row the Tigers have been ranked first in the country and the fifth release all-time with the Tigers atop the coaches poll. FHSU is 7-1 when ranked first in the coaches poll and 118-31 all-time when ranked in the top 25.

No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney, this weekend's opponent for the Tigers (Dec. 11, 2 p.m.), is the only other conference school ranked in the coaches poll, while the Lopers and Missouri Western are ranked 14th and 20th, respectively, in the media poll.

Fort Hays State has been listed in the top 25 at some point during nine of the last 10 seasons, including appearances in the top five in six of the last eight campaigns.

Road wins over a pair of in-state rivals helped the Fort Hays State women's basketball team maintain its spot on top of the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll Tuesday (Dec. 7). Fort Hays State nearly climbed into the top spot in this week's D2SIDA Media Poll, with the Tigers coming in three points behind top-ranked Alaska-Anchorage to once again occupy the No. 2 spot.The Tigers were a near-unanimous selection at the top of the coaches poll, with FHSU receiving 20 of 23 first-place votes this week. It's the most first-place votes the Tigers have ever received in the DII coaches poll. Fort Hays State improved its point total by 30 points, up to 567 this week. The Tigers are 35 points in front of second-place Lubbock Christian.Fort Hays State topped four of the 16 ballots in this week's media poll, picking up four additional points for a total of 372. The top four teams in the media poll are separated by just 15 points (Alaska-Anchorage 375, FHSU 372, Texas A&amp;M-Commerce 369, Drury 360).This is the third week in a row the Tigers have been ranked first in the country and the fifth release all-time with the Tigers atop the coaches poll. FHSU is 7-1 when ranked first in the coaches poll and 118-31 all-time when ranked in the top 25.No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney, this weekend's opponent for the Tigers (Dec. 11, 2 p.m.), is the only other conference school ranked in the coaches poll, while the Lopers and Missouri Western are ranked 14th and 20th, respectively, in the media poll.Fort Hays State has been listed in the top 25 at some point during nine of the last 10 seasons, including appearances in the top five in six of the last eight campaigns.

Tigers Remain Atop National Polls

Cair Paravel 91, Christ Preparatory Academy 37

Flint Hills Christian 52, Newton Christian 43

Kapaun Mount Carmel 45, Wichita Heights 43

Marais des Cygnes Valley 59, Peabody-Burns 55

Topeka Heritage Christian 50, Central Heights 42

Wichita South 67, Wichita Bishop Carroll 37

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606589794091.jpeg" alt="Tuesday AP Scores" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday AP Scores</figcaption>
 </figure>BOYS SCORESAbilene 68, Rock Creek 27Andover 55, Wichita Campus 30Andover Central 42, Maize South 37BV North 81, KC Harmon 40BV Southwest 60, Barstow, Mo. 38BV West 56, Gardner-Edgerton 25Baxter Springs 49, Quapaw, Okla. 13Beloit 59, Clay Center 52Blue Valley 76, KC Sumner 59Buhler 57, Salina South 47Cair Paravel 91, Christ Preparatory Academy 37Cedar Vale/Dexter 52, Attica 37Chanute 57, Caney Valley 51Cheney 76, Wellington 30Clifton-Clyde 82, Rock Hills 13Columbus 65, Southeast 54Concordia 50, Republic County 35Council Grove 63, Silver Lake 46Elkhart 60, McClave, Colo. 50Ell-Saline 49, Minneapolis 43Erie 54, Crest 22Flint Hills Christian 52, Newton Christian 43Frontenac 69, Riverton 49Goessel 39, Little River 38Granada, Colo. 64, Syracuse 46Greeley County 75, Eads, Colo. 34Hanover 63, Centralia 41Hesston 53, Nickerson 18Hiawatha 70, Troy 47Highland Park 60, Topeka Hayden 51, OTHillsboro 65, Inman 37Hoisington 77, Bucklin 64Humboldt 53, Uniontown 28Hyman Brand 62, Frontier STEM, Mo. 41Ingalls 59, Moscow 34Junction City 80, Topeka 53KC Bishop Ward 77, Rossville 44Kapaun Mount Carmel 45, Wichita Heights 43Liberty North, Mo. 48, Olathe East 43Lincoln 41, Fairfield 34Linn 52, Wakefield 27Louisburg 52, Burlington 51Madison/Hamilton Co-op 58, Oswego 26Maize 51, Hutchinson 48Manhattan CHIEF 71, Northern Heights 56Marais des Cygnes Valley 59, Peabody-Burns 55Marysville 66, Valley Heights 26McPherson 68, Newton 64, OTMedicine Lodge 62, Kiowa County 49Onaga 50, Washington County 35Osborne 51, Lakeside 40Paola 47, Wellsville 43Pawnee Heights 47, Dighton 45, OTPerry-Lecompton 55, Fort Scott 47Phillipsburg 43, Ulysses 40Pittsburg 55, Nevada, Mo. 27Pleasant Ridge 76, McLouth 37Pleasanton 47, Osawatomie 45Prairie View 62, Jayhawk Linn 31Pratt 68, Chaparral 54Rawlins County 62, Natoma 33Riverside 61, Doniphan West 35Rose Hill 64, Garden Plain 28SM South 66, Metro Academy 47Sabetha 43, Wamego 37Salina Central 64, Goddard-Eisenhower 54Salina Sacred Heart 61, Chapman 48Sedan 62, Bluestem 26Smith Center 60, Central Plains 29Southeast Saline 64, Smoky Valley 51Southwestern Hts. 70, Minneola 49St. John 43 Ellis 42Sublette 62, Cimarron 58Sylvan-Lucas 58, Wilson 9Tonganoxie 47, Atchison 42Topeka Heritage Christian 50, Central Heights 42Topeka Seaman 69, Wichita West 59Trego 61, Northern Valley 47Triplains-Brewster 65, Golden Plains 33Valley Center 77, Kingman 52Wabaunsee 53, Frankfort 48Washburn Rural 52, Emporia 41Weskan 45, St. Francis 42Wichita Classical 60, Sedgwick 54Wichita Defenders 54, Reno County 49Wichita Independent 63, Marion 29Wichita South 67, Wichita Bishop Carroll 37GIRLS SCORESAndover 47, Wichita Campus 28Andover Central 51, Maize South 37Baldwin 50, Anderson County 19Bennington 49, Solomon 22Blue Valley 53, KC Wyandotte 13Bluestem 46, Sedan 40Bonner Springs 86, KC Harmon 0Central Plains 61, Smith Center 57Centralia 47, Hanover 29Chanute 44, Caney Valley 39Christ Preparatory Academy 44, Cair Paravel 40Cimarron 69, Sublette 21Circle 40, Parsons 33Clay Center 52, Beloit 35Clifton-Clyde 55, Rock Hills 37Columbus 35, Southeast 23Concordia 39, Republic County 34Doniphan West 49, Riverside 43Elkhart 56, McClave, Colo. 48Ell-Saline 48, Minneapolis 46Erie 51, Crest 35Frankfort 44, Wabaunsee 28Frontenac 60, Riverton 21Garden Plain 48, Rose Hill 20Girard 50, Carl Junction, Mo. 48Greeley County 56, Eads, Colo. 27Haven 50, Conway Springs 25Hiawatha 52, Troy 26Hillsboro 57, Inman 35Hyman Brand 53, Frontier STEM, Mo. 14Linn 52, Wakefield 26Little River 50, Goessel 21Louisburg 43, Burlington 31Maize 43, Hutchinson 32Maur Hill - Mount Academy 36, Jefferson North 33McLouth 49, Pleasant Ridge 36Mission Valley 49, Lyndon 24Nickerson 35, Hesston 28Olathe South 60, Barstow, Mo. 17Osborne 65, Lakeside 34Paola 55, Wellsville 17Perry-Lecompton 55, Fort Scott 47Phillipsburg 60, Ulysses 12Prairie View 62, Jayhawk Linn 31Pratt 42, Chaparral 33Quinter 67, Natoma 12Salina Sacred Heart 38, Chapman 28Salina South 60, Buhler 50Sedgwick 55, Wichita Classical 25Silver Lake 60, Council Grove 42Smoky Valley 53, Southeast Saline 47St. James Academy 62, Liberty, Mo. 46St. John 48, Ellis 16Stanton County 54, Walsh, Colo. 9Sylvan-Lucas 51, Wilson 16Syracuse 57, Granada, Colo. 45Tonganoxie 43, Atchison 20Topeka 82, Junction City 24Topeka Hayden 52, Highland Park 38Trego 47, Northern Valley 12Valley Heights 39, Marysville 21Wamego 52, Sabetha 29Washington County 57, Onaga 29Wellington 55, Cheney 49Wichita Defenders 36, Reno County 30

