Kansas

Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Falls 70-67 Against Kansas State to Open Big 12 Action

Published

1 year ago

December 31, 2024

Three Man Weave: Cincinnati Falls 70-67 Against Kansas State to Open Big 12 Action

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats are in an early hole to start Big 12 play amidst a 70-67 loss to the Kansas State Wildcats.

The road crowd roared and KSU’s best players fed off it all night to limit Cincinnati’s offense and scored 70-plus points on their top-five defense for the first time this season.

Coleman Hawkins (season-high 20 points, 10 rebounds, four steals three assists) showed why he was so coveted in the transfer portal to reignite life into the Wildcats season. It was a masterful performance from the 6-10 big man.

Cincinnati now leads the all-time series 8-2, with the first seven of those played from 1958-68. The Wildcats avenged the loss at Fifth Third Arena last season.

The Bearcats’ offensive struggles against good teams continued in this game. Featured most heavily in the worst game of the season for Simas Lukošius (four points, two assists). He couldn’t get into any kind of rhythm and it paralyzed UC’s offense through long stretches.

UC posted just 11 assists and attempted 26 combined free throws and threes. That kind of defensive discipline is hard to overcome and UC couldn’t get enough rim looks to do it. Stagnant is a perfect word, with KSU shutting down off-ball actions and crushing screens.

“We showed some toughness to figure out a way to dig back in and take the lead, and then we have some plays in the open court that are just kind of hard to swallow, right?” Wes Miller said on 700 WLW after the game. “Like, you get some key stops and get some momentum, and then you just throw it right back to them. That was very frustrating. But, I mean, there’s a lot, like, some of the rebounding on offense and defense was extremely frustrating.

“Going after it with one hand, like not boxing out. I mean, I could go on and on, but there’s a lot of stuff tonight that was very frustrating. Some of the execution to screen the way they were defending. It was really important we screened and we didn’t screen well.”

Turnovers were a huge problem in the second half, then things flipped into a hot shooting home party for KSU in the second. Playing that tight defense with little easy buckets on the other end is hard to do. UC saw five different players commit multiple turnovers in a tough road environment.

Still, this is likely the easiest opponent they’ll face on the road, and in two true away games (@ Villanova) against good teams, they’ve combined for 127 points on 60 field goal attempts in both games (sixth time this season with 60 or fewer shots). More transition looks (9-11 loss in transition points) and composed possessions are a must starting this Saturday.

McDaniel entered the Wildcats starting lineup and showed why throughout the game with a vintage point-guard performance. It paired with Coleman Hawkins posting one of his best offensive games this season.

They did a great job breaking down an otherwise stout defense outside of their usage possessions (five assists combined). Above all though, they shot lights out from the field, including some fantastic shots against good defense. McDaniel did a great job penetrating off the dribble and laying soft rolling looks at the rim.

Hawkins channeled the K-State crowd all night long to hit an uncharacteristic efficient three-point mark (3-5 from deep). Too many of those were open looks to go with mismatches on guards down low a few times.

“We should be able to guard guys,” Miller said about the performance. “This isn’t to belittle any player on any other team, but I think we have a team that when we’re playing with the right mentality and focus, we should be able to guard the best players in the country, regardless who they are, but a nice game. So congrats to him.”

They did plenty enough at home to grind out a ranked win over Cincinnati and become the first team in weeks to shoot over 40% on that defense.

Cincinnati needed every point it could get from Dan Skillings Jr. (18 points, 4-8 from deep, two rebounds) on Monday night. The dynamic wing got outside shooting back on his menu and it helped keep UC in the game.

They needed someone to hit outside shots on the road and he answered the call amidst a rough shooting night from most of the team. Dillon Mitchell (15 points, 2-3 from deep, 11 rebounds) pulled his weight with Skillings. The forwards hung around the corners, and it helped them combine for a 6-10 outside shooting night.

The silver lining from this loss is both players are in peak form, with Big 12 play ramping up early. They played strong defense on the other end and look like cornerstones for the rest of the season, guard play has to be better. The creation and easier looks around the rim haven’t been consistent enough against top-100 KenPom teams.

“I’m so mad I can’t see straight,” Miller said about things to correct before aming off a bevy of problems. “There’s, like, a lot of stuff we got to get to. And I haven’t had a chance to focus my attention on the next opponent yet, but we’ll get through this one and then start working on the next one. That’s how it goes.”

The Bearcats get another test on Saturday against Arizona and needs all they can get from this pair in the Big 12 battles to come.

Bookmark Bearcats Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and so much more. Check out our YouTube page as well, starting with the video below.

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Kansas

Suit challenges Kansas law that revoked trans people’s updated IDs

Published

9 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Suit challenges Kansas law that revoked trans people’s updated IDs

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging Kansas’ new sweeping anti-transgender law, the first in the nation to rescind previously issued IDs with updated gender markers.

Senate Bill 244 took effect Feb. 26 after the Republican supermajorities in the Kansas Legislature overrode a veto by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

“This legislation is a direct attack on the dignity and humanity of transgender Kansans,” said Monica Bennett, the ACLU of Kansas’ legal director, in a statement. “It undermines our state’s strong constitutional protections against government overreach and persecution.”

