In “Steak House: The People, The Places, The Recipes,” comedian, director and author Eric Wareheim takes us on a captivating cross-country road trip, spotlighting the enduring charm of American steak houses, including L.A.’s iconic Musso & Frank and Taylor’s Steak House.
“It’s about nostalgia,” says Wareheim, who is probably best known as the co-creator of the TV series “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” “The people and atmosphere are what make you feel so good.”
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
But more than red booth restaurants and Steak Diane lift Wareheim’s spirits.
“Gardening has changed me into this new version of myself,” he says. “For me, it’s about peace and a deeper journey. Planting has tweaked something in my brain so that I can see things differently.”
A self-proclaimed “nursery hunter,” Wareheim has traversed California in his truck, connecting with growers along the way. His latest venture, the plant studio Serpentine, showcases his love of plants and gardening. “We’ve created an oasis in a huge parking lot in Boyle Heights, and it looks like a botanical garden in Australia,” he says. “It’s pretty extreme. I worked for six months to get two enormous bottle trees here.”
Not surprisingly, a perfect Sunday for Wareheim involves shopping for plants and perusing rock yards and quarries, though he won’t divulge exactly where. “You’re building life every day,” he says of gardening.
And although he’s been known to hit Taco Bell when he’s on the road (“My order is always the same: a bean burrito with onions and sour cream and Doritos Locos Tacos”), when he’s in L.A., he prefers the shrimp aguachile at Loreto in Elysian Valley (a.k.a. Frogtown) or a birria-stuffed burrito from Burritos La Palma in Boyle Heights.
Here is what his ideal Sunday in L.A. would look like.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.
5 a.m.: Enjoy coffee and sunrise in the garden
On a perfect Sunday, I would wake up at 5 a.m., make myself some La Colombe coffee, and wander through my garden, which could be my grand masterpiece. I’ve really gotten into watching the sunrise lately. Sunrise and sunset are so important to me because they are such reflective times. From 5 to 7 a.m. is the only time I’m at peace. No one is calling me, and I turn off my phone. As part of my morning routine, I listen to Nala Sinephro’s album “Space 1.8” every day. I highly recommend it. That and gardening together have changed me into a new version of myself, which happens every five years. It’s now about a deeper journey through art and design. Because I wake up so early, I often ask people if we can meet at 7 a.m. and they’re like ‘What?’
9 a.m.: Nursery hopping in Pasadena
After I wake up, have coffee and walk around my garden, I feel inspired, so I go to Blvd Nursery in Pasadena. Sometimes I don’t even shop. Simply walking through a nursery is a beautiful thing. It’s on the way to Lincoln Avenue Nursery, the OG of nurseries in Pasadena. But Blvd has more artistic, sculptural specimens. It’s a good bang-bang to hit both. When I first started, I shopped at the Tropics in West Hollywood. I would have to save up all year to get one pot. But it inspired me. Once you pay those prices, you need to dig deeper. Part of the fun for me is finding these things. I love connecting with the people who grow the plants. The journey is a huge part of it.
11 a.m.: Hungry for a hoagie
After that, I would get hungry for a hoagie. Lately, I’ve been hitting Delco Rose Hoagies in Highland Park. It’s the most legit Philadelphia hoagie — I’m from Philly — and it brings me joy. They use really good products, and you don’t feel gross afterwards. Josh Agran, the owner, is great. I order the Classic Italian with prosciutto, ham, salami and provolone. There’s like three different styles, but when it comes to pizza and hoagies, I’m very simple. Right now, my whole life is about harnessing these feelings of joy. That’s what I tried to do with my book “Steak House.”
Noon: Hit Serpentine, snack along Taco Row
After that, I usually go to my studio Serpentine in Boyle Heights. We are taking appointments now and are very excited. Some of my plants are ones that we have grown here; others are like art, and I don’t want to sell them. I have a crew of six gardening teams, and we collaborate on some epic things like the landscaping at Loreto restaurant in Frogtown, another place I like to go on the weekends. My studio is near Taco Row, and when friends are in town, I take them to Tacos y Birria La Unica as their consomé is very special. Mariscos Jalisco is the love of my life. And Los Originales Tacos Arabes is a really interesting mix of Middle Eastern and Mexican food combined.
