Westwood, CA- UCLA turned to a proven winner with deep roots in college football when it hired Bob Chesney as its next head coach, tabbing the veteran leader to guide the Bruins beginning with the 2026 season.
Chesney was hired Dec. 6, 2025, becoming the 20th head coach in UCLA football history and the first sitting head coach hired by the Bruins since Pepper Rodgers in 1971. He replaces a program seeking sustained success and national relevance as it enters a new era of college football.
“This is one of the most storied programs in the country, and the opportunity to lead UCLA football is incredibly humbling,” Chesney said in a statement. “I believe deeply in building a program the right way — with toughness, discipline and a commitment to excellence both on and off the field.”
Coach Chesney speaks to the crowd. Photo by Jevone Moore
Chesney brings more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience to Westwood, including 16 seasons as a head coach across four divisions. He owns a career head coaching record of 132-52 (.717), has won eight conference championships and has overseen the development of 11 All-Americans, including two at the FBS level. His teams have also produced three College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans and 192 all-conference selections.
He arrives at UCLA after a two-year stint at James Madison, where he led the Dukes from 2024-25 to a 21-6 overall record and a series of program firsts. In 2025, James Madison posted an 8-0 Sun Belt Conference record — just the 10th unbeaten conference mark in league history — captured its first Sun Belt championship and earned the program’s first College Football Playoff berth. The Dukes climbed to No. 19 in the AP Top 25 in Week 16, the highest ranking in school history.
Chesney was named the 2025 Sun Belt Coach of the Year and earned national recognition as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award and a semifinalist for the George Munger Award. His 2025 roster was loaded with individual honors, including quarterback Alonza Barnett III as Sun Belt Player of the Year and linebacker Trent Hendrick as Defensive Player of the Year. Running back Wayne Knight earned AP second-team All-America honors and was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award.
UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said Chesney’s track record stood out during the search. “Bob has consistently elevated every program he’s touched,” Jarmond said. “His ability to build culture, develop players and win championships made him the clear choice to lead UCLA football into the future.”
Chesney (L) and AD Jarmond (R) at opening Press Conference. Photo by Jevone Moore
Chesney’s success at James Madison followed a remarkable six-year run at Holy Cross from 2018-23, where he won a program-record five straight Patriot League championships and posted a 44-21 record. He was a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year and twice earned New England Football Writers Coach of the Year honors. Prior to that, he led Assumption College to five consecutive winning seasons and rebuilt Salve Regina after years of struggles.
A native of Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, Chesney played college football at Dickinson College, where he was a four-year defensive back and team MVP. He now faces his biggest challenge yet — translating a career of success across divisions into wins on the national stage at UCLA, beginning in 2026.
Chesney Family pose for photo op. Photo by Jevone Moore
DALLAS, TX– It was a duel out west in Dallas between Justin Herbert and Dak Prescott on Sunday, December 21st. As Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers won their 4th consecutive game, 34-17 over the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
There were plenty of fireworks early on Sunday as the first half of the Chargers-Cowboys matchup was a shootout.
Neither team punted in the opening half that saw them combined for 444 yards of offense.
Justin Herbert and Co. were on fire early as the Chargers quarterback threw nearly 200 yards and a pair of scores — to Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey — as the Bolts scored touchdowns on their first three offensive drives to open the game.
As for “America’s Team,” the Dallas Cowboys endured yet another disappointing season after lofty hopes. The primary reason being their atrocious defense.
Giving up around 30 points per game, ranking near the bottom of the league (31st in the NFL) for points allowed, throw in a secondary which is utterly incapable of guarding any receiver on the field.
The Chargers are 11-4 as they used a dominant effort to roll past the Cowboys, still looking to catch the Denver Broncos for the AFC West crown.
After a thrilling first half, the Bolts grabbed hold of the game with an impressive effort in the second half on both sides of the ball.
The Bolts defense rose up forcing a Dallas punt on the Cowboys first possession of the second half that was also the first punt in the entire game. It came with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter.
With the Bolts leading 24-17, the Cowboys drove into the red zone and faced fourth-and-1 from the 16-yard line.