Tuesday High School Basketball Scores

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ochai Agbaji tried to convince everyone listening that he wasn’t looking past UTEP to a showdown with Missouri.

The smirk that he tried to hide gave him away.

Still, the high-scoring Kansas guard held his focus long enough to pour in 23 points Tuesday night, helping the eighth-ranked Jayhawks roll to a 78-52 blowout of the Miners in their last tune-up for the return of the Border War.

“I know the rivalry. I know the Border War,” Agbaji said. “It means a lot to me because growing up on the Missouri side, I kind of get their perspective on KU. Now being at KU, I just know they hate each other.”

There wasn’t such disdain for UTEP, though the Jayhawks didn’t treat their visitors kindly.

Christian Braun scored 20 points, and David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot had eight apiece, as the Jayhawks (7-1) built a 21-point lead by the break at T-Mobile Center and never looked back in one of their most dominant performances of the season.

“Ochai’s playing really well and, like I said last game, I’m just feeding off him,” Braun said. “Especially early, he’s been on a roll. That’s Ochai. We don’t have to be surprised anymore, or think he’s on some little run. That’s who he’s going to be.”

Souley Boom had 18 points and Keonte Kennedy 11 for UTEP (4-4), which famously beat the Jayhawks during their 1966 national title run immortalized in the film “Glory Road.” The Miners also beat Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 in 1992.

Such history had little bearing Tuesday night.

The Jayhawks, the nation’s sixth-highest scoring team, showed right away they can play a little defense, too, forcing UTEP into missing its first six shots and committing four turnovers before Boum knocked down a 3-pointer.

By then, the Jayhawks had a 10-point lead and didn’t look back. They forced a series of turnovers — at one point, four in five possessions — and most of them turned into layups at the other end. When Kansas was forced to run some offense, it merely had to find Braun cutting to the basket or McCormack posting up for an easy lay-in or dunk.

“They’re a well-oiled basketball team and they can make you really question yourself at times,” UTEP associate head coach Jeremy Cox said. “They’re extremely talented, extremely well-coached. They’re well paced. I haven’t enjoyed watching and scouting a team going into more than that one. They’re worth the price of admission to watch.”

The Jayhawks eventually led 42-21 at halftime, then cruised the rest of the way into Saturday’s showdown.

Kansas and Missouri began playing in 1907 but haven’t taken the floor together — besides an exhibition for hurricane relief — since the Tigers jilted the Jayhawks and the rest of the Big 12 for the riches of the SEC. In their last game, Kansas rallied from 19 down to win at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 25, 2012.

The Jayhawks and Tigers were supposed to begin their six-game series last year, but it was pushed to this year because of the pandemic. Their football teams have since decided to play a four-game set beginning in 2025.

“I assume there won’t be a lot of empty seats,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “It’s the best game on our schedule. You can talk about Kentucky or Texas or Baylor — this is the best game on our schedule, at least for fan participation and player participation.”

Self was given a technical foul with 9:44 left and his team leading 58-39. He took umbrage when official Amy Bonner called a foul on Jalen Wilson during a fight for a rebound. Self sarcastically clapped after the “T” was given.

UTEP: Had been competitive in its first three losses by a combined 21 points, but the Miners trailed by that with 7 1/2 minutes left in the first half Tuesday night. Still, they played the Jayhawks even most of the second half.

Kansas: Got sloppy on offense after the break, particularly when running the fast break. That was just about the only flaw on what was perhaps the Jayhawks’ best defensive performance of the season so far.

UTEP: Visit The Pit to play New Mexico on Sunday.

Kansas: Welcome Missouri to Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ochai Agbaji tried to convince everyone listening that he wasn’t looking past UTEP to a showdown with Missouri.The smirk that he tried to hide gave him away.Still, the high-scoring Kansas guard held his focus long enough to pour in 23 points Tuesday night, helping the eighth-ranked Jayhawks roll to a 78-52 blowout of the Miners in their last tune-up for the return of the Border War.“I know the rivalry. I know the Border War,” Agbaji said. “It means a lot to me because growing up on the Missouri side, I kind of get their perspective on KU. Now being at KU, I just know they hate each other.”There wasn’t such disdain for UTEP, though the Jayhawks didn’t treat their visitors kindly.Christian Braun scored 20 points, and David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot had eight apiece, as the Jayhawks (7-1) built a 21-point lead by the break at T-Mobile Center and never looked back in one of their most dominant performances of the season.“Ochai’s playing really well and, like I said last game, I’m just feeding off him,” Braun said. “Especially early, he’s been on a roll. That’s Ochai. We don’t have to be surprised anymore, or think he’s on some little run. That’s who he’s going to be.”Souley Boom had 18 points and Keonte Kennedy 11 for UTEP (4-4), which famously beat the Jayhawks during their 1966 national title run immortalized in the film “Glory Road.” The Miners also beat Kansas to reach the Sweet 16 in 1992.Such history had little bearing Tuesday night.The Jayhawks, the nation’s sixth-highest scoring team, showed right away they can play a little defense, too, forcing UTEP into missing its first six shots and committing four turnovers before Boum knocked down a 3-pointer.By then, the Jayhawks had a 10-point lead and didn’t look back. They forced a series of turnovers — at one point, four in five possessions — and most of them turned into layups at the other end. When Kansas was forced to run some offense, it merely had to find Braun cutting to the basket or McCormack posting up for an easy lay-in or dunk.“They’re a well-oiled basketball team and they can make you really question yourself at times,” UTEP associate head coach Jeremy Cox said. “They’re extremely talented, extremely well-coached. They’re well paced. I haven’t enjoyed watching and scouting a team going into more than that one. They’re worth the price of admission to watch.”The Jayhawks eventually led 42-21 at halftime, then cruised the rest of the way into Saturday’s showdown.Kansas and Missouri began playing in 1907 but haven’t taken the floor together — besides an exhibition for hurricane relief — since the Tigers jilted the Jayhawks and the rest of the Big 12 for the riches of the SEC. In their last game, Kansas rallied from 19 down to win at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 25, 2012.The Jayhawks and Tigers were supposed to begin their six-game series last year, but it was pushed to this year because of the pandemic. Their football teams have since decided to play a four-game set beginning in 2025.“I assume there won’t be a lot of empty seats,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “It’s the best game on our schedule. You can talk about Kentucky or Texas or Baylor — this is the best game on our schedule, at least for fan participation and player participation.”“T” ME UPSelf was given a technical foul with 9:44 left and his team leading 58-39. He took umbrage when official Amy Bonner called a foul on Jalen Wilson during a fight for a rebound. Self sarcastically clapped after the “T” was given.THE TAKEAWAYUTEP: Had been competitive in its first three losses by a combined 21 points, but the Miners trailed by that with 7 1/2 minutes left in the first half Tuesday night. Still, they played the Jayhawks even most of the second half.Kansas: Got sloppy on offense after the break, particularly when running the fast break. That was just about the only flaw on what was perhaps the Jayhawks’ best defensive performance of the season so far.UP NEXTUTEP: Visit The Pit to play New Mexico on Sunday.Kansas: Welcome Missouri to Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.

