• What: Michigan State vs. Northwestern

• When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday

• Where: Breslin Center

• TV/Radio: Big Ten Network/Spartan Sports Network radio, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM; SiriusXM Ch. 195 (MSU broadcast), 372 (Northwestern broadcast)

• Records/Rankings: MSU is 13-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, and enters the week ranked No. 12 in the Associated Press poll and No. 13 USA TODAY Coaches poll, No. 12 in the NET rankings used by the NCAA tournament selection committee, and No. 12 per the college basketball analytics site Kenpom.com. Northwestern is 8-6 overall and 0-3 in the Big Ten, and unranked in both major polls. The Wildcats are No. 82 in the NET rankings and No. 61 per Kenpom.

• Betting line: MSU -11.5

• Coaches:Michigan State — Tom Izzo is 750-304 in his 31st season as a head coach, all with the Spartans. Northwestern — Chris Collins is 202-196 in his 13th season as a head coach, all with the Wildcats.

• Series: MSU leads 96-42 all-time and won the only meeting last season, in Evanston.

Projected lineups

MSU

C (15) Carson Cooper (6-11) 9.7

PF (0) Jaxon Kohler (6-9) 14.2

SF (55) Coen Carr (6-5) 11.9

SG (99) Divine Ugochukwu (6-3) 5.5

PG (1) Jeremy Fears Jr. (6-2) 11.9

Northwestern

C (22) Arrinten Page (6-11) 15.0

F (2) Nick Martinelli (6-7) 23.0

F (44) Angelo Ciaravino (6-6) 6.9

G (11) Jordan Clayton (6-2) 2.9

G (4) Jayden Reid (5-10) 11.6

• MSU update: The Spartans play their third Big Ten game in seven days and their second in front of the Alumni Izzone. After an 80-51 win over USC on Monday night, MSU is the No. 2 team in the country in defensive efficiency, per Kenpom. The Spartans are also the second-best defensive rebounding team in the country and are No. 12 in offensive rebounding. They’re also No. 2 nationally in assist-to-made-basket percentage at 69.7%. Jeremy Fears Jr. remains No. 2 in the country in assists at 9.0 per game. Jaxon Kohler is No. 2 in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting percentage at 53.7%.

The Spartans should be as close to fully healthy as they’ve been since Thanksgiving. Sophomore guard Divine Ugochukwu returned Monday after missing a game with an illness. And freshman forward Cam Ward said Tuesday that his injured wrist, which he revealed was a bit more than a sprain, finally has full range of motion again and he’s regaining increasing confidence in his game.

• Northwestern update: The Wildcats are coming off an 84-78 home loss to Minnesota, the sort of defeat they have to avoid if they have any hope of making an NCAA tournament push. Winning at MSU on Thursday night would go a long way toward making up for some of their slip-ups during an 8-6 start. Northwestern’s best wins are at DePaul (108 in Kenpom) and a neutral site game against South Carolina (68). The Wildcats’ losses are to Oklahoma State (58), at Wisconsin (42), Ohio State (37) at home, Butler (56) in Indianapolis and then to the Gophers (91). This is largely a new team from a year ago, outside of one giant piece: forward Nick Martinelli, who, at 23.0 points per game, is one-tenth of a point behind the national scoring lead.

• Matchup analysis: The Wildcats have some good talent and should have a higher floor than they’ve shown this season. Martinelli is a chore to defend, a good player downhill, relentless and crafty and a capable shooter all the way out beyond the 3-point arc, where he shoots 50%. He spends most of his minutes at power forward for Northwestern. I think we’ll see a mix of Jaxon Kohler, Coen Carr and Cam Ward defending him. Overall, Northwestern has really struggled to shoot from the perimeter, hitting less than 32% of 3-point tries. It’s the Wildcats’ most debilitating weakness. They hit 6 of 23 in the loss to the Gophers and were also badly out-rebounded. That’s going to be a problem for them in this game. They’re nationally in the bottom quarter of teams in terms of defensive rebounding, meaning the Spartans are likely to feast on the offensive glass.