But the Chargers run defense came up with a timely stuff as Jamaree Caldwell and Da’Shawn Hand teamed up for a turnover on downs to give the offense the ball back.
Herbert took advantage and provided a spark with a 34-yard run to get the Chargers into Cowboys territory.
Herbert later hit Keenan Allen to move the chains and get into the red zone before the Chargers added to their lead with Cameron Dicker’s second field goal of the game to go up 27-17.
An Omarion Hampton 5-yd TD run into the end zone was the final nail in the coffin for the Cowboys.
Herbert threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score and the Los Angeles Chargers closed in on a playoff spot.
The Chargers will now be on a short week as they host the Houston Texans on Saturday, December 27th in Week 17.
Kickoff from SoFi Stadium is at 1:30 p.m.
The Texans are in exactly the same position as the Chargers. Both teams are in the Wild Card hunt, but need help winning their respective divisions.
The Chargers and Texans met in the Wild Card Round of the playoff last year. It was a stinging 32-12 loss in Texas. A brutal end to the year, the Chargers will certainly be out for revenge.
JMU vs UO 1st Round Playoff game. (Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News)
EUGENE, Or — Oregon used a blistering first half and timely stops after intermission to pull away from James Madison for a 51-34 victory Saturday night, earning a berth in the Orange Bowl.
The Ducks scored touchdowns on four of their first five possessions and never trailed, answering every push by the Dukes in a game that was closer than the final score for much of the second half. Oregon’s balance on offense and efficiency in the red zone proved decisive as it advanced to one of the New Year’s Six bowls.
JMU vs UO 1st Round Playoff game. (Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News)
Oregon built a 31-17 halftime lead behind a fast tempo and clean execution. The Ducks opened the scoring with a methodical drive capped by a short touchdown run, then struck quickly through the air on their next series. James Madison countered with a pair of scoring drives of its own, but Oregon responded with back-to-back touchdowns in the final eight minutes before the break to seize control.
James Madison made it interesting after halftime, trimming the margin to 34-27 midway through the third quarter. The Dukes mixed tempo and misdirection to keep Oregon’s defense off balance, converting third downs and finishing drives with precision. But Oregon answered immediately with a 75-yard touchdown march, restoring a two-score cushion and swinging momentum back to the home sideline.
From there, Oregon leaned on its depth and pace. A fourth-quarter interception set up a short field and a touchdown, and the Ducks added another score on a drive that chewed clock and showcased their physicality up front. James Madison continued to fight, adding a late touchdown, but Oregon closed the door with a time-consuming final possession.
JMU vs UO 1st Round Playoff game. (Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News)
Oregon finished with more than 500 yards of offense and limited mistakes, while James Madison matched the Ducks’ intensity but struggled to get the final stop it needed. The Ducks converted consistently in the red zone and won the turnover battle, two factors that loomed large as the game wore on.
“We talked all week about starting fast and responding when things get tight,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “James Madison is a really well-coached team. They made us earn it, but our guys stayed aggressive and finished.”
JMU vs UO 1st Round Playoff game. (Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News)
The Ducks’ quarterback spread the ball around and kept the chains moving, while the running game provided balance and late control. Oregon’s defense bent at times but delivered key plays, including a third-quarter takeaway that halted a potential tying drive.
“Games like this come down to composure,” Oregon’s quarterback said. “They had answers, but we trusted our preparation and kept playing our game.”
James Madison closed its season with a strong showing against a playoff-caliber opponent, while Oregon turned the page toward Miami. With the win, the Ducks advanced to the Orange Bowl, carrying momentum and confidence into a national spotlight.
O. Johnson (9) signals touchdown. (Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News)
LOS ANGELES, CA — Skyy Clark scored a season-high 30 points and UCLA erupted for one of its most prolific halves in program history, pulling away from Cal Poly for a 108-87 nonconference victory Friday night at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial.
The Bruins trailed at halftime but overwhelmed the Mustangs after the break, shooting 62 percent in the second half and turning defense into offense to cruise past the visitors. UCLA finished with six players in double figures and topped the 100-point mark for the first time in more than a year.
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
UCLA (9-3) outscored Cal Poly 65-42 in the second half, opening the period with a decisive 17-2 run that flipped a two-point deficit into a commanding lead. Clark led the charge, connecting on six 3-pointers and igniting the crowd as the Bruins seized control less than five minutes into the half.
