The New York Yankees, who just nine days ago were left standing at the altar when All-Star right fielder Juan Soto departed for the crosstown Mets, continued to take out their vengeance on the rest of the league Tuesday by acquiring former MVP Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs.

The Yankees, who sent right-hander Cody Poteet to the Cubs while also receiving $5 million in the trade, have informed Bellinger that he will be their new everyday center fielder, and play occasional games at first base, shifting two-time MVP Aaron Judge back to right field.

The move was just the latest in the Yankees’ back-up plan to Soto by improving their roster in numerous ways, signing left-handed starter Max Fried, acquiring All-Star closer Devin Williams from Milwaukee, and now Bellinger.

The Yankees and Cubs, which opened trade talks after Soto signed his 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets, had reached a stalemate when the Yankees kept demanding the Cubs pay $10 million of the potential $52.5 million remaining on Bellinger’s contract. They finally decided to compromise with the two sides splitting the difference.

The Cubs, who acquired All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros last week, plan to use the savings from the Bellinger trade to acquire another starting pitcher.  Bellinger is scheduled to be paid $27.5 million in 2025 and can earn $25 million in 2026, or $5 million if he opts out of the contract. The Cubs will pay $2.5 million of his salary next season, and $2.5 million of his 2026 salary or buyout.

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The Yankees now are expected to sign a free-agent first baseman, Yankee executives say, and have opened talks with Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana and Paul Goldschmidt. Alonso, who hit 34 home runs last season, is the only one of the four who has not won a Gold Glove.

Bellinger, a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, hit .266 with 18 homers and 76 RBI last season, a drop-off from his first season with the Cubs when he hit .307 with 26 homers and 97 RBI. The Cubs had hoped that he would opt out of his contract, and when he didn’t, decided to trade him and began shopping him extensively at the GM Meetings after the World Series.

Bellinger comes to the Yankees 23 years after his father, Clay Bellinger, played for New York while winning two World Series titles.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

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A federal judge has issued a ruling in the bankruptcy case of Shilo Sanders, giving the Colorado football player a victory that keeps alive his effort to discharge more than $11 million in debt.

But the case is still far from over. Judge Michael E. Romero ruled the case would require a trial of sorts to determine whether the son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders was being “willful and malicious” when he allegedly assaulted a security guard at his school in 2015, when Shilo was 15 years old.

“This Court has already determined the issues of willful and malicious behavior will be re-litigated in this proceeding,” Romero said in his ruling issued Tuesday, obtained by USA TODAY Sports. “That determination will necessarily involve an examination of any justification, including self-defense, offered by Sanders for his allegedly willful and malicious behavior.”

If the judge had ruled the other way on this matter, Shilo Sanders would have suffered a crippling blow in his effort to erase his $11 million debt to John Darjean, the security guard he allegedly assaulted in 2015. He would have been on the hook to pay that money back to Darjean, pending any appeal. Instead, his case will continue to be fought on multiple fronts, more than nine years after the controversy started.

How did this bankruptcy case get this far?

Darjean had sued Shilo in 2016, seeking damages for what he described as severe and permanent injuries, including incontinence. He said Shilo swung an elbow at his upper chest and punched him as he tried to confiscate his phone at school.

Shilo and his father Deion disputed the allegations, saying it was Darjean who was the aggressor, not Shilo. Shilo even testified in pretrial proceedings and filed counter claims against Darjean.  But he didn’t show up for trial in 2022, leading to a $11.89 million default judgment against Shilo Sanders in 2022.

After Darjean pursued debt collection on that judgment last year, Shilo filed for bankruptcy in October 2023 in an attempt to get rid of that debt.

But Darjean wants the money he is owed and is fighting Shilo’s discharge attempt in bankruptcy court.

What was this bankruptcy ruling about?

Debtors generally can discharge their debts by filing for bankruptcy, as Shilo Sanders did last year.  The reason he did so was to erase this $11 million debt to Darjean so he could get a “fresh start, free from the oppressive burdens of his debt,” as his attorneys said. But there are exceptions in the law that prevent debts from being discharged in certain cases. One of them is if the debt stems from a “willful and malicious injury by the debtor.”

In response to Shilo’s bankruptcy filing last year, Darjean’s attorneys filed two complaints to contest Shilo’s attempted discharge as Darjean continues to pursue the money Sanders owes him.

In one of those complaints, they argued that Shilo Sanders should not be allowed a discharge of this debt because it stemmed from a willful and malicious injury. They wanted the judge to make a summary judgment ruling about this, arguing at a hearing in Denver last month that the matter was already litigated in a state court in Texas and should be precluded from being litigated again.  

But the bankruptcy judge didn’t fully agree with Darjean’s attorneys and denied their summary judgment motion as it related to whether Shilo’s behavior was willful and malicious. He only agreed that the issues of causation and damages were litigated in state court, not Shilo’s state of mind during the incident in 2015.

