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AASM urges permanent telehealth coverage for improved sleep careMaverick McNealy finally found that loving feeling Sunday. McNealy knocked in a 5-foot putt on hole 18 of the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club to earn his first win on the PGA Tour at the 15th annual RSM Classic. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Big Lots reaches deal to keep hundreds of US stores open The discount chain Big Lots has reached a deal that will keep hundreds of its stores open. Big Lots said it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, which specializes in distressed companies. Gordon Brothers will then transfer Big Lots’ stores to other retailers. Variety Wholesalers, which owns more than 400 U.S. discount stores, plans to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and operate them under the Big Lots brand. Big Lots filed for bankruptcy protection in September, saying inflation and high interest rates had cut back on consumer demand for its furniture and other products. Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. Trump's request Friday came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The brief said Trump opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing lower as Wall Street ends a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Friday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 333 points, or 0.8%. The Nasdaq composite dropped 1.5%. The “Magnificent 7” stocks weighed on the market, led by declines in Nvidia, Tesla and Microsoft. Even with the loss, the S&P 500 had a modest gain for the week and is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62%. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14th, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. The department has taken such action in the past. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Canadian Cabinet ministers meet with Trump's nominee for commerce secretary in bid to avoid tariffs TORONTO (AP) — Two top Canadian Cabinet ministers have met with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary at Mar-a-Lago as Canada tries to avoid sweeping tariffs when Trump takes office. New Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly met with Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, as well as North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department. The meeting was a follow up to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month. Trump has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs if Canada does not stem what he calls a flow of migrants and fentanyl into the United States. Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds WASHINGTON (AP) — Most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share responsibility for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO — although not as much as the person who pulled the trigger. So says a new poll from NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that about 8 in 10 Americans say that the person who committed the killing has “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of responsibility for the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson. Still, some see suspect Luigi Mangione as a heroic figure. About 7 in 10 adults say coverage denials or health insurance profits also bear at least “a moderate amount” of responsibility for Thompson’s death. Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? Remember this moment because it probably won’t last: A U.S. lottery jackpot has soared above $1 billion, and that’s still a big deal. After three months without anyone winning the top prize, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for the drawing Friday night. The high number has evoked headlines and likely lured more people to convenience stores with dreams of private spacewalks above the Earth. Jonathan Cohen is the author of the book “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.” He says he expects jackpots to continue to grow in size. Larger payouts attract more media attention, increase ticket sales and bring in new players.
Earth Alive Clean Technologies Obtains Extension Of The Delay To File A Proposal
ISLAMABAD – The Digital Nation Pakistan Bill 2024 was presented in the National Assembly by Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima. The session, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, was adjourned until 11am the next day following the bill’s introduction. Key Features of the Bill Formation of a National Digital Commission: A 17-member commission headed by the Prime Minister, including the Chief Ministers of all provinces. The commission will also include IT Minister as Vice-Chairman, five federal ministers, Chairpersons of FBR, NADRA, PTA, SECP, and the Governor of the State Bank. Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) will be established with a three-member structure, approved by the PM. Digital Master Plan The bill aims to create a National Digital Master Plan to: Digitize governance systems. Transition Pakistan into a digital economy. Involve stakeholders for strategic planning. Monitor implementation through annual reviews. Supervisory and Financial Setup A nine-member oversight committee will supervise PDA’s activities. A Digital National Fund will be created to meet financial requirements. Centralize records, such as land, health, birth, and ID data, into one platform. Enable unified data access to track assets and activities efficiently. The bill sets a roadmap for digital transformation, aiming to enhance governance and public service delivery through technology.
