ALEX MAG

It may come before the Feb. 5 trading deadline, or it may come in the offseason, butAntetokounmpo has reportedly indicated that he's ready to move onfrom the Bucks. Milwaukee, understandably, has started to listen to offers and may consider shipping the two-time Most Valuable Player before the deadline.

Yet, even if a deal cannot be reached by then, the Bucks could still move Antetokounmpo over the offseason, when suitors would have more financial flexibility and draft capital available to package in an offer.

With that said, which teams can actually present compelling cases to land the versatile star?

Here are potential landing spots for Giannis Antetokounmpo:

Eastern Conference Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons (second All-Star selection)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Western Conference Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (12th All-Star selection)

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Giannis, Curry, Doncic highlight 2026 NBA All-Star Game starters

Miami Heat

This is going to depend on what the Bucks are actually prioritizing in a return, but no team may have a better case than the Heat. Miami has more depth than star power and has some younger players with promise who could be part of a Bucks rebuild.

The centerpiece would be 2024-25 All-Star guardTyler Herro(26 years old), who has had injury concerns, but who has been a steady scoring threat when on the floor. Second-year centerKel'el Ware(21) is another intriguing player who has excellent rebounding ability; Ware ranks sixth in the NBA in rebounds this season (420), despite at least 200 minutes fewer than the players ahead of him. Ware has had motor concerns, but he's an excellent lob threat and can stretch the floor with shooting range.

Miami can also offer one ofJaime Jaquez Jr.(24) orNikola Jović(22) and some first-round draft picks. And, if Miami can moveAndrew Wigginsin a trade to theGolden State Warriors, the Heat could potentially recoup another pick to package in an Antetokounmpo deal.

New York Knicks

This has reportedly been Antetokounmpo's preferred landing spot, given its market size, ability to compete for championships and proximity to international airports that can get him to his native Greece with relative ease.

And while the Knicks do have some interesting assets that could entice the Bucks, it's going to depend on Milwaukee's preference. For one, the easy assumption is that forward-centerKarl-Anthony Townswould be a seamless swap, butMilwaukee just signed center Myles Turnerto a four-year, $107 million contract that keeps him with the Bucks through the 2027-28 season, with a player option for the following year.

Turner and Towns have similar skill sets, and Towns feels like a redundancy in Milwaukee. The Bucks are probably more intrigued by wingsOG AnunobyandMikal Bridges, with whom New York might be less willing to part. The Knicks would almost certainly require the addition of a third or fourth team to facilitate the deal.

The Bucks reportedly prefer younger talent and draft capital, neither of which the Knicks necessarily have, at least right now. Towns is 30, Bridges 29, Anunoby 28. Backup point guardMiles McBrideis 25, but he would need to be a secondary piece in any deal. For this to work, the Knicks would need to get creative in finding ways to sweeten their package.

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Atlanta Hawks

This looks like another interesting spot because the Hawks do have a balance of both young talent and draft capital. For one, the Hawks already own a massively valuable draft pick, an unprotected 2026 first rounder that's the most favorable between the Pelicans and the Bucks. New Orleans currently has the NBA's third-worst winning percentage and the Bucks are 18-27. There's the high likelihood that this pick will be a high lottery selection.

The Hawks may not want to part with that selection, but Atlanta nonetheless has plenty of draft capital and swaps it can offer.

The Bucks, though, may want to get talented forwardJalen Johnsonin return. The Hawks have built their team around Johnson and may not make him available. That would complicate things, asZaccharie Risacher, rookieAsa NewellandLuke Kennardlikely won't be enough to sway Milwaukee.

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

Toronto Raptors

This is a team that has been a massive surprise and one that may be a sneaky contender in the East. Point guardImmanuel Quickleyhas shined recently, winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Monday, Jan. 26. GuardRJ Barrettwill also likely be available.

That won't be enough. The Bucks will likely not consider any deal with Toronto unless it includes 2024 All-StarScottie Barnes, who's 24.Brandon Ingramis a solid player who would otherwise be a decent asset, but he's 28 and not as versatile as Barnes.

But Toronto has viewed Barnes as the key franchise cornerstone, and ideally would love to pair him with Antetokounmpo. The Raptors will likely need to get creative to involve teams to strengthen their offer – assuming Barnes is untouchable.