“The State Court Order and Judgment (in Texas) are devoid of any discussion of Sanders’ intent,” the judge wrote. “Given this lack of findings, the Court is reluctant to conclude the issue of self-defense was fully and fairly litigated in state court.”

Why did the judge rule in Shilo Sanders’ favor?

The problem for Darjean in this matter is that the state court in Texas didn’t include the words “willful and malicious” in its findings and judgment against Sanders in 2022. But it left no doubt about who was responsible.

“The Court finds that John Darjean’s injuries and damages were a foreseeable consequence of the physical assault perpetrated by Shilo Sanders,” the state court said in its findings of fact and conclusions of law in 2022.

That wasn’t good enough for the bankruptcy judge to rule Shilo acted willfully and maliciously during this alleged assault in 2015, at least according to bankruptcy law. Being willful and malicious relates to his state of mind at the time.

“Sanders pled self-defense in his state court answer, but he obviously was not at trial and did not present any evidence regarding his state of mind,” the bankruptcy judge wrote. “One could argue the state court necessarily rejected all Sanders’ pled defenses when it determined he committed assault. However, the State Court Order and Judgment make no mention of self-defense, or any justification offered by Sanders for his actions. There is no indication the state court considered Sanders’ state of mind or whether his alleged apprehension of danger was reasonable.”

What’s next in this case?

The judge said the “issues of willful act, malicious injury, or self-defense and those matters will be determined in this proceeding.” That means a trial of sorts on this matter in the future. Meanwhile, the trustee overseeing the bankruptcy estate recently has been seeking information about Shilo’s assets in an effort to collect them for creditors.

Darjean also has another complaint pending that accused Shilo of omitting or concealing assets. Shilo’s attorneys disputed this and say they have cooperated.

Shilo, now 24, is a graduate student at Colorado and will play his last college game Dec. 28 in the Alamo Bowl against BYU.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Last summer, James signed a two-year, $101.3 million contract with the Lakers with a player option for 2025-26. He is due to earn $48.7 million this season and $52.6 million next season.

Signing short deals has been part of the hallmark of James’ career since he left the Miami Heat in 2014 and rejoined the Cleveland Cavaliers. His first deal with the Lakers was a four-year deal, but his past two contracts with the Lakers were two years with a player option on the second season.

He and his agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports have often used the system to their advantage with James becoming a free agent often to maximize his earnings and options.

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James was away from the team for personal reasons starting Dec. 11, but returned to help lead L.A. to a win over Memphis with 18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and a steal in 34 minutes on Dec. 15. James missed the Dec. 8 and Dec. 13 games due to left foot soreness, according to the team. The Lakers are scheduled to play at Sacramento on Thursday.

Lakers coach JJ Redick indicated that he will attempt to manage James’ minutes so that he can be more effective in shorter bursts of time on the court coupled with shorter rests on the bench. And James may still get the occasional game off, too.

Let’s take a look at James’ contract situation:

What is LeBron James’ contract status?

James, who turns 40 on Dec. 30, is in the first year of a two-year, $101.3 million contract with the Lakers, and he can become a free agent after this season or play out the second year of the deal and hit free agency after the 2025-26 season.

As part of the deal James signed with the Lakers in July, he secured a no-trade clause, and the contract includes a 15% trade kicker, meaning he would get a 15% bonus paid by the Lakers if traded.

What is a no-trade clause?

A no-trade clause means the player must approve any trade, which gives the player control of his situation. A no-trade clause is uncommon – James and Phoenix’s Bradley Beal are the only players with such a clause in their contract.

How does a player get a no-trade clause?

According to the collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (players’ union), “A Player Contract entered into by a player who has eight (8) or more Years of Service in the NBA and who has rendered four (4) or more Years of Service for the Team entering into such Contract may contain a prohibition or limitation of such Team’s right to trade such Contract to another NBA Team.”

Is it possible the Lakers trade James?

If you adhere to the maxim that no player/contract is untradeable, then yes, it’s possible James is traded. But it would have to be the most perfect situation.

It’s fun to speculate about James joining Steve Kerr and Steph Curry with Golden State since they had so much success together at the 2024 Paris Olympics. But that’s a difficult trade to make, given James’ salary.

Regardless, there’s no indication James wants to leave the Lakers. At the 2024 All-Star Game in Indianapolis, I asked James if he planned to finish his career with the Lakers.

“I am a Laker, and I am happy and been very happy being a Laker the last six years, and hopefully it stays that way,” James said. “But I don’t have the answer to how long it is or which uniform I’ll be in. Hopefully, it is with the Lakers. It’s a great organization and so many greats. But we’ll see. I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it’s coming. It’s coming, for sure.”

Since then, if anything has changed in Lakers Land for James, it’s been for the better. The Lakers hired James’ podcast buddy, JJ Redick, as head coach, and the franchise drafted his son, Bronny, with the No. 55 pick in the second round of the 2024 draft. In fact, they became the first father-son duo to play together when they took the court in the Lakers’ home opener.

James and his family also like L.A.

What’s the most games James has missed in a season?

