ROCHESTER HILLS – Sometimes teams just have that can’t miss attitude.

Rochester sure did so Friday night against visiting Utica Ford.

In the annual Battle of the Falcons game, host Rochester came out on fire by making nine of its first 11 shots from the field to build a 22-8 lead after the first quarter and never looked back in recording an impressive 75-49 non-league victory over Utica Ford in the 10th annual event.

Unbeaten Rochester scored a season-high in points with 75 – all while shooting 65.6 percent from the floor in the first half and 52 percent overall from the floor in one of the best single-game team field goal shooting percentages in program history and in over 100 years of Rochester basketball.

Although the host Falcons cooled down some in the second half, going 12-for-23 from the floor after shooting lights out in the first half (19-for-29), Rochester never allowed Utica Ford to make a serious threat on the lead.

“I didn’t realize the stat of our field goal percentages, but it did seem like we couldn’t miss for a while there in the first half,” said Rochester coach Nick Evola. “They do love playing with one another. They share the ball. We talk about playing the right way. We share the ball and it moves around. We play with a lot of energy and it seems like we find people in the right spots. I’m happy with the guys making plays – they’ve done that all season long.”

Rochester used a 24-15 second quarter surge to go up 46-23 at the half, while the home-standing Falcons outscored Ford 18-13 in the third quarter for a 64-38 advantage through three quarters of play.

The home Falcons – who led by as many as 31 points at 62-31 late in the third quarter – rotated all 14 players in the fourth frame.

“We just want to go 1-0 each night,” said Evola. “We want to keep working, keep our heads down and keep working hard and keep trying to get better. But you can see it. I think they are having fun out there. I’m proud of these guys. Some of them I’ve had for a long time. It’s a fun group to coach.”

Rochester was 27-for-52 from the floor in the contest, finished 5-for-9 from the foul line (55.6 percent) and made 8-of-19 shots from beyond the three-point arc (42.2 percent). Rochester also out-rebounded the taller Falcons 29-14, forced 17 turnovers, recorded 12 steals and showcased its balance and unselfish brand of basketball by registering 22 assists on 27 made baskets.

Senior guard Luke Lower scored all 20 of his points in the first half, finishing 4-for-8 from beyond the arc while adding four steals, three assists and three rebounds to pace Rochester.

One of five third-year varsity veterans, 6-foot-3 senior forward Anthony Chirco added 15 points and seven rebounds, and 6-2 junior guard Nate Tandy registered 15 points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists as he continued to impress in his first varsity campaign.

Photos of Rochester vs. Utica Ford in a boys hoops contest

A total of 10 Rochester players reached the scoring column, with 6-6 sophomore center Ben Bissett adding six points, four rebounds and four assists while senior point guard Logan Pleasant swished a pair of three-pointers for six points. Rochester’s starting five finished 26-for-44 shooting from the floor (59.1 percent).

Ford finished the night 19-for-44 from the floor, good for a reasonable 43.2 percent. The visiting Falcons also converted 8-fo-21 three-point attempts (38.1 percent). But even with those strong shooting numbers, Utica Ford just couldn’t keep pace with red-hot Rochester’s torrid shooting pace.

Junior guard Aiden Gillich sank four 3-pointers on the night to lead Ford with 12 points to go along with five assists. Senior center Nick Pagel added seven points, four rebounds and three blocked shots, and sophomore forward Mason Marchand and senior guard Jamie Thomas both chipped in with six points apiece.

The visiting Falcons still dipped their wings to a 1-6 record.

“I’m a first-year coach at Ford and we’re still searching for an identity,” said Ford coach George Woods. “We are playing hard, but one game we do one thing well and the next game we do something else well. We haven’t had that complete night yet. That will come with time.

“I think we’ve played a very tough schedule,” said Woods, whose team dropped its second game of the week to an undefeated team, including Tuesday’s 51-38 setback to Division 2 Yale. “In all of my years coaching, I always try to schedule some very good teams to help get us get ready for league play. I think everyone in our league has four, five, six losses overall. Someone will get hot and win our league.

“I think Adam Gillich really came to play tonight,” continued Woods. “He shot the ball well and passed it well. If we can get that type of effort from everybody, we’ll be fine.”

Rochester put up its most points in a game this season and remained unbeaten with a 75-49 win over visiting Utica Ford on Friday, Jan. 2, 2025.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Rienk Mast hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:51 left and finished with 19 points to lead No. 13 Nebraska to a 58-56 victory over No. 9 Michigan State on Friday night.

Fans rushed the court at the final buzzer as the Cornhuskers (14-0, 3-0 Big Ten) won their 18th straight game since last season, the longest streak in the nation.

It was the lowest-scoring game of the season for both teams in what was the first ranked vs. ranked matchup in Lincoln since 1991. The game was hyped as a measuring stick for Nebraska, the only power-conference team to have never won an NCAA Tournament game. The Huskers met the moment.

What started as a slog quickly turned into a battle of bigs shooting 3-pointers. The 6-foot-10 Mast made five of his first seven from distance and finished 6 of 13. Michigan State’s 6-10 Jaxon Kohler made a career-high five on six attempts and finished with 19 points.

Pryce Sandfort had 13 points and Jamarques Lawrence added 12 for the Huskers. Jeremy Fears Jr. had 14 for the Spartans and Kur Teng, who started in place of Divine Ugochukwu (illness), added 12.