“Obviously, we have a scouting report and we watch film, and we talk about it,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “I told them that they’re going to shoot more threes tonight than they usually shoot, because that’s their best chance to win. Our guys rallied up and give them credit. They tightened up the defense in the second half, and we forced 24 turnovers and built up a 27-point lead.”
Clark finished 10 of 19 from the field and became the first UCLA player to score at least 30 points since Dylan Andrews did so in the Pac-12 Tournament in March 2024. Tyler Bilodeau added 24 points, while Donovan Dent scored 16. Jamar Brown had 14 points, Trent Perry scored 12 and Eric Dailey Jr. chipped in 10 as the Bruins showcased their depth.
Aaron Price Jr. (15) Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
Cal Poly (5-8) kept pace early, shooting efficiently from the perimeter. The Mustangs made 9 of 17 shots from 3-point range in the first half and shot 56 percent overall, building a 45-43 lead at intermission. The opening half featured five lead changes and six ties, as neither team could create separation.
UCLA’s execution after halftime proved decisive. The Bruins assisted on 15 baskets in the second half and committed zero turnovers during that stretch. Their 65 points after the break marked the program’s highest scoring output in a half since December 1994.
The Mustangs briefly cut the deficit to 74-68 with just under 10 minutes to play, but UCLA responded immediately. Brown drilled a 3-pointer, Dent followed with a steal and assist in transition, and Clark later knocked down his sixth 3-pointer to extend the lead to 99-77 with 4:25 remaining.
Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News
“We just stayed aggressive and trusted each other,” Clark said. “Once we got stops, everything opened up for us on the offensive end.”
UCLA will host UC Riverside on Tuesday in its final nonconference game before opening Big Ten play in January. Cal Poly continues its road stretch looking to build consistency after a strong first-half showing against a nationally recognized opponent.
Los Angeles, CA – UCLA for the second time this week put on another offensive clinic with Seniors Gabriela Jaquez and Lauren Betts scoring 17 points apiece to lead the No. 4 UCLA against winless Long Beach State, 106-44 on Saturday at Pauley Pavillion to follow up their largest victory margin on Tuesday night against Cal-Poly.
“I just wanted to say as we go into this holiday season and we talk about basketball, in the end it’s putting an orange thing in an orange thing,” UCLA Head Coach Cori Close said. “And the reality is that it allows us to be able to be a part of people’s lives at a meaningful level. And I just want to say that I’m humbled to be a part of that. And I just needed to mention that we’re really lucky to be a part of being a blessing to other people and I’m very thankful to have a team that adopts that kind of vision.”
Senior Guard Kiki Rice continues to follow such vision on and off the court with seven assists to go along 15 points, nine rebounds for the Lady Bruins. Senior Transfer Gianna Kneepkens had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds as one of six Bruins in double figures. Jaquez tied her career high with five 3-pointers with four of them coming in the first quarter.
“I mentioned earlier in the season, I just know what my I want my shot to feel like and yeah, they have confidence in me and my teammates set me up,” Jaquez said. “I mean, it’s really hard to guard all of us on the court, so they create open shots for me.”
JaQuoia Jones-Brown rallied 10 points to lead Long Beach while a couple of her star teammates, Khylee-Jade Pepe and Judit Oliva Fernandez, found themselves in foul trouble. The Beach had 20 turnovers and loss just about every statistical category.
UCLA led 29-11 in the opening period and closed the second with a 20-5 run, increasing the margin to 57-23 at halftime.
“I think that our coaches have been doing a great job of holding the standard and we continue to talk about that, but that’s just coming in every day ready to work,” Jaquez said. “I think that we took it and applied it in the games and making sure we’re maintaining our focus even though we’re up by how many points, but continuing to challenge ourselves…going into this break, we’ll enjoy it and then come back and have some tough matchups ahead, but we’re going to continue to take in the hard coaching because we know that’s what we need.”
The Bruins (11-1) held the Beach (0-10) to eight points in the third while pushing their lead to 78-31, capped by Jaquez’s fifth 3-pointer. UCLA defense continues to remain consistent while outscoring the Beach 28-13. Dual-athlete and crowd favorite Megan Grant recorded another basket in a game for the season.
