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Pop Isaacs, Texas Tech basketball finding catharsis in the chaos

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Pop Isaacs, Texas Tech basketball finding catharsis in the chaos


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Nobody had to tell Pop Isaacs it was a must-win game Saturday in United Supermarkets Arena.

Playing in front of an announced sellout of 15,098 fans against another ranked opponent, the Texas Tech basketball team didn’t want to follow up Wednesday’s tail-whooping by No. 5 Houston with a clunker against No. 20 BYU.

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The Red Raiders have had better halves of basketball than the first session against BYU. Grant McCasland likened Tech’s 48-32 halftime deficit to the team’s troubling half against Northern Iowa in the Bahamas during the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Texas Tech came back to win that game after being down 15 points. Adding another two points to the deficit against BYU was a new challenge, but one Isaacs was ready for.

ABOUT THE GAME: Pop Isaacs ignites No. 25 Texas Tech basketball comeback against No. 20 BYU: 3 takeaways

“I just didn’t want to let us lose,” Isaacs said. “That was my biggest thing. Anything it was gonna take to win, that’s what I was trying to do.”

McCasland said earlier this year that Isaacs can sometimes get too amped playing in front of the home fans, that he can try to put on too much of a show. That wasn’t a negative for Isaacs on Saturday.

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“I love playing in this gym, man,” Isaacs said. “It’s so fun.”

In the second half alone, Isaacs was 8-of-11 from the field and 5-of-7 from 3-point range, totaling 23 points. He also had four rebounds, four assists and two steals in his 18 minutes on the floor.

By the end of Tech’s 85-78 comeback victory, Isaacs set new career highs in points (32), made field goals (11), and made 3s (6).

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After his historic day, Isaacs spoke to the media for the first time since being named in a civil lawsuit accusing him of “sexual abuse towards a minor” during the team’s Bahamas trip. Since the lawsuit became public Jan. 5, Isaacs said, all things considered, the last few weeks have been good for him.

“My teammates have been there for me,” Isaacs said. “They’ve had my back. I’ve been having fun playing the game of basketball, playing the game I love. Honestly, everything’s been pretty good.”

It doesn’t hurt he and his teammates have on-court matters to attend to. Beating BYU gives the Red Raiders (15-3, 4-1) their second win over a ranked team this season and keeps them tied atop the Big 12 standings for at least another week — along with Kansas State, which is also 4-1 in league play.

Isaacs said he’s not sure if McCasland pays attention to Big 12 happenings outside of their own team, but the players sure do.

“We always want to stay a step ahead in the standings and stuff like that,” Isaacs said. “You’re gonna get your bumps and bruises along the way.”

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PREDICTION HOLDS UP: No. 25 Texas Tech basketball looks to avoid skid with No. 20 BYU in town: Scouting report, predictions

On Saturday, he was sporting one of those bruises from the loss to Houston on Wednesday. Isaacs still had a bandage across his left eye necessitated from the physical encounter against the fifth-ranked Cougars. No blood was shed in Saturday’s contest, thankfully. It just took a major second-half turnaround, and for Isaacs to take the lead.

“He did what he does,” BYU’s Richie Saunders said. “He makes shots. That’s what he did.”

Texas Tech has now overcome double-digit deficits three times this year: the UNI game in November, plus each of the last two home games. McCasland would probably like to spare some of the drama, but he’s not questioning the results so far.

“If you want to be the toughest team, and you really believe that, then it’s 40 minutes,” McCasland said. “It doesn’t ever stop. It doesn’t matter what the score is. … I don’t really care what the score is. There’s a way to play this game and if you don’t play it with that grit, it doesn’t matter. The score is always going to not be in your favor.

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“I’ll tell you, with this team, they do believe and they do see that.”



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Texas A&M Head Coach Mike Elko Entering ‘Must Win’ Game vs. Notre Dame?

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Texas A&M Head Coach Mike Elko Entering ‘Must Win’ Game vs. Notre Dame?


As the Texas A&M Aggies head into Year 2 under head coach Mike Elko, it seems the expectations are rising. That is despite a disappointing finish to his first season, where the Aggies lost four of their final five games.

Yet, after a productive offseason where Texas A&M has garnered praise from the national media as they filled holes on their roster via the transfer portal in addition to signing the nation’s No. 9 ranked recruiting class, there is a narrative building that the Aggies’ season-opening game versus Notre Dame is a “must-win.”

Gigem 247’s Jeff Tarpley is a believer in the notion that the Aggies’ trip to South Bend, Indiana, is a “must-win” as he believes it is time the athletic department and its donors see a return on investment.

Mike Elko

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko reacts against the Southern California Trojans in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I talked about this last year a little bit in terms of the fact that that if they gave your predecessor 76 million to go away and you come a lot cheaper than that, there’s going to be more pressure on you to perform right away,” Tarpley said during a recent appearance on ESPN Central Texas radio. “It didn’t help that it was Elko’s first game ever and so A&M didn’t have the benefit of either him or his players learning on the job in preseason. But there is going to be even more pressure now since they lost to this same Notre Dame last year to open the season, and they went one and four down the stretch this year.”

