“Sunday Morning” remembers some of the notable figures who left us this past week, including Bob Weir, co-founder of The Grateful Dead.
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Carrie Coon and Tracy Letts: Theater love
Actress Carrie Coon (“The Gilded Age,” “The White Lotus”) has returned to Broadway in “Bug,” written by her playwright-actor husband, Tracy Letts. The two talk with Jim Axelrod about their on- and off-stage partnership.
Trump delivers oil warning, suggesting Cuba should strike deal with US
- Cuba lived on Venezuelan oil, money for years: Trump
- Trump suggests Rubio would become next Cuba leader.
- US intelligence not clear if island nation “ready to fall”.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday suggested Cuba should strike a deal with Washington, warning that the island nation would no longer receive oil or money from Venezuela.
Venezuela is Cuba’s biggest oil supplier, but since the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces, Trump has successfully pressed interim President Delcy Rodriguez to send Venezuelan oil to the United States.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA — ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday.
“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela,” Trump said.
US intelligence has painted a grim picture of Cuba’s economic and political situation, but its assessments offer no clear support for Trump’s prediction that the island is “ready to fall,” Reuters reported on Saturday, citing three people familiar with the confidential assessments.
The CIA’s view is that key sectors of the Cuban economy, such as agriculture and tourism, are severely strained by frequent blackouts, trade sanctions and other problems.
The potential loss of oil imports and other support from Venezuela, for decades a key ally, could make governing more difficult for the administration that has ruled Cuba since Fidel Castro led a revolution in 1959.
For Cuba, the loss of Venezuelan oil is devastating. Between January and November of last year, Venezuela sent an average of 27,000 barrels per day (bpd) to the island, covering roughly 50% of Cuba’s oil deficit, according to shipping data and documents from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.
Separately, Trump reposted a social media message suggesting that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, born to Cuban immigrant parents, would become the next leader of Cuba.
Trump republished a Truth Social message from user Cliff Smith, posted on January 8, that read “Marco Rubio will be president of Cuba,” accompanied by a crying laughing emoji.
Trump’s comment on the repost was “Sounds good to me!”
The largely unknown user, whose bio refers to him as a “conservative Californian” has less than 500 followers.
Trump’s repost comes a week after US forces seized Venezuela’s authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro in a nighttime operation in Caracas that killed dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban security forces.
Predicting men’s college basketball conference winners — and their biggest threats
The turning of the calendar used to mark the demarcation between nonconference and conference play. With the expansion of conference size and a corresponding increase in the number of conference games, that has changed in some leagues — most notably the Big Ten and Big East, where the majority of teams have already played four or five games against league opponents.
But, for the most part, the meat and potatoes of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season has just gotten underway, with contenders looking to separate themselves from pretenders over the next couple of weeks.
Fortunately, teams are testing themselves more and more in nonconference play than in years past, so we have a better idea of which teams are for real and which could stumble against stiffer competition. According to ESPN Research, a record-setting 45 games between ranked opponents took place in the first two months of the season.
As we enter the final two months before Selection Sunday, how would we handicap the conference races in each of the power conferences? Let’s run through the favorites to win each of the five high-major conferences based on ESPN’s BPI projections — and their biggest threats.
Jump to: ACC | Big East | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC
ACC
Favorite: Duke Blue Devils (91.5%)
Despite being comfortably the best team in the ACC last season, the Blue Devils needed to beat North Carolina in Chapel Hill on the final day of the regular season to clinch the outright title. The bottom half of the league was so poor that the top three teams — Duke, Clemson and Louisville — were able to stockpile wins and compile gaudy records, taking it down to the wire for the conference crown.
Duke isn’t as good as it was last season, but it could win the conference by more games than one because of the parity and improved depth across the ACC. BPI gives the Blue Devils by far the best chance of winning the regular-season title, after Jon Scheyer’s club took a big step by winning at Louisville on Tuesday.
Duke has the most productive player in college basketball in Cameron Boozer, a slew of perimeter shotmakers surrounding him, depth and a blossoming point guard in Caleb Foster. The Blue Devils might not be national title favorites like a year ago, but they’re still the class of the ACC.
Biggest threats
North Carolina Tar Heels
Louisville Cardinals
Virginia Cavaliers
Part of the reason Duke’s status as league favorite is so strong is the likely next three teams in the pecking order have already lost ACC games. North Carolina lost by 14 at SMU on Saturday, Louisville has dropped two in a row with Mikel Brown Jr. sidelined, and Virginia fell in three overtimes to Virginia Tech on New Year’s Eve.
