PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Darrell Brown scored 24 points, Nate Kennell scored 14 and Donte Thomas grabbed 10 rebounds and Bradley used the second half to pull away from Northern Iowa 72-53 on Sunday.

The Panthers led 33-32 at halftime before Bradley (11-4, 1-1 Missouri Valley) exploded with 22-3 run to put the Braves ahead, 61-45 with 7:49 to play. Brown buried three 3s and a jumper during the run and Elijah Childs added a 3 and a jumper.

Northern Iowa (8-6, 0-2) made just six field goals in the second half and finished 18-of-49 shooting (37 percent). The Braves went up 8-2 before Northern Iowa tied it at 11 with Spencer Haldeman’s 3 with 12:46 before halftime.

Ryan Stipanovich made a 3 and Kennell had a pair of free throws to put Bradley up 24-17 before Northern Iowa closed the half with a 16-8 run. Isaiah Brown led Northern Iowa with 17 points and Haldeman scored 11.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Patrick Mahomes II is impressive in his first NFL start, leading the Kansas City Chiefs past the Denver Broncos 27-24. Rookie Kareem Hunt scored on a 35-yard touchdown run on his only carry to secure the NFL rushing title. The Broncos wrapped up one of their most disappointing seasons ever, putting more pressure on GM John Elway as he evaluates QBs and rookie head coach Vance Joseph.

DENVER (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs got a glimpse of their quarterback future with the debut of Patrick Mahomes. Now it’s back to the present with Alex Smith starting in the playoffs. But the Chiefs now know Mahomes can step in with little worries after leading the team to a winning field goal during a 27-24 win over the Denver Broncos.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Marcus Foster scored 18 points to lead five Creighton players in double figures and the No. 25 Bluejays beat cold-shooting Providence 83-64. Toby Hegner matched his season high with 15 points for the Bluejays. They bounced back from a road loss to Seton Hall in their conference opener and beat the Friars for the first time in four tries in Omaha. Freshman center Nate Watson led Providence with a season-high 20 points.

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — Reed Timmer scored 20 points and Drake held off a Southern Illinois rally for a 70-67 win. Nick McGlynn added 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Drake, which led by as much as 16 points in the first half but had to scramble as Southern Illinois rallied late in the second half to pull within two points with under a minute left.

UNDATED (AP) — It might have been the most satisfying 8-5 season in the history of college football. Iowa State had gone five years without reaching a bowl game and seven without a winning season. It capped an exhilarating 2017 by beating Memphis 21-20 on Saturday in the Liberty Bowl. It was the fourth bowl win for the Cyclones. They also beat three ranked opponents for the first time.

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — Darrell Brown scored 24 points, Nate Kennell scored 14 and Donte Thomas grabbed 10 rebounds and Bradley used the second half to pull away from Northern Iowa 72-53. The Panthers led 33-32 at halftime before Bradley exploded with 22-3 run to put the Braves ahead, 61-45 with 7:49 to play. Brown buried three 3s and a jumper during the run and Elijah Childs added a 3 and a jumper.

DENVER (AP) — Patrick Mahomes II made both his first NFL start and his first NFL relief appearance a success Sunday, leading the Kansas City Chiefs past the Denver Broncos 27-24 on Harrison Butker’s 30-yard field goal as time expired. Starting in place of Alex Smith, Mahomes handed off a 24-10 lead to No. 3 QB Tyler Bray midway through the fourth quarter but came back with the score tied at 24 and less than three minutes left.

He drove the Chiefs 67 yards in 11 plays for the game-winning field goal that sent the Chiefs (10-6) to their fifth straight win over the Broncos (5-11). Mahomes became the first quarterback drafted by the Chiefs to win a game for them since Todd Blackledge in 1987. He threw for 284 yards on 24-of-35 passing with no touchdowns and an interception.

Kansas City moved up 17 spots to take the Texas Tech standout quarterback last April, ending three decades of avoiding quarterbacks in the first round. He watched all year as Smith had the best season of his 13-year career, throwing for 4,042 yards to go with 26 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

Chiefs backup punt returner De’Anthony Thomas was carted off after injuring his right leg on the final play of the first quarter. He was dragged down by Marcus Rios after backtracking to field Riley Dixon’s punt at his 5. CB Phillip Gaines was knocked out with an elbow injury just before halftime.

The Chiefs turn their attention to the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs, where the Chiefs are seeking their first playoff win at Arrowhead Stadium in their history.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Megan Gustafson had 27 points and 11 rebounds for her NCAA-leading 14th double-double, sophomore Kathleen Doyle set career-highs with 23 points and nine assists, and No. 23 Iowa beat 21st-ranked Michigan 82-72 on Sunday. Iowa (14-1, 2-0 Big Ten) is off to its best start since the 1995-96 season when the Hawkeyes opened at 20-1.

Michigan went on a 7-0 run to pull within 64-62 but Iowa answered with an 8-0 spurt, capped by Gustafson’s layup with 1:21 to go. The Hawkeyes’ lead didn’t dip below nine points the rest of the way. Alexis Sevillian added 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting for Iowa. Gustafson went 11 of 11 from the free-throw line for the second straight game and she was 8 of 9 from the field.

Katelynn Flaherty, ranked seventh nationally with 22.7 points per game, led Michigan (12-3, 1-1) with four 3-pointers and 24 points. Kayla Robbins and Deja Church each added 11 points. The Wolverines had their eight-game winning streak snapped.