Michigan State was just 6 of 24 from the field in the second half and its 19 turnovers were its most since it committed the same number against Nebraska four years ago.

Mast’s last 3 was his only field goal of the second half and gave the Huskers the lead for good.

The Spartans had a chance to tie when Carson Cooper was fouled with 0.7 seconds left. But his first free throw bounced off the rim, and the Huskers came up with the rebound when he intentionally missed the second.

The Huskers are among six undefeated teams in Division I.

Up next

Michigan State: Hosts No. 24 Southern California on Monday.

Nebraska: Visits Ohio State on Monday.

— By ERIC OLSON, Associated Press

Metro Detroit is experiencing a surge in flu, COVID-19, and RSV cases just as students prepare to return to school after winter break.

Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report: Triple threat hits Metro Detroit as schools prepare to reopen

Henry Ford Health reports seeing an increase in positive cases for all three illnesses throughout their system. According to the CDC, Michigan jumped from high to very high flu activity level in just one week, highlighting the rapid spread of respiratory viruses in the region.

"We saw a lot of COVID in the fall, and it kind of went away for a little bit, but it's coming back. But we're seeing much more flu than anything else," said Dr. Jason Vieder, an emergency medicine physician with Henry Ford Health.

Watch our entire interview with Dr. Vieder: Flu infection rate surges

The timing coincides with students returning to classrooms after winter break, creating concern among parents about keeping their children healthy in school environments.

Alexandra Stavnic, a Farmington Hills resident, said she's being proactive about her family's health during this surge.

"I try to give them as much vitamins and do my part as a mom," Stavnic said.

She's also avoiding crowded indoor spaces, opting for outdoor activities like sledding at Shiawassee Sledding Hill in Farmington.

"This was kind of like the best option to try not to be so close to people but also have fun," Stavnic said.

Other parents are taking additional precautions as children return to school. Andrea Iagar, also from Farmington Hills, has implemented strict hygiene routines.

"I make sure I wash their clothes every day after school, I make sure they wash their hands after they come home from school," Iagar said.

Iagar also focuses on nutrition to boost her children's immune systems.

"I make sure their snacks are relatively healthy, always include a fruit in there for vitamin C and probiotics through yogurt," Iagar said.

Dr. Vieder recommends several strategies to minimize the risk of illness, starting with keeping sick children home from school despite childcare challenges.

"I know it's difficult with childcare and things like that and missing school, but if your child's not feeling well, you should have him or her stay home," Vieder said.

Hand washing remains the most critical prevention method, according to Vieder.

"The most important thing for everyone is to hand-wash. Make sure you're really doing a good job with that after you cough or sneeze, after you touch your face. There are certain surfaces, like phones or doorknobs. Those are really good vectors to get ill or to transmit disease," Vieder said.

Additional prevention measures include getting adequate sleep and maintaining a healthy diet. Medical experts emphasize that the flu vaccine remains the best prevention against influenza.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

ROCHESTER HILLS – A year ago around the holidays break, Utica Ford pulled away from Rochester down the stretch.

The Ford Falcons earned a 63-48 win in that game between two cross-borders rivals of two traditionally-strong programs – Ford from Macomb County and Rochester from Oakland County.

On Friday night some 54 weeks later, Rochester remembered that defeat.

In a back-and-fourth battle that had the feeling of a state tournament atmosphere, Rochester held off visiting Utica Ford in the annual Battle of the Falcons, 43-42.

Rochester sophomore guard Sam Walker drilled a three-pointer off a senior Kelly Cook feed with 3:05 remaining for the go-ahead points – and the game’s final points overall.

“Last year (Ford) had two really good guards that took over in the second half and we couldn’t stop them,” said second-year Rochester coach Andy Topie. “This was a good win for us because Ford is always a strong program.”

Rochester missed two free throws and also misfired on two point-blank layups down the stretch, while Ford was 0-for-3 from the floor in the final three minutes of the game. Ford junior Lia Raciti’s three-point attempt was off the mark with one second left, as the home-standing Falcons staved off Utica Ford in the final minute.

Rochester opened the game with a 9-2 run, only to see Utica Ford surge back with a 13-0 run to take 15-9 lead late in the first quarter. Senior Aris McDonald hit a late three to make it a 15-12 game at the end of the first frame.

Ford (3-3) kept going inside to 6-foot senior center Claire O’Brien in the first half, where she scored all 20 of her points over the opening half. Ford outscored Rochester 14-12 in the second quarter to take a 29-24 lead into the locker room.

Rochester (4-1) switched up its defensive pressure to go on a 12-5 third-quarter run – and more importantly made life miserable for O’Brien and her teammates on the inside. O’Brien was 8-for-14 from the floor in the first half but finished 0-for-7 from the field in the second half.

“She (O’Brien) was killing us in the first half. She’s a really good player. We pinched her a little bit more and had someone come over on the backside every time she touched the ball,” offered Topie. In the first half we were letting her get to her spots. We tried to take that away and make it a little more tougher by sending someone behind. That really helped us get some momentum and we also started to make more shots in the third quarter,” said Topie. “We wanted to make someone else try to beat us.”

Holding on to a 36-34 lead through three quarters of play, Rochester continued to match Ford’s defensive pressure toe-for-toe and neither team was able to build larger than a four-point advantage in the fourth quarter.

