Associated Press

CINCINNATI (AP) — JT Toppin scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half, freshman Christian Anderson added 18 points, including a season-high tying four 3-pointers, and Texas Tech beat Cincinnati 81-71 on Tuesday night.

Chance McMillian made three 3s and finished with 17 points for Texas Tech (14-4, 5-2 Big 12) and Kevin Overton scored 14.

Jizzle James led Cincinnati (12-6, 2-5) with 17 points — his most in a conference game this season — and Dillon Mitchell scored 12. Simas Lukosius added 10, going 1 of 7 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line.

James, Mitchell and Day Day Thomas scored four points apiece in a 14-5 run that gave the Bearcats a seven-point lead eight minutes into the game. Texas Tech, which made just two of its first 11 shots, made 13 of 18, and Anderson scored 13 points from there to take a 42-38 lead into halftime and never again trailed.

James sandwiched a layup and a dunk around two pairs of free throws by Lukosius as Cincinnati used an 8-2 spurt to cut its deficit to five with 6:57 left in the game, but McMillian answered with a 3-pointer and the Bearcats got no closer.

Toppin converted a three-point play to give Texas Tech its biggest lead of the game at 75-63 with 3:42 remaining.

The Bearcats shot 52% (27 of 52) from the field and limited Texas Tech — which went into the game shooting 49.6% — to 45% shooting but the Red Raiders hit 12 3-pointers. Cincinnati hit 3 of 14 from behind the arc.

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A far-right militia leader convicted of seditious conspiracy. A U.S. Marine who pepper-sprayed law enforcement. Three men who attacked police with flag poles. A QAnon adherent who graffitied “Murder the Media” on a U.S. Capitol door.

They are among the some-120 Texans charged or convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection who are included in a sweeping pardon issued by President Donald Trump on his first day in his office.

Announced Monday evening, Trump’s directive all but ends a four-year effort by the U.S. Department of Justice to prosecute those involved in the riot, which ultimately resulted in five deaths, injuries to 140 police officers, at least $2.8 million in damage and roughly 1,575 federal criminal cases. Of those defendants, two-thirds pleaded guilty and roughly 250 were convicted by a judge or jury. Only four defendants were acquitted of all charges, and fourteen had their cases dismissed.

Trump promised on the campaign to support the rioters — “hostages,” as he began to refer to them — and on Monday said his mass pardon “ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people.”

Texans played central roles in the event. In the lead up to Jan. 6, they helped craft the Trump administration’s legal attempts to overturn the election, and spread baseless and debunked election fraud conspiracy theories on the outgoing president’s behalf. On that January day, Texan-led militias stockpiled guns just outside of Washington, D.C., and carried out the main assault on Congress. A Texan was the first person to breach the Capitol. At least 37 Texans — including many with ties to far-right militias or violent conspiracy theories — were charged for assault or other violent crimes, according to an NPR database. Many others were charged with disorderly conduct, destruction of property, theft or conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.

Experts on political violence and extremism fear that Trump’s mass pardon is likely to make folk heroes of figures such as Stewart Rhodes, the Granbury-based leader of the far-right OathKeepers militia sentenced to 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy. Rhodes has for years argued that he is a “political prisoner” — akin to a Jew living in Nazi Germany. Rhodes was released from prison on Tuesday, as was Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the violent Proud Boys street gang who was serving a 22-year sentence for seditious conspiracy.

“It’s extremely concerning,” said Elizabeth Neumann, who served as a senior Department of Homeland Security official for three years under Trump. “We just released the leaders of two terrorist organizations. However you want to think about Jan. 6, their role in it was premeditated. It was intended to overthrow the U.S. government and it was violent. People died. It’s a very sobering thing to realize that, in the name of politics, we have just released violent criminals out onto our streets.”

The mass pardon includes those who used firearms, stun guns, axes, mace, bike racks, fire extinguishers, bear spray, batons, baseball bats and metal whips to attack police officers, storm the Capitol and threaten lawmakers. Texans were among the armed, and many openly celebrated or egged on the violence.

Brian Scott Jackson, of Katy, was sentenced in August to three years in prison after pleading guilty to assault and other charges. The FBI said Jackson speared police officers with a flag pole, and celebrated the violence after leaving Washington.

