FOXBOROUGH, Mass.-- Authorities say a Rhode Island man visiting the New England Patriots Hall of Fame took a Tom Brady jersey off a display and walked off with it.

Zanini Cineus, of Providence, was freed on personal recognizance after a not guilty plea to a larceny charge was entered on his behalf at his arraignment Thursday.

Police say the 33-year-old was wearing the jersey under his jacket when he was apprehended Thursday still in the vicinity of the hall of fame.

Police say the signed jersey is worth $10,000. The team says it had not been worn in a game.

Cineus's lawyer, Bill Galvin, declined to comment.

Brady's game-worn jersey was stolen out of the locker room after the Patriots' 34-28 overtime Super Bowl victory over the Atlanta Falcons in 2017.

The past two weeks have reminded us just how wild college football can be.

While we focused all of our midweek energy looking at specific matchups -- Florida vs. LSU and Oklahoma vs. Texas in Week 7, Michigan vs. Penn State and Oregon vs. Washington in Week 8 -- supposed afterthoughts became the biggest stories of the week. South Carolina, given a 14% win probability by SP+ in its game at Georgia, won in Athens; the next week, Illinois, with an 8% win probability in hosting Wisconsin, knocked off the Badgers.

Really, this was a quick lesson in the power of odds. Teams given an 8% chance of winning a game will indeed win 8% of the time, right?

That's a pretty important lesson to keep in mind as we gear up for Week 9. Ten of the top 12 teams in this week's AP poll are in action, and seven of them are favored by double digits. (The other three: No. 9 Auburn is an underdog at No. 2 LSU, No. 6 Penn State is a six-point favorite at Michigan State, and No. 8 Notre Dame is a pick 'em at No. 19 Michigan.)

Using SP+ win probabilities, though, the chances of all seven double-digit favorites winning this weekend are only 27%. The odds of one of them losing are around 41%, and the odds of more than one losing are 32%.

It might be a useful exercise, then, to walk through each of these top-billed games and look at how things might go awry.

No. 1 Alabama vs. Arkansas

Caesars line: Alabama -31.5
SP+ projection*: Bama 48, Arkansas 8 (win probability: 99%)

How Bama loses: Deer-in-headlights QB + nothing-to-lose opponent.

Even with Mac Jones starting for the injured Tua Tagovailoa, we know the Crimson Tide will almost certainly have too much talent for a team currently ranked between Arkansas State and Marshall, at 87th in the latest SP+ rankings.

Jones certainly didn't light the world afire against Tennessee last week, though, averaging just 5.2 yards per pass attempt (including sacks) despite the best receiving corps in college football. (Tagovailoa was averaging 11.5 yards per attempt.) While offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian probably will come up with a more run-heavy game plan, and while that game plan probably will work against a defense ranked 104th in rushing SP+, the Tide will still fall behind schedule at times, and if Jones is misfiring, that could create more turnovers or three-and-outs than Alabama typically commits.

If that creates some easy points, and the extreme-underdog Hogs are able to play loose and stay close, the crowd at Bryant-Denny Stadium could begin to clam up in the second half. That can turn a home-field advantage into the opposite.

Note: SP+ does not make adjustments for injuries or personnel changes.

No. 2 LSU vs. No. 9 Auburn

Caesars line: LSU -10.5
SP+ projection: LSU 34, Auburn 24 (win probability: 71%)

How LSU loses: "Plan B is ... what, exactly?"

The main reason LSU could lose is that Auburn is good. And its defense is the best this ridiculous LSU offense has faced.

Auburn is 10th in SP+, driven primarily by a defense that ranks sixth. Granted, Auburn is better at defending the run than the pass -- when you're playing LSU, it's better to be the other way around -- but the secondary still features a pair of veteran safeties in Jeremiah Dinson and Daniel Thomas and active corners in Noah Igbinoghene and Javaris Davis.

Auburn held both Oregon and Florida below a 140 passer rating, giving up a high completion rate but almost no big plays whatsoever, and if LSU quarterback Joe Burrow becomes impatient and forces ill-advised throws, Auburn could have LSU playing catch-up for the first time all year. The favored Tigers might have to lean more heavily on defense and the run game. While that was the typical LSU recipe before 2019, it's a little dusty, and the defense (29th in defensive SP+) has shown a few more cracks than normal.