“(Rochester) started to run three girls at (O’Brien) and we needed to do a better job taking care of the ball, kicking the ball out and having other players make shots,” said veteran Ford coach Matt Joseph. “We needed to do a better job of opening up that lane. Rochester did nice job taking that away in the second half.”

Photo gallery of Rochester vs. Utica Ford in girls hoops action

Utica Ford opened the fourth stanza with a 8-2 run with freshman Laila Sosnowski’s triple from the right corner giving the visiting Falcons a 42-38 advantage with 5:15 remaining in the contest. Ford would not score again.

“This is the 10th year in a row we’ve played them and it has become a fun little (non-league) rivalry,” said Joseph. “It’s good competition and we’ve had some great games with them. Both teams I thought competed very hard. It wasn’t always pretty, but I thought both teams fought hard to the end. They were just one point better than us this time around.”

Rochester picked up a layup from sophomore Abby Condon with 4:29 left to cut the deficit down to 42-40 with 4:29 left, while Walker’s triple 1:24 later served as the game-winning dagger.

Senior guard Taylor Parsons had one of the best efforts of her career, scoring 12 with a game-high 14 rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Cook led Rochester with 13 points and four rebounds and Walker finished with eight points and four rebounds for the hosts. Rochester finished 18-for-49 from the floor (36.8 percent) and made 7-of-22 three-pointers (31.9 percent) but finished an uncharacteristic 0-for-5 from the foul line.

Rochester also forced 17 turnovers, had 12 team assists and recorded 10 steals on the night.

“This was, I thought, a great team effort,” said Topie. “We lost one a couple of weeks ago to Romeo where we made some mistakes that really cost us. This time we found a way to win.”

Utica Ford finished 17-for-50 shooting from the floor (34 percent), made 5-of-10 free throws (50 percent) and canned 3-of-15 three-point attempts (20 percent). Following O’Brien, junior forward Emma McNally added eight points and nine rebounds, Sosnowski scored eight points, while Raciti finished with six points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals for Ford.

Utica Ford had 14 assists on 17 made baskets, recorded 11 steals and forced 20 turnovers. The visiting Falcons held a 30-25 edge on the boards.

ALLEN PARK — What a difference four months can make.

The Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears have trended in opposite directions since the former blew out the latter, 52-21, in a September matchup. The Lions (8-8) are 7-7 since that meeting, and they’ll miss the playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Bears (11-5) and first-year coach Ben Johnson, meanwhile, are 11-3, and they’ve already clinched the NFC North.

“I’m sure Ben wants to beat our ass,” Lions left tackle Taylor Decker said of his former offensive coordinator. “He would want to do that even if they won the first game; it’s just how he is. That’s probably why he’s going to have success, be a successful coach. That being said, we want to do everything we can to beat them. I’m happy for Ben’s success, I really am. But when we play, it doesn’t matter. We want to beat their ass, they want to beat at our ass. If there’s bad blood from the first one, that’s fine. That’s football, it is what it is.”

Johnson has led the Bears to their first division title since 2018. With a triumph over the Lions at Solider Field on Sunday, he’ll tie for the franchise’s second-most wins since 2006, when it won 13 games under former coach Lovie Smith before losing Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Bears are a much different team since falling to the Lions in Week 2, adding or shuffling pieces throughout the season. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who spent one season with Detroit in 2023, is a prime example. The defensive back signed with the Bears in October and has played at least 40 snaps in every game since. Gardner-Johnson has started six games for Chicago, notching three sacks and two interceptions to go along with 45 total tackles and four pass deflections.

But when taking a big-picture look at how the Bears have changed, they’re simply more refined in what they do, especially on the side of the ball in which Johnson specializes. Caleb Williams is on pace to set the franchise’s single-season record for passing yards, and running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai have formed a tandem that’s up there with any duo in the NFL.

Then there’s rookie Colston Loveland, who has 506 receiving yards since Week 9. That’s more than all but three tight ends, with Arizona’s Trey McBride (753), San Francisco’s George Kittle (531) and Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts (526) being the exceptions.

“Offensively, they’re more polished,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “Ben’s done a good job. The system is in and these little things that were there (as problems in) game two, game one, they’ve begun to go away. They’ve got a run game, they’ve found a run game. … Caleb’s playing really well, O-line’s playing really well. … Swift’s running well, (Monangai), he’s a downhill, hard runner, too. … They’re playing at a high level. They’re doing things well. Much more polished.”

Johnson isn’t running the same exact plays in Chicago that he did for three seasons in Detroit, though there are clear similarities. The Bears are extremely efficient in their rushing attack, which sets up play action. Williams has thrown 178 passes off a play-fake this season, second-most in the NFL. For comparison, Williams had 94 of those attempts (16th) as a rookie in 2024. Lions quarterback Jared Goff led the league in play-action passes last season. He’s fifth this year, with 149 tries.

But what makes Johnson special is his ability to build his offense around his personnel: “Ben’s a great coach,” Lions offensive coordinator John Morton said. “He sees what he has, and he plays to their strengths.”

Defensively, limiting mistakes has been an emphasis for the Lions in their preparation. That’s key against any team, but it’s particularly important versus the Bears, who lead the NFL with 32 total takeaways, including 22 interceptions and 10 recovered fumbles. Veteran safety Kevin Byard has a league-best six interceptions. Cornerback Nahshon Wright has five, and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds has four.