No. 8 Jayhawks cruise past UTEP 78-52 with Border War next

Hoisington Boys 77 Bucklin 64; Hoisington Girls 66 Bucklin 20

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581739911992.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Hoisington Boys 77 Bucklin 64; Hoisington Girls 66 Bucklin 20<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/550gtybb/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638902252971.jpeg" alt="Kansas Basketball Coaches Association December 7 rankings" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Basketball Coaches Association December 7 rankings</figcaption>
 </figure>GIRLS RANKINGS 6A Girls 1 Shawnee Mission Northwest 2 Washburn Rural 3 Olathe North 4 Shawnee Mission West 5 Blue Valley North 6 Derby 7 Dodge City 8 Topeka High 9 Wichita Heights 10 Olathe Northwest 5A Girls 1 St. Thomas Aquinas 2 Andover Central 3 Salina Central 4 Lansing 5 Maize 6 St. James Academy 7 Maize South 8 Emporia 9 Bishop Carroll 10 Goddard Eisenhower 4A Girls 1 Bishop Miege 2 Louisburg 3 Andale 4 Paola 5 Clearwater 6 McPherson 7 Labette County 8 Wellington 9 Eudora 10 Wamego 3A Girls 1 Hugoton 2 Cheney 3 Nickerson 4 Goodland 5 Phillipsburg 6 Eureka 7 Nemaha Central 8 Haven 9 Southeast of Saline 10 Hesston 2A Girls 1 Sterling 2 St. Mary's Colgan 3 Garden Plain 4 Smith Center 5 Valley Heights 6 Hillsboro 7 Trego Community 8 Wabaunsee 9 Atchison County 10 Moundridge 1A-Div 1-Girls 1 Little River 2 Burlingame 3 St. John- Hudson 4 Pretty Prairie 5 Centralia 6 Coldwater - South Central 7 Highland - Doniphan West 8 Spearville 9 Osborne 10 St. Paul 1A-Div 2- Girls 1 Central Plains 2 Hanover 3 Lebo 4 Golden Plains 5 Hutchinson Central Christian 6 Wheatland/Grinnell 7 St. John's - Tipton 8 Attica 9 Dighton 10 South Haven BOYS RANKINGS 6A Boys 1 Lawrence-Free State 2 Shawnee Mission Northwest 3 Wichita Heights 4 Blue Valley Northwest 5 Blue Valley West 6 Blue Valley North 7 Lawrence 8 Olathe South 9 Blue Valley 10 Dodge City 5A Boys 1 Maize 2 Basehor Linwood 3 Andover 4 Blue Valley Southwest 5 Kapaun Mt. Carmel 6 Bishop Carroll 7 Maize South 8 Hays 9 St. James Academy 10 Andover Central 4A Boys 1 Bishop Miege 2 Tonganoxie 3 Louisburg 4 Rose Hill 5 McPherson 6 Abilene 7 Buhler 8 Wamego 9 Parsons 10 Holton 3A Boys 1 Hesston 2 Galena 3 Royal Valley 4 Wichita Collegiate 5 Cheney 6 Nemaha Central 7 Thomas More Prep 8 Wichita Trinity 9 Hugoton 10 Holcomb 2A Boys 1 Hillsboro 2 St. Mary's 3 Wabaunsee 4 Lyndon 5 Inman 6 Valley Falls 7 Ellinwood 8 Jefferson County North 9 Erie 10 Trego Community 1A-Div 1-Boys 1 Olpe 2 South Gray 3 Troy 4 Little River 5 Meade 6 Centralia 7 Wichita Classical School 8 Solomon 9 Frankfort 10 Osborne 1A-Div 2-Boys 1 Hanover 2 Northern Valley 3 Axtell 4 Wheatland -Grinnell 5 Logan-Palco 6 Pawnee Heights 7 Attica 8 Elyria Christian 9 Waverly 10 St. John's-Tipton

KBCA High School Rankings (12/7)

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 5, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking

Others receiving votes: Colorado St. 90, Xavier 78, Illinois 71, North Carolina 55, St. Bonaventure 37, Oklahoma 29, Memphis 14, Iowa 12, Michigan 11, San Francisco 10, Loyola Chicago 4, Indiana 3, Texas Tech 2.

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 5, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous rankingRecord	Pts	Prv1. Purdue (61)	8-0	1525	22. Baylor	8-0	1421	43. Duke	7-1	1390	14. UCLA	8-1	1293	55. Gonzaga	7-2	1240	36. Villanova	6-2	1175	67. Texas	6-1	1101	78. Kansas	6-1	1068	89. Alabama	7-1	1029	1610. Kentucky	6-1	972	911. Arizona	7-0	919	1112. Arkansas	8-0	905	1013. Tennessee	6-1	762	1314. Houston	7-1	686	1515. UConn	8-1	527	1716. Southern Cal	8-0	510	2017. Iowa St.	8-0	499	1918. Auburn	7-1	419	2119. Michigan St.	7-2	405	2220. Florida	6-1	386	1421. Ohio St.	6-2	370	-22. Wisconsin	7-1	338	2323. Seton Hall	7-1	177	2524. BYU	7-1	157	1225. LSU	8-0	135	-Others receiving votes: Colorado St. 90, Xavier 78, Illinois 71, North Carolina 55, St. Bonaventure 37, Oklahoma 29, Memphis 14, Iowa 12, Michigan 11, San Francisco 10, Loyola Chicago 4, Indiana 3, Texas Tech 2.