“We love our president and we stood up for America today be proud we did it and f— these hoe ass cops that are traitors we f— ed up that capital up today !!!” prosecutors say he wrote in text messages in which he also called Black Capitol police officers the N-word.

Guy Wesley Reffitt, of Wylie, arrived to the Capitol with a handgun, body armor and zip ties, and prosecutors say he told fellow members of the Three Percenters militia that he planned to drag House Speaker Nancy Pelosi out of the building by her ankles, “with her head hitting every step on the way down.” He was the first person tried for his role in the riot, but had his sentence reduced last month to six years and seven months in prison.

At his first trial, Reffitt’s son, Jackson, testified that his father threatened him and his sister, saying that “if you turn me in, you’re a traitor, and traitors get shot.” Jackson Reffitt said Monday that he was stunned by Trump’s decision to pardon his father, who as of Tuesday was no longer listed as in federal prison custody.

“I’m honestly flabbergasted that we’ve gotten to this point,” Jackson Reffitt told CNN. “I’m terrified. …I’ve got a gun, I’ve moved and I’ve gotten myself away from what I thought would be a dangerous situation, and staying where I thought my dad could find me or other people that are going to feel so validated by these actions, by this pardon.”

FantasyPros will be taking a look at early NFL Draft scouting reports before the Combine in March. Here’s a look at Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. And check out our entire 2025 NFL Draft Guide.

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Quinn Ewers

Quinn Ewers (QB – Texas)

6-foot-2 | 210 Pounds

Background

Quinn Ewers is a Texas native and was a five-star recruit ranked at the top of the national rankings by Rivals back in 2021. Originally attended Ohio State, but transferred after one year, stepping into the starting role at Texas in 2022. Started 10 games that year, going 6-4 and throwing for 2,177 yards (58.1%, 7.4 yards per attempt), 15 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Led the team to a 10-2 record as the starter in 2023, finishing with 3,479 yards (69.0%, 8.8 yards per attempt), 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. Went 11-3 this past season, with 3,472 yards (65.8%, 7.8 yards per attempt), 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions before declaring for the draft.

Positives

Productive three-year starter who’s increased his output year to year and compiled a 27-9 career record in Steve Sarkisian’s scheme, which is based on establishing the run and using that to set up passes from package plays, often on glances, crosses, drags and other shorter throws of that nature. Fits the offense well, as he is a quick processor who plays with decisiveness and rhythm on pre-determined reads, high-low concepts and underneath throws to take advantage of what the defense gives him.

Ewers does a nice job of making decisions on option concepts and has been highly effective off of play action. Can climb the pocket against outside pressure. Doesn’t need a receiver to be wide open to feel confident throwing them the ball. Shows smooth and natural throwing mechanics, with a quick release and the ability to drop his arm angle as appropriate.

Ewers throws a tight spiral with a nice touch, resulting in an easily catchable ball when he’s on target. Can layer the ball over defenders on over routes, seams and other patterns over the top of defenders in zone drops. Not an elite athlete, but can extend the play while keeping his eyes downfield or pick up the occasional first down with his legs.

Negatives

Ewers’ frame is on the slight side and has been banged up a bit in school. Was operating from a lot of clean pockets and taking advantage of credible play-action passes, but play suffered when he faced pressure or when operating traditional passing concepts without a package element/play-fake. There’s a little bit of heel click at the top of some of his drops.

Doesn’t have elite arm talent, with an overall velocity that is closer to adequate; looks more comfortable working underneath the defense and over the middle of the field than he does when ripping throws out to the sidelines. Has struggled a bit with consistency. Will spray the ball a little bit at times. Needs to do a better job of protecting the football; interceptions doubled this past season. Has 20 career fumbles, 10 of which came this past year.

Summary

A three-year starter who processes quickly with a natural and easy throwing motion. Plays with impressive touch. He operated effectively in an offense based around short-to-intermediate throws off of run-pass options and play action.

However, Ewers also lacks elite arm talent. Had issues protecting the football this past season; some teams may also wonder what will happen if he’s not playing from such clean pockets and if he can’t consistently pull up linebackers with play-action passes. Was considered a potential first-round pick heading into the season, but is probably more of a Day 2 possibility at this point.

Projection: Round 2/Round 3

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