DAVE SKRETTA

Sports writer

Skretta is a Kansas City-based sports writer for The Associated Press. He covers the Royals, the Chiefs and college sports along with auto racing, the Olympics and other sports.

Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes hitting the road for first time in the playoffs to play Buffalo

Patrick Mahomes will be hitting the road for the first time in the playoffs when the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round Sunday night.

Some of college basketball’s great regular-season games have shaped the AP Top 25

Those last-second shots and breathtaking upsets that make the NCAA Tournament so great tend to get remembered the most by fans.

Patrick Mahomes’ helmet shattered during last week’s playoff. The manufacturer says it ‘did its job’

The manufacturer of the helmet that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes shattered during their AFC wild-card game with Miami says it “did its job” by protecting him on a helmet-to-helmet collision Saturday night.

Kaluma’s 4-point play in overtime helps Kansas State rally past No. 9 Baylor, 68-64

Arthur Kaluma converted a four-point play to give Kansas State the lead with 20 seconds left in overtime, and Tylor Perry added a pair of free throws with 6.9 seconds to go, helping the Wildcats beat No. 9 Baylor 68-64 on Tuesday night.

The Chiefs have learned to lean on their defense when their offense is struggling to score

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins in the wild-card round of the playoffs by leaning on their defense, rather than relying on their once-potent offense.

The best programs in college basketball and the iconic venues they call home sweet home

Some of the great programs in college basketball have called some of the sport’s iconic venues home.

Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill tastes frigid defeat in his long-awaited return to Kansas City

So much for Tyreek Hill’s triumphant return to Kansas City. The All-Pro wide receiver had a long touchdown catch for the Miami Dolphins but was otherwise shut down Saturday night as the Chiefs rolled to a 26-7 victory in their wild-card playoff game.

Patrick Mahomes leads Chiefs to 26-7 playoff win over Dolphins in near-record low temps

Patrick Mahomes threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, leading the Chiefs to a 26-7 rout of the Dolphins in the fourth-coldest game in NFL history.

Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes has helmet shattered during playoff game vs. Miami

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had his helmet shattered on a hit from Miami Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott during Saturday night’s frigid AFC wild-card playoff game.

Dolphins’ WR Jaylen Waddle and RB Raheem Mostert available for playoff game in Kansas City vs Chiefs

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back Raheem Mostert were active for the wild-card playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs at frozen Arrowhead Stadium.

Chiefs and Dolphins play fourth-coldest game in NFL history at minus-4 degrees

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins played the fourth-coldest game in NFL history Saturday night.

Tyreek Hill returns to KC as Dolphins visit Chiefs for frigid AFC wild-card game Saturday night

Tyreek Hill is returning to Arrowhead Stadium to lead the Miami Dolphins against the Kansas City Chiefs in a AFC wild-card showdown Saturday night.

Chiefs’ Andy Reid and Travis Kelce not contemplating retirement any time soon

Chiefs coach Andy Reid says he hasn’t even thought about retirement after longtime Seattle coach Pete Carroll stepped down on Wednesday and Bill Belichick parted ways with New England on Thursday.

Jackson has 27 points, 19 boards as KU routs previously unbeaten No. 4 Baylor 87-66

Taiyanna Jackson had a career-high 27 points with 19 rebounds to lead Kansas to an 87-66 victory over No. 4 Baylor on Wednesday night.

Chiefs’ Chris Jones could be calling Arrowhead Stadium home for final time Saturday night

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones could be playing in Arrowhead Stadium for the final time with Kansas City when the Miami Dolphins visit for the wild-card round of the playoffs Saturday night.

During the 1960s, UCLA ascended to No. 1 and was rarely knocked from its perch

During the 1960s, it was UCLA and everyone else in college basketball. The Bruins won their first national title under John Wooden in 1964, defended it the following year, then began a string of seven straight championships with the 1966-67 season.

In the 1950s, it was Adolph Rupp and Kentucky that ruled college basketball

Adolph Rupp and Kentucky ruled college basketball in the 1950s, despite a point-shaving scandal that forced the Wildcats to skip an entire season.

As the AP Top 25 celebrates 75 years, who were the best of the best teams in college basketball?

The AP Top 25 is celebrating its 75th anniversary. A data-driven compilation of every poll over the years found that Kentucky is the all-time No. 1 program.

Kentucky is the all-time No. 1 team through 75 storied years of AP Top 25 college basketball polls

Kentucky has been crowned the all-time No. 1 team after a review of 75 years of AP Top 25 polls for men’s college basketball.

‘We’re not having a snowball fight.’ Reid, Chiefs ready for frigid playoff game against Dolphins

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Coach Andy Reid was asked what impact a frigid forecast might have for Saturday night’s wild-card playoff game between the Chiefs and Dolphins, and whether Kansas City would try to acclimatize by practicing outside this week.

No. 2 Houston begins Big 12 grind with trips to Iowa State and TCU this week

No. 2 Houston is about to begin the Big 12 grind with trips to Iowa State and TCU up this week. The Cougars won their inaugural conference game 89-55 over West Virginia last weekend.

Chiefs get all they wanted from meaningless win over Chargers with playoffs on deck

The Kansas City Chiefs got everything they wanted from their nearly meaningless win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Houston, the lone unbeaten team in college hoops, jumps Kansas to No. 2 in AP Top 25 behind Purdue

Purdue is still atop the AP Top 25 but Houston has jumped Kansas into second place as the last unbeaten team in Division I men’s college basketball.

‘It’s going to get crazy’ - What life is like as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25

There have been 61 schools to reach No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll. Duke has spent 145 weeks there, more than any other program.

Chiefs, Royals committed to Jackson County amid questions over future stadiums

The Chiefs and Royals said announced Friday that both franchises would remain in Jackson County, where Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums are located, if voters approve the extension of a sales tax that has long paid for their upkeep.

K-State hires former Texas Tech coach Matt Wells to help direct its offense

Kansas State has hired former Texas Tech coach Matt Wells to join offensive line coach Conor Riley as the Wildcats’ co-offensive coordinators.

The AP Top 25 remains a college basketball mainstay after 75 years of evolution

Much like the way college basketball has evolved, so has the poll.

Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes to sit regular-season finale against Chargers with AFC West secured

Patrick Mahomes will sit out the Chiefs’ regular-season finale against the Chargers on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Chiefs hoping that bumpy regular season preps them for another playoff push

The Kansas City Chiefs hope a regular season filled with growing pains will have them ready for another postseason push.

No. 1 Purdue faces big tests in Big Ten with Maryland, No. 9 Illinois coming up

Top-ranked Purdue should be tested in Big Ten play this week when the Boilermakers face a tough trip to Maryland before a high-profile showdown with ninth-ranked Illinois on Friday night.