The match between Chelsea and Newcastle this Saturday (12) in the Premier League produced an unusual scene even before the ball started rolling at Stamford Bridge.

As referee Paul Tierney was preparing to blow the whistle for kickoff at the center of the field, he found himself surrounded by players from the home team and suddenly in the middle of the team's final pep talk before the game.

Some of the Blues players found the situation amusing and laughed, with Cole Palmer even giving the referee a hug.

Check out the moment below:

Chelsea and Newcastle took to the field amidst their Champions League round of 16 clashes.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

On Matchday 29 of Serie A, Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus visits Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium.

Watch all of Serie BKT live on OneFootball for only €9.99 per month. Click here to purchase the LaB Channel Monthly Pass with no automatic renewal.

The Bianconeri are looking for their second consecutive victory after their win against Pisa, aiming to stay in the Champions League race and take advantage of the direct clash between Como and Roma.

Runjaic’s Udinese, on the other hand, is coming off a good run, after a 3-0 win over Fiorentina and a draw against Atalanta, and aims to keep the momentum going in front of their home fans.

🔴 Article constantly updated, for live text coverage click on the match card above.

✅ OFFICIAL line-ups

UDINESE (3-5-2): Okoye; Ehizibue, Kabasele, Kristensen; Zarraga, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Atta, Kamara; Zaniolo, Davis. Coach: Runjaic

JUVENTUS (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Bremer, Kelly; McKennie, Locatelli, Thuram, Cambiaso; Conceicao, Boga; Yildiz. Coach: Spalletti

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

NFL free agency has started, and three former Scarlet Knights have signed deals with new teams. The Detroit Lions, in particular, have become a landing spot for former Scarlet Knights, as two of the three former Knights with new players have decided to sign with the Lions.

Former Rutgers Players, RB Isiah Pacheco and S Christian Izien, Sign With the Detroit Lions

Pacheco joins Detroit, likely as a replacement option for David Montgomery, who left the team in a trade to Houston this offseason. The Lions already have a star rusher in Jahmyr Gibbs, meaning that Pacheco likely won’t get the bulk of the carries. However, he could be used as a reserve running back, depending on how Detroit changes its offense this offseason. Last year, Detroit came in 21st in the league in rush attempts per game. Hopefully, they make some changes and spread the carries around between Gibbs and Pacheco.

During his time in Tampa Bay, Izien proved himself to be a solid NFL-caliber Safety. Izien appeared in 45 games over three seasons for the Buccaneers, where he made 165 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, five pass break-ups, and three interceptions. The Lions were one of the weaker pass defenses last season, meaning that Izien will have an opportunity to compete for playing time as Detroit hopes to find the best players to fix their weakened secondary.

Both signed one-year deals with the Lions

Former Rutgers DT Sebastian Joseph-Day Signs With the Steelers

The Steelers and former Rutgers defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day have reached an agreement, with the seven-year NFL veteran taking his experience up to Pittsburgh to help them shore up their run defense in a very run-heavy division. In his seven years in the NFL, he’s racked up 314 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six pass break-ups, and even an interception, while being part of a Super Bowl-winning Rams team in 2021. During his time in the NFL, Joseph-Day has proven himself to be a solid run stuffer. Now he will be taking part in a defense tasked with stopping Derrick Henry twice a year.

Live Blog

46’ – Underway again at the Emirates.

Halftime Thoughts – Everton have defended decently enough minus their two best centrehalves, and actually have had the two better chances to score here at the Emirates. As long as the Blues can continue to keep them out, Arsenal’s frustration will mount, there will be bigger spaces to catch them on the break.

45+5’ – Gana keeps pushing forward and now Garner and McNeil combine, the latter’s cross is overhit, Ndiaye dribbles and sets up Gana for a tame shot that Raya catches.
There’s the halftime whistle, 0-0 at the Emirates.

45+2’ – Havertz runs at the Blues defence, but is foiled and the ball cleared.
Saliba tries to play in Saka but it’s overhit, goalkick.

44’ – Corner to Arsenal. Rice, O’Brien heads it away from danger, Ndiaye charges down Madueke’s shot and the resultant shot from distance is well over.
Five minutes to be added on here.

41’ – McNeil plays a give and go, and races down the touchline, cuts in and is barged over by Rice. Freekick to the Blues on the right, about thirty yards out. Puts it into the box, and Raya fluffs his punch and hits his own man Saliba, ball bounces harmlessly away.

40’ – Myko nicks the ball off Saka and Ndiaye bursts free and races into the Arsenal half but then Beto fouls Saliba.

37’ – Saka goes through Myko and is in space to cross, Gana cuts it out for a corner. Timber is going off injured, with Mosquera coming on for him.
Saka takes the corner, a couple of Arsenal players trying to box in Pickford but he does well to palm it away and Everton can clear.

35’ – Gana pulls down Saka about 25 yards out, and it’s a freekick. Rice into the wall, ball bounces around and McNeil hooks it clear.

31’ – Oooh! Lovely move from KDH and he makes enough room to hammer a shot from the edge of the box, too close to Raya though and he saves!

29’ – Takes three tackles from Gana, O’Brien and Garner to stop Rice. Eze fires off a shot that goes off Zubimendi’s back.

26’ – Myko blocks a Havertz cross, corner from the Everton left this time. Hit deep and a foul in the box as Saliba shoves Dewsbury-Hall down to the ground. Freekick to the Blues.

23’ – Eze plays in Havertz behind Keane with the Arsenal forward throwing himself to the floor after coming across the defender.. no penalty, and VAR concurs.

19’ – Oh goodness two incredible chances for McNeil! Ndiaye’s cross is palmed on by Raya, falls to McNeil who pulls the ball down and fires.. and Calafiori with a diving stop with his flailing foot!
Then McNeil gets the ball in the right channel, dekes and makes some space, and curls one at the far post beating Raya all ends up but it clatters off the upright! Ndiaye first on the rebound and it goes wide off his ankles, but he was offside.

16’ – Madueke runs onto a ball and is shoulder-barged off it by Keane running at the highest speed we’ve seen him at.

13’ – Stunning save by Pickford! It won’t count anyway since Saka was offside, but Rice headed a cross on into the box and Saka was open at the far post to head across Pickford, and he stuck out a paw and turned the ball around the post.

10’ – Rice potshot goes over.

8’ – Calafiori tries a shot from distance but Iroegbunam closes him down and it’s another corner. Rice’s corner cleared by Beto, ball back into the box, Zubimendi sets up Calafiori for the shot, over.

6’ – Deep throw is poorly cleared by the Blues and Arsenal have their first corner of the game. They catch everyone by surprise going short and Madueke has a shot from inside the box but well saved and cleared.

4’ – Blues sitting deep as expected with Keane and O’Brien as the centrehalves, Keane on the left.

1’ – Everton kick off with their rugby-style up-and-under which Arsenal handle.
Rice has gotten trod on by Iroegbunam early on and is hobbling.

Starting Lineups

Everton – No Tarkowski or Branthwaite for the Blues!

Arsenal – Arteta has both Saka and Havertz in the starting lineup.

Match Preview

Everton are back on the road again this weekend, but face a quandary. They have been much better away, but they have also been absymal at the Emirates. The Toffees have won just one of their last 29 away league games against Arsenal (drawn 5, lost 23) too, picking up a 1-0 win in April 2021, and their hosts today have lost only once at home throughout this season, with eleven wins and two draws.

Arsenal are desperately trying to shed their ‘bottlers’ label as they lead the Premier League, finding ways to win ugly at times which is something they have often failed to do in past title chases. While dangerous from open play, their success this season has been predicated on setpieces where they’ve scored 19 times, higher than anyone else in the league by at least five. The Blues have conceded six times from setpieces while the Gunners have given up seven.

Jarrad Branthwaite appears to be fit, with Jack Grealish, Seamus Coleman and Charly Alcaraz out. For the hosts, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard are out with Leandro Trossard a late decision.

Match Details

Competition: Premier League Matchweek 30

Date and start time: Saturday, March 14th at 10:30 a.m. PT / 1:30 p.m ET / 5:30 p.m. BST

Stadium: The Emirates Stadium, London, England, United Kingdom

Capacity: 60,704

Weather: 46°F/8°C, sunny, 0% chance of precipitation, 4 mph winds

How to Watch/Listen

TV: USA Network, Telemundo – United States; Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Ultra HD, Sky Sports Main Event –  United Kingdom; Fubo– Canada, beIN Sports HD 1, SuperSport Premier League ROA, SuperSport MaXimo 2, Star Sports Select HD1

Radio: evertontv, BBC Radio 5 Live, SiriusXM FC

Live stream: Fubo, nbcsports.com, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, discovery+, discovery+ App, ESPN Play Sur, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, DStv Now, RUSH, Jio Hotstar

Gamethread: There will be a live blog for this game, with our coverage continuing after the final whistle with the match recap and reaction.

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Information from LiveSoccerTV.com

Last Meeting

Everton had lost at home 1-0 to the Gunners a few days before Christmas in a hard fought game. The Blues had managed a pair of draws against Arsenal last season, including a nil-nil stalemate at the Emirates.

The Tennessee Volunteers fell to the Vanderbilt Commodores on Friday in the quarterfinal round of the SEC Tournament.

The game was tight in the first half, and the teams went to the break tied at 31. However, the Commodores went on a 15-3 run early in the second half and were also more efficient from the free throw line. As a result, the Commodores did enough to stay in front of the Vols and escape with a 75-68 victory.

This is now the second time the Vols have lost to the Commodores this season. Vanderbilt now advances to the semifinal round to take on the #1 Florida Gators, while the Vols wait until Sunday to see what their seed will be in the NCAA Tournament.

Now, let’s identify the three takeaways from this defeat.

Free throw shooting dooms Vols again

Stop me if you’ve heard this before- the Vols did not shoot well from the line.

As a team, the Vols shot just 16 of 26 from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, the Commodores shot 22 of 26 from the charity stripe. In a game that you only lost by seven, it’s hard not to look at 10 missed free throws as a huge culprit.

Nate Ament made 10 of his 12 free throws, and J.P. Estrella made all four of his. However, Felix Okpara, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, and Jaylen Carey both had bad days from the line. It’s slightly more understandable for the big men, but there’s no reason a scoring guard like Gillespie should be this inconsistent from the charity stripe.

Three-point shooting was ice cold

You can survive a bad night from the free throw line if you’re hitting shots from deep. If you’re doing neither, though, it’s going to be hard to beat anybody.

The Vols shot just 4 of 17 from behind the arc on Friday. Ament missed all five of his tries, and this team just doesn’t have enough scoring to survive an off night from Ament against good teams. Luckily, the Commodores didn’t have a great night from deep either, so this one never got out of hand.

It’s concerning that this late in the season, you still never know what you’re going to get from this offense. If Ament and Gillespie are hitting their shots, the Vols can hang with anybody. You just never know when that’s going to happen.

Unable to stop Duke Miles

Props to Duke Miles, because he had a fantastic game. The senior guard had a game-high 30 points to go along with six rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

In the first 27 minutes of the game, Miles had 25 points. At one point, Miles was 9 of 9 from the floor while the rest of his team was just 6 of 25. The Vols did a fantastic job of controlling the paint, but they were unable to keep Miles in check.

Liverpool are set for a major midfield reconstruction this coming summer.

The Reds have been relying on the same core of senior midfield players for the last couple of campaigns.

But the strain is beginning to tell on certain members of the group - with Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister in particular not reaching the same consistent heights since winning the 2024/25 Premier League.

Factor in the ongoing uncertainty over Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo and you can see why Richard Hughes may be tempted to test the market for a new arrival.

Jones, 25, is entering the final year of his contract and would bank the club plenty of “pure profit” if he is offloaded in summer 2026.

Endo meanwhile is working on getting back to full fitness for the FIFA World Cup but he too could be sacrificed in summer in order to register a transfer fee.

Nyoni to be loaned out

And we have been given the clearest indication yet that a new midfielder could be coming into the club in a report in the Athletic.

Because it suggests that Trey Nyoni is the most likely young player to be loaned out by Richard Hughes and Arne Slot for next season.

“Nyoni is seen as the most likely to be loaned out,” the report reads.

With Jones and Endo potentially leaving - it would leave Slot with just THREE senior midfielders including Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

You would expect Nyoni, 19, to fill out one of the senior squad roles next season in order to prevent the club from being short in the position.

Teams have been officially allowed to sign free agents for almost a week now. The Washington Commanders have added several players already, making improvements on both sides of the ball.

Some of the team's notable additions are edge-rusher Odafe Oweh, linebacker Leo Chenal, and running back Rachaad White. On Saturday, the team made another addition to the offense, adding veteran running back Jerome Ford, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

Ford spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The running back didn't factor in much as a rookie or in 2025, but he was a productive rotational back in 2023 and 2024.

In 2023, Ford rushed for a career-high 813 yards and four scores. The running back had 565 yards and three scores in 2024, but was reduced to just 73 yards in 2025.

The #Commanders have agreed to terms with former #Browns RB Jerome Ford, per me and @MikeGarafolo, giving him a 1-year deal. He leaves Cleveland after four seasons. pic.twitter.com/JCqEjtc6JE

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2026

In Washington, Ford should just be a solid insurance policy behind Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White. Croskey-Merritt had some flashes as a rookie, but the team clearly wants more consistency out of the ground game in 2026.

White, who was a college teammate of Jayden Daniels, should receive plenty of carries and also contribute in the passing game. Ford will likely get some third-down reps and help out around the goal line.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders sign former Browns RB Jerome Ford

Spanish La Liga

Atletico Madrid 1 - 0 Getafe FT

Atletico Madrid's 1-0 La Liga victory was overshadowed by Getafe defender Abdel Abqar's dismissal for touching the genitals of their striker Alexander Sorloth.

With the hosts leading through Nahuel Molina's long-range strike into the top corner in the eighth minute, Saturday's match descended into chaos seven minutes after the second-half restart.

Referee Miguel Angel Ortiz halted play and indicated a video assistant referee (VAR) check for a possible red-card offence.

Replays on the big screens at Estadio Metropolitano showed Abqar touched Sorloth's groin during an off-the-ball altercation, with the Norwegian forward then pulling his opponent to the ground in retaliation.

After consulting the pitchside monitor, Moroccan Abqar was sent off and Sorloth booked for his reaction.

"It was not my intention to touch the player in this area," Abqar told Movistar afterwards.

"You see it in every game, and in football, we're touching, clashing and everything, but I never thought about touching him in that area.

"I don't know what the referee saw but you can see it clearly and I swear that I never thought about touching him there."

But Atleti goalkeeper Juan Musso added: "These are things that happened 30 years ago, the referee was right to sent him off.

"Before you could do this [in football], now there is no place for these things."

Sorloth had hit the post before the break, but it was Getafe who spurned several late opportunities to level despite their numerical disadvantage.

A fourth straight win moved Diego Simeone's side up to third place in La Liga with 57 points, six behind second-placed Real Madrid and 10 adrift of leaders Barcelona having played a game more.

The Oklahoma City Thunder held practice on Saturday. They're amid another two-day break. They will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in a Sunday afternoon primetime matchup.

Last time out, the Thunder picked up a 104-102 win over the Boston Celtics. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surpassed Wilt Chamberlain for the longest 20-point streak in NBA history at 127. Now it's about how much he can pad his place at the top of the record books.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and Aaron Wiggins talked to the media afterward. Daigneault talked about the value of their recent string of close games. Wiggins talked about what Ajay Mitchell brings to the table and his bad luck with freak injuries.

Here's what else happened at OKC's Saturday, Mar. 14 practice:

Mark Daigneault said Jalen Williams is ‘progressing’ with his hamstring strain recovery

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 14, 2026

Mark Daigneault on the Mitchell-McCain lineups: “Ajay has got the ability to play with anybody. He's really versatile. He plays both ends of the floor. He guard bigger guys. He can play on or off the ball. So he can create, obviously, but he can also play off of other creators.” pic.twitter.com/LmakdipKoR

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 14, 2026

Mark Daigneault on playing close games recently: “These have been quality opponents that tested us in a lot of different ways. Certainly tactically, we've seen a lot of different things here in the last just two weeks and had to problem solve.” pic.twitter.com/HokkzvvgjO

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 14, 2026

Mark Daigneault on Jalen Williams rooting for the team during his absence: “He's the man. You got a great group of guys that root for each other's success. I think it certainly he’s giving himself to the team by being like that. I also think it helps them work through their own… pic.twitter.com/zAX2jEn0UM

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 14, 2026

Aaron Wiggins on Ajay Mitchell: “Obviously a good player. Well rounded. He's got that aggressive mindset. He's got that hungry mindset. You can see it in the way he plays on both ends of the court. We're glad to have him back. He's obviously made a difference already.” pic.twitter.com/1dyb7E2sIK

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 14, 2026

Aaron Wiggins on Ajay Mitchell’s return: “He had some weird injuries in his first two years. You wouldn't think are normal and see that often. For him to come back, especially this year, the way he has. It’s only been two games. But that first game, the way he started off, it was… pic.twitter.com/zzPEIPtKQS

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) March 14, 2026

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Recap: What happened at OKC Thunder's Saturday, Mar. 14 practice

The 2026 NCAA tournament is set to be a massive NBA Draft showcase.

The upcoming draft is considered to be exceptionally deep and littered with college basketball talent. However, not every top draft prospect will be playing in March Madness. Here are five players who could be picked in the first round this summer who will not be on the floor during the NCAA tournament. 

North Carolina F Caleb Wilson

The possible top-five pick had the bad luck of suffering an injury while rehabbing from an injury.

Wilson had been sidelined for most of February after fracturing his left hand in the Tar Heels’ Feb. 10 loss to Miami. As he was working his way back from that hand injury, Wilson broke his right thumb while dunking during a non-contact drill in practice on March 5.

Wilson had been on track to potentially return for the NCAA tournament and maybe even part of all of the ACC tournament. Instead, the Tar Heels are playing the entire postseason without their best player.

Before he was injured the first time, Wilson was averaging nearly 20 points and over nine rebounds a game while shooting almost 58% from the field. He had been a star since putting on a Tar Heels jersey, too. The top recruit scored 22 on 8-of-10 shooting against Central Arkansas before going 9-of-11 from the floor and scoring 24 points in a 13-point win over Kansas.

But his offensive game isn’t the only reason he could be picked highly in the draft. Wilson has the potential to be a plus defender at the next level too.

John E. Moore III via Getty Images

Texas Tech F JT Toppin

Toppin could be the type of player whose game doesn’t translate perfectly to the NBA level. But he’s still a possible first-round pick and his torn ACL is a massive injury for a Texas Tech team that was very capable of getting to the Final Four with him on the floor.

After he was a consensus All-American and the Big 12 player of the year in 2024-25, Toppin took on an even greater offensive workload this season. Before going down against Arizona State on Feb. 17, Toppin was averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds a game while shooting just under 55% from the field. A year ago, Toppin shot just over 55% from the floor on 3.6 fewer shots per game.

He scored at least 10 points in all but one game this season and had 31 points and 13 rebounds in the Red Raiders’ overtime win at Arizona on Feb. 14.

Without Toppin on the floor, guard Christian Anderson became even more important for Texas Tech. But he slipped and appeared to injure his groin in a Thursday loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament. Anderson suffered a muscle strain, but said after the game that he was “feeling good.” Tech needs him at 100% to make a run to the second week of the tournament.

USC G Alijah Arenas

The 18-year-old son of Gilbert Arenas appeared in 14 games this season for the Trojans after suffering a torn meniscus in July. And the knee injury came three months after he had been placed in an induced coma after he was trapped in his Tesla Cybertruck after a car crash.

Given his tumultuous 2025, it was an impressive accomplishment for Arenas to even see the court this season. And he showed flashes of why he can be a top-10 pick, though his season — like USC’s — was uneven at best.