At home, the Bears are allowing 17.4 points per game. On the road, that average shoots up to 30.4.

“I think the biggest thing that we touched on, as a team, is turnovers come in bunches,” Decker said. “If the offense is giving them opportunities to get their hands on the ball, they’re making those plays. … They fly around, they play with energy. I would say the biggest thing (that’s changed since Week 2) is they play more nickel, and then they just gained confidence. You see it on film, they’re just more confident in the way they play.”

A 75-year-old Wixom veteran remains unconscious in the hospital after allegedly being punched by a DoorDash driver who he asked to slow down in his neighborhood.

Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report: DoorDash driver's punch allegedly leaves 75-year-old veteran clinging to life

Family members say Lloyd Poole walked out of his driveway near Windingway Circle and Barberry Drive to tell a driver he believed he was going too fast. What happened next has left them devastated.

"Punched him in the side of the head. My dad fell. Never got up. Never moved. And the DoorDash driver got back in his vehicle and drove away," said Jen Shaw, Poole's daughter.

Poole has been hospitalized for five days with a black eye and has undergone emergency brain surgery, where doctors removed part of his skull. Shaw said her father has never fully regained consciousness since the attack.

"He's not responding. He can't talk. He's not awake," Shaw said. "We don't know when he's going to get out of his hospital bed. It may never happen."

Police say 40-year-old Ryan Turner, a DoorDash driver, admitted to hitting and leaving Poole on the street. Turner maintained he felt threatened when he found himself face-to-face with Poole after stepping out of his car to confront him.

Turner acknowledged the misdemeanor aggravated assault charge in court, saying "I do" when asked if he understood the charges.

Court records show Turner has prior appearances for assault and battery in 2022, which was pled down to a lesser charge. He also has multiple offenses related to driving, including driving with a suspended or invalid license. Turner now faces up to one year in prison and posted bond on Thursday.

"You know, going about his life as normal as can be, and we're definitely not over here," Shaw said.

In a statement, DoorDash called the incident "appalling," saying they removed Turner from their platform and are working with local law enforcement to ensure justice.

Shaw describes her father as a strong man who volunteers regularly in the community. She said he never expected to be hit, hospitalized, and hanging onto his life.

"You just don't know with the brain. We're really concerned. Yeah, very worried," Shaw said. "He's out. He's wandering around, and I think you just need to be careful, because people are unpredictable."

The family is taking shifts at the hospital day and night, hoping Poole regains consciousness soon.

-

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan, one of the Wolverines’ top defensive players who led the team with three interceptions during the 2025 season, has entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal.

Sullivan joined the portal on Friday, and by his name is a do-not-contact emblem. Receiver Semaj Morgan, who played at West Bloomfield High, also entered his name in the portal, as did freshman cornerback Elijah Dotson, who had an interception this year, freshman offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn, freshman running back Jasper Parker. Veteran defensive back Zeke Berry is entering his name in the portal, per several reports. Berry was a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches in 2025.

This is typically the time for normal attrition as players decide to try new paths with other programs, but for Michigan, this is an additional time of transition with the coaching change to Kyle Whittingham. Whittingham coached the last 21 years at Utah and was hired by Michigan on Dec. 26. He met with each player individually while in Orlando for the bowl game.

Michigan general manager Sean Magee said in an email sent Thursday to players and parents that he knows the timing of Whittingham’s hire and the opening of the portal on Friday – it will be open 15 days – is challenging.

“We have begun engaging in conversations with many of your representatives and some of you directly,” Magee wrote in the email obtained by The Detroit News. “It is important that new staff has input and visibility on many of the program decisions that are going to be made.

“We are working our absolute best to try and accomplish all of this in a very short window. With 105+ on our roster, this will not be able to occur as quickly as we would have liked, but we promise to operate in good faith and transparency with each of you as we navigate this coaching transition.”

Sullivan said after Michigan’s 41-27 loss to Texas on Wednesday that he did not know what his football future holds.

“I had a great meeting with Coach Whittingham,” Sullivan said after the game. “I really like him and what he’s bringing to this team and this program. As far as my future is concerned, it’s hard to say. There are too many uncertainties at this point, but I love this university.”

Sullivan said he wanted to learn more about what defense new coordinator Jay Hill, officially announced on Friday as Michigan’s defensive coordinator, plans to install.

“Obviously, the scheme is one thing, and just the mentality of the staff,” Sullivan said. “That’s all I could really say right now. I’m really excited to meet everybody that’s coming and just see what they have to say, and hopefully we blend in a good way.”

Michigan quarterback Davis Warren, who started nine games in 2024, also is in the portal, along with quarterback Jadyn Davis. Both had previously announced their decisions.

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.

Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.

Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.

Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.

The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.

USC got no closer the rest of the way.

Up next

USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.

Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.

— By BOB TRIPI, Associated Press

Sprinkles Cupcakes, a company famous for selling sweet treats in vending machines known as "cupcake ATMs," has shut down after 20 years of operation around the United States, according to its former owner.

"Even though I sold the company over a decade ago, I still have such a personal connection to it, and this isn't how I thought the story would go," said Candace Nelson, who started the company after she lost her job in 2005. The closure was announced Dec. 30.

Nelson started Sprinkles Cupcakes in her own kitchen, and the first location was in a small Beverly Hills storefront that had previously been a sandwich shop. The brand would go on to ascend to national fame, and fans took to social media following the company's announcement to lament the closure.