James has been reliable throughout his career, proving another maxim: one of the best abilities is availability. You don’t get to 40,000 points, 11,00 assists, 11,000 rebounds and 20 All-NBA selections by missing too many games.

The most games James has missed in a season is 27 – in 2022-23, 2020-21 and 2018-19. He also missed 26 games in 2021-22. Other than that, he has not missed more than 20 games in a season.

What about retirement for LeBron James?

It’s difficult – but not impossible – to envision James retiring in-season. Yes, his last few games before his mini-break were not great. During a 2-7 stretch before excused absences against Portland and Minnesota, James averaged 22.2 points, 8.7 assists and 7.8 rebounds but shot 46.8% from the field and 27.8% on 3-pointers. But in the first 14 games of the season, James averaged 23.5 points, 9.4 assists and 8.1 rebounds and shot 51.5% from the field and 41.6% on 3-pointers. He can still play, and whatever deterioration there is in his ability, he’s still pretty good.

Retiring now or soon leaves a lot of money on the table, and unless there’s just no other option, players (and most others when given the choice) just don’t walk away from millions of dollars.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

Some problems feature no easy solution. Call them a sticky wicket, a wicked problem, or the Riemann hypothesis.

Or, college football’s transfer portal windows.

Coaches from Steve Sarkisian of Texas to Lane Kiffin of Mississippi grumbled in recent days that the sport’s winter transfer period disrupts the postseason, and they’re not wrong.

The portal opened on Dec. 9. It will close to new entries after Dec. 28, giving players 20 days to decide whether to stay or go. Players on teams competing in the College Football Playoff have an additional five days to enter the portal after their team’s season ends.

The timing of this transfer period means some players on playoff teams entered the portal and left their current team before the season ends.

Beyond the playoff, consider Duke, the Gator Bowl opponent of Ole Miss. Blue Devils starting quarterback Maalik Murphy entered the portal last week. He won’t play in the bowl game as he seeks a new team, leaving Duke to play a backup quarterback while in pursuit of a 10th victory that would tie a program record for single-season wins.

“The season’s not over yet, and there’s a free-agency window open,” Kiffin said during a Gator Bowl news conference, while referring to this setup as “a dumb system” and adding that you wouldn’t see something like this in the NFL.

At Texas, multiple Longhorns entered the portal before their first-round playoff game Saturday against Clemson, including a couple of players who remained with the team for CFP preparation, even while they’re in the portal.

“Imagine (NFL) players becoming free agents the day that they announce who’s in the playoffs,” Sarkisian told reporters. “That’s what’s happening in college football.”

The NFL, though, doesn’t offer an apples-to-apples comparison point. For one, NFL players sign employment contracts, while the NCAA remains adamant about not making college athletes employees. More to the point, though, is the reality that this remains college football. The athletes are students, and the academic calendar affects the transfer windows.

ON THE MOVE: Ranking the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal

NEW TAX: Norvell, Gundy among coaches with pay cuts paying own NIL

Fixing winter transfer problem isn’t so simple, but here’s an idea

Shifting the transfer portal to after the season would better accommodate coaches pursuing a national championship, but transferring athletes need to get enrolled at their next school in time for the upcoming semester. And playoff expansion lengthened the season, stretching it into the third week of January.

Consider the Texas and Ole Miss academic calendars. The spring semester at Texas begins on Jan. 13, one week before the national championship game, while courses at Ole Miss begin on Jan. 21, one day after the national championship game.

Well then, what about eliminating the winter transfer window entirely and reducing to a single window in April? That would suit the playoff and academic calendars, but coaches would complain that not having transfers in place for spring practice would hamper their ability to prepare for the upcoming season.

Consider a school like Auburn, which must replace its starting quarterback. The Tigers on Saturday announced the addition of Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold. The December transfer period creates an avenue to get Arnold enrolled and installed for spring practice.

Think Auburn coach Hugh Freeze would prefer to navigate spring practice with a placeholder quarterback, while waiting until May to get his transfer quarterback in place? Nope.

OK, so here comes my bold idea for a potential solution to this transfer dilemma: Eliminate the December transfer window, but also eliminate spring practice. Dial back to one transfer portal period following the season, and begin preseason workouts in the summer.

Want to be like the NFL? Fine, but commit to that pro model. NFL teams don’t play a spring game.

The NFL’s organized team activities begin in May. In contrast, some college teams conduct spring practice as soon as February, making that December transfer period essential to coaches needing to reassemble their roster before spring practice.

Dumping the December transfer period merits consideration, as long as it’s combined with an elimination of spring practice.

As players transfer before season ends, coaches leave, too

In the current setup, entering the portal allows other interested programs to contact a player, but it does not strictly prohibit an athlete from competing in postseason games with his current team.

A transferring player, though, might find it untenable to juggle preparing for a postseason game while considering transfer options for the following season.

Preston Stone, the backup quarterback for playoff qualifier SMU, entered the portal, but he’s remained with the Mustangs as they prepare to face Penn State in the CFP’s first round. Penn State backup quarterback Beau Pribula also entered the portal, but he’s not sticking it out with the Nittany Lions. 

