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NoneALPHARETTA, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 9, 2024-- Jackson Acquisition Company II (the “Company”) announced today that it priced its initial public offering of 20,000,000 units at $10.00 per unit. The units will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and will trade under the ticker symbol “JACS.U” beginning December 10, 2024. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share and one right to receive one-tenth (1/10) of a Class A ordinary share upon the consummation of an initial business combination. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and rights are expected to be listed on the NYSE under the symbols “JACS” and “JACS.R,” respectively. The offering is expected to close on December 11, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. The Company, led by Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer Richard L. Jackson, is a special purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue an initial business combination in any industry, the Company intends to concentrate its search on businesses with a focus on healthcare services, healthcare technology, or otherwise focused on the healthcare industry. Roth Capital Partners is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering. The Company has granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the prospectus may be obtained from Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400, Newport Beach, CA 92660, (800) 678-9147 or by accessing the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov . A registration statement relating to the securities was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 9, 2024. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the Company’s proposed initial public offering and the Company’s search for and/or completion of an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the offering will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the Company will complete an initial business combination. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks, conditions and other uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the Company’s offering filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Copies of these documents are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209829813/en/ CONTACT: Richard L. Jackson Jackson Acquisition Company II (678) 690-1079 KEYWORD: GEORGIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Jackson Acquisition Company II Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/09/2024 06:09 PM/DISC: 12/09/2024 06:09 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241209829813/en
Total Revenues of $699.2M , up 13% Year Over Year Subscription Services Revenues of $580.9M , up 17% Year Over Year PLEASANTON, Calif. , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Veeva Systems Inc. (NYSE: VEEV), a leading provider of industry cloud solutions for the global life sciences industry, today announced results for its third quarter ended October 31, 2024. "It was a great quarter of innovation and excellent execution across the board," said CEO Peter Gassner . "Especially significant was the hard work for the long term. We deepened a number of large, highly strategic relationships and are set to deliver the next generation of CRM this month with Vault CRM Suite to connect sales, marketing, and medical – a first for the industry." Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter Results: "We delivered results ahead of guidance on all metrics, reflecting our operational discipline and the durability of our model," said CFO Brian Van Wagener . "With a clear product strategy, focused execution, and large market opportunity we are well positioned for strong growth and profitability for many years to come." Recent Highlights: Financial Outlook: Veeva is providing guidance for its fiscal fourth quarter ending January 31, 2025 as follows: Veeva is providing updated guidance for its fiscal year ending January 31, 2025 as follows: Conference Call Information Prepared remarks and an investor presentation providing additional information and analysis can be found on Veeva's investor relations website at ir.veeva.com . Veeva will host a Q&A conference call at 2:00 p.m. PT today, December 5, 2024, and a replay of the call will be available on Veeva's investor relations website. What: Veeva Systems Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter Results Conference Call When: Thursday, December 5, 2024 Time: 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET) Online Registration: https://registrations.events/direct/Q4I86021395 Webcast: ir.veeva.com ___________ (1) The customer contracting change that standardized termination for convenience (TFC) rights in our master subscription agreements resulted in a change in the timing of revenue for certain customer contracts and reduced revenues, operating income and non-GAAP operating income, and net income and non-GAAP net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. (2) This press release uses non-GAAP financial metrics that are adjusted for the impact of various GAAP items. See the section