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jili games free play Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer said that ’s nomination to head the Justice Department fizzled because it would have cost too much “political capital” for to try to push his confirmation through the Senate. In a lengthy , the North Dakotan was candid about the president-elect’s most controversial picks for his upcoming administration. Cramer lauded Gaetz’s decision this past Thursday to pull his name from contention, amid a slew of sexual misconduct allegations, which has paved the way for Trump a markedly more conventional nominee: former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I would say whatever the circumstances are, this is one of the more positive things Matt Gaetz has done in a while,” Cramer told Politico. “I think in terms of his patriotism, in terms of his honor, in terms of his respect for the institutions, good for him to recognize that early on and prevent further wasting of the resources.” Cramer explained that Trump had told him as recently as Tuesday that he still hoped to push Gaetz’s nomination through, but that, in the end, the cost of doing so was apparently too great. “I’ve been everywhere just saying that the hill is very, very steep and the capital that you’d have to spend to succeed, much less probably not succeed, with the confirmation would be probably more than it would be worth,” he said. “I think that’s how he gamed it out. And good for him for not spending a lot more capital.” Cramer added that “political capital is our currency”—and that it’s “what you gather by doing things for people, with your partners, with your colleagues.” The risk for Trump, according to Cramer, was that he would have had to start heavily leveraging his capital for Gaetz to have a shot as attorney general. Even so, it still would have been a longshot. “Donald Trump would have had to spend a lot,” Cramer said. “If he was going to get Matt Gaetz across the finish line, he’d have to start transacting with some pretty strong skeptics. And it may very well be that there were not enough that were even persuadable.” Of another eyebrow raising Trump cabinet pick, prospective Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Cramer explained that he is a fan of the former Fox News host who . “I think Pete, as a face of the military, as a warrior, as sort of a blue-collar, talented television personality, I think he gives hope to those people that say, there’s somebody at the top that actually understands my role in this military as opposed to just the general’s role,” Cramer said. The senator admitted, though, that he thought Hegseth should drop his controversial stance that women should from combat roles in the U.S. military. “I think the landing position on it is simply the position that the requirement for combat readiness has to be the same for women as it is for men,” Cramer said. “And there are a lot of women who have met that standard that a lot of men could not. In which case, why would you not allow women in combat?”Former President Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at the age of 100. Business and political leaders celebrated Carter's humanitarian work. President-elect Donald Trump said the world owed Carter "a debt of gratitude." Former President Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at the age of 100. World leaders responded with an outpouring of support, celebrating Carter's legacy as a humanitarian . Carter served as president from 1977 to 1981 but is perhaps most known for his work after his presidency. Carter championed human rights and pushed for peace in various corners of the world. In 1982, he founded The Carter Center to focus on such issues and played an active role with Habitat for Humanity until the end of his life. President Joe Biden said the "world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian." "With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us," Biden said in a statement. "He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe." Biden said that the love Carter shared with his late wife, Rosalynn Carter , was "the definition of partnership" and that their leadership was "the definition of patriotism." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X that Carter led an "extraordinary life" that touched countless people's lives through his vision and generosity. As we remember President Carter's extraordinary life, we also honor the countless lives he touched through his vision and generosity. My thoughts are with the Carter family and all those mourning this incredible man. May his memory be a blessing and an enduring reminder of what... pic.twitter.com/NdDU43WTGk Also on X, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared a photo of the former president wearing a tool belt in front of a construction site with the message: "Today, we honor President Carter's lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace." Related stories Today, we honor President Carter’s lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cXl99kT7lr Sen. Bernie Sanders said on X that Carter would be remembered as a "decent, honest and down-to-earth man" for both his time as president and his later humanitarian work. "He will be sorely missed," Sanders wrote. US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg also shared a tribute to the former president on X, writing that Carter's "leadership, intellect, and moral example ennobled our country, during and ever since his presidency." President and Mrs. Carter were also extraordinarily gracious and kind to Chasten and me, receiving us warmly at their home and making us feel like friends even as we sat amazed by their presence and grace. pic.twitter.com/iZe4BDULht President-elect Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that Carter's presidency "came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude." "Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time," Trump said. "We urge everyone to keep them in their hearts and prayers."Stephen A. Smith defended his ESPN colleague Elle Duncan for her comments about Daniel Jones on Thursday evening's airing of 'Sportscenter.' According to Smith , the New York Giants reached out to the network upset with Duncan's pointed take on the quarterback. Jones was cut by the team on Friday morning after he asked team owner John Mara to be released. He was demoted to third-string QB earlier this week as New York stumbled to a 2-8 start. The former 2019 first-round pick is in the second year of a partially guaranteed four-year, $160 million contract. The Giants would pay him a guaranteed $25 million if he was injured next season and partially removed him from the starting lineup to financially safeguard themselves. Dak Prescott breaks down in tears as Cowboys star provides injury update Tua Tagovailoa's retirement statement in full after doctors disagree over head injuries Jones spoke with the media on Thursday for the first time following his release, prefacing his statement by saying he "Wrote something down to make sure I say this the right way." During her ' Taking the Elle' segment on Thursday's 'Sportscenter,' Duncan took aim at the beleaguered Giants quarterback. " “I’m sorry, you have to write this down? Didn’t you go to Duke?" she said. "You guys think he had this saved in his notes since like 2020?" "In all seriousness, DJ, I could have saved you like 90 seconds," Duncan said. "A rewrite: I'm sorry you paid me $108 million for one playoff win. And I look forward to reviving my career as Brock Purdy's backup. The end." In a fiery Friday morning rant on 'First Take,' Smith insinuated a Giants staffer reached out to ESPN directly taking offense to Duncan's comments. Additionally, Pat Hanlon - New York's Senior Vice President of Communications - took to X directly to address her remarks. “That an ESPN personality would mock Daniel Jones’ statement today is mind-boggling," he posted. "Given what has happened at that company over [the] past few years, tone deaf.” Smith feverishly defended his colleague. "The New York Giants, respectfully, shut the hell up," he proclaimed. "Y'all are awful as an organization. You won a Super Bowl in 2007. You won a Super Bowl in 2011. Outside of that since 2011, the Giants have made the playoffs twice. They've won one playoff game." "And you got the nerve to sit up there and call the offices to complain to executives about somebody that went on national television to do their job. Why don't you do your damn job as an organization?" 'First Take' cameras panned to Duncan coyly sipping her drink on the side. "Y'all are sorry! Y'all are pathetic!" Smith continued. “The only reason who get away with it is because the Jets have been worse.”