No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 13 Wisconsin

Caesars line: Ohio State -14.5
SP+ projection: Ohio State 31, Wisconsin 20 (win probability: 74%)

How Ohio State loses: Playing on the Badgers' terms.

The Big Ten's dominant football recipe of the past century -- run the ball, plod along, play dominant defense, win -- is alive and well in 2019: The league boasts seven of the top 16 defenses in the country, per defensive SP+, and few of those teams play with any semblance of offensive tempo.

Until last week, Wisconsin was easily the most successful purveyor of this old-school approach. The Badgers shut out four of their first six opponents and got more than enough offense out of running back Jonathan Taylor and a throw-to-the-sticks passing game. The god of turnovers smited the Badgers in Champaign, however, and a great red zone team forgot how to finish drives. Illinois pulled a stunning 24-23 upset.

If the Badgers are able to move on from that gutting loss, they still have all the same components they did a week ago. If they force Ohio State to settle for field goals (while scoring TDs themselves) and play a lovely game of slow-motion keepaway, they can beat anyone, including the best team in the country to date.

No. 4 Clemson vs. Boston College

Caesars line: Clemson -34
SP+ projection: Clemson 43, BC 16 (win probability: 95%)

How Clemson loses: Can't stop the bowling balls.

If Arkansas-Bama isn't the least likely upset on this list, then BC-Clemson is. That said, BC does have one advantage for a game like this: The Eagles know exactly what they are. They play at the fastest tempo in the country, they run nearly as much as a triple-option team, and they are extremely tough to prepare for.

Even with starting QB Anthony Brown out for the season, Steve Addazio's 4-3 Eagles still dominated NC State, with burly backs AJ Dillon and David Bailey (each 240 pounds or bigger) combining for 50 carries and 404 yards. Yes, 404 yards.

Are they good defensively? No. Does this recipe tend to work against Clemson? Absolutely not. BC has scored a combined 24 points in its past three games against the Tigers. But it has to work only once to be memorable. If BC is able to take advantage of the increasingly customary couple of errant Trevor Lawrence passes, play keep-away with its bowling-ball backs and make things as weird as possible ... hey, you never know.

OK, you probably know. But still.

No. 5 Oklahoma at Kansas State

Caesars line: OU -23.5
SP+ projection: OU 39, KSU 20 (win probability: 87%)

How Oklahoma loses: Chris Klieman finds Bill Snyder's magic wand.

K-State coaching legend Snyder retired last year, but damned if the Wildcats don't still bear plenty of Snyderian tendencies. They operate at an anti-Big 12 tempo (123rd in adjusted pace). They run the ball a ton. They avoid negative plays. They form a cloud around your passing game and wait for you to make a mistake.

This recipe was good enough for wins over Mississippi State and TCU, and while it almost certainly won't be enough for a win over an OU team that -- no offense, MSU and TCU -- actually has a quarterback, we can at least see how one might take shape. All we have to do is look at Snyder's upset oeuvre.

Take, for instance, the 2011 KSU-Baylor game, a classic of its genre. Against Robert Griffin III & Co., K-State pounded out five drives of more than five minutes (one of 11-plus), recovered two first-half fumbles and set up the winning field goal with a late-fourth-quarter interception. Granted, that 2011 KSU team was a lot better than 2019's, but I'm not here to tell you how this won't happen.

No. 6 Penn State at Michigan State

Caesars line: PSU -6

SP+ projection: PSU 29, MSU 20 (win probability: 70%)

How PSU loses: Just watch the 2017 and 2018 games.

Since the start of the 2017 season, Penn State is 27-6 overall ... but 0-2 against Michigan State. In both games, they squandered early opportunities, allowed the offensively limited Spartans to stay closer than they should have, then watched second-half leads fritter away.

Considering this is more or less the same MSU team as normal -- offensively challenged and defensively stout -- it's easy to wonder if these past couple of games have gotten into PSU's head a bit. The Spartans are as capable of anyone of limiting human deep ball KJ Hamler, and what happens if PSU sees some early drives stall out, and the score is tied 10-10 into the second half? Do they suffer collective flashbacks?

If there's consolation for PSU fans, it's that this Penn State team is better than last year's, at least, and MSU is worse. The Spartans' pass defense is a bit more passive than normal, and PSU's outstanding run defense should force a ton of third-and-9s. Still, the script is pretty well-defined.