Orlando Magic

Headed into the start of last season,Paolo Bancherowas widely seen as one of the more promising, young players in the NBA. Given his recent struggles, that has changed somewhat, though he still holds significant promise.

Banchero is 23 and was an All-Star two seasons ago, but his scoring has dipped considerably (21.6 points per game, down from 25.9 last season). The Magic have lost 14 of their last 24 games, and the franchise might feel thatFranz Wagner, 24, is the player they want to build around.

The issue is that the Magic don't have much in the way of draft capital and younger players that could tempt Milwaukee. Put another way: the Bucks would have to really like Banchero for this to work.

The field

Could thePhoenix Sunsbe a player in a package led byJalen Green, a dynamic but inconsistent athlete who has played just four games this year? Could theGolden State Warriorssomehow leverageJonathan Kuminga,Jimmy Butler(who recently tore his anterior cruciate ligament) and picks into a deal? Could theDallas Maverickssend veterans likeAnthony DavisandKlay Thompsonto Milwaukee? What about a young team like theWashington Wizards, who have more young players than veterans?

What about teams that are already contenders like theHouston RocketsorSan Antonio Spurs? Could they tear up their current (and successful) builds for a push to compete?

There's always the possibility of the infamous mystery team that could be lurking. The reality is, of the 29 teams in the NBA aside from the Bucks, all but one or two of them are probably discussing if there's a viable path to get him.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spots, Milwaukee Bucks trade partners

While the specific reasons that Belichick didn't get into the Hall in his first year of eligibility are unknown, there are some possible explanations why at least 11 of the 50 voters didn't vote for one of the sport's most accomplished coaches.

Belichick's role in the "Spygate" scandal in 2007 could have had a similar impact on his candidacy that steroids have had in the baseball Hall of Fame at keeping stars such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens out of Cooperstown.

The rule changes put in place last year by the Hall also could have played a part, including possible frustration from some voters about the decision to eliminate the five-year waiting period for coaches that made Belichick eligible for the ballot after sitting out only one season as an NFL coach.

The changes also made it more difficult for anyone — Belichick included — to get into the Hall as evidenced by onlyfour people getting voted in last yearfor the smallest class in 20 years. Coaches are now competing directly with players in the seniors category instead of being judged on their own.

Here's a look at how the new rules have impacted the voting:

How do coaches become finalists?

Along with eliminating the five-year waiting period, coaches also were separated from contributors in terms of becoming finalists. A blue-ribbon committee whittles the coaches down to one finalist, withBelichick getting the nod this year. The one coach was grouped with one contributor, which wasPatriots owner Robert Kraft, and three seniors players who haven't played in the past 25 seasons. Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood are the finalists this year.

What about the modern era players?

The biggest group of finalists comes from the modern era category, with15 players pickedafter a process of cutting down nominees started with a screening committee that picks 50 nominees. The full 50-person selection committee cuts that down to 25 semifinalists and then 15 finalists, with any player who made it to the final seven and didn't get in last year guaranteed a spot in the final 15.

Who are the voters?

The selection committee consists of 50 voters, with 32 picked as media representatives of each team and the rest consisting of at-large voters, including some Hall of Famers such as Bill Polian, Tony Dungy, Dan Fouts and James Lofton. All the voters got on a video conference earlier this month, with one voter making a presentation and others then allowed to offer their opinions in a debate. The vote is conducted by secret ballot, with the results announced Feb. 5 at "NFL Honors" in San Francisco.

How does someone get in?

The threshold to get into the Hall is 80% — 40 of the 50 voters — but it's not as simple as an up-or-down vote.

Before the rule changes last year, five modern era finalists were picked to have an up-or-down vote, as well as the senior finalists and any coach or contributor who made it to the final stage. That typically led to five modern era players getting in with most — but not all — of the seniors, coaches and contributors also getting in.

Now, it's much more difficult.

The voters will cut down the list of modern era candidates from 15 to 10 and then seven. A final vote will be held for those seven, with each voter allowed to vote for only five players. If some candidates such as Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald get wide support, that would leave fewer available votes for any other potential candidates in the final seven to get to 80%. That led to only three modern era players — Eric Allen, Jared Allen and Antonio Gates — getting in last year.

It's a similar process for the seniors, coaches and contributors. Voters can vote for only three of the final finalists, with the top vote-getter and anyone else who gets 80% support getting into the Hall. Sterling Sharpe was the only person to reach that threshold last year from the group of finalists, while players Maxie Baughan and Jim Tyrer, coach Mike Holmgren and contributor Ralph Hay fell short.

