Le Journal

The latest episode of the NCAA’s eligibility circus is focusing on the University of Alabama. In Tuscaloosa, Charles Bediako, the 7-foot big man who we last saw in college in 2023, was granted a temporary court order to be able to return to the court for the Crimson Tide this coming weekend. I know what you’re thinking. It’s been almost three years since Bediako played basketball at the collegiate level, and he’s had a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs since then. In fact, he’s signed three different NBA contracts. But nonetheless, Bediako is going to suit up for the Crimson Tide this weekend. As expected, this has caused quite the stir in college athletics, and after Kentucky’s win over Texas, Mark Pope offered up some thoughts about the NCAA’s eligibility crisis. “The NCAA does get to decide who gets to go to the NCAA Tournament. They get to decide that. They have that power,” said Pope. At some point, when they’ve been very, very clear about what the rules that they’re going to try and enforce…they might lose in court, but they still get to decide what games count towards the NCAA Tournament.” It’s an interesting proposition by Pope and one that could be worth examining further. However, one would have to question whether such a decision could lead to more lawsuits based on what we’ve seen so far. Nonetheless, the NCAA is facing a major issue when it comes to eligibility, and a solid line has to be drawn somewhere. Where that line ends up being is the real question. What did you think of Pope’s statement? Mark Pope makes a statement on the current situation with NCAA eligibility.A phenomenal answer in my opinion.“ NCAA may lose in court, but they still get to decide who makes the NCAA tournament. Use that to bring some sanity to the situation.” pic.twitter.com/Yin3CJof5q— Dylan Ballard (@DylanBallard_UK) January 22, 2026

Kentucky Basketball had another thriller Wednesday night inside Rupp Arena, this one coming in an 85-80 win over the Texas Longhorns. As has been a trend under Mark Pope, Kentucky got off to a slow start again against Texas, but fortunately, the Longhorns struggled early as well. The first half featured runs from both teams, with momentum swinging back and forth. By halftime, the game was tied at 40-40. Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh led the Wildcats with 10 points apiece, combining for half of Kentucky’s total. The second half was pretty similar to the first half, and Kentucky also had to adjust when Kam Williams missed the majority of the second half due to a foot injury, but other players stepped up to fill the void. Kentucky was also without big man Jayden Quaintance, who has missed the past several games due to knee swelling, while Jaland Lowe still is out for the season after shoulder surgery. The Wildcats went on to defeat Texas, 85-80, moving to 13-6 overall and 4-2 in SEC play. With the win, Kentucky remains tied for No. 2 in the conference. Coming into the day, Texas was among Joe Lunardi’s last teams in the field of 68, and the Horns already had a pair of top-25 wins vs. Vanderbilt and at Alabama. Make no mistake about it. This was a good win, and an important one at that. Here are five things to know from another thrilling night at Rupp Arena. Kam Williams suffers foot injury Kam Williams was forced to miss most of the second half Wednesday night against Texas after suffering a foot injury. Williams played just 16 minutes in the game, including only four minutes in the second half, but he still scored nine points on 2-of-3 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 from beyond the arc. He also added a rebound and a steal. Williams’ absence came at a critical moment, as Kentucky was looking to maintain momentum after a tied 40-40 halftime score. With Jaland Lowe already out for the season due to a shoulder injury and Jayden Quaintance still sidelined with knee swelling, the Wildcats had to rely heavily on their remaining starters and bench to carry the team through the second half. Now the staff will be watching Williams closely in the coming days, as the team hopes the foot injury is minor and does not require an extended absence. Hopefully, Williams can return soon as Kentucky continues SEC play and aims to stay competitive in the conference without key players Lowe and Quaintance. Collin Chandler has career-night Kentucky guard Collin Chandler turned in a performance to remember by scoring a career-high 18 points off the bench while under the weather, showing that his confidence is back on track. 14 of them came in the second half after the game was tied 40-all at halftime. At the start of the season, Chandler looked confident going into his sophomore year, coming off a strong finish to his freshman campaign. However, as the season progressed, his confidence appeared to dip, and for a stretch, he looked like a shadow of the player fans once knew. Since SEC play began, Chandler has regained his rhythm, and the game versus Texas was a prime example. Despite being sick leading up to the game, many wondered if he would even take the floor. His decision to play paid off, as he helped lead Kentucky to a crucial SEC win over Texas. In the previous game against Tennessee, Otega Oweh battled illness but still helped wheel Kentucky to a comeback victory on the road. Against Texas, it was Chandler’s turn to step up, providing energy, scoring, and leadership when the team needed it most. If Chandler continues playing with this confidence and production, he could be a central figure in Kentucky’s push toward the top of the SEC. Fans who witnessed his performance were thrilled to see him playing confidently and back to being a difference-maker for the Wildcats. Otega Oweh does it all As previously mentioned, Oweh once again delivered a complete performance for Kentucky by setting the tone in the win versus Texas. Oweh stayed active…

