March 16th 2025

Thought of the Day

Remember, no one is stopping you from lighting a lamp in a dark night.

Proctor, Knueppel carry No. 1 Duke past No. 13 Louisville 73-62 for 2nd ACC title in 3 years

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tyrese Proctor scored 19 points on six 3-pointers, Kon Knueppel added 18 points and No. 1 Duke defeated 13th-ranked Louisville 73-62 on Saturday night to clinch its second Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship in three seasons under Jon Scheyer.

It was Duke’s 23rd ACC title overall — the most of any team in conference history — and five more than rival North Carolina, who the Blue Devils knocked off 74-71 in a semifinal thriller.

Sion James added 15 points for Duke (31-3), which played its final two tournament games without ACC player of the year Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown due to injuries.

Terrence Edwards Jr. scored 29 points on five 3s for Louisville (27-7), which was playing in its first ACC final since joining the league in 2014. The Cardinals went 18-2 in the conference play during the regular season under first-year head coach Pat Kelsey after going 5-37 vs. ACC foes in the previous two seasons.

There were nine lead changes and neither team led by more than five before Duke broke the game open with a 12-0 run midway through the second half behind a 3 from Proctor in transition to build a 57-47 lead.

Takeaways

Louisville: Hepburn has been the team’s offensive catalyst this season, but Edwards’ recent play gives the Cardinals the needed scoring punch that could takes them deep into the NCAA Tournament. Edwards has averaged 24.8 points over the last six games.

Duke: The Blue Devils defense in the tournament was outstanding. They held Louisville to 9-of-35 shooting in the second half to pull away.

Key moment

Patrick Ngongba II’s spinning drive along the baseline and two free throws on the ensuing drive gave Duke a 13-point lead with less than five minutes to play.

Key stat

Proctor entered the game 6 of 29 from beyond the arc over his last seven games, including 0 for 10 in the tournament.

Up next

Both teams await their seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Trump orders strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and issues new warning

By MICHELLE L. PRICE, SAMY MAGDY and LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump said he ordered a series of airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Saturday, promising to use “overwhelming lethal force” until Iranian-backed Houthi rebels cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor. The Houthis said 13 civilians were killed.

“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” Trump said in a social media post. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.”

He also warned Iran to stop supporting the rebel group, promising to hold the country “fully accountable” for the actions of its proxy. It comes two weeks after the U.S leader sent a letter to Iranian leaders offering a path to restarting bilateral talks between the countries on Iran’s advancing nuclear weapons program. Trump has said he will not allow it to become operational.

The Houthis reported explosions in their territory Saturday evening, in Sanaa and in the northern province of Saada, the rebels’ stronghold on the border with Saudi Arabia. Images online showed plumes of black smoke over the area of the Sanaa airport complex, which includes a sprawling military facility.

At least 13 people were killed, said Anees al-Asbahi, spokesman for the Houthi-run health ministry. In a statement on social media, he said another nine were wounded.

Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, said the airstrikes won’t deter them and they would retaliate against the U.S. “Sanaa will remain Gaza’s shield and support and will not abandon it no matter the challenges,” he added on social media.

Another spokesman, Mohamed Abdulsalam, on X, called Trump’s claims that the Houthis threaten international shipping routes “false and misleading.”

The airstrikes come a few days after the Houthis said they would resume attacks on Israeli vessels sailing off Yemen in response to Israel’s latest blockade on Gaza. They described the warning as affecting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Arabian Sea.

There have been no Houthi attacks reported since then.

Earlier this month, Israel halted all aid coming into Gaza and warned of “additional consequences” for Hamas if their fragile ceasefire in the war isn’t extended as negotiations continue over starting a second phase.

The Houthis had targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels and killing four sailors, during their campaign targeting military and civilian ships between the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in late 2023 and January of this year, when this ceasefire in Gaza took effect.

The attacks raised the Houthis’ profile as they faced economic and other problems at home amid Yemen’s decade-long stalemated war that’s torn apart the Arab world’s poorest nation.

The Houthi media office said the U.S. strikes hit a residential neighborhood in Sanaa’s northern district of Shouab. Residents said at least four airstrikes rocked the Eastern Geraf neighborhood there, terrifying women and children.