Arenas shot just 34% from the field this season and had six games with multiple 3-point attempts without a make. He was just 13-of-61 from behind the arc and had only two games where he shot 50% from the field.

But Arenas still has major potential and was a top-30 recruit in the high school class of 2025. It would not be surprising at all if he declared for the 2026 draft and was a lottery pick in June.

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Washington F Hannes Steinbach

The freshman big man has been a double-double machine for the Huskies. Steinbach averaged 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds a game this season. He never scored fewer than 10 points in a single game and had just seven games with fewer than 10 rebounds.

He was especially dominant against USC on March 4. Steinbach had 22 points and 24 rebounds in the Huskies’ 91-72 win. Twelve of those rebounds were on the offensive end, too, and he was 9-of-12 from the field.

Steinbeck didn’t shoot much from behind the arc — just 53 attempts — but was a passable 34% and could show enough promise to force NBA teams to not leave him alone outside at the next level. The Germany native may not be a lottery pick, but he could be a top-20 selection for a team looking for some help on the inside.

Baylor G Cameron Carr

After playing just 18 games across two seasons at Tennessee, Carr emerged as Baylor’s best player this season.

The junior averaged 19.2 points and 5.5 rebounds a game while shooting 51% from the field and almost 40% from behind the 3-point line. He dropped over 20 points in four of Baylor’s last five games and dropped 27 against St. John’s in November.

Carr did have two games during Big 12 play where he was just 1-of-11 from the field, however. He missed 10 shots and made one in a 10-point loss at Cincinnati in January, and had the same line while going 1-of-7 from behind the arc in an 82-71 loss at Louisville on Feb. 14

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The world No. 1 is back to being more like the world No. 1. 

After shooting over par in 36 holes for the first time at a non-major since the 2023 Memorial, Scottie Scheffler turned in a bogey-free 67 at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday. 

“The first two days were a bit of a battle,” Scheffler said. “I was a little sharper today than I was the first two days. I felt like I was swinging it better each day of the tournament. Today hit a few more fairways and was able to give myself a few more looks for birdie.”

LIVE UPDATES: Follow the action from Saturday's third round of the Players Championship

Scheffler noted that he was “hacking it from some new places” off the tee the first two days. 

He attempted to use TaylorMade’s new Qi4D driver at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week but returned to the Qi10 that he has used to great effect since 2024. Scheffler ranked T-98 in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee the first two rounds. Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee broke down Scheffler’s swing Friday night on "Live From."

“I don't even recognize this golf swing from Scottie Scheffler. It's a foot-and-a-half shorter than last year and the face is wide open," Chamblee said. "This is not a crisis, this is a bump in the road."

"I don't even recognize this golf swing from Scottie Scheffler. It's a foot-and-a-half shorter than last year and the face is wide open."

"This is not a crisis, this is a bump in the road."

An interesting deep dive on Scottie's driver swing from tonight's Live From The Players… pic.twitter.com/HX2zky7DH4

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) March 13, 2026

Asked if he had found anything during his rainy range session on Thursday, Scheffler didn’t offer much.

“Did I find anything? I think that would imply that I was lost, which is not the case,” he said.

Pressed whether longtime swing coach Randy Smith had identified anything that had made a difference, he said, “I'm always just trying to get a feel for I think where my swing's at. Whenever I can feel the clubhead, I'm in a pretty good spot. If you ever see us practicing, that's typically what I'm trying to — if I'm searching for something, that would be kind of what I'm searching for, the feel for the clubhead, and so that way I'm kind of able to see and create shots.”

On Saturday, Scheffler hit 11-of-14 fairways and was a perfect 9-for-9 in scrambling. He birdied the par-5 second hole but made par on the other three par 5s. For the week, he’s just 3 under on the par 5s, which that alone could be the reason he’s not in the hunt for a third Players title.

Scheffler capped off the day by canning a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th, which has the Tiger hole location from his iconic 60-foot putt he sank in 2001 on the way to victory. Scheffler improved to 4-under 212 and sits eight shots back of Ludvig Aberg, the 36-hole leader, who hadn’t teed off yet.

Asked if he was holding out hope to make an improbable comeback, Scheffler laughed and said, “Not unless it starts blowing like 30 miles an hour.”

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Scottie Scheffler denies being 'lost' after 67 at Players Championship

Nebraska softball (19-5, 1-0) faced off against Michigan (19-7, 0-1) on Friday night for its first conference series of the season. The Huskers took the opening game, holding off the Wolverines in a 5-2 victory.

Nebraska jumped out to a 4-0 lead by scoring two runs in each of the first couple of innings. Michigan cut the lead in half in the sixth, but the Huskers added one more run in the bottom of the inning before ending it in the seventh.

Nebraska totaled eight hits on the night, with Alexis Jensen leading the team in both the circle and the batter's box. She finished 2-for-2 with one walk and three RBIs. Jensen also hit a two-run home run in the win, her first career home run.

In the circle, Jensen (9-2) pitched 6.0 innings in her win, striking out eight batters and allowing four hits, two runs and one walk. Jordy Frahm picked up her sixth save after pitching the seventh. She is now one away from tying the record that was set back in 1983 by head coach Rhonda Revelle. Frahm also batted 2-for-4.

Hannah Camenzind earned one RBI after going 1-for-3 in the win. Samantha Bland batted 2-for-3. Hannah Coor also tallied one hit.

The Huskers concluded the series with Michigan on Saturday in a doubleheader. The first game is set to start at 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska softball survives against Michigan in Big Ten opener

In the first matchup of a three-game series against the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Washington Huskies hit four home runs, but that wasn't enough as coach Eddie Smith's team fell 10-9 in ten innings.

The Huskies battled back from a 6-2 deficit behind solo blasts from shortstop Sam DeCarlo, designated hitter Jackson Hotchkiss, and right fielder Daniel Porras to close the gap, while the Reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, catcher Colton Bower, added a two-run blast as part of a 2-for-3 day with a pair of walks.

However, despite committing 5 errors in the contest, including a pair to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Buckeyes hung with the Huskies every step of the way as they racked up 13 hits on the night. The second-to-last one twisted the knife for the Huskies when shortstop Lee Ellis launched a solo homer in the tenth inning to give Ohio State the lead for good.

HOTCHKISS GETS IN ON THE PARTY 🥳

Four Husky home runs in this one! pic.twitter.com/laskerpUWG

— Washington Baseball (@UW_Baseball) March 14, 2026

The Huskies went quietly in the bottom of the frame. DeCarlo drew a two-out walk, but Porras grounded a ball right back to Jake Michalek, who earned the win for the Buckeyes. He worked the final 3 innings and allowed a pair of unearned runs on 4 hits with a walk and 3 strikeouts.

Bryce Johnson took his first loss of the season after pitching the final three frames. He allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk as Washington's pitching staff surrendered 7 free passes on the day and hit a batter.

With the loss, the Huskies fell to 6-11 on the year and 2-2 in Big Ten play. The two teams will return to the field on March 14 at 7:00 p.m. PT.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies hit four homers, fall 10-9 to Ohio State in extras

The upstart team representing Italy, mostly consisting of Italian-Americans (though there are actually four on the team born in Italy), will try to take down a Puerto Rico team that’s missing a number of its stars, but still has a pretty good club. Italy does have one small advantage: They’ll be the “home” team and bat last. The winner moves on to the semi-finals.

Here’s all the information you’ll need for this afternoon’s game, which is at Daikin Park in Houston. There will be a separate game thread for tonight’s other quarterfinal game. Tonight’s game is at 8 p.m. CT and so that game thread will post at 7 p.m. CT.

2 p.m. CT: Puerto Rico vs. Italy. Pitchers: Seth Lugo (RHP) vs. Sam Aldegheri (LHP). TV: FS1, Fox Deportes. There will be audio on Sirius XM (Channel 89) and MLB Audio. MLB.com Gameday

That’s all you should need for this afternoon’s WBC contest. Enjoy, and discuss amongst yourselves.

Puerto Rico at Italy, 3:00 PM EDT, FS1

lineups to follow

Venezuela at Japan, 9:00 PM EDT, FOX

lineups to follow

Hertha BSC will hope to improve their slight chance of promotion to Bundesliga with a home win against midtable side Bochum. With Darmstadt, Elversberg, and Paderborn dropping points on matchday 26, Stefan Leitl’s side have a chance to close the gap with the top three.

Fabian Resse and Mats Pannewig are absent due to accumulated yellow cards. Here are the lineups for the game at the iconic Olympiastadion.

Confirmed Lineups

Hertha: Ernst ©; Karbownik, Gechter, Dardai, Kolbe; Mamuzah Lum, Seguin; Winkler, Cuisance, Brekalo; Kownacki

Bochum: Horn; Olsen, Loosli, Strompf, Wittek; Lenz, Bero ©; Miyoshi, Onyeka, Wätjen; Hofmann

Russell Westbrook is often portrayed as one of the NBA’s fiercest competitors, but many players who have shared a locker room with him tell a very different story.

Across several teams, teammates have repeatedly described the veteran guard as one of the most supportive and generous figures in the league.

Those who know him best say the perception around Westbrook rarely matches the reality inside the locker room.

Russell Westbrook’s reputation among teammates explained

Steph Noh of The Sporting News highlighted Westbrook’s relationships with teammates and detailed several stories about the guard’s generosity and personality behind the scenes.

One example came from Clint Capela, who spent only part of a season alongside Westbrook but still described him as the most genuine superstar he had ever played with.

Capela explained that Westbrook was constantly smiling and joking around with teammates, something that surprised him given the guard’s intense on-court persona.

During one moment, Capela mentioned that he admired an expensive bracelet Westbrook was wearing. Westbrook immediately took the bracelet off his wrist and handed it to him as a gift.

Other former teammates have shared similar experiences, saying the former MVP often goes out of his way to make younger or struggling players feel supported.

Former teammates share stories of Russell Westbrook’s generosity

Alex Abrines once described how Westbrook helped him during a difficult stretch of his career when he was dealing with loneliness while playing in Oklahoma City.

Abrines said Westbrook took him out for dinner when he was thinking about leaving basketball, an act he remembered as a moment of genuine kindness from a teammate.

Jerami Grant, who also played alongside Westbrook with the Thunder, echoed that sentiment by saying the guard always tried to understand teammates as people rather than just players.

Veteran center DeAndre Jordan, who has known Westbrook for two decades, also praised his character and even helped recruit him to the Nuggets last season.

Jordan recalled Westbrook mentoring younger players and paying for dinners or clothes for teammates who looked up to him.

Despite his generosity toward others, Westbrook is also known for being extremely disciplined with his own finances, with former teammates recalling how he would even balance his own checkbook during breakfast.

Read more:

Former Roma defender Ashley Cole has reportedly been lined up as the new coach of Serie B side Cesena, leaving the staff of the Under-21 England team.

According to Sportitalia transfer pundit Alfredo Pedullà, Cole is already in Italy and having physical meetings with the Cesena hierarchy to sign the contract.

Surprising Serie B adventure for Cole

DERBY, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: Ashley Cole, Assistant Head Coach of England, and Lee Carsley, Head Coach of England, looks on prior to the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier match between England and Andorra at Pride Park on October 13, 2025 in Derby, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

The 45-year-old had some experience in Italian football as a player for Roma from 2014 to 2016, when he went on to the LA Galaxy and ended his playing career at Derby in 2019.

Before that, he had made his mark as a full-back for Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Chelsea.

When it came to management, Cole has worked at the Chelsea youth academy, plus as an assistant manager to the likes of Lee Carsley, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and more.

Above all, he worked with Carsley, and is currently the assistant to the England Under-21 team coach.

Cesena were held to a 2-2 home draw by Frosinone today and the decision was made to sack coach Michele Mignani.

It left them in eighth place, the final slot available for the promotion play-offs.

MATCH INFO

When: Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Where: Bluenergy Stadium, Udine, Italy.

Official kickoff time: 8:45 p.m. local time in Italy and across Europe, 7:45 p.m. in the United Kingdom, 3:45 p.m. Eastern time, 2:45 p.m. Central time, 12:45 p.m. Pacific time.

(Please note that the kickoff time might be an hour later than usual like it will be in the United States due to Daylight Saving Time taking place last weekend. The time change will happen in Italy on March 29.)

STARTING LINEUPS

Juventus starting XI: TBA

Juventus bench: TBA

Juventus manager: Luciano Spalletti

Udinese starting XI: TBA

Udinese bench: TBA

Udinese manager: Kosta Runjaić

Match referee: Maurizio Mariani

HOW TO WATCH

Television: TLN (Canada), Sky Sport Uno, Sky Sport Calcio, Sky Sport 251 (Italy).

Online/Streaming: Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network, Amazon Prime USA, DAZN USA, fuboTV (United States); DAZN Canada; fuboTV Canada (Canada); DAZN UK (United Kingdom); DAZN Italy (Italy).

Other live viewing options can be found here, and as always, you can also follow along with us live and all the stupid things we say on Bluesky. If you haven’t already, join the community on Black & White & Read All Over, and join in the discussion below.

AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura's storied rivalry stretches across more than a decade, having initially feuded in NJPW before locking up in WWE. This past January, both men battled against each other for the last time at Saturday Night's Main Event, as Styles officially retired from professional wrestling a week later at the Royal Rumble. However, the final clash between both stars was one of their best, and according to Styles, it's the quality of match they should've had eight years ago.

Styles and Nakamura's first singles match together in WWE was at WrestleMania 34, a contest that famously underdelivered, and during a recent appearance on "The Phenomenally Retro," the 48-year-old claimed that the fan expectations were too unrealistic going in, but is proud of his most recent bout with "The King Of Strong Style."

"The match with Shinsuke was really good, and it was the match we probably should have had at WrestleMania, but everybody, their expectations at WrestleMania were way too high. And we thought we had to find a way to get to that expectations rather than doing what we knew would work and that's what we did at Saturday Night's Main Event."

Styles continued by reflecting on his time competing in Japan, stating that the country's fans are unlike anywhere else because of their appreciation for the sport and its wrestlers.

"I'm convinced too that Japanese fans will make every match great. They're just so amazing as far as being fans and so respectful ... they inspire you to be better because they appreciate what you're doing in that ring. They appreciate the athletes."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Phenomenally Retro" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Read more: Why WWE Won't Rehire These Current Wrestlers

Don't miss any of the major wrestling headlines. Sign up to our free newsletter for the biggest stories, sent straight to your inbox. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.

Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Women’s Lacrosse

Maryland

• Papé Field
• 12pm PT
• B1G+

Baseball

Indiana game 2

• PK Park
• 2pm PT
• B1G+

Softball

Penn State game 2

• Jane Sanders Stadium
• 4pm PT
• B1G+

Head coach Andy Farrell said Ireland had a "ruthless edge" in Saturday's 43-21 win over Scotland, which secured a fourth Triple Crown in five years.

Ireland scored six tries in a thrilling game in Dublin as Farrell's side denied Scotland a first Triple Crown since 1990.

Tommy O'Brien scored two late tries to secure the win after the Irish defence held off a barrage of Scotland pressure.

Jamie Osborne, Dan Sheehan, Robert Baloucoune and debutant Darragh Murray had earlier crossed for Ireland.

Ireland can still win the Six Nations but need England to beat France in the final game of the tournament at 20:10 GMT.

Farrell said that Scotland "kept banging the door down" but he was thrilled with how his players responded in Dublin.

"I thought we had a ruthless edge to us in how we defended and converted in their 22," Farrell said in his post-match press conference.

"That was the story of the game really."

• Ireland beat Scotland to keep title hopes alive
• Six Nations: Ireland beat Scotland to win Triple Crown - as it happened

Farrell added he was "proud as punch" about Ireland's performance, and said there was a bigger picture to this year's tournament.

Ireland started the Six Nations by losing to favourites France, but responded with a gritty win over Italy.

They impressed in a victory over England, but were then pushed all the way by Wales in their penultimate game in Dublin.

"Winning matters but what's happened over the eight weeks matters more to us in the sense that there is a lot of firsts, with first caps, first Six Nations and first taking it to the final week when it matters for quite a few people in our group," Farrell added.

"How our group have come together and navigated their way through that is pretty special so we grow massively because of it, and the group has become more resilient because of that."

While the destination of the Six Nations trophy is out of their hands, Farrell reiterated he was delighted with another piece of silverware.

"That's five trophies in five years for us," he added on ITV.

"I know it's a Triple Crown but it's hard to win over the years for Ireland and we're proud of that."

Warriors predicted to attempt to sign $101 million four-time MVP, 22-time All-Star to reunite Steph Curry with Olympic teammate originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After a near-decade of dominance through the mid-2010s to the early 2020s, the Golden State Warriors are finally slowing down, sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference with a record of 32-34. However, there may be a familiar face that can give Steph Curry one last chance at a Finals run.

The Golden State dynasty’s first four Finals runs all had one thing in common: the opponent was the Cleveland Cavaliers, which pitted Curry against the other face of the NBA, LeBron James. FanSided’s Christopher Kline believes that this former rival-turned-Olympic-teammate could be the answer the Dubs are looking for.

MORE: Warriors predicted to pursue $188 million MVP, seven-time All-Star this offseason to reunite him with Jimmy Butler

“This is not the first time we've heard rumblings of LeBron James and Stephen Curry teaming up in Golden State. Rich Paul famously put a stop to trade talks between the Lakers and Warriors in 2024. LeBron and Steph are longtime rivals and clear off-court friends. Draymond and LeBron are marquee Klutch Sports clients and also longtime friends. If James is ready to depart L.A., which it feels like he is, the Warriors make a ton of sense for business and basketball reasons alike…LeBron's playmaking feel, combined with Steph's constant motion and gravity, could render Golden State extremely difficult to contain. James isn't quite the player he was in his prime, but even as he approaches his 42nd birthday, LeBron can score at all three levels and he probably looks better in Golden State, with a chance to really run the offense, than he does as Luka Dončić's sidekick in L.A.,” Kline wrote.

So far this season, LeBron is averaging 21.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.1 steals in 33.1 minutes per game. Add him with Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, and the Dubs have a veteran core that is pretty intimidating.

MORE: Celtics $118 million two-time All-Defensive star seen as sneaky Defensive Player of the Year candidate if Victor Wembanyama is disqualified

However, the only snag with this idea is the fact that the most likely move for LeBron is to sign with Cleveland once again. As Kline noted, he’s almost 42, so his time in the NBA is almost done. Finishing where he was born, raised, and started his NBA career is the poetic end needed for a player as legendary as he is.

However, if the Warriors can appeal to LeBron’s competitive spirit, there might be a way to get him to Golden State. Hopefully they can, to give Curry a proper send out as well. 

MORE NBA CONTENT

$240 million Thunder All-Star predicted to win Defensive Player of the Year if Victor Wembanyama is deemed ineligible

Proposed Lakers signing sees Los Angeles land $16.3 million 14.5 PPG sharpshooter, would replace LeBron James in starting lineup

Proposed Lakers signing sees Los Angeles land $60 million defensive stalwart center, would be potential replacement for Deandre Ayton

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany was adamant Luis Díaz should not have been sent off for a dive in the 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Leverkusen, but praised his players for battling to a point with nine men.

The Colombia winger scored the leveller in the second half of a dramatic game before later being shown a second yellow card.

There was contact with Leverkusen's Janis Blaswich in the box but Díaz had begun to go down beforehand and tangled with the keeper in the action.

"I am not happy that Lucho is banned," Kompany told Sky.

"See how quickly he gets up and there was contact. You can have the conversation if it is a penalty. But it is not a yellow card."

The referee agreed he had made a mistake after the match. But Christian Dingert pointed out that the video assistant could not intervene over the booking under current rules limiting reviews to goals and direct sendings off.

"It is not a penalty. But now I have seen the video I would not have given the yellow card. That is how it goes in our job," he said.

Kompany's side still lead the Bundesliga by nine points with eight games left. They rallied having gone behind to Aleix Garcia's goal and also had to deal with Nicolas Jackson's red for a stud-up tackle in the first half.

