News

By W.G. RAMIREZ

LAS VEGAS Freshman Koa Peat scored 30 points to lead No. 13 Arizona to a 93-87 win over third-ranked and defending national champion Florida in the Hall of Fame Series on Monday night.

Peat was impressive in his college debut, shooting 11 of 18 from the floor and adding seven rebounds and five assists. He was fouled making a defensive rebound with 14.2 seconds left and hit his two ensuing free throws to seal the victory in both teams’ season opener.

But, it was consecutive dunks by Peat late in the second half that sent the crowd at T-Mobile Arena into a frenzy and punctuated his first colelge game.

Jaden Bradley was also impressive, scoring 27 points, including 11 of Arizona’s final 18 points, to help seal the win.

Ivan Kharchenkov shook off an injury late in the first half that sent him to the locker room and finished with 12 points for the Wildcats.

Thomas Haugh led Florida with 27 points, Xaivian Lee scored 14 and Alex Condon and Micah Handlogten each had 11.

The Wildcats shot 49.2% (30 of 61) from the field, while Florida’s poor second-half shooting (14 of 38, 36.8%) sealed its fate.

The Gators opened the game strong, pushing their lead to 12 points after hitting 11 of their first 16 shots.

The Wildcats clamped down on defense and held Florida to 5-for-16 shooting the rest of the half while going on a 32-16 run by hitting 11 of 18 shots down the stretch.

Arizona, which shot 50% from the floor in the first half, led 50-46 at halftime.

Florida: Hosts North Florida on Thursday.

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

Denny’s said Monday that it’s being acquired by a group on investors in a deal that will take the breakfast chain private.

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Denny’s board unanimously approved the deal, which values Denny’s at $620 million including debt. Denny’s will be purchased by private equity investment company TriArtisan Capital Advisors, investment firm Treville Capital and Yadav Enterprises, which is one of Denny’s largest franchisees.

Under the agreement, Denny’s shareholders will receive $6.25 per share in cash for each share of Denny’s common stock they own, or a total of $322 million. That represents a 52% premium to Denny’s closing stock price Monday.

Denny’s shares jumped 47% in after-hours trading Monday.

Denny’s was founded in 1953 in Lakewood, California, as Danny’s Donuts. The name was changed to Denny’s Coffee Shops in 1959 to avoid confusion with another chain. Denny’s began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in 1969.

Like many casual chains, Denny’s saw its sales plummet during the COVID pandemic. Once the pandemic eased, it found itself dealing with changing customer dining patterns, including a heavier reliance on delivery. Denny’s has also struggled as newer chains like First Watch promoted healthier breakfast options.

Last fall, Denny’s said it planned to close 150 of its lowest-performing locations. At the end of the second quarter, Denny’s had 1,558 restaurants worldwide, including 1,422 Denny’s restaurants and 74 Keke’s restaurants. Denny’s acquired the Keke’s brand in 2022.

Denny’s CEO Kelli Valade said the company reached out to more than 40 potential buyers and received multiple offers. Valade said Denny’s board believed the deal announced Monday was in the best interest of shareholders and the best path forward for the company.

TriArtisan Co-Founder and Managing Director Rhohit Manocha called Denny’s “an iconic piece of the American dream” with a strong franchise base and loyal customers.

“We look forward to working with Kelli and the rest of the Denny’s team and franchisees to provide resources and support the Company’s long-term strategic growth plans,” Manocha said in a statement.

If it’s accepted by Denny’s shareholders, the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.