Virginia
West Virginia makes critical plays down the stretch in UCF win
The first half that West Virginia put together against UCF is exactly what the Mountaineers want to do. The second half was a different story.
After building a 47-25 advantage and leading by as much as 27-points in that first game, the game got tight down the stretch as the Knights cut the edge to just three points with a little over two minutes remaining.
And while West Virginia was able to close things out, it’s something that this team must avoid as the regular season concludes and the calendar flips to tournament time.
“We keep it interesting that’s for sure,” head coach Darian DeVries said.
In that first half, the Mountaineers played terrific on both ends of the floor. On offense, they were able to get into transition and move the basketball while playing unselfishly. The defensive end also was critical as West Virgia held the Knights to just 29-percent while forcing 9 turnovers.
However, as the Mountaineers struggled to put the ball in the basket in the second half it allowed UCF to get out and run while they also were able to get the ball to the rim. That allowed them to trim the lead down and get back into the game before West Virginia closed things out.
And credit to the team for being able to do just that. While it’s easy to get tight in those types of situations, the Mountaineers were able to stay in attack mode despite their struggles.
“That’s hard when you have a big lead like that and it dwindles all the way down to almost nothing to still stay composed enough to find a way to make the plays,” DeVries said.
The head coach highlighted a pair of offensive rebounds on missed free throws. The first resulted in a Jonathan Powell three-pointer to stretch the lead to six, while the second a pair of free throws. In total, the Mountaineers had 16 offensive rebounds and were +10 in second chance points.
“None bigger than the two off the missed free throws tonight,” DeVries said.
Powell hit a pair of threes when the offense struggled to find its way in critical moments in the second half which is a testament to his confidence despite being a true freshman.
“What I love about him is he continues to stay confident in himself and we stay confident in him like we’ve talked about all year,” DeVries said. “He’s put in the work and you get that next one go ahead and let it fly. And he did that tonight.”
Powell finished the game with 15 points, while Amani Hansberry added 18 points to go along with what Javon Small gave the team with 25 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. And that’s exactly what the Mountaineers need in order to open their offense up further which is what unfolded in the first half.
“Good teams find a way even when you give away a big lead like that. Good teams find a way to make sure to come out on top and I was certainly glad they did that,” he said.
The win puts West Virginia in the eighth seed in the Big 12 Tournament while essentially locking up their place in the NCAA field as well at 19-12 and 10-10 in the league. It was a goal for the players to reach that mark, especially those like Small and Eduardo Andre who had never played in the Big Dance in their final seasons.
Now, the focus is to play their best basketball when it matters.
“It’s certainly an accomplishment to get there but like I told our team that’s not the end game. We want to finish the job and that means we want to play as long as possible,” DeVries said.
Virginia
Virginia Roberts Giuffre: Epstein accuser’s memoir sells 1m copies in two months
A posthumous memoir by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s best-known accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has sold 1m copies worldwide in just the two months after its release.
Publisher Alfred A Knopf announced on Tuesday that more than half the sales for Nobody’s Girl came out of North America; in the US, the book is now in its 10th printing after an initial run of 70,000 copies. Giuffre’s book, co-written by author-journalist Amy Wallace, was published in early October.
The memoir helped revive criticism of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly a British prince, whom Giuffre alleged had sex with her when she was 17. And it heightened demands that the Justice Department release its files on Epstein, who killed himself in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Giuffre died by suicide in April at age 41.
“This is a bittersweet moment for us,” Giuffre’s family, including siblings Sky Roberts and Danny Wilson, said in a statement. “We are enormously proud of our sister, and the impact she continues to have on the world. We’re also filled with so much sorrow that she couldn’t be here to witness the impact of her words. In her absence, our family remains committed to ensuring her voice is everlasting.”
Within weeks of Giuffre’s book being published, King Charles III stripped Mountbatten-Windsor of his remaining titles and evicted him from his royal residence.
Mountbatten-Windsor has long denied Giuffre’s claims but stepped down from royal duties after a disastrous November 2019 BBC interview in which he attempted to rebut her allegations.
