Fast Break

NFL

Pats-Colts rating sky high

The much-anticipated game between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts earned the highest overnight television rating for a Sunday afternoon regular-season game in at least 20 years.

The matchup of two undefeated teams drew a 22.5 rating and 39 share on CBS in the nation’s largest markets. That is the highest overnight rating since 1987, which is as far back as the network’s records go.

The game attracted higher ratings than all four of last season’s NFL divisional playoff games.

College soccer

Whit teams hit playoff road

The Whitworth men’s and women’s teams begin postseason play this weekend on the road in the NCAA Division III tournaments.

The men (14-3-1) will face Gustavus Adolphus University (17-3-1) in the first round Friday at 3 p.m. PST at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The winner plays Saturday at 4 p.m. against the winner of the Wartburg College-Oshkosh game.

Whitworth goes into the tournament as the Northwest Conference champion for the third time in the last four years.

The Whitworth women (17-2) will play University of California-Santa Cruz (12-2-2) in the first round Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma.

The Pirates were awarded an at-large bid to the 60-team tournament. The Pirates, who set a school record for wins this season, are making their first-ever national tournament appearance.

The winner will play Sunday at 1 p.m. against the winner of Saturday’s UPS (18-1-1) and Cal Lutheran University (8-10-4) matchup.

College basketball

Hansbrough tops AP list

North Carolina junior Tyler Hansbrough was one vote shy of being a unanimous pick on the Associated Press’ preseason All-America team.

He was joined on the team by senior center Roy Hibbert of Georgetown, senior guard Chris Lofton of Tennessee, senior guard Drew Neitzel of Michigan State and junior guard Darren Collison of UCLA.

Washington State’s Kyle Weaver and Washington’s Jon Brockman received votes.