Jayhawks remain 8th in AP Poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have reached the end zone so regularly on their opening offensive possession this season that their opponents might as well stop wasting time and just give them the seven points.

Once the Chiefs are forced to deviate from their opening script — the set of roughly 15 plays that are carefully curated and crafted throughout a week of preparation — things begin to go sideways. Their once-dynamic offense looks more like a wet firecracker, forcing their once-maligned defense to bail them out in a series of nail-biting victories.

The Chiefs (8-4) have still won five in a row to lead the AFC West, but they hardly look like themselves.

“Obviously we feel like we’re not playing our best football,” Patrick Mahomes said after a 22-9 victory over the Broncos on Sunday night. “We have spurts where we’re really good and spurts where we’re not scoring and finishing drives.”

Their latest win is a perfect example. The Chiefs drove 72 yards in 12 plays, an average of 6 yards per, and Mahomes capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run. The Chiefs ran 42 plays for 195 yards the rest of the game, an average of 4.64 per, and their only other touchdown came on Daniel Sorensen’s 75-yard pick-6 in the fourth quarter.

That’s not an outlier, either. It’s more like a pattern.

In their previous game against Dallas, the Chiefs went 86 yards in nine plays for a touchdown on their opening drive, then ran 57 plays for 284 yards the rest of the way. Against the Packers, they opened with a 15-play, 64-yard drive for their only TD and gained 173 yards the rest of the day. Against the Giants, they went 70 yards in 13 plays before an interception cost them a chance to score, then gained 298 yards on 64 plays the rest of the game.

During their five-game win streak, the only game they didn’t score a touchdown on their opening possession came against the Raiders, when they went three-and-out. But they promptly marched 89 yards in 11 plays for a TD on their next drive.

In their first 12 games, they’ve scored seven touchdowns and a field goal on their first drives. Two other drives went at least 10 plays before ending in an interception. Only two of their opening possessions resulted in a punt.

The Chiefs have averaged nearly 7 yards per play on their opening drives and 5 1/2 the rest of the game.

“We need to take care of some of these little things that are happening here that are killing drives,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who spent Sunday night lamenting penalties and dropped passes that cost his team against Denver.

“Again, it’s my responsibility to make sure that happens,” Reid added, “and we’ll do that.”

Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams combined to carry 19 times for 74 yards against Denver while catching six passes for 88 yards. That kind of diversity is precisely what Reid seeks of running backs in his offense.

Dropped passes are difficult to track, but the Chiefs are probably among the league leaders in them. Tyreek Hill had a pass bounce off himself for an interception against Denver, the third time that’s happened this season, and Byron Pringle and Travis Kelce also had drops on what became a forgettable night for Kansas City’s wide receivers.

DE Melvin Ingram had a half-sack and three quarterback hits against Denver. His acquisition from Pittsburgh has revitalized the Kansas City defense, allowing Chris Jones to move to his natural and more productive position at defensive tackle.

Hill and Kelce rarely have poor games at the same time, but they did Sunday night. Hill’s drop was the lowlight of a game in which he caught two passes for 22 yards, and Kelce was little better with three catches for 27 yards.

Special teams CB Chris Lammons hurt his ankle against Denver. The Chiefs also were missing RTs Mike Remmers (knee) and Lucas Niang (ribs), leaving third-stringer Andrew Wylie to start his third consecutive game.

12 — The Chiefs broke a franchise record for consecutive wins against any opponent with their 12th straight against the Broncos. The Chiefs had also defeated Denver 11 times from 1964-69.

The Chiefs have a one-game lead on the Chargers and two on the Broncos and Raiders heading into their game against Las Vegas on Sunday. They also are tied with the Titans and Ravens in the AFC, though they lost in head-to-head matchups with Tennessee and Baltimore.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have reached the end zone so regularly on their opening offensive possession this season that their opponents might as well stop wasting time and just give them the seven points.The rest of the game is another matter.Once the Chiefs are forced to deviate from their opening script — the set of roughly 15 plays that are carefully curated and crafted throughout a week of preparation — things begin to go sideways. Their once-dynamic offense looks more like a wet firecracker, forcing their once-maligned defense to bail them out in a series of nail-biting victories.The Chiefs (8-4) have still won five in a row to lead the AFC West, but they hardly look like themselves.“Obviously we feel like we’re not playing our best football,” Patrick Mahomes said after a 22-9 victory over the Broncos on Sunday night. “We have spurts where we’re really good and spurts where we’re not scoring and finishing drives.”Their latest win is a perfect example. The Chiefs drove 72 yards in 12 plays, an average of 6 yards per, and Mahomes capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run. The Chiefs ran 42 plays for 195 yards the rest of the game, an average of 4.64 per, and their only other touchdown came on Daniel Sorensen’s 75-yard pick-6 in the fourth quarter.That’s not an outlier, either. It’s more like a pattern.In their previous game against Dallas, the Chiefs went 86 yards in nine plays for a touchdown on their opening drive, then ran 57 plays for 284 yards the rest of the way. Against the Packers, they opened with a 15-play, 64-yard drive for their only TD and gained 173 yards the rest of the day. Against the Giants, they went 70 yards in 13 plays before an interception cost them a chance to score, then gained 298 yards on 64 plays the rest of the game.During their five-game win streak, the only game they didn’t score a touchdown on their opening possession came against the Raiders, when they went three-and-out. But they promptly marched 89 yards in 11 plays for a TD on their next drive.In their first 12 games, they’ve scored seven touchdowns and a field goal on their first drives. Two other drives went at least 10 plays before ending in an interception. Only two of their opening possessions resulted in a punt.The Chiefs have averaged nearly 7 yards per play on their opening drives and 5 1/2 the rest of the game.“We need to take care of some of these little things that are happening here that are killing drives,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who spent Sunday night lamenting penalties and dropped passes that cost his team against Denver.“Again, it’s my responsibility to make sure that happens,” Reid added, “and we’ll do that.”WHAT’S WORKINGClyde Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams combined to carry 19 times for 74 yards against Denver while catching six passes for 88 yards. That kind of diversity is precisely what Reid seeks of running backs in his offense.WHAT’S NEEDS HELPDropped passes are difficult to track, but the Chiefs are probably among the league leaders in them. Tyreek Hill had a pass bounce off himself for an interception against Denver, the third time that’s happened this season, and Byron Pringle and Travis Kelce also had drops on what became a forgettable night for Kansas City’s wide receivers.STOCK UPDE Melvin Ingram had a half-sack and three quarterback hits against Denver. His acquisition from Pittsburgh has revitalized the Kansas City defense, allowing Chris Jones to move to his natural and more productive position at defensive tackle.STOCK DOWNHill and Kelce rarely have poor games at the same time, but they did Sunday night. Hill’s drop was the lowlight of a game in which he caught two passes for 22 yards, and Kelce was little better with three catches for 27 yards.INJURIESSpecial teams CB Chris Lammons hurt his ankle against Denver. The Chiefs also were missing RTs Mike Remmers (knee) and Lucas Niang (ribs), leaving third-stringer Andrew Wylie to start his third consecutive game.KEY NUMBERS12 — The Chiefs broke a franchise record for consecutive wins against any opponent with their 12th straight against the Broncos. The Chiefs had also defeated Denver 11 times from 1964-69.NEXT STEPSThe Chiefs have a one-game lead on the Chargers and two on the Broncos and Raiders heading into their game against Las Vegas on Sunday. They also are tied with the Titans and Ravens in the AFC, though they lost in head-to-head matchups with Tennessee and Baltimore.