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Playingin his league-record 23rd season, James is in a contract year with the Lakers. Now 41, Jamespicked up his $52.6 million player optionlast June, but thennews broke that L.A. didn't offer the four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champion an extension. Also, James was reportedly not given a heads-up about thesale of the Lakers from the Buss family to Mark Walter, whereas new franchise centerpiece Luka Dončić was reportedly clued in about the transaction.

In September, though, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka doubled downon his Aug. 2 comments,reaffirming that he'd "love if LeBron's story would be to retire as a Laker."

Jamesmissed the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica, a pain that travels along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the glute and down the leg.

He returned to the courton Nov. 19and has played in 28 games so far. James has started in every game he has played this season, and he's averaging 22.4 points — his fewest since his rookie season with the Cavaliers in 2003-04 — along with 6.7 assists and 6 rebounds in 33.4 minutes per outing.

James finished eighth in All-Star voting earlier this month. As a result,he won't be a starter in the midseason exhibitionfor the first time in 22 years. A 21-time All-Star, he could still be picked as a reserve for the All-Star Game, butthat will be up to NBA head coaches to decide.

A bit more than midway through the regular season, James' eighth with the Lakers, L.A. is 28-17 and fifth in the Western Conference.

James is amid the longest uninterrupted stay with a team of his NBA career. But his contract is set to expire at the end of this season, and the 26-year-old Dončić has become the focal point for a franchise that James helped return to the mountain top with an NBA championship after the 2019-20 season.

If James doesn't retire and decides to take his talents back to Cleveland for the 2026-27 season, he'd be embarking on his third stint with the Cavaliers, who famously selected the Akron, Ohio, native out of St. Vincent–St. Mary High School with the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft.

James played for the Cavs from 2003 to '10 and then, after winning two NBA titles with the Miami Heat as part of their "Big 3," again from 2014 to '18. In his second stint, he delivered Cleveland its first NBA championship in historic fashion, guiding the Cavaliers back from a 3-1 Finals deficit against a record-setting, 73-win Golden State Warriors team.

He signed with the Lakers in the summer of 2018. And for now, he is reportedly committed to the Lakers.

James stopped drinking alcohol during his rehab from sciatica and has dropped weight in an attempt to alleviate back and joint pressure and stay fresh alongside his younger teammates,as reported by ESPN on Wednesday.

We all saw last season how valuable the No. 1 seed is when all four top teams in the bracket made it to theFinal Four, the second time it's happened since seeding began in 1979. With how strong the top teams in the country look, that very much could happen again, making it paramount to get the top spots in the bracket and get the inside track to Indianapolis.

Bracketology:March Madness projection dominated by Big Ten

Selection Sunday is six weeks away, but we are getting a good sense of who is in the running to be a No. 1 seed in the 2026 NCAA tournament.

Arizona

Record:21-0 (8-0).Quad 1 record:9-0.NET Ranking:1.

Why Arizona is here:The Wildcats put themselves in the top spot, one of two undefeated teams left in the country. The nine Quad 1 wins are tied for the most in the country, and most of them came in what was a challenging nonconference schedule that included Florida, UConn and Alabama. Arizona had a relatively easy start to Big 12 play that showcased its dominance, and it continued playing a top brand of basketball in a roadwin against BYU that ended a little too close for comfort.

What's next:The schedule only gets tougher. Arizona plays six ranked teams in 10-game stretch, which includesIowa State, Houston and Kansas twice. Arizona will certainly be tested, but it is very safe right now in being a No. 1 seed.

Time to believe in Arizona?No. 1 Wildcats give reason to hope — and worry vs. BYU

Michigan

Record:19-1 (9-1).Quad 1 record:6-0.NET Ranking:3.

Why Michigan is here:Remember when everyone was ready to declare Michigan national champion in November? Arguably no one had a better start than theWolverines, who blew out teams for much of the first two months of the season, including a 40-point romp of Gonzaga. They aren't blowing teams out as much since then, but they keep winning — the only defeat a three-point loss to a hot-shooting Wisconsin team. The Wolverines got a big resume boostby ending Nebraska's undefeated seasonTuesday, Jan. 27.

What's next:A trip to in-state rival Michigan State is the first major road game for Michigan, and February will only get more challenging with games away from home against Purdue,Dukeand Illinois in a 10-day span.