Northwestern does make teams work offensively. Opponents average 19 seconds per possession against the Wildcats, which is the most in the nation. South Florida transfer Jayden Reid can be a good point guard. He’s quick, is a decent finisher at the rim and is a more capable outside shooter than the 28% he’s been making this season. Freshman forward Tre Singleton, who’s been starting, was a terrific get for Chris Collins. He’s a powerful young player who’s flashed with some promising performances this season.

• Prediction: Northwestern has been a tricky team for MSU in recent years and Martinelli is worthy of respect. But other than the Wildcats’ potential ability to slow the Spartans’ break, I like this matchup for MSU. Plus, after Monday, MSU is now not only 10-1 against the point spread in its last 11 games in front of the Alumni Izzone, but the Spartans have averaged to win those games by 11 points more than the spread (That stat courtesy of Steve Beckman.). MSU might want to kick the students out and invite the alums back for the Jan. 30 game against Michigan.

• Make it: MSU 81, Northwestern 67

MORE:Couch: By transforming MSU Athletics, J Batt hopes to build a sustainable enterprise — and winning football

Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on X @Graham_Coch and BlueSky @GrahamCouch.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU basketball vs. Northwestern prediction, preview, TV, betting line

As “NXT” stars such as Je’Von Evans, Oba Femi, and Trick Williams move on from the Performance Center to the main roster, WWE is now forced to scout for the company’s next big faces. WWE tryouts are fast-approaching, it seems that the professional wrestling conglomerate is sourcing their next hottest stars from a variety of backgrounds.

According to PWInsider Elite, WWE is set to host sometime during the week of January 12. While the list of attendees is undoubtedly short, some confirmed names include Akron, Ohio’s Joshua Hillen. Hillen, a former United States Marine, recently won the title of America’s Strongest Veteran in Las Vegas in October. According to InkFreeNews, Hillen took first place in the Trump Weights Axle Clean and Press, the Keg Carry Over Bar, and the Sandbag Throw events — three of the competition’s five listed events. Hillen, 5’7″, began competing in strongman competitions eight years ago.

James Karnik, a 27-year old basketball player from Canada, will also join Hillen at WWE tryouts this coming week. Karnik proudly displays his experience on both Canadian and Czech basketball teams in his Instagram bio, and was most recently seen averaging 12 points and 7 rebounds per game in Eurocup. Karnik, 6’9″, played for the Vancouver Bandits for the 2022, 2024, and 2025 season.

Hillen and Karnik do not have any professional wrestling experience, but it is not uncommon to see strongmen, powerlifters, and professional athletes make the jump to WWE, as was the case with recent “NXT” Superstars Jordynne Grace, a known powerlifter, Lash Legend, a former WNBA player, and, perhaps most famously, Bron Breakker, a former NFL fullback. WWE have their eyes on several blossoming collegiate athletes through their WWE NIL (Next in Line) program.

PWInsider Elite is currently in the process of confirming more names as WWE tryouts quickly approach.

Read more: 30 Best Wrestlers Under 30 In 2025, Ranked By Wrestling Inc.

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Armand Burris is staying on The Highest of Seven Hills.

On Wednesday, Jan. 7, the Florida A&M football wide receiver announced on X/Twitter that he will withdraw from the NCAA Transfer Portal to play for new head coach Quinn Gray Sr.

Burris, a rising redshirt sophomore, is the son of former FAMU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Henry Burris, a Canadian Football League Hall of Famer.

Henry Burris announced on Wednesday via X/Twitter that he wouldn’t be returning to FAMU next season after working with the now-dismissed head coach James Colzie III’s staff for the past two seasons.

Grateful for my time at Florida A&M and the opportunity to work with an incredible group of young men and coaches.

Thankful for the relationships, lessons, and memories.