This one had drama to it. It was a full four-quarter game that came down to the very last snap. Indiana, the #1 seed in the playoff and only undefeated team, completed the perfect run and became college football’s first 16-0 national champions since 1894. Unlike in the quarterfinals and semifinals, the Hoosiers couldn’t knock Miami out in two quarters and get out in front by three scores early. But every time the Hurricanes dared them to make a play, IU answered, never surrendering the lead and coming out on top 27-21 with Jamari Sharpe’s red-zone interception sealing the title and beginning the celebrations. Both teams left everything out on the field in a very “gutty” game, as Coach Cignetti described it afterward. Here are three takeaways from the national championship in Hard Rock Stadium that declared the Indiana Hoosiers the winners of the 2025 College Football Playoff: 1. Most exciting title game since Alabama-Georgia in 2018 Most national championship games in the CFP era have been blowouts or at least multi-score wins. This was the first title game to be decided by a touchdown or less since 2018, when Alabama and Georgia famously went to overtime, and Tua Tagovailoa threw a 41-yard TD pass to DeVonta Smith on 2nd & 26 to win a “walk-off championship”. This one didn’t get quite that crazy, but the 4th quarter went “Miami TD, Indiana TD, Miami TD, Indiana FG, Miami INT, Indiana runs out the clock.” For all those fans who paid $4000+ to see it in-person, they sure got themselves an extremely memorable ballgame. 2. Indiana completes “The Perfect Run” 9-0 Big Ten record for shared regular season title. Big Ten Championship trophy. Rose Bowl trophy. Peach Bowl trophy. Final AP #1 team and #1 overall seed in the CFP. Beat six top 10 teams. Heisman trophy. 12-0 regular season. And 16-0 national champions hoisting the 2025 CFP national championship trophy in Hard Rock Stadium. One of the most impressive and dominant runs by any team in any season in a long time. Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers built themselves into the best team in football, and one game at a time, marched all the way to the title without ever being beaten all fall and all winter. 3. Miami went from barely included to the razor’s edge The Hurricanes were barely included in the 2025 CFP, receiving the last at-large bid instead of Notre Dame, which caused uproar across much of the college football landscape—not just in South Bend. But once the playoff started, Miami went on the road and bested Texas A&M in College Station, did the unthinkable and bounced Ohio State from the CFP in just the quarterfinals, and outlasted Ole Miss to become Indiana’s challenger for the national title. Once there, they gave Indiana their toughest fight of the CFP, coming far closer to winning than higher-seeded at-larges Alabama and Oregon. In the final poll, they should be ranked #2, because they went from barely included to the razor’s edge of the national championship, which was way, way closer than Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech, and all the others got.

One of the Clippers‘ primary goals at the trade deadline will be to create the roster and cap flexibility necessary to promote Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller from their two-way contracts to the standard roster, according to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints. The Clippers are currently operating about $1.15MM below their first-apron hard cap, with 14 […]

12:37 pm: Reddish has been claimed by the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s NBAGL affiliate, Stein reports (Twitter link). According to Jake Fischer (Twitter link), Austin will send Reddish to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2027 G League draft. 11:02 am: Former NBA lottery pick Cam Reddish is headed […]