“I feel so awful for our kids and kids around the country,’ SMU coach Rhett Lashlee told reporters. ‘There’s no other sport at all that has free agency in the season. It’s sad. It’s terrible.’

“(A player) shouldn’t have to make that decision” while the season is ongoing, he added.

Maybe not, but what’s the alternative? Starting the season at the beginning of August and concluding by Christmas? That opens other cans of worms.

Athletes aren’t the only ones exiting before the season ends. Marshall won the Sun Belt championship, then opted out of its bowl game following a mass transfer exodus, amid Marshall’s best season in a decade.

What spurred this? Marshall’s coach, Charles Huff, flew the coop for Southern Mississippi coaching job one day after the Sun Belt championship game after failing to reach agreement with his now former school.

I’m not criticizing Huff. He’s far from the only coach who left his team before the postseason concluded.

Most college football hires occur in November and December – weeks before the postseason begins. Would you be surprised if some coach of a playoff team changes jobs before the postseason concludes?

So, yeah, maybe it’s a dumb system, and it’s dumb for everyone – players and coaches alike – and the academic calendar puts some time constraints on the transfer period.

No simple fix would remedy every problem, and satisfying everyone seems about as likely as solving the Riemann hypothesis, but eliminating the December transfer window combined with dumping spring practice would be a step toward stability.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

There will be a new quarterback in Atlanta.

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris announced rookie Michael Penix Jr. will be the starter for the team’s upcoming game against the New York Giants, with Kirk Cousins headed to the bench.

‘After review we have made the decision Michael Penix will be the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback moving forward,’ Morris said in a statement. ‘This was a football decision and we are fully focused on preparing the team for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.’

The moves comes after a decline in Cousins’ play in recent weeks, particularly when it comes to turning the ball over. After Cousins guided Atlanta to a 6-3 start and an early lead in the NFC South, the Falcons dropped their next four games and lost control of the division. During the losing streak, Cousins threw eight interceptions and no touchdowns.

Cousins had a chance to change the narrative on Monday night against the Las Vegas Raiders, but the poor play continued. He finally threw a touchdown pass, but he only threw for 112 yards − just 28 in the second half − and an interception in a game where the offense looked largely problematic.

All things Falcons: Latest Atlanta Falcons news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

After the 15-9 win, Morris told reporters Cousins ‘got to play better.’ When Morris spoke with the media on Tuesday, he was noncommittal on Cousins keeping the starting job before announcing the switch on Tuesday night.

‘We just got back (from Las Vegas),’ he said, per The Athletic’s Josh Kendall. ‘We still have to go through that process. All those things will happen over the course of the week. We didn’t play well enough at the quarterback position.’

The future now looks uncertain for the quarterback Atlanta signed this past offseason to a four-year, $180 million contract, which had a $50 million signing bonus and $100 million guaranteed. If Atlanta released Cousins, it would eat a dead cap hit of $65 million, per Over The Cap, and he’s also due a $10 million roster bonus for 2026 if he’s on roster through March 16. A trade would require another team willing to take on the contract, or Atlanta offering to pay for some of it.

Now, the quarterback drafted No. 8 overall in this year’s draft will get the chance to make his case to keep the job as Atlanta continues to challenge for the division title. The former Washington Huskies star that led the NCAA in passing yards in 2023 has played in just two games this season, in relief of Cousins in blowout losses. He is 3-for-5 with 38 yards.

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The show must go on, as the old adage says. Amid the now annual handwringing over players and coaches on the move, there remain timeslots to fill with sporting product. And so, for better or worse, the college football bowl season rolls on.

Wednesday features a pair of postseason contests in warm-weather locales, which was after all the original draw for these postseason exhibitions. First up is a clash of programs that were in the hunt for group-of-five league titles for much of the season. Then the nightcap features the second ranked team to take the field during the bowl season.

Here are today’s matchups.

Boca Raton Bowl – James Madison vs. Western Kentucky

Time/TV/location: 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Boca Raton, Fla.

Why watch: It’s easy to forget that JMU is still relatively new to the Bowl Subdivision. The Dukes took a minor step back this year in coach Bob Chesney’s first season but can still earn a program milestone with their first bowl win. South Florida is a familiar destination for the Hilltoppers, who have won this event on two other occasions. Western Kentucky QB Caden Veltkamp is expected to play even though his name is in the transfer portal, though a lot of his teammates that helped get the Toppers to the C-USA title game won’t be around. The Dukes will be shorthanded as well with QB Alonza Barnett out with an injury, so they’ll likely lean heavily on RBs George Pettaway and Wayne Knight.

Why it could disappoint: JMU could be at a considerable advantage with a more cohesive roster. But WKU’s bowl history has often come with a dose of wildness, like last year when the Toppers mounted a 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter to beat Old Dominion, so anything is possible.

ON THE MOVE: Ranking the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal

LA Bowl – No. 24 UNLV vs. California

Time/TV/location: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN, Inglewood, Calif.