"I’m incredibly proud of the lads’ mental resilience," the Bayern boss added.

"There was an awful lot going on today, with many crucial moments where we’ll inevitably have differing views."

Marc Stein: The Warriors are expected to sign Omer Yurtseven to a 10-day contract in the face of their growing injury crisis.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Warriors to sign Omer Yurtseven to 10-day deal

Justin Martinez: Asked Mark Daigneault about the energy Jalen Williams has provided from the sideline while dealing with numerous injuries this season: “He’s the man. We have a great group of guys where they root for each other’s success. I think he’s certainly giving himself to the team by being like that, and I also think it helps them work through their own adversities. It gives them a sense of purpose. It connects them to the group. Those injuries can detach you from the rest of the team at times just because you’re on your own plan, you’re not necessarily at all of the practices and you might not be on the road all of the time. So staying connected, I think, helps those guys’ mental. Hopefully it’s helping him. He’s certainly helping us. He’s a great teammate.”

Twitter

Asked Mark Daigneault about the energy Jalen Williams has provided from the sideline while dealing with numerous injuries this season:

“He’s the man. We have a great group of guys where they root for each other’s success. I think he’s certainly giving himself to the team by… pic.twitter.com/pgbtuwtKWA

— Justin Martinez (@Justintohoops) March 14, 2026

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Asked Mark Daigneault about the energy Jalen Williams …

Marc Stein: Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo has now been ruled out of today’s game against Atlanta with a left ankle sprain.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Giannis Antetokounmpo has now been ruled out of …

After a strong regular season and ACC tournament, the Miami Hurricanes are in prime position for a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Under first-year coach Jai Lucas, the Canes have undergone a stunning turnaround from last season. 13-5 in the ACC regular season and a win in the ACC tourney to reach the semifinals, the Canes stand at 25-8 heading into Selection Sunday.

Led by 1st team All-ACC forward Malik Reneau, 2nd team All-ACC guard Tre Donaldson, and All-Defensive standout Ernest Udoh Jr., the Canes are a physical squad who can present challenges for any opponent. And with their talent, the Canes have strong odds heading into the Tournament, which you can check out here from our friends at FanDuel.

What seed will Miami get? Who will their opponent and path forward be? We’ll find all of that out tomorrow during Selection Sunday. Here’s how to watch:

Selection Sunday: March 15th

Time: 6:00pm Eastern

TV: CBS and Paramount+

Live stream:March Madness live

As we’ve written here at SOTU, Miami has been circling a 7 seed over the last 2 weeks. There’s a chance, however, after the blowout loss to Virginia in the ACC tournament Semifinals that the Canes could slide down to the 8 seed line in the end.

The difference between the 7 seed and 8 seed really comes down to this: with a win, the 7 seed would face the 2 seed in the 2nd round, while the 8 seed would face the 1 seed. Small difference, but that’s basically it. The National Champions have to win 6 games in a row in the tournament, so you’re going to have to play good teams to win. That’s fine. Line it up.

You’ve watched and supported the Canes all season, now enjoy Selection Sunday and see where the journey will continue next week!

Go Canes

QPR head coach Julien Stephan spoke to BBC Radio London following their 3-1 win at Leicester City.

"We deserved this win because we showed great character, great personality, and very good collective connection," he said.

"Even though we conceded the first goal we stayed very focused on what we needed to do on the pitch. It was very important for me mentally that we stayed focused.

"We needed to manage cleverly at the end of the game and we did that very well."

• Listen to QPR content on BBC Sounds

The stage didn’t matter. Nor did the moment. In the Division 5 state championship game against Eleva-Strum, who entered the game unbeaten, Pacelli did what they did all season, and that’s plow through whatever obstacles stood in their way. 

It didn’t take long for the Cardinals to take control after tip off at the Resch Center – the Cardinals jumped out to an early lead they refused to relent.

The bell-to-bell effort – and junior Jaedyn Zdroik historic performance – helped the Cardinals capture the program’s first-ever Division 5 WIAA girls basketball state championship in a 70-40 win over Eleva-Strum.

“I couldn’t do it without my team,” Zdroik said on the live broadcast. “I’ve been playing with these girls since I was little, so it’s just really good to end our season out on a win.”

Central Wisconsin's top HS performances: Find out Central Wisconsin's top HS performances from March 2-9

Stars align 

Zdroik led Pacelli’s historic day with what will go down as one of the strongest WIAA tournament performances in history. 

Zdroik, the Central Wisconsin-South co-player of the year, finished with a game-high of 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the second player in WIAA history to finish a tournament game with a triple-double.

19 rebounds forced a two-way tie with Eva Brooks of Lena for the most boards in a tournament game – while 10 assists broke the Division 5 state tournament record.

Ella Van Order finished the entirety of the state tournament with a total 44 points across the state semifinal and state championship game.

Newman pioneer Betty Lange retires: Newman Catholic pioneer, coach Betty Lange closes historic career

“It’s what we've been wanting ever since we were little, to win a gold ball,” Van Order said. “ To end my senior season on a (championship) win is probably the most exhilarating feeling in my life.”

“I'm so proud of everyone, obviously I'm sad my (high school) career is over, but that’s not it and I’m so excited for Jaedyn and everyone at Pacelli to continue on the legacy.”

Defense front and center

The Cardinals defense made its presence felt early, snatching a 11-3 lead in the first few minutes. The defensive pressure set the pace and foundation for Pacelli’s offense – a trait that’s carried over all season for the Cardinals. 

Forcing 14 turnovers in the state championship game, the Cardinals pushed Eleva-Strum out of their comfort zone and into the uncharted territory of playing from behind early on. 

Eleva-Strum entered the state tournament averaging 11 turnovers a game.

Eleva-Strum’s offensive engine, sharp-shooting junior Avery Glenz held a team-high of 12 points at the halftime break, but she was held scoreless for the remainder of the game. 

Overall, Pacelli held Eleva-Strum to 24 percent shooting from the field, while producing three double-digit scorers in Van Order, Zdroik and junior Haylee Ciesewski who finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.

For Smaglik, that tenacious effort on both sides of the floor reflects the resilience the girls have faced and conquered all season. 

“Theres been practices where we've had 7-8 girls,” Smaglik said. “ We could have used that as an excuse of why we weren't winning games, but we did it.”

Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Reporter Alfred Smith III at alfred.smith@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @AlfredS_III.

This article originally appeared on Wausau Daily Herald: Pacelli tops Eleva-Strum in D5 championship behind historic performance

The Islanders really need to not mess this up. The second-worst team in the league (even worse than the Rangers) is in town and the Isles need the points in the very tight Eastern Conference playoff race. David Rittich will get the start, so hopefully he and the skaters in front of him recapture their better forms.

The Flames are two games from finishing a long trip, having lost 4-0 at MSG but then winning 5-4 in Newark. Both teams have equally putrid power plays, clicking at 16% for a tie for 29th in the league.

With the Isles having played (and lost to) the Kings last night, lineup updates and injury statuses will come closer to game time.l

First Islanders Goal picks go here.

Islanders News

• Takeaways: The Isles lament their pattern of slow starts. Flipping the top two lines back was a bid for a “spark” after they fell behind 3-0. [Isles]
• The Skinny: Matthew Schaefer breaking more ice-time-at-18 records, and Anders Lee’s next goal will have him pass Clark Gillies and his next point will pass Bob Bourne. (At the other end, Brayden Schenn is in a 58-way tie for 444th on the Isles’ all-time points list. But he’s gunning for Carson Soucy, Travis Zajac and Aatu Raty, I just know it.) [Isles]
• Gross: The Isles could use some more raucous nights and electricity at Belmont. [Newsday]
• Max Shabanov spoke a bit (through a translator) about the adjustment from the KHL and getting, maybe, a little bit, more of a chance the last two games. [Post]
• Part of the reason Roy is tinkering with lines is to learn what (re)combos he can turn to when playoff matchups cause problems. [THN]

Elsewhere

Only two games last night. In the other, the Blues rallied to top the Oilers in overtime.

• Radko Gudas got five games for taking out Auston Matthews’ knee. [NHL] Matthews will miss the rest of the season with a Grade 3 MCL tear.
• The next Global Series matchup will have the Senators and Blackhawks meet for two games that count in Dusseldorf, Germany. [NHL]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — IndyCar officials had to throw a red flag to freeze the cars as they were pulling out of the pit area for a second practice session Saturday when three workers were spotted on the hot track. No one was injured.

Practice for the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington resumed after a delay of several minutes as IndyCar officials checked the temporary 2.73-mile, 14-turn circuit on the streets around the stadiums of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers.

The television broadcast showed the trio of workers who appeared to be part of a catering crew. One of them was pushing a catering cart in a spot between AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys' home, and a nearby hospitality area.

Cars practicing for Sunday's race hadn't yet gotten up to speed when the track breach was spotted.

___

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

After moving on from Tyreek Hill and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, the Miami Dolphins have added a pair of veteran wide receivers, Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert, to their roster in the first week of the new league year.

While Miami certainly has some talent in the room, they should be looking to bring in more. That's why they're doing their due diligence on one of the top receiver prospects in the draft, as Simon Clancy reported that the Dolphins will host Makai Lemon on a pre-draft top-30 visit.

Lemon, 21, was a five-star recruit out of Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, California, before committing to USC for the 2023 season.

Over the last three years, Lemon appeared in 33 games for the Trojans and caught 137 passes for 2,008 yards and 14 touchdowns. He earned All-Big Ten honors twice and All-American honors once. He also won the Fred Biletnikoff Award this past year.

At 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, Lemon isn't a dominant physical presence, but he could absolutely help this roster in 2026 and beyond.

More Dolphins: Dolphins 2026 free agency tracker: Latest news, rumors and signings

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL draft: Dolphins reportedly hosting WR Makai Lemon for top-30 visit

Tom Brady will be returning to the gridiron soon – sort of – and he looks more than ready for his comeback moment.

You won't see Brady in the NFL anytime soon, but he is set to play competitive flag football this month as he takes the Flag Football Classic, an event which he founded, to Los Angeles. The event will feature Team USA Football ahead of the 2028 Olympic flag football competition, and is scheduled for March 21 at the 22,000-seat open-air stadium in Exposition Park in Los Angeles.

And as Brady prepares to take the field, he shared a shirtless photo on social media that quickly went viral, showing he is in peak shape for the event.

Tom Brady should NOT be able to look like this at 48 years old 🥵

Brady makes his football return in nine days.

6"4 and 225 pounds of pure muscle. pic.twitter.com/3EZfSQodwU

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 13, 2026

Last season, when asked about a potential NFL return amid Philip Rivers's comeback, the multi-time Super Bowl champion indicated he would be able to handle it easily. However, his current ownership position with the Raiders would make it logistically impossible at the moment.

"Yes, I certainly could," Brady said. "I think the answer for me would be yes. I'm not allowed to anymore because I'm a minority owner of the Raiders, so I can't unretire."

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Viral photo shows NFL icon Tom Brady in peak shape ahead of comeback

Mohamed Salah Eyes Record Moment as Liverpool Host Tottenham

Mohamed Salah has built a reputation at Liverpool through decisive moments, relentless consistency and a remarkable instinct for goals. As Tottenham Hotspur arrive at Anfield for the latest Premier League contest, the Egyptian forward stands on the brink of another personal milestone.

Liverpool’s right sided talisman will enter the match knowing a goal could secure a new record in his career. Salah has already enjoyed extraordinary success against Tottenham, and Sunday’s fixture offers another opportunity to underline his enduring influence at Anfield.

Even during a season that has carried occasional turbulence, Salah remains central to Liverpool’s attacking plans. Under Arne Slot, the 33 year old continues to occupy his familiar position on the right flank, contributing 17 goals across 32 appearances in all competitions this season.

Liverpool Forward Closing in on Personal Record

Few opponents have felt Salah’s impact more sharply than Tottenham. Across his career he has scored 16 goals against Spurs, a total that matches his tally against Manchester United as his most prolific return against a single opponent.

Photo: IMAGO

A goal on Sunday would change that statistic forever. A seventeenth strike against Tottenham would represent the highest number of goals Salah has scored against any one club in his career.

The prospect adds another narrative layer to a meeting that already carries Premier League significance. Salah’s history against Spurs also suggests he thrives in this fixture. In his last six league appearances against Tottenham he has found the net five times, scoring seven goals in total.

Those numbers illustrate why Tottenham supporters often approach meetings with Liverpool with a degree of caution whenever Salah is in the starting line up.

Tottenham Fixture Brings Familiar Opportunity

Salah’s connection with Tottenham fixtures stretches beyond recent seasons. Across all competitions he has scored 12 Premier League goals against Spurs, placing him among the most effective attackers the North London side have faced in the modern era.

His pursuit of another record does not end there. A hat trick on Sunday would elevate Salah even further into Premier League history. Only Alan Shearer has scored more goals against Tottenham in the competition, with the Newcastle United legend registering 14.

Should Salah produce a treble at Anfield, he would surpass that mark and claim another notable record in English football’s top flight.

Liverpool supporters have witnessed countless examples of Salah delivering when records approach. The Egyptian forward often seems inspired by the prospect of another milestone.

Photo: IMAGO

Selection Debate Ahead of Anfield Encounter

Despite his historic productivity, conversation surrounding Salah’s role has surfaced again following Liverpool’s recent Champions League defeat to Galatasaray. The winger was substituted shortly after the hour mark during the narrow loss, prompting discussion about whether competition for places might intensify.

Federico Chiesa is expected to return from illness ahead of the Tottenham clash, offering Arne Slot another attacking option. Tactical adjustments could also see Dominik Szoboszlai deployed on the right flank, with Florian Wirtz operating centrally and Cody Gakpo or Rio Ngumoha competing for the left sided role behind Hugo Ekitike.

Yet experience often carries weight at moments like these. Neither Chiesa nor Ngumoha have consistently secured the manager’s trust, while Gakpo’s form has drawn scrutiny in recent weeks.

Salah therefore remains the most likely starter against Tottenham, and if history offers any guidance, Anfield may once again witness a familiar sight. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s relentless record chaser, stepping forward when another milestone awaits.

As per a report from Foot Mercato, the Morocco national team are set to call up Lille OSC’s Ayyoub Bouaddi (18) and Fulham’s Issa Diop (29) for the upcoming international break. 

The latter has played 15 games for Fulham this season. Diop has never represented France’s senior side, however, he featured prominently at youth level and made six appearances for the U21 side. Morocco have been engaged in an attempt to convince Diop to join their national set-up for several years and the defender has now decided to respond to the call, Foot Mercato understands.

Will Bouaddi respond to the call?

Bouaddi, meanwhile, has recently broken through at Lille and he is being sold a bright future, a future that many thought would happen within the France set-up. At just 18, he has already played eight games for France’s U21 side. 

However, the Morocco national team are now set to call him up for the March international break. Whether he responds favourably to the call up is something else entirely. Sources close to the federation have revealed that Bouaddi has given a verbal agreement to play for the Atlas Lions. That came after a positive meeting between the federation, Bouaddi, and his family this week. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

College basketball postseason tournament shockingly canceled originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The postseason is in full swing in college basketball, with various programs already winning their respective conference tournaments. 

The action will continue on Saturday and Sunday with more teams hoping to be the last ones standing. Once Sunday’s Big Ten Tournament championship game concludes, teams will look ahead to the next leg of the postseason, where they’ll receive another chance to compete for titles in tournaments featuring squads from different conferences. 

However, a particular postseason tournament has been shockingly canceled.

“Due to circumstances beyond our control, the CBI (College Basketball Invitational) will not be held this year,” the CBI’s official X/Twitter account announced Thursday. “We will see you next year!”

With the CBI non-existent in 2026, the NCAA Tournament, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), and the College Basketball Crown (in its second season) will be the premier post-conference tournament events.

The CBI was created in 2007 and held its first-ever tournament in 2008. Of course, the CBI was canceled in 2020, like every other postseason event, due to the unfortunate pandemic.

For the most part, though, the tournament has been run smoothly since its initial launch, with Illinois State defeating Cleveland State in the latest installment of the CBI.

While high-major programs have competed in the tournament before, it’s always been designed to help low and mid-major schools that missed the Big Dance and NIT get another crack at a late-season championship. Unfortunately, it won’t happen this year.

More college basketball: What does Auburn's SEC Tournament loss to Tennessee mean for Miami (Ohio)'s March Madness chances?

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews will be out for the remainder of the 2025-26 NHL season after being a recipient of a hit from Anaheim Ducks captain and defenseman Radko Gudas on Thursday night. As a result, Gudas was suspended five games.

The hit took place with four minutes and 13 seconds left in the second period. Gudas received a five minute major for kneeing and a 10 minute misconduct for the infraction in a 6-4 Toronto win.

What is Matthews’s injury?

Matthews has a grade three medial collateral ligament tear. He also has a quad contusion.

Reaction from the incident

Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube was displeased at the lack of response from the Maple Leafs team after the knee incident took place. A lack of emotion has been a problem for the Maple Leafs this season.

The lack of response was also noticed by Elliotte Friedman of Rogers Sportsnet. Friedman has a podcast with Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas.

The fact that Gudas only got a five game suspension has been criticized by Matthews’s agent Judd Moldaver.

Matthews’s 2025-26 NHL statistics

In 60 games, Matthews has 27 goals and 26 assists for 53 points. He is a -4 with 18 penalty minutes, 12 power-play points, 227 shots on goal, 580 faceoff wins, 81 blocked shots, 42 hits, 30 takeaways, and 51 giveaways.

Tough season for the Maple Leafs

Anyway you look at it, it has been a very disappointing season for Toronto. The fact that the Maple Leafs are last in the Atlantic Division is bitterly disappointing to a Eastern Canadian fan base that watches the Maple Leafs in high numbers.

It is unlikely the Maple Leafs will make the postseason now. Toronto is nine points back of the Boston Bruins for a playoff spot.

As a result, do not be surprised at all if Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving and Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube will be fired when the regular season ends next month.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

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The post Can the Maple Leafs make the playoffs after the Auston Matthews’s injury? appeared first on The Big Lead.

Tyler Adams missed Bournemouth's match against Burnley on Saturday, putting his availability for upcoming U.S. men's national team friendlies in doubt.

Adams was not included in Bournemouth's matchday squad as the Cherries drew 0-0 at Turf Moor.

According to the Bournemouth Daily Echo, Adams "felt something in training [Friday] and they decided not to risk him today — sounds purely precautionary and nothing major."

Adams only recently returned after missing two months with an MCL sprain he suffered on Dec. 15.

The 27-year-old started three consecutive games for the Cherries until missing Saturday's match.

Though the injury doesn't appear serious, it still could put Adams at risk for missing the USMNT squad for matches against Belgium (March 28) and Portugal (March 31) in Atlanta.

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to name his roster for the two matches next week.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USMNT's Tyler Adams misses Bournemouth match vs Burnley

It’s a goal that, up until that point, didn’t fit the flow of the game at all, because unlike the first 38 minutes, this one truly deserves the title “world-class.” 

After a high ball from teammate Mikelbrencis into the path of Fabio Vieira, he scored with his very first touch—a delicate outside-foot chip from about fourteen meters out, sending the ball into the top left corner (39’). 

Pulling off a first touch like that doesn’t happen often—but it once again highlights what a classy player the Arsenal loanee is, and what an important role he plays for HSV, who would move up to 9th place with a win today. 

📸 Stuart Franklin - 2026 Getty Images

But before halftime, Said El Mala responded to Vieira’s world-class moment with his first career headed goal, so the teams went into the break level once again. 

What do you think? Who will come out on top in the second half? Let us know in the comments!

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

0-1 defeat to Austria Vienna

 FC Red Bull Salzburg Women 0-1 FK Austria Vienna; (H/T:0-1). Goal: Triendl (39')

Our FC Red Bull Salzburg women pushed league leaders FK Austria Vienna all the way, but an avoidable goal conceded just before half-time proved to be the difference as they lost their 2026 home opener.

