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This time it's Angel Reese’s turn: Sky rookie leads comeback win against Fever

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This time it's Angel Reese’s turn: Sky rookie leads comeback win against Fever


Wintrust Arena was a mix of old and new Sunday for the highly anticipated third meeting of the season between the Sky and Fever.

On one end of the court — across from the Sky’s bench — sat Margaret Stender, the team’s founding president and CEO, with actor Jason Sudeikis two seats down. Kitty-corner from them, near the Fever, were Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and rapper Lil Durk alongside a row of longtime season-ticket holders.

The proximity between the long-timers and new supporters represented what is happening in the WNBA at this moment.

After years of steadily increasing interest and longstanding loyalty from diehard fans, the league is being catapulted to new heights. Two rookie are responsible: the Sky’s Angel Reese and the Fever’s Caitlin Clark.

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The Sky’s 88-87 victory — in which they rallied from a 15-point deficit, sparked by a fourth-quarter burst from Reese — signaled these teams are future titans of the WNBA. It’s only a matter of time.

‘‘Everybody’s watching right now,’’ Reese said. ‘‘It’s one of the most important times. Both teams did an amazing job putting on a show.’’

The game was a masterpiece between two teams reluctant to call what’s budding a rivalry. But the jawing, fan response, ticket prices and level of play spoke for itself.

With a little more than six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Fever’s NaLyssa Smith caught a lob pass from teammate Aliyah Boston and scored against Reese in the paint. She followed up her basket with the player-favorite ‘‘too small’’ gesture.

‘‘I didn’t even see it,’’ Reese said. ‘‘My teammates had to tell me she did that.’’

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Reese might not have seen it, but she responded like a competitor, unwilling to be mocked on her home court. She proceeded to go on a 10-point tear, shooting 4-for-5 from the field in the last six minutes.

Reese notched her eighth consecutive double-double with a career-high 25 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field and 16 rebounds. She is the first rookie since two-time MVP A’ja Wilson with 25 or more points and 15 or more rebounds in a game.

“I’m a dog,” Reese said postgame to ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. “You can’t teach that.”

Fellow rookie Kamilla Cardoso had a double-double, as well, with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Together, the Sky’s ‘‘skyscrapers’’ — as they’ve been dubbed by fans — outrebounded the entire Fever team 26-25.

‘‘Electric’’ was the word Reese used to describe the fourth quarter, as the deafening cheers of the sellout crowd consumed Wintrust Arena.

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‘‘The energy in there was amazing,’’ Reese said. ‘‘I couldn’t hear at times.’’

Between Reese’s late-game heroics and Clark’s magician-like facilitating, the game lived up to its billing.

At times, the cheers in response to Clark’s five three-pointers made it sound like a home crowd for the Fever. She finished with 17 points and set a franchise record for assists in a game with 13. Clark also became the first rookie in 10 years to have a double-double in points and assists.

The game between the teams June 15 was the most-viewed WNBA game in 23 years, averaging 2.25 million viewers. The game Sunday, which was televised by ESPN, is likely to be an even bigger blockbuster, with ratings expected to be public by Tuesday.

What’s already clear is that these franchises have the potential to play each other in the postseason for years. All it will take is both franchises continuing to develop, so they’ll be ready to take the reins when the inevitable transfer of power from the current giants in the league takes place.

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If Sunday indicated anything, it’s that Reese and Clark already are nipping at the heels of those whose records they’re breaking.





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Indiana

Indiana Football Coach Sends Students Alpha Email With Simple Message

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Indiana Football Coach Sends Students Alpha Email With Simple Message


Curt Cignetti sent one of the best football guy emails you’ll ever see.

Cignetti and his Indiana Hoosiers are currently 4-0, and have a chance to start a season 5-0 for the first time in 57 years with a Saturday win over Maryland.

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There’s been a significant vibe shift in Bloomington in Cignetti’s very short run as the team’s head coach. The Hoosiers used to be a punching bag in the Big Ten. Now, they’re off to one of the hottest starts in America, and Cignetti needs students to do one thing:

Put down the books and get to the game.

Curt Cignetti fires off awesome email to Indiana students. 

Like any good leader, Cignetti needed to address the masses ahead of a critical game, and in the year 2024 on a college campus, an email blast is the way to get it done. He didn’t disappoint.

“When the clock hits zero and we’re 5-0, I want you to be there to celebrate a historic win with us. The tailgates can wait. The parties can wait. If you need to study, that can wait too. There are good things happening with IU Football, and you’re a big part of it,” Cignetti said, in part, in the email blasted out to students.

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That’s right, folks. The Indiana football coach has given fans a pass from studying to get to Memorial Stadium to watch the matchup against the Terrapins.

You can read the full email below, and hit me with your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Football. Guy. This is the exact kind of leader I want running my program. Studying? Folks, you have the rest of the school year to study.

This is the only opportunity Indiana might have to break a 57-year streak for a long time. Put the books down, get your Indiana gear on and get ready to rock and roll.

My only issue is with him saying tailgates can wait. Tailgates happen *BEFORE* kickoff. People need a nice buzz going before watching the Hoosiers and Terrapins take the field.

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Close your laptop, find a tailgate, get things rolling, hit up the game and then celebrate afterward. It’s a very simple but very successful formula.

You can watch Indiana play Maryland at noon EDT on the Big Ten Network. Hit me with your predictions at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.





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Indiana Pacers sign Josiah-Jordan James to camp contract, waive two players

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Indiana Pacers sign Josiah-Jordan James to camp contract, waive two players


The Indiana Pacers signed one player and waived two on Friday as they get their roster ready for training camp and the upcoming G League season.

Indiana added Keisei Tominaga and Tyler Polley via Exhibit 10 contracts earlier this week, which brought the team to 21 players in total. That’s the maximum allowed during the offseason.

One day later, both players were waived. Because both players were on contracts that contained Exhibit 10 language, they are eligible to receive a monetary bonus if they report to the Pacers G League affiliate franchise, the Indiana Mad Ants, for 60 days in the coming season.

With roster spots open and available, the Pacers officially signed a player that they agreed to terms with back in June. Josiah-Jordan James, a rookie wing out of Tennessee, signed an Exhibit 10 deal on Friday.

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James averaged 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in his final collegiate season. He’s a solid wing who performed a pre-draft workout for Indiana earlier this summer. “This organization is second-to-none,” James said of the franchise at the time.

He has a lengthy previous relationship with Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith. Nesmith stayed in Indianapolis for one extra day in the offseason to watch James’ pre-draft workout. “I’ve known Aaron since I was in sixth grade,” said James of the relationship. “When we really got serious about the game of basketball, we pushed each other.”

The press release announcing the signing of James says that his Exhibit 10 deal will put him with the Mad Ants, so he will be waived prior to the start of the season. The rookie wing played for the Pacers in summer league, averaging 1.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game across three outings.



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Obituary for Patsy A. Deel at Yeager Funeral Home

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Obituary for Patsy A. Deel at Yeager Funeral Home


Patsy A. Deel, age 80, of Ligonier, passed away on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at her residence. She was born on April 17, 1944 in Murphy, VA to Harmon and Margaret Deel Deel. She married Edgar Deel on January 5, 1963 in Grundy, VA. Patsy is survived by her husband,



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