Why watch: The good news for UNLV with coach Barry Odom off to Purdue is that he at least made the job attractive enough to interest a free agent like Dan Mullen with a proven track record. Before he takes over, however, the Rebels will be led by interim coach Del Alexander in this matchup with the Golden Bears, who will be in a transition phase themselves with QB Fernando Mendoza in the portal. UNLV should have most of its key on-field personnel available, including QB Hajj-Malik Williams and WR Ricky White as well as top RB Jai’Den Thomas. California’s leading WR Nyziah Hunter is also in the portal along with Mendoza, so either CJ Harris or Chandler Rogers will likely be handing the ball off a lot. The good news for the Bears is RB Jaydn Ott might finally be at full speed after battling ankle issues for much of the season.

Why it could disappoint: California did win all its non-conference games but went just 2-6 in its first run through the ACC. If the Rebels view this as an opportunity to make a statement, it could be a long night for the Bears.

There was scoring left and right, but it was Memphis that emerged as the winners of the 2024 Frisco Bowl, beating West Virginia 42-37 in a highlight-filled game.

Memphis started the game hot with 17-straight points to start the night, and it paved the way for the victory as West Virginia was forced to play catch-up. While the Mountaineers were able to pick it up, the Tigers made sure to respond each time and kept West Virginia from pulling off the comeback. West Virginia had a chance to take the lead late, but a Memphis interception sealed it.

Both sides combined for 1,008 total yards.

Quarterback Seth Henigan has stayed at Memphis the past four seasons, breaking plenty of school records and helping the Tigers become a contender in the American Athletic Conference. He ended his college career in great fashion with 294 yards on 18-for-26 passing and 54 yards on the ground in his 50th start.

There were hopes of being the Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoff, and while it didn’t happen, Memphis still finished with 11 wins – its most since 2019 – and has back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.

On the other side, West Virginia finishes the season 6-7 and will begin its preparations for Rich Rodriguez’s second stint in Morgantown.

Memphis comes up with late interception for the win

Memphis almost gave West Virginia a last-second chance, but video review seals it for the Tigers.

With 17 seconds left and at the Memphis 37-yard line, West Virginia’s Garrett Greene threw a pass that was intercepted by Memphis’ Elijah Herring. However, instead of going immediately down, Herring ran around a bit, and just as he was going down, the ball was punched out of his hands and recovered by the Mountaineers.

The play went to video review, and officials determined Herring slid, giving himself up, before the ball came out, meaning Memphis held on to the ball. The Tigers then took a knee to finish the game.

Memphis 42, West Virginia 37: Mountaineers stay alive

With under five minutes to go, West Virginia isn’t done yet.

Needing a touchdown, West Virginia went 75 yards on 12 plays in six-and-a-half minutes to make it a one-score game again. C.J. Donaldson Jr. had another 1-yard run to punch it in for the touchdown, his second score of the day. The running back has 22 carries for 83 yards and two catches for 11 yards. Now the Mountaineers need to get a stop in order to keep the chance of winning alive.

Memphis 42, West Virginia 30: Big catch sets up touchdown

A long pass helped set up a Memphis touchdown and pushes the lead back to two scores.

On the first play following West Virginia’s touchdown, Seth Henigan found Demeer Blankumsee on the go route and he stumbled just outside of the goal line for an 89-yard strike. On the next play, Brandon Thomas punched it in for the touchdown.

Memphis 35, West Virginia 30: Mountaineers score on fourth down

West Virginia needed to convert a fourth down play, and it resulted in six points.

After starting at their own 10-yard line, the Mountaineers went down the field and got all the way inside the Memphis 5-yard line. On third-and-goal, a completed pass ended right at the 1-yard line and the Mountaineers were faced with a decision. The offense stayed on the field, and it was a success with C.J. Donaldson Jr. just getting over the goal line. It’s now a one-score game in Frisco.

End of third quarter: Memphis 35, West Virginia 23

It remains a double-digit lead for Memphis heading into the final quarter.

West Virginia has had to play catch-up for much of the game, and the defense finally made a stop in the third quarter to force a punt. The Mountaineers will start the fourth quarter with the ball and will try to claw back in this one.

Memphis 35, West Virginia 23: Mountaineers respond with own score

The West Virginia offense is doing all it can to stay in the game with its own touchdown on its first possession of the second half. It was a methodical drive down the field with Garrett Greene finding Hudson Clement in the end zone for the receiver’s second touchdown on the night. The extra point was no good after the Mountaineers kicking unit couldn’t get the snap down.

Memphis 35, West Virginia 17: Tigers score out of halftime

The offense has picked up right where it left off with Memphis getting right back in the end zone to start the third quarter. The Tigers went 75 yards on eight plays to extend the lead, punctuated with a 3-yard run by Mario Anderson.

Halftime: Memphis 28, West Virginia 17

It was all offense in the second quarter for both sides with 35 combined points scored in the frame and Memphis holding an 11-point lead.