Carolina looked like the biggest threat to Duke prior to the SMU loss; Caleb Wilson has been sensational and he and Henri Veesaar form one of the more potent frontcourt duos in the country. Louisville just isn’t the same without Brown, and it’s unclear when he will be back in the fold. At full strength, the Cardinals’ backcourt and elite shooting ability give them a chance against anyone in America.
Virginia is the sleeper. Ryan Odom’s team is deep, experienced, big and efficient on the offensive end. The Cavaliers face Duke, Carolina and Louisville only once each, but they have to play the Blue Devils and Cardinals on the road.
And although Clemson is 3-0 in ACC play with the second-best chance to win the league, according to BPI, the Tigers likely lack the offensive firepower to keep pace and don’t get either Duke or Carolina at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Big East
Favorite: UConn Huskies (88.1%)
In terms of depth, the Big East is the worst of the five high-major conferences this season, but UConn is a clear-cut national title contender and the heavy favorite to win the regular-season title. If anything, BPI’s 88.1% projection is arguably a low estimate.
The Huskies have just one loss on the season: back in mid-November against Arizona, when Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins were both sidelined with injuries. Prior to Wednesday’s overtime win over Providence, UConn had barely been tested in conference play, winning its first four games by an average of 19.0 points. The Huskies are an elite defensive unit, ranking fifth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and in the top 10 for both 2-point defense and 3-point defense.
In Mullins, Solo Ball and Alex Karaban, Dan Hurley has three high-level shotmakers, and Reed is a double-double machine and the anchor down low.
Biggest threats
Likely none, but …
There doesn’t seem to be a team consistent enough to threaten UConn over the course of a full 20-game Big East schedule. St. John’s was expected to go toe-to-toe with the Huskies after winning the regular-season championship last season, but the Red Storm already suffered a home loss to Providence and have had point guard and defensive issues all season.
Villanova and Seton Hall have been the surprise packages so far this season, with the Wildcats having the edge due to their road win over the Pirates just before Christmas. Over the next couple of weeks, Villanova has road games at Marquette and Providence and will play both St. John’s and UConn — if the Wildcats come out the other side within a game of the Huskies, we can revisit their title bona fides. A home loss to Creighton on Wednesday takes some of the steam out of Kevin Willard’s team, though. And Seton Hall has the aforementioned home loss to Nova plus needed a last-second putback to beat Creighton at home, though the Pirates do get UConn at home next Tuesday to make a statement.
Had Creighton not blown a big second-half lead at Seton Hall, the Bluejays might have loomed as a bigger threat.
Big Ten
Favorite: Michigan Wolverines (67.5%)
Analytically, Michigan is the best team in the country, ranking No. 1 at KenPom, in BPI and at BartTorvik.com. The Wolverines are No. 1 in the NET and lead the country in scoring margin, with Tuesday’s two-point win over Penn State only the second time they have failed to win by at least 25 points since Nov. 14.
Dusty May has the nation’s best defense, a physically dominant group that simply overpowers teams with its size, length and ability to get up and down the floor. Yaxel Lendeborg is an All-American, and Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara have been among the most efficient frontcourt players in the country at both ends of the floor. The Wolverines’ performance at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas was one of the best three-game stretches we’ve ever seen in the regular season.
With all that said, BPI gives them only a 67.5% chance to win the Big Ten regular-season title — with Purdue their biggest competition.
Biggest threat
Purdue entered the season ranked No. 1 in preseason polls, with National Player of the Year favorite Braden Smith and All-American Trey Kaufman-Renn forming the best inside-outside combo in the country on paper. A win at Alabama and a 30-point victory over Texas Tech seemed to cement Matt Painter’s team as a national championship favorite, but a stunning 23-point loss to Iowa State on Dec. 6 dropped the Boilermakers down a tier.
They’re still ranked in the top six in all efficiency-based metrics and have the best offense in the country, so don’t count them out. Moreover, they get Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois all in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Nebraska has been the surprise of the Big Ten. Illinois and Michigan State are threats to make deep runs in March, but with each team having already lost to the Cornhuskers, they’re behind the chasing pack.
Big 12
Favorite: Arizona Wildcats (46.2%)
The most loaded conference title race belongs to the Big 12, with four teams — Arizona, Iowa State, Houston and BYU — all ranked in the top 10 nationally, with a combined 58-2 record.
With Arizona ranked No. 1 in the latest AP Top 25 and edging ahead of Iowa State in both KenPom and the BPI, the Wildcats are the narrow favorites. Unsurprisingly, BPI gives them less than a 50% chance to end the season as the regular-season champs, coming in at 46.2% with Iowa State just behind at 43.2%.
