Associated Press

RUSTON, La. (AP) — Daniel Batcho scored 38 points as Louisiana Tech beat Mississippi College 105-67 on Monday night.

Batcho added eight rebounds for the Bulldogs (4-0). Kaden Cooper added 15 points and eight rebounds. Amaree Abram scored 13.

Odis Carter finished with 17 points and two steals for the Choctaws. JJ Harris added 16 points and four assists. Tyree Bracey had 14 points and two steals.

Louisiana Tech took the lead 19 seconds into the game and did not give it up. Batcho led his team in scoring with 12 points in the first half to help put them up 46-36 at the break.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Dozens of firefighters utilized boats and a helicopter while battling a Monday morning blaze along the Potomac River.

Officials said someone in Virginia initially spotted the smoke, which was coming from a large, rotted tree on Rocky Island in Montgomery County near Great Falls. 

They aren’t sure how the fire started but said the large response was in part due to dry conditions, with low humidity and wind.

“It took hours and hours for them to cut it up and put the fire completely out,” said Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service Public Information Officer Pete Piringer, who added that those same conditions are why a statewide burn ban remains in effect in Maryland.

Piringer also said that just in Montgomery County, firefighters have responded to about 150 outside fires since October 1.

“Fires spread very quickly when the conditions are like this,” he explained.

As a result, officials are urging the public to remain vigilant, saying that when it comes to fire danger, the region’s recent rain has helped – but it’s still not enough.

The Utah Runnin’ Utes suffered a hard-fought loss to Mississippi State, falling 78-73 in the Mid-South Showdown on Sunday night in Southaven, Mississippi. Despite leading by 11 points at halftime, the Utes couldn’t hold off a second-half surge from the Bulldogs, led by standout performances from Josh Hubbard and KeShawn Murphy.

Hubbard scored a game-high 23 points for Mississippi State, with Murphy adding 18 points and dominating the boards with 14 rebounds. Cameron Matthews was also pivotal, scoring 12 points and converting 8 of 10 free throws, including several clutch shots in the final moments. Ryan Kugel contributed 12 points and delivered a critical offensive rebound late in the game, which helped seal the victory for the Bulldogs.

Utah started strong, controlling the tempo in the first half and building an 11-point advantage by halftime. The Utes’ balanced attack featured Ezra Ausar with a team-high 15 points, Mason Madsen contributing 14, and Keanu Dawes adding 13 points and 12 rebounds. Miro Little also chipped in with 10 points, hitting two key three-pointers during Utah’s dominant stretch late in the first half.

However, Mississippi State roared back in the second half, led by Hubbard and Murphy. They erased the deficit and took a six-point lead with just over 13 minutes remaining. Utah responded with a rally of its own, creating a back-and-forth battle with seven lead changes in a span of three minutes.

Down the stretch, Mississippi State’s execution proved decisive. Matthews knocked down critical free throws, and the Bulldogs’ ability to capitalize on Utah’s misses and turnovers secured the win. Despite the loss, Utah displayed resilience and strong performances from several key players.

The Runnin’ Utes will look to bounce back when they host Utah Tech on Friday, Nov. 22, at 5:30 p.m. ET, in a game that will be streamed on ESPN+. This matchup provides an opportunity for the Utes to regroup and build on their promising moments from Sunday night.