Match summary

The league leaders, who are comfortably in first place, visited our fifth-placed team but there was no noticing the gap in the table at the start. While the visitors dominated possession – creating half-chances through Cordes and Wenninger – our attacks, though less frequent, were more incisive. First, Julia Grünwald headed the ball over from a promising position after a corner, then Sara Grabovac narrowly missed the target during a solo run.

That the ADMIRAL Women's Bundesliga leaders from Vienna still went into the break with a lead was entirely our fault. As we tried to build-up from the back, a Hamzic ball across to goalkeeper Lara Ritter was too weak, Triendl capitalised, intercepted the pass, and finished (39th minute) – to make it 0-1 at half-time.

Our team continued to play with energy after the restart, but only sporadically found ways to break down the strong Violet defence – Julia Grünwald and Sophia Schirmbrand, with a double chance after a clever corner, were the exceptions. Instead, the visitors dictated the play, with Cordes firing over the crossbar from distance, for Austria's best opportunity in an otherwise uneventful second half.

Since our team couldn't mount a late attacking salvo, we had to accept defeat in our 2026 home opener.

Views

I am so proud as that was a truly even match! We showed against the best team in Austria that we are competitive. What pleases me most is that we held our own physically, even in aerial duels, and conceded absolutely nothing from set pieces. The performance was spot on. Against such top opponents, small details make the difference, and one such detail decided the game today. I'm happy that we've definitely made our mark. We'll take this positive momentum into the next few matches!

Dusan Pavlovic

Line-ups & substitutions

FC Red Bull Salzburg Women: Ritter – Illinger, Hamzic, Schirmbrand, L. Spinn (74. Gierzinger) – Orkic © (74. Gragger), G. Spinn, Grünwald (80. D'Angelo), Grabovac – Crnoja (58. Krassnig), Kobler (74. Wienerroither)

FK Austria Vienna: Pal – Wenninger ©, Schiechtl, Kirchberger – Weiss, Cordes, Schöffel, Skorvankova (73. Strode), Weilharter – Uka (86. Sisic), Triendl (63. Pfattner)

Yellow cards

Grabovac (33./Foul), Hamzic (70./Foul), Illinger (78./Unsporting behaviour) - Vasile (73./dissent), Weilharter (77./Unsporting behaviour)

Attendance

250

Referee

Edin Kustura

Our partners in women's football

What do Duke, Arizona and Michigan all have in common when it comes to March Madness? They’re all contenders to be the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

In addition to the bragging rights of being declared the top-ranked team in the country, the No. 1 overall seed has the ability to choose its preferred region and first-/second-round site.

Of course, being the No. 1 overall seed doesn’t guarantee ultimate victory in the tournament. The last three No. 1 overall seeds to win the championship were UConn in 2024, Louisville in 2013 and Kentucky in 2012. Last year’s winner, the Florida Gators, were the No. 4 national seed.

Every round a team survives through, however, does earn more than $2 million for its conference paid out in annual increments over the next six years. The NCAA hasn’t released the value for this year’s unit, but it will be at or above last year’s $347,275 value. Presumably, the higher your seeding, the better your chance at earning those units for your conference.

Prior to this year’s tournament, teams received a unit for every game played through the Final Four, with no additional units for appearing in the championship game. However, in January, NCAA members voted to add an additional three units each to the men’s and women’s basketball distribution funds. That allows the championship contenders to each earn a unit, plus an additional unit with be awarded to the national champion team.

As is the case with the College Football Playoff, some schools will take home more than others thanks to conference revenue distribution policies. For example, the Big 12 and Big Ten didn’t give teams participating in the CFP any kind of bonus, instead dividing all revenue from the playoffs equally between members.

The SEC, however, gave a bonus for each round of the CFP and do the same for the men’s basketball tournament. Each SEC team receives one payment of $100,000 for appearing in the Preliminary, First, and/or Second Round, an additional one payment of $125,000 for appearing in the Regional Semifinals and/or Regional Finals, and an additional one payment of $300,000 for appearing in the Final Four.

Last year, the SEC had a record number of teams in the tournament, with 14 of its 16 teams in the bracket. Those teams went on to play 35 games leading up to the championship, earning 35 units worth approximately $70 million for the conference, the highest total in history.

Who will win both on and off the court this season? It won’t be long before it’s time to fill out those brackets and see how it all unfolds.

Rémi Himbert (18) sustained an ankle injury during Olympique Lyonnais’ draw against Celta Vigo in midweek. Paulo Fonseca has now revealed the severity of the injury.

The Frenchman has featured increasingly often in recent weeks, due to a lack of depth in the forward positions, but also because, when he has come on, he has impressed. Prior to Thursday night’s UEFA Europa League draw against Celta Vigo (1-1), Himbert had made 10 first-team appearances this season, scoring three goals (one in Ligue 1, one in the UEFA Europa League, and one in the Coupe de France).

He once again came off the bench in Spain, but lasted just seconds before he was on the floor clutching his ankle. Pablo Duran had fallen on the striker’s right ankle and, unable to walk, he was aided off by OL’s medical staff. Brought on in the 67th minute, he was replaced by Adam Karabec in the 70th. 

Post-match, Fonseca said that he thought Himbert’s injury was “not good”, and so it has transpired. Speaking on Saturday, the Lyon manager said that the forward would be absent for between six and eight weeks with a “severe sprain”, ruling him out for much of the remainder of the Ligue 1 season.

“It is sad for him. He is disappointed. It is difficult. I told him that he now just has to focus on his recovery,” added Fonseca. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

ATLANTA (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn't available for the Milwaukee Bucks' matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, marking the 31st game the two-time MVP has missed this season.

Although Milwaukee's injury report initially had listed Antetokounmpo as questionable due to injury management of his right calf, the team later ruled him out because of a left ankle sprain.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said at his pregame availability that the issue stemmed from the Bucks’ 112-105 loss to Miami on Thursday night.

The Bucks are playing on back-to-back days; they return home to face the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played on consecutive days since returning on March 2 from a right calf strain.

This represents the highest total of games Antetokounmpo has missed in any season during his 13-year career.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen was proud of his side's efforts against promotion-chasing Ipswich in their 2-0 defeat.

Wednesday threatened to back up their midweek draw with their first point at Hillsborough since December 29 before Ipswich scored two late goals.

The Owls also showed more in attack and Pedersen felt his side did well against such a difficult opponent.

He told BBC Radio Sheffield: "It was a tough, tough game against a very, very strong opponent. They are a strong, strong team with a fantastic manager. With this cocktail, we all knew it would be a big challenge today.

"But I think from the first moment we showed that the boys really tried. We also saw in the first 10 minutes, there was some tiredness in their bodies and then we worked into the game. I think we played a really, really strong first half.

"Then second half, we really had some challenges to make the correction for their tactical changes. We did this and we had a really good period again.

"Then we had a difficult period up to the goal where we won the ball, we lost the ball and then you could feel it was difficult for us to come back."

• Latest Sheffield Wednesday news, analysis and fan views
• Listen to Sheffield Wednesday content on BBC Sounds

All eyes were on Celtic Park for this afternoon’s clash between the Hoops and Motherwell, with the away side’s reputation for playing good football preceding them.

What unfolded over the course of the 90 minutes was a thoroughly entertaining match which saw four goals scored, three of which went the way of Martin O’Neill’s men.

Yang continued with his good run of form, grabbing a brace, whilst Tomas Cvancara buried an effort from the penalty spot for the second week in a row, giving Celtic a 3-1 victory.

Speaking to Celtic TV after the match, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill reflected on a good game of football and a brilliant win for his side.

He said: “The match lived up to its billing. It was a great performance from both teams, a great game of football.

“We knew it was going to be tough for us and that was the case. Motherwell are a fine side.

“We showed a lot of determination after giving them a goal to go one behind and it was a terrific performance.

“Yang was absolutely outstanding, he got the goals that he deserved and I thought Daizen was also brilliant.”

Martin O’Neill’s full post-match interview is available to watch below.

Fixtures

Celtic Vs. Motherwell - Sat, Mar 14th 2026, 15:00 Match Report

Los Angeles Lakers (41-25) vs. Nuggets (41-26) | Game 67 of 82

WHERE TO WATCH AND WHAT TIME

Date: Saturday, March 14 

Tip-off: 5:30 p.m. 

Location: Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, Calif. 

TV: ABC 

Radio: ESPN LA 710 / 1330 KWKW

GAME PREVIEW

The Lakers enter tonight’s matchup against the Nuggets looking to push their win streak to five games.

Los Angeles is coming off a 142-130 win over the Bulls on Thursday, where Luka Dončić exploded for a 51-point triple-double. 

It was his first 50-point game as a Laker and eighth triple-double of the season as the Slovenian continues to push the MVP conversation narrative, a topic coach JJ Redick said he should more involved in.

"He's playing as well as anyone right now, and that's not getting talked about enough, but I'm going to talk about it," Redick said after their win over Chicago.

Over their last eight games, the Lakers have arguably played their best basketball of the season, finding their rhythm on both ends of the floor.

In that eight-game span, they have had the 2nd-rated offense (123.3) and 7th-rated defense (109.8) while allowing the lowest 3-pointers (10) and 3-point percentage (29%) to opponents.

LeBron James returned from a three-game absence against the Bulls, scoring 18 points in 33 minutes.

This matchup marks the third meeting between the teams this season.

WHY THIS GAME HAS MORE IMPORTANCE

With the regular season entering its final stretch, the Lakers (41-25) are currently No. 4 in the Western Conference standings.

A win tonight would push them to No. 3 in the West ahead of the Houston Rockets, who the Lakers play back-to-back times next on the road.

KEY MATCHUP

The Lakers will have a tough task against Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray.

The Lakers' bigs are in for a long game against Jokic, who slices through every part of teams' defenses in different ways, and Murray just hates that Lakers logo.

Jokic is averaging a triple-double this season in another MVP-like season at 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists, while you should anticipate an A game night from Murray, as he always does against the Lakers. 

Murray is averaging 25.7 points and 7.1 assists per game.

If the Lakers can limit the players around those two, it could swing the momentum.

WHAT TO AVOID

The Lakers need to avoid a slow start. 

In their previous matchup against Denver, the Lakers started 11-0 after a brutal, low-energy first quarter. Something they need to avoid in L.A. with teams eager to play their best with the brighter lights.

OPPONENT OUTLOOK

The Nuggets enter tonight’s game with a 41-26 record, 23-12 on the road, and currently sit at No. 5 in the Western Conference.

They are coming off a five-point win over the Spurs in San Antonio on Thursday behind a 39-point outing from Murray.

NOTABLE OPPONENT RANKS AMONG THE NBA

The Nuggets currently rank:

No. 1 in offensive rating (120.4)

No. 21 in defensive rating (116.2)

Other rankings:

Points — No. 1 (120.6) 

FG% — No. 2 (49.3%) 

Assists — No. 9 (28.1) 

3PM — No. 12 (13.7) 

3P% — No. 1 (39.1%)

SEASON SERIES

Game 1 — Lakers 115-107 win in Denver on Jan 20

Game 2 — Lakers 120-113 loss in Denver on March 5

STATS TO WATCH

LeBron James is 14 rebounds away from reaching 12k rebounds all-time. He sits at 11,986, which ranks him 23rd all-time.

Nikola Jokic has had a triple-double in his past three games as he leads the NBA in total triple-doubles this season with 26.

INJURY REPORT

Lakers:

• Jaxson Hayes (back soreness): PROBABLE

• Maxi Kleber (back strain): OUT

Nuggets:

• Jamal Murray (ankle sprain): Probable (Don’t see him not playing)

• Aaron Gordon (hamstring): Probable

• Peyton Watson: Out

THREADS FOR THE GAME

The Lakers will wear their iconic gold uniforms, while the Nuggets will wear their white association edition uniforms.

NEXT MATCHUP

The Lakers now head to a six-game road trip, facing the Houston Rockets in their next two games. They will play their next home game on March 27 against the Brooklyn Nets.

Hull City boss Sergej Jakirovic spoke to BBC Radio Humberside after his side's 3-0 defeat at West Brom.

"I knew that they had quality and they are fighting relegation. They brought a lot of energy to the pitch and this is the reason we lost today," he said.

"I think it's about energy and courage when you have the ball. They were better today.

"Also we had a lack of concentration. On the first goal Ivor must kick the ball longer and the red card came from nothing, it was bad from Charlie. It's football, it can happen.

(On Lewie Coyle injury) "I'm not optimistic because he has a protective boot on. We'll see after an examination what the damage is. He got kicked on the same ankle he already had a problem on."

• Latest Hull City news, analysis and fan views
• Listen to Hull City content on BBC Sounds

LORIENT, France (AP) — Substitute striker Aiyegun Tosin scored the winner as second-placed Lens lost 2-1 at Lorient in the French league on Saturday, missing the chance to move back to the top of the standings.

With Paris Saint-Germain not playing this weekend, Lens had the chance to move two points clear with a win at mid-table Lorient.

But coach Pierre Sage's players struggled to get things going and were punished in the 18th minute when Bamba Dieng was left unmarked and scored from close range with a right-footed effort.

Following Odsonne Édouard's second-half equalizer, Tosin snatched three points for Lorient in the 65th minute, fluffing his initial attempt before rounding the Lens goalkeeper to score. Lorient goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo made five saves for the hosts.

PSG is off duty because Nantes agreed to postpone their scheduled game on Sunday in order to give PSG better preparation for the Champions League second leg against Chelsea next week. PSG is leading 5-2 from the last-16 first leg on Wednesday.

Angers hosts Nice and Monaco is at home to Brest later Saturday.

Third-placed Marseille won 1-0 against struggler Auxerre on Friday. The result left Marseille in third place, three points clear of Lyon, which plays at Le Havre on Sunday. Marseille was seven points behind Lens and eight adrift of PSG.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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Mediterranean travel bookings surge as global tourists shift plans from the Middle East. Discover safer European destinations and smart travel tips.

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Sofitel Montreal's newly redesigned flagship hotel showcases French-style luxury with modern touches, offering an unforgettable experience for visitors to Montreal.

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Explore how Middle Eastern airlines are leading global profitability in 2026 despite regional conflicts.

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Nepali citizens in Qatar must now book appointments at the Tasheer Center for Saudi tourist visas to travel home via Saudi airports.

Samsung TVs help people enjoy basketball games simply and excitingly. During tournament season, basketball games are full of action. Players move quickly, the ball travels fast, and every point is important. Watching these moments on a good TV helps fans enjoy the game even more.

AI Customization Mode is a useful feature of Samsung TVs. This feature understands what you are watching and changes the picture settings automatically. When you watch sports like basketball, the TV makes the colors brighter and the picture clearer.

Basketball games move very fast, so it is important that the picture stays smooth. Samsung TVs use AI Motion Enhancer Pro to reduce blur during fast action. Also, Motion Xcelerator helps make motion smoother by improving the refresh rate. Because of this, the game looks natural and easy to follow.

Many fans enjoy watching sports on big screens. Samsung offers large TVs that keep the picture sharp even on bigger displays. With the Supersize Picture Enhancer, the TV improves contrast and detail so the picture stays clear across the entire screen. This makes the game feel bigger and more exciting.

Samsung TVs use Object Tracking Sound, which makes the audio move with the action on the screen. When players move across the court or the crowd cheers, the sound follows the movement. You can also add a Samsung Q-Series Soundbar to make the sound even louder and clearer.

The post Samsung makes watching basketball fun with smart AI features appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Huawei formally outed a few details regarding the Enjoy 90 Pro Max and Enjoy 90 Plus – two upcoming handsets. The highlight of the reveal is probably the “Whale battery,” which is said to have a capacity of around 8,500 mAh. Huawei Enjoy 90 Pro Max and 90 Plus The source also expects both phones to feature a 6.84-inch, QHD+ LTPS OLED display and either a Kirin 8000 or Kirin 8020 chipset, plus 8GB of RAM and a choice between 128GB, 256GB and 512GB of storage. Huawei Enjoy 90 Plus We also get a few images of the two devices, revealing their design. These images are...

The Saudi Pro League title race continues to deliver drama, and the battle for the Golden Boot has become just as intense. While Cristiano Ronaldo remains sidelined with injury, the spotlight has shifted toward two other prolific forwards: Ivan Toney and Julian Quinones.

All three stars have been central figures in the scoring charts this season, representing Al‑Nassr, Al‑Ahli, and Al‑Qadsiah, respectively. But a dramatic night of soccer, filled with a stunning comeback, title-race implications, and a heated confrontation, has reshaped the race for the league’s top scorer.

What unfolded during and after Al-Ahli’s match against Al-Qadsiah not only altered the dynamics of the championship battle but also reignited the Golden Boot rivalry spectacularly. Al-Ahli entered its away fixture against Al-Qadsiah with the chance to apply serious pressure on league leader Al-Nassr. Early on, the team appeared firmly in control.

The breakthrough came in the 27th minute, when Ivan Toney capitalized on defensive confusion inside the box to open the scoring. The English striker reacted quickest to a loose ball and produced a composed finish to put Al-Ahli ahead. Just before halftime, Valentin Atangana tapped in Galeno’s cross to make it 2-0, putting Al-Ahli firmly in control.

However, Al-Qadsiah mounted a dramatic second-half comeback. Musab Al Juwayr pulled one back in the 63rd minute after a pass from Christopher Bonsu Baah, shifting the momentum. Deep into stoppage time, Turki Al Ammar equalized in the 92nd minute before Ibrahim Mahnashi completed the stunning turnaround in the 98th minute, sealing a remarkable 3-2 victory. The result stunned the visitors and had immediate implications for the title race.

The heated post-match brawl

As emotions ran high after the final whistle, the drama continued off the ball. The match’s intensity spilled over when Ivan Toney became involved in a confrontation with Julian Quinones during the post-match handshake sequence. The altercation quickly escalated, with video footage showing the two Golden Boot contenders exchanging heated words and briefly grabbing each other by the collar before teammates stepped in.

The incident appeared to underline the fierce rivalry between the league’s top scorers, whose competition has intensified throughout the season. Fans quickly reacted on social media, with many describing the scene as a reflection of the high stakes surrounding both the title race and the Golden Boot chase.

Golden Boot race takes a new turn

The aftermath of the match also produced a significant shift in the scoring charts. Ivan Toney now leads the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot race with 25 goals, narrowly ahead of Julian Quinones with 24. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo remains on 21 goals while recovering from injury.

That development has reshaped the competition for the award, particularly as Ronaldo’s absence limits his chances of adding to his tally in the immediate future. The Portuguese superstar had entered the campaign pursuing a historic milestone: becoming the first European player to win the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot three seasons in a row.

He previously claimed the award in 2024 with 31 goals and again in 2025 with 30 goals, reinforcing his dominance in Saudi soccer even in the later years of his career. However, the current season has proven far more competitive, with multiple strikers delivering exceptional performances.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqasının 24-cü turunun “Zirə” – “Qarabağ” matçı meydan sahiblərinin 1:3 hesablı məğlubiyyəti ilə başa çatdı.

Arena.az Bakıda baş tutmuş bu matçın yekun protokolunu və icmalını təqdim edir.

Azərbaycan Premyer Liqası
24-cü tur
14 mart

“Zirə” – “Qarabağ” 1:3
Qollar: Ceyhun Nuriyev, 70 – Xoni Montiel, 22. Kamilo Duran, 55. Kadi Borges, 72.
Sarı vərəqə: Enrike Kustodio, 66 (qeyri-idman hərəkəti).
Artırılan vaxt: Birinci hissədə 2 dəqiqə, ikinci hissədə 4 dəqiqə.
Saat 19:15. Zirə İdman Kompleksinin stadionu, 1200 tamaşaçı.