2 p.m.: Stroll through Chinatown and shop for cookbooks
I love independent bookstores like Now Serving, which is devoted entirely to cookbooks. Skylight Books in Los Feliz is great too, but Chinatown is one of my favorite places to walk around. I went and signed my books at Now Serving. You can pick up an autographed copy there now.
6 p.m.: Sichuan-Vietnamese dinner in Alhambra
Because my weekends often take me east to nurseries, rock yards and quarries, I usually end up at Boston Lobster, my favorite place to eat dinner in Alhambra. It’s a particular kind of Sichuan-Vietnamese combination that, to me, may be the best thing ever. They do all the classics like beef with Chinese broccoli and Kung Pao shrimp, which have red Sichuan chiles that will make your mouth numb. It’s casual and not fancy but delicious; the quality of food is unbelievable. I order French-style beef cubes, which are chunks of meat seasoned with spices like allspice and other ingredients you would find in French food with a Vietnamese influence. There’s also crispy shrimp, which is a stir-fried shrimp dish with sweet chili sauce. I’m a wine guy, so we’d pair it with a German Riesling. I’d probably bring my own wine and bring stems along. I try not to be as freakish as I used to be — I used to bring a cooler with me. But drinking wine from nice glasses is like pairing plants with the right vessel.
8 p.m.: Relax with a martini in the hot tub
I always end the night the same way: I get in the hot tub and pour myself a martini. I have two cats and I enjoy hanging out with them. After that, I would go out or stay in. Lately, I’ve been staying in because I’ve been busy with my book. It’s a simple but gorgeous way to end my day.
Seattle’s Black community is still looking for explanations as it relates to a series of recent events involving inner-city high school athletics, including the removal of Brandon Roy, center, as the boys basketball coach at Garfield High School. Seattle Medium file photo/Tyler Artis.
By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Following a series of recent events in inner-city high school athletics, including the firings and resignations of long-time coaches, and most notably the Garfield junior varsity basketball team wearing Rainier Beach basketball jerseys during the annual “Hood Classic” rivalry game, growing concern has emerged about the current state of athletics within Seattle Public Schools, particularly in the predominantly and historically Black inner-city schools.
Keisha Credit, a Seattle native and Garfield High School graduate, said that she and her fiancé remain closely connected to the school and are deeply disheartened by the recent incidents within the local high school athletic community.
“The role that athletics plays [in the Black culture of Seattle] is deep,” said Credit. “Sometimes we have a toxic relationship with athletics, because a lot of our Black males are taught that athletics is a way for them to feel empowered and to ‘get out of the system.’ Seattle is not a poor place, so you have Black kids being taught that athletics is a way to get out of a city that is literally one of the richest cities in the nation, and we are being taught and indoctrinated into a culture that makes us believe that we are poor.”
Terrell Elmore, a proud Garfield alum who has been coaching basketball and football for at least 30 years, says that people in the community don’t know how to feel about the recent firings and resignations of Black coaches in the area because Seattle Public Schools nor the building leadership at Garfield has provided the community and or alums with a proper explanation.
“We really don’t know what the reason is, and we would love to know the reason, whether it is good or bad,” says Elmore. “With Corey (the former head football coach at Rainier Beach), he was three games [into the season before his departure]. Tavar (the former head basketball coach at Franklin) was a couple games [into the season], and then [the firing of the boys and girls basketball coaches at Garfield] was a couple weeks before the basketball season began,” said Elmore. “So, from that standpoint, I didn’t really care for it, and it was just like, ‘Where are all the Black coaches going?’”
RELATED ARTICLE:SPS’ Grinch Takes Holiday Cheer Out Of High School Athletics
For Lashaye Stanton-Phillips, a Seattle native, the news was devastating. She grew up and went to school alongside many of the aforementioned coaches and still maintains strong working relationships with them.
