JT Toppin, No. 11 Texas Tech hope for better returns against No. 14 Kansas

Star forward JT Toppin and No. 11 Texas Tech will look to get back on track in Big 12 play Monday when they host No. 14 Kansas in Lubbock, Tex.

The Red Raiders (16-5, 6-2 Big 12) will need a much better performance all around after losing Saturday's high-noon affair at UCF, which led almost the entire contest and stood strong at the end to record its second win over a ranked team.

Toppin, who averages a double-double, did his part with 27 points and 10 rebounds in the 88-80 setback that snapped the Red Raiders' five-game winning streak.

"We were not ready to play, and that's 100% on me," said Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland, whose crew did not have a midweek matchup before the UCF game. "We had a week to get prepared for this. ... We did not overlook this game. We lost in here the last time we played. They beat us to start conference play last year."

Texas Tech was outrebounded 35-23 and committed 13 turnovers while forcing six. UCF held an 18-2 advantage in points off turnovers.

"What we communicated and how we practiced was not how we did in the game," added McCasland. "I thought UCF was just more physical, more aggressive, and tougher than we were for 40 minutes."

The 6-foot-9 Toppin produces 22.4 points per game and 10.9 rebounds. His scoring ranks him third in the Big 12 behind Kansas State's P.J. Haggerty (23.0 per game) and BYU's AJ Dybantsa (23.3).

Red Raiders guard Christian Anderson totals 19.6 points and 7.5 assists per game.

The loss, combined with Kansas' 90-82 win over No. 13 BYU, left the Jayhawks (16-5, 6-2) effectively tied with Texas Tech and Iowa State for third place in the Big 12 standings.

Kansas played two completely different halves Saturday at home as it hosted College GameDay for the 13th time in school history.

The matchup featured two of the nation's most sensational freshmen -- the Jayhawks' Darryn Peterson and Dybantsa.

The 6-foot-6 Peterson only played 20 minutes, but the guard was unstoppable in the first half.

He scored 18 points and made 6 of 7 from the floor plus chipped in three steals as Kansas led 53-33 at the break.

"We played great, you know, for 20 minutes," Kansas coach Bill Self said after the team's fifth straight win. "That's the best we've played all year long. And then we just kind of had to piece it together to end it."

However, Peterson's cramps, an issue that sidelined him early during the nonconference part of the campaign, resurfaced by halftime and forced the explosive guard to miss 17 minutes of the second half.

"It's disappointing that he couldn't go because of cramps," said Self, whose squad had to fend off BYU after once leading by 21. "And he didn't cramp last game, but he did today. I certainly hope we can still figure that out."

Bryson Tiller, a 6-foot-11 freshman forward, stepped up in Peterson's absence and helped preserve the victory with a career-high 21 points and a team-best seven boards.

"I thought he was aggressive," said Self of Tiller, who averages nine points and 5.8 rebounds. "When you play a big guy the way we're playing him... I think sometimes he can get a little bit lost and float. Tonight, I didn't see that at all. I thought he was aggressive the whole game."

--Field Level Media

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JT Toppin, No. 11 Texas Tech hope for better returns against No. 14 Kansas

Star forward JT Toppin and No. 11 Texas Tech will look to get back on track in Big 12 play Monday when they host No. 1...

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NASCAR's Clash postponed to Wednesday due to historic snowfall in North Carolina

WINSTON, SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Abomb cycloneover North Carolina forced NASCAR to push its preseason exhibition to Wednesday night because the snow-covered roads are too dangerous for teams and fans to get to historic Bowman-Gray Stadium.

The Clash had been scheduled to run Sunday night and has now been postponed twice, with a schedule adjustment, because of the intense snowfall that blanketed the area. NASCAR first condensed the race into a one-day, Sunday-only show, then pushed the race to Monday.

NASCAR said Sunday it was moving it to Wednesday evening "due to the impacts ofhistoric winter weatheracross the North Carolina region."

The race is now scheduled to run one week before qualifying for the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway, where The Clash was held from 1979 through 2022.

The Clash went to a temporary track inside the Los Angeles Memorial Stadium for three seasons, then moved to its grassroots anchor at Bowman Gray last year.