UConn

Record:20-1 (10-0).Quad 1 record:5-1.NET Ranking:8.

Why UConn is here:Dan Hurley is back in the title conversation. What's impressive about UConn's resume is the five Quad 1 wins all came away from home, including neutral games against BYU and Illinois, as well as a road victory at Kansas. The lone blemish is a home loss to Arizona, a game the Huskies could have won. The Big East has presented some challenges, but they have emerged victorious in every conference game so far.

What's next:The rest of Big East isn't near UConn, with the biggest challenges two February games against St. John's and at Villanova. This team has the easiest path to a No. 1 seed and it's theirs to lose, even without a top five NET ranking.

Duke

Record:19-1 (8-0).Quad 1 record:9-1.NET Ranking:2.

Why Duke is here:Of course, Duke found a way to be even better after Cooper Flagg left. The Blue Devils had challenging nonconference slate and made statements with wins over Kansas, Florida and Michigan State. They are a one-point loss vs. Texas Tech away from being undefeated. The nine Quad 1 wins are tied with Arizona for the most in the country, picking up more in dominating fashion in the ACC. It has won every conference game by an average margin of 15.7 points, including two routs of Louisville.

What's next:An improved ACC will continue to challenge Duke outside of the two meetings with rival North Carolina. Clemson and Virginia visit Cameron Indoor Stadium in February, and then there's the game against Michigan that could give it the best nonconference resume in the country.

Just on the outside

Nebraska

Record:20-1 (9-1).Quad 1 record:6-1.NET Ranking:5.

Why Nebraska is here:Nebrasketball is alive and well in a historic season for the Cornhuskers. The perfect start came with some caution as they weren't tested much to start the season, but all was validated with wins over Illinois and Michigan State. Even though its undefeated season ended against Michigan, the narrow loss proved theCornhuskersare in the same tier of title contenders.

What's next:The Cornhuskers are in the midst of one of their toughest stretches with Illinois up next and Purdue visiting Lincoln in a few weeks. However, the end of the regular season isn't too treacherous. There's a chance Nebraska gets a top-two seed for the first time, and finally captures that elusive first NCAA tournament win.

Gonzaga

Record:21-1 (9-0).Quad 1 record:3-1.NET Ranking:4.

Why Gonzaga is here:Another year, another run of dominance for Gonzaga. The blowout loss to Michigan has overshadowed what's been another outstanding start for Mark Few, with wins against Alabama and Kentucky away from the Northwest. It did enough to start the resume strong before West Coast Conference play began, which has been another relatively easy going run for Gonzaga in its last year in the conference.

What's next:As usual, Gonzaga faces an easy rest of the regular season, with the major challenge being the two annual games against Saint Mary's. Prime opportunity to boost the low Quad 1 resume, and the Bulldogs can hope teams above them start to slip so they can climb up the seed line.

Houston

Record:17-2 (5-1).Quad 1 record:4-2.NET Ranking:11.

Why Houston is here:Last season's national runner-up has quietly put itself back in a spot to be a No. 1 seed for the fourth-straight season. The early season loss to Tennessee doesn't look as good with the Volunteers' inconsistency since then, but it was able to split the season series with Texas Tech. The Cougars are still one of the best defensive teams in the country and have become even better offensively.

What's next:The Big 12 gauntlet gives Houston more opportunities to rise, with games against BYU, Iowa State, Arizona and Kansas in the middle of February. That stretch will determine whether the Cougars can be a top seed.

Iowa State

Record:18-2 (5-2).Quad 1 record:5-1.NET Ranking:7.

Why Iowa State is here:The high-powered Iowa State offense blitzed several teams to start the season, headlined by the big road victory over Purdue. It hasn't nabbed any notable wins since then, and the two uninspiring losses have pushed the Cyclones away from a No. 1 spot, mostly thanks to suffering a Quad 2 loss at the hands of Cincinnati.

What's next:There are plenty of key win opportunities coming up for the Cyclones. It ends the season with six Quad 1 games in the last eight, which features Houston, BYU, Texas Tech and Arizona, needing to win at least three of them to feel good about getting the first No. 1 seed in program history.

Also contenders

Illinois, Texas Tech and Michigan State,

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who can be No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament? Breaking down contenders

The longtime former New York Giants quarterback fell short of making the cut into the Hall of Fame again this year, marking his second straight time falling short as one of the 15 modern-era finalists,according to The Athletic.

