Kansas Rallies Late For Win Over Oklahoma
The Kansas Jayhawks now sit as the No. 1 team in the country following Gonzaga's first loss, but the Big 12 Champions were in deep water late in Monday's game. The Jayhawks had to rally from a late 12-point deficit to avoid the upset against the Oklahoma Sooners with a 73-63 victory. Frank Mason III had 23 points on senior night, while Devonte Graham had 16 points, including two crucial three-pointers down the stretch. Kansas finished the game on a 31-11 run, helping them improve to 15-2 in Big 12 play. The Sooners dropped to 4-13 in conference play, but came so close to spoiling the Jayahwks move to No. 1 for the first time this season. Their lead was at 54-42 with just over 10 minutes to play before the Jayhawks went on their game-deciding run. Within that impressive run, was a 17-2 charge in the final five minutes. The Kansas Jayhawks now sit as favorites to earn a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, even if they were to lose before season's end.
North Carolina Shut Down in Loss to Virginia
The North Carolina Tar Heels moved up to No. 5 in the AP polls this week, but came out with their worst offensive performance under head coach Roy Williams on Monday night. The Tar Heels were upset by No. 23 Virginia, 53-43, for their lowest point total in Williams' tenure as their coach, and lowest overall since 1979. The Cavaliers stifled the Tar Heels with their tough defense, but also got 17 points from Kyle Guy, while London Perrantes added 13 in the win. Despite the lack of offense, UNC stayed in the game for most of the night, trailing by just four at the break. They committed 12 first-half turnovers en route to a 23-point half. North Carolina had won four in a row, and were averaging 86.2 points this season, but scored just four points in the game's final 9:26. Before then, they trailed by just one against the Cavs. Joel Berry II had 12 points, while Justin Jackson contributed just seven points in the Tar Heels' fourth ACC loss.
Steelers Make Antonio Brown Highest-Paid WR
Antonio Brown has been a top wide receiver on the stat sheet for the past few seasons, but now he has moved up on the salary list. Brown agreed to a four-year, $68 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the game. The contract keeps him with the black and gold through 2021, and does include a $19 million signing bonus. He will make $18.5 million in the first three years, followed by $12.5 million in the final year. The team made the announcement as a five-year deal after restructuring his contract last August. Brown made an announcement himself on Twitter with a tweet stating "Steelers for life" with a picture of him signing the contract. The 28-year-old was a sixth-round pick in 2010, has been named to five Pro Bowls, and has three first-team All-Pro nods in seven NFL seasons. He is also the first Steeler to finish with 1,000 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in three straight seasons, which makes this contract that much more deserved.
The Kansas Jayhawks now sit as the No. 1 team in the country following Gonzaga's first loss, but the Big 12 Champions were in deep water late in Monday's game. The Jayhawks had to rally from a late 12-point deficit to avoid the upset against the Oklahoma Sooners with a 73-63 victory. Frank Mason III had 23 points on senior night, while Devonte Graham had 16 points, including two crucial three-pointers down the stretch. Kansas finished the game on a 31-11 run, helping them improve to 15-2 in Big 12 play. The Sooners dropped to 4-13 in conference play, but came so close to spoiling the Jayahwks move to No. 1 for the first time this season. Their lead was at 54-42 with just over 10 minutes to play before the Jayhawks went on their game-deciding run. Within that impressive run, was a 17-2 charge in the final five minutes. The Kansas Jayhawks now sit as favorites to earn a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, even if they were to lose before season's end.
North Carolina Shut Down in Loss to Virginia
The North Carolina Tar Heels moved up to No. 5 in the AP polls this week, but came out with their worst offensive performance under head coach Roy Williams on Monday night. The Tar Heels were upset by No. 23 Virginia, 53-43, for their lowest point total in Williams' tenure as their coach, and lowest overall since 1979. The Cavaliers stifled the Tar Heels with their tough defense, but also got 17 points from Kyle Guy, while London Perrantes added 13 in the win. Despite the lack of offense, UNC stayed in the game for most of the night, trailing by just four at the break. They committed 12 first-half turnovers en route to a 23-point half. North Carolina had won four in a row, and were averaging 86.2 points this season, but scored just four points in the game's final 9:26. Before then, they trailed by just one against the Cavs. Joel Berry II had 12 points, while Justin Jackson contributed just seven points in the Tar Heels' fourth ACC loss.
Steelers Make Antonio Brown Highest-Paid WR
Antonio Brown has been a top wide receiver on the stat sheet for the past few seasons, but now he has moved up on the salary list. Brown agreed to a four-year, $68 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the game. The contract keeps him with the black and gold through 2021, and does include a $19 million signing bonus. He will make $18.5 million in the first three years, followed by $12.5 million in the final year. The team made the announcement as a five-year deal after restructuring his contract last August. Brown made an announcement himself on Twitter with a tweet stating "Steelers for life" with a picture of him signing the contract. The 28-year-old was a sixth-round pick in 2010, has been named to five Pro Bowls, and has three first-team All-Pro nods in seven NFL seasons. He is also the first Steeler to finish with 1,000 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in three straight seasons, which makes this contract that much more deserved.