“It is devastating because they are doing something in the community that wasn’t done for us. They are making sure that kids have an opportunity or roadmap that we were not given, and the people behind it (the firings) won’t stand up,” Stanton-Phillips said. “Nobody has gotten up to say, hey, this is why we made this decision. For me, this goes all the way back to taking down the African American Academy school. So, within the Seattle School District, this is a history that they have. I feel like they found an outsider principal (at Garfield) to come in and to tear apart things that are going well.”
Rev. Demetrius Devers, a former Seattle high school sports star and co-captain of the 1995 University of Washington football team, believes that while rules and regulations exist and must be followed by those in leadership, public schools facing limited resources and funding often rely on every available connection to meet their needs, and in this case, prominent coaches in the community have helped to bring in resources and opportunities for the kids.
“Specifically with Seattle Public Schools, we know resources are limited compared to other school districts with greater funding to provide for their sports programs, and that have a greater funding source through their booster programs, so we utilize whatever connections and support systems that we can to make sure that our kids have that Deion Sanders mentality of look good, feel good, play good,” said Rev. Devers. “But I think it is unfortunate that good people are being let go of a job where they were able to bless the community and the kids that deserve it.”
In a recent game, the Garfield JV boys basketball team wore the jerseys of their cross-town rivals, Rainier Beach, because the team did not have its own uniforms available at the time of the game.
“When I saw the picture, I thought it was AI,” said Credit. “When I graduated in 2008, Seattle had a different makeup of beliefs and community, and there is no way that anybody from Garfield would wear a Rainier Beach jersey and have it not turn into a complete brawl.”
Credit believes it’s time to step back and consider what truly matters, winning a game or preserving the dignity of the children.
“These are children, and you put them in a clown suit, allowed them to go out there and masquerade around like fools. And then they lost by an amount that was so unbelievable, it just made it look like a mockery, and I was so worried about the mental health of those children,” said Credit. “How come our kids are not being taught that they can walk away from a situation where they are being embarrassed? It means nothing to forfeit that one game. Literally every excuse that was given was literally an excuse to make it OK to embarrass children.”
“All of these communities need to look themselves in the mirror and say, hey, who do we really care about? Is winning a game and playing a game so important that the dignity of the players has been lost?” continued Credit. “These are children. You’re teaching them how to feel about themselves as men. It’s sickening. It’s sickening. It’s sickening.”
According to Credit, the emphasis placed on sports and athletics within the Black community can sometimes overshadow the importance of morals and values. Over the years, she has seen many former pro players return to Seattle in an effort to give back to the students and communities they once belonged to. However, she says this has not always resulted in positive outcomes, and that emphasis should be placed on character and mentorship rather than profiles.
“Just because these coaches have these credentials in the NFL and NBA, believing they are great in all of these male-led industries, they then come in and believe that they are qualified to coach,” says Credit. “But let’s be real. Just because some people want to lead does not make them good or qualified. Just because they have their own experience being a good player does not mean that you’re a good coach. We all know many of y’all may not be the ones that need to be coaching our boys.”
“But it’s something that’s been taboo to talk about, because these are our greats, right? These are our NFL and NBA players to Black culture. They’re like icons. They’re like gods. But their ethics, morals and values are not of as much importance,” added Credit.
Credit said that unless meaningful changes are made and dignity is prioritized, she would not want her Black sons to attend Garfield High School, despite her deep love for the Bulldog community.
“I don’t know what can be done now. The damage has really already been done, and this is not a community that I feel like my Black sons are safe in,” said Credit. “I think the silence about it from like an actual entity that has the level of importance to make change is sickening. And it’s saying a lot.”
“Why don’t we as Black people feel empowered enough to use our voices? Why don’t we feel empowered enough that we can say something and we can do something in the moment and say, hey, this is not right? It’s like we’re a silent community that’s just onlookers of a downward slope,” continued Credit. “It has gone so far downhill in the athletic community in Seattle that people are now numb to the fact that it’s embarrassing, and that’s scary.”
Rev. Devers said above all, support for the kids at the inner-city schools is the most important.