Arizona owns the best résumé in the country — No. 1 in ESPN’s strength of record — with wins over UConn, Florida, Alabama, UCLA, Auburn and San Diego State. The first four of those wins came away from home, too. The Wildcats are ranked inside the top 10 at both ends of the floor and have incredible depth and balance up front and in the backcourt.
It’s worth noting that Tommy Lloyd’s team faces Iowa State only once, and that game is in Tucson. The Wildcats play Houston on the road and have BYU both home and away.
Biggest threats
Iowa State Cyclones
Houston Cougars
BYU Cougars
Iowa State is one of just six unbeaten teams left in college basketball, and the Cyclones own perhaps the most impressive singular win of the season, going to West Lafayette and beating then-undefeated Purdue by 23 points. They also went 3-0 at the Players Era Festival and held serve against in-state rival Iowa. Joshua Jefferson has been a breakout star and is playing like an All-American, Milan Momcilovic has a case as the best shooter in the country, and Tamin Lipsey has been playing like Tamin Lipsey.
Houston hasn’t quite hit its stride yet, but the Cougars are still 14-1 with a top-10 defense. It’s impossible to count out a Kelvin Sampson-coached team that has one of the best backcourts in the country in star freshman Kingston Flemings and veterans Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp. Houston plays each of the other three top contenders once apiece but faces BYU and Iowa State on the road.
BYU has as talented and explosive a trio as there is in college basketball in AJ Dybantsa, Richie Saunders and Robert Wright III. All three can take over a game, and Dybantsa is a viable threat to Cameron Boozer in the National Player of the Year race. Arizona, Houston and Iowa State all have to go to the Marriott Center.
SEC
Favorite: Vanderbilt Commodores (52.9%)
The pecking order is likely to shift the most in the SEC over the next couple of months, but after Vanderbilt’s 96-90 win over Alabama on Wednesday, the Commodores — picked 11th in the preseason conference poll — have established themselves as the favorites moving forward.
Mark Byington’s team has been a metrics darling all season, opening the season ranked in the top 20 at KenPom and now in the top five at both KenPom and BartTorvik.com. Wednesday’s win was Vandy’s first statement win of the season, to go along with victories over Saint Mary’s, SMU and UCF. Tyler Tanner is playing like a legitimate All-American, and Duke Miles has been one of the best transfer portal pickups in the country. The Commodores are a terrific offensive team, ranking in the top 10 in scoring offense and in the top five in adjusted offensive efficiency.
In terms of schedule, it’s worth noting they face Florida only once and it’s in Nashville. They play Tennessee home and away and have to go to Arkansas.
Biggest threats
Florida Gators
Arkansas Razorbacks
Alabama Crimson Tide
Tennessee Volunteers
In any given week, the biggest threat to Vanderbilt’s status seemingly changes two or three times. Most metrics, including BPI, point to Florida as the second-best team in the SEC — but the Gators opened SEC play with a loss at Missouri and have been inconsistent against good teams all season. The reigning national champs have an elite frontcourt, but the portal backcourt of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee is still a work in progress.
There might not be a guard in college basketball playing better than Darius Acuff Jr. right now, and as a result, Arkansas looks like the real deal. The Razorbacks also opened SEC play with a win over Tennessee and will host Vanderbilt later this month.
Alabama has a terrific offense and one of the most explosive players in the country in Labaron Philon Jr., but the defense has been poor, allowing an average of 93.5 points in losses to Purdue, Gonzaga, Arizona and Vanderbilt.
Tennessee seems like a stretch, despite BPI giving the Vols a 16.3% chance of winning the league. They are 4-4 in their past eight games and still have to go to Florida and Alabama in the next two weeks.
Highest honour: Indian-origin scientist Shri Kulkarni wins Royal Astronomical Society’s Gold Medal | – The Times of India
Shri Kulkarni, an Indian-origin astronomer and one of the world’s leading figures in modern astrophysics, has been awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). It is the highest honour conferred by the UK-based scientific body.Awarded annually since 1824, the RAS Gold Medal recognises exceptional contributions to astronomy and geophysics. Past recipients include some of the most influential names in science, making the honour one of the most prestigious in global astronomy.
Shri Kulkarni recognised for transforming time-domain astronomy
In its citation, the Royal Astronomical Society credited Kulkarni for his “sustained, innovative and ground-breaking contributions to multi-wavelength transient astrophysics.” This field focuses on short-lived and rapidly changing cosmic phenomena.Born in Maharashtra, India, Kulkarni earned his master’s degree from IIT Delhi in 1978 before completing his doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley in 1983. His journey from India to the forefront of global astronomy now culminates in one of the field’s most coveted honours.