“The two areas that we’re focusing in terms of growth right now are limiting three-point attempts by our teammates or by our opponents and in defensive rebound percentage,” Coach Close said. “The reality is when we’ve played teams like you know South Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, UConn, Duke that are really strong offensive rebounding teams, those are the ones that when we rebound well and that we defend and get stops. When we don’t rebound well, we have a harder time.”
UCLA freshman and younger sister of senior star center Lauren Betts, Sienna Betts didn’t have a hard time reaching double digits in her second game,scoring a season high 14 points in 15 minutes. After being out for the Bruins first 10 games due to a lower left leg injury in preseason practice, she has adapted quickly and smoothly thus far in her season debut.
“I think I’m like just a player that can like mesh well with other people. Like I feel like I go off of other people’s skills pretty well,” Sienna said. “I mean I’m still only two games in so I got to show some of it but I just hope to continue to be able to you know go farther out but also just maintain my post skills because that’s just as important even more.”
The Betts sisters showed off their chemistry tonight, setting each other up on multiple plays to score. In addition, this game provided another opportunity for the Lady Bruins to clear their bench and display their depth, with every active player tallying points.
“I’m just really grateful to like play the game like basketball, Sienna said. “And you don’t realize how much you appreciate it until it’s gone. So it just makes me super excited to be here with my teammates and be able to play with such amazing women and players. I’m just really really excited to just continue this season with everyone.”
This is UCLA’s third margin of victory over 50 points this season with two of them coming this week. Last season, when these two teams matched up a year ago around the same time this month, UCLA won by 32. This season with Coach Close raising the standard for her team as a result scoring margins have increased against non-conference opponents along with defense intensity.
“It’s not just that I pride myself on our defense. It’s that the last five out of six national champions were the number one defense in the country and we are the number one offense right now, but we are the 14th best defensive team,” Coach Close said. “And we need to continue to raise the level of our defense and, you know, compete with ourselves to get better every day. And that’s got to be the biggest competition that we have is our commitment to the defensive end.”
UCLA will take a basketball break before traveling to play No. 21 Ohio State on Dec. 28 in its second Big Ten game of the season.
Londynn drives to the lane. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Los Angeles, CA- Senior Transfer Guard Londynn Jones was known for her three-point shooting and speed prior to transferring from Big Ten crosstown rivalry UCLA and those two attributes came into career high form Thursday night at the Galen Center with a 28-point performance, leading USC to defeat Cal-Poly, 86-39.
“It was nice to get back on the winning side of things in Galen Center, coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I was proud of our team’s response to obviously a tough one the other night. I thought we had a couple good days of practice and then came out here and did what we needed to do.”
This was Women of Troy’s last home game out of their six game homestand which they achieved a 5-1 record, after rebounding tonight from that disparaging loss against No. 1 UConn this past Saturday.
Jones shot 11 of 16 from the field including 5 of 8 from deep while Freshmen Jazzy Davidson added 17 points and nine rebounds though she appeared to limp off the floor towards the end of the game as the crowd pleaded for her to sit down since the game was out of reach.
“We all know how Londynn can shoot the ball,” coach Gottlieb said. It doesn’t surprise me. It’s more we believe that our shooters, our scorers, everyone’s going to be able to get to higher percentages if the ball’s moving a little more crisply if we get to what we want faster, no matter who it is, and then I thought our defensive intensity created more open looks for us as well.”
Senior Transfer Forward Kara Dunn seemed to rebound as well after struggling against the Huskies with 12 points.
The Mustangs were without two of their top scorers, Vanessa McManus and Charish Thompson as they fell for a second straight time this week, after a 87-point loss to No.4 UCLA.
“We know UCLA is good…I mean we showed a couple clips maybe from that game, but it was really a mixture of what Cal-Poly is trying to do and we felt like this game was a little bit more about us. I don’t think that was too much of a factor,” Coach Gottlieb said.
USC depth appeared to show some promise and potential with role players coming off the bench like YaKiya Milton and Laura Williams, both accomplishing multiple blocks, 4 and 3, respectively. Williams even scored eight points, half of them off put back rebounds.