Chiefs offense bogging down when it deviates from script

Canton-Galva 62, Hutchinson Central Christian 31

Wichita Home School 58, Berean Academy 40

Ellinwood wins with
Forfeit over Stafford

Berean Academy 58, Wichita Home School 22

Hutchinson Central Christian 56, Canton-Galva 17

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606589794091.jpeg" alt="Monday AP Scores" />
 <figcaption>Monday AP Scores</figcaption>
 </figure>Boys ScoresBonner Springs 85, KC Turner 36Canton-Galva 62, Hutchinson Central Christian 31Coffeyville 56, Nowata, Okla. 50El Dorado 68, Wellington 55Ellinwood 63, Stafford 41Elyria Christian 52, Little River 45Heritage Christian 61, Iola 40Hodgeman County 69, Oakley 58Hoxie 52, La Crosse 34Independence 46, Mulvane 44Macksville 76, Spearville 43Pratt 62, Hutchinson Trinity 38Remington 56, Douglass 30Russell 60, Ellsworth 47Sedgwick 62, Belle Plaine 27Valley Center 64, Andale 52Wichita Collegiate 59, Labette County 49Wichita Home School 58, Berean Academy 40Wichita Independent 70, Halstead 45Girls ScoresEllinwood wins with
Forfeit over StaffordAndale 47, Valley Center 26Berean Academy 58, Wichita Home School 22Douglass 47, Remington 41Hodgeman County 51, Oakley 21Hoxie 53, La Crosse 18Hutchinson Central Christian 56, Canton-Galva 17Independence 51, Mulvane 33Labette County 56, Wichita Collegiate 33Larned 47, Kinsley 11Little River 46, Elyria Christian 26Mill Valley 46, BV Northwest 42Pratt 56, Hutchinson Trinity 29Russell 59, Ellsworth 38Spearville 45, Macksville 36Sylvan-Lucas 50, Southern Cloud 11Tescott 35, Wilson 30

Monday High School Basketball Scores

Marquette (7-2) vs. Kansas State (5-2)

Fred Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, Kansas; Wednesday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Kansas State plays host to Marquette in a non-conference matchup. Marquette came up short in an 89-76 game at Wisconsin on Saturday. Kansas State is coming off a 65-59 win in Wichita over Wichita State on Sunday.

TEAM LEADERS: Kansas State's Markquis Nowell has averaged 12.3 points and two steals while Nijel Pack has put up 13.6 points. For the Golden Eagles, Justin Lewis has averaged 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds while Darryl Morsell has put up 14.8 points.LEAPING FOR LEWIS: Lewis has connected on 31 percent of the 42 3-pointers he's attempted and has made 7 of 24 over the last five games. He's also made 78 percent of his free throws this season.

PERFECT WHEN: The Wildcats are 5-0 when they score at least 65 points and 0-2 when they fall shy of that total. The Golden Eagles are 6-0 when the team blocks at least five shots and 1-2 when they fall short of that total.

STREAK STATS: Kansas State has won its last four home games, scoring an average of 75.3 points while giving up 51.5.

DID YOU KNOW: Marquette has attempted the second-most free throws among all Big East teams. The Golden Eagles have averaged 23.9 free throws per game.

Marquette (7-2) vs. Kansas State (5-2)Fred Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, Kansas; Wednesday, 9 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Kansas State plays host to Marquette in a non-conference matchup. Marquette came up short in an 89-76 game at Wisconsin on Saturday. Kansas State is coming off a 65-59 win in Wichita over Wichita State on Sunday.TEAM LEADERS: Kansas State's Markquis Nowell has averaged 12.3 points and two steals while Nijel Pack has put up 13.6 points. For the Golden Eagles, Justin Lewis has averaged 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds while Darryl Morsell has put up 14.8 points.LEAPING FOR LEWIS: Lewis has connected on 31 percent of the 42 3-pointers he's attempted and has made 7 of 24 over the last five games. He's also made 78 percent of his free throws this season.PERFECT WHEN: The Wildcats are 5-0 when they score at least 65 points and 0-2 when they fall shy of that total. The Golden Eagles are 6-0 when the team blocks at least five shots and 1-2 when they fall short of that total.STREAK STATS: Kansas State has won its last four home games, scoring an average of 75.3 points while giving up 51.5.DID YOU KNOW: Marquette has attempted the second-most free throws among all Big East teams. The Golden Eagles have averaged 23.9 free throws per game.

Kansas State plays Marquette

Kinsley Boys 45 Larned 22; Larned Girls 47 Kinsley 11

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have won five in a row to lead the AFC West after knocking off the Broncos on Sunday night, but they hardly look like themselves on offense. They've scored touchdowns on seven of their 12 drives to open games this season, but once they go off script things begin to bog down. The Chiefs reached the end zone against Denver to start the game, then made it back only when Daniel Sorensen returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown. It's a troubling trend as Kansas City hits the home stretch in search of a sixth consecutive division championship.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Patriots have sole possession of first place in the AFC East following a 14-10 win over the second-place Bills. Damien Harris scored on a 64-yard run in blustery conditions in which Mac Jones attempted just three passes. The Pats outgained the Bills 222 to 99 in yards rushing, with Harris delivering a season-high 111.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma has introduced Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables as its head coach. He replaces Lincoln Riley, who departed last week to take over at Southern California. Venables was on Oklahoma’s staff under Bob Stoops as co-defensive coordinator from 1999 to 2003 and defensive coordinator from 2004 to 2011. He has been on the staff of teams that have won three national titles and played in eight national championship games. The 50-year-old Venables becomes a head coach for the first time. He says he's not going anywhere.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A new organization says it will provide every Texas Longhorns offensive lineman on scholarship $50,000 annually for use of their name, image and likeness to support charitable causes. Horns with Heart said the program will start in August 2022. It hopes to expand it to other football position groups and Longhorns athletes in the future. The announcement comes with early signing day for football recruits coming up on Dec. 15. Texas finished 5-7 this season and won’t play in a bowl game. Coach Steve Sarkisian has identified the offensive line as a key recruiting area.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Talks continue on whether and how to expand the four-team College Football Playoff. One of the proposals would expand the playoff to 12 teams. AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo says it is interesting to ponder what a 12-team format would have looked like this year with first-round games on campus and the four top seeds getting a bye until the second round. Those early games would have put Pittsburgh at Georgia; Michigan State at Notre Dame; Utah at Ohio State; and Oklahoma State at Ole Miss. The winners would advance to play Alabama, Michigan, Georgia and Cincinnati.