No. 8 Notre Dame at No. 19 Michigan

Caesars line: Michigan -1
SP+ projection: Notre Dame 24, Michigan 28 (win probability: 41%)

How Notre Dame loses: Pretty easily, actually.

Michigan has lost eight games in a row to top-10 teams, and by an average of two touchdowns. Notre Dame hasn't really spent much of 2019 playing like a top-10 team, though, and some of the traits most of these Michigan-vanquishing teams have possessed -- elite defenses, explosive offenses -- are not really clubs in the Notre Dame golf bag this year.

The Irish are good, of course, but they have been even more bend-don't-break than normal defensively, and while the passing game largely avoids crippling mistakes, it also ranks 80th in passing marginal efficiency. They have played two teams ranked better than 35th in SP+ so far this year (No. 5 Georgia, No. 23 USC) and have been outscored 50-47. Michigan: 14th in SP+.

Frustrate Ian Book. Make the Irish run game work a lot harder than it had to against USC. Force the Irish defense to bend right into scoring opportunities. It's pretty easy to describe how Michigan wins this game ... though the Wolverines have proven that following said recipe isn't always easy when the spotlight's on.

No. 11 Oregon vs. Washington State

Caesars line: Oregon -14
SP+ projection: Oregon 35, Wazzu 26 (win probability: 70%)

How Oregon loses: [motions to last four seasons]

Wazzu has won four straight over the Ducks, the past three by an average of 18 points. You either solve the Mike Leach riddle, or you don't, and since Mario Cristobal moved to Eugene (first as offensive coordinator, then as head coach), that riddle has remained unsolved.

So what's different this time? Two major things: Oregon has a defense, and Washington State might not. The Ducks have had an average defensive SP+ ranking of 72nd during this four-game losing streak to the Cougs but currently rank eighth. Wazzu's defense currently ranks 78th. The offense is as efficient as ever, but in the Cougars' three losses, they've given up a combined 143 points.

Last week, however, in the second game after defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys resigned, Wazzu put together its best defensive performance of the year in a 41-10 win over Colorado. Run defense has been the Cougs' downfall, and Oregon has only recently begun to run the ball effectively. Can Wazzu put the game on Justin Herbert's shoulders and frustrate him the way they did last year?

No. 12 Utah vs. Cal

Caesars line: Utah -21
SP+ projection: Utah 34, Cal 11 (win probability: 90%)

How Utah loses: Defense-first slugfests are Cal's happy place.

Utah is running the ball as much as ever, and at as slow a tempo as ever (128th in adjusted pace), but the Utes are putting up points like a high-tempo team -- 30 on BYU, 38 on Wazzu, 52 on Oregon State. Their defense is among the best of the Kyle Whittingham era, too, and this balance has driven them to ninth overall in SP+.

When quarterback Tyler Huntley got hurt last week, however, the Utes' win over Arizona State turned into more of an Old Utah win. The Utes suffocated the Sun Devils but won by only a 21-3 margin. Twenty-four total points? That's Cal's type of game right there.

In the four games Cal has played against top-15 teams in the past two seasons, the Golden Bears have won by scores of 20-19 and 12-10 and lost by scores of 19-13 and 17-7. Huntley is listed as probable, but if he isn't full strength, the Utes could find themselves in exactly the kind of defense-first dogfight that Cal and head coach Justin Wilcox live for. The tighter the score and the slower the game, the fewer breaks the Golden Bears need to pull an upset.

Week 9 playlist

Here are 10 games -- at least one from each weekend time slot -- that you should pay attention to if you want to get the absolute most out of the weekend, from both an information and entertainment perspective.

(And no, I didn't put the immaculate UConn-UMass game on this list, as tempting as it was.)

All times Eastern

Friday

Columbia at Dartmouth (6 p.m., ESPNU). Sure, watch USC-Colorado, too, just in case USC takes its eye off the ball (not unheard of). But in Dartmouth you've got a prime opportunity to watch one of the best teams in FCS and one of the most well-coached defenses at any level. (Columbia's defense is rock solid, too.) SP+ projection: Dartmouth 32, Columbia 17 (though I'm guessing 22-7 is more likely)

Early Saturday

Miami at Pitt (noon, ESPN). For the past couple of weeks, I've been asking my friend Justin Moore (@tfgridiron on Twitter) to run the numbers on what results are most likely to get us the "six-way ACC Coastal tie at 4-4" scenario we've always dreamed of. His report this week: "If Louisville beats UVa, Duke beats UNC, and Miami beats Pitt, the odds are 1-in-500. If all three go the other way, it's 1-in-125,000." Go Cards, go Devils, and go Canes. (This one's also interesting because SP+ still loves Miami and has yet to come around on Pitt and has therefore created a strange-to-the-eye projection.)