“I try to capitalize on any opportunity that I’m given,” Milton said. “I try to play with as much energy and intensity as I can, I feel like something that Coach Lindsay has been talking about a lot is rim protecting and I feel like that’s something I’m able to bring and I’m just glad I was able to bring it today.”
Women of Troy out-rebounded Mustangs 44–29 and scored 44 points in the paint plus 39 points off the Cal-Poly’s 27 turnovers.
USC led the entire game and put the game away after halftime with a 26-5 run in third quarter.
“We can play an amazing team any night. So, just having that mentality and just staying true to who we are. you know, it doesn’t really matter who we play as long as we’re going out executing the game plan, the scout, whatever it is that we need to accomplish,” Jones said. “And then just building on that, getting better, communicating with each other. I know, communicating is something we’ve really been focusing on, so I think that that will always help.”
USC heads to the Bay Area for a matchup with coach Gottlieb’s previous school she coached, Cal Bears, in the Bay Area Women’s Classic before they are able to start their holiday break then resume play on December 29th against Nebraska.
UCLA's Lauren Betts #51 yells with excitement for teammate's made basket. (Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News)
Westwood, CA- No. 4 UCLA made history in front of a small, devoted crowd on a Tuesday night at Pauley Pavillon with an 87-point victory over Cal Poly for the largest margin win in NCAA, 115-28.
“We have had a really tough week and a half of practices and really challenging our consistency, our physicality, our ability to defend with pride,” UCLA Lady Bruins Head Coach Cori Close said.
UCLA’s Kiki Rice #1 attacking the basket. (Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News)
“So the word for us today was standard or two words the standard that we have to play to our standard and bottom line is we still have work to do.”
The Bruins wasted no time playing up to their standard with a quick 6-0 run from tip-off that swiftly turned into 60-16 by halftime concluded with a 27-0 run.
Each UCLA starter reached double figures led by Senior Guard Kiki Rice’s 23 points. Rice almost racked in a double-double by grabbing eight rebounds and four assists. Senior Center Lauren Betts posted another double-double after returning from USA Olympic training camp in North Carolina, scoring 20 points alongside 10 boards.
UCLA’s Lauren Betts #51 on the block about to score.
“I think since Lauren has been back, I’ve definitely noticed a change in her physicality, how aggressive she’s been…she’s definitely brought back a lot and obviously grateful that she’s able to have that experience,” Rice said about Betts brief time away this past weekend for USA training camp. “It’s awesome that you know she’s been able to kind of translate that back to here and it’s really raised our level as a group…I mean we talked a lot about you know this game that we’re going to be preparing to play at our standard and not to play to our opponent but to really just go out there slay in your own role.”
UCLA Grad transfer Gianna Kneepkens added 19 points and five assists. Senior Guards Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Leger-Walker finished with 14 points apiece.
All eleven active players on the Bruins roster recorded their name in history as every player scored while no player played more than 25 minutes.
Betts dominated in the first half with 16 points, scoring eight of UCLA’s first 10 points, including six straight in the first quarter. On the defensive end, it was Kneepkens setting the tone with six steals, tying her career-high.
“I think going to that USA training camp was a really amazing experience and I feel like it was just really cool for me to learn from all the vets and you know I’ve grown up watching a lot of these people and I look up to a lot of them. I think going into it I was really impressed by just the level of like physicality and just how much they talk and especially on the defensive end I just thought it was really amazing,” Lauren Betts said. “So, I think coming back just trying to ring as much intensity as I can and just making sure that I’m raising the level of intensity defensively for my team every single day.”
At one point, there was a couple exchange of baskets between the Bruins and Mustangs, making it somewhat competitive when Leger-Walker hit a triple to answer Cal Poly’s three. Then UCLA forced back-to-back turnovers into a solo tap dance combination for Betts, whom grabbed a steal, dished an assist, and scored in a 30 second sequence span. Cal Poly responded with a two-point basket, but Rice came back with a deep dagger to end the first.