Vikings have ruled out tight end Josh Oliver. What does that mean for the running game?

Vote counting will kickstart at 8 am on Saturday in the Buldhana constituency, located in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra. The Assembly constituency witnessed 62.39 % turnout on Saturday in a crucial electoral contest. A seat with a history of diverse political representation, Buldhana remained a focal point in the state's changing political dynamics. Sitting MLA Sanjay Rambhau Gaikwad, now aligned with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, contested to retain his seat. With the support of the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, Gaikwad aimed to leverage the organisational strength of this coalition. He faced Jayshree Sunil Shelke of Shiv Sena (UTB). Other local leaders and independents also threw their hats into the ring, focusing on specific community issues and development concerns. Sanjay Rambhau Gaikwad (Shiv Sena) : 26,075 votes 1. Political stability: The last five years in Maharashtra have been marked by party splits and shifting alliances. Voters in Buldhana may seek clarity on how these developments will impact governance and stability. 2. Development vs defections: Concerns about stalled development projects in the region, exacerbated by frequent political realignments, are expected to dominate the discourse. 3. Farmer welfare and rural development: Buldhana, with its significant agrarian population, will see debates over farmers' welfare, irrigation, and rural development schemes. 4. Leadership crisis in Shiv Sena: The division within the Shiv Sena, with both Shinde and Uddhav factions claiming legitimacy, will add an emotional layer to voter decisions in this constituency. As Maharashtra navigates a fractured political landscape, the Buldhana constituency remains emblematic of the state’s electoral complexities. With a mix of traditional loyalties, development aspirations and the shadow of political realignments, the 2024 Assembly elections promise to be a litmus test for all major players. The results on Saturday will reveal whether the voters reward stability or choose change.

Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:CRDO) Position Increased by JPMorgan Chase & Co.WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. The bill passed the House by a vote of 281-140 and will next move to the Senate, where lawmakers had sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay has failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. “No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “This bill goes a long way to fixing that.” The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation’s borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a “tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. “We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it,” Wicker said. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. “These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives,” Smith said. “And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar servicemembers' children from having access to that.” Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted upon the ban and said the provision “taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation.” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, “I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates.” Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, “and yet, here it is in this bill.” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team was not telling Democrats how to vote on the bill. “There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well,” Jeffries said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration had requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January.Mass. lawmakers push to modernize decades-old wiretap law for today’s crimes

Singer Tabitha Nauser on her first year of motherhood: ‘Becoming a mum changed me for the better’

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C (AP) — Leo Colimerio scored 27 points and Queens University held off Gardner-Webb 85-83 on Saturday. Colimerio shot 8 for 12 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line for the Royals (6-5). He made two foul shots with 9 seconds left to give the Royals a four-point lead. Malcolm Wilson scored 11 points, finishing 5 of 6 from the floor. Nasir Mann shot 3 for 6, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. Darryl Simmons II finished with 23 points and two steals for the Runnin' Bulldogs (4-7). Jamaine Mann added 18 points and seven rebounds. Pharell Boyogueno had nine points and four assists. Story continues below video The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Hegseth meets with moderate Sen. Collins as he lobbies for key votes in the Senate

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The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks.Novotel, ibis Styles Manila Araneta City Heartists celebrate year-end triumphsPublished 4:36 pm Saturday, December 28, 2024 By Data Skrive At Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29, the Miami Dolphins meet the Cleveland Browns, starting at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Dolphins should be victorious, according to our computer model — continue reading to find more tips regarding the point spread, over/under and even the final score. Looking for NFL tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live. The Dolphins rank 17th in total offense (327.9 yards per game) and seventh in total defense (312.9 yards allowed per game) this year. In terms of total offense, the Browns rank 25th in the NFL (307.2 total yards per game) and 19th on defense (339.9 total yards allowed per game). BetMGM is one of the most trusted Sportsbooks in the nation. Start with as little as $1 and place your bets today . ATS Over/Under Score Prediction Toss Up (Spread: Dolphins by 3) Over (34) Dolphins 23, Browns 19 Ready to make your pick? Head to BetMGM using our link and start betting today. Watch this game on Paramount+ (Regional restrictions may apply) Rep your favorite NFL players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Pts Pts Allowed Home Pts Home Pts Allowed Away Pts Away Pts Allowed Dolphins 20.3 21.9 24.8 23.0 15.3 20.7 Browns 16.3 25.3 16.6 23.7 16.1 26.8 Catch every NFL touchdown with NFL RedZone on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