SP+ projection: Miami 24, Pitt 18

No. 13 Wisconsin at No. 3 Ohio State (noon, Fox). If nothing else, this is another test of Ohio State's immortality. Michigan State was able to frustrate the Buckeyes' offense for four drives, and Northwestern was able to for about two. What can the Badgers do that they couldn't?

SP+ projection: Ohio State 31, Wisconsin 20

Clarion at Slippery Rock (1 p.m., ESPN3). Look, when the team I ranked No. 2 on my Fun Teams to Follow list is available to watch on the ESPN3 machine, I'm going to recommend you watch it. The Rock puts up points in buckets. Pull this game up on your laptop.

SP+ projection: Slippery Rock 49, Clarion 22

Saturday afternoon

No. 9 Auburn at No. 2 LSU (3:30 p.m., CBS). I'm just saying, you guys, an unranked or lower-ranked team has won the past three games in this series. This is a test unlike what LSU has faced so far.

SP+ projection: LSU 34, Auburn 24

No. 6 Penn State at Michigan State (3:30 p.m., ABC). PSU's James Franklin is just 1-4 against Mark Dantonio; the Nittany Lions' Sparty problem extends beyond just the past two years, though in only the past two losses were the Nittany Lions the superior team on paper. This is a mental barrier PSU has to overcome to remain a contender.

SP+ projection: PSU 29, MSU 20 (though I'm guessing 19-10 is more likely)

Tulane at Navy (3:30 p.m., CBSSN). SMU and Memphis have edged ahead as the AAC West favorites, but the winner here still has a chance, especially if said winner is Navy. Beyond that, though, just watch this game because of the quality. This is the best Tulane team of the century and the best Navy team in years.

SP+ projection: Navy 31, Tulane 28

NDSU at SDSU (3 p.m., ESPN+). Is this games-to-watch section a little small school-heavy this week? Absolutely. But what was I doing to do, not include a game so big that GameDay will be in attendance? NDSU's won 11 of 13 in this Dakota Marker series, but the Jackrabbits match up awfully well on paper and might have the best offense in FCS.

SP+ projection: SDSU 33, NDSU 32

Saturday evening

No. 8 Notre Dame at No. 19 Michigan (7:30 p.m., ABC). If Harbaugh is ever going to get off the schneid against top-10 teams, now is one hell of an opportunity.

SP+ projection: Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24

Late Saturday

Washington State at No. 11 Oregon (10:30 p.m., ESPN). Was last week's win over Colorado a sign that Wazzu has rebounded from its midseason slump? Will Oregon be hungover after last week's big win over Washington?

SP+ projection: Oregon 35, Washington State 26

A look ahead to Saturday’s relays action in Cumbernauld

Runners will converge in Cumbernauld this Saturday for the Lindsays National XC Relays, with 2534 names on the startlists for the Scottish event, writes Peter Jardine.

Central AC, despite a number of absentees, were imperious in victory once again last year and had three teams placed in the top 17.

Impressively, it was a seventh set of team golds in eight years for the squad led by coach Derek Easton.

Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds got the better of them at the East Districts but have a couple of athletes racing in Leeds this weekend, while Cambuslang Harriers are the West champions and Moray Road Runners led home the North field.

Inverclyde AC, winners two years ago, should be stronger on Saturday with Andy Douglas and Jonny Glen available after missing Kilmarnock.

For Kilbarchan AAC, could Callum Hawkins augment a team which already boasts Connor Maclean and Cammy Wright? Or will Shettleston benefit from the presence of Scottish half-marathon champion Weynay Ghebreselassieas well as Lachlan Oates?

Glasgow Uni, Aberdeen AAC and Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds have all made the podium in the past three years.

The battles will no doubt continue right through the field to masters and V50 level. There were 26 teams involved in the latter age-group contest last year.