Its first year was a success but the second running has been interrupted by the bomb cyclone, known to meteorologists as an intense, rapidly strengthening weather system. It contributed to nearly a foot (30 centimeters) ofsnow in and around Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city and home base for the majority of the NASCAR teams.

The snowfall represented a top-five snow event all time in Charlotte, said Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with weather prediction center in College Park, Maryland.

AP auto racing:https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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NASCAR's Clash postponed to Wednesday due to historic snowfall in North Carolina

WINSTON, SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Abomb cycloneover North Carolina forced NASCAR to push its preseason exhibition to Wednesday ...

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IOC president Kirsty Coventry says ICE and Epstein files are 'sad' distractions from Winter Olympics

MILAN (AP) — Two years before the Los Angeles Olympics, the United States is already dominating the narrative in the run-up to the opening ceremony of theMilan Cortina Winter Games.

International Olympic Committee officials, including PresidentKirsty Coventry, couldn't avoid questions relatingto ICEand theJeffrey Epstein filesat a news conference in Milan on Sunday.

Coventry tried to fend them off by saying it was not the IOC's place to comment on the issues but when pressed admitted it was "sad" that such stories were deflecting attention away from the upcoming Olympics.

"I think anything that is distracting from these Games is sad, right? But we've learned over the many years … there's always been something that has taken the lead, leading up to the Games," Coventry said. "Whether it has been Zika, COVID, there has always been something.

"But what is keeping my faith alive is that when that opening ceremony happens and those athletes start competing, suddenly the world remembers the magic and the spirit that the games have and they get to suddenly remember what's actually important and they get to be inspired and so we're really looking forward to that."

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Saturdayin Milan to protest the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the upcoming Winter Olympics, unbothered by the fact that agents would be stationed in a control room and not operating on the streets.

Meanwhile, the latest collection of government files released on Epstein include emails from 2003between Casey Wasserman, the head of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, and Epstein's one-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

"From all the information that we have and I believe that the US authorities, as the other authorities, have made all the clarifications needed, so from our side that's not for us to further comment on that part of the security. But we're really looking forward to the games," Coventry said when asked about the presence of ICE agents in Milan.

She was even less responsive when asked about Wasserman.

"We didn't discuss it yesterday and I believe Mr. Wasserman has put out his statement and we now have nothing further to add," Coventry said.

Two IOC members were mentioned in the documents, although there is no suggestion they did anything wrong.

They are: Richard Carrion, a Puerto Rican banker who finished runner-up to former IOC president Thomas Bach in the 2013 election; and Johan Eliasch, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation president who was one of Coventry's opponents last March.

"I've not been in contact with Casey, the focus has fully been on Milano Cortina, there's been a number of things that we've been focusing on here," said Coventry, who was elected just over 10 months ago and is the first female IOC president.

"In terms of IOC members, we're obviously watching and monitoring the media and we're aware of a few things that have been reported just today and we need some time to look into that and to be given intel."

The upcoming Olympics run from Feb. 6-22.U.S. Vice President JD Vancewill lead an American delegation to the Milan Cortina Games and attend Friday'sopening ceremony.

AP Winter Olympics athttps://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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IOC president Kirsty Coventry says ICE and Epstein files are 'sad' distractions from Winter Olympics

MILAN (AP) — Two years before the Los Angeles Olympics, the United States is already dominating the narrative in the run-...

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Georgia officer dead, another injured after hotel shooting, police say

A Georgia police officer was killed and another was critically injured on Feb. 1 after a shooting at a hotel in suburban Atlanta, authorities said.

During anews conference,Gwinnett County PoliceChief James D. McClure said two officers responded to a fraud-related call at 7:30 a.m. local time at a hotel in Stone Mountain, Georgia, located about 25 miles northeast of Atlanta. When the officers arrived, McClure said they went to the room of a person who was believed to have fraudulently used a credit card.

The officers made contact with the suspect, who invited them inside the room, McClure added.

"They began discussing the scenario or the incident with him," the police chief said. "And at some point the suspect produced a handgun and, in an unprovoked attack, fired at our Gwinnett County police officers."

'Dangerous and wrong':Gun rights groups slam feds' comments after Minneapolis shooting

Both officers were stuck, and one returned fire, injuring the suspect, according to McClure. The two officers and the suspect were transported to a local hospital after the shooting.