titled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and the tables entitled "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for details. (3) Veeva is not able, at this time, to provide GAAP targets for operating income and fully diluted net income per share for the fourth fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2025 or the fiscal year ending January 31, 2025 because of the difficulty of estimating certain items excluded from non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP fully diluted net income per share that cannot be reasonably predicted, such as charges related to stock-based compensation expense. The effect of these excluded items may be significant. About Veeva Systems Veeva is the global leader in cloud software for the life sciences industry. Committed to innovation, product excellence, and customer success, Veeva serves more than 1,000 customers, ranging from the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Veeva is committed to balancing the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders and the industries it serves. For more information, visit veeva.com . Veeva uses its ir.veeva.com website as a means of disclosing material non-public information, announcing upcoming investor conferences, and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, you should monitor our investor relations website in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts. Forward-looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements regarding Veeva's expected future performance and, in particular, includes quotes from management and guidance, provided as of December 5, 2024, about Veeva's expected future financial results. Estimating guidance accurately for future periods is difficult. It involves assumptions and internal estimates that may prove to be incorrect and is based on plans that may change. Hence, there is a significant risk that actual results could differ materially from the guidance we have provided in this release and we have no obligation to update such guidance. There are also numerous risks that have the potential to negatively impact our financial performance, including issues related to the performance, availability, security, or privacy of our products, competitive factors, customer decisions and priorities, events that impact the life sciences industry, general macroeconomic and geopolitical events (including inflationary pressures, changes in interest rates, currency exchange fluctuations and impacts related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict), and issues that impact our ability to hire, retain and adequately compensate talented employees. We have summarized what we believe are the principal risks to our business in a section titled "Summary of Risk Factors" on pages 36 and 37 in our filing on Form 10-Q for the period ended July 31, 2024 which you can find here . Additional details on the risks and uncertainties that may impact our business can be found in the same filing on Form 10-Q and in our subsequent SEC filings, which you can access at sec.gov . We recommend that you familiarize yourself with these risks and uncertainties before making an investment decision. Investor Relations Contact: Media Contact: Gunnar Hansen Maria Scurry Veeva Systems Inc. Veeva Systems Inc. 267-460-5839 781-366-7617 ir@veeva.com pr@veeva.com VEEVA SYSTEMS INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands) (Unaudited) October 31, 2024 January 31, 2024 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,044,511 $ 703,487 Short-term investments 4,018,475 3,324,269 Accounts receivable, net 255,817 852,172 Unbilled accounts receivable 45,472 36,365 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 82,885 86,918 Total current assets 5,447,160 5,003,211 Property and equipment, net 55,695 58,532 Deferred costs, net 22,515 23,916 Lease right-of-use assets 60,325 45,602 Goodwill 439,877 439,877 Intangible assets, net 48,527 63,017 Deferred income taxes 322,652 233,463 Other long-term assets 56,102 43,302 Total assets $ 6,452,853 $ 5,910,920 Liabilities and stockholders ' equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 31,845 $ 31,513 Accrued compensation and benefits 34,634 43,433 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 30,906 32,980 Income tax payable 10,803 11,862 Deferred revenue 739,657 1,049,761 Lease liabilities 9,156 9,334 Total current liabilities 857,001 1,178,883 Deferred income taxes 475 2,052 Lease liabilities, noncurrent 62,545 46,441 Other long-term liabilities 31,429 38,720 Total liabilities 951,450 1,266,096 Stockholders' equity: Common stock 2 2 Additional paid-in capital 2,248,890 1,915,002 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (6,459) (10,637) Retained earnings 3,258,970 2,740,457 Total stockholders' equity 5,501,403 4,644,824 Total liabilities and stockholders ' equity $ 6,452,853 $ 5,910,920 VEEVA SYSTEMS INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (In thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited) Three months ended October 31, Nine months ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenues: Subscription services (4) $ 580,850 $ 494,912 $ 1,676,082 $ 1,380,095 Professional services and other (5) 