In the senior women’s race, victory has been savoured in recent years by Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds but others to top the podium include Edinburgh AC (2015) and Central AC (2014).

Could 2019 East champions Fife AC break the mould only a few weeks after Ron Morrison became president? As well as those clubs mentioned, VP-Glasgow have been regular medallists in recent years.

Shettleston Harriers won the West XC Relays and Inverness Harriers took the golds at Gordonstoun in the North event.

Giffnock North AC will shoot for a hat-trick in the young males race – and few would bet against them after their teams went 1-2-3 at Kilmarnock in the West XC Relays. Central AC were silver medallists last year while Garscube Harriers collected bronze for the second year in a row.

Fife AC broke the mould when they won the young females race last year for the very first time, ending a sequence of Edinburgh AC success.

Giffnock’s girls took second last year with Inverness Harriers taking the bronzes to give North a slice of team podium glory.

Timetable

12:00: Young females
12:40: Young males
13:20: Senior/junior females
14:45: Senior/junior males

Dutch runner goes for another global mark after recent 1500m and 10,000m world double

The Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP is set to see an assault on the world half-marathon record on Sunday, with Sifan Hassan among those targeting the 64:51 run by Joyciline Jepkosgei in the Spanish city two years ago.

Dutch runner Hassan is the European half-marathon record-holder thanks to her 65:15 run in Copenhagen last year and this year she has set world records in the mile and 5km with respective marks of 4:12.33 and 14:44 in Monaco.

At the IAAF World Championships in Doha she achieved a 1500m and 10,000m double. During the event her coach, Alberto Salazar, received a four-year ban for doping violations but has denied any wrongdoing and the IAAF has since reported that Hassan is now being guided by Dutchman Charles van Commenee, the former head coach of UK Athletics who has a history of coaching field eventers and combined events athletes.

Joining Hassan in the women’s field are Kenya’s 64:52 runner Fancy Chemutai and Joan Chelimo plus Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi, Gelete Burka and world champion Netsanet Gudeta.

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, another former Salazar-coached athlete who claimed 10,000m silver in Doha, leads the men’s entries and his half-marathon PB of 59:17 was set last year.

He will be joined by his compatriots Jemal Yimer and 2015 world marathon champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, plus Kenya’s Geoffrey Koech and Norway’s Sondre Nordstad Moen.

PHILLIP ISLAND, Australia – Maverick Vinales was the man to beat during MotoGP practice on Friday at Australia’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

The weekend opened with a wet practice session and Vinales led the way for Monster Energy Yamaha thanks to a solid 1:38.957 lap time. Jack Miller was second fastest in the first session for Pramac Racing, .147 seconds slower than Vinales.

Marc Marquez was third in the wet conditions, followed by Valentino Rossi and Danilo Petrucci.

The wet conditions weren’t kind to star rookie Fabio Quartararo, who crashed a turn six. He suffered a hematoma and bruising on the top of one of his feet, which led to him taking medication that required him to sit out the second practice.

In the second session Vinales was again the man to beat, going more than 10 seconds faster than his time in the first practice with a 1:28.824 lap. Andrea Dovizioso was second fastest, nearly half a second off the pace set by Vinales.

Cal Crutchlow, Petrucci and Miller were third through fifth fastest, respectively.

“I feel really good. At this track I always find exceptional lap times, so I‘m quite happy,” Vinales said. “We set up the bike in a really good way and I stayed out on track just riding and riding, also in the wet, because that’s always difficult here. You have to warm up the tyres really well, you have to keep running a steady pace, so actually I‘m quite happy about today‘s results. It‘s too early to judge what the race will be like. We set the pace today, but we have to keep working. The race is a totally different story, we will see on Sunday. But I do feel good with the bike‘s set-up, and that‘s the most important thing right now. The 2020 Michelin tyres feel good. They are very consistent, that‘s an important point, I‘m happy about the work they did.”

MADISON, Wisconsin -- K'Andre Miller, a sophomore defenseman for the Wisconsin Badgers' men's hockey team, has a star quality about him that is unmistakable, whether he's on the ice or off.

The New York Rangers noticed it, too. They took Miller with their second of three first-round picks in the 2018 NHL draft, at No. 22 overall, making him a key piece in the early stages of the team's accelerated rebuild.