One of the officers, Pradeep Tamang, 25, was later pronounced dead, McClure said. The second officer, Master Police Officer David M. Reed, remains in critical but stable condition.

The police chief said the suspect, later identified as Kevin Andrews, 35, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Andrews will be transported to jail once released from the hospital. No additional injuries were reported.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation assumed control of the shooting investigation, authorities said.

Police officers identified

In a statement to USA TODAY, the Gwinnett County Police Department said Tamang joined the department in July 2024 and graduated from the police academy in May 2025. During the news conference, McClure said Tamang was from Nepal and moved to the United States about 10 years ago.

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Reed, according to the statement, joined the Gwinnett County Police Department in September 2015.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemptook to social mediaand mourned the dead officer and prayed for the second officer's recovery.

"This is the latest reminder of the dangers law enforcement face on a daily basis," Kemp said. "We are grateful for every one that puts themselves in harm's way to protect their fellow Georgians."

DHS report:Two border officers fired guns in fatal Pretti shooting

Preliminary probe: Person reported credit card fraud

In anews release, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it was investigating the shooting at the request of the Gwinnett County Police Department. The agency noted that once the investigation is complete, the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office will review the case.

A preliminary investigation revealed that Gwinnett County police responded to the Holiday Inn Express after receiving a call alleging credit card theft, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Earlier in the day, a person from South Carolina had reported that their credit card was fraudulently used at the Holiday Inn Express.

After the two officers arrived at the hotel, the agency said a front desk manager told them the room was being rented to Andrews. Officers spoke to Andrews in his room about the fraudulent use of the credit card and learned that he had an active warrant for failure to appear in DeKalb County, which is also located in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

At the news conference, McClure said Andrews had a "lengthy criminal history," including multiple felony convictions for violent crimes, gun crimes, and narcotics.

When officers attempted to arrest Andrews, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Andrews pulled out a handgun and fired at the officers. Additional officers later responded to the scene and the officers, along with the suspect, were taken to the hospital.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Georgia hotel shooting leaves officer dead and another injured

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Georgia officer dead, another injured after hotel shooting, police say

A Georgia police officer was killed and another was critically injured on Feb. 1 after a shooting at a hotel in suburban ...

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'We heard the call, we came running': Trump's NATO remarks have shaken allied veterans

PETERBOROUGH, England — Helmand province's shades of yellow, cookies wrapped in pink foil andsouthern Afghanistan'ssweaty heat have imprinted on Lance Cpl. Cassidy Little's mind.

But then his memory of that day in May 2011 fractures. One moment he was walking through an unsecured compound with his patrol, the next he was on his back, staring into swirling dust and black smoke, his body unresponsive. He had been hit by a blast froman improvised explosive devicethat had been buried underground for months.

"I felt like I had dust from my tonsils to my prostate," Little, 44, told NBC News this week in Peterborough, a cathedral city 75 milesnorth of London. As a trained medic, Little pressed a fellow Royal Marines commando to be honest about the damage to his right leg. Eventually, he received the reply: "It's gone."

The same explosion killed two of Little's friends and an interpreter as their patrol pushed into a hostile area not yet controlled by NATO — part ofthe same allied missionthat President Donald Trump denigrated last week.

"They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, and they did," Trump said. "They stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."

Taking long pauses as he spoke and appearing to rein in his frustration, Little responded to Trump's comments that cast doubt on whether NATO allies would be there for America "if we ever needed them."

"When I was hit, I was so far in front of the front line that I couldn't see the front line in my rearview mirror," he said.

Trump's assertions about NATO forces not coming to the United States' defense are incorrect: More than 1,000NATO troopsfrom over 25 countries, including 457 British service personnel, died in Afghanistan. Double that number were seriously wounded. Around 2,400 U.S. service members died in the conflict between 2001 and 2021.

The war, launchedafter the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attackson the U.S., remains the only time that the alliance's collective defense clause, known as Article 5, has been invoked.

After stoking outrage among Britons ranging from Prince Harry toPrime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump sought to backtrack.

Trump praised British troops as "among the greatest of all warriors" in a post on Truth Social, while stopping short of an apology.

For Little, who now works as an actor while serving as an ambassador for a veterans welfare group, Trump's comments sparked an initial surge of anger before he forced himself to calm down. But the president's appraisal of British troops, without mentioning the dozens of other nations who lost soldiers during the conflict, was "not an apology," he said.

