Indiana
Florida transfer forward Sam Alexis commits to Indiana
Florida transfer forward Sam Alexis announced his commitment to Indiana on Thursday night.
Alexis, a 20-year-old native of Apopka, Florida, averaged 4.8 points and 3.5 rebounds in 24 games last season for the Gators. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward has one season of eligibility remaining.
Over 89 career games at Chattanooga, where he played his first two seasons, and Florida, Alexis has averaged 7.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.2 blocked shots and 1.1 assists per game.
His most productive season came as a sophomore at Chattanooga when he started 32 of the team’s 33 games and averaged 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots in 26.4 minutes per game. His block percentage that season of 8.6 ranked 37th in the country, according to KenPom.com.
At Chattanooga, Alexis was named third-team All-Southern Conference in the 2023-24 season and to the league’s all-defensive team. As a freshman in the 2022-23 season, he was named to the league’s All-freshman team.
Alexis’s best statistical performance last season at Florida, which won the national championship, came against North Florida on December 21. He finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds in 18 minutes.
He owns a career field goal percentage of 52.5 percent and is a career 51.6 percent free-throw shooter.
Alexis is the ninth transfer portal commitment for IU coach Darian DeVries this spring. He joins Tucker DeVries, Conor Enright, Reed Bailey, Lamar Wilkerson, Jasai Miles, Tayton Conerway, Jason Drake and Nick Dorn.
Here is his bio from the Florida official site:
Overview
• Totaled 516 points and 287 rebounds in two seasons at Chattanooga before transferring to Florida in 2024.
• Earned All-Southern Conference and All-Defensive Team honors as a sophomore, averaging 10.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots in 2023-24.
• An outstanding rebounder and rim protector expected to continue expanding his game on the offensive end.
• Native Floridian who starred at Apopka High School, earning first-team All-Metro Conference honors his senior season.
Honors
• 2024 Third-Team All-Southern Conference
• 2024 Southern Conference All-Defensive Team
• 2023 Southern Conference All-Freshman Team
• 2023 Southern Conference Honor Roll
2023-24, Sophomore Season (Chattanooga)
• Totaled 356 points (10.8 per game), 299 rebounds (9.1), 70 blocked shots (2.1) and 59 assists (1.8) in 33 appearances with 32 starts, shooting .550 from the field.
• Earned third-team All-SoCon and SoCon All-Defensive Team honors.
• Posted nine double-doubles and 20 games with double-figure scoring.
• Grabbed double-digit rebounds 13 times, including four with 15+.
• One of four players in the nation to average at least 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game while shooting .550 or better from the floor.
• Posted a huge 27-point, 15-rebound outing along with three blocked shots in a win vs. Tennessee Tech, shooting 9-for-13 from the floor.
• Grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds including seven on the offensive end, adding 13 points in a win vs. Mercer. Also tallied 15 rebounds in double-doubles against Evansville (10 points) and VMI (14 points).
• Had five blocked shots at UW-Milwaukee and at home vs. Covenant.
2022-23, Freshman Season (Chattanooga)
• Totaled 160 points (5.0 per game) and 123 rebounds (3.8) in 32 appearances off the bench, earning SoCon All-Freshman recognition.
• Posted two double-doubles, including a season-best 27 points and 11 rebounds vs. Covenant.
• Scored 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting, 4-for-6 from 3-point range, against Mercer.
• Had 10 points, 11 rebounds and a season-best four blocked shots against Johnson (Tenn.).
Prep
• Starred at Apopka High School, earning first-team All-Metro Conference and second-team All-Central Florida following his 2021-22 senior season in which he averaged 13.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
• A Class 8A All-State nominee, helping lead Apopka to a 19-9 overall record in his senior season.
Shot an efficient .668 from the floor and posted 11 double-doubles during his senior season.
• Posted career highs in points (26), rebounds (15) and blocks (4) on three separate occasions as a senior.