“We’re really appreciative of Cal-Poly. I think I’ve shared with you all before that we had a heck of a time finding teams to play us this year,” Coach Close said. “Most teams were too scared and I really respect Cal-Poly. They said let’s go, bring it on and I think they were missing their leading scorer today. I think they had a great perspective and they kept playing hard all the way through.”
UCLA’s Charlisse Leger-Walker #5 driving baseline to the goal.(Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News)
UCLA continued to carry their momentum in the second and playing all gas no brakes, on both ends of the court.
Dugalić knocked down multiple buckets, Kneepkens got buckets, and both played a part in either an assist or scoring for most of the second quarter points including Kneepkens rallying Bruins last eight points.
UCLA high scoring 35 points second quarter showed their offensive artillery while their defense was just as effective holding Cal-Poly to a mere three points.
Freshmen Forward Lena Bilić came in the game, immediately blocking a 3-point shot attempt to force a 24-second violation. Redshirt-sophomore Amanda Muse followed with another block that led to another forced Cal Poly turnover. Mustangs went scoreless for the final 7:30 minutes.
Third quarter continued like the Bruins left in the first half, with a 17-1 run, scoring on seven-straight possessions. Rice had eight points during this span, including two shots from behind the arc.
UCLA’s Gianna Kneepkens #8 under the basket, looking for a teammate to pass to. (Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News)
Freshman Sienna Betts made her first collegiate points in her season debut at the free throw line. UCLA outscored Cal Poly 31-5 in the quarter.
“I just felt super jolly.I was just so happy to be on the court with her, Lauren Betts said about first time playing with her sister as teammates in a Bruins game. “She’s just done a lot of work and I know that this process hasn’t been easy, but to just have that moment with her, like this is something that, you know, we’ve kind of grown up just dreaming about and so to be at this level and to be on the court with her is just really amazing and continuing to boost her confidence, I think, is super important.”
UCLA emptied their bench leaving one starter in rotation for the final quarter, to initiate a 12-0 run. Sienna Betts created her first highlight with a stepback midrange shot for her first collegiate field goal.
“Like coach Cory said in the locker room, this is just the first step in her process. I just wanted her to get that one game in and moving forward, I know she’s going to continue to do amazing, ”Lauren Betts said.
Freshman Christina Karamouzi recorded also her first collegiate points, drawing a foul then nailing two free throws. One of the crowd highlights and game energy booster came at the end of this blowout game for softball star Megan Grant sliding in a layup off an inbound pass from Rice.
UCLA finished the quarter shooting 64 percent and 58 percent from the field for the game. Bruins recorded a season high 19 steals including four in the final quarter. UCLA hit 43 percent from deep, 59 points off 31 turnovers and 56 points in the paint for a well-balanced offensive onslaught. UCLA dominated in rebounds, 46-15.
UCLA Women’s basketball excited for Sienna Betts field goal (Photo by Jason Purisima / fi360 News)
“I think they [UCLA] had made the mental decision ahead of time, to make sure they’re not going on holiday break early and it’s not Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer yet, coach Close said. “Let’s finish getting better as a team. And that’s really really important for us. I think it’s you [FI360news] asked what is the standard, the standard are championship standards, this what you’re going to want to be like in March in April and I think Tasha talked before the team before the game about March is happening now. Do not deceive yourself. You cannot miss opportunities.“
Coming up UCLA next opportunity to host will be Long Beach State at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2 p.m. PST with a broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Inglewood, CA- University of Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr threw four touchdowns and the defense finished with five interceptions in a dominating 38-10 win over Boise State in the L.A. Bowl game Saturday at SoFi Stadium.
After both teams traded field goals in the first quarter, Washington went on a 21-0 run in the second quarter. Williams Jr. threw three touchdowns in the second quarter to give UW a 24-3 lead heading into halftime.
INGLEWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 13: Washington Huskies linebacker Xe’Ree Alexander (10) and Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) after the LA Bowl hosted by Gronk between the Boise State Broncos and the Washington Huskies on December 13, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360 news)
“They treated the game as we asked them to, which is a championship game, a championship opportunity,” UW coach Jeff Fisch said. “As we’re sitting here with nine wins, really proud of our players, and tonight was a great football game.”