Keishon Porter scores 20 to guide North Carolina Central to 77-70 victory over LongwoodFord Motor (NYSE:F) Trading 0.2% Higher – Time to Buy?Looking for Tuesday’s Connections hints and answers instead? You can find them here: Hey, everyone! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy holidays! If I knew how (and was also allowed to edit stock images that I can use here), I would have photoshopped little Santa hats onto the pins on the top image. I’m raising a glass to you, your family and friends today. Here’s to good health and great times with the people who mean the most to us. Before we get started, I’ve started a discussion group for Connections and this column on Discord . You can chat about each game (and other topics) with me and other folks. I’m always interested to find out how other people approach the game, so join us! It’s fun. It’s also the best way to give me any feedback about the column, especially on the rare(!) occasions that I mess something up. Today’s NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, December 25, are coming right up. How To Play Connections Connections is a free, popular New York Times daily word game. You get a new puzzle at midnight every day. You can play on the NYT website or Games app. You’re presented with a grid of 16 words. Your task is to arrange them into four groups of four by figuring out the links between them. The groups could be things like items you can click, names for research study participants or words preceded by a body part. There’s only one solution for each puzzle, and you’ll need to be careful when it comes to words that might fit into more than one category. You can shuffle the words to perhaps help you see links between them. Each group is color coded. The yellow group is usually the easiest to figure out, blue and green fall in the middle, and the purple group is usually the most difficult one. The purple group often involves wordplay. Select four words you think go together and press Submit. If you make a guess and you’re incorrect, you’ll lose a life. If you’re close to having a correct group, you might see a message telling you that you’re one word away from getting it right, but you’ll still need to figure out which one to swap. If you make four mistakes, it’s game over. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen with the help of some hints, and, if you’re really struggling, today’s Connections answers. As with Wordle and other similar games, it’s easy to share results with your friends on social media and group chats. If you have an NYT All Access or Games subscription, you can access the publication’s Connections archive. This includes every previous game of Connections , so you can go back and play any of those that you have missed. Aside from the first 60 games or so, you should be able to find my hints for each grid via Google if you need them! Just click here and add the date of the game for which you need clues or the answers to the search query. What Are Today’s Connections Hints? Scroll slowly! Just after the hints for each of today’s Connections groups, I’ll reveal what the groups are without immediately telling you which words go into them. Today’s 16 words are... And the hints for today’s Connections groups are: What Are Today’s Connections Groups? Need some extra help? Be warned: we’re starting to get into spoiler territory. Today’s Connections groups are... What Are Today’s Connections Answers? Spoiler alert! Don’t scroll any further down the page until you’re ready to find out today’s Connections answers. This is your final warning! Today’s Connections answers are... Neato, I got a perfect game. That brings me up to three straight wins. Here's how I fared: 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟨🟨🟨🟨 There was a timely red herring here of the names of Santa’s reindeer: CUPID, RUDOLPH, COMET and VIXEN. But as soon as I saw ROBIN HOOD and HAWKEYE, it was clear that there would be a group of archers. (Tina) FEY and (Maya) RUDOLPH suggested to me that there would be a group of Saturday Night Live alumni, but other than (Molly) SHANNON, I wasn’t quite sure what else would fit. It took me a moment to realize that the missing piece of the puzzle was Cecily STRONG. I could make out the celestial bodies clearly enough and I assumed those were the yellows, so I submitted the blues first. I didn’t make that connection, however. A JENNY is a female donkey, a NANNY is a female goat, a QUEEN is a female cat (or a QUEEN bee) and a VIXEN is a female fox. That’s all there is to it for today’s Connections clues and answers. Be sure to check my blog tomorrow for hints and the solution for Thursday’s game if you need them. P.S. Since it’s Christmas Day, let’s go with the very best Christmas movie: Die Hard. It’s very much not one for kids, but it’s a fantastic thriller that has plenty of holiday spirit. Yippee ki-yay, indeed: Have a great day! Make sure to drink enough water! Call someone you love! If you’re so inclined, please do follow my blog for more coverage of Connections and other word games and even some video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Also, follow me on Bluesky ! It’s fun there.

