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In a season of raised expectations due to the arrivals of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, Rutgers is experiencing some underwhelming moments. Off to a mediocre start through 12 games, Rutgers faces a tough test in its final nonconference game Monday night when it hosts Columbia in Piscataway, N.J. Rutgers (7-5) is hoping to avoid a second straight loss to an Ivy League opponent, and the Lions (11-1) are off to a better start than Princeton (9-4), which beat the Scarlet Knights on Dec. 21 in Newark, N.J. Four of the Scarlet Knights' losses are by five points or fewer, including a two-point loss to Kennesaw State and the 83-82 defeat to Princeton when it gave up a last-second basket along with 19 offensive rebounds and 23 second-chance points. It was the sixth time Rutgers allowed at least 80 points this season and it is 2-4 in those games. "I thought we played hard and did some good things out there, but a lot of second shots and just gotta be one possession better," Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said. "We scored plenty of points to win." Harper scored 22 points and has scored at least 20 in four straight games and 10 of 12. Bailey collected 15 points and 12 rebounds but has shot less than 50 percent in five of his past eight games after making 6 of 16 shots vs. Princeton. Columbia has lost the past 10 meetings and is seeking its second win over a power-conference opponent. The Lions earned a 90-80 win at Villanova on Nov. 6 and are on a three-game winning streak since a 15-point loss to Albany on Dec. 4. Columbia is averaging 83.3 points so far and scored at least 80 for the ninth time when it shot a season-beat 57.7 percent (30 of 52) in Saturday's 85-72 win over Fairfield. The Lions are led by Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa, whose 19.6 scoring average is third in the Ivy League. Rubio De La Rosa is also shooting 53.7 percent and is second in the Ivy League at 46.4 percent from 3-point range. Rubio De La Rosa has scored at least 20 points seven times, including a 27-point outing against Fairfield when he shot 8-of-15 after a scoreless opening half. Rubio De La Rosa also scored 22 in Columbia's win over Villanova. "With the break we had we just need to get into it, I wasn't surprised we were so slow in the first half," Columbia coach Jim Engles said. "Now we got to play top-five draft picks, so that's bad scheduling." --Field Level MediaLAS VEGAS — Players Era Festival organizers have done what so many other have tried — bet their fortunes in this city that a big payoff is coming. Such bet are usually bad ones, which is why so many massive casino-resorts have been built on Las Vegas Boulevard. But it doesn't mean the organizers are wrong. They're counting on the minimum of $1 million in guaranteed name, image and likeness money that will go to each of the eight teams competing in the neutral-site tournament that begins Tuesday will create a precedent for other such events. EverWonder Studios CEO Ian Orefice, who co-founded Players with former AND1 CEO Seth Berger, compared this event to last year's inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament that played its semifinals and final in Las Vegas by saying it "did really well to reinvigorate the fan base at the beginning of the year." "We're excited that we're able to really change the paradigm in college basketball on the economics," Orefice said. "But for us, it's about the long term. How do we use the momentum that is launching with the 2024 Players Era Festival and be the catalyst not to change one event, but to change college basketball for the future." Orefice and Berger didn't disclose financial details, but said the event will come close to breaking even this year and that revenue is in eight figures. Orefice said the bulk of the revenue will come from relationships with MGM, TNT Sports and Publicis Sport & Entertainment as well as sponsors that will be announced later. Both organizers said they are so bullish on the tournament's prospects that they already are planning ahead. Money made from this year's event, Orefice said, goes right back into the company. "We're really in this for the long haul," Orefice said. "So we're not looking at it on a one-year basis." Rick Giles is president of the Gazelle Group, which also operates several similar events, including the College Basketball Invitational. He was skeptical the financial numbers would work. Giles said in addition to more than $8 million going to the players, there were other expenses such as the guarantees to the teams. He said he didn't know if the tournament would make up the difference with ticket sales, broadcast rights and sponsorship money. The top bowl of the MGM Grand Garden Arena will be curtained off. "The math is highly challenging," Giles said. "Attendance and ticket revenues are not going to come anywhere close to covering that. They haven't announced any sponsors that I'm aware of. So it all sort of rests with their media deal with Turner and how much capital they want to commit to it to get these players paid." David Carter, a University of Southern California adjunct professor who also runs the Sports Business Group consultancy, said even if the Players isn't a financial success this year, the question is whether there will be enough interest to move forward. "If there is bandwidth for another tournament and if the TV or the streaming ratings are going to be there and people are going to want to attend and companies are going to want to sponsor, then, yeah, it's probably going to work," Carter said. "But it may take them time to gain that traction." Both founders said they initially were met with skepticism about putting together such an event, especially from teams they were interested in inviting. Houston was the first school to commit, first offering an oral pledge early in the year and then signing a contract in April. That created momentum for others to join, and including the No. 6 Cougars, half the field is ranked. "We have the relationships to operate a great event," Berger said. "We had to get coaches over those hurdles, and once they knew that we were real, schools got on board really quickly." The founders worked with the NCAA to make sure the tournament abided by that organization's rules, so players must appear at ancillary events in order to receive NIL money. Strict pay for play is not allowed, though there are incentives for performance. The champion, for example, will receive $1.5 million in NIL money. Now the pressure is on to pull off the event and not create the kind of headlines that can dog it for years to come. "I think everybody in the marketplace is watching what's going to happen (this) week and, more importantly, what happens afterwards," Giles said. "Do the players get paid on a timely basis? And if they do, that means that Turner or somebody has paid way more than the market dictates? And the question will be: Can that continue?" CREIGHTON: P oint guard Steven Ashworth likely won’t play in the No. 21 Bluejays’ game against San Diego State in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Ashworth sprained his right ankle late in a loss to Nebraska on Friday and coach Greg McDermott said afterward he didn’t know how long he would be out. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Baker Mayfield threw for five touchdowns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stayed in the race atop the NFC South by pounding the visiting Carolina Panthers 48-14 on Sunday afternoon. Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan both caught two TD passes and Bucky Irving rushed for 113 yards as Tampa Bay's second victory of the month against Carolina came much easier than the road version in overtime. Mayfield completed 27 of 32 passes for 359 yards and Evans caught eight balls for 97 yards. The Buccaneers (9-7) collected 551 yards of total offense. The Panthers (4-12) have lost five of their last six despite Bryce Young throwing two touchdown passes to Adam Thielen (five catches, 110 receiving yards). Young finished 15-for-28 passing for 203 yards, but Carolina managed only 39 rushing yards as it played without injured top running back Chuba Hubbard. Both of Mayfield's TD tosses to Evans were short (2 yards, 1 yard). Mayfield's scoring throws to McMillian covered 10 and 16 yards. He also had a 5-yard throw to Payne Durham to open the second-half scoring. The Buccaneers also scored off J. J. Russell's blocked punt return during a 25-second span of the third quarter when they racked up 14 points. Chase McLaughlin kicked field goals of 23 and 34 yards for the Buccaneers, who need to finish with a better record than the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional race because the tiebreaker favors Atlanta, which plays at Washington on Sunday night. Tampa Bay hosts New Orleans next weekend, while Carolina plays at Atlanta. After scoring on its first possession, Carolina's next three series on offense resulted in a total of minus-6 yards and three punts. The Buccaneers cashed in for 17 points following those defensive stops. The Panthers perked up by going 70 yards in 21 seconds to score on Young's 40-yard pass to Theilen with 50 seconds left in the half. They got the ball back following a Tampa Bay punt, and were in position to post 10 points in the last minute of the half until Eddy Pineiro's 53-yard field goal attempt was off the mark. Carolina has surrendered more points this year than in any season in franchise history, though Tampa Bay came four points shy of matching the most points ever allowed by the Panthers in a game. --Field Level Media

Jammu, Dec 13: Drone activities from Pakistan has dropped to almost zero after the deployment of an anti-drone system along the Jammu border, a senior BSF officer said on Friday, asserting that the Indian forces are much ahead over its adversary as far as technological upgradation is concerned. Inspector General of Border Security Force (BSF), Jammu frontier, D K Boora, said India is not the same when the country had old-fashioned weapons. It evolved to adopt new technology and advanced weapons, he added. Besides the heavy deployment of manpower, the technical surveillance is present on the entire border across Jammu region and it is being further expanded to other places in the country, he said. Talking to reporters in connection with the 60th Raising Day celebrations of the force and to highlight the achievements registered by his troops in Jammu this year, Boora said the sector has a sensitive border which is being monitored round-the-clock by boots-on-ground (manpower) and technological advancement with focus to ensure no infiltration from across the border. “The (drone) activities from across the border have come down and the exact reason for it is known to them (Pakistan) only. However, since we have upgraded our (anti-drone) systems on the borders, this problem (drone incursions) has dropped to almost zero in Jammu which proves that our technology is successful,” the BSF officer said. He said technology is evolving in every field all across the world. “It is obvious that the terror groups will use it and so our agencies like police, Army and BSF will try it as well. So this is a general process that the type of technology that is available, it is available for everyone and everyone uses it. And the technology that is available, its counter is also available at the same time,” the BSF officer said, referring to drone and counter-drone gadgets. He said if there is any upgradation of technology in Pakistan, the Indian forces are also getting a new version. In fact, India is ahead of its opponents, he added. “It happens everywhere... there is no need to worry about it because this upgrade is a normal process. If any new thing is available, then it is available for us too. So we use it. “And I assure you that our government and the forces do not leave any such shortage in upgradation that we are left behind of those who work against us,” Boora said, responding to a question on the steps taken to counter terrorists using advanced weapons. He said the Jammu border comes under the most sensitive border in the country and “our soldiers and officers do a very difficult duty here”. “And in doing this work, the BSF has also achieved great success. For this, I would like to congratulate all the people working under my command,” Boora said. Asked about the threat posed by the use of US-made M4 carbines by terrorists, the senior police officer said there is no specific threat as all weapons are the same. “There is hype about the foreign-made carbine even though it does not do anything different. It has the same system as other weapons... magazines, bullets and a trigger. “Today, India is not the same as it was when we had old-fashioned weapons. Now we have new technology, new India-made weapons which are very good,” he said. About the new technology and weapons inducted by BSF in the recent past, Boora said it is not right to divulge the details in the public domain. “I can assure you that the BSF has the latest technology and latest weapons. And whatever technology is upgraded, we immediately invest in it. And we get full support and money from the government. So we are much ahead in that,” he said.Jayden Daniels and the offense stalling have the Commanders on a three-game losing streakSamsung Achieves Industry First with 8K Projector Certification

Voters rejected historic election reforms across the US, despite more than $100M push