“Because Garfield is a school with such a rich history and athletic success, not just in basketball, but in track and other programs, I think it is important to support that legacy,” said Rev. Devers. “The community comes together for the love of the school and to support the kids, and I think that the biggest thing that we need to remember with all that is going on is that the kids are the ones that still need the support.”
FILE – A man holds a lit cigarette while smoking in San Francisco, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
CHARLESTON — Gov. Patrick Morrisey has preached the need for healthier lifestyles for West Virginians since taking office last year, but a report released earlier this month by a state task force raised concerns about high usage of tobacco products.
The West Virginia Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Task Force released its 2025 Annual Legislative Report at the beginning of December, detailing the state’s struggle with high nicotine consumption rates and diminishing resources.
According to the report, West Virginia’s tobacco use constitutes a severe public health crisis, characterized by tobacco and nicotine use rates that are among the highest in the nation, particularly the alarming prevalence of e-cigarette use among youth.
“While the use of traditional tobacco products in the United States has declined in the past five decades, tobacco use levels in WV continue to rank among the highest in the nation,” according to the report. “Conversely, use of electronic vaping devices (e-cigarettes) has been rising.
“In (West Virginia), 10.1% of adults reported current use in 2023 compared to 9.3% in 2022,” the report continued. “Furthermore, e-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. This plight accentuates the need for the public health initiatives outlined in this report.”
When it comes to youth tobacco use, 6.2% of high school students reported using smokeless tobacco products according to the West Virginia Department of Education’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 9.8% of high school students reported smoking cigarettes or cigars, and 27% reported using electronic vaping products with 48.8% of high school students reported trying a vape product at least once.
When it comes to adults, 20.4% are current smokers compared to the national rate of 12.1%. The use of smokeless tobacco products by adults in West Virginia was the second highest in the nation. And the percentage of adults using vape products was 10.1% compared to the national rate of 7.7%.
West Virginia’s high use of tobacco and nicotine products has real health consequences, with the state having the second highest rate of tobacco-associated cancers in the nation at 228.2 cancers per 100,000 people. The residential maternal smoking rate in the state was 153.4 per 1,000 births. This high tobacco usage inflicts a significant toll on the state, costing over $1 billion annually in direct health care expenses and placing a taxpayer burden of $1,587 per household.
A few months ago, the American Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control report gave West Virginia an F for tobacco cessation and preventing funding, an F for tobacco taxes, a D for smokefree air regulations, a D for access to cessation services, and a F for restrictions on flavored tobacco products.
In November, the American Cancer Society held its 49th annual Great American Smokeout, calling on lawmakers and state officials to allocate $5 million towards tobacco prevention and cessation.
“For too long, West Virginia has allowed the tobacco industry to addict people to deadly, cancer-causing products. It’s time to say, enough is enough. West Virginians deserve better,” said Doug Hogan, government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “We know that well-funded tobacco prevention efforts and services that help people quit are so important to provide the support needed to help people quit, and to help prevent kids and young adults from starting to use tobacco.”
The Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Task Force was created by the Legislature in 2020 with the passage of House Bill 4494, tasked with “…recommending and monitoring the establishment and management of programs that are found to be effective in the reduction of tobacco…”
The task force reported to the Division of Tobacco Prevention (DTP) within the state Department of Health Bureau for Public Health’s Office of Community Health Systems and Health Promotion. DTP was funded in part through the CDC, most recently through a five-year program between April 2020 and April 2025.
DTP received $1.2 million from the CDC, with $1.1 million used for DTP salaries, program contracts and activities. Another $145,380 was used for the state’s Tobacco Quitline.
However, with no further federal funding anticipated beyond next April, the state dissolved DTP in September, with one employee retiring and others transferred to the Division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease, with one staff member continuing to focus on tobacco cessation efforts. With DTP dissolved, several programs – including Raze and the peer-to-peer
youth prevention program – came to an end, with other programs offering only limited services.
State funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programming was also reduced in the current fiscal year general revenue budget, from $451,404 in fiscal year 2025 to $305,000 in fiscal year 2026.