118,357 121,593 349,651 352,960 Total revenues 699,207 616,505 2,025,733 1,733,055 Cost of revenues (6) : Cost of subscription services 82,638 74,435 239,577 213,179 Cost of professional services and other 91,751 93,247 279,068 290,184 Total cost of revenues 174,389 167,682 518,645 503,363 Gross profit 524,818 448,823 1,507,088 1,229,692 Operating expenses (6) : Research and development 172,411 161,278 511,551 465,466 Sales and marketing 98,695 96,773 297,524 282,269 General and administrative 72,359 62,283 195,001 187,887 Total operating expenses 343,465 320,334 1,004,076 935,622 Operating income 181,353 128,489 503,012 294,070 Other income, net 60,937 42,187 171,239 111,260 Income before income taxes 242,290 170,676 674,251 405,330 Income tax provision 56,482 35,518 155,738 27,023 Net income $ 185,808 $ 135,158 $ 518,513 $ 378,307 Net income per share: Basic $ 1.15 $ 0.84 $ 3.21 $ 2.36 Diluted $ 1.13 $ 0.83 $ 3.15 $ 2.32 Weighted-average shares used to compute net income per share: Basic 161,987 160,768 161,707 160,344 Diluted 164,979 163,761 164,838 163,129 Other comprehensive income: Net change in unrealized (loss) gain on available-for-sale investments $ (738) $ (2,637) $ 5,576 $ (6,100) Net change in cumulative foreign currency translation loss (146) (518) (1,398) (309) Comprehensive income $ 184,924 $ 132,003 $ 522,691 $ 371,898 (4) Includes subscription services revenues from the following product areas: Veeva Commercial Solutions $ 278,377 $ 251,167 $ 811,503 $ 733,921 Veeva R&D Solutions 302,473 243,745 864,579 646,174 Total subscription services $ 580,850 $ 494,912 $ 1,676,082 $ 1,380,095 (5) Includes professional services and other revenues from the following product areas: Veeva Commercial Solutions $ 45,855 $ 47,899 $ 139,695 $ 140,082 Veeva R&D Solutions 72,502 73,694 209,956 212,878 Total professional services and other $ 118,357 $ 121,593 $ 349,651 $ 352,960 (6) Includes stock-based compensation as follows:
Technology stocks helped pull stocks lower on Wall Street Wednesday, handing the market its first loss in more than a week. The S&P 500 fell 0.4%, even though more stocks in the index notched gains than ended lower. The loss snapped a seven-day winning streak for the benchmark index. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, its first loss after five gains. The Dow and S&P 500 remain near the all-time highs they set on Tuesday. The Nasdaq composite, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, fell 0.6%. Losses for tech heavyweights like Nvidia, Microsoft and Broadcom were the drag on the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia fell 1.2%. Its huge value gives it outsized influence on market indexes. Microsoft fell 1.2% and Broadcom finished 3.1% lower. Several personal computer makers also helped pull the market lower following their latest earnings reports. HP sank 11.4% after giving investors a weaker-than-expected earnings forecast for its current quarter. Dell slid 12.2% after its latest quarterly revenue fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Gains for financial and health care companies helped temper the market's losses. Berkshire Hathaway rose 0.9% and Merck & Co. added 1.5%. All told, the S&P 500 fell 22.89 points to 5,998.74, while the Dow dropped 138.25 points to 44,722.06. The Nasdaq fell 115.10 points to 19,060.48. Traders also had their eye on new reports on the economy and inflation Wednesday. The U.S. economy expanded at a healthy 2.8% annual pace from July through September, according to the Commerce Department, leaving its original estimate of third-quarter growth unchanged. The growth was driven by strong consumer spending and a surge in exports. The update followed a report on Tuesday from the Conference Board that said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Consumers have been driving economic growth, but the latest round of earnings reports from retailers shows a mixed and more cautious picture. Department store operator Nordstrom fell 8.1% after warning investors about a trend toward weakening sales that started in late October. Clothing retailer Urban Outfitters jumped 18.3% after beating analysts’ third-quarter financial forecasts. Weeks earlier, retail giant Target gave investors a discouraging forecast for the holiday season, while Walmart provided a more encouraging forecast. Consumers, though resilient, are still facing pressure from inflation. The latest update from the U.S. government shows that inflation accelerated last month. The personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE, rose to 2.3% in October from 2.1% in September. Overall, the rate of inflation has been falling broadly since it peaked more than two years ago. The PCE, which is the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, was just below 7.3% in June of 2022. Another measure of inflation, the consumer price index, peaked at 9.1% at the same time. The latest inflation data, though, is a sign that the rate of inflation seems to be stalling as it falls to within range of the Fed's target of 2%. The central bank started raising its benchmark interest rate from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023 and held it there in order to tame