“The explosions were very strong,” said Abdallah al-Alffi. “It was like an earthquake.”

The Eastern Geraf is home to Houthi-held military facilities and a headquarters for the rebels’ political bureau, located in a densely populated area.

The United States, Israel and Britain have previously hit Houthi-held areas in Yemen. Israel’s military declined to comment.

But Saturday’s operation was conducted solely by the U.S., according to a U.S. official. It was the first strike on the Yemen-based Houthis under the second Trump administration.

Such broad-based missile strikes against the Houthis were carried out multiple times by the Biden administration in response to frequent attacks by the Houthis against commercial and military vessels in the region.

The USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, which includes the carrier, three Navy destroyers and one cruiser, are in the Red Sea and were part of Saturday’s mission. The USS Georgia cruise missile submarine has also been operating in the region.

Trump announced the strikes as he spent the day at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

“These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk,” Trump said.

___

Baldor reported from Washington and Magdy reported from Cairo. AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller contributed from Washington.

Trump signs a bill funding the government for 6 months, avoiding a shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed into law legislation funding the government through the end of September, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown and capping off a struggle in Congress that deeply divided Democrats.

Harrison Fields, White House principal deputy press secretary, said in a post on X that Trump signed the continuing resolution Saturday.

The bill largely keeps government funding at levels set during Joe Biden’s presidency, though with changes. It trims non-defense spending by about $13 billion from the previous year and increases defense spending by about $6 billion, which are marginal changes when talking about a topline spending level of nearly $1.7 trillion.

The Senate cleared the legislation on Friday in a 54-46 party line vote, with 10 members of the Senate Democratic caucus helping the bill advance to passage despite opposition from within their party — most vocally from colleagues in the House, who exhorted them to reject the bill out of hand.

Senate Democrats argued for days over whether to force a shutdown, livid that Republicans in the House had drafted and passed the spending measure without their input. Democrats said the legislation shortchanges health care, housing and other priorities and gives Trump wide leeway to redirect federal spending even as his administration and the Department of Government Efficiency rapidly dismantle congressionally approved agencies and programs.

In the end, enough of the Democratic senators decided a government shutdown would be even worse than letting the funding bill pass.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said a shutdown would have given the Trump administration the ability to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel non-essential, furloughing staff with no promise they would ever be rehired.

“A shutdown will allow DOGE to shift into overdrive,” Schumer said. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk would be free to destroy vital government services at a much faster rate.”

Passage of the funding bill through the House earlier in the week was a victory for Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who managed to hold Republicans together and muscle the bill to passage without support from Democrats — something they’ve rarely been able to achieve in the past.

Withers’ lane violation adds improbable twist to UNC’s failed comeback against No. 1 Duke in ACCs

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jae’Lyn Withers stood in a hallway of the Spectrum Center, his left arm resting around the shoulders of North Carolina coach Hubert Davis. He was surrounded by reporters, all wanting to know a simple question.

How did it happen?

It was roughly an hour after the Tar Heels nearly completed a comeback from a 24-point deficit against top-ranked Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. But it slipped painfully away on the most unusual of mistakes: Withers’ lane violation in the final seconds that negated the tying free throw from Ven-Allen Lubin.

The Blue Devils hung on for a 74-71 victory Friday night in the semifinal, a game that was flirting with earning its own place in the rivalry’s lore for the comeback — only to secure it for an entirely different reason.

To his credit, Williams — a graduate forward who had helped lead the Tar Heels’ final-month surge to revive their NCAA Tournament hopes — didn’t hide from reporters. He instead faced the questions about that painful moment. He spoke in a low voice, his coach standing at his side in a public show of support.

“I guess you could just say I kind of mistimed the shot,” Withers said. “I was trying to make sure I crashed hard to secure a rebound in case he did miss.”

Before that moment, it seemed North Carolina (22-13) was on the verge of an improbable comeback likely to eliminate lingering doubts about their chances of earning a bid to March Madness. Duke was playing without freshman star Cooper Flagg and versatile defender Maliq Brown due to injuries, but closed the first half on a 15-0 run and took its largest lead at 52-28 with 17:01 left.