Category: Recruiting
Filed to: Sam Alexis
Indiana
The Unexpected Reason Indiana’s Award-Winning Airport Has Vibrant LED Overhead Lights – Islands
Some airports are destinations unto themselves. At the most luxurious airports in the world, world-class lounges, fine dining, luxury shopping, high-end spas, green spaces, water features, and art installations can make a layover as relaxing or invigorating as the destination you are visiting. Indiana’s award-winning Indianapolis International Airport, lauded for the best customer service in North America, has one such art installation — an LED overhead light display that engages travelers as they walk along a pedestrian bridge. Recently highlighted in an enthusiastic TikTok from a local resident, someone claiming to be a former airport staff member commented on the post and revealed the unexpected reason for the vibrant installation: Capturing your face on camera.
Anyone who has flown recently will know that facial recognition is now a major element in airport security. In the United States, TSA’s facial recognition is taking over airports, though you can opt out if you want to. In a statement to CBS News about the proliferation of facial recognition technology, TSA Administrator David Pekoske notes that it helps improve efficiency and security. So, how does a colorful light show at Indianapolis International Airport help security with facial recognition?
How Indianapolis Airport’s LED light feature helps with facial recognition
The LED light display at Indianapolis International Airport is entitled “Connections,” created by a duo of LA-based artists known as Electroland. The light installation consists of brightly colored baubles that, along with sound and musical cues, respond to the movement of travelers who pass underneath it. According to one TikToker who commented on the recent post, “I worked there for a couple of years. Fun fact: It’s actually designed to make you look up so they can get your face on camera.” Another TikTok user, @trashman32749, seconded this notion: “Correct. There are very strategically placed cameras down that stretch that [blend] into the wall.”
“Connections” is located on one of the main entrances to the Indianapolis airport, the pedestrian bridge that connects the parking garage to the terminal. While not every traveler will pass through this corridor when coming to or going from Indianapolis International, it captures a lot of faces, not only of airline passengers, but also those parking at the airport and entering the terminal, even if they aren’t traveling. This provides an added measure of security, potentially capturing those who wouldn’t also be having their picture taken at TSA. While some other TikTok users found this alleged motive somewhat underhanded, others found it to be clever or reassuring, remarking with comments such as “genuinely cool fact,” “I love that honestly,” and “wait that’s so smart.”
Indiana
Indiana’s Curt Cignetti scoffs at idea of bye week favoritism before Rose Bowl vs. Alabama | Sporting News
Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti doesn’t make the rules regarding the College Football Playoff. He just plays by them.
The Hoosiers earned the No. 1 seed in the 12-team field after beating the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten title game Dec. 6 in Indianapolis, which guaranteed the defending national champions wouldn’t finish the season undefeated regardless of when it ends.
Given the Hoosiers’ recent football history, a bye week is uncharted waters for Cignetti. But it’s nothing his team can’t handle, he told reporters Monday.
“Would I prefer to play earlier? Yeah, I probably would, to be quite honest with you. But that’s not the case, so,” Cignetti said. “We’re excited about playing. We’re off to a good start. And, it’ll be a tremendous challenge.”
With the Crimson Tide’s road win against the Oklahoma Sooners this past Friday, Cignetti said Indiana didn’t feel pressure to take its foot off the gas even though the result (an eventual 34-24 slugfest) was unknown.
“Well, you know, it is what it is, so you make the most of it,” Cignetti said. “The way we approached it until we knew the opponent? We treated it like two bye weeks, and now we have almost two weeks to prepare for the opponent.”
The game will likely come down to whoever is the most efficient quarterback between Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson, which should make for a potentially thrilling shootout in Pasadena, Calif.
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET, as the winner extends the season.
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
A Powerball player from Arkansas may have brought home the $1.817 billion jackpot from Christmas Eve’s drawing, but eight $1 million tickets were also sold — including in Indiana.
Here’s what to know:
Yes. A single ticket sold in Arkansas matched all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve to win the $1.817 billion jackpot.
Eight other tickets sold in states including California, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia also won $1 million. Two of the eight tickets were sold in New York.
Hoosier Lottery Director of External Affairs Jared Bond said a $1 million winning Powerball ticket was sold in Chalmers, Indiana, and has not yet been claimed.
Chalmers is located about half an hour, or 20 miles, north of Lafayette in White County.
The winning numbers for the Wednesday, Dec. 24, drawing were: 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and the Powerball was 19. The “Power Play” multiplier was 2x.
The next drawing will take place Dec. 27 at around 11 p.m. ET.
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr., Mike Snider, Ray Padilla, Stephanie Stremplewski and Lillian Metzmeier, USA TODAY Network. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.
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