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — Reed Timmer scored 20 points and Drake held off a Southern Illinois rally for a 70-67 win Sunday. Nick McGlynn added 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Drake, which led by as much as 16 points in the first half but had to scramble as Southern Illinois rallied late in the second period to pull within two points with under a minute left. Drake (8-6, 2-0 Missouri Valley Conference) hit 26 of 61 from the field.

The Salukis (9-6, 1-1) tightened the game with a four-minute, 10-2 burst to trail 67-62 with 1:28 remaining. Armon Fletcher and Marcus Bartley each had 3-pointers in the run, and later Aaron Cook got a 3 with 44 seconds left to trim the gap to 69-67.

Fletcher, who finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds for Southern Illinois, missed two 3-pointers down the stretch, including the game’s final shot at the buzzer. Sean Lloyd Jr. and Bartley added 13 points apiece for the Salukis and Cook had 10.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Allen Lazard tied a Liberty Bowl record with 10 catches and put Iowa State ahead with a remarkable 5-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, and the Cyclones beat No. 19 Memphis 21-20 on the Tigers’ home field. Iowa State held on to win after losing its first fumble this season just as it appeared on the verge of scoring an insurance touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Lazard’s 10 catches went for 142 yards, and he was named the game’s MVP.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Landry Shamet scored 16 points to lead No. 8 Wichita State to a 72-62 win over UConn in the Shockers first American Athletic Conference game. Rashard Kelly, Conner Frankamp and Austin Reaves each added 11 points for Wichita State which has won three straight. Jalen Adams and Terry Larrier each scored 18 points for UConn, which has lost four of its last five games

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pookie Powell scored 28 points with seven rebounds and La Salle rolled to an 83-60 win over Saint Louis in an Atlantic 10 Conference opener. Powell was 12 of 19 from the field and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc for the Explorers. Amar Stukes scored 20 points and Tony Washington and Miles Brookins added 10 points apiece. Saul Phiri led the team with 10 rebounds.

MURRAY, Ky. (AP) — Jonathan Stark scored 27 points and Murray State beat SIU-Edwardsville 87-63 in an Ohio Valley Conference matchup. Stark was 7 of 10 from the field and 5 of 7 from beyond the arc for the Racers (10-3, 2-0) who have won three straight. Shaq Buchanan and Bryon Hawkins added 11 points apiece and Ja Morant had 10.

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Emmanuel Nzekwesi scored 21 and grabbed 11 rebounds and R.J. Fuqua added 17 points and eight assists to send Oral Roberts to a 93-74 victory over Omaha in a Summit League opener. Sam Kearns finished with 16 points and five assists for the Golden Eagles (5-11), while Jontray Harris scored 12 and Javan White snagged 12 rebounds to go with nine points.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Allen Lazard tied a Liberty Bowl record with 10 catches and put Iowa State ahead with a remarkable 5-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter Saturday, and the Cyclones beat No. 19 Memphis 21-20 on the Tigers’ home field. Iowa State (8-5) held on to win after losing its first fumble this season just as it appeared on the verge of scoring an insurance touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Lazard ended up with 142 yards receiving in his final college game and was named the Liberty Bowl’s most valuable player. His 10th touchdown catch of the year set Iowa State’s single-season record. His 10 catches matched the highest total in the Liberty Bowl’s 59-game history. Other receivers with 10 catches in a Liberty Bowl were Louisville’s Deion Branch in 2000 and Arkansas’ Bobby Joe Edmonds in 1984.

Iowa State now seeks to go to back-to-back in bowl games, something the Cyclones haven’t done since 2004-05. The Cyclones lose a lot of leadership as they attempt to replace a senior class that includes Lazard and linebacker Joel Lanning, among others. Iowa State begins its 2018 schedule by hosting South Dakota State on Sept. 1.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Iowa State is missing defensive backs Kamari Cotton-Moya and Evrett Edwards for the Liberty Bowl against No. 19 Memphis, today (Saturday).

Iowa State athletic department spokesman Mike Green says Edwards was ineligible for the game and Cotton-Moya was suspended for a violation of team rules. The reason for Edwards’ ineligibility wasn’t specified. Both players are fifth-year seniors, effectively ending their college careers.

Cotton-Moya has recorded 250 career tackles, including 60 this season. He has a team-high three interceptions this season. Edwards has 51 tackles this season.

Their absence hampers an Iowa State defense trying to limit a Memphis team that averages 47.7 points.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Luka Garza scored 25 points and Iowa cruised past Northern Illinois (7-6) 98-75 for its fifth straight win. From the game’s opening tip, Iowa (9-6) controlled the tempo and jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead in the first three minutes thanks in part to Tyler Cook’s aggressive start.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Junior Dean Wade poured in a career-high 34 points, Kamau Stokes added 23 and Kansas State opened Big 12 play by pounding Iowa State 91-75 for its first win in Ames since 2011. Barry Brown Jr. had 21 points for the Wildcats, who shot 13 of 26 from 3-point range to snap Iowa State’s nine-game winning streak.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — No. 19 Memphis will be playing the Liberty Bowl in familiar territory and amid chilly conditions. Saturday’s forecast calls for highs in the upper 30s and lows in the upper teens at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. That stadium serves as Memphis’ home field during the regular season. Iowa State is seeking its third win over a ranked team.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Devonte’ Graham had 23 points and eight assists, converting six 3-point baskets, and No. 11 Kansas defeated Texas 92-86 in the Big 12 opener for both teams. Kansas, which won a conference opener for the 27th consecutive season, converted 17 of 35 3-point attempts, including 11 in the second half.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Tanner Borchardt came off the bench to score a career-high 8 points and grab 10 rebounds, all in the second half, and Nebraska pulled away from Stetson late to take a 71-62 win.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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