But the Tar Heels took over, getting loose in transition to finally create some space and rhythm. And the lead steadily dwindled, eventually to single digits before finally UNC got the ball back down just 72-71 in the final minute. And after a timeout, Lubin drew the fifth foul on Duke’s Khaman Maluach on a move in the paint with 4.1 seconds left.

Lubin missed the first free throw. Still, he had another shot coming, with UNC’s momentum giving the Tar Heels plenty of optimism on what they could do if Lubin tied it and potentially forced overtime.

But as Lubin bent his knees to take the second, Withers stepped his right foot into the paint as he stood between Duke’s Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngongba. He quickly stepped back, but it was too late.

Ngongba immediately pointed toward Withers’ feet. The whistle blew. Evans and Ngongba immediately started clapping their hands and celebrating right in front of Withers, while UNC teammate RJ Davis stood beyond the 3-point arc with his hands on his head in disbelief.

Worse, Lubin’s shot dropped through the net for what would’ve been a 72-all tie.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before, especially up one,” Duke freshman Kon Knueppel said.

That was probably true of a packed instate crowd full of the competing shades of rivalry blue, too.

“We all made mistakes in this game,” RJ Davis said. “I am behind J-Wit. He has our full support and we would not be in this position without J-Wit. I want him to hold his head high. We all make mistakes in this game. It’s not just on him.”

The Tar Heels missed a desperation 3-pointer on one final possession, and Withers immediately covered his face with his jersey at the bench in anguish. He regrouped enough to go through the postgame handshake line with a towel on his head.

“The emotions (that) followed was just just the sense, I’d say mostly disbelief initially,” Withers said. “But following that, of course upset with the end result.”

His voice trailed off. That’s when his coach interjected.

“Guys,” Hubert Davis told reporters, “we’re not here without J-Wit.”

Lobster Thermidor

Lobster Thermidor Recipe from The Suburban Soapbox

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serving size: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-pound cooked Maine lobsters
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus 1/8 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon dry mustard powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley, plus additional for garnish
1/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Cut the lobsters in half lengthwise with a sharp knife and remove the tail meat.
Twist off the claws from the body and gently crack with the back of a heavy knife to remove the meat. Gently pull the front legs from the shell and discard.
Chop the tail meat and claw meat into bite sized pieces and set aside.
Place the halved lobster shells on the baking sheet and set aside.
Melt the butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk to combine.
Cook the flour mixture, stirring constantly to make a light roux, approximately 2 minutes.
Add the cognac and cook for 10 seconds, stirring constantly.
Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Slowly add the cream, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined. Continue cooking while stirring over medium heat for 1 minute. (The mixture will be very thick.) Season with salt and pepper.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, mustard, tarragon, and parsley. Fold in the lobster meat.
Divide the mixture among the lobster shells and place stuffed side up on a clean baking sheet.
Sprinkle the top of each lobster with the gruyere and broil until the top is golden brown, 5 minutes.
Place 1 lobster half on each plate, garnish with additional parsley, and serve immediately.

March 15th 2025

Thought of the Day

What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.

No. 1 Duke holds off furious North Carolina rally to win 74-71, reach ACC title game without Flagg

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kon Knueppel scored 17 points and No. 1 Duke held off a furious second half rally by rival North Carolina to beat its rival for the third time this season, 74-71 on Friday night to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship game.

Khaman Maluach added 13 points and nine rebounds, and Sion James had 12 points for the Blue Devils, who played without star Cooper Flagg.

Duke (30-3) will play the winner of the second semifinal between No. 10 Clemson and No. 13 Louisville in the title game.

After North Carolina cut a 24-point, second-half deficit to one, Ven-Allen Lubin had two free throws with 4.1 seconds left to potentially give the Tar Heels (22-13) the lead. But he missed the first and had the second made free throw waved off after teammate Jae-Lyn Withers stepped in the lane too early.

Knueppel made two free throws with 2.8 seconds left and Lubin missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

It’s the first time since 2001-02 that Duke has beaten North Carolina three times in a season. The Blue Devils swept the Tar Heels in the regular season that year and then beat them in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals en route to winning the national championship.

Lubin had 20 points and 10 rebounds for North Carolina.