Wishing the Rattlers continued success. 🐍 pic.twitter.com/rhQhIPlvy2

— Henry Burris (@HenryBurris) January 7, 2026

“Grateful for my time at Florida A&M and the opportunity to work with an incredible group of young men and coaches,” Henry Burris tweeted.

“Thankful for the relationships, lessons, and memories. Wishing the Rattlers continued success.”

Henry Burris was appointed acting head coach after FAMU relieved Colzie of his duties on Dec. 8, 2025. FAMU went 12-12 during Colzie’s two-year tenure, including going 5-7 in 2025, the program’s first losing season since 2017.

FAMU hired Gray, a former record-setting quarterback for the Rattlers, away from NCAA Division II Historically Black College and University Albany State on Dec. 23, 2025.

Gray will make his first remarks as FAMU’s 20th full-time head football coach this Friday, Jan. 9, at noon, in a joint introductory press conference with new Vice President and Director of Athletics John F. Davis at the Al Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center.

Armand Burris was one of the Rattlers’ reliable catchers last season, notching 17 receptions for 222 yards and scoring two touchdowns after being a reserve in 2024.

He’s one of many FAMU players from past seasons to leave the transfer portal and repledge to the Rattlers. Among those players is Antonio Camon Jr, a defensive end who led the team in sacks last year.

The Rattlers have also netted some outside transfer portal commitments, such as Albany State quarterback Isaiah Knowles, who won the 2024 and 2025 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Florida A&M football NCAA Transfer Portal

Who’s Coming?

Since Quinn Gray hire on Dec. 23, 2025

• Isaiah Knowles, Quarterback, Albany State
• Corey ‘Deuce’ Petty, Wide Receiver, Albany State
• Xavier Herndon, Tight End, Albany State
• Terrell James, Defensive Lineman, East Mississippi Community College

Who’s Leaving?

• Tyler Jefferson, Quarterback
• RJ Johnson III, Quarterback
• Jett Peddy, Quarterback
• Ja’Cory Jordan, Wide Receiver
• Goldie Lawrence, Wide Receiver
• Jalen ‘Speedy’ Rogers, Wide Receiver
• Kenari Wilcher, Wide Receiver
• Miles Campbell, Tight End
• Andrew Ritter, Tight End
• David Gardner, Offensive Lineman
• Landon Bolding, Defensive Lineman
• Davion Westmoreland, Defensive End
• Ah’Mare Lee, Cornerback
• Daniel Porto, Kicker
• Jack Carson-Wentz, Long Snapper

Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.

Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football’s Armand Burris to return, son of former OC Henry Burris

In an offseason that has seen contenders such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays already make big moves, the Chicago Cubs have taken a different approach. After winning 92 games last season, the Cubs have mostly been quiet this winter.

But the team finally made a big addition Wednesday, when the Cubs finalized a trade with the Miami Marlins to land starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, the teams announced. In exchange, Chicago is sending outfield prospect Owen Caissie, infielder Christian Hernandez and third baseman Edgardo De Leon to Miami.

Cabrera, 27, turned in the best season of his career in 2025, posting a 3.53 ERA over a career-high 137 2/3 innings. 

For years, Cabrera was viewed as a high-upside pitcher with significant flaws. While he didn’t completely eliminate those flaws in 2025, he made major strides improving his control, which led to a career season. Cabrera cut his walk rate down to 8.3%; his previous career low was 11.3%.

That improvement was spurred by a change in his pitch mix. Cabrera relied far less on his four-seam fastball, which — despite its solid velocity — routinely got hit hard and too often landed out of the strike zone. Instead, Cabrera upped his percentage of breaking balls, which have always graded out well by pitch metrics. He also prioritized using a sinker, and while the pitch wasn’t effective, he controlled it well, which allowed him to more consistently get ahead of batters.

[Get more Cubs news: Chicago team feed]

While it was an encouraging change, Cabrera still struggled to stay healthy in 2025. Although he threw a career-high 137 2/3 innings, he missed time due to elbow issues later in the year. He was able to return to action after missing some time and pitched fairly well down the stretch. Still, injuries have been a consistent issue for Cabrera since he broke into the majors in 2022. He has never pitched more than 26 games in a season in the majors, and he hasn’t thrown more than 150 innings in a season — including his minor-league starts — since 2019. 