The Tigers got out to a fast start with a 17-0 lead, but West Virginia’s offense woke up midway through the second quarter and wasted no time cutting the deficit. West Virginia kicker Michael Hayes made an 46-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.

Both teams combined for 503 total yards in the first half and Memphis will get the ball out of halftime.

Memphis 28, West Virginia 14: Tigers add score, two-point conversion just before halftime

Offense can’t be stopped in Frisco. Memphis responded with a quick touchdown before halftime to give it a two-touchdown lead just before the break.

The Tigers moved 75 yards in five plays and 47 seconds to add its second touchdown of the second quarter. Seth Henigan found Demeer Blankumsee in the corner of the endzone for an 18-yard touchdown pass, and the two Tigers connected again on the two-point conversion.

Memphis 20, West Virginia 14: Garrett Greene scrambles for 56-yard touchdown

When no one was open, Garrett Greene decided to take it to the house.

The Mountaineers quarterback scrambled to the right and turned on the jets on the way to the endzone to close the deficit to six points. It’s the 28th career touchdown for Greene, and the longest rushing touchdown for West Virginia this season.

Memphis 20, West Virginia 7: Tigers add another field goal

Kicker Tristian Vandenberg knocked in his second field goal of the night with a 42-yard kick through the uprights.

Memphis 17, West Virginia 7: Incredible catch gets Mountaineers on the board

Hudson Clement extended as far as he could to haul in a spectacular catch in the endzone and get West Virginia back in the game. The sophomore receiver was able to haul the catch and get a leg in bounds before stepping out.

Memphis 17, West Virginia 0: Big run extends lead

All Memphis needed was one play on the drive to strengthen its lead as Greg Desrosiers Jr. took it 46 yards to the house to make it a three-score game.

Memphis 10, West Virginia 0: Tigers take advantage of turnover

Memphis made it a two-score lead to open the second quarter with a 34-yard field goal from Tristian Vandenberg. The score came off a West Virginia fumble.

End of first quarter: Memphis 7, West Virginia 0

So far it’s been all Memphis after 15 minutes as the West Virginia offense has struggled to do much early.

The Mountaineers have generated just 28 yards of offense and just one first down in three drives. They gave Memphis good field position midway through the first frame that led to a Tigers touchdown. On the following drive, West Virginia’s C.J. Donaldson Jr. fumbled the ball that set Memphis up on the Mountaineers’ side of the field.

Memphis 7, West Virginia 0: Tigers score first

Memphis took advantage of good field position to get in the end zone for the first score of the game.

It was a mixture of the run and the pass that helped Memphis go 45 yards down the field, with quarterback Seth Henigan coming up big on a third down play with a 23-yard scramble to get inside the 5. On the next play, Henigan dumped it off to Mario Anderson Jr. and the running back leaped across the goal line for a 4-yard touchdown pass.

When is the Frisco Bowl between Memphis and West Virginia?

The kickoff for the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl game between the No. 23 Memphis Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, is Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.

How to watch Memphis and West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl

The Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl game between the No. 23 Memphis Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers will be televised nationally on ESPN.

Live streaming is available on Fubo, which has a free trial.

Catch Memphis and West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl with Fubo

Memphis vs. West Virginia odds, line

The Memphis Tigers are the favorites to defeat the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Frisco Bowl, according to the BetMGM college football odds on Tuesday afternoon.

Spread: Memphis (-5) 
Moneyline: Memphis (-210); West Virginia (+170) 
Over/under: 59.5

Memphis vs. West Virginia: Frisco Bowl predictions

USA TODAY: Memphis a heavy favorite

Scooby Axon: Memphis
Jordan Mendoza: Memphis
Paul Myerberg: West Virgina
Erick Smith: Memphis
Eddie Timanus: Memphis
Dan Wolken: Memphis

Reed Wallach, Sports Illustrated: Memphis to win

Wallach writes, ‘The Tigers defense has been vulnerable at times, especially against big plays with an explosive rush and pass rate outside the top 100, but the team can feast on Greene’s shaky decision making. In a game that is being lined as a coin flip, there are plenty of reasons to side with the small favorite to cap its season with a win.’

Adam Burke, VSiN: Memphis (-5)

Burke writes, ‘The Tigers defense has given up a lot of points this season, but West Virginia doesn’t have the tempo or the potency of an AAC offense. QB Garrett Greene had a 13/11 TD/INT ratio and the Tigers were tied for ninth with 24 takeaways. They are also an opportunistic defense with 14 fumble recoveries. WVU only lost four fumbles during the season. But, as a defense, they only had 11 takeaways, so Memphis may very well carry the edge in the turnover margin department.’

The Athletic: Memphis to win

The Athletic’s team unanimously picked Memphis to win, one of only six unanimous predictions, alongside Notre Dame to beat Indiana, James Madison to beat Western Kentucky, Pitt to beat Toledo, Kansas State to beat Rutgers, and Syracuse to beat Washington State.