A career defined by landmark discoveries
Over a career spanning more than four decades, Kulkarni has played a central role in shaping time-domain astronomy, the study of how the universe changes over time rather than appearing static. His work has helped scientists understand some of the most extreme and fleeting events in the cosmos.Kulkarni’s scientific impact dates back to his early years. In 1982, while still a graduate student, he co-discovered the first millisecond pulsar, a rapidly spinning neutron star that transformed understanding of stellar remnants.After joining the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1985, Kulkarni went on to contribute to several major breakthroughs. In 1995, he and his colleagues identified the first brown dwarf, a class of celestial objects that lie between stars and planets. Two years later, his team demonstrated that gamma-ray bursts originate far beyond the Milky Way, overturning long-held assumptions about their nature.More recently, in 2020, Kulkarni was part of the team that identified the first fast radio burst detected within the Milky Way, strengthening evidence that these mysterious flashes are linked to highly magnetised neutron stars known as magnetars.
Building the tools that watch the changing sky
Beyond discoveries, Kulkarni is widely recognised for his role in building the instruments that made many of them possible. He led the development of the Palomar Transient Factory and its successor, the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF). These survey projects systematically scan the sky for transient and explosive events.The Royal Astronomical Society noted that the two projects have “revolutionised time-domain astrophysics at optical wavelengths.” The Zwicky Transient Facility continues to survey the entire northern sky every two nights, enabling astronomers to detect supernovae, asteroids, flaring stars and other rapidly evolving phenomena.Kulkarni has repeatedly emphasised the importance of instrumentation in scientific progress. He has often said that building the right tools allows nature itself to reveal new discoveries.
Ongoing work and global recognition
Kulkarni remains deeply involved in future-facing research. He is currently working on NASA’s Ultraviolet Explorer (UVEX) mission, planned for launch around 2030, which aims to conduct the most sensitive ultraviolet sky survey to date. He is also the principal investigator for Z-Shooter, a next-generation spectrometer being developed for the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawai‘i.His latest honour adds to a long list of accolades, including the Shaw Prize, the Alan T. Waterman Award from the US National Science Foundation, and the Dan David Prize. He is a member of several leading scientific academies, including the US National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of London, and the Indian Academy of Sciences.With the Royal Astronomical Society’s Gold Medal, Shri Kulkarni joins an elite group of scientists whose work has fundamentally reshaped how humanity understands the universe as a dynamic and ever-changing cosmic landscape.
Men’s basketball Power Rankings: Unbeaten Vanderbilt, Nebraska crack top 10
Before the men’s college basketball season tipped off, Nebraska was picked 14th in the preseason Big Ten media poll and Vanderbilt was picked 11th in the SEC edition.
Three months later, those teams are not only clearly ahead of those predictions, they’re No. 10 and 11 in the AP Top 25.
Following marquee wins over the past week — Nebraska over Michigan State, Vanderbilt over Alabama — the unbeaten Cornhuskers and Commodores have also vaulted into the top 10 of our Power Rankings.
Vanderbilt has had metrics on its side for weeks. The Commodores are in the top five at KenPom and rank inside the top 10 in six of the seven metrics on the NCAA team sheets. What they were missing was a marquee win, with their strongest victories heading into this week coming against Saint Mary’s, SMU and UCF — and they got it against the Crimson Tide.
Nebraska doesn’t have the same efficiency metrics as Vanderbilt, but the Cornhuskers own a slew of impressive wins, including a road victory at Illinois and a home win over Michigan State.
Vanderbilt and Nebraska are two of the six remaining unbeatens in college basketball, own the best Quad 1 records in the country (both 5-0) and have clearly done enough to warrant their rises. Now let’s dive into the rest of our updated top 25.
Previous ranking: 1
We highlighted how freshman Brayden Burries has added a new dimension to the Arizona offense in the Dec. 18 edition of these rankings — and he hasn’t cooled off with Big 12 play underway. After averaging 7.8 points through his first five games, Buries put up 17.9 points and shot 55.9% in his final eight nonconference games. The star guard went for 17 points and 11 rebounds in last Saturday’s conference opener, then notched a career-high 28 points against Kansas State on 12-for-16 shooting to go with 9 rebounds and 4 assists Wednesday.