Who Is the Richest Person in the World? Top Billionaires RankedAt least 37 members of Congress and their families traded defense stocks in 2024, using a list of the top 100 Pentagon contractors compiled annually by Defense Security Monitor. A Responsible Statecraft analysis of data from investment research platform Quiver Quantitative shows that these lawmakers traded between $24 million and $113 million worth of Pentagon contractor stocks this year (lawmakers merely have to provide a range for stock trading disclosures). Eight of these members even simultaneously held positions on the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, the committees overseeing defense policy and foreign relations. Members of Congress that oversee the annual defense bill and are privy to intelligence briefings have an upper hand in predicting future stock prices. But who traded the most defense stock this year? That distinction goes to Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.). Gottheimer may have faked his Spotify Wrapped — fabricating an image to make him look like a Bruce Springsteen superfan — but he can’t fake his way out of being crowned the most avid trader in Congress. Gottheimer traded at least $22 million worth of stock of the top 100 Pentagon contractors, including Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, and IBM. Microsoft — which received $414 million from the Department of Defense in 2023 for software and cloud computing services — accounted for the vast majority of his trades. Gottheimer simultaneously holds positions on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the National Security subcommittee in the Committee on Financial Services. Gottheimer says his trades are made by a third-party financial firm; “I literally have no idea what they do,” he stated in a 2022 CNBC interview. Given Springsteen’s lifelong skepticism of the military-industrial complex, I’m not sure the Boss himself would approve. The second most active defense stock trader was Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who sold over $1 million worth of Microsoft stock in late July. The FTC opened a wide-ranging anti-trust investigation into Microsoft in November. The timing of Pelosi’s Microsoft trades in the past have garnered attention, too; in March 2021, she bought Microsoft call options less than two weeks before the Army announced a $22 billion contract with the software company to supply augmented reality headsets. Pelosi had the most profitable 2024 of any lawmaker, netting an estimated $38.6 million from all stock trading activity, according to Quiver Quantitative. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who comes in at number five for defense stock trading, traded between $106,000 and $365,000 worth of defense stock while sitting on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Kean Jr. exchanged Jacobs stocks after a merger with Ammentum in September. At number six, Rep. Jonathon Jackson (D-Ill) traded between $80,003 and $200,000 worth of Pentagon contractor stock, including snapping up as much as $50,000 worth of General Dynamics stock while sitting on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala) was the seventh-most active defense stock trader. Despite his perch on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Tuberville disclosed between $63,007 and $245,000 worth of trading in defense stocks this year, selling stakes in IBM, Honeywell, and Accenture, among others. Last September, Tuberville — who owns up to 50,000 in Lockheed Martin stock — participated in an committee hearing on defense innovation headlined by Lockheed CEO James Taiclet. Tuberville has said that limiting lawmakers’ ability to trade stocks would be “ridiculous” and that “it would really cut back on the amount of people that would want to come up here and serve.” What about lawmakers who embrace the buy-and-hold strategy, rather than actively trading? In September, Sludge ’s David Moore published an investigation that found that lawmakers may own as much as $10.9 million in defense company stock. Moore also found that Honeywell — which provides sensors and guiding devices to assist the Israeli military in airstrikes in Gaza — is the most commonly-held defense company stock, followed by RTX (formerly known as Raytheon). During a hearing in June of this year, Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) held up to $250,000 worth of Boeing stock while questioning Navy officials during a hearing about repeated crashes of the V-22 Osprey, a tilt-rotor helicopter made by Bell and Boeing. Rep. Fallon left in the middle of the hearing, shaking hands with family members of Osprey crash victims on the way out. If Congress wants to wash itself of conflicts of interest it can start by passing a stock trading ban. The Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks Act, or ETHICS Act, would prohibit Members of Congress from trading individual stocks. “Lawmakers like me, we’re kind of like umpires in a baseball game, we call balls and strikes. And you definitely don’t let umpires bet on the outcome of the game,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA), who introduced the bill alongside three other Senators. The ETHICS Act passed the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs in July but has not yet had a full Senate vote.President Joe Biden announced his support of a stock trading ban this week. “I don’t know how you look your constituents in the eye and know, because the job they gave you, gave you an inside track to make more money,” said Biden.