NEW YORK (AP) — Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson are among the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy, which will be presented on Saturday. Young and Hutchinson just led their teams to conference titles and berths in the CFP semifinals. Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett and Ohio State signal-caller C.J. Stroud are the other finalists.

MIAMI (AP) — Mario Cristobal is back with his alma mater, leaving Oregon to become the Hurricanes’ head football coach. He replaces Manny Diaz, who was dismissed on Monday after going 21-15 in three seasons, including a 7-5 mark this year. Cristobal went 35-13 with two Pac-12 titles as head coach of the Ducks. Oregon tried to retain him as the team went from CFP contenders earlier this season to losers of the conference title game against Utah.

UNDATED (AP) — Purdue is No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the first time. The Boilermakers were a unanimous No. 1 in the poll to move up from No. 2 last week. Reigning national champion Baylor moved up to No. 2, with Duke, UCLA and Gonzaga rounding out the top five. Purdue reached No. 2 in consecutive seasons under Gene Keady from 1986-88 and matched its previous high last week. A win over then-No. 1 Duke sent the Boilermakers to the top spot this week.

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA’s first NET rankings are out and the top spot mirrors the AP Top 25 with Purdue at No. 1. The NCAA’s college basketball primary sorting tool takes a bit of a deviation at No. 2. LSU, which entered the AP poll at No. 25 this week, is No. 2 in the NET rankings. LSU has yet to play a road game, opening with six wins at home and two on neutral courts. The Tigers’ list of wins includes Wake Forest and Penn State, and a 15-point win over Ohio in their last game. LSU returns from a 10-day break to play at Georgia Tech on Saturday, time off coach Will Wade says the Tigers needed despite their undefeated start.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Texas Southern became the first Southwestern Athletic Conference team to beat a ranked SEC program in The Associated Press poll era dating to 1936. The previously-winless Tigers stunned No. 20 Florida 69-54 behind PJ Henry’s 16 points. Karl Nicholas finished with 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting for Texas Southern, which was coming off a 27-point loss to Louisiana Tech and were 23 1/2-point underdogs against the Gators.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636541008486.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have won five in a row to lead the AFC West after knocking off the Broncos on Sunday night, but they hardly look like themselves on offense. They've scored touchdowns on seven of their 12 drives to open games this season, but once they go off script things begin to bog down. The Chiefs reached the end zone against Denver to start the game, then made it back only when Daniel Sorensen returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown. It's a troubling trend as Kansas City hits the home stretch in search of a sixth consecutive division championship.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Patriots have sole possession of first place in the AFC East following a 14-10 win over the second-place Bills. Damien Harris scored on a 64-yard run in blustery conditions in which Mac Jones attempted just three passes. The Pats outgained the Bills 222 to 99 in yards rushing, with Harris delivering a season-high 111.NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma has introduced Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables as its head coach. He replaces Lincoln Riley, who departed last week to take over at Southern California. Venables was on Oklahoma’s staff under Bob Stoops as co-defensive coordinator from 1999 to 2003 and defensive coordinator from 2004 to 2011. He has been on the staff of teams that have won three national titles and played in eight national championship games. The 50-year-old Venables becomes a head coach for the first time. He says he's not going anywhere.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A new organization says it will provide every Texas Longhorns offensive lineman on scholarship $50,000 annually for use of their name, image and likeness to support charitable causes. Horns with Heart said the program will start in August 2022. It hopes to expand it to other football position groups and Longhorns athletes in the future. The announcement comes with early signing day for football recruits coming up on Dec. 15. Texas finished 5-7 this season and won’t play in a bowl game. Coach Steve Sarkisian has identified the offensive line as a key recruiting area.IRVING, Texas (AP) — Talks continue on whether and how to expand the four-team College Football Playoff. One of the proposals would expand the playoff to 12 teams. AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo says it is interesting to ponder what a 12-team format would have looked like this year with first-round games on campus and the four top seeds getting a bye until the second round. Those early games would have put Pittsburgh at Georgia; Michigan State at Notre Dame; Utah at Ohio State; and Oklahoma State at Ole Miss. The winners would advance to play Alabama, Michigan, Georgia and Cincinnati.NEW YORK (AP) — Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson are among the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy, which will be presented on Saturday. Young and Hutchinson just led their teams to conference titles and berths in the CFP semifinals. Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett and Ohio State signal-caller C.J. Stroud are the other finalists.MIAMI (AP) — Mario Cristobal is back with his alma mater, leaving Oregon to become the Hurricanes’ head football coach. He replaces Manny Diaz, who was dismissed on Monday after going 21-15 in three seasons, including a 7-5 mark this year. Cristobal went 35-13 with two Pac-12 titles as head coach of the Ducks. Oregon tried to retain him as the team went from CFP contenders earlier this season to losers of the conference title game against Utah.UNDATED (AP) — Purdue is No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the first time. The Boilermakers were a unanimous No. 1 in the poll to move up from No. 2 last week. Reigning national champion Baylor moved up to No. 2, with Duke, UCLA and Gonzaga rounding out the top five. Purdue reached No. 2 in consecutive seasons under Gene Keady from 1986-88 and matched its previous high last week. A win over then-No. 1 Duke sent the Boilermakers to the top spot this week.UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA’s first NET rankings are out and the top spot mirrors the AP Top 25 with Purdue at No. 1. The NCAA’s college basketball primary sorting tool takes a bit of a deviation at No. 2. LSU, which entered the AP poll at No. 25 this week, is No. 2 in the NET rankings. LSU has yet to play a road game, opening with six wins at home and two on neutral courts. The Tigers’ list of wins includes Wake Forest and Penn State, and a 15-point win over Ohio in their last game. LSU returns from a 10-day break to play at Georgia Tech on Saturday, time off coach Will Wade says the Tigers needed despite their undefeated start.CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Texas Southern became the first Southwestern Athletic Conference team to beat a ranked SEC program in The Associated Press poll era dating to 1936. The previously-winless Tigers stunned No. 20 Florida 69-54 behind PJ Henry’s 16 points. Karl Nicholas finished with 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting for Texas Southern, which was coming off a 27-point loss to Louisiana Tech and were 23 1/2-point underdogs against the Gators.MONDAY SCORESNATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	New England	14	Buffalo	10	TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(14)Houston	77	Alcorn St.	45	Final	Texas Southern	69	(20)Florida	54NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Indiana	116	Washington	110	Final	Oklahoma City	114	Detroit	103	Final OT	Philadelphia	127	Charlotte	124	Final	Memphis	105	Miami	90	Final	Atlanta	121	Minnesota	110	Final	Chicago	109	Denver	97	Final	Milwaukee	112	Cleveland	104	Final	Phoenix	108	San Antonio	104	Final	Golden State	126	Orlando	95	Final	L.A. Clippers	102	Portland	90	NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Colorado	7	Philadelphia	5	Final SO	Ottawa	3	New Jersey	2	Final SO	Washington	4	Anaheim	3	Final	Dallas	4	Arizona	1	Final	Vancouver	4	Los Angeles	0	Final	Pittsburgh	6	Seattle	1

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Two guards will be on display as Jamal Bieniemy and UTEP will go up against Ochai Agbaji and No. 8 Kansas. The junior Bieniemy has scored 23 percent of the team's points this season and is averaging 15.2 over his last five games. Agbaji, a senior, is averaging 20.8 points over the last five games.