Next seven days: at TCU (Jan. 10), vs. Arizona State (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 2
For the first time in almost two months, Michigan finally had to sweat — and it was against arguably the worst team in the Big Ten. The Wolverines led Penn State by 15 midway through the second half but made just three shots in the final 10:40. They survived a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer from Freddie Dilione V to escape with the 74-72 win. Michigan’s margins of victory in its previous 10 games: 25, 40, 30, 40, 41, 28, 18, 52, 41, 30. They were bound to get tested this season, and in some ways coach Dusty May might be happy his team finally came down to earth.
Next seven days: vs. Wisconsin (Jan. 10), at Washington (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 3
Joshua Jefferson‘s National Player of the Year push hasn’t slowed down since Big 12 play began. He opened conference play with a triple-double against West Virginia on Friday: 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, throwing in 5 combined blocks and steals for good measure. And on the road at Baylor on Wednesday, he finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 3 assists while racking up 3 steals. There’s a strong case to be made that Jefferson has the best chance of any returnee to win the Wooden Award. He is second in the KenPom Player of the Year standings and ranks in the top three of win shares and box plus/minus.
Next seven days: vs. Oklahoma State (Jan. 10), at Kansas (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 4
When Silas Demary Jr. committed to UConn last spring, he was considered one of the most sought-after guards in the transfer portal and an important addition for the Huskies. He had shown flashes over the first two months of the season — including a 21-point performance against BYU — but there was also a six-game stretch during which he averaged only 4.8 points. Down 13 in the second half to Providence on Wednesday, Demary turned in his best game since arriving in Storrs. He finished with 23 points, 15 assists and 5 steals, with 18 points, 7 assists and 5 steals coming after halftime. Demary was a spark on the defensive end and made several key shots to key the comeback. Per ESPN Research, he’s just the third Division I player over the past 30 seasons with 20 points, 15 assists and 5 steals in a game.
Next seven days: vs. DePaul (Jan. 10), at Seton Hall (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 5
Caleb Foster is coming off arguably the best game of his Duke career and has been at his most consistent recently, since arriving in Durham. He opened ACC play with 12 points and 4 assists against Georgia Tech, then followed it up with 13 points and 6 rebounds against Florida State. He made three 3s in each. In the game against Louisville, Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans carried the Blue Devils in the first half, but coach Jon Scheyer needed a third option in the second half — and Foster stepped up. He had 16 of his 20 points after halftime, shooting 7-for-8 from the floor.
Next seven days: vs. SMU (Jan. 10), at California (Jan. 14)
1:19
Duke Blue Devils vs. Louisville Cardinals: Game Highlights
Duke Blue Devils vs. Louisville Cardinals: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: 7
Looking back, the blowout loss to Iowa State on Dec. 6 might have been a wakeup call for Purdue. The Boilermakers have barely been tested since then, winning their next five games (four against high-major competition) by an average of 26.6 points. They then comfortably handled Washington on Wednesday, with the final margin of eight not indicative of their dominance — they led by as many as 23 points in the second half. Braden Smith was the most aggressive he has been on the offensive end in several weeks, finishing with 23 points, his most since scoring 29 against Alabama on Nov. 13.
Next seven days: vs. Penn State (Jan. 10), vs. Iowa (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 12
When Fred Hoiberg was at Iowa State, he was considered one of the best offensive coaches in the country. His final four offenses in Ames ranked in the top 25 nationally, including the 2013 and 2014 teams, which were inside the top 10 at KenPom. He hasn’t had the same success at that end of the floor in Lincoln, but there has been a fascinating flip: The Cornhuskers’ defense has ranked ahead of their offense in five of his seven seasons at the helm. That’s the case this season, too. The Cornhuskers have a top-20 defense and recently held Michigan State to 0.87 points per possession. Only five of their 15 opponents have surpassed 1 point per possession.
Next seven days: at Indiana (Jan. 10), vs. Oregon (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 13
There’s no more questioning Vanderbilt’s legitimacy after Wednesday’s 96-90 win over Alabama. Tyler Tanner has cemented himself as one of the country’s elite point guards and is playing like a legitimate All-American. He finished with 29 points, 7 assists and 4 steals against the Crimson Tide. He received plenty of help, too — especially in the first half — with Duke Miles adding 17 of his 19 points before halftime to go with 5 steals before he fouled out. With Tanner and Miles creating problems for opponents at both ends of the floor, the Commodores aren’t slowing down.
Next seven days: vs. LSU (Jan. 10), at Texas (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 6
Since we last updated the rankings, Mark Few has made another change to his starting lineup: He went back to Braeden Smith at point guard and moved Mario Saint-Supery to the bench. Smith started the first four games of the season before Saint-Supery took over for the following nine. And now Smith has started the most recent four, all in WCC play. From an analytical perspective, Hoop Explorer has Gonzaga slightly better offensively with Smith on the floor and slightly better defensively with Saint-Supery in the game. There’s not a massive difference in which player starts or comes off the bench, however; Few has used the backup point guard for more minutes than the starter six times this season.