Shares of Park Hotels & Resorts Inc. ( NYSE:PK – Get Free Report ) have earned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve brokerages that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and six have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $18.09. A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Compass Point reduced their target price on shares of Park Hotels & Resorts from $25.00 to $20.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Park Hotels & Resorts from $17.00 to $14.50 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, September 13th. Bank of America dropped their price objective on Park Hotels & Resorts from $17.00 to $16.50 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 21st. StockNews.com cut shares of Park Hotels & Resorts from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Finally, UBS Group boosted their price target on shares of Park Hotels & Resorts from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, November 18th. Get Our Latest Stock Report on Park Hotels & Resorts Institutional Inflows and Outflows Park Hotels & Resorts Stock Performance NYSE:PK opened at $15.05 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 2.02. The company has a current ratio of 1.51, a quick ratio of 1.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. Park Hotels & Resorts has a 1 year low of $13.23 and a 1 year high of $18.05. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $14.43 and a 200-day moving average of $14.75. Park Hotels & Resorts ( NYSE:PK – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 29th. The financial services provider reported $0.26 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.47 by ($0.21). Park Hotels & Resorts had a return on equity of 9.63% and a net margin of 12.66%. The business had revenue of $649.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $646.15 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.51 EPS. Park Hotels & Resorts’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Park Hotels & Resorts will post 2.09 EPS for the current fiscal year. About Park Hotels & Resorts ( Get Free Report Park is one of the largest publicly traded lodging REITs with a diverse portfolio of market-leading hotels and resorts with significant underlying real estate value. Park's portfolio currently consists of 43 premium-branded hotels and resorts with over 26,000 rooms primarily located in prime city center and resort locations. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Park Hotels & Resorts Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Park Hotels & Resorts and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Israel prosecutors indict prime minister’s aid for leaking information to German newspaperHMEIMIM, Syria (AP) — A convoy of Russian military vehicles rolled down the highway towards the city of Tartus on Monday as soldiers stood guard. Planes periodically descended and rose from Russia’s Hmeimim air base in the Syrian coastal province of Latakia while smoke rose from the base. It was unclear what was burning. In the streets of Hmeimim, a town dotted with orange groves, many of the shops bear signs in Russian, a nod to the significance of the Russian military presence. But whether and how long that presence will last after the fall of former Syrian leader Bashar Assad is now an open question. Russia’s scorched-earth intervention on behalf of its ally, Assad, once turned the tide of the Syrian civil war. In 2017, Assad’s government signed a deal with Russia that offered it a free lease of the Hmeimim air base and the Tartus naval base for 49 years. But opposition forces in the country’s northwest launched a shock offensive last month that again threatened Assad’s rule. This time, Moscow largely stood aside — although it has granted asylum to the former president and his family. On Monday, in his first public statement since his ouster, Assad said he had left Damascus for the Hmeimim air base on Dec. 8 after insurgents stormed the capital, but hadn't planned to flee the country. He said that after the base came under attack by drones, the Russians decided to evacuate him to Russia. Since Assad's departure, there have been no clashes between Russian troops and the former insurgents who have suddenly become the de facto security forces for all of Syria. That's despite the fact that many of the fighters are from areas of northern Syria that came under frequent Russian bombardment and have little love for Moscow. A fighter guarding the shuttered civilian airport next to the Hmeimim base said Monday, “The Russians are preparing to withdraw from Syria, God willing.” He gave only his nickname, Abu Saif, because he wasn't authorized to comment publicly. Russian forces have pulled out of some areas of Syria. Russian forces and military vehicles were seen withdrawing from southern Syria on Friday toward their primary base in the city of Latakia. On Thursday, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Russian forces were leaving bases in Ain Issa and Tel Al-Samn in the Al-Raqqah countryside. Satellite images released by Maxar Technologies on Friday show what appear to be cargo planes at a Russian military airfield in Syria with their nose cones opened to receive heavy equipment, along with helicopters being dismantled and prepared for transport. Moscow has reached out to the new Syrian authorities to try to ensure the security of its bases and extend its forces' stay. The three-starred flag of the Syrian revolution