In order to bring state tobacco cessation efforts up to full speed, the task force recommended the governor and lawmakers set aside $4.5 million in fiscal year 2027, including $1.5 million for the WV Tobacco Quitline; $1.5 million for youth community programs, such as the CATCH My Breath Program; $1 million for a comprehensive and independent evaluation of tobacco prevention and cessation program efficacy; and $500,000 for expanding the Certified Tobacco Treatment Program.
“Increased vaping rates, especially among WV youth, is of great concern with multiple partner organizations, stakeholders, educators, parents, and medical professionals raising the alarm,” the report’s authors wrote. “Task Force members are encouraged by the collaborative interest that has been generated over the last four years but also recognize efforts are limited by time and decrease in funding. As such, we hope that consideration and approval of the Task Force funding recommendations will be given.”
More than 100,000 Ohioans working for minimum wage can expect a raise on Thursday.
Kadie and Hudson Blevins hang out together at Ashley High School before a track meet.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie and Hudson are ready for game day on Dec. 7, 2010.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hudson gets an early start playing a little football Feb. 5, 2009.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie plays for her WOW team for the Hammerheads on Sept. 30, 2012.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hudson had a slow start today at first he didn’t even want to play but then after a bag of Cheetos Game On!.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie comes down the court as she plays Halo Hoops in 2012.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hudson makes a kick while getting ready to play a PISA game.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie representing Holly Tree and Quashon Thomas representing Mary C. Williams’ won the girls and boys 100m race today at UNCW’s Seahawk Invitational to become the “Fastest Kid in New Hanover County” in 2016.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hudson Blevins works on his punts during training with One-on-One Kicking in Birmingham, Alabama, in June 2025.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie Blevins is all smiles after playing flag football at Hoggard High School.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie and Pam Blevins run in the Cardinal Strut together in 2017.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
We survived Kadie Blevins’ slumber party on Jan. 17, 2015. I think all 17 girls had fun; and at time I wish I had had a decibel meter just to see how loud they really got.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hudson Blevins is helped up by his soccer coach after breaking his hip during a penalty kick while playing for PISA.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hudson Blevins comes around the track as athletes from Ashley, North Brunswick, Hoggard and Topsail high schools took part in a Mideastern Conference track meet on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2023, at Ashley High School in Wilmington, N.C.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie Blevins gets her team going after being named co-captain of the Roland-Grise Middle School volleyball team in March 2019.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie Blevins starts to break away as she plays at Hoggard High School.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hudson Blevins, seen with father, Ken, taking part in a few kicking camps this week in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Alabama, on June 9, 2024.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie Blevins is surrounded as she drives down the field for the RedStars.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hoggard’s Kadie Blevins won the 100-meter run as Topsail beat Hoggard during a Mideastern Conference track meet on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, in Hampstead, N.C.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie Blevins is all smiles as she finally takes to the pitch once again after months of physical therapy due to a car wreck.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hudson Blevins takes off his helmet after a game at Hoggard High School.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie Blevins smiles after the mile relay team broke the Hoggard High School record in 2021.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hoggard football coach Craig Underwood and Hudson Blevins celebrate after beating Millbrook in the third round of the 2024 NCHSAA 4A East playoffs 28-21 at Scott Braswell Stadium in Wilmington, N.C.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hoggard’s #2 Kadie Blevins hugs #24 Chaylin Hines after Hoggard lost to Cardinal Gibbons in the 4A East Regional final soccer game on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Hoggard High School 3-2.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Hoggard’s #14 Hudson Blevins celebrates after his punt was stopped on the 1-yard-line as Hoggard took on Clayton Sept 5, 2025, at Scott Braswell Stadium in Wilmington, N.C. Hoggard beat Clayton 38-14.
KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS
Kadie Blevins gets a hug from her teammates on the Red Stars on Aug. 27, 2022, after she scored her first goal, making a comeback from being in recovery from injuries sustained in a head-on collision involving a drunk driver along Oleander Drive in Wilmington, N.C.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. (WAFF/Gray News) – An Alabama community is mourning the loss of a teenager who died due to reported complications from the flu.