Hegseth meets with moderate Sen. Collins as he lobbies for key votes in the Senate

Cameron Williams, No. 33, finishes at the rim over the defense as teammate Xavier Hall, No. 20, watches, anticipating a rebound attempt. Brandt Young|Sampson Independent Dontavious Smith, No. 12, finishes the play through contact while Cameron Williams, No. 33, crashes the boards. Brandt Young|Sampson Independent Nakai Owens brings the ball up the court for the Leopards. Brandt Young|Sampson Independent Xavier Hall, No. 20, swats an early shot attempt from the Devil Pups away over top a crowd of teammates and opponents. Brandt Young|Sampson Independent Lakewood boys’ basketball team hosted their first home game of the season Friday night, after going 2-1 through their first three games on the road this season. The visiting Lejeune Devil Pups looked to take down the Leopards, but it was Lakewood’s game through most of it, as the Leopards took the 69-60 victory. The teams came out battling defensively, and not a point was scored through the first minute. The scoring opened with a three-pointer by Lejeune with 6:47 to go in the first quarter. Lakewood’s first points came on a Dontavius Smith triple, assisted by Dashaun Carr shortly after the opening three from the Devil Pups, tying the game at 3. Carr doubled up on the assists when he sent a rocket of a pass deep in the key to Cameron Williams, who tossed up the layup and gave Lakewood their first lead of the night at 5-3. The Leopard defense started giving the Pups fits early, as the lengthy duo of Xavier Hall and Cameron Williams shut down the paint while Carr, Smith, and Nakai Owens filled out the guards and forwards positions. Lakewood had the slim 7-6 advantage before a Hall defensive rebound led to Carr handing him an assist at the other end on a fingertip layup for the big man, which opened the lead up to 9-6 with 3:03 to go in the first period. Jaziah Brunson went for a floater through the lane before quickly passing it to Owens, who sank a baseline jumper and gave them the 11-6 lead, forcing a Lejeune timeout with 2:40 to play in the opening quarter. Carr pickpocketed a steal and took it to the other end for a score after the break, and a Williams block sent Brunson to the other end on a breakaway layup, which he sank, but was fouled on. He hit the ensuing free throw, and Lakewood had the 16-6 lead with under two minutes to play. The Devil Pups made a run at the end of the quarter, tightening the score back at 16-13 before Williams sank a long jumper to stop the run. Lejeune responded with a deep three at the end of the quarter, making it an 18-16 lead for Lakewood on the heels of a 10-2 run by the Pups to end the opening period. Brunson made Lakewood’s first basket of the second quarter when he went 2-for-2 on free throws with just under seven minutes to play. Two more baskets went through for the home team, and they started a run of their own with the 22-16 lead in the second quarter. Williams hit back-to-back jumpers from the left elbow and propelled his team to the 26-16 lead with 5:13 left in the second quarter before they forced another Lejeune timeout. The Devil Pups were able to stop the bleed a bit, but not much, as the score moved to 29-19 with three minutes left in the half. A Hall block led to him being assisted another layup at the other end, and Lakewood moved to a 31-19 lead. Things were clicking for the Leopards all around, with a stifling defense, rebounding skills that couldn’t be matched, and nearly every shot falling for them. They held the 34-24 advantage at halftime. Scoring in the second half was opened again by Hall, who hit a put-back layup in the low key to give the Leopards the 36-24 lead. He added two more on a similar play a minute later. Things continued moving in Lakewood’s favor when Smith hit a floater up the middle, Williams finished a drive with a turn around jumper in the low block, and Brunson took a fast break for an easy score. Quickly the Leopards moved to a 44-26 lead with 3:59 to play in the third. Since the Pups’ 10-2 run to close out the first quarter, they were outscored 28-10 to this point. As the clock showed 1:48 left in the third, the score stood at 46-32, with Lakewood in full control. While they had the lead, the Leopards still found themselves in serious foul trouble late in the quarter — they had tallied five after just six minutes of play. A deep layup by Williams stretched the lead out to 48-34 with under half a minute to go in the period. Scoring opened for both teams in the fourth quarter. With under five minutes to go in the game, Lakewood jumped out to a 57-44 advantage on plays from Hall, Williams, and company. Williams sent another basket home on a drive down the baseline, giving them the 59-46 lead before the Devil Pups took the ball down the court and returned the favor. The points kept falling for the Leopards, but the Devil Pups made a valiant attempt at comeback. It was too-little-too-late though, and Lakewood took the 69-60 victory in front of their hometown crowd. “It feels really good,” Leopard head coach Brandon Powell said after the game. “The guys are really growing. They’re starting to get a little bit of cohesiveness and work together better. Communication is a little better, which is why the defense is better tonight.” The Leopards moved to 3-1 on the season. They will host East Columbus on Thursday in the Chasity Melvin Holiday Tournament. Tipoff for that game will be 8 p.m. Reach Brandt Young at (910) 247-9036, at byoung@clintonnc.com, or on the Sampson Independent Facebook page.Boopie Miller scored 24 points and Yohan Traore added 20 points and 11 rebounds as SMU was at its best after halftime in a 98-82 win over Longwood on Sunday afternoon in Dallas. The Mustangs (11-2) have won seven straight games but this one was not without a serious scare from Longwood. SMU led by just a bucket after a seesaw first half but took charge with a 15-3 run to open the second. The Lancers pulled to within 69-62 on a tip in by Elijah Tucker with 11:37 to play before SMU put away the game with a 14-1 run capped by Chuck Harris' 3-pointer with 6:57 remaining. Matt Cross added 19 points while Harris hit for 12 for the Mustangs, who shot 62 percent from the floor. Tucker led Longwood (11-4) with 20 points, with Colby Garland adding 19 and Emanuel Richards scoring 12 points in the loss. The Lancers allowed their most points of the season and surrendered 32 points more than their season average. The teams went back and forth in a contentious first eight minutes that featured 11 lead changes and three ties with neither team up by more than three points. Harris' jumper with 11:55 left in the first half pushed the Mustangs to a 21-19 lead but that was quickly answered by a 3-pointer from Jefferson to put Longwood back on top at 22-21. SMU then reeled off 17-4 run, with Kario Oquendo contributing two free throws, a 3-pointer and a bucket to that surge and two free throws from Traore put the Mustangs up 38-26 with 5:34 to play in the half. Just when it seemed like SMU had found the formula to dispatch the feisty Lancers, Longwood rallied to tie the game at 43 on pull-up jumper by Garland with 8.9 seconds left before halftime. That gave Harris enough time to get down the floor and into the paint for a short jumper that gave the Mustangs a 45-43 lead at the break. Traore led all scorers with 15 points and seven rebounds before halftime while Miller added 11 for SMU. Garland and Tucker had 10 points apiece to pace the Lancers. --Field Level Media