inflation. The Fed started cutting its benchmark interest rate in September, followed by a second cut in November. Wall Street expects a similar quarter-point cut at the central bank's upcoming meeting in December. “Today’s data shouldn’t change views of the likely path for disinflation, however bumpy," said David Alcaly, lead macroeconomic strategist at Lazard Asset Management. "But a lot of observers, probably including some at the Fed, are looking for reasons to get more hawkish on the outlook given the potential for inflationary policy change like new tariffs.” President-elect Donald Trump has said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China when he takes office in January. That could shock the economy by raising prices on a wide range of goods and accelerating the rate of inflation. Such a shift could prompt the Fed to rethink future cuts to interest rates. Treasury yields slipped in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.25% from 4.30% late Tuesday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely follows expected actions by the Fed, fell to 4.22% from 4.25% late Tuesday. U.S. markets will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving, and will reopen for a half day on Friday.Airport surfaces most likely to have a deadly virus lurking on themWILMINGTON, Del., Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InterDigital, Inc. (Nasdaq: IDCC), a mobile, video and AI technology research and development company, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.45 per share on its common stock, payable on January 22, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 8, 2025. About InterDigital ® InterDigital is a global research and development company focused primarily on wireless, video, artificial intelligence (“AI”), and related technologies. We design and develop foundational technologies that enable connected, immersive experiences in a broad range of communications and entertainment products and services. We license our innovations worldwide to companies providing such products and services, including makers of wireless communications devices, consumer electronics, IoT devices, cars and other motor vehicles, and providers of cloud-based services such as video streaming. As a leader in wireless technology, our engineers have designed and developed a wide range of innovations that are used in wireless products and networks, from the earliest digital cellular systems to 5G and today’s most advanced Wi-Fi technologies. We are also a leader in video processing and video encoding/decoding technology, with a significant AI research effort that intersects with both wireless and video technologies. Founded in 1972, InterDigital is listed on Nasdaq. InterDigital is a registered trademark of InterDigital, Inc. For more information, visit: www.interdigital.com . InterDigital Contact: investor.relations@interdigital.com +1 (302) 300-1857
The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice. Investments in a currency other than sterling are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in sterling terms. You could lose money in sterling even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK. When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in. You're reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool's Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources , and more. Learn More . Looking for dividend growth stocks? These FTSE 100 stocks are expected to deliver strong payout growth over the next couple of years at least. BAE Systems Dividend yield: 2.5% for 2024, 2.7% for 2025 The stable nature of arms spending means defence tends to be a rock-solid sector for dividends. This is especially the case today, as fractures in the... Royston WildBills' letdowns on defense, special teams and clock management in loss to Rams are all too familiar
Nendah Tarke scores 24 to help Towson defeat Morgan State 64-60
Apple may soon bring live, immersive sports to Vision ProTrump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and RussiaVeeva Announces Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter ResultsFormer Google CEO Alarmed by Teen Boys Falling in Love With AI Girlfriends
Andrej Stojakovic made 11 free throws to help craft a team-high 20 points, freshman Jeremiah Wilkinson had his second consecutive big game off the bench and Cal ran its winning streak to three with an 83-77 nonconference victory over Sacramento State on Sunday afternoon in Berkeley, Calif. Wilkinson finished with 16 points and Rytis Petraitis 13 for the Golden Bears (5-1), whose only loss this season was at Vanderbilt. Jacob Holt went for a season-high 25 points for the Hornets (1-4), who dropped their fourth straight after a season-opening win over Cal State Maritime. Seeking a fourth straight home win, Cal led by as many as 12 points in the first half and 40-33 at halftime before Sacramento State rallied. The Hornets used a 14-5 burst out of the gate following the intermission to grab a 47-45 lead. Julian Vaughns had a 3-pointer and three-point play in the run. But Cal dominated pretty much the rest of the game, taking the lead for good on a Petraitis 3-pointer with 14:50 remaining. Stojakovic, a