The acquisition comes with risk but also significant team control. Cabrera is arbitration-eligible through the 2028 MLB season and won’t be a free agent until 2029.

It’s arguably the most significant move the Cubs have made this offseason. The team made waves in November when it declined an option on starter Shota Imanaga. The pitcher later returned after the team offered him a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer.

In addition to Cabrera and Imanaga, the Cubs’ rotation should also feature 2025 All-Star Matthew Boyd, promising youngster Cade Horton and veteran Jameson Taillon — at least until Justin Steele is able to return from Tommy John surgery. 

That’s not a perfect rotation, but it should be good enough to keep the team in contention, especially if Boyd and Taillon can continue to age gracefully and Imanaga bounces back after a rocky second season in the majors.

With the rotation seemingly set, the Cubs can now turn their attention to the lineup, where the team is looking to replace Kyle Tucker. On paper, the Cubs’ offense has plenty of talent even without the star outfielder, but one more big move could push the Cubs from a good team to a legitimate World Series contender.

In an offseason that has seen contenders such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays already make big moves, the Chicago Cubs have taken a different approach. After winning 92 games last season, the Cubs have mostly been quiet this winter.

But the team finally made a big addition Wednesday, when the Cubs finalized a trade with the Miami Marlins to land starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, the teams announced. In exchange, Chicago is sending outfield prospect Owen Caissie, infielder Christian Hernandez and third baseman Edgardo De Leon to Miami.

Cabrera, 27, turned in the best season of his career in 2025, posting a 3.53 ERA over a career-high 137 2/3 innings. 

For years, Cabrera was viewed as a high-upside pitcher with significant flaws. While he didn’t completely eliminate those flaws in 2025, he made major strides improving his control, which led to a career season. Cabrera cut his walk rate down to 8.3%; his previous career low was 11.3%.

That improvement was spurred by a change in his pitch mix. Cabrera relied far less on his four-seam fastball, which — despite its solid velocity — routinely got hit hard and too often landed out of the strike zone. Instead, Cabrera upped his percentage of breaking balls, which have always graded out well by pitch metrics. He also prioritized using a sinker, and while the pitch wasn’t effective, he controlled it well, which allowed him to more consistently get ahead of batters.

[Get more Cubs news: Chicago team feed]

While it was an encouraging change, Cabrera still struggled to stay healthy in 2025. Although he threw a career-high 137 2/3 innings, he missed time due to elbow issues later in the year. He was able to return to action after missing some time and pitched fairly well down the stretch. Still, injuries have been a consistent issue for Cabrera since he broke into the majors in 2022. He has never pitched more than 26 games in a season in the majors, and he hasn’t thrown more than 150 innings in a season — including his minor-league starts — since 2019. 

The acquisition comes with risk but also significant team control. Cabrera is arbitration-eligible through the 2028 MLB season and won’t be a free agent until 2029.

It’s arguably the most significant move the Cubs have made this offseason. The team made waves in November when it declined an option on starter Shota Imanaga. The pitcher later returned after the team offered him a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer.

In addition to Cabrera and Imanaga, the Cubs’ rotation should also feature 2025 All-Star Matthew Boyd, promising youngster Cade Horton and veteran Jameson Taillon — at least until Justin Steele is able to return from Tommy John surgery. 

That’s not a perfect rotation, but it should be good enough to keep the team in contention, especially if Boyd and Taillon can continue to age gracefully and Imanaga bounces back after a rocky second season in the majors.

With the rotation seemingly set, the Cubs can now turn their attention to the lineup, where the team is looking to replace Kyle Tucker. On paper, the Cubs’ offense has plenty of talent even without the star outfielder, but one more big move could push the Cubs from a good team to a legitimate World Series contender.