Selected out of the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP), Miller was viewed as a project, albeit one with huge upside. He had only been playing defense full time for the previous two seasons when he was drafted. A converted forward, he has a big 6-foot-4, 211-pound frame, raw athleticism and tremendous skating ability. Miller was still learning the position when the Rangers called his name, but he seemed to be an especially quick study.

As a freshman at Wisconsin in 2018-19, Miller had a spectacular season before injury cost him the last few weeks of the campaign. The Hopkins, Minnesota, native had 22 points in 26 games and made the Big Ten's all-rookie team. Miller entered this season as one of two unanimous selections to the preseason All-Big Ten first team.

"He's grown a lot as a player since a lot of us saw him before drafting him," says Chris Drury, the Rangers' assistant general manager. "Obviously, [Rangers director of player personnel] Gordie [Clark] and our staff of amateur scouts had a good read on him. Physically, he's loaded with a ton of tools, size, skating. There's a lot of things to like. Defensively, the more and more he plays at high levels, like at the World Juniors and in college, he's getting better and better."

Miller, 19, is one of the most interesting prospects outside of the NHL today because of his current development trend and how he was shaped into the person he is today.

The star quality was always evident. For a brief period, Miller was a child model appearing in Target ads and was even cast in a Honda commercial that featured former Rangers Mike Richter and Pat LaFontaine. He was a multisport athlete in high school, showcasing a particular talent in football in addition to hockey, and was mentored by former major league pitcher Rick Helling, who was his football coach and became a close family friend. But if there's any one thing he really, really wants you to know about him, it's that whatever he does next, wherever he goes in his career, it's because of his mother.

Miller is the exceedingly proud son of Amy Sokoloski, who raised him as a single mom in Minnesota. She worked hard to allow her only child to achieve his dreams, and her example has stuck with Miller and drives him.

"My mom is one of the biggest inspirations in my life, probably will ever be in my life," Miller says. "We didn't come from the richest family. I didn't have brothers or sisters -- it was just me and my mom."

Now a sophomore at Wisconsin and a blue-chip prospect for an Original Six franchise, his biggest dream is finally within reach. And he credits the lessons she taught him, the people she put in his life and how she let him go at 16 years old to put himself in a better position to pursue his dreams.

"When I left for the national program, it got hard knowing that she was all by herself at home, trying to watch me succeed," Miller recalls. "I knew deep down she was hurting as much as I was being away from my best friend."

Hockey forces you to grow up sooner in a lot of cases. Many players leave home at younger ages for junior hockey in hopes of achieving NHL dreams or a college scholarship. It was the path Miller felt was the best way to achieve his ultimate goal.

"Her motivation to even get me to this point pushed me every day to hopefully give back to her for all the things she sacrificed."

One time, Miller was preparing to head to Winnipeg, Manitoba, for a tournament Miller described as a "pretty big deal" in his hockey-playing life at that point. But three days before it began, he broke both of his hockey sticks, which have become pretty expensive these days. Amy asked her manager at work for extra hours so she could replace the broken sticks. Amy always found a way.

"If I didn't have that, her willingness to do whatever she could to see me succeed, I wouldn't have been able to do this," he says.

Moments like those have added up over the years: The mom who made it all possible and the kid who used to draw nets on the wall in his building's parking garage where he'd shoot tennis ball after tennis ball.

At the time he was shooting those tennis balls, he still thought he was a forward. During his sophomore year of high school, he made the switch to defense, but it wasn't until his first year at the NTDP that Miller played an entire season as a blueliner. And his ability to adapt and make rapid strides at a difficult position only enhanced how he was viewed as a prospect.

Now he's playing the position at a college known for training and churning out elite-level defensemen. With alumni that include Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Chelios and current NHL standouts Ryan Suter and Ryan McDonagh, Wisconsin is essentially "Defenseman U." And it's why the decision to return for his sophomore season was pretty easy for Miller, despite some speculation that he would leave for a pro contract.

"I didn't feel like I was really ready or prepared for that next step yet," Miller says. "Obviously, with these coaches [at Wisconsin], you're not going to find that anywhere else. So I knew I wanted to develop a little bit more on and off the ice with these guys."

The Rangers, who had several of their most important prospects sign contracts last summer, have no problem waiting a little longer for one of their potential future stars on defense. New York traded for Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox over the summer to improve its blue line, and beyond Miller, it also has the likes of Nils Lundkvist and Matthew Robertson in the pipeline at the position.