The company's cupcake-dispensing machines in malls and airports briefly went viral on TikTok for the not-so-subtle "I love Sprinkles" jingle that played repeatedly while a mechanical arm delivered the dessert.

The company no longer has any products for sale on its website, which also has removed all operational locations across the country.

Nelson sold her business to private equity firm KarpReilly LLC in 2012 after the company had expanded to 10 locations across the country. The firm owns dozens of other companies for products including a health food home delivery service, kombucha and protein wellness shakes.

KarpReilly did not respond to an emailed request for comment Friday evening. Neither the firm nor Nelson provided a reason for the cupcake company's closure.

Private equity has dramatically expanded its influence in restaurants over the last decade, investing $94.5 billion between 2014 and 2024, according to data from capital market company PitchBook.

Some outraged Sprinkles Cupcakes fans said on social media that the closures were part of a larger trend where private equity firms purchase restaurants and retail brands like Red Lobster or TGI Fridays that later file for bankruptcy or close altogether.

Transfer portal roster churn is no anomaly in the college football world. But the sheer volume of players entering the portal should make this transfer season quite busy for Pat Fitzgerald and the Michigan State football team.

With the addition of Alex VanSumeren and Armorion Smith to its portal departure list, Michigan State now has 40 players who have entered or plan to enter the transfer portal, headlined by contributors like quarterback Aidan Chiles, tight end Michael Masunas, wide receiver Nick Marsh and cornerback Aydan West.

Fitzgerald, unsurprisingly, expected all this when he took the job. As early as his introductory press conference Dec. 2, Fitzgerald made clear that he knew he and his staff would need to go big in the transfer portal. To donors and other stakeholders, he likely discussed it even sooner.

Though he spent the past three seasons out of the college ranks since his 2023 firing after 17 years leading Northwestern, Fitzgerald isn’t oblivious to the changes in the sport. He spent the past three years studying the current landscape of college football, which gives him insight into the rapid change in recent years with tools like the portal, revenue share and NIL reshaping the sport’s conventions.

“I don’t see any dinosaurs walking outside here,” Fitzgerald said Dec. 2, standing inside the Tom Izzo Football Building. “So I’m going to make sure that we’re as fully, nimble, flexible as we can be.”

In conversations with other coaches and his own observations, Fitzgerald came away with some takeaways on the current football landscape. A big one was that a high number of transfers can hurt teams, and the rosters that maintain experience and depth tend to fare better than those that don’t. Against the guidance of that lesson, the current roster churn may leave Fitzgerald no choice.

“That might not be my choice here to start off with,” Fitzgerald said. “You got to double down on the right people, right? You got to double down, and you don’t want to ever have to paint yourself in a corner with the roster. But you also have to be nimble and flexible enough to take the right number of guys by each position to make sure you’ve got the competitive depth.”

In that regard, Fitzgerald faces a challenge. Of 46 Spartans to take at least 100 snaps in the 2025 season, just 10 remain on the roster as of Friday, including a few headliners like quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, defensive tackle Ben Roberts and offensive tackle Rustin Young. That 11 also includes safety Nikai Martinez, who appeared in four games last season as a senior but has a redshirt year to use.

Some of those absences are players seeking better opportunities. Some, like West, are those who want to play for a proven contender. Some players may have been told that the program’s new direction doesn’t include them. Those are common factors in transfer decisions everywhere, let alone a program amid a coaching change.

Many of the players entering the portal are those who have already been through this type of roster turnover, when Jonathan Smith took over Mel Tucker’s program after the latter’s scandalous firing. Smith added 24 transfers in his first season and 21 in his second, through the winter and spring windows. And even then, he struggled to cultivate depth across two seasons in which he went 5-19, 4-14 in Big Ten play. This year, the portal window is condensed into one two-week period, from Friday to Jan. 16, which means Fitzgerald will have to move quickly.

Again, none of this is unexpected. Fitzgerald outlined an early action plan that started with putting together an early signing period class, hiring his staff and then recruiting transfers to fill out the roster. Those first two steps are largely done. Now, he’s got a big shopping list to fulfill in the portal.

“That’s just a reality of college football,” Fitzgerald said. “And if young men decide that this is the right fit for them, then we’re going to evaluate them like I would to make sure that that’s going to happen, and we’ll add those pieces. And if some young men decide that maybe moving on is their best decision, I would support them wholeheartedly — without a doubt.”

Fitzgerald and his staff should have lots of players to look at to fill the roster. There were reportedly more than 1,000 names in the transfer portal within an hour of midnight Friday, and that number is expected to grow as players throw their names in at more reasonable hours of the day.

There are a number of position groups that will need extra attention. Only eight offensive linemen are on the roster right now, granted six played at least a snap and five started at least one game. Only two safeties, Martinez and Aveon Grose, have played more than 100 snaps and the only cornerback to factor into meaningful reps is Chance Rucker. There isn’t a punter on the roster right now — except for quarterback Alessio Milivojevic if Fitzgerald wants to get tricky.

So, expect Michigan State to get busy the next two weeks putting together the bulk of Fitzgerald’s first roster.