He paid millions in an out-of-court settlement in 2022 after Giuffre filed a civil suit against him in New York. While he didn’t admit wrongdoing, he acknowledged Giuffre’s suffering as a victim of sex trafficking.
This week Giuffre’s family expressed their “deep disappointment” after the Metropolitan police announced Mountbatten-Windsor will not face a criminal investigation in the UK over allegations against him.
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In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org
Virginia
Virginia voters nominate candidates in Fairfax, Prince William ahead of January special election – WTOP News
Voters in several Northern Virginia districts are nominating candidates Tuesday who could be elected to serve on the state’s House of Delegates.
Voters in several Northern Virginia districts are nominating candidates Tuesday who could be elected to serve on the state’s House of Delegates.
Whoever wins Tuesday’s contests will compete in a special election on Jan. 13, 2026, for vacated seats in the Virginia General Assembly, where Democrats currently hold a 63-37 majority.
The series of shake-ups comes as several Democratic lawmakers step down from the House of Delegates to join Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger’s administration.
Two of the resigning lawmakers represent Northern Virginia: Del. David Bulova, of Fairfax City and Fairfax County; and Del. Candi Mundon King, of Prince William and Stafford counties.
Last week, Spanberger named Bulova as her pick for Virginia’s next secretary of natural and historic resources.
And the future governor tapped King to serve as the secretary of the commonwealth.
Each party has until Dec. 17 to submit a nominee to the Virginia Board of Elections for next month’s special election, according to a writ of special elections filed by Virginia House Speaker Don Scott.
District 11: Fairfax City and part of Fairfax County
Democrats
Five candidates are running for the Democratic nomination in a firehouse primary, including the exiting delegate’s wife, Gretchen Bulova, as well as Vanessa Cardenas, So Lim, Douglas Shuster and Denver Supinger.
Any voter registered in Virginia House of Delegates District 11 can participate — but they have to sign a declaration of support for the Democratic Party, according to the democratic committees in Fairfax County and Fairfax City. In a firehouse primary, the political parties organize the contest, not the state.
District 11 includes all of Fairfax City and portions of Fairfax County. If you’re not sure whether your home sits within the district’s boundaries, check out this website.
The caucus locations are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at these locations:
- Fairfax Presbyterian Church at 10723 Main Street
- Jim Scott Community Center at 3001 Vaden Drive
- Fairfax County Government Center at 12000 Government Center Parkway
Gretchen Bulova is the chair of the Fairfax County 250th Commission and the county’s history commission.
Cardenas is also a Fairfax City resident who works as the executive director of America’s Voice, which works to garner support for policy changes that create paths toward full citizenship for immigrants.
At a candidate forum on Sunday, Lim introduced herself as a progressive Democrat. She served three terms on the Fairfax City Council.
Shuster is the president of the Miller Heights Neighborhood Association and works at an advisory firm.
Supinger, former chief of staff to Del. Karrie Delaney, is the founder of a consulting firm that specializes in social impact strategy, political advocacy, and policymaking, according to its website.
It’s the second time Fairfax voters have participated in a firehouse primary this year, after earlier nominating candidates who competed to replace the late Rep. Gerry Connolly in June. Democrat James Walkinshaw ultimately won that special election in September.
Republicans
The Fairfax County Republican Committee confirmed with WTOP that Adam Wise will be the nominee, and there will be no caucus held.
Wise had previously run for the District 11 seat in November but lost to David Bulova, the incumbent.
District 23: Parts of Prince William and Stafford
Democrats
A Democratic caucus will also be going on in Virginia House of Delegates District 23 on Tuesday, according to the Democratic committees in Prince William and Stafford counties.
The caucus is scheduled to run from noon to 7 p.m. at these locations:
- Dumfries Community Center at 17757 Main Street, Dumfries
- Porter Branch Library at 2001 Parkway Boulevard, Stafford
Two candidates qualified to be on the ballot: Woodbridge Supervisor Margaret Franklin and Muhammed “Sef” Casim.
WTOP will report on the full ballot once the Republican nominee is finalized.
What’s happening in January
Voters in District 23 and District 11 will head to the polls on Jan. 13, 2026, for a special election to replace Dels. Bulova and King.
Early voting will be open from Jan. 3 to Jan. 10.