"I stood shoulder to shoulder with the Estonians. I stood shoulder to shoulderwith the Danish," he said, sitting in a vape shop and cafe, in a corner of the room dedicated to veterans. "These are people that I've served with on the ground, including the Americans and the Canadians."

Trump's remarks caused fury across Europe and NATO countries, reopening old wounds and casting fresh doubt on the future of an alliance that has already cost so much for people like Little.

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Alice Rufo, the minister delegate at theFrench Defense Ministry, laid a wreath at a monument in downtown Paris on Monday dedicated to those who died for France in overseas operations. Speaking to reporters, she said it was crucial to show that "we do not accept that their memory be insulted."

Denmark lost 44 soldiers in Afghanistan, a higher number of fatalities than any other ally apart from the U.S. when taken as a proportion of its population of less than 6 million.

Denmark's leaders described Trump's comments as deeply disrespectful to allied sacrifices, and veterans joined a silent march in the capital,Copenhagen, braving subzero temperatures on Saturday to decry the president's remarks.

A minute of silence was also observed outside the U.S. Embassy, where earlier this week veterans had placed a flag for each Danish soldier killed in the conflict.

Backlash

In Britain, Starmer — usually deliberate in his dealings with Trump — called the comments "insulting and frankly appalling," saying he was not surprised they had caused "such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured."

Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, said the sacrifices of allied troops "deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect," adding: "I served there. I lost friends there."

Nikki Scott's husband, Cpl. Lee Scott, was killed in Afghanistan while serving in the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, leaving behind his wife and two children.

Holding a black book containing briefing notes that her husband had taken, she said in a video posted on LinkedIn: "I believe in the difference he and all our armed forces made, and no one should tell us otherwise."

The sweeping response speaks to wider concerns about what Trump's stance could mean for the future of NATO and its relationship with the U.S., already under increasing strain as Russia seeks to test the alliance's resolve.

"Equivocation from Washingtonweakens deterrence, emboldens Moscow, and risks persuading soldiers on the ground that NATO no longer carries the saliency or seriousness it once did," said H.A. Hellyer, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank in London.

"While the remarks change little for soldiers fighting in Ukraine," he said, "strategically, they are deeply corrosive."

Little recalls the commitment of NATO forces firsthand after the attacks on the U.S. in 2001, and the contrast between that reality and political rhetoric gives him pause.

"For the rest of us that were upfront, getting pulled apart, losing dads and brothers and husbands, we heard the call, we came running, and we happily went out there," he said.

"The trust that NATO has America's back has not been eroded. What's been eroded here is the trust that America has ours."

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'We heard the call, we came running': Trump's NATO remarks have shaken allied veterans

PETERBOROUGH, England — Helmand province's shades of yellow, cookies wrapped in pink foil andsouthern Afghanistan...

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5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father return to Minnesota from ICE facility in Texas

Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas, have been released followinga judge's order.They have returned to Minnesota, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.

Immigration Enforcement Boy Detained

The boy and his dad, Adrian Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, were detained in a Minneapolis suburb on Jan. 20. They were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.

Katherine Schneider, a spokesperson for the Democratic congressman, confirmed the two had arrived home. She said Castro picked them up from Dilley on Saturday night and escorted them home on Sunday to Minnesota.

In a statement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not target or arrest Liam Conejo Ramos, and that his mother refused to take him after his father's apprehension. His father told officers he wanted Liam to be with him, she said.

"The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system, and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country," McLaughlin said.

The government said the boy's father entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024. The family's lawyer said he has an asylum claim pending that allows him to stay in the U.S.

The Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review's online court docket shows no future hearings for Liam's father.

The vast majority of asylum-seekers are released in the United States, with adults having eligibility for work permits, while their cases wind through a backlogged court system. Ecuadorians, who left in droves in recent years as their country spiraled into violence, have fared poorly in immigration court, with judges granting asylum in 12.5% of decisions in the 12-month period through September, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

Images of the young boy wearing a blue bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack and surrounded by immigration officers drew outrage about the Trump administration's crackdown in Minneapolis.

In his order granting the release, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery blasted the administration, writing, "The case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children."