UW opened the second quarter with Williams Jr. hitting Denzel Boston for a 78-yard touchdown to give UW a 10-3 lead. UW forced a punt on the ensuing drive and drove down the field with a 7-play, 57-yard drive that was capped with a 6-yard touchdown catch by Desmond Roebeck.
“Once I turned around and I saw there was no safeties and my guy running free, I was just trying to make it as catchable as possible,” Williams said on the pass to Boston.
INGLEWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 13: Washington Huskies running back Jonah Coleman (1) runs the ball during the LA Bowl hosted by Gronk between the Boise State Broncos and the Washington Huskies on December 13, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360 news)
The third touchdown of the quarter came when Willimas Jr connected with Raiden Vines-Bright for a 3-yard touchdown with 1:17 remaining in the first half.
The UW offense kept it rolling in the third quarter when Williams Jr threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to tight end Quentin Moore for a 31-3 lead.
INGLEWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 13: Washington Huskies wide receiver Chris Lawson (8) catches the ball for a gain during the LA Bowl hosted by Gronk between the Boise State Broncos and the Washington Huskies on December 13, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360 news)
Running back Jonah Coleman capped the night with a 6-yard touchdown run. Coleman rushed for 86 yards while Boston finished with six catches for 125 yards.
Boise State finished with 311 total yards but were held to 51 yards in the first half. The Broncos will move to the PAC-12 next season.
INGLEWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 13: Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) catches the ball for a touchdown and celebrates during the LA Bowl hosted by Gronk between the Boise State Broncos and the Washington Huskies on December 13, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/fi360 news)
Los Angeles, CA- No. 16 USC gave an unpremeditated warm West coast welcome to the undefeated No.1 UConn with a sold out crowd of 9,000 that turned into a chilly blowout, 79-51 on Saturday at the Galen Center.
After eight minutes of back n forth action, the Women of Troy seem like they were on the verge of keeping up with the No. 1 Huskies before a Blanca Quinonez substitution led into a full court pressure onslaught to change the short-lived battle into a white flag retreat.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
“I think we had two turnovers through the first half of the first quarter … and then we turned the ball over too much,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “It’s really hard to guard them in transition off of made or missed baskets, but I thought we could do that probably better than anyone that they’ve played. But it’s really hard off of live-ball turnovers.”
USC’s defense allowed UConn to score 15 straight points to close the first quarter initiated by Quinonez one woman defense show forcing turnovers with her length to steal the ball on inbound plays then converting them into six straight points before the Women of Troy figured out just how to advance the ball up the court.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Unfortunately for USC, UConn unleashed their best play of this season thus far finishing with 44 points in the paint and 26 points off turnovers.
Sophomore Guard Kennedy Smith fought to keep her team encouraged while their two top scorers Senior Guard Kara Dunn and Freshman Guard Jazzy Davidson were froze out most of the game by UConn’s physical, fast play.
“During the game I was telling them in the huddles just work on us at this point,”Smith said once the game seemed out of reach. “If we’re going to lose the game, we’re gonna lose the game, but work on what we need to be better.”
Smith finished with 16 points and had much needed assistance from Senior Guard Londynn Jones off the bench scoring 14 points in 25 minutes. Davidson eventually reached double digits with 10 points despite most of those points being “a day too late” buckets as the game was out of hand. Dunn had an upside with five assists and scoring the first basket for her team from deep to give them an early lead.
“Games like this are where you learn so much. I think staying present and just trying to do whatever it is in that moment, you have to take it play-by-play,” Jones said about co-leading this team with fellow teammates. “I think that was just kind of the mentality that I was just trying to get everybody on and you can’t do anything about the past. So, moving forward, we’re just trying to get better.”
USC continues struggling on offense with their inconsistent scoring and inability to finish nifty drives inside the paint, especially contested shots. However, the Women of Troy on the defensive end, were able to make the Huskies less efficient from deep range, hitting only 7 out of 19 as well as kept UConn’s dominant forward Sarah Strong under her usual outstanding performance as she struggled quietly in the first half.
USC was denied double digits both quarters in the first half culminating with a big block on Davidson entering into halftime, 39-17. The Women of Troy briefly held early leads but were unable to sustain an offensive rhythm, despite limiting the Huskies to their fewest points in a half this season.