SAVVY SENIORS: Kansas has relied heavily on its seniors this year. Agbaji, Remy Martin, David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot have combined to account for 57 percent of the team's scoring this year and 55 percent of all Jayhawks points over the last five games.

FACILITATING THE OFFENSE: Bieniemy has directly created 44 percent of all UTEP field goals over the last three games. The junior guard has 16 field goals and 11 assists in those games.

PASSING FOR POINTS: The Jayhawks have recently converted baskets via assists more often than the Miners. Kansas has 51 assists on 103 field goals (49.5 percent) across its past three outings while UTEP has assists on 27 of 61 field goals (44.3 percent) during its past three games.

DID YOU KNOW: Kansas is ranked first among Big 12 teams with an average of 85.4 points per game.

UTEP (4-3) vs. No. 8 Kansas (6-1)T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri; Tuesday, 8 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Two guards will be on display as Jamal Bieniemy and UTEP will go up against Ochai Agbaji and No. 8 Kansas. The junior Bieniemy has scored 23 percent of the team's points this season and is averaging 15.2 over his last five games. Agbaji, a senior, is averaging 20.8 points over the last five games.SAVVY SENIORS: Kansas has relied heavily on its seniors this year. Agbaji, Remy Martin, David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot have combined to account for 57 percent of the team's scoring this year and 55 percent of all Jayhawks points over the last five games.FACILITATING THE OFFENSE: Bieniemy has directly created 44 percent of all UTEP field goals over the last three games. The junior guard has 16 field goals and 11 assists in those games.PASSING FOR POINTS: The Jayhawks have recently converted baskets via assists more often than the Miners. Kansas has 51 assists on 103 field goals (49.5 percent) across its past three outings while UTEP has assists on 27 of 61 field goals (44.3 percent) during its past three games.DID YOU KNOW: Kansas is ranked first among Big 12 teams with an average of 85.4 points per game.

Bieniemy, UTEP visit No. 8 Kansas

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs’ Andy Reid is an offensive-minded coach to his core, so the Kansas City defense must have done something special against the Denver Broncos on Sunday night for him to call its performance “beautiful.”

Three turnovers. Three fourth-down stops. One pick-6 to seal a fifth straight win.

“It was just beautiful to watch,” Reid gushed after the 22-9 victory in chilly Arrowhead Stadium, which kept Kansas City in first place in the crowded AFC West as it chases a sixth consecutive division crown.

Patrick Mahomes had just 184 yards passing with a touchdown run and an interception, and his receiving corps dropped so many passes he probably thought the ball was greased. But despite the Chiefs (8-4) gaining 257 yards of total offense, they managed to keep a one-game lead on the Chargers thanks to the other side of the ball.

“Mostly it’s been about a commitment to each other, believing in each other, not letting outside noise dictate what we feel,” Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu said. “It’s been a total team effort to stay committed to each other.”

Things went haywire for the Broncos early in the game, when a 20-play drive ended with a failed fourth-down play rather than an easy field goal. And they didn’t get much better when Teddy Bridgewater threw a pair of second-half interceptions, including the one that Daniel Sorensen returned 75 yards for a score with 9 1/2 minutes left to put the game away.

“We moved the ball well in certain areas, certain times of the game. Guys stepped up and made plays,” Bridgewater said. “But when you give them opportunities and you don’t maximize your opportunities, it’s a recipe to get beat.”

Bridgewater was held to 257 yards passing for the Broncos (6-6), who have lost 12 in a row to their longtime rival dating to the 2015 season. Javonte Williams started in place of injured running back Melvin Gordon III and had 102 yards rushing along with a touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter.

“The loss makes you feel empty no matter what,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said.

The Chiefs must have spent their bye working on their opening offensive script, because they effortlessly flew downfield for a touchdown. They even overcame an offensive pass-interference call before Mahomes scampered for the score.

After the Chiefs forced a second consecutive three-and-out, Harrison Butker made a 56-yard field goal.

That was just about the last anyone saw of Mahomes and Co. for a while.

The Broncos answered with a field goal of their own. Then, after forcing a quick punt, they embarked on a 20-play odyssey that carried them 83 yards and chewed up nearly 12 minutes of the second quarter — and resulted in no points.

Denver twice converted on fourth down to keep the drive alive, then went for the hat trick on fourth-and-2 at the Kansas City 8. Williams took the handoff and was stuffed by linebacker Willie Gay Jr. for a turnover on downs, the first time since 2009 that a 20-play driving lasting at least 11 minutes didn’t result in points.

“Frustrating. That’s all I can really say,” Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton said. “It would be nice to get points.”

That wasn’t the end of the Broncos’ woes. They went three-and-out on their first drive of the second half, Bridgewater was picked off by Juan Thornhill on their next, and Caden Sterns ran into returner Diontae Spencer after forcing Kansas City to punt; the Chiefs managed to hop on the muff for a fresh set of downs.

Butker hit his third field goal a few minutes later, extending the lead to 16-3 with 13 1/2 minutes to go, and Sorensen tacked on his pick-6 to put the game out of reach.

“It’s tough to win in this league,” said Reid, who improved to 20-3 coming off a bye, including 7-2 since his arrival in Kansas City. “And to have that opportunity against a good football team, we’ll feel good about ourselves for a minute here until we get ourselves ready for the Raiders come Tuesday.”

The Broncos are 3-20 in December when playing at Kansas City dating to the days of the AFL. ... Bridgewater had not thrown an interception in four straight games before the Chiefs picked him twice. ... The Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II, the reigning AFC defensive player of the week, had an interception. ... The Chiefs’ defense has allowed 17 points or fewer in five straight games. ... Mahomes needs 73 yards passing to pass Alex Smith (17,608) for the third most in Chiefs history. ... Darrel Williams led the Chiefs in rushing (54 yards) and receiving (three catches for 60 yards).

Broncos NT Mike Purcell was a surprise inactive with a thumb injury.

Chiefs CB Chris Lammons left late in the first half with an ankle injury.