transfer from rival Stanford, went 11-for-15 at the foul line en route to his third 20-point game of the young season. Cal outscored Sacramento State 26-17 on free throws to more than account for the margin of victory. Coming off a 23-point explosion in his first extended action of the season, Wilkinson hit five of his 10 shots Sunday. The Golden Bears outshot the Hornets 47.2 percent to 43.1 percent. Joshua Ola-Joseph contributed 10 points and six rebounds, Mady Sissoko also had 10 points and Petraitis found time for a team-high five assists. Holt complemented his 25 points with a game-high eight rebounds. He made four 3-pointers, as did Vaughns en route to 18 points, helping Sacramento State outscore Cal 30-21 from beyond the arc. EJ Neal added 16 points for the Hornets, while Emil Skytta tied for game-high assist honors with five to go with seven points. --Field Level MediaFreeport Blue Santa getting community's helpReports: Bill Belichick interviews for North Carolina job
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Chaz Lanier scored 18 and No. 7 Tennessee extended its season-opening winning streak to seven games with a 78-35 victory over UT Martin on Wednesday. Felix Okpara had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Volunteers (7-0). Zakai Zeigler added 11 points and nine assists, and Igor Milicic had 13 rebounds and nine points. The Skyhawks (2-5) were led by Josu Grullon's 15 points. Lanier scored 11 points in the first half as Tennessee built a 35-20 lead at the half. Grullon had 10 for UT Martin. UT Martin: Dropped its fifth straight after two opening wins under first-year coach Jeremy Shulman. After 21 wins last year, the Skyhawks brought in 16 newcomers this season. They are picked to finish 10th in the Ohio Valley Conference. Tennessee: After receiving the news that 6-foot-9 sophomore J.P. Estrella will miss the entire season with a foot injury, the Vols have had to go back to the drawing board to determine their rotation on the front court. Estrella had been coming off the bench with Cade Phillips to spell Igor Milicic and Felix Okpara. What that big man rotation looks like will be interesting. From late in the first half to early in the second half, Tennessee scored 14 straight points and turned a 10-point lead into a 44-20 advantage. Zakai Zeigler had five of those points. UT Martin committed 18 turnovers. Five of those were shot-clock violations. Tennessee scored 24 points off the turnovers. UT Martin will be at Charleston Southern next Tuesday. Tennessee will host Syracuse next Tuesday in the SEC/ACC Challenge. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Rain could impact Thanksgiving football games, road races WBZ-TV's Kristina Rex reports.ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Iowa men’s basketball team dropped its first true road game of the season with an 85-83 loss to Michigan on Saturday. The Wolverines (8-1, 2-0, Big Ten) shot 55% from the field and outrebounded the Hawkeyes (7-2, 1-1 Big Ten) 45-30 to earn a narrow victory. Michigan center Danny Wolf, left, is fouled by Iowa forward Pryce Sandfort (24) while going to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery told the Hawkeye Radio Network the loss reminded him of Iowa’s first loss of the season, a 77-69 defeat suffered against Utah State. “They jumped us,” McCaffery said. “And, we struggled (shooting) the ball early. ... I thought our shot selection was pretty good. We had good shooters, shooting good shots. They did not go. “It was a hard-fought game that was up and down, both teams playing fast, both teams pressing a little bit. They are just exhausted physically, but also emotionally ... (I am) just really proud of that fight.” The Hawkeyes made just two of their first 14 field goal attempts, allowing the Wolverines to build a 20-4 lead over the first seven minutes. Iowa rallied with a 12-2 surge over the next five minutes to trim the lead to 22-16 with 8:32 remaining in the half. Payton and Pryce Sandfort accounted for eight points during the run. Iowa guard Josh Dix (4) goes to the basket past Michigan center Danny Wolf (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) Six points from Drew Thelwell helped further whittle away Michigan’s advantage and a three-pointer from Josh Dix with 4:33 remaining in the half cut the lead to 28-26. The Wolverines outscored the Hawkeyes 12-11 to close the first half and take a 40-37 lead into the half. Iowa took its first lead of the game three minutes into the second half, a 45-44 advantage, as Dix raced the full length of the floor after corralling a defensive rebound and connected on a layup through contact. Michigan took the lead back for good two minutes later with a 7-0 run capped by a layup and triple from Will Tschetter. The Wolverines pulled away as the Hawkeyes went without a field goal for a four-minute stretch between the 12:02 and 8:01 marks of the second half, allowing Michigan to build a 70-61 advantage. Iowa guard Josh Dix (4) goes past Michigan forward Sam Walters (24) for a dunk during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) A 10-2 run in the final 2:17 of the contest, which included two clutch threes from Payton Sandfort, allowed Iowa to