Next seven days: vs. Santa Clara (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 12
Despite a string of close wins since Christmas — by 9 points over Middle Tennessee, by 7 points at Cincinnati, by 4 points over Texas Tech, while trailing well into the second half in the latter two contests — Houston is now 14-1, and looking more like a Kelvin Sampson defense. The Cougars held Cincinnati and Tech to below 1 point per possession, and have forced 48 turnovers in their past three games, with all three opponents coughing it up on at least 21% of their possessions. In Houston’s previous nine games, only four opponents turned it over on more than 18% of their possessions.
Next seven days: at Baylor (Jan. 10), vs. West Virginia (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 10
We might not see a better example of Kevin Young’s big three model than in BYU’s 104-76 win over Arizona State on Wednesday. Richie Saunders scored 31 points and made six 3s; Rob Wright had 27 points and 4 assists; and AJ Dybantsa finished with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Those were career-high point totals for Saunders and Wright. The three stars combined to take 41 of BYU’s 61 shots and scored 81 of the team’s 104 points. It was even more noticeable in the first half, when the trio scored 39 of the team’s 45 points and made 14 of its 16 field goals.
Next seven days: at Utah (Jan. 10), vs. TCU (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 8
Jaxon Kohler‘s development as a face-up threat has been fairly remarkable. He attempted five 3-pointers combined as a freshman and sophomore — and didn’t make any of them. Last season, he averaged about one make every two games, but more than 76% of his field-goal attempts were from inside the arc. Through 15 games this season, Kohler is a ridiculous 53.7% from 3, making nearly two per game. He went 5-for-6 from beyond the arc against Nebraska, and 3-for-3 against USC. Even crazier, 12 of his 25 3-point misses came in the first five games of the season. Over his past 10 games, Kohler is making 3s at a 64% clip.
Next seven days: vs. Northwestern (Jan. 8), vs. Indiana (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 16
There aren’t many guards in the country — freshman or otherwise — playing better than Darius Acuff Jr. He has scored at least 20 points in five of his past six games, finishing with 26 points and 9 assists in Wednesday’s win over Ole Miss, with 20 points and 6 assists coming in the second half. Acuff has been at his best in big games, averaging 21.7 points and 6.7 assists in the six games Arkansas has played against ranked teams, including his 29-point performance against Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Tennessee in Saturday’s win.
Next seven days: at Auburn (Jan. 10), vs. South Carolina (Jan. 14)
1:14
Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Ole Miss Rebels: Game Highlights
Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Ole Miss Rebels: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: 11
North Carolina’s seven-game winning streak was snapped Saturday, when it went to SMU and gave up 97 points — the Mustangs scored 58 points in the second half — in a 14-point loss. The Tar Heels’ two losses this season have come in their two worst defensive performances by far: allowing 1.22 points per possession to Michigan State in November, and 1.40 to SMU last weekend. The common factor in those games was facing high-level opposing point guards that were just too quick and too athletic for UNC’s backcourt to consistently keep out of the lane. Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. had 19 points and 7 assists; SMU’s Boopie Miller went for 27 points and 12 assists.
Next seven days: vs. Wake Forest (Jan. 10), at Stanford (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 15
Zvonimir Ivisic‘s minutes have fluctuated at both Arkansas and Illinois. But, despite starting only four games, he’s having the most efficient season of his college career, making a case as one of the premier defensive players in the sport. He’s third nationally in block percentage and in the top 35 in defensive rebounding percentage — good for first in the Big Ten through three conference games. He has blocked 11 shots in just 53 minutes over his past three games. He’s also had more games with three or more blocks (seven) than games with more than one foul (four).
Next seven days: vs. Rutgers (Jan. 8), at Iowa (Jan. 11), at Northwestern (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 14
When Labaron Philon Jr. went to the sideline with 16:06 left in Wednesday’s loss at Vanderbilt, the Commodores led by one point and Philon had 18 points in 20 minutes. The All-American guard never returned to the game, though, going into the locker room then coming back to the Crimson Tide’s bench. Nate Oats’ offense simply doesn’t have the same dynamism without Philon on the floor, given his ability to get his own shot and consistently make contested shots against a set defense. Nate Oats said after the game that Philon was dealing with “full-body cramps” and had to get an IV.
