Screen Shots: January 15th-21st, 2026

Welcome to Screen Shots! This is where I tell you what sporting events you should watch on TV every week! Make sure you subscribe so it comes straight to your inbox! Have your own suggestions? Shoot me an email at [email protected]!

Well, it happened. For the first time in decades, I recorded a solo episode of Beyond The Arc with Brandon Silvers. For my glorious return, I took a look back at my preseason NFL expectations episode to see how well my thoughts aged. I don’t want to spoil it, but I did pick some fantastic subjects to track! Tap in!

Now, to the sports!

Thursday, January 15th, 2026

• Women’s College Basketball: #4 Texas Longhorns @ #2 South Carolina Gamecocks at 7:00 pm (ET) on ESPN2

If you thought the Longhorns’ late November victory over South Carolina for the Players Era title would finally be enough to stop the Vic Schaefer excuse machine, well, you were wrong. Ol’ Vic spent a large portion of this past Sunday’s post-game press conference calling out the SEC for their “vendetta” against his team. What great injustice were the Longhorns dealt? Having to play LSU and South Carolina in back-to-back road games.

Vic previously complained that hosting the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina, gave the Gamecocks an unfair advantage. This complaint came after Texas’ 19-point loss to South Carolina in the title game. The teams would go on to play again in the Final Four in Tampa, Florida, where the Gamecocks won by 17 points.

No word yet from Missouri, which will also hit the road later this year for back-to-back games against LSU and South Carolina.

Friday, January 16th, 2026

• Unrivaled Basketball: Laces vs. Phantom at 7:30 pm (ET) on TNT

After dropping 38 points in a blowout win over a depleted Lunar Owl team, Kelsey Plum jokingly credited teammate Aliyah Boston’s moving screens for her success. As someone who has watched Boston play a lot of basketball since her days at South Carolina, I’m reminded of the saying, “every joke has a kernel of truth.” The Laces have three perimeter players known for their defensive ability in Brittney Sykes, Jordin Canada, and Jackie Young, as well as the always-physical Alyssa Thomas. Should be a fun matchup!

• Unrivaled Basketball: Rose vs. Hive at 8:45 pm (ET) on TNT

Last year’s champs, the Rose, are the only undefeated team through 3 games. And, once again, the reason is Chelsea Gray. The Point Gawd leads the league in scoring at 31.7 PPG. Terrible news for a Hive squad that has yet to win a game! Even with that in mind, it’s still a fun watch. Probably smarter for some of you to do so from the comfort of your own home…

Saturday, January 18th, 2026

• Men’s College Basketball: #19 Florida Gators @ #10 Vanderbilt Commodores at 2:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

As an assistant coach at the College of Charleston, current Vandy head coach Mark Byington helped me secure time in their facility to work out while I was between schools. Now, he’s got the undefeated Commodores in the top-10. Also, shout out to Vandy AD Candice Storey Lee. She’s turned what was known as the SEC’s nerd school into an athletic powerhouse. Probably still nerds though.

• NFL Playoffs: Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos at 4:30 pm (ET) on CBS

The Bills survived the Jaguars, and now head to the Mile High City to take on one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses. Remember the Mile High Salute celebration? That was simple yet elite. Anyways, I spoke on this in the episode above, but Josh Allen has to beat all of these quarterbacks. It’s not fair, but I don’t make the rules.

• NFL Playoffs: San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks at 8:00 pm (ET) on Fox

Star TE George Kittle blew out his Achilles tendon in their Wild Card win, and it turns out we might know why if you’re willing to put on your tinfoil hats. San Francisco’s home field and practice facility sits right next to an electrical substation. Some guy on Twitter, whose credentials I don’t know, posed a theory about low-frequency electromagnetic fields degrading tendons. No clue if there is any science to support this, but the 49ers are one injured ass team. Tune in for the potential catastrophic injuries, stay to see which quarterback throws the most ridiculous interception.

Sunday, January 18th, 2026

• Women’s College Basketball: VCU Rams @ Richmond Spiders at 12:00 pm (ET) on CBSSN

Richmond F Maggie Doogan is having an absolutely absurd season. She just dropped 48 points in a triple overtime win over Davidson, and is currently 4th in the nation in scoring with an average of 24.2 PPG. Doogan is looking to repeat as A-10 Player of the Year as well as lead the Spiders to their 3rd straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The program had 3 tourney appearances combined in its pre-Doogan history.