By the third quarter, Women of Troy came out to a different tune, scoring 22 points but unable to stop the flow of UConn or the bleeding from Huskies’ hoedown on their home court.
“I never allow myself to go into a game thinking it’s going to be a 30-point game,” Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma said. “I knew it would be a good game. I thought it would be physical, I thought it would be fast-paced, and we wanted to make it fast-paced. When we could speed the game up and play really quickly, it was to our benefit. Defensively, our guys were able to do that today.”
UConn star guard Azzi Fudd not only clamped up Davidson for most of the game, she led her team with a game high 17 points including 3 out of 6 from behind the arc. Freshmen Quinonez poured in 12 points, four rebounds, four steals and a couple of assists that overall shifted UConn’s play into a different gear as they never looked back after she checked in the game.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
“When you have someone like her coming off the bench and can just bring that spark, it’s like the first group is playing well, and then she comes in, and it’s like a whole other level,” Fudd said about Quinonez.
The Women of Troy finished the game shooting 30 percent, hitting only 16 field goals for a season-low, 51 points. USC did show progress from the charity stripe, making 15 from 20.
USC (7-3) has one more home game to host Cal-Poly at the Galen Center on Thursday, December 18 completing their six game homestead and hopefully rebounding from such a downcast defeat.
UConn (10-0) remains undefeated and will return to Northeast to face Marquette on Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES, CA- On Wednesday night, the San Antonio Spurs battled the L.A. Lakers for a spot in the Semifinals of the NBA Cup. From the onset it was the Spurs who regained supreme, soundly defeating the Lakers 132-119 at Crypto.com Arena.
San Antonio now travels to Las Vegas to face the 24-1 defending NBA Champs, the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Semifinals. While the Lakers need to improve their defense desperately.
Stephon Castle scored 21 of his 30 points in the second half, and De’Aaron Fox added 20 points in the San Antonio Spurs’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Victor Wembanyama missed his 12th straight game with a calf injury, but he traveled with the Spurs. Many Laker fans fellt the loss of Wemby meant smooth sailing to Sin City.
For those fans still confused about the NBA Cup: here is a brief explanation.
An annual in-season tournament for all 30 NBA teams, featuring a group stage followed by single-elimination knockout rounds, culminating in a championship game in Las Vegas, with special uniforms, courts, and significant prize money ($500k per player for winners) to create early-season stakes, with most games counting towards the regular season and playoff seeding.
Going into the matchup, the Lakers confidence was sky high with a 4-0 record in the group stage. In addition, the Purple and Gold won the inaugural Cup in 2023.
Photo by Jevone Moore
Stephon Castle scored 21 of his 30 points in the second half, and De’Aaron Fox added 20 points in the win. Keldon Johnson had 17 points and eight rebounds as the Spurs maintained a healthy double-digit lead for most of the final three quarters to claim the last Cup semifinal spot in Las Vegas.
For the Lakers, Luka Doncic scored 35 points and LeBron James had 19 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers, who lost for only the third time in 12 games. Los Angeles trimmed its deficit to eight points late in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t get closer.
Marcus Smart scored a season-high 26 points with eight 3-pointers for the Lakers, and Austin Reaves had 15 points.
Unfortunately, the Lakers defense has been awful all season. Last night, it was exposed for the NBA world to see.
San Antonio made a 17-2 run and jumped to an 18-point lead in the second quarter, with Castle and Harrison Barnes exploiting Los Angeles’ season-long struggles in perimeter shooting defense.
Our Lakers are mired in the bottom five in the league in opponents’ 3-point percentage (38.2%), by hitting 17-of-38 from the outside (44.7%) and leading by as many as 24 points in the elimination game for the in-season tournament.
When the Spurs weren’t launching from beyond the arc, their guards were penetrating into the paint, compromising L.A.’s interior defense so much the Lakers often had no choice but to foul. Sm
San Antonio went 29-for-36 from the foul line compared with the Lakers’ 17-for-23.
Despite L.A.’s 17-7 start to the season, the loss mirrored many of the Lakers’ other lopsided defeats in the first quarter of the regular-season schedule.
The Lakers travel to Arizona to face the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