"We are very happy where he's at on his development curve," Drury says of Miller's choice to remain in school. "We know he's in great hands, learning a lot every single day, not only on ice, but off ice."

Miller's time at Wisconsin has shown him what it's like to be part of a rebuild, too. Former NHL standout and current UW coach Tony Granato has been trying to reshape a program that has fallen away from the college hockey elite, having not appeared in the NCAA tournament since 2014. Miller is a central part of that rebuild, just as he could be in the ongoing "trust the process" situation happening in Manhattan with the Rangers. Having just added one of the nation's best recruiting classes, the Badgers look to Miller as a leader even though he's only a sophomore.

That part has required a bit of a learning curve, and there have been a few bumps along the way. Just prior to the season, Miller was suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules, causing him to miss an intrasquad game.

"It's another example of college life and trying to learn, manage time, manage expectations, and we think that will be good for him for when he eventually turns pro," Drury says of the prospect's early-season discipline.

Miller was reinstated for the beginning of the regular season and returned to action the following weekend for a meeting with Boston College. He'd score his first two goals of the season the following day against Merrimack.

The Badgers are now No. 6 in both major men's college hockey polls. They jumped 11 spots in one poll and joined the ranking altogether in the other after sweeping the two-time defending national champion Minnesota Duluth in Madison over the Oct. 18-19 weekend. They may have been Granato's biggest wins since he returned to the program in 2016 after a long NHL coaching career. And during that series, some of the improvement Miller has shown as more of a true defender was on display, as the Badgers collectively held the Bulldogs to just three goals over the two games.

Miller has put himself in a position to succeed on the ice. He's a critical piece of one of college hockey's most talented teams. He's a fixture on many of USA Hockey's international tournament teams. And he is a centerpiece in the Rangers' rebuild and attempt to reenter contender status over the next few years. But interestingly, none of that came up when asked what a successful career would look like for him.

"The biggest thing, I think, is having an impact on other people," Miller says of his career ahead. "It's always kind of been my goal. I just realize that not everyone has it as good as some of us. I didn't have it as good as a lot of people growing up ... I'm looking forward to hopefully impacting a lot of young kids that don't think they can make it at this level or get out of whatever they're going through. It's always been a big part of me."

Miller is already taking steps in that direction while in school. The communication arts major had a conversation with his academic advisor about it and is taking a few classes this semester that he hopes will help him learn some more of the ins and outs of doing charitable work.

As the Rangers look to continue building up their franchise, they know they need special types of players. And Miller is showing he can be that type of player for the Blueshirts.

"Every team does their homework -- we're no different," Drury says. "A first-round pick like K'Andre -- you don't just want good players but good people. We felt that he fit that mold. We're excited about the person, the player, the whole package."

The Rangers may not have to wait much longer to see what Miller can bring to the table at the next level. Though Drury says the team will continue evaluating him over the course of this season before making a decision about when to sign him, Miller's upward trend developmentally at least puts him in the conversation to officially join the organization as early as this spring. He would be available to sign and join the Rangers' youthful defense corps after his college season concludes.

But with Miller and the rest of the talent on the Badgers' roster, that might not be until after the NCAA Frozen Four in April.

CHIBA, Japan – Nearly 7 inches of rain flooded Narashino Country Club on Friday and will force the season’s first Monday finish at the Zozo Championship.

Officials announced the second round at the first-year event is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. (local). According to PGA Tour regulations, the tournament will carry over to Monday to complete 72 holes.

After rain from Typhoon Bualoi forced the cancelation of play Friday the storm intensified and left multiple holes at Narashino under water.

The course will be closed to spectators Saturday but officials plan to allow fans on the course Sunday and Monday.

Tiger Woods and Gary Woodland share the first-round lead at 6 under.

Programming note: Because of record-breaking rain fall, tee times have been moved back for the second round of the Zozo Championship. Golf Channel broadcast times have also changed. Coverage will be shown from 10:30 p.m. ET - 2:30 a.m. ET. Round 2 will only be played Friday night. We will continue to provide updates as needed.

BUSAN, South Korea – Danielle Kang shot a second consecutive 5-under 67 on Friday for a one-stroke lead at the BMW Ladies Championship, putting her in a strong position to win her second tournament in two weeks on the LPGA Tour.