Outside of Northern Virginia, a separate special election is being held on Jan. 6, 2026, to replace representatives headed to Spanberger’s administration. Voters in the Richmond area will elect a new state senator in House District 15 and a new delegate in District 77.
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Virginia
Top 25 Virginia Girls High School Basketball State Rankings – Dec. 15, 2025
The high school basketball season is underway in Virginia and it’s time to unveil the first High School on SI girls Top 25 of the regular season.
Princess Anne, the preseason No. 1, remains at the top, followed by The Saint James Performance Academy. Bishop Ireton, Catholic-Virginia Beach and Menchville complete the Top 5.
The second 5 include Virginia Academy, Saint Anne’s-Belfield School, Osbourn Park, Saint Paul VI Catholic and Shining Stars Sports Academy. Shining Stars moved into the Top 10 after defeating then-No. 7 Norfolk Christian Academy at the She Got Game Classic at The St. James Complex in Northern Virginia over the weekend.
Five teams – Clarke County, Briar Woods, Loudoun Valley, Potomac Falls and Washington-Liberty – enter this week’s poll.
Here’s this week’s High School on SI Virginia girls basketball Top 25:
Preseason rank: No. 1
Record: 5-0
The Cavaliers are averaging nearly 80 points a game.
Preseason rank: No. 2
Record: 5-2
The Strivers’ two losses have been by a total of 18 points.
Preseason rank: No. 5
Record: 4-1
The Cardinals defeated then-No. 4 Osbourn Park at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 3
Record: 4-4
The Crusaders went 1-2 at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 6
Record: 4-0
The Monarchs topped Rosedale Christian Academy (Md.) and Mallard Creek (N.C.) at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 8
Record: 6-0
The Patriots have wins over then-No. 9 Saint Anne’s-Belfield School and Maryland Top 25 schools Elizabeth Seton, St. Mary’s Ryken and Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Preseason rank: No. 9
Record: 6-2
The Saints split two matches at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 4
Record: 4-2
The Yellowjackets defeated Saint Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) and Southern-Garrett before falling to then-No. 5 Bishop Ireton at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 10
Record: 4-2
The Panthers dropped decisions to then-No. 4 Osbourn Park and Christ the King (N.Y.) at the Art Turner Memorial.
Preseason rank: No. 11
Record: 5-2
The Panthers handled then-No. 7 Norfolk Christian Academy at the She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 7
Record: 3-3
The Ambassadors have dropped decisions to then-No. 5 Bishop Ireton and then-No. 11 Shining Stars Sports Academy.
Preseason rank: No. 12
Record: 4-1
The Lancers’ only setback came against No. 1 Princess Anne.
Preseason rank: No. 13
Record: 5-1
The Knights dropped a 57-48 decision to then-No. 6 Menchville in the opening week.
Preseason rank: No. 14
Record: 5-2
The Panthers have won five straight, including victory over Whitney Young (Ill.) at She Got Game Classic.
Preseason rank: No. 18
Record: 4-0
The Wolverines have won their four decisions by an average of 31 points.
Preseason rank: No. 22
Record: 6-0
After back-to-back two-point wins (then-No. 20 Centreville and then-No. 23 Gainesville), the Saxons routed Lake Braddock and West Springfield.
Preseason rank: No. 23
Record: 6-1
The Cardinals’ only blemish is a two-point loss to Langley.
Preseason rank: No. 15
Record: 5-1
The Stallions dropped a 56-534 decision to Gainesville in the season opener.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 5-0
The Eagles own a pair of victories over Loudoun Valley.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 4-0
The Falcons opened the season with a win over then-No. 16 Heritage.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 5-2
The Vikings are riding a three-game winning streak after loss to Clarke County.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 5-1
The Panthers own victories over then-No. 16 Heritage and then-No. 19 Chantilly.
Preseason rank: No. 19
Record: 5-1
The Chargers’ only loss is a 44-43 decision to Potomac Falls.
Preseason rank: No. 20
Record: 3-2
The Wildcats’ losses to Langley and Gainesville are by a total of seven points.
Preseason rank: Not ranked
Record: 4-1
The Generals have won four straight by a margin of 44 points.
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