Kansas
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.
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Kansas
Body believed to be Kansas City highway shooting suspect found in burned home’s basement by family: police
Manhunt for Kansas City shooting suspect enters seventh day
A large-scale manhunt for Oscar Sanchez-Munoz, 22, continues in Kansas City, Missouri, entering its seventh day. Sanchez-Munoz is suspected of killing one person and injuring four others in a recent shooting spree. His family reports he was exhibiting signs of schizophrenia as the FBI offers a $25,000 reward for information.
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Police told Fox News on Wednesday that a body believed to be Oscar Sanchez-Munoz, the 22-year-old suspect in a deadly string of highway shootings near the Kansas City World Cup venues, was discovered by his family in the basement of a burned home.
Officials said the family contacted police at about 2 p.m. local time after finding decomposing remains hidden beneath piles of debris.
While the family had visited the home several times since it caught fire during an overnight police standoff, police said they only discovered the body after removing debris and noticing a distinct odor.
MANHUNTS ACROSS AMERICA IN 2025: FIVE CASES THAT LEFT CITIES, CAMPUSES AND TOWNS ON EDGE
Oscar Sanchez-Munoz was wanted in connection with at least six shootings across multiple states. (FBI)
Previously, investigators, federal partners and K-9 units had repeatedly searched the Independence, Missouri, property without success.
Authorities said the basement partially collapsed, flooded with water, and was filled with a large amount of “clutter,” which complicated the search.
The discovery brings a presumed end to a massive multi-agency manhunt that began after Sanchez-Munoz allegedly fired at vehicles along Interstate 70, just miles from Arrowhead Stadium where FIFA World Cup matches were being held.
MANHUNT INTENSIFIES FOR ARMY VETERAN SUSPECTED OF KILLING 4 IN BAR SHOOTING AFTER TRUCK FOUND ABANDONED
The FBI released a wanted poster seeking the public’s assistance in finding suspect Oscar Sanchez-Munoz. (FBI)
The spree of half dozen shootings left one person dead and several others seriously injured, including an Uber driver who was shot while transporting soccer fans.
During the search for Sanchez-Munoz, the FBI offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture, warning the public that he was “armed and dangerous.”
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche had publicly speculated that the suspect might be dead inside the Missouri home, though police were unable to confirm it at the time.
MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER MISSOURI DEPUTY SLAIN, SUSPECT’S TRUCK SPOTTED HEADING TOWARD ARKANSAS BORDER
FBI officials said suspect Oscar Sanchez-Munoz had visible acne scars and is 5 feet 8 inches tall. (FBI)
Officials said investigators are currently operating under the assumption that the deceased person is Sanchez-Munoz, noting clothing on the body matched what the shooter wore during last week’s attacks.
A medical examiner will confirm the identity and determine the cause of death.
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Officials assured the public there is no threat to the community, and added that all surviving victims are expected to recover.
Fox News Digital’s Kelsie Cairns contributed to this report.
Kansas
Where to watch Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 24
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.
Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.
The MLB action continues on Wednesday as the Kansas City Royals visit the Tampa Bay Rays.
Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays?
First pitch between the Tampa Bay Rays and Kansas City Royals is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday, June 24.
How to watch Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.
- Matchup: KC at TB
- Date: Wednesday, June 24
- Time: 6:40 p.m. (ET)
- Venue: Tropicana Field
- Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
- TV: Royals.TV and Rays.TV
- Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for June 24 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
Tonight, the Kansas City Royals dismantled the Tampa Bay Rays in a cathartic 12-5 victory. It was a full-team showing, with Carter Jensen extending his hit streak to 14 games, Nick Loftin swatting a home run on a four-hit night, and Luinder Avila navigating his way through five tough innings of one-run ball in front of some of some incredibly bad infield defense.
But you’re here for Jac Caglianone, who ended the day with three hits and a pair of home runs. Here’s his first, which came immediately after Loftin’s home run in the first frame of the game and sounded like a thunderclap.
And here’s the other one, an arguably more impressive center-left shot to the deepest part of the ballpark.
To say that Caglianone has been on fire would not be accurate, because he is fire right now. Tonight’s gigantic dongs were his eighth and ninth of the month of June; they extended his hitting streak to five games and his home run streak to four games.
This was one of those games were so much happened that, paradoxically, nothing much happened, because each successive hit meant less and less as the score ballooned and ballooned. I mentioned the infield defense–Salvador Perez lost two popups, and the rest of the infield didn’t see them, either. That required Avila to essentially get five outs in one inning. It was really quite comical in hindsight, but groan-worthy in the moment for sure.
Pretty much everyone got involved in the offense. Lane Thomas and Starling Marte were the only two batters without a hit. Michael Massey, Perez, and Kameron Misner recorded doubles, which in addition to the home runs made six extra base hits. The Royals did a nice job totally putting the game away in the eighth inning against Steven Matz, who was just tossing batting practice out there.
Kansas City’s bullpen also did a nice job (mostly). It helps to have such a big lead, but Stephen Cruz and Matt Strahm pitched before the lead was quite as big as it was, and you know what? They both turned in clean innings! So, too, did Beck Way. Someone named “Connor Seabold” came in to pitch the ninth, and the Royals might as well have sent Tyler Tolbert out there. Seabold gave up a trio of runs, but the Royals closed it out.
At 34-46, the Royals are still closer to the American League basement than they are the penthouse. But have you looked at the AL right now? The current owners of the third Wild Card slot, the Toronto Blue Jays, don’t even have a .500 record. What a weird year.
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