The Broncos host Detroit next Sunday. The Chiefs host Las Vegas the same day.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs’ Andy Reid is an offensive-minded coach to his core, so the Kansas City defense must have done something special against the Denver Broncos on Sunday night for him to call its performance “beautiful.”Three turnovers. Three fourth-down stops. One pick-6 to seal a fifth straight win.Yep, sounds like a fitting description.“It was just beautiful to watch,” Reid gushed after the 22-9 victory in chilly Arrowhead Stadium, which kept Kansas City in first place in the crowded AFC West as it chases a sixth consecutive division crown.Patrick Mahomes had just 184 yards passing with a touchdown run and an interception, and his receiving corps dropped so many passes he probably thought the ball was greased. But despite the Chiefs (8-4) gaining 257 yards of total offense, they managed to keep a one-game lead on the Chargers thanks to the other side of the ball.“Mostly it’s been about a commitment to each other, believing in each other, not letting outside noise dictate what we feel,” Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu said. “It’s been a total team effort to stay committed to each other.”Things went haywire for the Broncos early in the game, when a 20-play drive ended with a failed fourth-down play rather than an easy field goal. And they didn’t get much better when Teddy Bridgewater threw a pair of second-half interceptions, including the one that Daniel Sorensen returned 75 yards for a score with 9 1/2 minutes left to put the game away.“We moved the ball well in certain areas, certain times of the game. Guys stepped up and made plays,” Bridgewater said. “But when you give them opportunities and you don’t maximize your opportunities, it’s a recipe to get beat.”Bridgewater was held to 257 yards passing for the Broncos (6-6), who have lost 12 in a row to their longtime rival dating to the 2015 season. Javonte Williams started in place of injured running back Melvin Gordon III and had 102 yards rushing along with a touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter.“The loss makes you feel empty no matter what,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said.The Chiefs must have spent their bye working on their opening offensive script, because they effortlessly flew downfield for a touchdown. They even overcame an offensive pass-interference call before Mahomes scampered for the score.After the Chiefs forced a second consecutive three-and-out, Harrison Butker made a 56-yard field goal.That was just about the last anyone saw of Mahomes and Co. for a while.The Broncos answered with a field goal of their own. Then, after forcing a quick punt, they embarked on a 20-play odyssey that carried them 83 yards and chewed up nearly 12 minutes of the second quarter — and resulted in no points.Denver twice converted on fourth down to keep the drive alive, then went for the hat trick on fourth-and-2 at the Kansas City 8. Williams took the handoff and was stuffed by linebacker Willie Gay Jr. for a turnover on downs, the first time since 2009 that a 20-play driving lasting at least 11 minutes didn’t result in points.“Frustrating. That’s all I can really say,” Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton said. “It would be nice to get points.”That wasn’t the end of the Broncos’ woes. They went three-and-out on their first drive of the second half, Bridgewater was picked off by Juan Thornhill on their next, and Caden Sterns ran into returner Diontae Spencer after forcing Kansas City to punt; the Chiefs managed to hop on the muff for a fresh set of downs.Butker hit his third field goal a few minutes later, extending the lead to 16-3 with 13 1/2 minutes to go, and Sorensen tacked on his pick-6 to put the game out of reach.“It’s tough to win in this league,” said Reid, who improved to 20-3 coming off a bye, including 7-2 since his arrival in Kansas City. “And to have that opportunity against a good football team, we’ll feel good about ourselves for a minute here until we get ourselves ready for the Raiders come Tuesday.”STATS AND STREAKSThe Broncos are 3-20 in December when playing at Kansas City dating to the days of the AFL. ... Bridgewater had not thrown an interception in four straight games before the Chiefs picked him twice. ... The Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II, the reigning AFC defensive player of the week, had an interception. ... The Chiefs’ defense has allowed 17 points or fewer in five straight games. ... Mahomes needs 73 yards passing to pass Alex Smith (17,608) for the third most in Chiefs history. ... Darrel Williams led the Chiefs in rushing (54 yards) and receiving (three catches for 60 yards).INJURIESBroncos NT Mike Purcell was a surprise inactive with a thumb injury.Chiefs CB Chris Lammons left late in the first half with an ankle injury.UP NEXTThe Broncos host Detroit next Sunday. The Chiefs host Las Vegas the same day.

Chiefs keep AFC West lead with 22-9 victory over Broncos

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored seven of his 16 points in the final 1:35 and Kansas State used a late surge to defeat Wichita State 65-59 on Sunday in the renewal of an in-state rivalry.

Just after Ricky Council IV knocked down a 3-pointer to tie the game at 52 with 2:02 to play, Nowell answered with a deep 3. Following a Shockers miss, Nowell made two free throws with a minute to go.

Wichita State then lost the ball and Selton Miguel found Mark Smith for a breakaway dunk at 48 seconds. The Wildcats added a Miguel free throw after Kaosi Ezeagu drew an offensive foul for a 62-54 lead with 39 seconds to go.

The Shockers got two quick baskets from Tyson Etienne and then the Wildcats missed two free throws before Etienne missed a shot, leading two Nowell’s two free throws and a 64-58 lead with 14 seconds to play.

Ezeagu added 14 points for the Wildcats (5-2), Miguel had 12 and Mike McGuirl 10. Nowell had eight rebounds and four assists.

Morris Udeze scored 19 points for Wichita State (5-2) and Etienne had 11 on a tough shooting night when he was 4 of 20, 1 of 11 from 3-point range.

The game was the first between the in-state rivals since 2003 in a series that dates to 1932. K-State leads 21-11. They are scheduled to play the next three years, one each on their respective campus and in Kansas City.

The game was played at INTRUST Bank Arena in downtown Wichita, where the Shockers are 8-3 in their annual off-campus game. It was the fifth game there for the Wildcats and they’re 3-2.

Wichita State opened a 20-8 lead but two 3-pointers and five Ezeagu points in an 11-0 run rallied the Wildcats, who led 32-30 at the half.

Kansas State is home against Marquette in the Big East/Big 12 Battle on Wednesday.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored seven of his 16 points in the final 1:35 and Kansas State used a late surge to defeat Wichita State 65-59 on Sunday in the renewal of an in-state rivalry.Just after Ricky Council IV knocked down a 3-pointer to tie the game at 52 with 2:02 to play, Nowell answered with a deep 3. Following a Shockers miss, Nowell made two free throws with a minute to go.Wichita State then lost the ball and Selton Miguel found Mark Smith for a breakaway dunk at 48 seconds. The Wildcats added a Miguel free throw after Kaosi Ezeagu drew an offensive foul for a 62-54 lead with 39 seconds to go.The Shockers got two quick baskets from Tyson Etienne and then the Wildcats missed two free throws before Etienne missed a shot, leading two Nowell’s two free throws and a 64-58 lead with 14 seconds to play.Ezeagu added 14 points for the Wildcats (5-2), Miguel had 12 and Mike McGuirl 10. Nowell had eight rebounds and four assists.Morris Udeze scored 19 points for Wichita State (5-2) and Etienne had 11 on a tough shooting night when he was 4 of 20, 1 of 11 from 3-point range.The game was the first between the in-state rivals since 2003 in a series that dates to 1932. K-State leads 21-11. They are scheduled to play the next three years, one each on their respective campus and in Kansas City.The game was played at INTRUST Bank Arena in downtown Wichita, where the Shockers are 8-3 in their annual off-campus game. It was the fifth game there for the Wildcats and they’re 3-2.Wichita State opened a 20-8 lead but two 3-pointers and five Ezeagu points in an 11-0 run rallied the Wildcats, who led 32-30 at the half.Kansas State is home against Marquette in the Big East/Big 12 Battle on Wednesday.