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Tarpley even went as far as to compare Elko’s situation heading into this coming season to Marcus Freeman’s last year with Notre Dame. The 39-year-old head coach inherited the program from Brian Kelly, who took the Irish as far as an appearance in a national championship game over his 11-year tenure.

Although Freeman got off to a solid start as he won 19 games in his first two seasons with the Irish, there was pressure building for him to take them to that next level of making the College Football Playoff.

However, there is a key difference between the two. According to Tarpley, Elko is now facing similar pressure heading into just his second season in charge of the Aggies. No, it is not job pressure, rather just competitive pressure, as the Aggies are still paying Jimbo Fisher to not be on the sidelines on top of the cost it takes to build a talented roster.

Opening a season on the road is never easy, especially when having to make the trip a potentially hostile enviroment like South Bend. But it is those type of games, where Texas A&M is facing another top-25 ranked team that Elko will be expected to deliver wins against.

Especially so if the goal is make the College Football Playoff, then a season-opening win over the Irish could be an early showcase win for the Aggies on their path to securing a top-12 seed.

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Michigan softball mercy-ruled by Texas in College World Series, but not eliminated yet

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Michigan softball mercy-ruled by Texas in College World Series, but not eliminated yet


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Michigan softball’s perfect start to the Women’s College World Series came to an end Saturday afternoon, with the Wolverines lasting just five innings due to the run-ahead rule, losing 16-4 vs. Austin regional host Texas at McCombs Field.

Michigan will face the winner of UCF-Eastern Illinois at 6 p.m. in an elimination game.

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On a scolding hot day with temperatures on the field reaching 110 degrees, according to the ESPN broadcast, the Wolverines were the first to get on the board when Lilly Vallimont singled to left to drive in Indiana Langford for a 1-0 lead.

It took the Longhorns almost no time to respond. In the top of the second inning, Katie Stewart led things off for Texas by slugging a home run to tie the game at 1-1.

Then in the third inning, the game got really crazy. Texas’ Reese Atwood smashed a three-run home run to take a 4-1 lead before Stewart hit her second home run of the game on the very next pitch to put the Longhorns firmly in control. But that was just the top of the inning.

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In what will surely be one of the more unlikely plays of the whole College World Series, Langford laid down a bunt to start the inning that miraculously turned into a Little League home run when Texas launched the throw all the way into the right-field corner. Langford turned on the jets and just kept running before eventually sliding into home for a relatively easy score to make it 5-2. Three pitches later, Jenissa Conway blasted a home run to cut further into the lead, 5-3.

However, it was all Texas after that point. The Longhorns blew the game open in the fourth, hitting three more home runs to help them score nine runs in the top of the inning and jump out to a 14-3 lead.

Michigan added a run in the bottom half of the fourth inning, but Texas made it 16-4 in the top of the fifth and the Wolverines couldn’t get the game within seven runs by the fifth inning, so the game ended due to the mercy rule.

Since the regionals in the CWS are double elimination, the Wolverines are not out of the tournament, needing a win later Saturday evening.

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Andrew Birkle is the assistant sports editor at the Free Press. Contact him at andrew_birkle on “X” or via email at abirkle@freepress.com.



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North Texas homeowners urged to review insurance policies as severe weather drives up costs

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North Texas homeowners urged to review insurance policies as severe weather drives up costs


With severe weather frequently impacting North Texas, homeowners often wonder: What does my insurance policy actually cover? Do I have the right coverage? What happens after filing a claim?

Insurance expert Rich Johnson, communications director for the Insurance Council of Texas, advises homeowners to review their policy carefully, starting with the first few pages.

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CBS News Texas


“The main thing to do is look at the first couple of pages of the policy,” Johnson said.

These pages typically outline wind and hail coverage, which may vary depending on location. Some homeowners may have a separate policy through the FAIR Plan or TWFG.

Johnson emphasizes the importance of understanding deductibles, particularly for hail and wind damage, which differ from deductibles for fire or plumbing issues.

“It’s usually between 1% and 5% of the insured value of your home,” he explained.

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If a home is damaged by severe weather, Johnson recommends taking photos and making temporary repairs before filing a claim.

“Get that claim in as soon as possible so you’re on the list for an adjuster to inspect your house,” he said.

When hiring contractors, Johnson advises homeowners to choose local businesses and seek recommendations from friends and neighbors to avoid scams.

“A couple of red flags: if they’re out of state, don’t have a licensing number, or say they’ll waive your deductible—that’s actually illegal in Texas,” he warned.

Scammers should be reported to insurance providers, local police, and the Texas Department of Insurance, which handles fraud cases.

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Johnson also notes that inflation and frequent severe weather are driving up repair costs and insurance premiums, affecting both home and auto insurance.

“We’re seeing weather impact insurance rates more severely and more frequently,” he said.



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