Officials with the New Home Baptist Church in Pisgah announced the death of 14-year-old Noah Smothers on Monday. The church said he died after suffering complications related to influenza.
Noah was a freshman at Ider High School, an active member of the youth church group and described as a “kind young man.”
The 14-year-old was being treated at TC Thompson Children’s Hospital.
“It is with deepest regret that we share the passing of one of our beloved students,” Ider High School shared in a social media post. “Noah ‘Smo’ Smothers was an Ider Hornet through and through, exemplifying strength of character and a bright young mind.”
Henegar Junior High School officials also shared a statement on social media, paying tribute to the May graduate.
“He was loved by all who knew him. He had a special way of making everyone laugh and smile. Mischievous, a little shy, and incredibly kind, he left a lasting impression on everyone,” the junior high said. “He leaves behind a legacy of laughter, kindness, and fun.”
Officials from both schools also sent their condolences to the teen’s family and friends, calling his death a heartbreaking loss.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday afternoon at Cornerstone Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow in Liberty Cemetery, according to Noah’s obituary.
Copyright 2025 WAFF via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
For nearly 20 years, I’ve watched Westfield struggle to define its modern identity and become a vibrant place for future generations. Until recently, it felt impossible.
But in 2025, Mayor Scott Willis unveiled ambitious redevelopment plans: an expanded Grand Park, downtown mixed-use projects with parking, and “village-like marketplaces” across the city. This vision excites those of us who have long championed growth — especially the roughly 40,000 newcomers who arrived hoping for a thriving community.
In that same period, a small group of longtime residents has resisted every step forward, mourning the loss of the small town they remember. I understand — it’s painful to watch cherished memories fade. That simpler Westfield began disappearing even when we moved here in 2005 and it isn’t coming back.
Today, I believe it’s time to reinvest our personal ties in the inevitable transformation. We don’t have to love every change, but we can try seeing it through the eyes of a young family,
a new restaurant owner, the Parks Department, or a company considering relocation.
Supporting the greater good matters. Consider Grand Park: I don’t know a single youth athlete who isn’t proud to play on world-class fields in the nation’s top youth sports facility. Grand Junction Plaza buzzes with kids and parents enjoying events and vendors most nights. Downtown businesses — many family-friendly — are working hard to build something relevant while supporting their staff.
We’ve lost the old soda shop and the local hardware store, but we’ve gained amenities that only progress brings.
I’m excited for what people will preserve 100 years from now and look forward to strolling downtown with my grandkids, enjoying what growth has made possible. As someone without deep roots elsewhere, I feel blessed to call Westfield home — and I want my kids to have real reasons to stay. #bestfield
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Kids K-12 are free on Thursday (Jan. 1) when the Purdue Fort Wayne men’s basketball team hosts Green Bay at 2 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum.
Game Day Information
Who: Purdue Fort Wayne (8-7, 2-2 Horizon League) vs. Green Bay (6-8, 1-2 Horizon League)
When: Thursday, January 1 | 2 PM ET
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Memorial Coliseum
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: 1380 AM
Tickets: Link
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Green Bay
Know Your Foe
A much improved from last season Green Bay team comes to the Summit City on Thursday. The Phoenix own Division I non-league wins over UMass, Iona and UC Santa Barbara. They won at IU Indy in league play, but have losses to Wright State and Robert Morris. C.J. O’Hara is averaging 12.7 points per game.
Series History
Purdue Fort Wayne leads 9-2, winning the last nine games. Green Bay’s only two wins came in the 2020-21 regular season when games were played in empty gyms. Even that year, though, the ‘Dons topped Green Bay 89-84 in double overtime in the league’s postseason. That game is best remembered for Jalon Pipkins’ game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer of the first overtime session.
‘Dons & Ends
// In December, Corey Hadnot II was named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List. The award recognizes the best player in NCAA Mid-Major Division I basketball. The award is given out at the end of the season.
// The Mastodons have eight games this season with single-digit turnovers, including just two vs. Detroit- Mercy on Dec. 14.