Clutch Points: Memphis

Nate Duffett writes, ‘Memphis’ explosive offense should be too much for West Virginia in this game. We mentioned that when the Mountaineers lost, they lost big, which could be bad news when facing the Tigers’ offense. Take Memphis to blow this game open with their passing game and hold on for a convincing victory, which they have been doing all season.’

Bowl game schedule

There are 46 games on the college football postseason schedule this season, with the expansion of the College Football Playoff adding to the intrigue of bowl season. The Salute to Veterans Bowl between South Alabama and Western Michigan kicked off the action on Dec. 14, and it all comes to a conclusion 37 days later at the CFP national championship game. USA TODAY Sports has you covered with a complete schedule for every bowl game coming up on the calendar. — Mark Giannotto

USA Today college football bowl schedule

Memphis vs. West Virginia all-time record 

Tuesday’s Frisco Bowl marks the first time that the Memphis Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers have faced off in their respective programs’ histories.

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Given the style of play in today’s NBA, 3-pointers are a necessity. In Tuesday’s NBA Cup final, the Milwaukee Bucks made them and the Oklahoma City Thunder did not.

It also helps to have two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on your side.

The Bucks captured the NBA Cup championship with a 97-81 victory against the Thunder, capitalizing on 3-pointers, a triple-double from Antetokounmpo (26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists) and 23 points from Damian Lillard.

The Bucks outscored the Thunder 51-15 on 3-pointers, with Milwaukee shooting 42.5% from 3 (17-for-40), and the Thunder making just five of their 32 3-point attempts (15.6%). It’s about impossible to win a game in today’s NBA with that discrepancy.

‘It’s the best feeling ever, just winning,’ Antetokounmpo said. ‘Winning feels good. Playing big games, feels good when you’re able to come to the game and execute your game plan, and then the outcome is exactly what you want it to be.’

Brook Lopez had 13 points and nine rebounds, and Gary Trent Jr. also added 13 points off the bench for the Bucks.

While this game does not count in the standings, the Bucks have rebounded from a 2-8 start and have won 13 of their past 16 games.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points but was just 8-for-24 from the field and 2-for-9 on 3s.

Bucks vs. Thunder highlights

Giannis Antetokounmpo named NBA Cup MVP

Antetokounmpo earned NBA Cup MVP. In six Cup games, he averaged 30.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.2 steals and shot 66.7% from the field. 

Bucks lift NBA Cup

Final: Bucks 97, Thunder 81. Milwaukee wins NBA Cup

Triple-double for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s assist late in the fourth quarter gave him a triple-double with 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists – plus three blocks and two steals as Milwaukee closed in on the NBA Cup title.

Bucks extend lead early in fourth

The Thunder need a big fourth-quarter comeback. Milwaukee’s quick 6-2 start to the fourth quarter on 3-pointers by Gary Trent Jr. and Brook Lopez has extended its lead to 83-66 with 10:01 left in the fourth.

Bucks take double-digit lead into fourth quarter: Bucks 77, Thunder 64

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is two assists from a triple-double, and the Bucks are 12 minutes from winning the NBA Cup.

They have a 77-64 lead against Oklahoma City after three quarters as Antetokounmpo has 26 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one block, and teammate Damian Lillard has 20 points. They are the only two Bucks players in double figures, but five other Milwaukee players have at least five points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a team-high 19 points, and Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein each have 14 points for the Thunder. However, Oklahoma City remains hampered by poor 3-point shooting – just 3-for-24 on 3s and it’s been outscored 33-9 on 3s. It’s hard to win a high-level game shooting 12.5% from deep.

Quick timeout for OKC early in third quarter

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault did not like his team’s start to the third quarter and called a timeout 2 minutes, 6 seconds into the third with the Bucks ahead 59-53. Giannis Antetokounmpo is moving closer to that triple-double: he has 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Damian Lillard is up to 15 points after making a 3-pointer.

Halftime: Bucks 51, Thunder 50

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard make the Bucks go – and they have Milwaukee halfway to an NBA Cup title. Milwaukee took a 51-50 lead into halftime, buoyed by Antetokounmpo’s 14 points, six rebounds and five assists (triple-double watch) and Lillard’s 12 points, four assists and three rebounds. The Bucks have 14 assists on 19 made field goals – ball movement is leading to good shots.

Oklahoma City was just 1-for-17 on 3-pointers and was outscored by the Bucks 21-3 from that distance. Isaiah Hartenstein has a team-high 14 points for the Thunder. Jalen Williams had 11 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 10 for OKC in the first half. Gilgeous-Alexander is just 4-for-13 from the field, including 1-for-5 on 3s.

Andre Jackson Jr., Isaiah Hartenstein hit with technical fouls as tempers flare

Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. and Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Hartenstein were issued technical fouls for a brief altercation that occurred with 1:56 left in the second quarter.

It appeared Jackson gave Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a little shove on a Gilgeous-Alexander field goal attempt. On the next possession, Hartenstein and Jackson exchanged words and had to be separated. After an altercation review by referees, both were given technical fouls. 