Neighbors and school officials say that federal immigration officersused the preschooler as "bait"by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer. The Department of Homeland Security has called that description of events an "abject lie." It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.

Residents celebrate release

On Sunday afternoon, residents of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, gathered outside the house where Liam was detained to celebrate his release and call attention to others from the community who remained in ICE detention.

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"We cried so much when we heard that he was coming back," said Lourdes Sanchez, the owner of a cleaning business. "My son is also named Liam, and he is five years old, so it felt personal for us."

Nearby, Luis Zuna held up photographs of his 10-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, who he said had been detained, along with her mother, Rosa, while driving to school on Jan. 6. He said they both remained in custody at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in San Antonio – the same facility where Liam and his father were held.

"It's the same situation as Liam, but there were no pictures," said Carolina Gutierrez, who works as a secretary at the school that Elizabeth attended. "Seeing Liam released, it gives us faith."

Inquiries to the Department of Homeland Security about that case were not immediately returned.

Brenda Marquez, another nearby resident, said she had driven with her husband and two young children to the house immediately upon hearing news of Liam's release, stopping on the way to pick up Spiderman balloons. "We wanted something that would bring a little happiness," she said. "Being away from my son and not knowing what's going on with him, I just can't imagine it."

Congressman writes letter to Liam

Castro wrote a letter to Liam while they were on the plane to Minnesota, in which he told the young boy he has "moved the world."

"Your family, school and many strangers said prayers for you and offered whatever they could do to see you back home," Castro wrote. A photo of the letter was posted on social media. "Don't let anyone tell you this isn't your home. America became the most powerful, prosperous nation on earth because of immigrants not in spite of them."

Photos on Castro's social media showed Liam wearing his blue bunny hat and with a Pikachu backpack.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar,a Democrat from Minnesota, welcomed the boy back to Minnesota, saying in a social media post that he "should be in school and with family — not in detention." The senator added: "Now ICE needs to leave."

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar,also a Democrat from Minnesota, posted a photo to social media of her with Liam, his father and Castro in which she is holding Liam's Spider-Man backpack. "Welcome home Liam," she posted with two hearts.

In a statement, Columbia Heights Public Schools called Liam's release "an important development," one that school officials hope will have positive developments for four other Columbia Heights students held at the same facility in Texas.

Dura reported from Bismarck, North Dakota. Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz contributed from Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and Elliot Spagat from San Diego.

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5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father return to Minnesota from ICE facility in Texas

Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE...

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Keaton Wagler scores 28, leads No. 9 Illinois to 11th straight win, 78-69 over No. 5 Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Keaton Wagler scored 28 points and No. 9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, beating No. 5 Nebraska 78-69 on Sunday in the first matchup of top-10 teams the Cornhuskers have hosted.

The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven't lost sincefalling 83-80 at home to Nebraskaon Dec. 13, held the Huskers to four field goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half.

Nebraska (20-2, 9-2) lost its second straight. The Huskerswere beaten on the roadTuesday by another top-10 opponent, No. 3 Michigan, ending their 24-game win streak dating to last season.

Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and David Mirkovic had 10.

Braden Frager returned for Nebraska after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury and scored 20 points. Pryce Sandfort added 14 points, Sam Hoiberg had 13 and Jamarques Lawrence scored 10.

Nebraska hit 11 of 20 3-pointers before halftime to lead 39-33 at the break. But the Huskers made only four 3s in the second half against a tightened Illinois defense.

The Illini outscored Nebraska 18-8 to open the second half. A 3-pointer by Wagler with 13:05 left put Illinois ahead 49-47, a lead it did not relinquish. Wagler hit another 3 with 6:45 remaining to cap a 10-0 run that made it 63-52.

The Huskers trailed by at least seven points the rest of the way.

While Illinois made nine 3-pointers to 15 for Nebraska, the Illini dominated at the free-throw line, outscoring the Huskers 21-4. Illinois also had a 10-point edge in the paint and a 40-27 advantage in rebounds.

Illinois: Hosts Northwestern on Wednesday.

Nebraska: Visits Rutgers on Saturday.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphere. AP college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Keaton Wagler scores 28, leads No. 9 Illinois to 11th straight win, 78-69 over No. 5 Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Keaton Wagler scored 28 points and No. 9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, beating No. 5 Nebraska...

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