The lawsuit was filed Feb. 26 in Douglas County District Court on behalf of two anonymous plaintiffs. The lawyers on the case are from the ACLU and Ballard Spahr LLP. They argue “that SB 244 violates the Kansas Constitution’s protections for personal autonomy, privacy, equality under the law, due process, and freedom of speech.”

The law prohibits transgender Kansans from changing the sex or gender marker on their driver’s license and birth certificates. It also immediately invalidated identification documents for more than 1,000 transgender Kansans who already had changes approved.

The law also bans transgender people from using bathrooms, locker rooms and similar facilities in government buildings that align with their gender identity. They must instead use the restroom corresponding to their sex assigned at birth. Additionally, the law bans gender-neutral bathrooms with more than one stall.

The law has various enforcement provisions, including allowing anyone to sue someone else who they think is transgender and suspected of using a restroom that is different from their sex assigned at birth.

Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach lobbied for lawmakers to explicitly ban gender marker changes after state courts allowed them to resume amid litigation over a predecessor law, Senate Bill 180. Lawmakers then added the bathroom bill provisions through a gut-and-go without a public hearing.

The state of Kansas, represented by Kobach, is a defendant in the case. Other defendants include agencies and agency leadership under the Kelly administration, including the Kansas Department of Revenue and Kansas Department of Administration.

Spokespeople for Kobach and Kelly did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The plaintiffs have filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and asked for a hearing on Feb. 27 “or as soon as possible.”

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

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Kansas

Kansas Orders Trans Drivers to Surrender Licenses With One Day’s Notice

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Kansas Orders Trans Drivers to Surrender Licenses With One Day’s Notice

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The Kansas Division of Vehicles (DOV) has instructed transgender residents to surrender their updated driver’s licenses, as one of the nation’s most extreme anti-trans laws takes effect this week.

Trans Kansans received letters from the DOV on Wednesday informing them that licenses and other state ID papers that do not match a person’s assigned sex at birth are considered invalid and must be surrendered to the state effective immediately, ostensibly giving them less than 24 hours to make accommodations, according to multiple copies of the letter reviewed by the Kansas City Star.

“Please note that the Legislature did not include a grace period for updating credentials,” the letter read in part. “That means that once the law is officially enacted, your current credentials will be invalid immediately, and you may be subject to additional penalties if you are operating a vehicle without a valid credential.” Affected residents were “directed to surrender your current credential to the Kansas Division of Vehicles” and receive a new ID — at their own expense, as SB 244 did not provide state funding to cover the reversions, the Star noted.

The move comes as a result of Kansas’ SB 244, which became law on Thursday and instructs state agencies to reverse gender marker changes on official documents. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the legislation, but the Republican supermajority overrode her veto last week.

Kansas officially recognizes only “male” and “female” as recorded at birth as valid sexes, per a state law passed in 2023. About 1,700 people are expected to have their licenses invalidated as a result of the new law, according to a legislative analysis of SB 244 conducted by the state House. The law will also invalidate amended birth certificates that were issued with a corrected gender marker.

The LGBTQ Foundation of Kansas shared a copy of one letter on Instagram, with identifying information redacted. Representatives for the nonprofit noted that some Kansas counties will hold special elections next week, and trans residents without valid photo ID cards will not be able to cast a vote under existing state law.

At least three other states have passed laws banning gender marker changes on driver’s licenses, but Kansas is now the only U.S. state to require such previous changes be reverted, according to KCTV.

“The persecution is the point,” said Rep. Abi Boatman, Kansas’ only trans state legislator, in a statement to the Star on Wednesday. “It tells me that Kansas Republicans are interested in being on the vanguard of the culture war and in a race to the bottom,” she added in a comment to KCTV.

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Kansas City man charged with murder in fatal shooting of reported missing teenage girl

Published

2 days ago

February 25, 2026

Press Room

Kansas City man charged with murder in fatal shooting of reported missing teenage girl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Kansas City man has now been charged in the death of a teenage girl who was reported missing and found dead a day later from a gunshot.

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced Wednesday that Eric R. Phillips II has been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandoning a corpse, following the girl’s November 2025 death.

Elayjah Murray had been reported missing on Nov. 28, 2025. As investigators looked into her disappearance, the Independence Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Unit learned that she’d possibly been shot.

Eric R. Phillips II has been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandoning a corpse, following the girl’s November 2025 death.(Independence Police Department/Facebook)

Multiple witnesses and surveillance footage helped detectives identify Phillips as the shooter. Court documents say he shot Murray multiple times while she was in the back of his car during the early morning hours of Nov. 28.

A day later, police with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department found Murray in Kansas City. Phillips’ cell phone pinged in the area where Murray’s body was located.

Phillips’ bond has been set at $350,000 cash only.

Johnson said Phillips was charged on Dec. 3, 2025, under seal. The case was unsealed Wednesday in an effort to help locate Phillips.

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