Next seven days: vs. Texas (Jan. 10), at Mississippi State (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 19
With just a few minutes to go Tuesday against TCU, it looked like the wheels could come off for Kansas’ season. The Jayhawks were coming off a loss to UCF on Saturday, they were down 15 at home to the Horned Frogs with five minutes left, and Darryn Peterson had subbed himself out of the game after appearing to tweak his lingering hamstring injury. But Kansas erased a 9-point lead in the final minute to send the game to overtime on three Peterson free throws with 1.7 seconds left — then won it in the extra period with Peterson on the bench. The star freshman still finished with 32 points in 32 minutes, and Bill Self could end up looking back at Tuesday as a key momentum changer for the season.
Next seven days: at West Virginia (Jan. 10), vs. Iowa State (Jan. 13)
1:21
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Kansas Jayhawks: Game Highlights
TCU Horned Frogs vs. Kansas Jayhawks: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: 18
Tech let a potentially massive win slip through its hands Tuesday night, falling by 4 points at Houston after leading by 6 late in the game. But it was another impressive performance for freshman guard Jaylen Petty, who moved into the starting lineup after Christmas and has been one of Grant McCasland’s most consistent players since. As a starter, he’s averaging 17.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists and shooting 61.5% from the field and 52.4% from 3; coming off the bench, he was averaging 7.2 points and shooting 31.6% overall and 34.5% from 3.
Next seven days: at Colorado (Jan. 10), vs. Utah (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 20
After struggling to make shots against Arkansas on Saturday, Ja’Kobi Gillespie bounced back in a major way against Texas on Tuesday, finishing within 34 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals on 12-of-20 shooting, including 5-for-8 from 3. He helped the Vols overcome a quiet night offensively from Nate Ament, and also highlighted the difference in Gillespie’s production in his team’s wins and losses. In Tennessee’s 11 wins, he’s averaging 20.9 points, shooting 60.9% from 2 and 41.6% from 3. In Tennessee’s four losses, he’s averaging 12.5 points, shooting 40.5% from 2 and 20.7% from 3.
Next seven days: at Florida (Jan. 10), vs. Texas A&M (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 17
Mikel Brown Jr. missed his fifth straight game Tuesday, and Louisville is now 2-3 with its star point guard sidelined. Adrian Wooley has been solid as Brown’s replacement from a scoring perspective, averaging 12.0 points as a starter, but the Cardinals have clearly been worse at both ends of the floor without Brown. Over those five games, their assist numbers are way down, and they’ve been held below 1 point per possession twice. Defensively, they’ve had two of their worst performances and allowed at least 80 points in all three losses in that stretch.
Next seven days: vs. Boston College (Jan. 10), vs. Virginia (Jan. 13)
Previous ranking: 21
It has been a season of ebbs and flows for San Francisco transfer Malik Thomas, who averaged 19.9 points for the Dons last season and was expected to be a big-time scorer upon his arrival in Charlottesville. That was the case early, as he reached double-figures in five of his first six games — including with 24 points against Butler on Nov. 23 — before averaging just 7.2 points over his next five. But he has broken out of his slump since ACC play began, averaging 19.7 points in three conference games, going for 26 against Virginia Tech on New Year’s Eve and 20 against California on Wednesday.
Next seven days: vs. Stanford (Jan. 10), at Louisville (Jan. 13)
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California Golden Bears vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Game Highlights
California Golden Bears vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: Unranked
It doesn’t appear to be a vintage season for the second tier of conferences — excluding the WCC’s Gonzaga, of course — but Utah State might be the best of that group. The Aggies improved to 13-1 with a 37-point road win at Air Force on Tuesday, and have already notched wins over notable mid-majors VCU, Illinois State and Colorado State. The Aggies’ lone loss was to South Florida back in early December. We should know more about Jerrod Calhoun’s team after upcoming games at Boise State and home against Nevada, but right now, it’s producing at an incredibly efficient rate on offense. Former Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt transfer MJ Collins Jr. has been a key performer.
Next seven days: at Boise State (Jan. 10), vs. Nevada (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: 25
After beating Auburn in overtime Saturday, Georgia really struggled in the second half against Florida on Tuesday en route to a 15-point loss. Entering the week, the Bulldogs had been one of the elite offensive teams in the country, scoring 100-plus points on seven occasions. But they had just 77 against the Gators and were held below 1.07 points per possession for the first time this campaign (KenPom logged them at 0.99 points per possession). Georgia couldn’t finish at the rim, shooting 11-for-28 on dunks and layups, and went 4-for-19 from 3.