was quickly hoisted at the Syrian Embassy in Moscow in place of the old government's two-starred flag. In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, Obeida Arnaout, spokesman for the political department of the new transitional government, called on Russia to “reconsider its presence” in Syria, as well as its interests. But he didn't rule out the possibility that Russian forces could remain. “Their interests were linked to the criminal Assad regime. They can reconsider and take the initiatives to reach out to the new administration to show that they have no animosity toward the Syrian people, and that the era of Assad regime is finally over," Arnaout said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a call with reporters Monday that Moscow was discussing the issue with the new authorities. “We are in contact with representatives of the forces that are currently in control of the situation in the country, and all of this will be determined in the course of dialogue,” Peskov said. ___ Sarah El Deeb contributed to this report from Damascus, Syria. Abby Sewell, The Associated Press
By Dr. Nilanjan Banik On November 30, Mr. Donald Trump posted a threat on his social media, warning that if BRICS countries abandon the US dollar, they would face a 100% tariff. This is not a new threat; similar warnings have also been directed at other regions, including nearshore friendly countries such as Mexico and China, with tariff threats spreading across various geographical areas. A recent study by the National Retail Federation estimated that Trump’s proposed tariffs on apparel, toys, furniture, appliances, footwear, and travel goods could cost consumers an additional $46 billion to $78 billion annually. All of this means higher prices for the consumers, and the US sellers of Chinese goods fear a loss in business due to the price hikes induced by the tariffs. While China is expected to bear the brunt of the tariffs, other neighbouring countries, including India, are not likely to be exempted. Not only did Trump label India as the “tariff king”, but he also removed the country from the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), during his last tenure as President. Under the GSP, established by the Trade Act of 1974, US policymakers allowed imports of around 3,500 products from designated beneficiary countries—primarily low-income nations—at a preferential duty-free (zero-tariff) rate. The aim was to help these countries increase and diversify their trade with the US. According to the World Bank, a “low-income” country is one with a per capita income of less than $1,045 per year in 2023. With India’s per capita income at around $2,700 annually, Trump’s position is technically correct: Indian firms may no longer qualify for preferential treatment under the GSP, given that India no longer meets the low-income threshold. As the US remains India’s largest export destination, it is only natural to feel the pressure with increasingly restrictive trade measures in place. Around 18% of India’s total exports are directed to the US, with a value of $77 billion in 2023, and $78 billion in 2022. However, if previous restrictive trade measures, including the withdrawal of GSP, are any indication, then the impact has been relatively modest. A quick review of the items qualified under the GSP reveals that they primarily fall under categories such as textiles and apparel, watches, footwear, work gloves, automotive components, and leather apparel. India’s exports to the US are mainly comprised of diamonds (19%), packaged medicaments (14%), refined petroleum products (8.9%), automotive components (2.1%), and textiles and apparel (3.7%). The percentages in parentheses represent the share of each category in India’s total exports to the US. Among these key export categories, some items within textiles and apparel and automotive components were included in the GSP list. Additionally, exports of organic chemicals, steel, and certain engineering goods—such as nuclear boilers, machinery, and mechanical appliances—were also impacted by the withdrawal of GSP benefits. However, the value of these items as a proportion of total Indian exports to the US is relatively small. During the previous period of the Trump administration, he imposed tariffs primarily on items such as toys, household appliances, footwear, travel goods, apparel, and furniture. Again, these items do not feature among India’s top exportable items. In 2023, India became the second-largest exporter of refined petroleum, with exports valued at $85 billion and a global market share of 12.6%. Other major exports from India include insecticides and fungicides (10.5%), steel (12.7%), beet sugar (12.21%), rubber tyres (3.31%), and gemstones (36%), with the global market share figures indicated in parentheses. Therefore, from the perspective of Trump’s tariffs and a hawkish trade policy measures has little to explain India’s burgeoning trade deficit. Most of India’s key exports are income-sensitive, and weak global demand is having an impact. On the other hand, a strong Indian economy drives higher demand for energy and fossil fuels, the majority of which are imported. The government took several steps to address the widening current account deficit. India continues to import discounted oil from Russia, with its share in the trade basket rising from 1% to 22%. Last year, India banned the export of 100% broken rice, used in ethanol production. To curb gold imports, customs tariffs were increased from 7.5% to 12.5%. Initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes aimed at boosting export competitiveness are also undertaken. However, the contribution of manufacturing value added to GDP remains stagnant at 17%, indicating no significant improvement in manufacturing competitiveness. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), a key driver of technology transfer and manufacturing competitiveness, is declining, with gross FDI flows dropping to just 1% and net FDI falling to 0.6% in the first half of the 2023-24 financial year—levels not seen since 2005-06. Rigidities in the business environment, the inverted duty structure (IDS), and India’s decision to terminate bilateral treaties are to be blamed for discouraging flow of FDI. Consider two of the most important sectors dominated by foreign manufacturing giants, namely, automobiles and carbonated soft drinks (CSDs). Both these industry attract highest possible rate of goods and services tax (GST) which is 28% with additional cess taking up the total duty to up to 40%. India stands out for imposing high taxes on CSDs, unlike the global practice of taxing sugary beverages. The high taxes on low- and zero-sugar CSDs contradict WHO recommendations and those of health experts, who favour a tax based on sugar content. Over 120 countries have adopted layered tax policies, where lower sugar content attracts lower taxes, to encourage healthier product reformulation. Similarly, when state governments impose high road taxes on automobiles, the assumption that demand is inelastic and consumers will pay regardless is ultimately undermining foreign investments. A recent study of 1,464 tariff lines across textiles, electronics, chemicals, and metals reveals how the IDS is hurting competitiveness, with 136 items from textiles, 179 from electronics, 64 from chemicals, and 191 from metals most affected. For example, apparel items priced below $14 (Rs 1,000) are subject to a GST of 5%, while those exceeding $14 are taxed at 12%. In fact, the government has recently proposed that garments priced between Rs 1,500 and Rs 10,000 will be taxed at 18%, while apparel priced above Rs 10,000 will fall under the highest GST slab of 28%. This level of hike in indirect tax can undermine export competitiveness and increase price up to 8% in the world market. For textile manufacturers, there are also significant investments required in value-added services such as marketing, warehouse rentals, logistics, courier services, and other fulfilment costs. However, these additional services are taxed at a higher GST rate of 18%. This creates an inverted duty structure, where the tax on inputs is higher than the tax on the final product. During his last tenure, Trump positioned himself more as a major arms dealer, focused on selling more weapons. India has contracted for nearly $20 billion worth of US origin defense items since 2008. This trend is likely to continue in a potential Trump 2.0. India, for its part, should focus less on tariffs and more on addressing domestic distortions. (IPA Service) (The author is Professor in Economics, Mahindra UniversitSahana Ramesh: Advancing Cloud Solutions with Expertise in Compliance and Agile Management
After three losses this year by a combined eight points, Northwestern has found the finishing touch, winning three straight games, all against power conference teams. Northwestern (9-3) tries to extend its streak Sunday in Evanston, Ill., when it takes on Northeastern (8-4) in the final nonconference game for each team. Making a difference recently for the Wildcats has been their defensive pressure and care of the ball. During the Wildcats' three-game run, which included a 70-66 win in overtime against then-No. 19 Illinois, they forced 45 turnovers while committing just 18. That translates to a 43-16 edge in points off the mistakes. "That's something we've really talked about as a team," Northwestern coach Chris Collins said after an 84-64 win over DePaul on Dec. 21. "We're a really good defensive team and we need to turn some of those live-ball turnovers, so points can come a little easier." Brooks Barnhizer has done a little bit of everything during the Wildcats' mini-streak, averaging 19.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 steals, 3.3 assists and 2.7 blocks. Nick Martinelli has continued to excel with his rare skill set, combining crafty work in the paint with his expanded range from the perimeter. The left-hander has averaged 22 points in the last three games. For the year, Martinelli has hit 14 of 25 shots (56 percent) from beyond the arc. For Northeastern of the Coastal Athletic Association, this is the only game on its schedule against a power conference team. In 19 seasons under coach Bill Coen, Northeastern has pulled off nine victories over major conference foes. With an all-junior starting lineup, the Huskies are off to their best start since the 2015-16 season. Northeastern is led by guards Rashad King, who averages 17.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, and Harold Woods, who puts up 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Considering both are perimeter players, the rebounding numbers are extraordinary, especially for the 6-foot-5 Woods. "He hunts for those offensive rebounds and the tight spaces where he can finish behind the defense," Coen said. "And he works on that daily." This is the first meeting of the teams since 1993. The Wildcats hold a 3-1 edge in the series. --Field Level Media