Baş hakim: Fərid Hacıyev.
Baş hakimin köməkçiləri: Namiq Hüseynov, Rəhman İmami.
Dördüncü hakim: Vüqar Həsənli.
VAR: Nicat İsmayıllı.
AVAR: Emin Əliyev.
Hakim-inspektor: Rəhim Həsənov.
AFFA nümayəndəsi: Elgiz Abbasov.

Zirə: 97. Tyaqo Silva, 8. İsmayıl İbrahimli, 7. Rövlan Muradov (29. Ceyhun Nuriyev, 56), 14. Elçin Əlicanov (21. Hacıağa Hacılı, 56), 4. Ruan Renatov (k), 25. Enrike Kustodio, 9. Davit Volkov (28. Leroy Mikels, 76), 30. Rikardo Martins, 93. Brahim Konate (10. Georgi Papunaşvili, 63), 5. Ange Mutsinzi, 11. Junior Martins (22. Eren Aydın, 63).
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 13. Aydın Bayramov, 70. Namiq Ələsgərov, 73. Anatoli Nuriyev, 19. Rüfət Abdullazadə, 26. Stefan Akka, 20. İssa Cibrilla, 6. Eldar Quliyev.
Baş məşqçi: Rəşad Sadıqov.

Qarabağ: 99. Mateus Koxalski, 44. Elvin Cəfərquliyev (27. Toral Bayramov, 90+2), 10. Abdullah Zubir (k) (22. Musa Qurbanlı, 85), 81. Kevin Medina, 20. Kadi Borges, 2. Mateus Silva, 9. Xoni Montiel (8. Marko Yankoviç, 73), 18. Dani Bolt (30. Abbas Hüseynov, 90+2), 15. Leandro Andrade (11. Emmanuel Addai, 90+2), 35. Pedro Bikalyo, 17. Kamilo Duran.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 97. Fabian Buntiç, 89. Amin Ramazanov, 55. Bədavi Hüseynov, 77. Ramil Şeydayev, 32. Hikmət Cəbrayılzadə, 21. Aleksey Kaşuk, 24. Jeremi Qnali.
Baş məşqçi: Qurban Qurbanov.

Bu gün futbol üzrə Azərbaycan çempionatında (Premyer Liqa) 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 24-cü turunun növbəti oyunları keçirilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, ikinci oyun gününün sonuncu qarşılaşması Zirədə baş tutub.

Turun mərkəzi oyununda “Zirə” son çempion “Qarabağ”la üz-üzə gəlib. Oyunu Fərid Hacıyev idarə edib. Dörd qolun qeydə alındığı görüşdə Ağdam təmsilçisi inamlı qələbəyə sevinib.

Daha öncə keçirilmiş oyunlarda “Araz-Naxçıvan” “Karvan”a (2:1), “Şamaxı” “Sumqayıt”a (1:0), “Sabah” “İmişli”yə (5:0) qalib gəlib. “Kəpəz” – “Turan Tovuz” və “Qəbələ” – “Neftçi” matçları isə sabah keçiriləcək.

Premyer Liqa
24-cü tur
14 mart

“Zirə” – “Qarabağ” 1:3
Qollar: Ceyhun Nuriyev, 70 – Xoni Montiel, 22. Kamilo Duran, 55. Kadi Borges, 72.
Hakimlər: Fərid Hacıyev, Namik Hüseynov, Rəhman İmami, Vüqar Həsənli.
VAR: Nicat İsmayıllı.
AVAR: Emin Əliyev.
Hakim-inspektor: Rəhim Həsənov.
AFFA nümayəndəsi: Elgiz Abbasov.
Zirə İdman Kompleksinin stadionu. 19:15.

Zirə: 97. Tyaqo Silva, 8. İsmayıl İbrahimli, 7. Rövlan Muradov, 14. Elçin Əlicanov, 4. Ruan Renatov (k), 25. Enrike Kustodio, 9. Davit Volkov, 30. Rikardo Martins, 93. Brahim Konate, 5. Ange Mutsinzi, 11. Junior Martins.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 13. Aydın Bayramov, 70. Namiq Ələsgərov, 73. Anatoli Nuriyev, 21. Hacıağa Hacılı, 19. Rüfət Abdullazadə, 29. Ceyhun Nuriyev, 26. Stefan Akka, 28. Leroy Mikels, 10. Georgi Papunaşvili, 20. İssa Cibrilla, 6. Eldar Quliyev, 22. Eren Aydın.
Baş məşqçi: Rəşad Sadıqov.

Qarabağ: 99. Mateus Koxalski, 44. Elvin Cəfərquliyev, 10. Abdullah Zubir (k), 81. Kevin Medina, 20. Kadi Borges, 2. Mateus Silva, 9. Xoni Montiel, 18. Dani Bolt, 15. Leandro Andrade, 35. Pedro Bikalyo, 17. Kamilo Duran.
Ehtiyat oyunçular: 97. Fabian Buntiç, 89. Amin Ramazanov, 55. Bədavi Hüseynov, 30. Abbas Hüseynov, 77. Ramil Şeydayev, 27. Toral Bayramov, 22. Musa Qurbanlı, 32. Hikmət Cəbrayılzadə, 8. Marko Yankoviç, 21. Aleksey Kaşuk, 11. Emmanuel Addai, 24. Jeremi Qnali.
Baş məşqçi: Qurban Qurbanov.

Bu gün Azərbaycan Basketbol Liqasında (ABL) 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün 19-cu turunun növbəti oyunları keçirilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, üçüncü oyun günündə iki qarşılaşma baş tutub.

Günün ilk matçında “Gəncə” son çempion “Sabah”ı qəbul edib. Gəncə İdman Sarayında baş tutmuş qarşılaşma qonaqların qələbəsi ilə bitib – 87:73.

Digər oyun “Abşeron Lions”la “Neftçi” arasında təşkil edilib. Qarşılaşma Abşeron təmsilçisinin 107:87 hesablı qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşıb.

Xatırladaq ki, tura martın 15-də yekun vurulacaq. Əvvəlki matçlarda “Ordu” “Sumqayıt”ı (121:98), “Naxçıvan” “Sərhədçi”ni (83:67), “Quba” “Lənkəran”ı (95:88) məğlub edib.

A qrupu: Sabah – 37. Abşeron Lions – 36. Neftçi – 28. Gəncə – 27. NTD – 20. Şəki – 20.

B qrupu: Ordu – 36. Naxçıvan – 34. Sərhədçi – 26. Sumqayıt – 26. Quba – 26. Lənkəran – 23.

Xatırladaq ki, ABL oyunları dörd dövrədən və 20 turdan ibarət olacaq. Müntəzəm mövsümün oyunları A və B qruplarına bölünməklə keçirilir. Müntəzəm mövsümdə A qrupunu ilk 3 sırada tamamlamış klublarla yanaşı, B qrupunu lider bitirmiş komanda pley-offun 1/4 final mərhələsinə vəsiqə qazanacaq. A və B qruplarında digər yerləri tutmuş komandalar isə pley-offun 1/8 final mərhələsində üz-üzə gələcəklər. Bu mərhələdə ən tez iki qələbə qazanacaq klublar 1/4 finala yüksələcəklər. Həm 1/4 final, həm də yarımfinal seriyaları 2 qələbəyə qədər davam edəcək.

Final seriyasında isə ən tez 3 qələbə qazanacaq klub Azərbaycan Basketbol Liqasının çempionu olacaq.

BTC faces bull trap risks due to the formation of a bear flag pattern, with a measured downside target at around $51,000.

Cristian Chivu and Inter have imposed a press silence in protest at two controversial refereeing decisions in their 1-1 draw with Atalanta.

The coach was sent off for dissent after two yellow cards in quick succession, as he was protesting the decision to give the equaliser from Nikola Krstovic, claiming that Kamaldeen Sulemana had fouled Denzel Dumfries.

Francesco Pio Esposito had given Inter the lead before half-time, while the hosts also had penalty appeals rejected late on for Giorgio Scalvini’s contact with Davide Frattesi.

You can read how DAZN refereeing pundit Luca Marelli evaluated the two incidents here.

Inter stage silent protest

There was a lengthy wait in the press room for Chivu or some club representative to reach the microphones, but nobody ever came.

This press silence is Inter’s way of protesting the decisions of referee Gianluca Mangnaniello, and the failure of VAR to overturn those calls.

This is the second setback in a row for the Nerazzurri, who already saw their Serie A lead reduced to seven points after last week’s defeat to Milan.

If Milan manage to beat Lazio tomorrow, it will close the gap further to just five points.

Inter had also been very unhappy with some calls in the Derby della Madonnina last week, specifically a penalty appeal for handball, even though the referee’s association confirmed there were no errors.

DAZN refereeing expert Luca Marelli has given his verdict on the controversial decisions that infuriated Inter in their 1-1 draw with Atalanta. ‘They are subjective situations.’

There were two significant incidents in the space of a few final minutes of this Serie A match at San Siro, after Francesco Pio Esposito had opened the scoring.

Inter furious with refereeing decisions

Atalanta equalised with Nikola Krstovic only after Kamaldeen Sulemana had robbed Denzel Dumfries on the edge of the area, making the Dutch player stumble and fall over.

Referee Gianluca Manganiello had the whistle in his mouth, seemingly hesitated, and eventually did not blow it, awarding the goal.

A long VAR check confirmed the original decision, which infuriated Cristian Chivu so much that the Inter coach was sent off.

“There is no lower contact between the legs, the only contact is one hand resting on the back, but he doesn’t seem to push,” explained DAZN expert and former referee Marelli.

“In my view, Manganiello was right to let play continue, because any contact is minimal.”

The other moment to hit the headlines occurred a few moments later, when Davide Frattesi got to a bouncing ball first, caught on the boot by Giorgio Scalvini.

Here too, the referee waved play on, and VAR did not consider it necessary to suggest an On-Field Review.

“It is a subjective situation, penalties are a serious matter and should not be given for any contact,” added Marelli.

“I see contact between Scalvini and Frattesi that should be evaluated, but there isn’t a genuine kick from the Atalanta defender.

“I don’t think Manganiello saw it, but I also feel VAR was right not to intervene, because this is not a clear and obvious error.

“It is a situation that can be interpreted and of course all opinions are legitimate.”

Raffaele Palladino thanks Atalanta for ‘battling with such courage’ to a 1-1 draw with Inter, especially thanks to their substitutes, and shrugs off controversy.

La Dea were feeling the pressure after one point from two Serie A games, a 2-2 Coppa Italia semi-final draw at Lazio, and above all Tuesday’s 6-1 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.

So when going a goal down at San Siro to Francesco Pio Esposito’s angled drive, it as not to be taken for granted that they’d get back into it.

Palladino hails Atalanta fightback

“This is a great squad, I’ve been asking so much of then for the last four months, and I want to publicly thank them for all their efforts,” Palladino told DAZN Italia.

“They’ve battled with such courage and it’s not easy to play every three days, but they put in a strong performance today. We improved over the course of the match, we had wanted to sit a little deeper and use the transitions in the first half, but didn’t do it well enough.”

This has to be treated as a positive result in the circumstances, and there was a boost with the return of Ederson and Charles De Ketelaere as substitutes after injury problems.

“I knew the inertia of the game could change and those who came off the bench gave us a great energy boost,” continued Palladino.

“Krstovic gave a big hand, we needed his work ethic. We also got De Ketelaere back, Isak Hien won every defensive duel. The players who can come off the bench are a real strength of this club.”

There was controversy too, as Inter were furious a foul wasn’t given for Kamaldeen Sulemana on Denzel Dumfries in the build-up to Nikola Krstovic’s equaliser, then felt Giorgio Scalvini’s contact on Davide Frattesi was worthy of a penalty.

“I never talk about referees. Your own refereeing expert Luca Marelli confirmed the referee did not make a mistake here, so I try to respect everyone’s work.”

Now Atalanta travel to Munich for the second leg of their Champions League tie, having lost the first leg 6-1.

“The result is compromised and there’s a mountain to climb, but we’ll play our game against a great opponent,” concluded Palladino.

Italy international Sandro Tonali is not in the Newcastle United squad travelling for this evening’s game with Chelsea, raising questions on his fitness ahead of the World Cup play-offs.

The Premier League clash is due to kick off at Stamford Bridge at 17.30 GMT and Tonali had been expected to start the match.

Instead, he is not even on the bench, and the official club website confirms that his absence is due to illness.

Tonali out of Newcastle United squad

According to Sky Sports UK, this is the same virus that also forced Newcastle United to leave Anthony Gordon and Nick Woltemade at home recently.

Both those players are back in the starting XI, so that suggests it should only be a short-term issue.

This will be reassuring for Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso, who is set to name his squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup play-offs.

Arguably, the 25-year-old could do with some rest, having already played 46 competitive games at club level so far this season.

Tonali scored three goals and provided seven assists this term in the Newcastle United jersey.

Antonio Conte warns Napoli their match with Lecce is the start of a ‘mini-tournament’ and reassures fans on his future. ‘My intention is to continue this journey.’

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Partenopei had been stuttering in Serie A, but got back on track with two consecutive victories over Verona and Torino.

With the fixture list providing head-to-head battles and tough trips elsewhere, it’s a chance for them to consolidate third place.

Conte wants final Napoli flurry

“We are starting to recover players who were absent for a very long time. Inevitably, when you are out for that long, it takes time, so I need to evaluate the minutes I give them during the game,” Conte told DAZN Italia.

“I always tell the lads we must try to consider these last 10 matches as a mini-tournament where the Scudetto, Champions League, Europa League and Conference League places will be assigned.

“So we need to be very concentrated and try to do our best.”

Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa returns to the starting XI for the first time since November 2025, but Antonio Vergara and Juan Jesus have joined Stanislav Lobotka, David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani on the absentee list.

Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are only fit enough for a spot on the bench.

Conte has transformed his tactics several times throughout the season to fit the players at his disposal, so will he reshuffle the pack again?

“We were missing a fundamental element like Di Lorenzo, who along with Mazzocchi are the only players who can be full-backs, so we can’t have a four-man defence without Giovanni. Throwing away all the guarantees we’ve earned with this system now would in my view be dangerous and potentially damaging for us.”

There have been suggestions that Conte could be reconsidering his future for next season, having clashed with President Aurelio De Laurentiis a few times.

“When I arrived at Napoli, I signed a three-year contract, so that is the length of the project. Every end of the season, we sit down with the President, discussing and evaluating where we want to go. We’ll do it again at the end of this season, very calmly,” replied Conte.

“Everyone knows I am very happy in Naples, but at the same time, it is only right to evaluate the project and decide whether it is the right decision to keep going. My intention and desire is to continue this journey.”

Napoli give Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa his first start since November, as Alisson Santos supports Rasmus Hojlund against unpredictable Lecce.

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 17.00 GMT (18.00 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s three Serie A games on the Liveblog.

The Partenopei have the opportunity to consolidate third place after slender and hard-fought 2-1 wins over Verona and Torino.

Antonio Conte has yet more additions to the injury list, losing Antonio Vergara and Juan Jesus, with Stanislav Lobotka, David Neres, Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani already out.

Scott McTominay has been back in training since Tuesday and therefore gets a spot on the bench along with Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, both recovering from long-term injuries.

Lecce earned a potentially crucial 2-1 victory over Cremonese to drag them out of the bottom four.

Omri Gandelman has shaken off a knee problem, but Medon Berisha, Francesco Camarda and Kialonda Gaspar are out of action.

Nikola Stulic leads the attack with Lameck Banda, while Napoli-owned Walid Cheddira is on the bench.

Napoli vs. Lecce line-ups

Napoli: Meret; Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, Anguissa, Gilmour, Spinazzola; Elmas, Alisson Santos; Hojlund

Lecce: Falcone; Danilo Veiga, Siebert, Tiago Gabriel, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani; Pierotti, Ngom, Banda; Stulic

14-03-2026 17:00

MatchDay 29

Stadio Diego Armando Maradona

Napoli

Lecce

Live

0 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

		3'		Jamil Siebert (Assist: Antonino Gallo)
		19'		Jamil Siebert

Napoli

Lecce

Starting lineups

1

Alex Meret

Goalkeeper

4

Alessandro Buongiorno

Defender

37

Leonardo Spinazzola

Defender

17

Mathías Olivera

Defender

31

Sam Beukema

Defender

99

Frank Anguissa

Midfielder

6

Billy Gilmour

Midfielder

20

Eljif Elmas

Midfielder

27

Alisson Santos

Attacker

21

Matteo Politano

Attacker

19

Rasmus Højlund

Attacker

30

Wladimiro Falcone

Goalkeeper

25

Antonino Gallo

Defender

17

Danilo Veiga

Defender

5

Jamil Siebert

Defender

44

Tiago Gabriel

Defender

29

Lassana Coulibaly

Midfielder

79

Oumar Ngom

Midfielder

20

Ylber Ramadani

Midfielder

19

Lameck Banda

Attacker

9

Nikola Stulic

Attacker

50

Santiago Pierotti

Attacker

Substitutes

5

Juan Jesus

Defender

14

Nikita Contini

Goalkeeper

32

Vanja Milinković-Savić

Goalkeeper

30

Pasquale Mazzocchi

Defender

11

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

9

Romelu Lukaku

Attacker

8

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

3

Miguel Gutiérrez

Defender

23

Giovane

Attacker

23

Giovane Nascimento

Attacker

23

Riccardo Sottil

Attacker

14

Thórir Jóhann Helgason

Midfielder

32

Jasper Samooja

Goalkeeper

1

Christian Früchtl

Goalkeeper

36

Filip Marchwinski

Midfielder

16

Omri Gandelman

Midfielder

99

Walid Cheddira

Attacker

18

Gaby Jean

Defender

8

Sadik Fofana

Defender

11

Konan N’Dri

Attacker

13

Matías Pérez

Defender

3

Corrie Ndaba

Defender

6

Álex Sala

Midfielder

Real Madrid are reportedly continuing to track the situation of Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konaté, as uncertainty surrounds the French centre-back’s long-term future at Anfield.

According to talkSPORT, the Spanish giants remain attentive to developments regarding Konaté’s contract negotiations with Liverpool, which are still ongoing.

Liverpool are working to secure the 26-year-old’s future, but interest from top European clubs means the situation is being closely watched.

Real Madrid are understood to be among the teams keeping tabs on the defender’s availability should talks between the player and Liverpool fail to produce an agreement.

Konaté has become increasingly important for Liverpool

Konaté has grown into one of the club’s most reliable defensive players. The France international has formed an important partnership in Liverpool’s backline, combining physical strength with impressive recovery pace and strong aerial ability.

Konaté’s defensive attributes make him particularly well suited to the high-intensity style Liverpool have often employed in recent years.

In addition to his club performances, Konaté has also continued to establish himself within the French national team setup, further enhancing his reputation as one of Europe’s leading young defenders.

The French centre-back is set to become a free agent at the end of the season and that has alerted Real Madrid who love to sign players as free agents.

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Real Madrid are looking to strengthen their defense

Real Madrid’s reported interest in Konaté aligns with their long-term efforts to refresh their defensive line.

With some experienced defenders entering the latter stages of their careers, the club is believed to be evaluating options capable of strengthening the squad for the coming years.

Despite the growing speculation, Liverpool are unlikely to let Konaté leave easily. The club considers him a key part of their future defensive plans.

Liverpool are already preparing for defensive changes with young centre-back Jeremy Jacquet set to arrive from Rennes at the end of the season, while promising defender Giovanni Leoni is also expected to return after recovering from injury.

Liverpool remain committed to keeping the French defender, but interest from Real Madrid ensures that the situation will continue to attract attention.

Swap deal: Liverpool ready to finally sign long-term target in smart exchange

The post Real Madrid continue to monitor Liverpool star despite his involvement in contract talks appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Atlético Madrid are reportedly determined to block any attempt by Barcelona to sign Julián Álvarez, as speculation surrounding the Argentine striker’s future intensifies ahead of the summer transfer window.