MSU transfer portal players

Quarterbacks: Aidan Chiles and Ryland Jessee

Wide receivers: Nick Marsh, Chrishon McCray, Evan Boyd and Shawn Foster

Tight ends: Michael Masunas and Wyatt Hook

Running back: Makhi Frazier

Offensive linemen: Stanton Ramil, Ashton Lepo, Gavin Broscious, Kristian Phillips, Rashawn Rogers, Cole Dellinger, Justin Bell, Payton Stewart, Mercer Luniewski, Cooper Terpstra and Charlton Luniewski

Linebackers: Darius Snow, Semaj Bridgeman, Aisea Moa and Marcellius Pulliam

Defensive linemen: Alex VanSumeren and Jalen Thompson

Edge rushers: David Santiago, Stone Chaney and Tyler Gillison

Defensive backs: Aydan West, Ade Willie, Chance Rucker, Justin Denson Jr., Jeremiah Hughes, George Mullins, Elisha West, Tracy Revels and Armorion Smith

Long snapper: Kaden Schickel

Kicker: Martin Connington

An attempted 3-pointer in the final seconds by Utica Ford was missed, allowing Rochester to send its fans home happy with a 43-32 victory Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 in Rochester Hills.

By BEN FINLEY and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard said Friday it’s still searching for people in the eastern Pacific Ocean who had jumped off alleged drug-smuggling boats when the U.S. military attacked the vessels days earlier, diminishing the likelihood that anyone survived.

Search efforts began Tuesday afternoon after the military notified the Coast Guard that survivors were in the water about 400 miles southwest of the border between Mexico and Guatemala, the maritime service said in a statement.

The Coast Guard dispatched a plane from Sacramento to search an area covering more than 1,000 miles, while issuing an urgent warning to ships nearby. The agency said it coordinated more than 65 hours of search efforts, working with other countries as well as civilian ships and boats in the area.

The weather during that time has included 9-foot seas and 40-knot winds. The U.S. has not said how many people jumped into the water, and, if they are not found, how far the death toll may rise from the Trump administration’s monthslong campaign of blowing up small boats accused of transporting drugs in the region.

The U.S. military said earlier this week that it attacked three boats traveling along known narco-trafficking routes and they “had transferred narcotics between the three vessels prior to the strikes.” The military did not provide evidence to back up the claim.

U.S. Southern Command, which oversees the region, said three people were killed when the first boat was struck, while people in the other two boats jumped overboard and distanced themselves from the vessels before they were attacked.

The strikes occurred in a part of the eastern Pacific where the Navy doesn’t have any ships operating. Southern Command said it immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to activate search and rescue efforts for the people who jumped overboard before the other boats were hit.

Calling in the Coast Guard is notable because the military drew heavy scrutiny after U.S. forces killed the survivors of the first attack in early September with a follow-up strike to their disabled boat. Some Democratic lawmakers and legal experts said the military committed a crime, while the Trump administration and some Republican lawmakers say the follow-up strike was legal.

There have been other survivors of the boat strikes, including one for whom the Mexican Navy suspended a search in late October after four days. Two other survivors of a strike on a submersible vessel in the Caribbean Sea that same month were sent to their home countries — Ecuador and Colombia. Authorities in Ecuador later released the man, saying they had no evidence he committed a crime in the South American nation.

Under President Donald Trump’s direction, the U.S. military has been attacking boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific since early September. As of Friday, the number of known boat strikes is 35 and the number of people killed is at least 115, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.

Trump has justified the boat strikes as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted that the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.

Along with the strikes, the Trump administration has built up military forces in the region as part of an escalating pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has been charged with narco-terrorism in the United States.

The Professional Women's Hockey League is making its return to Little Caesars Arena this Saturday for the Takeover Tour game between the Boston Fleet and Vancouver Goldeneyes, bringing special meaning to local players and young fans alike.

Watch Jolie Sherman's video report: PWHL returns to Little Caesars Arena

With only eight teams in the PWHL and hopes that Detroit will one day have its own franchise, the league's visits to the Motor City have become particularly significant events.

The last two years have seen record attendance at Little Caesars Arena, with more than 14,000 fans packing the venue in March 2025.

"My favorite team in the NHL is the Detroit Red Wings, so I would want there to be a Detroit women's team," said Kimber Burnis from Manistique.

For families like the Burnis family, who traveled over six hours from the Upper Peninsula to watch practice ahead of Saturday's matchup, the PWHL represents new opportunities for young female athletes.

"So now with the PWHL, it's giving, you know, girls her age, above and below, something to work for and look forward to, so for me, that's really what it's all about, and it's exciting to see," Steve Burnis said.

The game holds special significance for several players returning to their home state. Megan Keller, a Farmington Hills native and captain of the Boston Fleet, was recently named to the 2026 U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team for what will be her third Olympics.

"Excited to be back home in front of friends and family, and we got the opportunity to play here a couple years ago. It was an amazing crowd, families packed, and you look up in the stands, and you see all these young girls in the crowd, so it's a super special game to be a part of," Keller said.

"It's a huge honor, and it's something that's always been a dream of mine, so looking forward to getting over to Italy," she said about her Olympic selection.

Vancouver's Mellissa Channell-Watkins, who grew up in Plymouth and Canton, echoed the sentiment about inspiring the next generation of female hockey players.

"It's super cool to see people wearing the jersey that you used to wear growing up in the stands, and now those girls have something to look forward to, something to dream for, strive for," Channell-Watkins said.

Young fans like Piper Kincher from Clinton Township are taking notice of the role models these professional athletes provide.

"I feel like we can grow from them. What they do can help us improve skating for us," Kincher said.