Manning is generally expected to eventually earn his way into the Hall of Fame, though the topic is often debated and there areplenty who think he shouldn't. He currently ranks 11th in both career passing yards and career passing touchdowns in league history, and he won two Super Bowls during his 16 seasons with the Giants. The four-time Pro Bowler was the 2016 Walter Payton man of the Year, too.

Manning finished with a 117-117 overall record with the Giants, however, and he was eventuallyreplaced by then-rookie Daniel Jonesduring his final season with the franchise in 2019. Manning also led the NFL in interceptions three times.

But despite the areas where he may have struggled, history is on Manning's side. He is one of six players with multiple Super Bowl MVP awards to his name. Of that group, three were first-ballot inductees. The other two, longtime New England Patriots star Tom Brady and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, are expected to be first-ballot entries once they are eligible.

TheHall of Fame is controlled by Canton's selection committee, which is made up of a 50-person panel of media members all selected by the Hall's board of directors and appointed to two-year terms. Each team's media contingent gets a representative, as does the Pro Football Writers of America organization. The last 17 spots are then filled by at-large contributors. It takes at least 80% approval to get in.

Manning is the second notable NFL figure who didn't make the cut into the Hall of Fame this year. Longtime Patriots coachBill Belichick reportedly fell short of his bid to become a first-ballot entrant. Belichick was reportedly "puzzled" and "disappointed" by the decision during his first year of eligibility. He reportedly asked associates, "Six Super Bowls isn't enough?" and "What does a guy have to do?" after learning of the news, whichset the NFL world into a firestorm on social mediaon Tuesday.

In the end, Manning very likely will make it to Canton. Whether or not he gets there before Belichick, however, is now anybody's guess.

However, it is not the one some people expected.

The Browns hired Todd Monken on Wednesday as the franchise's 19th full-time head coach, wrapping up a three-week search. He replaces Kevin Stefanski,who was fired on Jan. 5, the day after Cleveland finished a 5-12 season.

This is Monken's first NFL head coaching job after 11 years as an assistant. He spent the previous three seasons as Baltimore's offensive coordinator.

"He is an outstanding leader and has a clear vision to lead our team as a strong communicator who values trust with his players but also accountability and preparation. In our committee's exhaustive reference work on Todd, his commitment to player development was evident, and his tough and straightforward coaching is respected by the players and the coaches he's worked with, putting our team in a position to succeed while developing our players to maximize their talents," owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement.

Monken was the Browns' offensive coordinator on Freddie Kitchens' staff in 2019. There was growing sentiment, though, that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had emerged as the favorite, especially as the list of candidates thinned out.

Schwartz has been the architect of one of the league's top defenses the past three seasons.

Cleveland led the league in total defense in 2023 and ranked fourth this season asMyles Garrett had 23 sacks and broke the NFL single-season record.

Schwartz is under contract for one more season, but he is expected to look elsewhere after being passed over.

Losing Schwartz would be another blow to the Haslams, whose tenure since buying the Browns in 2012 has been known more for dysfunction than building a winning organization.

Monken is the seventh coach hired by the Haslams. The previous six compiled a 73-139-1 regular-season record, the second-worst mark in the NFL.

The Browns were 5-12 this season and 8-26 the past two years. Stefanski — who washired as Atlanta's coach— had a 46-58 record. He was a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year and led the Browns to the playoffs in 2020 and '23.

After announcing Stefanski's firing, Jimmy Haslam bristled over the narrative that the Browns are a dysfunctional organization. However, the coaching search ended up having more people withdraw their names from consideration than finalists. Cleveland interviewed 10 people for the opening, with four — Monken, Schwartz, Grant Udinski and Los Angeles Rams pass coordinator Nate Scheelhaase — getting second interviews.

Udinski withdrew on Monday after a second interview to remain in Jacksonville as offensive coordinator.

The Browns had second interviews scheduled with Mike McDaniel and Jesse Minter before both canceled. McDaniel, who was Miami's coach for four seasons, will be theLos Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinatorwhileMinter was hired as Baltimore's head coachafter two seasons directing the Chargers' defense.

Monken, who turns 60 on Feb. 5, first interviewed on Jan. 10 and had a second interview on Jan. 20. He also interviewed for Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator opening and was tied to the New York Giants offensive coordinator spot after John Harbaugh was hired as the coach.

