👋 GOOD MORNING

Happy Monday! Welp, I think most of us were hoping for a Philly win yesterday (sorry, Chiefs fans), and the Eagles didn’t disappoint. Their 40-22 Super Bowl win highlighted the oft-repeated phrase to perfection: Defense wins championships. For all of the offensive weapons that they have, it was the defense that set the tone early and often against Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City en route to their second Super Bowl victory. Make no mistake, Philly’s offense was dynamic and opportunistic, but it was the D that made an emphatic statement in the type of game that every football fan dreams of their team playing.

The game was a clinic from start to finish.

Of course, now the hard-hitting questions: What was your favorite commercial? My vote goes to Eugene Levy and his flying eyebrows. If you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?

I truly hope you enjoyed the weekend — let’s make it a good week.

On to the show!

ASU Hockey Team Flexes Yet Again

Sun Devil hockey just keeps rolling.

A weekend split against powerhouse Denver secured three of a possible four wins this season versus the defending national champs, with the lone loss coming in overtime on Friday. The Sun Devils have taken the NCHC by storm in their first season — a conference that has produced six of the last eight national champions — and they’re tied with Omaha for second place with 37 points.

That’s how you make a first impression.

Coming Weeks Present a Test for Sun Devil Hockey

Arizona State travels to Minnesota Duluth next weekend, a team the Sun Devils swept earlier this season at Mullett Arena. A huge matchup in Tempe follows in the form of back-to-back games against NCHC leader Western Michigan, which is 13-2-1 in the conference. Why is this stretch run so critical? The top four teams in the conference earn home ice in the NCHC Tournament quarterfinals on March 14-16, and the winners advance to the semifinals in St. Paul, Minn. on March 21.

• ASU has won 16 of its last 19 games.
• Four of the Sun Devils’ final six games come against the top two teams in the conference, Western Michigan and Omaha.
• 2024-25 record dor Sun Devil hockey against those teams in upcoming games: 2-0 vs. Minnesota Duluth (Feb. 14-15), 0-0 against Western Michigan (Feb. 21-22) and 1-1 against Omaha (Feb. 28-March 1).

My Take: How can you not be romantic about hockey?! So much about Sun Devils athletics has been fun to watch this season, but the hockey team takes the cake. Just months removed from the devastating loss of our beloved NHL team, Arizona State has continued to produce win after win, filling a hockey puck-sized void in the hearts of hockey fans throughout The Valley. The team has battled through injuries and overcome a start that featured just one regulation/overtime win in its first six games, giving the opposition all it can handle every single weekend.

He said it: “From the start of the year, our goal was to host a playoff series to now winning our league. Our guys want to win the NCHC and believe we can, we’re good enough to compete with the best of the best on any given night. We’ve played such a tough schedule this year. When we play the right way and together nobody can beat us.” ASU coach Greg Powers following the ​team’s overtime win​ over Denver on Saturday.

Wildcats Knock Off Another Ranked Opponent

The Arizona men’s basketball team continues to slay giants, but its biggest test is right around the corner.

The Wildcats’ 82-73 win over Texas Tech on Saturday not only avenged a loss to the Red Raiders earlier this season in Lubbock, it also marked their fifth consecutive win over a ranked opponent.

Arizona is 17-6 overall and 11-1 in the Big 12, and will unquestionably climb in the AP top 25 when the poll is released later today.

• The Wildcats host No. 5 Houston on Feb. 15, and the two are currently tied for first in the conference.
• UA has won six straight, and 13 of its last 14 games.

Musings From Around (and Sometimes Beyond) The Valley

Not so Sunny: The past few weeks have not been kind to the Suns, who have won just one of their last five games. Saturday’s 122-105 loss to the Nuggets marked the latest setback in a surprisingly disappointing season to this point, but they can pick it back up tomorrow against Memphis.

Bragging Rights: The Wildcats women’s basketball team topped the Sun Devils 66-59 on Saturday, snapping a two-game losing streak. The two meet once more this season, on March 1 in Tempe.

Bidwill Sued: Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill is being sued for wrongful termination, as stated in a ​lawsuit filed last week​ by his former personal assistant.

🧢 Tip of the Hat

Hear from Trey McBride as he talks with our team about his contract negotiations — After all, it’s never too early to start thinking about next season!