The PWHL Takeover Tour game is scheduled for Saturday at Little Caesars Arena at 7 p.m. You can watch the PWHL Takeover Tour in Detroit at 7 p.m. Saturday on TV20 Detroit.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

It's been eight months since a fire destroyed Fork n' Pint restaurant in Waterford Township. Now, 7 News Detroit is learning some good news is finally in sight for the dilapidated site and nearby residents.

Watch Darren Cunningham's video report: Waterford's fire-ravaged Fork 'n Pint restaurant to be demolished

7 News Detroit held its inaugural Let's Talk event at Fork 'n Pint on Cass Elizabeth Road in March. Weeks later, the establishment caught fire.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 'We are heartbroken.' Fire devastates popular Fork n' Pint restaurant in Waterford Township Fire devastates popular Fork n' Pint restaurant in Waterford Township

Since then, there's been growing concerns from residents who are upset as the blighted site continues to sit untouched.

Resident Shane Larson told 7 News Detroit, "This is a hot topic in the neighborhood big time, still."

The restaurant's charred remains sit directly between his home and his job. So, the view from his front porch and the smell are also a part of his daily walk to work.

Ed Huebner, another Waterford township resident, said, "When it burned down, we were kinda like, I wonder how long this is gonna take to clean up. And ya know, you expect maybe 3, 4 months."

But it's now been eight months since the total loss. Waterford Township fire investigators said they were unable to determine a cause, and the building has remained as-is because the owners are going back and forth with their insurance company.

But as residents go back and forth on Cass Elizabeth Road, Huebner said that insurance fight shouldn't be everyone else's problem.

"Why is the whole community having to look at this?" he says. "And then there's safety concerns and whatnot for rats and kids climbing the fence and whatnot. But really for me it's more about, hey let's get it cleaned up,"

Waterford Township Supervisor Anthony Bartolotta said he empathizes with residents' frustrations. He wants it gone, too.

However, he said there's only so much the township can do.

"The smell and everything this past summer, the hot days we had, there's still food in there [and] garbage. I feel bad for the residents back there. I feel real bad for them. We couldn't even step on the property until insurance got done with their investigation," Bartolotta explained.

As of Tuesday, he said the insurance company concluded it could not determine a cause, but he said the good news is the building's owners have finally received permission from the insurance company to demolish the structure.

He said the demolition contractor will first need to receive clearance from DTE, Consumers Energy and the Department of Public Works to shutoff the utilities. Once all of that happens, the township can then approve a demolition permit.

"So, you should start seeing things within the next week to two, you'll see equipment out here, and they'll start tearing down," Bartolotta estimated.

In response to the update, Huebner said, "Well, it's encouraging. We just want it to be cleaned up now. Ya know, it would be better to have nothing there than what we're looking at now."

Larson said, "To hear that is very exciting."

"It's about time," he added.

7 News Detroit wanted to find out what's next for this site, but the co-owner and general manager have not returned our calls for comment.

A federal judge in Kentucky has dismissed Louisville's proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over police reforms after the department withdrew its support of the plan earlier this year.

The Justice Department announced in May it was canceling proposed consent decrees with Louisville and Minneapolis that sought to curb police racial bias and abuses after the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that spurred nationwide protests in the summer of 2020.

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Beaton wrote in a Dec. 31 ruling that "the responsibility to lead the Louisville Metro Police Department in compliance with federal law must remain with the city's elected representatives and the people they serve."

A judge in May dismissed Minneapolis' proposed consent decree, which places a federal officer in charge of tracking the progress of reforms laid out in the agreement.

RELATED STORY | Judge sentences ex-officer in Breonna Taylor raid to nearly 3 years in prison

Justice Department officials under President Joe Biden's administration conducted a multiyear investigation in Louisville, prompted by the fatal shooting of Taylor and police responses to public protests in 2020. A draft of the investigation was released in early 2023, alleging the Louisville Police Department "discriminates against Black people in its enforcement activities," uses excessive force and conducts searches based on invalid warrants.

New DOJ leadership accused the Biden Justice Department of using flawed legal theories to judge police departments and pursuing costly and burdensome consent decrees.

The consent decrees with Louisville and Minneapolis were approved by the Justice Department in the final weeks of the Biden administration, but the settlements had to be approved by a judge.

Beaton wrote that his ruling "doesn't prevent the parties from undertaking the hard work of reform themselves."

RAW VIDEO: Troopers pull over Kilmar Abrego Garcia in 2022 Traffic Stop

The city has initiated some reforms since Taylor's death in March 2020, including a city law banning the use of "no-knock" warrants. The warrants were typically used in surprise drug raids. The city also started a pilot program that sends behavioral health professionals to some 911 calls.

The city also paid a $12 million wrongful death settlement to Taylor's family.

Earlier this year, former Louisville Police Detective Brett Hankison became the first officer involved in the Taylor raid to go to prison. A judge sentenced Hankison to nearly three years in prison on an excessive force conviction despite the Justice Department's efforts to reduce his sentence to one day of time served.

Hankison shot 10 rounds after police were fired on by Taylor's boyfriend from inside her apartment. Hankison shot blindly into Taylor's windows but didn't strike anyone inside or in a neighboring apartment.

Healthcare costs are surging for many Americans as Affordable Care Act subsidies have expired, leaving patients struggling to afford coverage and forcing difficult choices between medical care and basic necessities.