• NFL Playoffs: Houston Texans @ New England Patriots at 3:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a quarterback play as poorly as CJ Stroud did in a blowout playoff win. He threw an interception and lost 2 of his 5 fumbles, but Houston won 30-6 thanks to its defense scoring two “Fine, I’ll do it myself!” touchdowns. I kinda want to see if he can do it again. Imagine the slurs that’ll fly if he falls ass backwards into a win in this one!

• NFL Playoffs: Los Angeles Rams @ Chicago Bears at 6:30 pm (ET) on NBC

It’s supposed to be snowing with a temperature in the teens during this one. I simply would not play in those conditions. They will, though, and snow games are almost always entertaining!

Monday, January 19th, 2026

• Women’s College Basketball: #14 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. #10 TCU Horned Frogs at 12:00 pm (ET) on Fox

The Coretta Scott King Classic! The Buckeyes’ youth movement is paying dividends. Freshmen and sophomores make up six of the nine players averaging double-digit minutes, led by Jaloni Cambridge and Kylee Kitts. Cambridge’s monster game against Illinois made her just the 3rd player in program history to top the 40-point mark. TCU, on the other hand, has five players who are in their 5th season of college hoops. That’s working out pretty well, too.

• Women’s College Basketball: #8 Michigan Wolverines vs. #5 Vanderbilt Commodores at 2:30 pm (ET) on Fox

More Coretta Scott King Classic action! Remember the shoutout I gave to Vandy AD Candice Storey Lee for what she’s done for the school’s athletic programs? Well, the Commodore women haven’t been ranked this high since she was on the team. Mikayla Blakes is the star, but freshman Aubrey Galvan has done a great job at running the point. She’s currently 4th in the SEC in assists per game. The Wolverines are 6th in the nation in scoring, so Galvan will have to be at her best if Vandy is going to stay undefeated.

• College Football: #10 Miami Hurricanes vs. #1 Indiana Hoosiers at 7:30 pm (ET) on ESPN

The Hurricanes, coached by Miami native Mario Cristobal, are playing for their first national title since 2001 in their home stadium. To win it, they have to go through Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, himself a Miami native who grew up within walking distance of Hard Rock Stadium. Aren’t you glad Notre Dame isn’t here?

Tuesday, January 20th, 2026

• On This Day In Sports History: In 1942, my grandmother was born.

Mimee, as we called her, would be 84 years old today. Of all of the ways she empowered me to become the man I am today, one of her favorites to talk about was teaching me how to play basketball. With good reason, too, because I ended up being pretty good, and it also led me down some pretty interesting paths, including writing this newsletter. She passed away peacefully at my home on December 21st, 2025. I was pleased to learn, and I bet she would be too, that it was World Basketball Day.

• Men’s College Basketball: #12 Michigan State Spartans @ Oregon Ducks at 9:00 pm (ET) on FS1

Your monthly reminder that Tom Izzo is still doing this and doing it well. He doesn’t seem like my cup of tea, but the NIL/Transfer Portal Era has run off almost all of Izzo’s coaching contemporaries, yet here he is still winning games.

Wednesday, January 21st, 2026

• On This Day In Sports History: In 1963, Hakeem Olajuwon was born.

The spark that Mimee nurtured that became a raging inferno of basketball love came from a magazine cover featuring Hakeem Olajuwon. For years, I told the story with the image in my mind of him standing with his hand on a black luxury car. Perhaps a Lexus or Mercedes? I spent a lot of time on Google trying to find it. I started going through some of my old things after Mimee died, and lo and behold, there it was. The actual magazine that started all of this. Turns out it wasn’t a car, but a piano. My bad!

• NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Charlotte Hornets at 7:00 pm (ET) on ESPN

Cooper Flagg has the hype and the headlines, but I’ve got Hornets F Kon Knueppel at the top of the Rookie of the Year race right now. He’s hitting 42.5% of his 3s on 8 attempts per game while providing a steady scoring and playmaking presence for a Charlotte team that doesn’t have a ton of consistent performers on its roster. The team is a long way away from contending, but Knueppel is the real deal. Also, his name sounds like “nipple”. C’mon, you were thinking it.

As always, thank you for reading! Make sure you’re subscribed so you get this in your inbox first thing Thursday mornings. Also, tell your friends! I’ll see you next week!