Next seven days: at South Carolina (Jan. 10), vs. Ole Miss (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: Unranked
Saint Louis landed a statement win Wednesday, going to VCU — the Billikens’ stiffest competition for the Atlantic 10 title — and knocking off the Rams by nine. Saint Louis led by 14 before VCU came all the way back to take the lead, then the Billikens finished the game on a 10-0 run. It was Saint Louis’ most impressive win of the season, and the Billikens’ lone loss was by one point to Stanford in late November on a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left. Don’t be surprised to see Josh Schertz’s team go on a long winning run, either; it’s likely to be heavily favored in every game until at least late February.
Next seven days: at La Salle (Jan. 10), vs. Fordham (Jan. 14)
Previous ranking: Unranked
Iowa looked elite against UCLA this past Saturday, leading by as many as 24 points in the first half before winning by 13. Three days later, the Hawkeyes went to Minnesota and suffered a three-point defeat after missing three open 3s on the final possession. They could have used the momentum entering a difficult three-game stretch: vs. Illinois, at Purdue, at Indiana. The key could be Alvaro Folgueiras. The former Robert Morris transfer has played himself onto NBA draft boards and scored at least 13 points in four straight games entering Tuesday before going scoreless in 11 minutes against the Gophers.
Next seven days: vs. Illinois (Jan. 11), at Purdue (Jan. 14)
Dropped out: Kentucky Wildcats (No. 22), USC Trojans (No. 23), Florida Gators (No. 24)
The art of Anselm Kiefer:
Even on a casual walk, German artist Anselm Kiefer is always searching for inspiration. “Look at this tree,” he said walking alongside the Mississippi River. “This is a fantastic tree, you know?”
And here in St. Louis, Missouri, it’s an American river that’s fired his imagination. He said, “This river goes through America, and so with this conscience I have an inner overview of America, of the continent, of the world.”
Kiefer has turned those reflections into a series of paintings, each three stories tall. They are now holding court at the Saint Louis Art Museum, home to an Anselm Kiefer retrospective. Dozens of Kiefer works are on display, but it’s these monumental canvases that are the showstoppers.
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The paintings depict the Mississippi and Europe’s Rhine River – waterways brimming with history, symbolizing the cycle of life. Kiefer said the inspiration for their name, “Becoming the Sea,” came from Beat Generation poet Gregory Corso: “Spirit is life … like a river unafraid of becoming the sea.”
“You know, a river is something special; a river dissolves itself in the sea,” he said. “And it’s not afraid of this. As I am not afraid of my death, you know?”
Collection of the artist and courtesy Gagosian. © Anselm Kiefer. Photo: Nina Slavcheva 
Mortality is a common theme for Kiefer. Born in 1945 in Germany, he grew up in the ruins of World War II, and the aftermath of the Holocaust. It’s a chapter many Germans tried to forget. “You know, after the war, there was not so much knowledge about what happened,” he said. “The Germans, they put it underneath the carpet. Nobody spoke about [it].”
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Kiefer spent his career breaking through that silence, like when, as a young art student, he photographed himself giving the Nazi salute, not as an endorsement, but as a reckoning.
Asked about the role of the artist in society, he said, “If the artist is in the world, like I am in the world, as I look what happens, then automatically you have a role.”
Over the decades, Kiefer continued to explore themes of memory and loss – mostly with abstract landscapes, and materials. As Kiefer showed “Sunday Morning” in 2018, at his studio outside of Paris, melted lead and fire are normal sightings in his work. So is a bit of chemistry, creating unexpected colors.
Today, Kiefer is one of the most prolific living artists, at the peak of his career, with works selling for millions, and in museums around the world. It would be a proud moment for most, but Anselm Kiefer has always had his own way of seeing things.
I asked him, “So at 80, what are you most proud of in terms of the work you’ve done?”
“You ask strange questions! I am not proud. I am disappointed!” he laughed. “I’m really disappointed. Because every morning I go in the studio and say, ‘Oh, what I have done yesterday?’ You know, and then I continue. I continue. Proud? No, no. I don’t know this word for me, proud.”
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Story produced by Sara Kugel. Editor: Lauren Barnello.
Video: What It Takes to Drill Into an Antarctic Glacier
new video loaded: What It Takes to Drill Into an Antarctic Glacier
Our climate reporter Raymond Zhong meets with Paul Anker, a drilling engineer aboard the icebreaker Araon, to discuss the stakes, preparations and pressure of the mission to drill a hole in the Thwaites Glacier to measure the water beneath.
By Raymond Zhong, Chang W. Lee, Christina Thornell, Jon Miller, Leila Medina and Stephanie Swart
January 9, 2026