Watch Simon Shaykhet's video report: ACA subsidy expiration drives up healthcare costs for patients

Dr. Ali Shuayto, owner of The Heights Urgent Care in Dearborn Heights, is witnessing firsthand how the expiration of federal subsidies is impacting patient care decisions across metro Detroit.

"We try to really feel for what our patients are going through," Shuayto said.

With millions potentially unable to afford health insurance, Shuayto expects more people to rely heavily on emergency room visits and urgent care facilities. At his clinic, cash payment options have become a lifeline for uninsured patients.

"10-15% are cash pay. No health insurance. We have our cash pay program. It's less than all co-pays on most plans," Shuayto said.

Patient Bridget Fields has noticed the increasing financial pressure on healthcare decisions as costs continue to climb.

"It's going up. Health insurance. Food." Fields said. When asked if she sees more people using emergency rooms instead of doctors, she added, "Yes, or urgent care like myself."

At Shuayto's clinic on Telegraph Road, patients receive the same level of expert care while avoiding steep premium costs. However, the doctor says many patients face an impossible choice between healthcare and survival.

"A lot of people aren't employed. Can't afford. Don't qualify for Medicaid. They say Do I need to put food on my table or get health insurance?" Shuayto said.

Fields points to practicality as another factor driving patients toward urgent care facilities over emergency rooms, even while prioritizing health needs.

"Urgent care is not as busy as emergency," Fields said.

Shuayto emphasizes that patients should never ignore their health needs, regardless of financial constraints. Federal lawmakers from both parties plan to address these healthcare affordability issues when the congressional session resumes next week.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

U.S. stocks eked out small gains on Wall Street Friday in a wobbly day of trading to kick off the new year.

Markets were mostly quiet on the first trading day of 2026, with the influential technology sector driving much of the up-and-down action. The mostly minor moves also cap off a tepid and holiday-shortened week. Markets were closed on Thursday for New Year's day.

The S&P 500 rose 12.97 points, or 0.2%, to 6,858.47. The benchmark index is coming off a gain of more than 16% in 2025.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 319.10 points, or 0.7%, to 48,382.39.

The Nasdaq composite fell 6.36 points, or less than 0.1%, to 23,235.63. The index was weighed down by losses for Microsoft and Tesla.

Foreign markets fared better and benchmarks in Britain and South Korea hit records.

Technology stocks steered the market, especially companies with a focus on artificial intelligence, continuing the trend that pushed the broader market to records in 2025.

Nvidia jumped 1.3% and was the biggest force trying to push the market higher. But a 2.2% fall for Microsoft helped to check those gains.

Tesla also weighed on markets with a 2.6% drop after reporting falling sales for a second year in a row.

Nvidia, Microsoft and Tesla are among the most valuable companies in the world and their outsized valuations give them more influence on the stock market's direction. That includes sometimes pushing the market up and down from hour to hour.

Technology companies have been a major focus because of advancements in artificial intelligence technology and the potential for growth within the sector. Wall Street has been betting that demand for computer chips and other items needed for data centers will help justify the big investments from technology companies and their pricey stock values.

Furniture companies gained ground following President Donald Trump's move to delay increased tariffs on upholstered furniture. RH rose 8% and Wayfair rose 6.1%.

E-commerce giant Alibaba climbed 4.3% and Baidu, maker of the Ernie chatbot, jumped 9.4% in Hong Kong after it said it plans to spin off its AI computer chip unit Kunlunxin, which would list shares in Hong Kong early in 2027. The plan is subject to regulatory approvals.

Crude oil prices were mostly stable. Prices for U.S. crude oil fell 0.2% to $57.32 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 0.2% to $60.75 per barrel.

The price of gold fell 0.3%.

Treasury yields held steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.19% from 4.17% late Wednesday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which moves more closely with expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do, held at 3.48% from late Wednesday.

Wall Street will move past the mostly quiet holiday season starting Monday. The first full week of the new year will include several closely watched economic updates. They will also be some of the last big updates the Fed sees before its next meeting at the end of January.

Next week will feature private reports on the status of the services sector, which is the largest part of the U.S. economy, along with consumer sentiment. Government reports on the job market will also be released. The hope is they'll help paint a clearer picture of how various parts of the U.S. economy closed out 2025 and where it might be headed in 2026.

The Fed has had a more difficult task because of the complex shifts within the economy. It cut interest rates three times toward the end of 2025, partly to help counter a weakening jobs market. But inflation remains above its target rate of 2% and cutting interest rates could add more fuel to rising prices. Consumers have already expressed more caution amid the squeeze from stubborn inflation and the U.S. trade war with much of the world has added more uncertainty.

The Fed has already signaled concern and caution. Wall Street is betting that the central bank will hold its benchmark interest rate steady at its January meeting.

On Sunday, January 4, Spotlight on the News look at the future of healthcare and U.S.-China relations. What impact might these two important topics have on Michigan, including its global automotive manufacturing industry? Join us for an in-depth conversation with Tom Watkins, President & CEO of TDW & Associates, and a longtime healthcare and U.S.-China business advisor.

Spotlight on the News, now in its 60th season, is Michigan's longest-running weekly news and public affairs television program. It airs every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 in Detroit, is streamed live on wxyz.com and broadcast at 11:30 a.m. on 23.1 WKAR-HD in East Lansing.