Thunder remain out in front

Isaiah Hartenstein (12 points), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (10 points) and Jalen Williams (eight points) have combined for 30 points as the Thunder are up 41-37 against the Bucks with 6:15 left in the second quarter. Damian Lillard leads the Bucks with 12 points. Milwaukee has outscored Oklahoma City 21-3 on 3-pointers, but OKC is shooting 69.6% on shots inside the 3-point line while Milwaukee is just 5-for-16 on 2-pointers.

End of first quarter: Thunder 28, Bucks 27

In a first quarter that had six lead changes, the Thunder grabbed a 28-27 lead after the opening 12 minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Hartenstein each had 10 points for the Thunder, and Gilgeous-Alexander also had two rebounds and two assists.

The potent 1-2 punch of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combined for 13 of Milwaukee’s 27 points, and the Bucks went 5-for-9 from 3-point range to stay close.

OKC shot 57.1% from the field (but just 1-for-6 on 3s) in the first quarter, and Milwaukee was 9-for-20 from the field.

3-ball working for Bucks

Even though the Thunder are 10-for-17 shooting from the field, they are 0-for-4 on 3-pointers. Meanwhile, the Bucks are shooing 46.7% from the field but have made four of their seven 3-pointers and own a 22-20 lead with 3:25 left in the first quarter. Taurean Prince, Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis and Damian Lillard have made 3s for Milwaukee.

Strong starts for Isaiah Hartenstein, Jalen Williams

Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, one of the savvy offseason acquisitions, had six points (3-for-3 shooting) and two rebounds in the first three minutes, and teammate Jalen Williams, who is making a case for his first All-Star appearance, has four points, one rebound, one assist, one steal and one block as the Thunder own an early 16-9 lead, forcing a Milwaukee timeout with 7:30 left in the first quarter.

No Khris Middleton for Bucks

Milwaukee small forward Khris Middleton, who played in his first game this season on Dec. 6, is out with a non-COVID illness.

NBA Cup final features two MVP candidates

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo has won two MVPs. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished second last season to Denver’s Nikola Jokic, who won his third MVP in four seasons.

They are among the leading candidates for the 2024-25 MVP two months into the season, and Antetokounmpo’s Bucks play Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder in the NBA Cup final.

The Bucks are hot after a 2-8 start and have won 12 of their past 15 games, and Antetokounmpo is leading the way. He is the NBA’s top scorer at 32.7 points per game and averages 11.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 blocks and shoots 61.4%, which would be a career high if he maintains that percentage. If the Bucks continue to win and vault into the top four in the Eastern Conference by season’s end (they are in sixth place right now), Antetokounmpo will have a great case for his third MVP.

Gilgeous-Alexander averages 30.3 points, 6.3 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals and shoots 51% from the field, 34% on 3s and 86.4% on free throws – and the Thunder are atop the West at 20-5. Just two players (Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic) average at least 30 points, 6.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals this season. A 60-win season with those stats might give Gilgeous-Alexander his first MVP.

NBA Cup final predictions

Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY: Thunder 112, Bucks 100
Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY: Thunder 108, Bucks 101
James Williams, USA TODAY: Thunder 100, Bucks 98

NBA Cup prize money

Here is the NBA Cup prize money for players in 2024: 

Players on losing quarterfinals teams: $51,497
Players on losing semifinals teams: $102,994
Players on losing team in championship game: $205,988
Players on winning team in NBA Cup championship game: $514,970

Why did the NBA Cup prize money increase?

The prize money increased because the players and the league agreed on it in the 2023 collective bargaining agreement as it relates to basketball-related income.

Following the first season of the NBA Cup in 2023, according to the CBA, prize money will increase ‘for each subsequent Salary Cap Year: (A) for each IST Player on the Team that wins the IST Finals Game, an amount equal to $500,000 multiplied by the ‘BRI Growth Factor’ for such Salary Cap Year; (B) for each IST Player on the Team that loses the IST Finals Game, an amount equal to $200,000 multiplied by the BRI Growth Factor for such Salary Cap Year; (C) for each IST Player on a Team that loses an IST Semifinals game, $100,000 multiplied by the BRI Growth Factor for such Salary Cap Year; and (D) for each IST Player on a Team that loses an IST Quarterfinals game, $50,000 multiplied by the BRI Growth Factor for such Salary Cap Year.’

What is BRI growth factor? According to the CBA, ‘the BRI Growth Factor for a Salary Cap Year is a fraction, the numerator of which is BRI for the immediately preceding Salary Cap Year and the denominator of which is BRI for the 2022-23 Salary Cap Year; provided, however, that the NBA and Players Association may agree to reduce the BRI Growth Factor for one (1) or more Salary Cap Years to a smaller fraction with value of no less than one (1).’

In simpler terms, the prize money is about a 3% increase season over season.

What time is the NBA Cup final?

The NBA Cup final tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

How to watch the NBA Cup final

Tuesday’s NBA Cup final is at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC and can be streamed on Fubo.

Where is the NBA Cup final?

Tuesday’s final is being played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

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