According to Diario Sport, the Spanish club have no intention of strengthening one of their biggest domestic rivals and would reject any approach from the Catalan side.

Reports suggest that the club might consider offers from the Premier League, but only if the proposal significantly exceeds €100 million.

Arsenal and Chelsea are among the clubs believed to be monitoring Álvarez’s situation closely.

Julian Álvarez has reached a new level at Atlético

Since joining Atlético Madrid, Julián Álvarez has become a central figure in Diego Simeone’s attacking setup.

The 26-year-old Argentina international is admired for his relentless work rate, pressing ability, and versatility in the final third.

Álvarez can operate both as a central striker and as part of a more fluid attacking system, making him particularly valuable in Simeone’s tactical approach.

His ability to combine intelligent movement with clinical finishing has seen him become one of the club’s most consistent attacking threats.

The forward also carries significant pedigree on the international stage. Álvarez played a key role in Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where his performances alongside Lionel Messi elevated his reputation across world football.

More Stories / Latest News

Real Madrid continue to monitor Liverpool star despite his involvement in contract talks

Mar 14 2026, 17:37

Arsenal and Chelsea given hope of making €100m signing ahead of Barcelona

Mar 14 2026, 17:08

Report: Chelsea winger on the radar of Barcelona after details of secret clause emerge

Mar 14 2026, 17:02

Barcelona face competition from Arsenal and Chelsea

While Barcelona face significant resistance, interest from England continues to grow. Both Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly assessing the possibility of making a major move for the striker.

Barcelona have reportedly been admirers of Álvarez for some time as they look to strengthen their attacking line in the coming years but competition from Premier League clubs is set to make their life difficult.

The Catalan giants are looking for a long term replacement of Robert Lewandowski and Álvarez is high on their radar for the summer transfer window this year.

Arsenal preparing ‘formal offer’ for 48-goal star, Andrea Berta personally involved 

The post Arsenal and Chelsea given hope of making €100m signing ahead of Barcelona appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Barcelona have reportedly added Chelsea winger Pedro Neto to their list of potential summer transfer targets as the club prepares for another important rebuilding phase.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan giants are keeping a close eye on the Portuguese international’s situation at Stamford Bridge in case they decide to reinforce their wide attacking options during the upcoming transfer window.

Barcelona’s recruitment strategy is expected to focus on strengthening three key areas of the squad: a striker, a centre-back, and a winger.

While the club already possesses quality options on the flanks, the technical department is exploring alternatives should the opportunity arise in the market.

Pedro Neto has emerged as an option for Barcelona

Neto, now 26 years old, has long been regarded as one of the Premier League’s most technically gifted wide players.

His pace, dribbling ability, and creativity in one-on-one situations has built a reputation as a player capable of unlocking defenses with direct attacking play.

After making his name at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Neto moved to Chelsea in a deal that attracted significant attention across Europe.

Neto’s contract includes a release clause or exit mechanism that could facilitate a transfer should Barcelona decide to move forward with negotiations.

For now, however, the Spanish club are simply observing his situation rather than actively pursuing a deal.

More Stories / Latest News

Real Madrid continue to monitor Liverpool star despite his involvement in contract talks

Mar 14 2026, 17:37

Arsenal and Chelsea given hope of making €100m signing ahead of Barcelona

Mar 14 2026, 17:08

Report: Chelsea winger on the radar of Barcelona after details of secret clause emerge

Mar 14 2026, 17:02

Barcelona have depth in their current attacking options

Barcelona’s attacking lineup already includes several prominent wide players.

Young superstar Lamine Yamal and Brazilian international Raphinha are currently considered automatic starters in the wide roles, both delivering consistent performances this season.

In addition, the club is still evaluating the future of Marcus Rashford, who joined on loan from Manchester United.

Barcelona have the option to make that deal permanent depending on how the remainder of the season unfolds.

Because of these existing options, Neto is not currently a priority signing. Instead, he represents a contingency option should circumstances change during the summer.

Report: Chelsea considering transfer move for 21-year-old who’s perfect for Liam Rosenior 

The post Report: Chelsea winger on the radar of Barcelona after details of secret clause emerge appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The post USDT Liquidity Crunch Emerges as Exchange Withdrawals Surge Amid Hormuz Crisis appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Something strange is happening with USDT, and it’s not the kind of shift traders and investors usually celebrate. On the surface, Ethereum’s USDT activity looks vibrant. Active addresses recently surged to 340,000, a level that normally screams strong network engagement. 

But digging a little deeper and the story changes fast. This isn’t a speculative frenzy. Instead, it reflects a major pivot in how USDT is being used during the March 2026 Hormuz Crisis.

As geopolitical tensions disrupt traditional banking rails, stablecoins have quietly stepped in to fill the gap. Cross-border payments, emergency transfers, and quick settlements in fiat are increasingly happening through stablecoin rails rather than banks. In other words, the token that once fueled exchange trading desks is now doing something far more practical. And that shift is draining liquidity from where markets need it most.

USDT Leaves Exchanges as Users Build Private War Chests

The imbalance is striking. Exchange data shows elevating withdrawal transactions, compared with declining depositing transactions with recent just 11,000 deposits recorded. Users aren’t simply trading less; they’re actively pulling funds into private custody wallets or may be in fiat.

Why? Because when geopolitical instability enters the equation, trust becomes fragile.

Investors appear to be prioritizing self-sovereign storage over the perceived risks of leaving assets on centralized platforms. In uncertain environments, holding funds directly often feels safer than relying on an exchange infrastructure tied to global financial systems. So while wallets are filling up, exchange reserves are shrinking.

Falling Exchange Reserves Create Thin Market Conditions

Well, here’s the uncomfortable part. Exchange-side stablecoin reserves have dropped in last three months and in march it fell more to $50.6 billion, leaving noticeably less liquidity sitting on order books. Markets rely heavily on stablecoins like USDT as the settlement layer for trades. 

When those reserves shrink, the cushion that normally absorbs large sell orders gets thinner. And thin markets behave differently.

Without a deep pool of liquidity, even moderate liquidations can cause sharp price slippage. Moves that would normally be absorbed quietly by order books suddenly ripple across the market. In other terms, the engine is still running but the oil level is dropping.

Prolonged Hormuz Crisis Could Intensify USDT Liquidity Drain

That said, if the Strait of Hormuz blockade continues the global crisis will worsen and that could lead to rise in withdrawal of stablecoins. As long as global banking routes remain delayed or uncertain, USDT will likely continue functioning as a fast settlement layer outside the traditional financial system.

That creates a tricky environment for crypto markets. With less stablecoin liquidity available on exchanges, major assets from BTC and ETH to XRP could face increased vulnerability to volatility-driven swings. In that scenario, a routine correction could turn into something deeper simply because the usual buying power isn’t sitting on platforms ready to stabilize prices.

And right now, the shrinking exchange reserves suggest one thing: USDT isn’t just moving around the market, it’s quietly leaving it.

Hansi Flick revealed that Gavi could make his return from injury in Barcelona’s LaLiga clash against Sevilla on Sunday, but said the midfielder’s minutes will be managed. Gavi played just two matches for Barca at the start of the season before suffering a knee injury, which required surgery back in September. The 21-year-old’s return comes […]

The post Flick to manage Gavi´s minutes upon injury return appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Flick to manage Gavi´s minutes upon injury return appeared first on Soccer News.

Celtic picked up a crucial three points at home to Motherwell this afternoon, continuing their Premiership title challenge.

Elijah Just gave the visitors the lead early on, only to be pegged back by Hyun-Jun Yang who levelled the scores just a few minutes later.

Celtic took the lead in the second-half when Emmanuel Longelo saw red and Tomâš Čvančara converted the penalty before Yang scored again to seal the win.

As It Happened

You could tell this game was a big one, with a bit of bite in it as well, when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was shown the first yellow card of the game after just seven minutes following a foul on Just. The former Arsenal midfielder also registered the first shot on target of the afternoon when his right footed effort was saved by Calum Ward in the Motherwell goal.

However, it was the visitors who found the opener on the half hour mark through Just who fired into the bottom corner from inside the penalty area.

The lead didn’t last long though as Celtic drew themselves level just six minutes later with Yang tucking home the equaliser for his side, bringing the first half to a close.

The hosts made one change at the break with Cvancara replacing Sebastian Tounekti. As Motherwell looked to regain their lead, Ibrahim Said forced a strong save out of Viljami Sinisalo.

Just forced the second Celtic booking of the day before the hour mark, when he was fouled by Colby Donovan. A few minutes later, the home side made another change with Luke McCowan introduced from the bench in place of Benjamin Nygren.

Reo Hatate joined his teammates in the referee’s notebook shortly after. Having forced two yellows already in the match, Just received one himself with 25 minutes left on the clock.

The visitors went down to ten men in the 71st minute when Longelo was sent off after conceding a penalty, which was converted by Cvancara. Calum Ward also made his way into John Beaton’s notebook.

Celtic then made a triple change Marcelo Saracchi, Anthony Ralston and Paulo Bernardo replacing Oxlade-Chamberlain, Donovan and Kieran Tierney. The away side made two substitutions of their own at the same time with Oscar Priestman and Eythor Martin Bjøgolfsson bringing Said and Lukas Fadinger’s afternoons to an end.

Moments later, Yang netted his second of the afternoon to put Celtic 3-1 up and complete the comeback for an important three points.

Ralston saw yellow in the 82nd minute due to a foul on Just in his own half. Motherwell made a further three changes before the game was over with Just, Tom Sparrow and Tawanda Maswanhise withdrawn for Luca Ross, Jordan McGhee and Sam Nicholson.

That win takes Celtic within two points of league leaders Hearts, who are in action at Kilmarnock this evening.

Two flashpoint moments in the closing stages of Inter Milan’s 1-1 draw with Atalanta sparked fierce protests from the Nerazzurri, but referee analyst Luca Marelli has backed both of Manganiello’s key decisions, insisting neither incident warranted a penalty.

The first controversy surrounded Atalanta’s equaliser. Inter protested that a foul on Dumfries should have been called before Krstovic’s leveller stood.

“The goal came from a contact that was not whistled. For me, Manganiello was very good to let it run. There is no low contact, just a hand rested on the back. There is no push, no extension of the arm. It seems more like Dumfries losing his balance and falling. Manganiello was right.”

Inter 1-1 Atalanta – Marelli: ‘No penalty on Frattesi’

The second incident drew more debate.

Frattesi went down in the Atalanta area under a challenge from Scalvini in what could have been a match-winning penalty for Inter.

Marelli conceded there was contact but stopped well short of calling it a foul.

“There is contact between Frattesi and Scalvini, Frattesi gets there first. There is no real kick, I do not see contact worthy of a penalty. Penalties are a serious matter.”

He also defended the VAR’s decision not to intervene. “Certain contacts on the pitch are not easily visible, especially among many players. It is a subjective evaluation not objective, and therefore correct not to have the VAR step in.”

Inter’s frustration is understandable, but Marelli’s verdict offers little comfort for their case.

The match between Atlético de Madrid and Getafe on matchday 28 of LALIGA left one of the most surreal sequences of the season. At the start of the second half, the visiting defender Abdel Abqar was sent off after a peculiar assault on the local forward Alexander Sorloth, in an action that went unnoticed by the human eye but not by technology.

The VAR detected the forbidden "pinch"

While attention was focused on another part of the field, the VAR alerted referee Ortiz Arias about an incident on the halfway line. After reviewing the footage, it was confirmed that Abqar gave a pinch to the Norwegian attacker's private parts without the ball in play. Sorloth reacted by knocking down the defender, which earned him a yellow card for protesting, but the greater punishment was for the Moroccan.

Consequences for Getafe

Ortiz Arias's decision to show a straight red left the "azulón" team with ten men at a critical moment in the match. This unusual aggression, finally captured by television cameras, adds to the controversies of a matchday marked by tension and rough play.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Red Sox Lineup Predicted To Shatter Modest Power Projections originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Home runs have become a popular conversation point around the Boston Red Sox before the 2026 season.

The ZiPS projection system set tepid expectations for Boston's lineups, forecasting no Red Sox hitter to reach 20 home runs. Not everyone shares that pessimism.

Lucy Burdge predicted that several Red Sox players will accomplish that benchmark on NESN's "Boston Has Entered The Chat."

"And I thought, that's stupid already," Burdge said of the ZiPS projection. "But now I'm thinking this team could have five guys hit 20 home runs."

The Red Sox will have at least five guys hit 20+ home runs and win the World Series. pic.twitter.com/fUW9yLLVku

— Lucy Burdge (@LucilleBurdge) March 13, 2026

Jarren Duran went from 21 home runs in 2024 to 16 last year, but the outfielder is currently on a power heater. The 29-year-old has hit three home runs in spring training -- including a blast off left-handed ace Chris Sale -- and three more for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

Burdge can see Duran carrying that momentum into the regular season and delivering 20-plus dingers.

"You see what Jarren Duran is doing?" Burdge said. "You watch what he has done so far in the WBC and in spring training. I was at one game where he hit two home runs, another game where he hit one home run, and that's just the two games I was there."

Five Red Sox hitters hitting 20 homers wouldn't be all that far-fetched.

Willson Contreras has reached that mark in five of the last six full seasons. Wilyer Abreu delivered 22 homers in 115 games last season, and Alex Cora said he wants the Gold Glove right fielder to also play against left-handed pitching this year.

It's a matter of health for Trevor Story, who socked 25 long balls in a bounce-back 2025. Ceddanne Rafaela could untap some more pop after touching them all 16 times last season, and Roman Anthony may surge far beyond 20 if he elevates the ball more. 

Burdge went one step further, predicting a Red Sox championship when posting the show clip on social media.

"The Red Sox will have at least five guys hit 20+ home runs and win the World Series."

More MLB: Danny Coulombe Discusses 'No-Brainer' Decision To Join Red Sox

The Las Vegas Raiders have made massive improvements in the 2026 NFL off-season inking receiver Jalen Nailor, center Tyler Linderbaum, linebackers Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, and defensive lineman Kwity Paye to three year deals while also re-signing veteran cornerback Eric Stokes, EDGE Malcolm Koonce, and defensive tackle Thomas Booker. The Raiders have made two additional moves with fullback Connor Hayward and receiver/special teams ace Dareke Young as well to lower value contracts. Las Vegas currently sits with roughly 35 million in cap space, not including Quay Walker, Connor Hayward, Dareke Young, and Matt Gay’s contracts though Las Vegas should have around 24 million after these signings accounted and additional room to make moves if they restructure Maxx Crosby or Kolton Miller. Las Vegas’ roster sits at 63 of 90, and they have plenty of room to add additional players to lower value deals as veterans look to sign before the draft.

I recently made the same article for offensive skill positions, which can be found on Silver And Black as well:

NT DJ Reader

Reader, 31 years old, is not the same player he was with the Bengals from 2021-2023 but he’s remained a strong nose tackle and coming off a 2025 season with 17 starts, 28 tackles, six QB hits, 20 pressures, and 15 stops while also posting a 10.5% pass rush win rate and finishing 19th in run stop win rate. Reader has struggled with injuries in his career, playing a full season in just three of his 10 seasons. He’s shown to be a productive pass rusher, while also showing strong run defense traits. Las Vegas is needing a true nose tackle, and Reader at 6’3, 335-pounds has a career 1641 snaps as a true 0 or 1 technique in his 5654 snaps, while traditionally being a run focused defensive tackle.

NT Andrew Billings

Similar to Reader, the Raiders need a nose tackle and Billings would fit that mold well. The former Bengals 4th rounder, has experience working with DL Coach Travis Smith who worked with him in Oakland, and in Chicago. The 31 year old, saw a breakout 2022 season with 39 tackles, a sack, and finished top 10 in run stop win rate and run stops. After missing half the season in 2024, Billings bounced back in 2025 with 31 tackles, 7 TFL, eight quarterback hits, a sack, 14 pressures, and 20 stops. Billings did decline at times with his run stop win rate, and he struggled to find consistency, but the former Raiders and Bears nose tackle has a strong track record which is something to note for a veteran nose tackle. Las Vegas needs a proven nose tackle, and Billings experience with both the Raiders and Smith could be a smart veteran addition. It’s also worth noting that Billings four best seasons have all come under Smith, and his worst came with Smith in Tennessee.

DL Jihad Ward

I promise this whole list isn’t former Raiders, but the 6’5/290 pound Ward is coming off a 2025 season with 47 pressures, 31 tackles, five TFL, 22 QB hits, 5 sacks, and 4 PBU. Additionally, Ward finished with a 9% pass rush win rate, and 24% run stop win rate. He logged majority of his time at EDGE, but also has spent a strong portion of his career as a 2, 3, and 4 technique splitting time nearly 50/50 at EDGE and inside the tackle. Coming off his best career season, Ward has experience with DL coach Travis Smith working with him in Oakland during the 2017 season, and working with him in Tennessee for the 2025 seasons where he had a career best year. Ward has proven to be a versatile defender, working well in a 3-4 system and also showing the ability to play as a 4-3 option also. The Raiders are deep at EDGE with Maxx Crosby, Kwity Paye, and Malcolm Koonce but could use more versatility on their defensive line where Ward plays in.

ILB Matt Milano

For all these linebackers, the same statement will remain true. Las Vegas did sign Quay Walker & Nakobe Dean, with the two of them clearing being the top two options for Las Vegas on their second level. Despite that, Dean has struggled with injures missing nearly one third of his career games, and the team is also likely to rotate linebackers regardless in order to keep the defense fresh. Milano, 31 years old, is not the same player he was during the peak of his career, but he’s coming off a 2025 with 67 tackles, seven for loss, 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in 12 starts. Additionally, Milano has dipped in coverage allowing 299 yards, two touchdowns, and 39 receptions on 50 targets with a 104.9 QBR. He’s struggled with injuries, but does play a key weakside role, which would allow Las Vegas to keep Dean at MIKE and Walker at SAM where both will succeed. Milano has experience with Raiders senior assistant Al Holcomb, and he’ll likely be a cheap veteran signing to help Las Vegas provide depth and a quality third linebacker to their unit.

ILB Jack Gibbens

Gibbens, 27, was non-tendered by the Patriots making him a free agent, and he should be a quality option to serve as a depth role. In 2025 he started 8 games for New England logging 81 tackles, eight TFL, a sack, four breakups, and a forced fumble with another 2 starts, 19 tackles, 2 TFL, and PBU in the playoffs. Gibbens added 36 stops though he struggled in coverage allowing 32 of 39 targets for 247 yards, three touchdowns, and a 110.1 QBR. Gibbens is a solidified linebacker who has a track record as a rotational weakside linebacker, and is a quality defender vs the run while providing special teams value also.

ILB Shaq Thompson

Thompson, who turns 32 in April, has followed Al Holcomb everywhere in his career, and a trip to Las Vegas would be a fit for both sides. The weakside linebacker is coming off a strong 2025 season where he was able to stay healthy, and posted 56 tackles, seven tackles for loss, a sack, and two breakups through 14 games with 8 starts. While Thompson isn’t the same player he was with Carolina from 2019 to 2022 and he’s struggled with injures in 2023 and 2024 playing just six games. The Raiders need to add more veteran depth options, and Thompson experience with Holcomb becomes a top fit for the room, also allowing Thompson to work at weakside and mike.

CB Cam Taylor-Britt

The Bengals switched systems in 2025, going from a zone heavy to man focused system, and Britt struggled allowing 14 receptions, 183 yards, and three touchdowns along with a 133.5 QBR. Additionally, Britt struggled in 2024 as well with 54 receptions, 751 yards, and 10 touchdowns allowed though he added three interceptions and 16 breakups. The former second rounder has seen success, and is also an athletic upside player who Las Vegas can bank on as a developmental depth cornerback. Britt had strong success in 2023 with 31 receptions allowed for 532 yards, and two touchdowns but also added four interceptions and 12 breakups. Additionally, the 26 year old, has struggled with injuries missing time in 2025 (8 games played) and missing 13 games between 2022 & 2023. Britt is young, has shown high end ball production with seven interceptions and 41 breakups, while also being a proven run defender. Joe Woods was able to capitalize on Eric Stokes rebound in 2026, and the Raiders could be searching for young high upside depth in 2026 with Britt.