// Corey Hadnot II is one of only five juniors or seniors in NCAA Division I men’s basketball currently averaging 20 or more points who entered the season never having averaged 10 points in a season. (Cameron Carr, Baylor | Chandler Cuthrell, Elon | MJ Collins, Utah State | Dennis Parker Jr, Radford)
// The win over Notre Dame put the ‘Dons on a four-game win streak. The ‘Dons have now had a winning streak of at least four games in every season since 2009-10 except for one (2017-18). That is 16-of-17 seasons.
// The top two scoring games in the league this season belong to Corey Hadnot II. He had 33 at Oakland (Dec. 3) and 32 at Western Michigan (Nov. 12). Mikale Stevenson’s 29 against Chicago State (Nov. 25) is the fifth best scoring performance in the league this season.
// Through four league games, Corey Hadnot II is averaging 21.8 points per game in league play, second best in the league.
// Jon Coffman picked up his 200th career victory on Nov. 15 against Boyce. He is the program’s leader in victories.
// DeAndre Craig Jr. has scored double-digits 15-of-16 games this season. He has four games of exactly 18 points this year. The only game under 10 points was a seven-point outing vs. Chicago State (Nov. 25). He tied a career high with 22 points vs. Oakland.
// Darius Duffy has 73 rebounds on the season, 40 have been on the offensive glass.
// Redshirt freshman Ebrahim Kaba has shown early results from beyond the arc, hitting 16-of-43 (38.1 percent) from three.
// DeAndre Craig Jr. has demonstrated an ability to fill up the box score. Not only does he have 10+ points in all but one game this season, he has three games with six or more rebounds, three games with five or more assists and two games with three steals; all while turning the ball over only 16 times in 397 minutes.
// How good has Corey Hadnot II been this year?
– Corey Hadnot II is 3rd in the nation with 116 field goals. He has 306 points this season, 2nd in the nation. He is 1st in the league at 20.4 points per game. Hadnot is also 9th in the nation in steals with 36.
– Hadnot is averaging 20.4 points per game, should he finish at that average, it would rank tie for 5th in Mastodon history for a single season.
– He has the most field goals made (tied, 12 at Oakland) and most field goals attempted (22 at WMU) by a Horizon League player this season.
– He has the third most steals in a game by a Horizon League player this season (6 at Ohio State).
– Through 15 games, Hadnot is on track to score 628 points in the regular season this year. This would rank 7th all time for points scored by a player in a single season in Mastodon history.
– Through 15 games, he is on track to have 73 steals in the regular season this year. This would rank 6th all time for steals by a player in a single season in Mastodon history.
– At 20.4 points per game, Hadnot’s scoring is up this year as is his shooting percentage. He is shooting 55.0 percent from the floor. He shot 44.6 percent last year.
– His field goal percentage has improved each season.
– 22 former Mastodons have played professionally in the last 14 years.
Jalon Pipkins (2021-22) is playing for Gargzdu in Lithuanian. He had 14 points and four assists in a loss to Juventus on Dec. 27.
// John Konchar to enter Mastodon Hall of Fame
– Former Mastodon John Konchar (2014-19) will be inducted into the Mastodon Hall of Fame on Jan. 31. Konchar, the seven-year NBA veteran with the Memphis Grizzlies, finished his collegiate career as the first student-athlete in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 500 assists and 200 steals.
// Drafting notes from the Mastodons’ game at Milwaukee
– Deangelo Elisee tied a career high with four blocks.
– Maximus Nelson tied a career high with three steals.
// Here come the notes on the win at Notre Dame
– Only four players scored in the contest (Corey Hadnot II, Maximus Nelson, Mikale Stevenson and DeAndre Craig Jr.). It is the first game in the Division I era of the program with only four players scoring in a contest. The previous low was five, which has occurred multiple times.
– It was the Mastodons’ first win over an ACC opponent.
– It was Purdue Fort Wayne’s fourth win against a major conference foe. The Mastodons beat Indiana in 2016 and 2017 and DePaul in 2023. All four wins have come under head coach Jon Coffman.
– Corey Hadnot II scored 29 points, his sixth game of 25 or more points this season.