The American player, who won last week in Shanghai, had seven birdies and two bogeys for a 10-under 134 total on the LPGA International Busan course.

Hee Won Na (67) birdied two of her final three holes and was tied for second place with Seung Yeon Lee (68).

Four players were tied for fourth, including No. 1-ranked Jin Young Ko (69) and first-round leader Minjee Lee (70). They were two strokes behind.

"I'm hitting it well. Hitting it straight. Chipping well. Putting well," said Kang, who grew up in California but spent several years living in Busan as a child because of her father's job. "So honestly, I'm really not paying attention to other people. I think that's one of the things that I've gotten better at. I have not looked at the leaderboard once."

Nelly Korda shot 70 and was at 5 under.

Kristen Gillman aced the par-3 13th hole and will have to make arrangements to collect her BMW car. That was the prize for a hole-in-one on the 13th, on her way to a 71 and a 3-under 141 total. The LPGA Tour said it was the American's first hole-in-one in competition.

She hit a 4-hybrid from 180 yards. Off the tee, Gillman and caddie John Killeen thought the ball got caught in the wind. But when she heard the crowd reaction, she knew the ball had gone in the hole.

"It was nice to finally have my first hole-in-one because it's kind of been a running joke between me and my friends that I've holed out a lot of shots on par 4s and par 5s but never on a par 3," Gillman said.

Gillman won a BMW 7 Series sedan, an upgrade from the Toyota Camry she currently drives around Austin, Texas.

"I didn't even look at the car because I didn't even know I made a hole-in-one," Gillman said.

Brooke Henderson shot 68 and was also at 3 under, while Charley Hull (69) was 2 under.

There is no cut in the limited-field event of 84 players.

It's the second stop on the LPGA Tour's Asian swing with tournaments in Taiwan and Japan scheduled over the next two weeks.

U.S. men's national team manager Gregg Berhalter has compared Christian Pulisic's struggles at Chelsea to the slow starts from Antoine Griezmann and Eden Hazard in La Liga.

Pulisic, 21, signed for Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of around €64 million but has only made three Premier League appearances so far this season.

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The forward said he is "very frustrated" with the lack of playing time at Stamford Bridge, but USMNT head coach Berhalter said it is common for players to take time to adapt to a new club.

"There's a lot of pressure that he's under," he said. "He's at a big club. What I really like about where he is right now is that there's a lot of young players.

"There's a manager who is a manager who is used to working with young players, has that philosophy who wants to build this club with this group of talent and he fits perfectly into that mould.

"I think Frank Lampard has been trying to say: the outside stuff is not real, it's really not -- when you analyse the transfer fee, when you analyse who he's replacing, when you analyse he's the only guy they bought.

"And let's not forget that he's not the only player in the world who has had a challenge adapting at the beginning of a move. Look at Griezmann in Barcelona, Hazard in Real Madrid.

"These are top, top players. [Mohamed] Salah and [Kevin] De Bruyne at Chelsea, of course. The list goes on and on. Because he was the only transfer this year, a lot of attention is placed on him."

Hazard, who joined Madrid from Chelsea in the summer, recently said he must produce better performances for the club, whilst Griezmann said he needs time to adapt to his Barcelona teammates after his €120m summer transfer from Atletico Madrid.

Pulisic came off the bench to assist Michy Batshuayi to score the winning goal in Chelsea's 1-0 victory away to Ajax in the Champions League.

Speaking to a news conference ahead of their trip to Burnley on Saturday, Lampard praised the USMNT captain for his impact off the bench.

"The way he has played, he deserved a starting place regularly in the last few weeks -- but so do others," he said. "It's brilliant that he's coming on making an impact. He'll get his starts.

"Christian is getting stronger, he's getting more in the group. Players that come here, some of them you have to give them a bit of time, particularly young players. He's playing well, he's certainly in strong contention."

Meanwhile, Pulisic has urged Sergino Dest to represent the USMNT after the Ajax defender said he always pictured himself playing for the Dutch national team.

Dest, 18, could still pledge his allegiance to either national team but Pulisic wants the teenager to select the USMNT.

"Yeah, definitely, we're definitely hoping that," Pulisic told reporters. "He was with me in the national team at the last camp and it's good to see him again and in the Ajax first team because he's very young. I'm happy for him."