After Cleveland, Monken went to the University of Georgia from 2020-22 and was the offensive coordinator when the Bulldogs won the national title in 2021 and '22.

The Ravens were second in the league this season in rushing yards per game (156.6 yards) and 11th in scoring, averaging 24.9 points per game. Baltimore was the league's top-ranked offense in 2024, when it became the first team in NFL history to have at least 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in the same season.

Monken also has worked in Jacksonville (2007-10) and Tampa Bay (2016-17). He was the head coach at Southern Mississippi from 2011-13 and had a 13-26 record.

The biggest task for Monken will be trying to find a quarterback and a sustainable offense.

Stefanski started a league-high 13 different quarterbacks during his tenure, including seven over the past two seasons.

The Browns thought they had their quarterback in 2022 when they released Baker Mayfield and acquired Deshaun Watson from Houston for five draft picks, including three in the first round. Instead, the trade for Watson has set the Browns back.

Watson has played in only 19 games. He has gone 9-10 as Cleveland's starter with 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and an 80.7 passer rating. He did not play this season while rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon. Watson practiced for three weeks last month but was not activated to the roster.

Jimmy Haslam said during the league meetings last March that the Browns "took a big swing and miss" with the Watson trade and that "we've got to dig ourselves out of that hole."

Shedeur Sanders started the final seven games, going 3-4. He faced growing pains, including a makeshift line and missing the leading rusher and receiver for the last two games.

Whether Sanders convinced the Browns that he can start next season will be debated in the coming months.

This season's Browns joined the 1968 Buffalo Bills as the only teams in the Super Bowl era to have rookies lead the team in passing, rushing and receiving yards.

Cleveland has the sixth and 24th overall selections in April's draft.

"Let me just say this: The next 120 days are crucial for the organization," Haslam said on Jan. 5. "We've got to find the right head coach. We've got to be efficient again in free agency. We have 10 draft picks, including two No. 1s. We have four picks in the top three rounds. And we've got to get really good players who are really good people again. We've got to be opportunistic if trade opportunities come along. We are solely focused on having a great 120 days so we can start winning games around here."

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First, they watchedcollege football's new national championstake one more victory lap. Then they saw Indiana's basketball team take its cue by keeping the momentum rolling and holding off its top rival, No. 12 Purdue, for the squad'sbiggest win of the season— and yet another celebration.

For first-year coach Darian DeVries, it was his initial glimpse of the rivalry and Assembly Hall at full throttle. And he credited those raucous fans with playing a key role in the latest chapter of Bloomington's storybook sports year.

"When that place is loud and rocking like that, it's a big, big deal for us," he said. "There are a lot of tough places to play in the Big Ten and we want this to be one of the toughest places there is, not only in the Big Ten but in the country, because it does matter. It makes a difference in games."

The fans certainly did their part Tuesday.

They arrived in new shirts celebrating both the improbable championship the football team captured and the journey it took to get there. They coordinated their outfits perfectly to create a section-by-section image of crimson-and-cream candy-striped strips. And each time the Hoosiers needed a boost, especially late as the Boilermakers tried to overcome an 11-point halftime deficit, their loud cheers made it difficult to communicate.

On the court, it was simply old-fashioned Hoosiers basketball at its finest — with a sprinkle of the same concoction that fueled the football team's run.

Indiana was tough and physical, played hard-nosed defense, outhustled Purdue and beat the Boilermakers at their own game. A perfect recipe, especially after coach Curt Cignetti's initial comments about his disdain for Purdue.

Clearly, things haven't been the same lately for the Boilermakers in Bloomington. Indiana has won four of the last five matchups when a ranked Purdue team visits Assembly Hall. And Indiana's cast of basketball newcomers seemed to steal a page right out of Cignetti's playbook by coming together when the moments got toughest.

Lamar Wilkerson and Conor Enright combined to make the final four free throws in front of a revved-up crowd to close it out.

The Boilermakers have lost a season-worst three straight and will get another shot at Indiana, in front of their home crowd, on Feb. 20 — and coach Matt Painter wants to see a different team..

"We've got to finish more plays. We can't have seven turnovers in the first half, but defensively we have to be better," he said. "We have to compete and do a better job there, and I've got to do a better job because when we win, we win together. When we lose, we lose together. But we've got to get it figured out quick."

Or it could happen again.

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