CB Martin Emerson Jr

Emerson, like Britt was a high pick in the 2022 draft, and he’s coming off a 2025 season where he missed the entire year off an Achilles injury. Emerson has a track record of success with four interceptions and 34 breakups in 50 games including back to back seasons with 14+ breakups to start his career. Emerson struggled in 2024 under DC Joe Woods, but the connection remains, which could help entice Emerson to Las Vegas where he’ll play in a zone system that allows Emerson to work in space and make a play on the ball in coverage. In his career he’s allowed just 136 receptions, 1605 yards, and 11 touchdowns along with an 83.8 QBR on 255 targets with the proven ball production. Emerson has been an average run defender, though his tackle issues have shown up at times, and will be a limitation to him going forward. Emerson is extremely young at just 25 years old, and has good size at 6’2, 205-pounds to pair with the track record of success which Las Vegas can bank on developing into a rebound season similar to Eric Stokes.

SAF Chuck Clark

Clark, soon to be 31, has experience working with Raiders coaches Rob Leonard and Matt Robinson from his time with the Baltimore Ravens and is coming off a 2025 season where in 470 snaps he logged 51 tackles, 3 for loss, three breakups, and a forced fumble in 15 games (5 starts). Additionally, Clark has maintained his success as a run defender missing just 9% of his tackles in his career including 10% over the last two seasons where he’s played near 1200 career snaps. Clark did struggle with consistency in 2025 during his coverage allowing 18 receptions, 235 yards, and a touchdown along with a 108.2 QBR on 23 targets. The Raiders need to upgrade their free safety role, with Isaiah Pola-Mao struggling in 2025 where Clark would slot in as a cheap veteran option.

SAF Donovan Wilson

Wilson, 31, posted two interceptions, seven breakups, 71 tackles, and four for loss in 2025 while missing 20% of his tackles, and allowing 29 receptions, 315 yards, seven touchdowns, and a 119.2 QBR. While, Wilson struggled he has a track record of success in a role that plays him more as a traditional two high safety instead of the nickel linebacker role that Wilson was forced into for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Wilson has seen career success allowing a sub 90 QBR in four of his seven NFL seasons and has a career eight interceptions, 21 breakups, and has been a proven run defender as well despite his struggles recently. At worse, Wilson provides depth at both safety spots, but also could show the ability to be a starting free safety for at least 2026.

2026 has provided the New Orleans Saints with plenty of opportunities to improve their team during the offseason. During this period of time, however, the Caesars Superdome and the city of New Orleans are trying to find big events to host in their 83,000-seat stadium. It was announced only a little more than a week ago that the Summer X Games League Championship would be hosted in New Orleans, and now, another big sports event is set to take place later today.

The Superdome has been revamped for another sport, this time turning into a baseball stadium set to host the Savannah Bananas entertainment baseball team.

We're ready and so is the Superdome😎

See you this weekend, NOLA! pic.twitter.com/tGwL28e69s

— Savannah Bananas (@TheSavBananas) March 13, 2026

Ryan Cox of @TheSavBananas reppin' @TylerShough2 in the @CaesarsDome ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/qJDQP96Asp

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) March 13, 2026

The Superdome is ready for the Savannah Bananas and Party Animals this weekend!! pic.twitter.com/WK0gqYkMcK

— Tina Howell (@TinaM_Howell) March 13, 2026

It is a bit of a wonky fit, given the dimensions of the standard field make right field ridiculously deep, but it looks about as normal as one would expect with those circumstances. This will be a great opportunity to see just how many people this team can draw in, previously selling out Tiger Stadium, home of LSU. They have done a great job promoting this product over the years, and now have the opportunity to sell out some of the largest stadiums in the nation.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Caesars Superdome retooled to host Savannah Bananas baseball matchup

Scottish PremiershipSaturday, March 14, 2026Celtic Park

CELTIC…3(Yang 38 & 79, Cvancara 72)

MOTHERWELL…1(Just 32)

 Celtic have taken all three points from a thoroughly entertaining match against Motherwell at Celtic Park, with a brace from Yang and a converted penalty from Tomas Cvancara giving Martin O’Neill’s men a 3-1 victory over the Fir Park side.

The visitors started quickly, moving the ball around at pace and with purpose as has become their style this season, and with less than five minutes played, Benjamin Arthur, making his first home start today, produced a good block to prevent a Tawanda Maswanhise shot from troubling Viljami Sinisalo.

Celtic’s first big chance of the match fell to Benjamin Nygren who was presented a golden opportunity just yards out from goal after a failed clearance from the Motherwell defence, but the Swede could not convert the chance.

Sebastian Tounekti then saw a curling effort from the edge of the box go wide of the target after Nygren had picked him out with a nice ball out towards the left wing.

Alex Oxlade- Chamberlain looked like he had put Celtic ahead with just shy of 20 minutes gone when he unleashed a powerful effort towards the bottom corner from outside the box. Motherwell keeper Calum Ward threw himself down towards the shot and pushed it on to the post before the ball trundled along the goal line, Celtic coming agonisingly close to taking the lead.

Benjamin Arthur was the next Celtic man to go close with his headed effort from a Benjamin Nygren corner creeping just over the bar.

Motherwell took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Reo Hatate was caught in possession at the edge of the Celtic box, giving Elijah Just a chance to take a shot on goal. His effort flew in to the bottom corner of the net, giving Motherwell a 1-0 lead.

The Hoops were level five minutes later when a Benjamin Nygren cut back in to the box was cleared only as far as Yang, who swept in to the box and slammed a shot in to the bottom corner to make it 1-1.

Just before half time, Motherwell had a big chance to take the lead again, but Callum Slattery’s effort from just inside the area drifted well wide of the target and the sides went in level at the break.

Martin O’Neill made one change at half time, bringing Tomas Cvancara on for Sebastian Tounekti, with Daizen Maeda moving out to the left.

Celtic worked themselves in to good shooting positions early in the second half, but both Benjamin Nygren and Tomas Cvancara seemed to hesitate in taking their shots. When Nygren did fire a shot towards goal early in the second period, it took a deflection on its way and rattled the base of the post, the woodwork once again coming to Motherwell’s rescue.

Vil Sinisalo was called in to action in the opening exchanges of the second half, producing a strong stop to deny Ibrahim Said, who got a shot on target from outside the penalty area.

With an hour gone, Martin O’Neill made another change, bringing Luke McCowan on for Benjamin Nygren, and shortly after coming on, a corner from McCowan resulted in a penalty for the Hoops, as Daizen Maeda was hauled to the ground at the back post.

After being sent to the VAR monitor, John Beaton pointed to the spot and showed a red card to Emmanuel Longelo before Tomas Cvancara, the penalty hero at Ibrox last week, stepped up and smashed his spot-kick in to the back of the net to make it 2-1 to Celtic.

With 15 minutes of the match left, there were three further changes for the Hoops as Marcelo Saracchi, Anthony Ralston and Paulo Bernardo were brought on for Kieran Tierney, Colby Donovan and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Celtic gave themselves some vital breathing space with just over 10 minutes to go, with Viljami Sinisalo proving that route one football isn’t a forgotten art. The Finnish keeper launched the ball forward towards Yang, who took it in his stride before producing a brilliant finish to make it 3-1 to Celtic and claim his second goal of the afternoon.

In stoppage time, Anthony Ralston fired a shot towards goal from distance, but his effort drifted wide, however the Hoops knew that, with an unassailable lead, the three points were safe.

In recent years, the Golden State Warriors have sought to straddle two developmental timelines. On the one hand, they're continuing to build around a veteran core, anchored by Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. On the other hand, they're preparing for the future with young stars such as Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody.

At times, finding the right balance between youth and experience has been a difficult balancing act for Steve Kerr. Yet, at times this season, that balance has proven to be key, especially as Golden State has navigated a difficult run of injuries and multiple tough stretches of games.

However, according to Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz, the Warriors' aging roster is actually its biggest weakness. After all, this is a team that boasts Curry (38), Green (36), Al Horford (39), Jimmy Butler (36), Gary Payton II (33)and Seth Curry (35) as key members of the rotation.

"The Warriors are now the oldest team in the NBA (29.0)," Swartz wrote on March 12. "Stephen Curry is days away from turning 38, hasn't played since January and is projected to miss at least another 10 days with a knee issue. Draymond Green, 36, has a minus-5.2 swing rating and Jimmy Butler, 36, is out for the year with a torn ACL. Trading away 23-year-old Jonathan Kuminga for 30-year-old Kristaps Porziņģis only made this team older and more injury-prone. We're nearing the final act of Old Yeller, Bay Area edition."

Sooner or later, Golden State will need to pivot towards its younger generation, while also finding ways of bringing in some fresh talent that fits the new-look timeline. Podziemski and Moody could become two future pillars of the franchise's next generation.

Yet, for now at least, the focus on getting Curry and Green another championship ring remains.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Analyst pinpoints biggest weakness in Warriors' roster construction

Jose Delgado and Andre Fili meet on the UFC Fight Night 269 main card Saturday at Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.

• Last event's results: 3-2
• UFC main cards, 2026: 20-13

Jose Delgado vs. Andre Fili UFC Fight Night 269 preview

Delgado (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will look to get back on track following his first UFC loss, which came by unanimous decision against Nathaniel Wood at UFC 321. The Dana White's Contender Series veteran won his first two UFC bouts, stopping both Connor Matthews and Hyder Amil in the first round.

Fili (25-12 MMA, 13-11 UFC) has more wins in the UFC than Delgado has total fights. The experienced veteran will look to make it back-to-back wins following a split decision over Christian Rodriguez in August. Fili has struggled to keep winning momentum, though, as he's traded wins and losses in recent years, with his last pair of wins coming in 2019.

Jose Delgado vs. Andre Fili UFC Fight Night 269 expert pick, prediction

Serving as one of the best matchups on the card is a featherweight fight between Andre Fili and Jose Delgado.

Fili, whom I'm a big fan of, looks in fantastic shape coming into this fight and is not a fighter you should take lightly. That said, there's no denying Fili's consistently inconsistent win-loss trends during his tenure with the promotion.

Fili also has a .500 record in the UFC Apex, winning three fights by split decision and losing two of three fights by vicious knockout. For that reason, I find myself leaning toward the up-and-coming prospect in Delgado.

Aside from his clinch game resembling a wood chipper, Delgado is an offensively potent fighter who can fluidly change phases to find openings for finishes.

This battle should be a barnburner for as long as it lasts, but I'll officially pick Delgado to find a finish by the end of Round 1.

Jose Delgado vs. Andre Fili UFC Fight Night 269 odds

The oddsmakers and the public favor the younger fighter, listing Delgado -420 and Fili +310 via FanDuel.

Jose Delgado vs. Andre Fili UFC Fight Night 269 start time, how to watch

Hardwick and Rahiki are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:40 p.m. ET. The fight streams live on Paramount+.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Vegas 114: Jose Delgado vs. Andre Fili prediction, time

JACKSON TWP., Ohio − You don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. And for heaven's sake, you don't renovate a golf course designed by famed architect Donald Ross.

Just as you wouldn't splash more red on a Rembrandt.

Or fiddle with a Picasso.

Brookside Country Club's nine-member board of governors and club members know their iconic century-old golf course is a historic gem.

The private club is situated on 240 acres, between Hills & Dales Road NW and Perry Drive NW, east of Brunnerdale Avenue NW. On land that was once portions of three separate farms.

The property provided a blank canvas of sorts, which Ross transformed into an 18-hole, par-71 layout.

"A really special property," said Phil Eckinger, Brookside's immediate past chairman of the board.

Brookside consistently ranks high on many "Best course" lists. And it's aged well. But there's room for planned changes and improvements. They're part of a multimillion-dollar project — the club declined to release specific financial details — to begin in August 2027. The course will close through May 2028 to accommodate the work.

"That's a huge commitment," Eckinger said.

When done right — in the eyes of golf historians and design aficionados — such projects on Ross-designed courses are called restorations. Not simply pedestrian renovations.

The goal is to make Brookside more closely resemble its appearance when it opened in 1922, while at the same time adapting to changes in the game and improvements in technology.

Ross is widely regarded as an all-time great in course design. He was Rembrandt and Picasso rolled into one. Not only did he produce masterpieces, such as Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina, Ross was quite prolific, with an estimated 400-plus courses to his name.

It's the first Brookside restoration of any kind since 2005. This one is huge. It's been in the works since a committee was formed in 2023. A master plan was created the following year.

Most recently, the club hired Tod Pierce as its new general manager to help oversee the restoration. He held the same job for the past 19 years at Longue Vue Club, near Pittsburgh.

"He had really deep experience," said Brookside board President Ryan Fulmer, who explained that Pierce was selected from a group of nine semifinalists who wanted the post.

Earlier in his career, Pierce spent five years in management at Pennsylvania's Oakmont Country Club, which has hosted 10 U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships and six U.S. Amateurs.

Coming back to Northeast Ohio, where he started at Youngstown Country Club 30 years ago, was enticing for Pierce. The destination in Stark County was certainly the clincher.

"It's Brookside," Pierce noted.

Enough said.

Pierce had heard all about the course from Andrew Grove (now the mayor of Alliance), who'd left Youngstown years ago for the general manager position at Brookside.

Keeping up with the times at Brookside

Through the decades, the Brookside course and golf itself have evolved — creating the need for the restoration.

Trees added post-Ross have grown. Twenty years ago, about 1,200 were removed, but more are on the chopping block. Rain and time eroded some original features. Sand-filled bunkers gradually shrunk. Greens constricted. Sometimes, Mother Nature did the damage. Other times, course managers probably made conscious decisions to save money on maintenance.

"You lose a lot of the edges ... definition," explained Superintendent J.R. Lynn.

Sprawling tree branches have encroached on corridors that Ross had laid out for players to get from tee to green.

"There should be no aerial hazards," said Cory Kumpf, the 36-year-old director of golf at Brookside, who began as a 12-year-old caddie at the club, then climbed up the ranks.

Golf today is much different, too.

In the 1920s, players swung clubs made with hickory wood shafts and forged iron clubfaces. Balls weren't as lively either. Players couldn't hit the ball as far as they can today with modern equipment.

Brookside's already lengthy 6,900 yards from the back tees will grow by a couple hundred yards.

Even casual golfers generally know about the Stimpmeter. The device is used universally to measure the speed of greens. The higher the number, the faster the green. What some golfers may not realize, though, is that grass on putting greens wasn't, and couldn't be, cut as short as it is now.

When Ross laid out Brookside, longer grass on the greens likely would have recorded a Stimpmeter reading of about five. Ross created severe slopes on greens with no fear a well-struck putt could inexplicably roll off the green, for example, if it missed the hole.

But today's PGA Tour courses check in around 12 on the Stimpmeter; private clubs often want to get close to that.

The effect of all that on Brookside: The pin must be placed in almost the same location throughout the season on four of the harshest sloped greens. That's not good for the health of the grass on them, or for players who expect varied pin placements.

"We're going to soften those greens," said Lynn, in explaining how the slopes will be modified.

Seventy-four-year-old Joseph Halter knows a thing or two about Brookside's history. Not only are he and his son, Matt, longtime members, his grandfather owned one of the original farms upon which the course was built.

"That land has been in my family since the 1850s," Joseph Halter said.

The course doesn't look like the one he played as a younger man.

"It's changed dramatically," he said.

Halter called the restoration project bold, adding that he hopes it helps the club prosper for years to come.

A salute to the past, with an eye on the future

Vaughn Halyard, president of the Donald Ross Society, said members of that group will visit and play Brookside on May 13.

"We like seeing the course before, then coming back a few years later for the after," he said.

The Society boasts about 500 members from the U.S. and abroad. The nonprofit group was formed in 1989. Halyard said they used to be viewed as a band of almost militant rebels, because their mission was to save Ross courses from being bastardized or even worse, sold and developed.

"Many courses didn't understand the value of classic golf architecture," Halyard said.

He compared a Ross course to a Frank Lloyd Wright house — both worthy of being kept intact.

These days, the Society's broadened mission includes public golf course advocacy and education. Its members also get an opportunity to play many public and private Ross courses each year in a variety of scheduled outings.

Typically, they play a round, eat dinner and meet with the owner or operator to talk course history.

"We're really kind of a nerdy group," Halyard said.

Their three-day visit this year to Stark County is part of an event dubbed "Hall of Fame Fairways." Prior to Brookside, they'll play Clearview, the first course in the country built and owned by a Black man (the late William Powell), and Congress Lake Club.

Halyard said Brookside landed a superb architect when it hired Tyler Rae to devise the restoration blueprint. Rae's work includes the renovation of Lookout Mountain Club in Georgia — not a Ross course — which earned Golf Digest’s 2023 Renovation of the Year.

He said Rae sharpened his craft under the tutelage of some of the best, including the likes of Coore & Crenshaw and Tom Doak. Rae also worked under Ron Prichard for many years.

"And Ron Prichard is the father of restoration .... Prichard defined the process," Halyard said.

In preparing a master plan for the work at Brookside, Rae examined old photos, along with original Ross sketches and drawings, including a 1920 layout of the 18 holes.

"The process is like dissecting a layer cake," Halyard said.

Ross' work on Brookside was during a period that golf historians consider to be his prime years.

"This was the period when Ross moved past the geometric, functionality-driven hazards of his early work and began introducing the bold internal green contouring, diagonal bunkering, and naturalistic hazard shapes that defined his greatest designs," the master plan states. "Brookside’s heavily contoured green complexes and muscular bunkering place it firmly in this lineage, alongside Pinehurst No. 2, Seminole, and Oakland Hills."

The plan notes how Ross chose the Brookside property for "its rolling terrain and tumbling brook that winds through the property."

"This was a course built to reward the strategic golfer who could read the ground and work the ball," the plan states.

NMP Golf Construction of Massachusetts was awarded the bid for the work at Brookside.

Key elements of the restoration include enlarging greens and many of the 99 sand bunkers, while recovering others, widening of some fairways and replacing all fairway and green grass with a newer hardy, tolerant Bentgrass variety, which will require less maintenance in the future.

From Lakeside to Brookside, golf and more

Brookside wasn't always Brookside. The club was formerly known as Lakeside Country Club. In 1903, its members bought a casino on Meyers Lake and built a nine-hole course.

In 1917, a who's who of Stark County business and civic leaders, including T.K. Harris and members of the Timken, Belden, Herbruck and McLain families, led a charge to buy more land for the club.

The three farms were perfect.

The Halters, whose family owned one of them, also has McLain blood on the other side of their family tree.

"A little Brookside in the DNA," said Matt Halter.

In the past, Brookside has been included in the country’s Top 100 golf courses by Golf Magazine. And this year, it was rated the ninth best course in Ohio by Golf Digest.

Fulmer, the board chair, said Brookside is a "family-oriented" member-owned club with a top-notch chef in Ken Bucholtz, premier swimming pool, four indoor and four outdoor tennis courts and a host of other amenities.

"It's not just about golf," he said, noting other recent upgrades to areas inside the facility.

The course hosts 17,000 rounds of golf each year. The club has about 400 members, whose average age is 55 years old.

"Most of our members are philanthropic," said Eckinger, the former board chair.

Fulmer said some of the club's 200 employees, and their families, benefit from an ongoing scholarship fund. In the past five years, they've been awarded a combined $250,000.

Along with the restoration project and addition of Pierce, Brookside will introduce a national membership program this year.

Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.On X: @tbotosREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio club to restore Donald Ross golf course

Timothy Hurst via Getty Images

Team USA are the reigning sled hockey champs at the 2026 Paralympic Games — this Sunday, they'll have the chance to defend their gold against Canada in the final game. Yes, you read that right, it's another USA vs. Canada showdown on ice. The USA vs. Canada game will be broadcast on the NBC and CNBC and stream on Peacock starting at 11 a.m. ET. Here's everything else you need to know about watching the U.S. vs. Canada sled hockey game, plus a complete schedule of the rest of this year's events.

How to watch the Team USA vs. Canada sled hockey game

Date: Sunday, March 15

Time: 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT

Channel: NBC, CNBC

Streaming: Peacock, DirecTV

When is the Team USA vs. Canada sled hockey game?

Team USA will face Germany in sled hockey on Sunday, March 15, at 11:00 a.m. ET.

What channel is the Team USA vs. Canada sled hockey game on?

NBC and CNBC will be broadcasting the sled hockey game between Team USA and Canada. It'll also stream live on Peacock. 

How to watch the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games without cable

Sunday's sled hockey game and every other event at the 2026 Winter Paralympics will stream live on Peacock.

2026 Winter Paralympics TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Saturday, March 14

Curling

• Mixed Team Wheelchair Curling Gold Medal Game: 10:05 a.m.🏅(CNBC, Peacock)

Para Alpine Skiing

• Women's Slalom VI Run 1: 4 a.m.🏅 (CNBC, Peacock)

• Women's Slalom VI Run 2: 8 a.m. 🏅(CNBC, Peacock)

Para Cross Country Skiing

• Mixed 4x2.5km Relay: 5 a.m.🏅(CNBC, Peacock, re-airs at 9:15 a.m. on CNBC)

• Open 4x2.5km Relay: 6:10 a.m.🏅 (CNBC, Peacock)

Para Ice Hockey:

• Classification Final: 7:05 a.m. (Peacock)

• Classification Final: 11:05 a.m. (Peacock)

Para Snowboarding

• Men's and Women's Banked Slalom Run 1: 5 a.m. (Peacock, re-airs at 5:45 a.m. on CNBC)

• Men's and Women's Banked Slalom Run 2: 6:45 a.m. 🏅(CNBC, Peacock, re-airs at 12:30 p.m. on CNBC)

Sunday, March 15

Para Alpine Skiing

• Men's Slalom VI Run 1 : 4 a.m. ET🏅 (Peacock, re-airs at 5:15 a.m. on CNBC)

• Men's Slalom VI Run 2: 7 a.m. ET🏅(Peacock, re-airs at 9 a.m. on CNBC)

Para Cross Country Skiing

• Men's and Women's 20km IS Sitting: 4 a.m. 🏅 (CNBC, Peacock)

• Men's and Women's 20km IS Free Standing: 5:20 a.m. 🏅(CNBC, Peacock)

• Men's and Women's 20km IS Free VI: 6:45 a.m. 🏅 (CNBC, Peacock, re-airs at 10 a.m. on CNBC)

Para Ice Hockey:

• Bronze Medal Game: 7:05 p.m. (CNBC, Peacock)

• Gold Medal Game: 11 a.m. 🏅(NBC, Peacock)

More ways to watch the 2026 Winter Paralympics 

The Oklahoma Sooners fell short in their bid to advance to the semifinals of the SEC tournament on Friday night in their 82-79 loss to the No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks. The Sooners needed that win to secure a berth in the NCAA tournament, but now will await the decision of the selection committee on Sunday.

However, before Oklahoma learns its postseason fate, the Sooners know that head coach Porter Moser will be back for the Sooners in 2026-2027. According to a report from Colton Sulley of The Oklahoman and from ESPN's Pete Thamel, Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny confirmed that Moser will return for a sixth season in Norman.

According to Sulley, Denny made the decision on Wednesday before the SEC tournament began and informed Moser of the decision on Saturday morning. In the story from The Oklahoman, Denny said Oklahoma needed to invest more in men's basketball to meet his expectations for the program.

Denny told The Oklahoman, “What I found was a real need to realign our program to match the expectations that I have for men's basketball at Oklahoma and the expectations our fans have for men's basketball at Oklahoma.”

The Sooners made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 2024-2025 and looked like a team that could make an appearance again this season. However, a nine-game losing streak in the middle of SEC play put those hopes and Moser's future in doubt. But the Sooners rallied to go 8-3 over their final 11 games, including a win over No. 15 Vanderbilt and wins over South Carolina and Texas A&M in the SEC tournament.

In five seasons in Norman, Moser has accumulated a record of 93-74. In two seasons in the SEC, Oklahoma's gone 13-23 in SEC play.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Porter Moser will be back for 6th season with Oklahoma Sooners

On Saturday morning, the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series cars were set to go out on track for practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. However, it was a safety truck driver that ended up stealing the show with quite the save.

Exiting the infield access road to the frontstretch, the safety truck started to spin sideways, with the driver quickly trying to recover it. However, it overcorrected itself and started shooting up the track towards the outside wall. The driver brought the sideways Ram truck back under control, turning it back to the left as they crossed the finish line, ultimately straightening it out after a very impressive drift. 

You can watch the wild save in the video below, and here the reaction from the CW booth:

HOLD ON TO IT!😅pic.twitter.com/NWxCzhfA7A

— Motorsport (@Motorsport) March 14, 2026

NASCAR has seen plenty of bizarre incidents with safety vehicles over the years, but thankfully, this one ended without any damage. In the 2024 championship race for the Cup Series at Phoenix, the pace car actually spun into the sand barrels at the entrance of pit road, and race cars have struck safety vehicles several times in the past. However, the most infamous incident came during the 2012 Daytona 500 when Juan Pablo Montoya lost control under caution due to a mechanical issue. He slammed into the back of a jet dryer, which burst into flames, leaking fuel across the track, creating a wall of fire across the superspeedway.

NASCAR is changing pit stall cleaning procedures, restricting teams

Joe Gibbs Racing push back on Spire 'trade' deal; discovery rebuttal

How to watch NASCAR 2026 at Las Vegas: Weekend schedule, start time, TV

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Over the past week, FC Barcelona starlet Alvaro Cortes has found himself in the first-team dynamics under manager Hansi Flick.

The 20-year-old centre-back, who happens to the current captain of Barça Atletic, has been training with the senior team following the injuries to Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde.

He was also called up to the matchday squad for two games – against Athletic Club and Newcastle United.

New contract for Alvaro Cortes

Now, according to journalist Matteo Moretto, Alvaro Cortes is just ‘one step away’ from signing a new contract with Barcelona.

Cortes’ current contract with the Blaugrana expires in 2027, meaning he would be entering the final year of his deal at the end of the season.

Alvaro Cortes (L) closing in on a renewal at Barcelona. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Considering his performances with the reserve team and the fact that he has now entered the first-team dynamics, Barça are making moves to tie him down to a new contract.

As previously reported, Cortes, who was attracting significant interest during the January transfer window, had been seeking guarantees over first-team opportunities at Barcelona before committing to a new deal.

The Catalans, for their part, have always had maximum confidence in his potential and have been working on an extension for a while now.

And, as per Moretto, an agreement seems to be on the horizon, which will see Cortes commit to Barcelona beyond 2027.

This development comes amidst speculation that the 20-year-old left-footed centre-back could make his first-team debut tomorrow against Sevilla.

All in all, things are starting to look up for Cortes at Barcelona.

The St. Louis Cardinals are now less than two weeks from the regular season. They’ll get one game closer as they take on the Miami Marlins in Roger Dean Stadium on Saturday, March 14, 2026. According to MLB.com, Andre Pallante will start the game for the Cardinals. The starter for the Miami Marlins is to be determined. Here’s the Cardinals lineup for today.

Yankuba Minteh's unorthodox goal proved to be decisive as Brighton & Hove Albion defeated Sunderland on the road.

There was a bright start to the game at the Stadium of Light with Brighton having two chances early. Melker Ellborg needed to be alert to deny Jack Hinshelwood before Pascal Gross fizzed an effort just wide.

Minutes later at the other end of the pitch, Lewis Dunk made a goalline clearance to deny Chemsdine Talbi from what would likely have been the opening goal.

From that point on the pace of the game dipped and only an attempted Chris Rigg overhead kick towards the end of the half was worth noting.

There was much more going on in the second half though with Rigg thinking he had put his side in the lead three minutes after the restart. A long freekick had been headed down by Omar Alderete which somehow found its way to Rigg at the far post to finish.

However, the goal was ruled out with the Paraguayan offside as he headed down – a let off for the Brighton defence who somehow were unable to stop a trickling header finding Rigg.

Instead it was the visitors who took the lead in the 58th minute following a corner with the ball finding Yankuba Minteh on the right. The Brighton man drove into the area and sliced a shot that deceived Ellborg at the near post – not the prettiest goal of the season, but they all count.

After having scored, Minteh was lucky not to get sent off shortly afterwards. First he was given a yellow card after an off-the-ball scuffle with Luke O'Nien. Then just seconds later he committed a foul that, more often than not resulted in a yellow card.

Minteh was lucky to get away with it and Fabian Hürzeler immediately replaced him with Maxim De Cuyper to avoid any further incident.

Sunderland pushed for an equaliser but couldn't find a way through the Brighton defence and suffered a third home defeat in a row in the Premier League. Meanwhile the Seagulls move ahead of the Black Cats and up to 10th.

Incidents: The story of the match

1':

The match begins

12':

Opportunity wasted. Pascal Groß from Brighton and Hove Albion attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area following a corner, but it went off target.

38':

Opportunity wasted. Chris Rigg from Sunderland took a left-footed shot from the center of the box, but it went wide to the left.

50':

Missed opportunity. Danny Welbeck of Brighton and Hove Albion attempted a header from a challenging angle on the right but failed to convert. The assist came from Pascal Groß, who delivered a cross.

53':

Missed opportunity! Brian Brobbey from Sunderland took a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area.

Brighton and Hove Albion takes the lead against Sunderland, making it 1-0. Yankuba Minteh scores with a right-footed shot from a challenging angle on the right, finding the bottom left corner after a corner kick.Brighton and Hove Albion takes the lead against Sunderland, making it 1-0. Yankuba Minteh scores with a right-footed shot from a challenging angle on the right, finding the left corner of the net following a corner kick.

58':

GOAL Brighton & Hove Albion: Yankuba Minteh (Brighton & Hove Albion) scores!

Yankuba Minteh scores goal number 2 in the competition (26 matches)

63':

Missed opportunity. Habib Diarra from Sunderland attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area.

66':

Missed opportunity. Trai Hume from Sunderland attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it went just wide to the left. The assist came from Chris Rigg.

68':

Missed opportunity! Diego Gómez from Brighton and Hove Albion attempted a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it sailed high and wide to the right. The chance was set up by Mats Wieffer after a quick counter-attack.

998':

The referee whistles for the end of the match

In a tightly contested Premier League fixture, Burnley and Bournemouth were unable to break the deadlock, resulting in a 0-0 draw at Turf Moor. Despite numerous attempts from both sides, the match ended without any goals, leaving fans waiting for more action.

Bournemouth dominated possession, controlling the game with 61% compared to Burnley's 39%. However, their advantage in ball control did not translate into scoring, as both teams struggled to find the back of the net. Bournemouth managed to get 22 shots, with 3 on target, while Burnley had 15 attempts, only 2 of which were on target.

The match saw Bournemouth creating more chances, evidenced by their 8 corners and slightly higher expected goals of 1.59, against Burnley's 1.56. Despite this, neither side could capitalize on their opportunities, with both sets of defenders and goalkeepers standing firm to keep the scoreline level.

As the Premier League season progresses, this draw adds a valuable point to both teams' campaigns but leaves them wanting more to secure their positions. The lack of goals today at Turf Moor speaks to the intense competition and defensive strategies employed by both Burnley and Bournemouth.

Incidents: The story of the match

1':

The match begins

2':

Opportunity wasted. Jaidon Anthony from Burnley attempted a right-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area.

7':

Opportunity wasted. James Hill from Bournemouth attempted a header from within the six-yard box, aiming for the left side, but it narrowly missed the top left corner. The assist came from Marcus Tavernier, who delivered a cross following a corner kick.

38':

Missed opportunity! Alex Scott from Bournemouth took a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty area, narrowly missing the target. The assist came from Marcos Senesi.

50':

Opportunity wasted! Marcos Senesi from Bournemouth had a header from within the six-yard box, aiming for the left side, but it went just wide of the target. The assist came from James Hill.

63':

Opportunity wasted! Evanilson from Bournemouth attempted a header from the middle of the penalty area, but it went wide. The cross was provided by Adrien Truffert.

67':

Opportunity wasted! Evanilson from Bournemouth took a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but it went wide to the left. The assist came from Álex Jiménez, who delivered a cross.

82':

Opportunity wasted. Hannibal Mejbri from Burnley attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area.

90 +3':

Missed opportunity. Enes Ünal from Bournemouth attempted a header from the middle of the penalty area.

998':

The referee whistles for the end of the match

A new report has outlined Manchester City’s stance on the acquisition a new right-back in the upcoming transfer window to progress a squad rebuild.

Hugo Viana has orchestrated a sweeping remake of Pep Guardiola‘s first-team ranks since he replaced Txiki Begiristain as City’s sporting director in 2025, making seven new signings last summer before adding Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi to Guardiola’s squad in January.

City remain in the running for an unprecedented quadruple in the final months of a transitional season but are very likely to bid farewell to club captain Bernardo Silva and John Stones at the end of their respective contracts at the end of the season.

Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis also face uncertain futures at the Etihad Stadium as Viana and co put plans in motion for the summer transfer window, when club insiders will prioritise the signing of a world-class midfielder, with Nottingham Forest and England star Elliot Anderson a dream signing for Manchester City and Guardiola.

Manchester City poised to step up summer transfer interest in Nottingham Forest star

Are Manchester City looking to sign a right-back this summer?

City are exploring the market for a new right-back ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, having monitored the market last summer and again in January to ultimately decide against signing an out-and-out specialist in the position.

Matheus Nunes has exceeded expectations with his consistent displays as a makeshift right-back this term, enjoying his best season in a Manchester City shirt since joining from Wolves for £53 million in 2023.

Guardiola also retains the option of deploying Lewis at right-back, with Abdukodir Khusanov called in for Nunes in the position in Manchester City’s recent 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News has detailed that it remains unclear at present when City will add a fresh right-back to their ranks this summer, having recently distanced themselves from reports indicating an interest in Newcastle United’s Valentino Livramento.

Have Manchester City strongly considered a new right-back since Kyle Walker’s departure?

Kyle Walker left Manchester City for Burnley on a permanent deal last summer following his return from a six-month loan stint at AC Milan, having lost his starting spot at Manchester City midway through the disastrous 2024-25 season.

The report has noted that City officials have explored a series of young options at right-back, indicating that a new addition would likely not be coming in as first-choice and would be gradually integrated into the starting XI.

Furthermore, Vitor Reis is excelling on loan at Girona and is making a strong case for a recall to Manchester ahead of next season – which could bolster Guardiola’s centre-half options and even allow him to test Khusanov more regularly at right-back, alongside Nunes.

It does appear that Manchester City will prioritise the addition of a world-class midfielder this summer to open their incoming business, with departures from the first-team squad likely to dictate any and all subsequent transfer dealings.

Hockey East Men's Tournament Schedule 2026: Dates, Channels, Live Streams for NCAA Hockey Games originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Which team will win the 41st edition of the Hockey East Men's Tournament?

This year's bracket will feature all of the conference's 11 programs battling for the championship under a single-elimination format. The top five teams earned first-round byes, while the bottom six seeds must fight for the remaining spots in the quarterfinal round.

Providence will enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed after capturing its first-ever outright Hockey East regular season title. Massachusetts, UConn, Maine and Boston College are a few of the other contenders hoping to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 Hockey East Men's Tournament, including TV and streaming options for games.

How to watch Hockey East Men's Tournament: TV channels, live streams

• TV channels: NESN (local), NESN+ (local)
• Live streams:Fubo (local), NESN 360 (local), ESPN+ (national)

Hockey East Men's Tournament games will air locally on NESN and NESN+. Those games will also be available to stream on Fubo and NESN 360.

Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100-plus top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

Viewers outside of the local market can stream games on ESPN+.

Hockey East Men's Tournament schedule 2026

Opening Round — Wednesday, March 11

Quarterfinals — Friday, March 13

Quarterfinals — Saturday, March 14

Semifinals — Friday, March 20

Championship — Saturday, March 21

Hockey East Men's Championship winners by year

Here are the last 10 tournament champions:

The Orioles are headed a half hour down the road to Bradenton, and they’re bringing a lot of their regulars with them. Six of the players in today’s lineup are guys who will be on the Opening Day roster, and possibly seven, depending how you feel about Jeremiah Jackson’s chances. Pete Alonso, Adley Rutschman, and Taylor Ward are among the crew making the trip.

So too is Trevor Rogers, the newly anointed Opening Day starter. Rogers has pitched very well in his two Grapefruit League starts, working five scoreless innings, but he got knocked around by Team Netherlands in a WBC exhibition on March 3, giving up six runs in 2.1 innings. For whatever reason, he hasn’t pitched in a game since then.

This will be Rogers’ second-to-last exhibition start before his Opening Day assignment, though the schedule doesn’t quite line up for him to pitch on regular rest. The opener is in 12 days, so if he pitches again five days from now, he’ll have a week of rest before Opening Day. Or he’ll need extra rest after this start if he wants to be on four days’ rest for the opener. It’s probably not a big deal, just something worth keeping an eye on.

Orioles lineup:

LF Taylor Ward
C Adley Rutschman
1B Pete Alonso
CF Colton Cowser
SS Blaze Alexander
2B Jeremiah Jackson
RF Dylan Beavers
DH Bryan Ramos
3B Weston Wilson

LHP Trevor Rogers

As we approach the summer transfer window, it appears that Barcelona have big plans to add a big-name striker and possibly even a center-back, with Julián Alvarez and Alessandro Bastoni currently the hottest names in the rumor mill.

The infamous 1:1 rule will be crucial to achieve those plans, but Barça might also have to sell and important player in order to help fund the big signings. And one player currently linked with a sale is Alejandro Balde, who is reportedly “not untouchable” and could be sold if the right offer arrives.

Balde is quite the hot topic among Barça fans. He has certainly developed into a very good left-back and is still young with room to reach his full potential, but some argue he’s not quite consistent enough to be a truly world-class player, and has already dealt with a number of injuries in his young Barça career.

So today’s Barca Blaugranes Question of the Day is:

Should Barcelona sell Alejandro Balde if the price is right?

Now it’s over to you! Feel free to share your thoughts, predictions, upsets, and opinions and answers in the comments section below!

Speaking at the NFL combine this year, Jerry Jones hinted at what some thought would be a free agency spending spree this year.

“I would bet that we will spend more money in free agency than we have,” Jones said. “I want to do everything we possibly can to stop somebody and to basically win some third downs more than we did last year. And so I think that would be the area that you would see me bust the budget,” Jones said.

The first thing to note, and the thing that almost everybody ignored, is that Jones was speaking specifically about busting the budget to win on third down. On defense, that would likely be about investing mostly in the defensive line, and that certainly has happened.

However, the general assumption was that “busting the budget” meant significantly exceeding this year’s salary cap. But the way things are going, the Cowboys aren’t even spending at last year’s level on player acquisition.

This post was written on Saturday, March 14, which is the sixth day of free agency – the legal tampering period began on Monday, March 9, with free agency “officially” opening on Wednesday – and so far the Cowboys have spent a little over $145 million in total contract value on internal and external free agents (some contract data is still missing). By the sixth day of free agency last year, they had already spent $156 million.

Nobody is busting anything right now.

The table below summarizes the team’s activity in 2025 and 2026. The timeline indicates on which day a deal was reported, which is not necessarily the date of the official signing. In addition to the total contract value for each player, the table also shows the Year 1 cash spend for each player as best as I could find it. This is usually the sum of the signing bonus and year one salary at the time the contract was signed.