tie the game at 83-83 with 20 seconds remaining. A goaltending violation against Owen Freeman with three seconds to play and a Pryce Sandfort missed three at the buzzer allowed Michigan to escape with a win. Five Hawkeyes reached double figures with Payton Sandfort posting a team-high 19. Dix (16), Pryce Sandfort (16), Freeman (13) and Thelwell (10) rounded out the quintet. Valdislav Glodin led the Wolverines with a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds. Trae Donaldson (18), Rodd Gayle Jr. (17), Danny Wolf (13) and Tschetter (13) also reached double figures. Iowa returns to action for a home matchup against No. 6 Iowa State (6-1, 0-0 Big 12) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Iowa forward Pryce Sandfort (24) drives against Michigan guard L.J. Cason,left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) Thelwell entered Saturday’s contest with Iowa trailing 14-4. The Morehead State transfer remained on the floor for the final 14:25 of the first half and orchestrate the Hawkeyes comeback. From sparking a secondary run after Iowa’s initial comeback rally, to getting a jumper to go with 36 seconds to play to knot the game at 37-37. The winningest player in Morehead State program history with a hand in 94 wins in four season with the Eagles, Thelwell finished the first half as Iowa’s leading scorer with 10 points (tied with Pryce Sandfort) on 5-of-8 shooting and finished plus-7 while on the floor. He also dished two assists and nabbed a steal. Prior to the start of the season, McCaffery highlighted Thelwell’s track record of success. “When you are the all-time winningest player in a program’s history, that is an incredible statement,” McCaffery said. “They won 27 games last year, and he was the point guard.” After falling behind 20-4 with 12:48 remaining in the first half, Iowa outscored the Wolverines 79-65 for the remainder of the game while shooting 30-of-62 (48.4%) during the stretch. Despite their strong play to close out the game, the 16-point deficit allowed Michigan to weather the Hawkeyes’ numerous rallies and hold on for the win. Iowa’s ability to overcome the deficit is a positive thing to take away from the win. On a different day, the Hawkeyes cruise to a win. That day was, unfortunately, not Saturday. “We just learned we cannot have any of those lulls,” Pryce Sandfort said. “They wanted a big run and I think we did a great job stopping it, but it would have been great if we would have stopped it a little bit earlier. It got to be a pretty big lead.” Iowa forward Owen Freeman (32) gets hit in the face by Michigan center Vladislav Goldin (50) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson) McCaffery set the bar for the Hawkeyes’ 2024-25 season during his media day press conference. “We expect to be really good,” McCaffery said. We expect to win a lot of games. ... We expect to contend night in and night out in a very difficult league.” Following a hard-fought win over Northwestern on Tuesday, Iowa showed grit against Michigan in its ability to erase the lopsided first seven minutes of action. “I loved our team fight,” Sandfort said. “It just shows what this team is about. We are gritty. We are going to fight you all the way to that final buzzer. We just came up short tonight.” Despite the loss, Iowa’s 1-1 start to Big Ten play marks its best start since the 2020-21 season. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Voting closed on Saturday evening in most polling centres throughout Ghana, bringing to an end the presidential and legislative elections poised to be a litmus test for democracy in a region shaken by extremist violence and coups. The capital, Accra, was almost a ghost town for much of the day. Even vibrant Oxford Street, one of the city’s commercial hubs, saw little activity on the day that Ghanaians went to the polls to elect a new president and 276 legislators. About 18.7 million people are registered to vote in the West African country hit by one of the worst economic crises in a generation. However, the two main candidates offer little hope for change for the nation. Early results were expected late on Saturday. The first official results will be released by Tuesday. Ghana used to be a poster child for democracy in the region. At a time when coups threatened democracy in West Africa, Ghana has emerged as a beacon of democratic stability with a history of peaceful elections. It had also been an economic powerhouse, priding itself on its economic development. But in recent years, it has struggled with a profound economic crisis, including surging inflation and a lack of jobs. According to an opinion poll released earlier this year by Afrobarometer, a research group, 82% of Ghanaians feel their country is headed in the wrong direction. Although 12 candidates are running to become Ghana’s next president, Saturday’s election – like previous ones since the return of multiparty politics in 1992 – has emerged as a two-horse race. Vice president Mahamudu Bawumia is the candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party, or NPP, which has struggled to resolve the economic crisis. He faces off against former president John Dramani Mahama, the leader of the main opposition party National Democratic Congress, or NDC. He was voted out in 2016 after failing to deliver on promises for the economy. Opinion polls point at a potential comeback for Mr Mahama. A local research company, Global InfoAnalytics says he is projected to get 52.2% of the vote, followed by Mr Bawumia, with 41.4%.BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Coach Hansi Flick was sent off for protesting a penalty decision and Barcelona was held at Real Betis to 2-2 in La Liga on Saturday. Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé helped Real Madrid close on the leaders. Flick showed his frustration over a decision to send Betis to the spot, but he also said after the match that his youthful team, which included two 17-year-old starters, must improve. “We are a young team and we need to improve a lot,” Flick said. “We must be stronger, especially when we play away. We have quality, but we have to show it in every game.” Flick disagreed with the referee’s decision to grant a penalty following a video review when Betis forward Vitor Roque fell in the area following a brush with Frenkie de Jong. Giovani Lo Celso converted the 66th-minute penalty to level the score after Robert Lewandowski put the visitors ahead in the 38th with his league-leading 16th goal. Substitute Ferran Torres scored from a pass by Lamine Yamal to put Barcelona back in front in the 82nd, but Assane Diao struck in injury time to secure the draw for Betis. Barcelona has dropped points in four of the last five rounds. Its latest slip in Seville let Madrid close to within two points with a game still to play after it rolled to a 3-0 win at Girona. Flick said he was surprised by the referee’s decision to expel him, but refused to criticize his sending off or the penalty decision that came after the ref viewed video replays. “I said nothing really to anyone, it was a reaction for myself,” the former Bayern Munich boss said about his alleged protest. “I am really disappointed about (the sending off) because that has never happened to me, but maybe here (in Spain) it is like this.” Bellingham rifled in a loose ball for the 36th-minute opener and extended his scoring streak to five rounds. He then set up Arda Guler to double Madrid's lead in the 55th when he threaded a long ball through Girona's defense. About five minutes later the England midfielder asked to be substituted for an apparent left-thigh injury, although coach Carlo Ancelotti said he was “fine” and left the game for precaution. Mbappé capped the victory with a goal from a tight angle, helping him rebound from his failure to score a penalty in a loss at Athletic Bilbao midweek. Madrid lost left back Ferland Mendy to an apparent leg issue as well. Madrid was already missing defenders Éder Militao and Dani Carvajal to serious leg injuries, and coach Carlo Ancelotti said David Alaba won't be fit to play until January. Madrid visits Atalanta on Tuesday in the Champions League, where it has lost three of five matches. After outscoring opponents 29-5 during a run of seven straight wins that included big victories over Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, Barcelona has hit its first dip in form since Flick’s arrival last summer. The skid over the past month includes its first home loss to the modest Las Palmas in over 50 years and wasting a 2-0 lead in a draw at Celta Vigo. Barcelona bounced back with a 5-1 win at Mallorca this week, but the draw at Betis may be the most worrying setback for Flick yet. His team could have lost if it wasn’t for the goalkeeping of Iñaki Peña, who among his saves turned back a powerful point blank strike by Chimy Ávila. Flick said his team played poorly and its only “good play” in the first half was the pass by Jules Koundé that set up Lewandowski. His remedy was for his team to speed up its passing game and reduce the number of long balls that Flick said were not his team's strength. Flick also defended substituting Lewandowski, Raphinha, Pedri, and Dani Olmo — the team's best attacking players along with Yamal — for the need to rest them ahead of Barcelona's Champions League game at Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. Yamal put Barcelona back in charge after he threaded the ball through the Betis backline for Torres to score. That was the 17-year-old’s league-leading ninth assist. Diao, however, unleashed the celebrations in Benito Villamarin Stadium when he used the inside of his right leg to redirect a cross by Aitor Rubial just inside the far post of Peña’s net. “We are disappointed because we missed a chance to get a win by conceding a late goal,” Koundé said. “We let them take the game to us.” Manuel Pellegrini’s team remained in 11th place after ending a run of seven consecutive home losses to Barcelona. Isco Alarcon returned to the field for the first time since the Betis midfielder broke a bone in his left fibula in May. The former Real Madrid playmaker played the final minutes as a substitute. Valencia's disgruntled supporters jeered their team after a 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano left it in the relegation zone. Las Palmas also beat last-placed Valladolid 2-1. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer