Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Klaebo won a ground-breaking sixth gold at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Saturday, while heavy snow forced China's freestyle skiing superstar Eileen Gu to wait for her elusive first title in Italy.

Klaebo's victory in the men's 50km mass start event saw him clinch his 11th Winter Olympics gold medal, extending the record he set earlier in these Games.

The 29-year-old also became the first athlete to win all six cross-country skiing races in one Olympics.

The only athlete in Winter or Summer Games history with more Olympic golds is American swimmer Michael Phelps, who won 23.

Gu had been aiming to win a gold of her own at these Games on Saturday, having taken two silvers so far.

But heavy snowfall forced organisers to postpone the women's freeski halfpipe final.

The event at Livigno Snow Park, high in the Italian Alps, has been pushed back to 0940 GMT on Sunday, the final day of competition.

Gu arrived at the Games targeting a clean sweep of golds in her three events after winning two golds and a silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where she was the host nation's darling.

But she came up just short in the slopestyle and big air competitions in Livigno.

"Thank God this is my last event," the 22-year-old US-born athlete said after qualifying earlier in the week. "I'm exhausted, I just want to go home to bed."

- Double French gold -

A host of other gold medals were up for grabs on the final full day of action.

Emily Harrop and Thibault Anselmet combined to win gold for France in the mixed relay event of ski mountaineering in Bormio.

Ski mountaineering is making its Olympic debut at the Milan-Cortina Games and while the "skimo" sprints offered a condensed version of the sport, the mixed relay proved to be a true lung-busting race.

Harrop and Anselmet clocked a winning time of 26min 57.44sec in the relay, consisting of ascents on skis and sections on foot with skis attached to the backpack.

"It's a crazy feeling. The Olympics are the top of any athlete's dream," said Harrop.

An hour later, France won their sixth gold medal in biathlon of this Games when Oceane Michelon took the glory in the women's mass start event.

Biathlon accounts for six of France's eight gold medals overall so far.

Canada, who were mired in a cheating controversy earlier in the tournament, beat Great Britain 9-6 in a tense final to win the men's curling gold for the fourth time.

Brad Jacobs's team secured their country's first title in the event since defeating Britain in the 2014 gold-medal match in Sochi.

Britain had to settle for a third silver medal in the last four Olympic men's curling competitions after slipping up in the last two ends in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

The tournament was mired in controversy earlier in the Games when Canada's Marc Kennedy insulted a Swedish opponent who accused him of cheating.

The spat led to fears that curling was losing its once genteel image and the Canadians faced criticism in their own national media.

After winning the title on Saturday, Kennedy said: "I don't know if people will ever understand what we went through this week as a team, what I put them through this week as a team. I'm just so proud of them. I love these guys.

"There was a lot of hate out there this week, but we made a choice to not let any of that hate in the room, not give it a voice in our heads, and just trust one another."

In a blockbuster end to the Olympics, tournament favourites Canada and the USA will face off for ice hockey gold on Sunday.

The USA are targeting their first Olympic title since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice".

Finland, the champions from Beijing in 2022, thrashed Slovakia 6-1 to take the bronze medal on Saturday.

Norway lead the medals table with 18 golds, while the USA are second with 11.

bur/gj/bb

Celtic face Hibernian on Sunday afternoon as the Scottish Champions return to domestic action after a sobering defeat in the Europa League. The visitors from Edinburgh will be hoping to put pressure on Celtic after the loss to Stuttgart while Martin O’Neill’s side want to bounce back with three points.

The SFA have confirmed the refereeing team for the game at Celtic Park with Matthew MacDermid taking charge of the 3pm meeting.

MacDermid will be assisted by Daniel McFarlane and Chris Rae. The 32-year-old has taken charge of two games this season, a 2-0 defeat away to Dundee then the 4-2 win over Livingston.

Meanwhile, at Clydesdale House, Grant Irvine is on VAR with Ross Hardie assisting.

Celtic have left it late in their last two league games with goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Julian Araujo rescuing all the points against Livi and Killie. Hibs showcased that they can hold firm at Celtic Park back in September.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called on his players to “never give up” as they moved to within two points of league leaders Arsenal after defeating Newcastle 2-1.

Two goals from Nico O’Reilly either side of Newcastle’s equaliser through Lewis Hall secured City a hard-fought victory, as the away side pushed for a second leveller late on.

The win moves Guardiola’s side to just two points behind league leaders Arsenal, who face Tottenham in the North London Derby on Sunday.

Since losing to Manchester United in the Manchester derby in mid January, City have won five consecutive league matches and have significantly reduced the gap at the top. With a plethora of players joining in the last year, who have yet to experience a title fight, Guardiola has called on his players to do even better.

“We have a lot of new players, that’s why they have to live it,” Guardiola said. “I’ve said, forget about it. We have to improve, it’s not enough. To compete to win the Premier League you have to be there.

“We proved ourselves to win the three points but we have to do better to have the chance to do it.

“I say to the guys, ‘take a lot of caipirinhas and daiquiris in these three days, enjoy life’. And after that, make a proper three training sessions and go to Leeds.

“That is a proper way. I know how difficult it will be. If it doesn’t go well, we keep going, never give up. Ten or 11 games is a lot in the Premier League.”

MESA, Arizona — Cubs pitchers struck out 14 Rangers hitters Saturday afternoon on another gorgeous day at Sloan Park.

For whatever that’s worth. A few Cubs regulars and a bunch of minor leaguers couldn’t put together much offense, though, and so the Cubs lost their second straight Spring Training game, 3-2 to Texas.

Matthew Boyd put together what I thought was a decent outing, though he didn’t finish the second inning after throwing 36 pitches (25 strikes). He was the victim of a fly ball that Pete Crow-Armstrong lost in the sun and then dropped, generously called a double for Tyler Wade, who then scored on a single by Sam Haggerty to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the second. Boyd did strike out four, so that’s a good start to his spring season.

Here’s Boyd’s fourth K [VIDEO].

The Cubs tied the game up in the bottom of the second. Pedro Ramirez walked, stole second and scored on a single by Jefferson Rojas.

Rojas also made an offline throw in the fourth that pulled Jonathon Long off first base, and Long left with an injury [VIDEO].

It was reported after the game that Long left with a left elbow strain. As you can see in the clip that when he goes down he’s holding his arm after colliding with Mark Canha. It’s a tough blow if Long misses time in Spring Training. It’s unlikely he would have made the Opening Day roster anyway, but this obviously sets him back.

That play helped lead to a two-run inning off Hoby Milner. Otherwise the Cubs bullpen did a pretty good job, including Luke Little, who didn’t walk anyone (progress!), though he did hit a batter, and Jack Neely, who issued a walk but struck out three.

The Cubs scored another run in the fourth. Triantos led off with a single and went to third on a single by Ramirez. Rojas grounded out, scoring Triantos to make it 3-2.

That was it for scoring, and after the fifth it was all minor leaguers finishing things up.

Of note, there were five ABS challenges in this game, three of which resulted in a call being overturned. The last of these was a strike-three call which would have ended the game. Hayden Cantrelle challenged and got it overturned — by seven-tenths of an inch [VIDEO].

That is exactly the sort of situation ABS challenges are designed for — close game, bottom of the ninth, the hitter thinks he’s got a chance at another pitch instead of the game being over.

Which is what Cantrelle got — and then he struck out swinging on the next pitch to actually end the game.

But at least that call was changed to the correct one.

Attendance watch: 12,073 paid to see this Saturday afternoon contest, bringing the season total for two dates to 26,492, or 13,246 per date. The next Sloan Park game will be Tuesday vs. the Padres.

The Cubs travel to Scottsdale to face the Giants Sunday afternoon. Colin Rea will go for the Cubs and Robbie Ray will go for the Giants. There will be a TV broadcast Sunday via Giants TV and there’s also a radio broadcast with the Giants announcers on their flagship station KNBR 104.5.

Jose Miranda agreed to a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres in December of 2025. He did not receive much attention in the months following his signing and kind of got lost in the roster discussion following the frenzy of moves made by the Padres on and after Valentine’s Day. The Padres, manager Craig Stammen and the Friar Faithful are very aware of Miranda after his first two Spring Training games with the organization, the second of which netted Stammen his first managerial win.

Miranda went 3-for-3 with a walk, two singles and a double with four RBI and a run scored to help the Padres get a 10-3 win over the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz. on Saturday. The production by Miranda on Saturday followed a 2-for-3 performance in a 7-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Friday. His two hits against the Mariners were a two-run home run and a double.

With limited bench spots available on the San Diego roster, players like Miranda who are battling for a spot cannot afford to have a poor performance. He seems to understand that and is looking to make the most of his opportunity with the Padres.

San Diego catcher Freddy Fermin also had a productive game against Kansas City in his first action of the spring. Fermin drove in the first run of the game in his second at-bat with a double to left in the top of the fifth inning. That followed his first at-bat when he connected on a well struck fly ball to center field that was knocked down by the wind for a flyout. Fermin also showed what he can do behind the plate throwing out Bobby Witt Jr. at second base on a pitch in the dirt in the bottom of the fourth inning. He also used the ABS challenge system successfully, getting a ball overturned to a strike.

Other notable offensive moments for Padres hitters against the Royals was a double by Bryce Johnson in the top of the first inning, a triple by Mason McCoy in the top of the second, a double by Ramon Laureano in the top of the third, a solo home run by Nick Solak in the top of the eighth and a double by Samad Taylor in the same inning. Taylor finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored in the game. San Diego racked up 18 hits in the contest.

Matt Waldron, who is in competition for one of the final rotation spots for the Padres, started the game against the Royals and delivered two scoreless innings, allowing one walk and just one hit. Waldron faced Royals starters Jonathan India, Bobby Whitt Jr., Vinny Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, Kyle Isbel, Dairon Blanco and John Rave. Blanco was the only player to record a hit against the San Diego starter.

The Padres return to the Peoria Sports Complex to host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at 12:10 p.m.

At their core, the Green Bay Packers want to be a big, fast, young football team. This has been true for virtually my entire life (outside of Mike Sherman’s stint as general manager). Al Davis taught his approach to roster building to Ron Wolf, who took over the Packers in 1991, and passed those principles on to Ted Thompson and current Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst. It’s who they want to be, and who they have been for more than three decades now, without much change.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at the Packers’ pre-draft free agency additions during the Gutekunst-Matt LaFleur administration. All nine of their free agent signings who had an average per year (APY) worth at least four percent of the salary cap at the time of their signings (Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Aaron Banks, Xavier McKinney, Adrian Amos, Josh Jacobs, Nate Hobbs, Christian Kirksey and Billy Turner) were 28 years old or younger in their first year with Green Bay (based on Pro Football Reference’s data, which locks a player’s season age on September 1st of a given year).

There are a lot of older free agents on the consensus top-100 board for this class. 47 of the 100 players are going to be 29 years old or older by September 1st. Based on Green Bay’s history, the Packers won’t be the highest bidders for their services.

With post-Covid cash spending being so much higher than the salary cap, free agency classes are becoming thinner and thinner in young talent. Teams have learned how to manipulate the cap, which has improved their ability to keep their homegrown players at a much higher rate. For example, the Dallas Cowboys can create $131 million in new cap space this year just via simple restructures, without ever having to release a single player on their roster. These cap manipulation methods were seldom used before Covid, when the cap stayed flat and then actually dipped, but every club uses them now. Previously, these were mechanics reserved only for teams going on a last push with aging quarterbacks, like the late-Tom Brady New England Patriots and the Drew Brees New Orleans Saints.

Because of this phenomenon, the biggest gains in the market have been average, not good, young players, because they’re the ones actually hitting free agency and absorbing the year-to-year cap space increases. How much is a four percent share of the salary cap in today’s league? It’s around $9.1 million, which sounds like a lot, until you realize even the average starting slot defender market has pushed up to $13 million, and that’s for a part-time player. Los Angeles Rams receiver Tutu Atwell signed a one-year, $10 million contract this offseason to return to the team that drafted him four years prior. Atwell made all of six receptions for 192 yards and was a healthy scratch in the playoffs for the team. You can absolutely make eight figures in a year in this league without even being a full-time starter at this point. That’s the reality when the cap is rising, and teams are borrowing cap space from the future.

All of those $25 million per year, per team gains on the salary cap (on top of the cash spending exceeding the cap) means it’s never been better to be an average starter in this league. In 2019, the Packers paid an APY of $7 million for Billy Turner to be an average-ish tackle. Now, it’s hard to find an actual starting-caliber tackle (even if he’s average or even below average) who is going to make south of $20 million per if he hits the market.

In short, Green Bay doesn’t give out four percent of the cap contracts to older players in free agency. At the moment, basically all young starting-caliber players (outside of the specialists) get deals north of four percent of the cap because of the league’s spending habits and cap increases.

With that in mind, I wanted to break down what the top young-ish (under 29 years old) players look like at each position at the top of the free agency boards. I do not think that the Packers would be out of the running to add a 30-plus-year-old as a depth piece in free agency, but if they’re spending real money on a top-100 free agent, it’s probably going to be a young guy.

These rankings below come from our consensus free agency board, which now has data from 18 different rankings across the internet. If the Packers add a starter in free agency, it will likely come from this list.

Quarterbacks

• 15: Malik Willis, QB (27 years old by September 1st)

Running Backs

• 7: Breece Hall, RB (25)
• 13: Kenneth Walker III, RB (26)
• 17: Travis Etienne Jr., RB (27)
• 56: Rico Dowdle, RB (28)
• 70: Rachaad White, RB (27)
• 74: Tyler Allgeier, RB (26)
• 83: Kenneth Gainwell, RB (27)
• 87: J.K. Dobbins, RB (28)

Javonte Williams would have been a top-30 free agent in this class, per our consensus rankings, but the Cowboys just announced that he inked a three-year contract with the team on Saturday. This is your reminder that a good portion of these top free agents will be retained by their original teams, as they still have until March 11th to negotiate contract extensions prior to free agency.

Receivers

• 1: George Pickens, WR (25)
• 6: Alec Pierce, WR (26)
• 22: Rashid Shaheed, WR (28)
• 25: Romeo Doubs, WR (26)
• 29: Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (25)

Tight Ends

• 12: Kyle Pitts, TE (26)
• 36: Isaiah Likely, TE (26)
• 81: Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE (27)
• 84: Cade Otton, TE (27)

Offensive Tackles

• 8: Rasheed Walker, T (26)
• 71: Braxton Jones, T (27)

Guards

• 40: Alijah Vera-Tucker, G (26)
• 67: Ed Ingram, G (27)
• 73: Dylan Parham, G (27)
• 77: Zion Johnson, G (27)

Centers

• 3: Tyler Linderbaum, C (26)
• 64: Cade Mays, C (27)

Interior Defensive Linemen

• None

Edge Defenders

• 4: Jaelan Phillips, EDGE (27)
• 14: Odafe Oweh, EDGE (28)
• 31: Boye Mafe, EDGE (28)
• 49: K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE (27)
• 61: Kwity Paye, EDGE (28)
• 88: Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE (27)
• 90: Malcolm Koonce, EDGE (28)
• 92: Joseph Ossai, EDGE (26)

Off-Ball Linebackers

• 9: Devin Lloyd, LB (28)
• 32: Devin Bush, LB (28)
• 37: Nakobe Dean, LB (26)
• 41: Quay Walker, LB (26)
• 54: Leo Chenal, LB (26)

Cornerbacks

• 10: Jaylen Watson, CB (28)
• 18: Tariq Woolen, CB (27)
• 39: Nahshon Wright, CB (28)
• 50: Alontae Taylor, CB (28)
• 63: Montaric Brown, CB (27)
• 75: Eric Stokes, CB (27)
• 85: Cor’Dale Flott, CB (25)

Safeties

• 20: Bryan Cook, S (27)
• 33: Coby Bryant, S (27)
• 35: Kamren Curl, S (27)
• 46: Jaquan Brisker, S (27)
• 48: Jalen Thompson, S (28)
• 68: Reed Blankenship, S (27)
• 76: Nick Cross, S (25)

The Philadelphia 76ers will begin a 3-game trip on Saturday when they take on the New Orleans Pelicans with Joel Embiid sidelined due to both right knee injury management and right shin soreness. This is the first night of a back-to-back as Philadelphia will head to Minnesota on Sunday to face the Timberwolves, and the Sixers will be looking to get off to a good start on the trip.

In terms of the starting lineup against a pesky Pelicans team, the Sixers will turn to veteran Andre Drummond to start in place of Embiid. This has been the case for a majority of the season as coach Nick Nurse likes to keep Adem Bona in a reserve role.

Drummond, averaging 7.0 points and 8.7 rebounds on the season, will join Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Dominick Barlow in the starting unit.

tonight’s starting five:

🔔 @TyreseMaxey
🔔 @vj_edgecombe
🔔 @AndreDrummond
🔔 @KELLYOUBREJR
🔔 @Dominickbarlow_pic.twitter.com/WyAwdHqdNR

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 21, 2026

The Sixers and Pelicans will tip off at 7 p.m. EST from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers announce Andre Drummond will start to begin trip vs. Pelicans

Atlético Madrid coach Diego Simeone spoke about his team’s campaign so far as he addressed the media after a 4-2 home win over Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday night.

“We’re competing well in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey,” an optimistic Simeone insisted. “We’re far from the top in the league, but we’re trying not to slow down so we can finish as high as possible. … “I’m very happy with what the squad is doing at the moment.”

Diego Simeone on the victory

“There were many good things. We started losing, but that didn’t upset the team; they kept looking for the game we wanted. We were in control throughout the match. The team’s overall performance gave us the chance to play the game we wanted to play. It was an important, necessary victory, especially in the league, and a great team effort.”

Simeone on getting a boost before Tuesday

“It’s always important to win before an important match like Tuesday’s. From what I saw in Brugge’s line-up, they’ve played with quite a few substitutes in their league, they’ll have fresh players, it’s at 6:45 p.m. and we’ll have to be the same.”

Simeone on Tuesday’s early kick-off time

“I hope people understand how important it is for the players’ energy levels to be high.”

Simeone on asking the fans for a little more

“I’m not here to ask for anything at all. I’m grateful. I just ask that they understand our need for energy and that they give us energy.”

Simeone on Cardoso’s performance

“He went from strength to strength, gradually finding himself in situations that he’s good at, which is why he’s at Atlético. We need him to be like he was from the start of the match until he evolved in terms of aggression, intensity, team play, taking the ball to the other side… He had a very good match, which makes us happy because we need the best from him.”

Simeone on conceding two goals

“Their first goal was a combination of luck and our misinterpretation of how to defend it; on the second, Oblak didn’t see the ball coming out. Then there was the crossbar. Those were the three that attacked.”

Simeone on Baena pushing to be a starter

“Without a doubt. He was happy after the match, he knew he had put in the kind of performance we need from him, hard work, vision, playing collectively, making plays. We put him in the middle, almost in a double pivot or as an inside forward so he could link up with Johnny, and they did very well. He gave Giuliano a fantastic assist, typical of a player who knows and sees. We need the Baena we saw today.”

Simeone on Sørloth

“That’s football. That’s the wonderful thing about football. Before we started, I said to him, ‘The other day you played 15 minutes and had three chances to score,‘ and I said something else a bit more rude. That’s what we need. He had a spectacular game. It’s a shame he didn’t score the third, because (that shot off the post after he held off two defenders) was even better than the previous two.”

Yesterday, the NFL shared the top ten plays of the Chicago Bears from last season, and because there was so much awesomeness to choose from, the NFL had to squeeze 13 plays into their Bears’ top 10.

Today, the NFL social media team was back at it, but this time, they shared the top ten plays from the entire league, and guess which team had three of their top 10 spots?

Guess which team had the number one spot?

I know, my title gave it away, so it’s a bit anticlimactic, but I could watch these Bears highlights all day.

The first one is a little sad because the Bears couldn’t complete the comeback against the Rams in the playoffs, but everything about that play was magical.

The Colston Loveland go-ahead touchdown really let the league know that these aren’t the same old Bears.

And the Caleb Williams to DJ Moore overtime walkoff against the Packers is a chef’s kiss of a play that Green Bay fans will be haunted by for the rest of their lives.

It might not have been pretty, it was by a mere single goal, but Heart of Midlothian's victory over Falkirk is of the kind head coach Derek McInnes believes could prove to be "the bedrock of success" for his Scottish Premiership leaders.

It was much needed, given that last weekend's 4-2 defeat by Rangers allowed the hosts to narrow the gap at the top to two points.

Hearts returned to winning ways on Saturday, but it was far from comfortable against high-flying Falkirk.

Recent signing Islam Chesnokov's toe-poke on the stroke of half-time was all that split the sides, leaving McInnes to admit he felt the "anxiety" at Tynecastle.

There was a slight nervousness around the Edinburgh stadium ahead of the game. On top of that defeat at Ibrox against their nearest challengers, Falkirk were returning to the scene of their penalty shoot-out win in the Scottish Cup just a few weeks ago.

However, Hearts rode the wave of emotions, and dealt with the latest raft of injuries, to extend their lead at the top to five points before Rangers face bottom side Livingston on Sunday.

"Sometimes those 1-0 wins are the bedrock of any success a team can have," McInnes said. "I think that's been demonstrated in history."

'We looked really anxious' - McInnes

More of those will be more than welcome considering their title rivals are beginning to motor.

Danny Rohl's Rangers have lost just once - away to Porto in the Europa League - in 14 outings since losing at Tynecastle in December.

Reigning champions Celtic, just six behind Hearts with two games in hand, have lost once in 11, albeit a bruising 4-1 Europa League loss at home to Stuttgart on Thursday, and rekindled their habit of vital late goals under interim manager Martin O'Neill.

Motherwell, 10 behind with a game in hand, will surely also have a say in the destiny of the title given they have lost once in their latest 10.

Hearts' three wins in their latest seven outings are not quite as impressive, and McInnes admitted: "The first half, there was a 20-25 minute period where we looked really anxious.

"Our out-of-possession stuff was good the whole game, but our in-possession stuff needed to be better."

However, the Hearts boss thought that, overall, his side coped well with John McGlynn's dangerous Bairns.

"We were far better in the second half than we were first," he said. "We were the team that looked more likely to score a second goal in the second half.

"I watch Falkirk often enough and they normally pepper teams, they normally put endless crosses in the box, they normally create so many chances.

"Very rarely do they not score. But it wasn't really like that. The second half, we were comfortable enough, we kept them away at arm's length.

"There were a lot of people tipping Falkirk to come here and win, but I thought we thoroughly deserved the win."

'It doesn't matter how you win'

Blair Spittal, drafted into the starting XI at the last minute following an injury to Ageu in the warm-up, agreed.

"It was a bit nervy at times, we made it hard for ourselves, but at this point of the season, it doesn't matter how you do it as long as you win," the midfielder said.

"We know the position we're in and it's important we don't look too far ahead. We just need to take care of ourselves."

As BBC Sportsound pundit Rory Loy suggested: "They can tick that one off. Pressure well and truly applied."

Over to Rangers in West Lothian and Celtic as they host Hibernian on Sunday.

McInnes added that "of course" it would be nice to be able to sit back and watch Hearts' rivals trying to reduce the deficit again, but he stressed: "You can't get too obsessed.

"If you depend on others, you normally get let down. I'm just concentrating on my own team.

"We'll just deal with our own business as we go along and next Saturday's another chance to do it."

With five games until the Premiership splits into two halves for the final five games of the season, and no room for any more dropped points, it will no doubt be another case of any win will do.

What the fans said

Kris: A tough watch at times, but a win is a win is a win. Delighted Chesny [Chesnokov] got his goal. Hopefully he kicks on.

Richard: Harry Milne in the second half, after Blair Spittal in the first half, provided the drive and the buzz around the field. Falkirk were competent and compact, Hearts were more expansive and were the slightly-better side, enough to deserve the win.

Ageu injured again? About time players came with a warranty that they'll keep working for X miles or months or whatever, or they'll be repaired for free.

Steve: Given our squad, Pierre Landry Kabore is never our number nine. Kabangu is worth a start or another Jamestown dud. The midfield is pedestrian and so fortunate to get this result.

I fear, although getting three points, we are struggling to get results. Too many Jamestown duds.

• Visit our Hearts page for all the latest news, analysis and fan views
• Get Hearts news notifications in the BBC Sport app

DALLAS (AP) — Jermaine O'Neal Jr. scored 16 points, Samet Yigitoglu and BJ Edwards both added 15 in SMU's 94-70 win over Boston College on Saturday.

Jaden Toombs and Jaron Pierre Jr. put up 13 points each for the Mustangs (19-8, 8-6 Atlantic Coast Conference). Boopie Miller finished with 11 points and a team-leading seven assists.

SMU finished the first half on an 11-0 run, capped by a buzzer-beater 3-pointer by Pierre Jr. to go up 40-36 headed into the break. The Mustangs pulled away with a 14-0 run in the second half, finishing the final frame outscoring Boston College by 20.

Fred Payne led the Eagles (9-18, 2-12) with 20 points. Jason Asemota and Boden Kapke both added 10 in Boston College's eighth-straight loss.

The Mustangs shot 56% from the field compared to the Eagles' 33%.

Up next

Boston College hosts Wake Forest on Tuesday.

SMU visits California on Wednesday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

If you ask just about any Canadian where they were when Sidney Crosby scored the “Golden Goal” on Feb. 28, 2010, they’ll be able to tell you.

Sunday’s rematch between USA and Canada in the gold medal game at the 2026 Olympics has the potential to be the same way.

Whether you’ve religiously followed hockey your entire life or you’ve never seen a game before, don’t miss this one — even if it’s at an inconvenient time for North Americans.

The significance off the ice is just as great as the obvious significance on it. For more than a year, the countries have been involved in a war of words involving everything from tariffs to threats of annexation.

And while it doesn’t necessarily affect the day-to-day lives of Americans, Canadians have not forgotten.

“Everybody has a rivalry with Canada at the international level,” said Utah Mammoth head coach André Tourigny, who has coached Team Canada many times on various stages.

“... It means so much for both of them. I think there’s a feeling for both teams (that) they want to prove they’re the best team in the world, they’re the best team there can be.”

On the ice, this is potentially the most skilled hockey game of all time. Both USA and Canada have enough depth to scratch stars, hence why the Mammoth’s Clayton Keller, the NHL’s 11th-leading scorer last year, is averaging just a little more than six minutes of playing time per game at the Olympics.

“The winner is all of us in the hockey industry,” Tourigny said. “I think having a high-level game between the two best teams in the world at the biggest stage you can ever dream of, I think we’re all winners.”

It’s the first meeting of the tournament for these two teams, but they are already familiar with each other. Of the 50 players on the two rosters, 39 competed at the 4 Nations Face-Off last year, where Canada claimed the trophy with an overtime win — and there would have been more if not for injuries.

Utah Mammoth predict the gold medal game 🦣🇺🇸🇨🇦

Who got it right?

Drop your predictions below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/9GpXsnt07a

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) February 21, 2026

There’s no such thing as a favorite

Team USA went undefeated in the women’s tournament, allowing just two goals. Despite the fact that they’d beaten Team Canada 5-0 in the preliminary round a week earlier, it took a late comeback and overtime for them to beat the same team in the gold medal game.

In the 2010 Olympics and again at the 4 Nations, the Americans beat the Canadians in preliminary rounds but lost in the title game. No matter how dominant a team is in the previous rounds, everything resets when gold is on the line.

To this point in the tournament, USA and Canada are the lone undefeated teams. One team will end its winning streak on Sunday, while the other will go down in history as one of the greatest teams to ever lace up skates.

Players to watch

Quinn Hughes, Team USA

A lot of people regard Quinn Hughes as the second-best defenseman in the world behind Canada’s Cale Makar, but with more eyeballs on Hughes throughout the Olympics and with his recent trade to the Minnesota Wild, the world is starting to see what Vancouver Canucks fans have known all along.

Yes, Hughes is smaller than most No. 1 defensemen, but when he has the puck, it’s next to impossible to get it away from him.

He’s also the clear-cut best in the world at transitioning from the defensive zone to the offensive zone, and when he gets there he has a knack for getting the puck to the net.

Injury prevented Hughes from playing at the 4 Nations tournament, so this is his first chance to prove himself on the biggest stage.

Macklin Celebrini, Team Canada

There was some debate among fans as to whether Macklin Celebrini should have been invited to the tournament. Now that he’s leading the tournament in goals, the debate is moot.

The 19-year-old has truly been one of Canada’s most important players. When Canada was down by a goal late in the semifinal game against Finland on Friday, it was Celebrini whom head coach Jon Cooper relied upon, along with Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, to play every other shift.

Both goaltenders

Barring any unforeseen situations, Connor Hellebuyck will start for USA and Jordan Binnington for Canada — just like 4 Nations.

Hellebuyck won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP and the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie last season, but it was Binnington, .900 save percentage and all, who prevailed at 4 Nations.

Hellebuyck gets criticized for his play in big moments, while Binnington seems to only get better when the lights are brightest.

Goaltending is the most important position in hockey, so both guys need to be at the top of their game for their respective teams to have the chance to win.

Team USA’s Olympic men’s hockey history

In the five previous Olympic tournaments that NHL players have been permitted to play, Team USA has captured two silver medals: 2010 and 2002.

Their last best-on-best gold came at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and their last Olympic gold was in 1980.

Needless to say, the United States is hungry for a win.

If it doesn’t go their way on Sunday, they’ll have another shot soon. The NHL plans to bring back a World Cup-style tournament every fourth year, meaning there will be either that or the Olympics every other year.

The game begins at 6:10 a.m. MT. Viewers in the United States can watch it on USA Network.

There was quite a bit of action between today’s two split-squad games, so I’ll try to walk you all through the highlights. The Guardians won both games, against the Reds and Brewers, respectively, to start 2-0 in the Spring.

The addition of the ABS Challenge System to Spring Training games has brought Statcast to every Spring Training game, so we’ll have more concrete stats from every game.

The Reds game featured a few notable Guardians’ pitchers: Logan Allen, Doug Nikhazy, and Colin Holderman.

Allen was decent, and his velocity was up across the board. His CSW% (Called Strikes + Whiffs) was 25%, which is below average. Usage-wise, he dropped the usage on his sinker and picked up the usages on his cutter and changeup. That’s all.

Holderman gave up a loud homer. Velocity was about the same as it was last year. Did a decent enough job of missing bats (outside of the homer).

Nikhazy pitched 2 scoreless innings, and notably, Nikhazy’s sliders were 4 mph faster than they were last year. (unless Statcast was misclassifying those pitches).

On the offensive side, neither Kwan nor Jose got on base. Naylor and Arias had back-to-back doubles to start the scoring. (Naylor’s double was 101 off the bat). Fry went 1/3 with a 96mph RBI double to left. Carter Kieboom (lol) whacked a center-cut fastball to drive in the game’s winning runs. We saw a little of Khalil Watson, Ralphy Velazquez, and Juan Brito, too. Only Watson got on base, however. Singled and walked. Not much to talk about in Ralphy’s performance, but Brito’s highlighted an issue I know many scouts have had with him — his arm. There were a few plays with the potential to turn two, and it seemed like he just wasn’t getting much zip on the ball on his throw to first. Something to monitor throughout Spring Training as we’ve seen the Guardians toy around with Brito both at 1B and in RF.

We got to see a very funky righty reliever in Cam Shuelke. He pitches from a Tyler Rogers-esque arm angle, and threw a 68 mph slider! He was very effective, though, striking out the only batter he faced with the bases loaded.

The Brewers game was much more exciting, and was unfortunately not the game being televised. The starting lineup featured Cantillo on the mound, and DeLauter, Manzardo, Valera, Halpin, and Bazzana. DeLauter went 2/3, with his out coming off a 107mph lineout to the pitcher. Aram Leighton was at the game, and captured videos from all of DeLauter’s 3 BBE’s. You can watch them here. We also got to see Genao, Chourio, Ingle, and Alfonsin Rosario. Ingle clobbered a 3-run homer in his only at-bat. Genao walked, Chourio went 0/2, and Rosario went 0/1.

Cantillo’s velocity was up, though he seemed to be a bit all over the place in the 1st. They took him out and brought him back in for the 2nd, and he gave up a moonshot to Brandon Lockridge. Connor Brogdon came in in the 3rd and struck out 2 Brewers.

Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour's chances of a second Italian title in a row could depend on Napoli beating in-form Atalanta on Sunday - and you can watch the action live on the BBC.

The second of our live games from Serie A featuring Scotland internationals kicks off at 14:00 GMT, with coverage on BBC Alba, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app starting at 13:50.

Defending champions Napoli head to Bergamo, having fallen 14 points adrift of leaders Internazionale - and four behind AC Milan - and hoping influential midfielder McTominay can return from two games out through injury.

Having picked up an injury in a goalless draw with Como in November, Gilmour made his own first appearance as a 78th-minute substitute in Sunday's 2-2 draw at home to fourth-placed Roma.

But it was McTominay's turn to miss that game - and last Tuesday's penalty shootout defeat following a 1-1 draw at home to Como in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.

Such is the importance of McTominay - last season's Serie A player of the year and Ballon d'Or nominee - that Napoli have now not won any of the three games he has missed this season, losing two of them.

The 29-year-old told Corriere dello Sport: "I still don't know if I'll play on Sunday. I have a tendon problem that needs to be managed; it's not easy.

"I'm giving it my all to be there. As a player, it's tough to get to the training centre and not be able to train with your team-mates. I desperately want to play, but you have to be sure of my condition."

McTominay, who has 67 Scotland caps, at least seemed to end off-the-field uncertainty about his Napoli future.

His form since a 2024 move from Manchester United has consistently led to speculation about a Premier League return, with his old club and Tottenham Hotspur linked amid suggestions he had found it difficult to settle in Italy.

However, McTominay revealed: "My agent hasn't told me anything about my future. He only talks to the club and me. He has told the Press nothing.

"I'm extremely happy here, I'm a Napoli player and it's all I'm thinking about. I could see myself here for a long time.

"I love this place. Difficulties have been minimal, my family is happy and I'm happy."

Napoli are also reported to be keen to extend the contract of a player who has provided 23 goals and 10 assists in 70 appearances for them.

McTominay has blossomed in the more attacking role handed to him by head coach Antonio Conte.

"At Napoli, I've grown both from a tactical point of view and a physical one," he added. "Tactically, Italy is different from the Premier League. I had to adapt and learn very quickly how to play, what movements to make... how to become a problem in the opponent's area and also how to defend.

"Antonio is a great coach, very strong, passionate, he knows football very well. He is different from anyone else I have had in the past."

He also pointed to Napoli's lengthy injury list as a factor in why they have slipped further behind the leaders in recent weeks but is not giving up on the title just yet.

Should he miss out on Sunday, it will increase the chances of 24-year-old Gilmour making only his seventh start in 14 appearances this season as he looks for game time and to add to his own 43 caps at this summer's World Cup.

With only three wins in 11 outings, nine of them in Serie A, Napoli cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to retain the Scudetto.

Indeed, Inter's 2-0 win away to Lecce on Saturday heaps more pressure on the Scots' side before facing a tough test against the team that finished third in the standings last season.

Hosts Atalanta were beaten 2-0 away to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League knockout round play-off on Tuesday and lost November's reverse fixture 3-1 in Napoli.

Sunday's opponents also won 3-2 on their last visit in January, with McTominay scoring one of the goals.

However, Raffaele Palladino's seventh-placed side have won three in a row domestically, are unbeaten in eight in Serie A since losing at home to leaders Inter at the end of December, and are only eight points adrift of Napoli.

• McTominay overhead kick captured in Glasgow street mural
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Pep Guardiola hailed the special connection between his City team and the Etihad fans in the wake of a crucial and hard-fought 2-1 Premier League win over Newcastle United.

Match Report

City move to within two points of top spot with fine Newcastle win

In what was an enthralling and pulsating clash that represented the very best of the English topflight, a Nico O’Reilly first half brace – bracketed by Lewis Hall’s reply - ultimately proved decisive.

The win saw City reduce the gap to leaders Arsenal to just two points ahead of the Gunners’ trip to Spurs on Sunday afternoon.

However, City had to dig deep in the second half to withstand a spirited Newcastle fightback and were aided and abetted by a raucous and passionate home support.

And reflecting on what felt a hugely significant night, the City boss reserved special praise for the ‘vibe’ and atmosphere that the fans provided for his team.

“Our connection with the fans today was the best of the season,” Pep declared.

“We have five home games left in the Premier League and we need that vibe.

Picture Special

Gallery: O'Reilly at the double in Newcastle thriller

“The game that we played today is what is going to happen for the next 11. It was so difficult.

“Always I say we have to play for them [the supporters].

“Sometimes they cannot come for many reasons, when we play in midweek the day after the kids have to be at school.

“Tomorrow [most people] are off on Sunday so it was perfect.

“We encourage them to come.

“We do our best and don’t want to disappoint them.

“Since I arrive here 10 years ago, my teams have soul and spirit.

“They try to do everything.

“The way Newcastle played here - man marking - we had to outplay them at that type of game otherwise today it would be impossible.

Men's Team

Guéhi salutes City life after Newcastle victory

“Today they man mark, aggressive, win duels but we were there. That’s the rhythm of football.

“That’s why all the Premier League teams are still in the Champions League, the rhythm is massive.

“The game we played was so difficult. In the training centre we watched Aston Villa v Leeds [beforehand], oh my god. Every game will be like that.”

With just 11 league games remaining, the pressure and intensity at the top is getting even more profound.

For many of City’s revamped squad a Premier League title race will represent a new experience.

But rather than being deflected by talk of a battle with Arsenal, for Guardiola, the focus is on rest, recovery and then Leeds who we visit next Saturday tea time.

“I know there are a lot of new players and they have to live it,” the boss added

View full table

“It’s not enough what we have done in many games this season to win the Premier League.

“We have to do better to give us the chance to do it.

“I said to them, for the mental courage take a lot of caipirinhas and enjoy life then make a proper three training sessions!

“Then we have to play Leeds. We’ll go Leeds and I have incredible respect for Daniel Farke and we know how difficult it’s going to be.

“11 games is a lot of games in the Premier League and I have a feeling we are not going to win all our games as we have the FA Cup, Carabao Cup final, Champions League, many games and injuries will come.

“Many things are going to happen.”

 The Washington Wizards announced today they have signed forward/center Tristan Vukčević to a multi-year NBA contract and forward Leaky Black to a two-way contract.

NBA.com

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New York Knicks PR: The New York Knicks recall Pacôme Dadiet and Tyler Kolek from the Westchester Knicks

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Gina Mizell: Nick Nurse said he remains “pretty optimistic” that Joel Embiid’s absence will not be a prolonged one. He reiterated that he is still doing on-court work and views that as a sign of progress.

bsky.app

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Nick Nurse said he remains “pretty optimistic” that …

Anthony Chiang: Nikola Jovic (low back tightness) out tonight for Heat vs. Grizzlies. Davion Mitchell (illness) remains doubtful. Dru Smith (calf) is probable. Norman Powell (illness) and Tyler Herro (ribs) are available.

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Nikola Jovic (low back tightness) out tonight for Heat …

UFC Houston Preview

UFC Houston happens TONIGHT (Sat., Feb. 21, 2026) inside Toyota Center in Houston, TX. The event will of course be streaming on Paramount+. The main event is Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez in the Middleweight division, with Hernandez looking to ‘torture’ Strickland and pad his case for a title shot against Khamzat Chimaev. Strickland, who lost to Du Plessis in his last fight mightjump to the front of the line if he has an impressive win over the streaking ‘Fluffly’.

The co-main event has Geoff Neal coming off a terrible loss to Carlos Prates. He’s meeting the KO machine Uros Medic (who has been sparked out once himself). That fight should produce a highlight reel moment or two.

The main card also has Dan ige vs. Melquizael Costa, Serghei Spivac vs. Ante Delija, Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell and Zachary Reese vs. Michel Pereira.

The UFC Houston “Prelims” are headlined by Chidi Njokuani vs. Carlos Leal. Other “Prelim” bouts of note include Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Punahele Soriano and Jordan Leavitt vs. Yadier del Valle.

UFC Houston Start Date and Time

UFC Houston airs onParamount+ tonight, which is our new normal.

The “Prelims” begin at 5 p.m. ET and the main card goes live at 8 p.m. ET. That’s standard operating procedure for the non PLEs right now.

We’re running live results and play-by-play right here starting at 5 p.m. ET. If you’re around, why not hop into the comment section and join in with the live discussion thread.

UFC Houston Quick Results

Main card

• 185 lbs.: Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez
• 170 lbs.: Geoff Neal vs. Uros Medic
• 145 lbs.: Dan Ige vs. Melquizael Costa
• 265 lbs.: Serghei Spivac vs. Ante Delija
• 170 lbs.: Jacobe Smith vs. Josiah Harrell
• 185 lbs.: Zachary Reese vs. Michel Pereira

‘Prelims’

• 170 lbs.: Chidi Njokuani vs. Carlos Leal
• 125 lbs.: Ode Osbourne vs. Alibi Idris
• 125 lbs.: Alden Coria vs. Luis Gurule
• 135 lbs.: Nora Cornolle vs. Joselyne Edwards
• 170 lbs.: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Punahele Soriano
• 170 lbs.: Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Phil Rowe by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• 145 lbs.: Jordan Leavitt def. Yadier del Valle by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• 125 lbs.: Carli Judice def. Juliana Miller by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

UFC Houston Play-By-Play Updates

Prelims

Phil Rowe vs. Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani: Rowe’s tendency to start slow bites him again. He got into a 0-2 hole against Lebosnoyani, who was aggressive on the feet and was able to get takedowns in the first round. In the third Rowe landed hard shots (single shots, though), but wasn’t able to summon up the barrage needed to score a late win. I had Lebosnoyani winning each round, but the third was close.

Official decision: Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani def. Phil Rowe by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Yadier del Valle vs. Jordan Leavitt: Leavitt derailed Del Valle’s hype train with a dominating performance on the ground. Leavitt looked very big, and strong, at Featherweight and he proved that Del Valle is still a very raw prospect (he also literally spanked him in the third round). He won every round for me.

Official decision: Jordan Leavitt def. Yadier del Valle by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Carli Judice vs. Juliana Miller: That was a fun opener. Judice looked like a threat to KO Miller every time they were on the feet, but Miller was able to spend enough time on the ground to stay alive and hear the last bell. Miller also showed some creativity in kicking off the cage to get takedowns.

Official decision: Carli Judice def. Juliana Miller by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Here we go.

To checkout the latest and greatest UFC Houston: “Strickland vs. Hernandez” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — “Worker” was the first word that came to the mind of Chicago White Sox hitting coach Derek Shomon when describing Munetaka Murakami.

“Does not shy away from the work,” Shomon said Thursday at Camelback Ranch. “Been very clear about wanting the information. Wants to utilize the resources that we have.

“I think more times than not it might be trying to pull him out of the cage and remind him to breathe, (rather) than having to push him in the cage to actually get work done. The guy works really hard. It’s been fun to see.”

Munetaka Murakami fights through butterflies — and traffic — in productive spring debut for Chicago White Sox

Shomon offered several early-spring hitting evaluations Thursday, including how Murakami is getting acclimated after spending the last eight seasons with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.

“He came in with an ideal,” Shomon said. “This guy’s smart. The attitude is there. He has an understanding of likely what is going to be exposed and he’s doing a really good job attacking it on a daily basis and being really intentional with his work. That certainly makes it easier for us.

“There was alignment there as soon as he came into town. Yeah, it can be tough, you’ve kind of got to pick and choose, especially with a guy getting ready to leave for (the World Baseball Classic), how much do you want to give them? On top of the fact that this is all new for him. Testament to his work, his work ethic, and just how savvy he is. He has a clue and he really is getting ahead of it.”

While Murakami is preparing for his first major-league season, players such as shortstop Colson Montgomery, second baseman Chase Meidroth and catchers Edgar Quero — who had a two singles, one double and four RBIs in Saturday’s 11-2 win against the Athletics in a Cactus League game at Camelback Ranch — and Kyle Teel each got their first opportunities to consistently see big-league pitching in 2025.

Shomon’s message to that group is “continuing the good work that they did last year, especially in the second half.”

“But then staying ahead of what the game is going to throw them next. Literally, figuratively,” he said. “Your willingness to respond in a timely fashion to what the game is giving you. That very much is related to how you’re being attacked, and whether that’s pitch types, or certain zones, so on and so forth.

“Just the understanding that the game is going to give you the blueprint and your willingness to respond in a timely fashion is the ability to adjust and be able to perform.”

Photos: An inside look at Chicago White Sox spring training

Remaining in the infield, Shomon noted third baseman Miguel Vargas’ ability to make good decisions, make contact and his damage capability.

“Now it’s just piecing it together consistently,” Shomon said. “Just continuing to do the good work and we’ll let the game kind of tell us what we need to do next.”

Outfielder Everson Pereira, acquired as part of an offseason trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, has been dealing with tightness on his right side the last couple of days. He was off to a strong start to camp before the setback.

“When we had our meeting with him, it’s like, dude, you make good decisions, you do damage, you can move it forward,” Shomon said. “It’s the contact thing, right? It’s the bat to ball, it’s the in-zone whiff. It’s not that you don’t know how to make contact, you do, otherwise wouldn’t be here. It’s like what’s causing the contact issues? So, I think those things were identified early on with him and every day they’re attacked.”

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And Shomon said fellow newcomer Luisangel Acuña, an infielder/outfielder acquired as part of the trade that sent center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets, “came in with the right idea, he knows what he needs to do in-game performance wise to improve and has made some noticeable adjustments during the routine that we’re hoping through increased amount of reps that will transition into game and help with some of the batted ball stuff that he’s addressed.”

Acuña had a double in Saturday’s game, which also featured a solo home run from right fielder Brooks Baldwin.

Shomon said veteran outfielders Austin Hays and Andrew Benintendi have been beneficial in a variety of ways.

“I call them my AARP boys,” Shomon said with a chuckle. “The value that I think it adds for a young core group of players, and hoping the younger guys lean on (Benintendi) and (Hays) and vice versa, hoping that (Hays) and (Benintendi) are willing to push the needle where they need to with these young guys, just having been through it and having been successful.”

Shomon is in his first season as the team’s hitting coach. Manager Will Venable sees the connections he’s making with the players.

“He’s got real substance to what he’s teaching these guys and what he’s putting them through,” Venable said Saturday. “You look at the combination of his ability to connect with the guys, the environment he creates plus the things he’s able to dial in and help these guys work through, is just a guy we’re really excited to have.”

It’s all still here.

The Mariners played their second game of Spring Training on Saturday, the first of 33 consecutive Saturday games in 2026. There was noticeably less excitement around the blogosphere for this matchup, the novelty of the new season already faded, laying bare the sloppy, non-competitive play of February baseball. But it was nice to feel routine settling in. We’ve got a long way to go.

Like most Spring Training games, I watched this one with good intentions early, but my interest slowly faded as more recognizable faces left and the play got worse. I’m writing this sentence right now in the eighth inning against a muted TV, my eyes flicking up to see Rhylan Thomas lose a ball in the sun for a triple. (My latest peak sees him make a great catch sliding into the wall in left center to end the inning; it appears the Giants scored four times since my last glance.)

Anyways, the Mariners lost to the Giants 10-5 on Saturday. Here are some notes.

Emerson Hancock

Emerson Hancock made his first start of 2026. This is something of a make or break Spring Training for him. He now has 31 starts in MLB over the last three years with a 5.38 FIP, and there isn’t much to root for in the peripherals.  While the team thought it best move him to the bullpen at the end of last season, they’ve given him another shot as a starter at the outset of 2026. Unlike the last two seasons, however, he’s not a lock for the sixth starter job out of camp. His future in the rotation could very well hang on his performance in his first few outings.

How’d he look on Saturday? Eh, pretty good. He came out pumping 96-97 on his fastballs and picked up five whiffs in the first inning alone. His velocity dipped slightly in the second, and his command was spotty, but he ended the day with four strikeouts and nine whiffs. 

The outing was encouraging for a first look in 2026. But we’ve seen Hancock ramp up the velocity for an inning or two in the past. To take the next step, he’ll need to show he can be effective deeper into games; he didn’t quite get through his two scheduled innings Saturday.

Colt Emerson and Cole Young

Colt Emerson—the other Emerson—also got his first look of the Spring. He’s battling for spot on the opening day field. He got the start at third base and batted ninth. He struck out in both of his opportunities. 

Battling for the same infield spot is Cole Young, who delivered two pretty solid at bats, drawing a pair of walks on eight pitches each. As I detailed in his 40 in 40, Young’s power-patience combo is an exciting premise for his future at the plate. But as I highlighted in the same post, his defense is still somewhat troubling. Right on cue, he didn’t take charge on a pop up in the second inning and let it fall for an infield double. Two runs scored on the play, and two more runs scored on the next play.

Miles Mastrobuoni

Miles Mastrobuoni is also fighting for a spot on the end of the Mariners’ Opening Day bench. He’s making a strong case right out the gate. After going 1-for-2 with a double on Friday, he walloped a grand slam off Hayden Birdsong in the bottom of the first. He followed that up with a hustle double on a line drive into the left center gap in the third. That’s three extra base hits in four plate appearances to start 2026 for Mastrobuoni.

Andrés Muñoz, Gabe Speier and Eduard Bazardo

Andrés Muñoz pitched the third. He gave up a pair of leadoff doubles and also got a pair of strikeouts. I don’t have much to say about his outing, other than, hey, good to see him again. That’s roughly my assessment for Gabe Speier and Eduard Bazardo, who also pitched in the game.

How Johnny Gaudreau's legacy is 'inspiration' for USA hockey team during Olympic gold medal run originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Johnny Gaudreau was killed in a car accident on August 29, 2024.

Gaudreau was an NHL veteran, playing 10 years in the league with the Calgary Flames and the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was a fan favourite, earning the nickname "Johnny Hockey."

At the time of his death, the winger was in New Jersey with his brother Matthew for their sister's wedding weekend. The brothers were struck by a drunk driver while biking at night. The incident rocked the hockey world. A year and a half later, however, Gaudreau is inspiring Team USA.

Here is more on Gaudreau serving as an inspiration for Team USA as it makes a bid for gold at the 2026 Olympics.

MORE 2026 OLYMPICS: Live medal tracker | Viewer's guide | Day-by-day schedule

How USA is paying tribute to Johnny Gaudreau at Olympics

Team USA has taken Gaudreau with them in spirit to the 2026 Olympics. They also ensured that they had a physical reminder of him to help inspire the team. Team USA has hung a Gaudreau jersey in their locker room ahead of every game they have played during the Olympics. The tribute grew as Gaudreau's family arrived in Italy and took their seats in the stands wearing Gaudreau jerseys for the semi-final game. 

Auston Matthews said about the tribute to Gaudreau, “Johnny had an impact on a lot of guys in this locker room. It’s special to see his family here. I know that those two are watching down on us, here with us in spirit.”

The Gaudreau family is at the U.S. game wearing Johnny’s U.S. gear, and the team has his jersey hanging in the locker room 🥹

Good chance Johnny would have been on this squad 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Atg9EIGvmG

— NHLMuse (@NHL_Muse) February 20, 2026

What happened to Johnny Gaudreau?

Gaudreau and his brother were killed while riding bikes after a night out. They were struck by a drunk driver who didn't see them before he hit them. By the time police arrived on the scene, both Gaudreau brothers had died. 

MORE: How does overtime work in Olympic hockey?

Johnny Gaudreau accident details

Gaudreau and his brother were hit by a Jeep on August 29, 2004. The two brothers had a night out and Johnny had a BAC of 0.134, while Matthew had a 0.129. While that was information released to the public, prosecutors pointed out that New Jersey doesn't have a law against bicycling while intoxicated, so the brothers' BAC's were not to be used in the hearing and shouldn't be heard by a jury.

Sean Higgins was driving the jeep that killed the Gaudreaus, and he himself had been drinking earlier in the night. He was charged with two counts of reckless vehicular homicide, two counts of aggravated manslaughter, two counts of evidence tampering and two counts of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. 

While the accident occurred in August 2024, as of February 2026, Higgins was still awaiting his conviction decision. 

Johnny Gaudreau cause of death

Gaudreau's cause of death was a traffic collision between Higgins' Jeep and Gaudreau, who was on a bicycle. 

MORE: Who are the 11 best players playing in the USA-Canada gold medal game

Did Johnny Gaudreau play for USA hockey?

Gaudreau represented the United States in hockey, but he never got to play at the Olympics. He won a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championships in 2013, a silver medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2010 and a bronze at the 2018 IIHF World Championships. Though not confirmed, many believe he would have been on the 2026 men's Olympic roster. 

Johnny Gaudreau family

Matthew Gaudreau

Matthew was Johnny's little brother. When they died, Johnny was 31, and Matthew was 29. Matthew never made it to the NHL, but had played at Boston College and then played in the AHL and the ECHL from 2017-2018 to 2022. 

Guy Gaudreau 

Guy Gaudreau is Matthew and Johnny's father. He played hockey himself and played collegiately at Norwich University from 1976 to 1980. After his playing career ended, he turned to coaching. Guy coached at the Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, New Jersey and then was his son's high school coach at Gloucester Catholic High School. 

After the deaths of Matthew and Johnny, former Philadelphia Flyers coach John Tortorella invited Guy to be a guest coach for the Flyers for a practice in September 2024. 

Meredith Gaudreau 

Meredith was Johnny's wife. She was born in 1992 in Pennsylvania. Meredith went to James Madison University and eventually obtained her Master of Pediatric Nursing degree. She is a nurse at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 

Meredith and Johnny did a good job of keeping their private lives private, so not much is known about when they met or how. They got married in September 2021. 

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Johnny Gaudreau kids

When Johnny passed, he had two kids, and his wife was pregnant with their third. Their first child is their daughter Noa who was born in 2022. The couple then had their first son, Johnny Jr., in 2024. Carter, their second son, was born on April 7, 2025, about seven months after Johnny's passing. 

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Team USA will take on Canada on Sunday, February 22nd in the gold medal game at the 2026 Olympics. February 22nd is Johnny Jr's birthday. 

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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jackson Holcombe posted a double-double as Utah Valley beat UT Arlington 66-54 on Saturday.

Holcombe had 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks for the Wolverines (20-7, 10-4 Western Athletic Conference). Isaac Davis scored 14 points and added five rebounds. Trevan Leonhardt added 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Marcell McCreary finished with 14 points, three steals and two blocks for the Mavericks (15-12, 7-8). Casmir Chavis added 13 points and two steals for UT Arlington. Miles Goodman also had seven points and two steals.

The Wolverines trailed for most of the first half, with the Mavericks leading 32-27 at the break. The Wolverines used an 11-1 run to break a 47-all deadlock in the second half and take the lead for good.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

After a long, eventful winter, the Milwaukee Brewers were back in action on Saturday afternoon in Phoenix, as they hosted the Cleveland Guardians. While the results don’t matter much (besides for the coveted Cactus League Cup), the Brewers did go down 9-6 in this one.

Garrett Stallings worked around a pair of singles to begin the afternoon, as Reese McGuire threw out a runner on the basepaths before Stallings induced two flyouts.

The Brewer offense hit the ground running in the bottom of the inning, as Brice Turang singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a Jackson Chourio single. With runners at the corners, Akil Baddoo cashed Turang in with a sac fly to make it 1-0 early. Joey Ortiz followed with a strikeout, and Tyler Black grounded out to end the inning.

Blake Holub followed Stallings on the mound, working around a leadoff single for a scoreless second.

Brandon Lockridge tacked on another run for Milwaukee to lead off the second, slugging the first homer of spring on a no-doubt 440-foot bomb out to left. One batter later, David Hamilton struck out on the first Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge of the spring, as catcher Austin Hedges got what was called ball three overturned to strike three.

In the third, Will Childers worked around another single for the Guardians, keeping the lead at 2-0. The top of Milwaukee’s lineup went down in order in the bottom of the inning, as Turang and Baddoo both struck out.

Cleveland finally put together a strong offensive inning against Jaron DeBerry in the fourth, picking up three walks paired with a throwing error (by DeBerry), a passed ball, and a double to make it 3-2 before all was said and done.

Milwaukee’s offense had a response in the bottom of the frame, as Black and Lockridge hit back-to-back one-out singles before executing a double steal to put runners at second and third. Hamilton followed with a two-run double, putting the Brewers back ahead at 4-3. Also of note: Jackson Chourio’s brother, Jaison, entered at the beginning of the inning, replacing Chase DeLauter in center.

In the fifth, we got to see Jett Williams for the first time this spring, as he replaced Turang at second. Tyson Hardin also entered on the mound and, after a walk to begin the inning, picked up a pair of outs on a strikeout and a flyout. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to get that third out quickly, as he allowed a single to George Valera before Nolan Jones slugged a 421-foot three-run homer to right-center field to give the Guardians a 6-4 lead.

The Guardians swapped out most of the rest of their lineup in the bottom of the fifth, and despite loading the bases on a pair of singles and a walk, Milwaukee was unable to produce any runs.

Milwaukee then put in a few more prospects defensively in the sixth, as Josh Adamczewski replaced Baddoo in left, top prospect Jesús Made replaced Ortiz at short, and Luke Adams replaced Black at first.

Brett Wichrowski also took over the mound, recording a strikeout and a flyout before walking a pair and giving up a three-run homer to catcher Cooper Ingle, stretching Cleveland’s lead to 9-4. The inning wouldn’t end there, though, as Wichrowski gave up two more singles before finally getting a flyout to end the frame.

The Brewers went down in order in the bottom of the sixth, and after a few more substitutions (Luis Peña replaced Hamilton, Matthew Wood replaced McGuire, and Greg Jones replaced Lara), Edwin Jimenez worked a perfect seventh for Milwaukee.

In the bottom of the inning, Williams gave one a ride out to center, but Jaison Chourio was able to run it down. Brock Wilken, entering for Jackson Chourio, worked a walk and moved up on a passed ball but was stranded there.

Jordyn Adams replaced Lockridge in center in the eighth, and Manuel Rodriguez worked a perfect inning. Against Zane Morehouse in the bottom of the inning, Luke Adams walked and Peña singled to put two runners on with one out. Wood flew out, advancing Adams to third, and Peña then stole second before Jones hit a two-run single to cut the deficit to 9-6 through eight frames.

Mark Manfredi worked around a walk in the ninth for a scoreless inning, and it came down to Xavier Martinez on the mound for Cleveland. The Brewers were able to draw a pair of walks to put the tying run at the plate, but they weren’t able to cash in as Martinez closed out the game.

In a 15-run, 20-hit game, there were 19 pitchers (10 for Milwaukee, nine for Cleveland) and 36 position players (18 for each side).

Jackson Chourio, who had a huge spring in 2025 (.469/.509/.714 with a homer, nine doubles, eight RBIs, and 13 runs over 17 games), got off to another hot start, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles this afternoon. Lockridge scored two runs on a pair of hits, including a homer.

On the mound, the Stallings, Holub, Childers, Broca, Jimenez, Rodriguez, and Manfredi all worked scoreless innings, though as a staff, Milwaukee allowed nine runs (eight hits) on 10 hits and eight walks.

The Crew is back in action with a split-squad day tomorrow afternoon. The road squad faces off against the White Sox at 2:05 p.m. CT on Brewers TV, while the Brewers will host the Royals at 2:10 p.m. on 94.5 ESPN Radio and across the Brewers Radio Network.

Is JOK’s career over? Latest update on Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Browns community is bracing for a heartbreaking reality regarding one of its brightest stars. According to a grim update from Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot, it is now "doubtful at best" that linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah will ever return to the NFL.

The 26-year-old Pro Bowler has been sidelined since October 2024 following a violent collision with Ravens running back Derrick Henry. The impact was so severe that JOK had to be immobilized on a backboard and carted off the field. After spending the entire 2025 season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, the latest reports suggest the medical outlook remains bleak.

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Pro Football Talk echoed Cabot’s reporting, noting that the linebacker faces a "long shot" at ever suiting up again. It’s a devastating blow for a player who recently signed a three-year, $39 million extension intended to be one of the anchors of Cleveland’s defense for years.

In a previous statement, Owusu-Koramoah remained characteristically grounded, stating he doesn’t "know what’s next" but would continue "backing my brothers on the field." If this is indeed the end of the road, JOK finishes a short, but electric, career with 308 tackles, eight sacks, and a reputation as one of the most versatile linebackers in the game.

For now, the Browns faithful can only wait and hope for a miracle recovery for a player who gave everything to the Dawg Pound.

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Sources confirm that the Dallas Cowboys have re-signed 1,000-yard running back Javonte Williams to a three-year, $24 million contract, with $16 million guaranteed.

Williams played the 2025 season on a one-year, $3 million "prove it" deal after he was picked up in external free agency. And prove it he did. The North Carolina product rushed for career-highs in yards (1,201), rushing touchdowns (11) and games started (16).

READ MORE:What's Next for Cowboys 'Thunder & Lightning' Plan After Javonte Williams Signing

He deservedly gets a raise; that much of his free agency wasn't thought of as a mystery.

The timing, however, is. Especially as it relates to the Cowboys.

That fact that Dallas was still able to swiftly get a deal done here points to two deciding factors: a) it underscores Williams and the Cowboys' mutual liking and desire for a new contract, and b) the Cowboys overcoming a reputation of feet-dragging in preliminary contract talks because they know what's at stake for the coming months elsewhere.

Both could be in play here, of course.

This agreement had a lot of things going well for it, so both sides went ahead and got it done. It's as shocking as it is approved in the eyes of Cowboys Nation.

And it has us wondering if Jerry Jones - who's been promising he's changing his management style with some "bust-the-bank'' moves coming - is telling the truth.

This move is fast and early.

And it's not cheap.

Are we seeing the much-promised return of "Wild-Cattin' Jerry''?

Of the self-proclaimed (via a Netflix series under his control) "The Gambler''?

Williams would have entered free agency when the new league year begins early next month as one of the more intriguing running back prospects, but Dallas sealing its guy early is vital as it relates to the rest of the offseason plan.

This timing for a pre-free-agency signing gives the Joneses a relatively clean slate on offense with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson and soon-to-be-franchise-tagged George Pickens situations handled ... though Pickens' upcoming negotiations will be noteworthy and maybe difficult.

READ MORE:Six to Fix: Dallas Cowboys Top Free Agenct Options to Upgrade Secondary

The roster management attention now sharply shifts to the defensive side of the ball.

Dallas typically likes to informally begin other pressing contract talks in Indianapolis at the Scouting Combine, but with the majority of the offensive boxes checked, the upper management can spend a more concerted effort on scouting the next crop of prospects.

The Cowboys own two first-round picks in April's NFL Draft, and most pundits (us included) believe they should address Christian Parker's defense, which was one of the worst in the NFL last year under now-fired coordinator Matt Eberflus, with both picks.

Parker himself pressed the issue saying he will "absolutely" campaign for two first-round rookies to be defenders, though that variety is yet to be determined.

There are arguments that every position group - other than the trio of top interior defensive tackles - need fixing in Dallas: secondary, linebackers, and pass rushers.

In the coming months, the Cowboys can - and will - hone in on every option.

They have as close to a head start as they could ask for after quickly reaching an agreement with one of its core offensive pieces.

KEYSER, W.Va. — After losing 70-51 in the first meeting on Jan. 9, Mountain Ridge got revenge on the road, defeating No. 5 Keyser 54-34 on Friday.

Leading 4-2 early in the game, the Miners (11-9) scored 11 unanswered to stretch its lead to 15-2.

"That's a great, great win for us," Mountain Ridge head coach Tim Nightengale said. "Keyser got us at Mountain Ridge by 19 and to come into their place and play the way we did tonight, limit them to 34 points, that's really good defense."

Cam Breighner scored seven of his 11 first quarter points during the run and finished with a game-high 22.

"Just moving the ball, getting quality shots that we know we can make and working it, pretty much," Breighner said of his offensive success."

John Delaney scored 10 points with two assists and a steal.

"Getting out in transition really helps," Delaney said. "We're really pushing the pace recently offensively and I think it leads to some quality shots."

The Golden Tornado (11-10) went just under three minutes in between scores and trailed 15-4 after one.

"Unfortunately, I think we were due for one of those," Keyser head coach Scott Furey said. "We've been playing really well, I just thought we came out flat from the very beginning. I didn't think there was much energy, which is strange being Senior Night and the band being here and all that."

Mountain Ridge shot 7 of 15 (46%) from the field compared to Keyser's 2 of 9 (22%) in the opening frame.

The Miners led by as many as 16 points in the second quarter at 24-8.

Mountain Ridge led 29-18 at halftime after shooting 13 of 24 (54%) from the floor in the first half.

"The last four days have been focused on getting the ball for paint touches," Nightengale said. "If we can get the ball for paint touches, that works our quality shots, going to the basket, our kick-out shots into rhythm. That's been our big focus was getting into the paint."

The Tornado went 6 of 19 (32%) from the field.

Keyser got within seven points at two points in the third quarter.

The first came with five minutes left in the frame after opening the second half on a 6-2 run.

After the Miners were called for an offensive foul, Braylon McGreevy banked in a jumper to get Keyser within 37-30.

"I thought we played better defense," Furey said. "We were getting more steals and playing better defense in the third quarter which allows us to turn around and get down and score. There were just some possessions where we get to seven and we threw it away twice in a row and that resulted in points for them."

McGreevy led the Tornado with 14 points, adding three assists, two steals and two blocks.

In the final seconds, Keyser committed a turnover on a throw away.

Moments later, Breighner scored on a layup to put Mountain Ridge ahead 40-30 after three.

The Miners outscored the Tornado 14-4 in the fourth quarter and led by at least 10 points the rest of the night.

Keyser celebrated Senior Night before the game and recognized McGreevy, Grayson Lambka, Cam Owens and Lane Champion.

"They're just a competitive bunch," Furey said. "More than anything, they're super kids. Great students and really good kids. And that's all we really care about here. They're also pretty good at basketball.

"But more than anything, they're great people and they're gonna be successful. For them to be in control of the ship and get everybody to stay focused through a 1-6 start and end up where we are, that's just all credit to them."

Lambka scored seven points with two steals.

The Golden Tornado end their regular season at Berkeley Springs on Monday at 7:30 p.m.

The Miners prepare for the West Region playoffs beginning on Friday.

"We're right where we want to be," Nightengale said. "After midnight tonight, everybody's 0-0. We gotta come back to work tomorrow, prepare for what lies ahead on Friday."

Keyser's junior varsity won 45-35 led by Rio Simone's 13 points while Declan McGeady paced Mountain Ridge, also with 13.

Leigh Wood didn’t need another comeback knockout to beat Josh Warrington in tonight’s DAZN main event from Nottingham, England. The 37 year old Wood looked the best he’s been in years, working from distance and comprehensively outboxing Warrington to a wide decision victory in the rematch of their October 2023 meeting.

Wood (29-4, 17 KO) fought from the second round on with his hands at his hips, peppering Warrington from distance while Warrington struggled to get inside and execute his own attack. Warrington (32-5-1, 8 KO) never stopped advancing, and did have a few eye catching shots land over the course of the night, including one that bloodied Wood’s nose early. But, Wood consistently controlled the action as the fight settled into a routine and the crowd enthusiasm died off significantly.

Judges scored the fight 119-109, 119-110, and 117-111 in favor of Wood. Bad Left Hook had it unofficially 118-110 for Wood.

Warrington applauded the decision, waved and gestured love to his fans, and said “something felt off” compared to past years in the immediate aftermath of the fight. He stopped short of announcing a retirement or declaring his intent to fight again, but spent a lot of time thanking the fans that have supported him through his career.

Bilal Fawaz takes British and Commonwealth belts from Ishmael Davis

Bilal Fawaz fought a risky plan to perfection, upsetting Ismael Davis in a fight that was close on a round-by-round basis, but completely dominated by Fawaz in the latter half. Fawaz started rough, standing tall and awkward and giving up a lot of early rounds. But his unconventional style and aggressive posturing led to success in the middle rounds, were he dominated a visibly exhausted Davis.

Judges gave it to Fawaz on official scores of 115-113, 115-114, and 114-114. I had it unofficially even at 114-114, but that draw score came with every remotely debatable round going to Davis on my scorecard.

Fawaz’s biography so far reads like something co-written by Dickens and Kafka. But, he exits tonight a champion, wearing two domestic super welterweight titles for a country that, as Eddie Hearn pointed out in the post-fight interview, won’t even give him a passport.

Undercard results

• Dave Allen basically walked straight in and out through the ring, knocking Karim Berredjem down within the first few seconds of the fight and finishing him off for good not much later. Berredjem looked like he’d given up on the night before he even made it to the ring. Crowd had a blast seeing Allen dominate, and he’ll remain a ticket seller for the foreseeable future.
• Sandy Ryan claimed the WBC super lightweight title over Karla RamosZamora by majority decision. Zamora earned a draw on one card, well deserved after a courageous performance in a very entertaining fight. Ryan took the other two cards 97-93 by virtue of her superior boxing in the rounds where she could keep Zamora at distance enough to do it. The Ryan cards were reasonable, but only gave Zamora the minimal amount of credit for her three clear rounds. Good fight, worth the replay if you missed it live.
• Leo Atang won by 1st round stoppage over Dan Garber in a little over a minute of action. Finish may have been a little fast with the benefit of replay, but Garber looked wobbly and troubled in live action, and couldn’t get himself out of a bad corner. Another KO for the 19 year old Atang, who was humble and honest about how much work remains to be done during his post-fight interview.

CUMBERLAND — Fort Hill basketball isn't a work of art according to its coach Thad Burner, but his Sentinels painted a defensive masterpiece to end the game Friday.

It was tied at 35 after 28 physical minutes, a score reached when Southern sniper Jacob Brown sunk a 3-pointer to bring things level with a Western Maryland Athletic Conference championship on the line.

Fort Hill didn't let Southern score again, and the Sentinels ended on a 12-0 run to secure a 47-35 victory, a fourth straight conference crown and the No. 1 seed in the Class 1A West Region I playoffs.

"It takes all of us to win a basketball game," Burner said. "We're not a work of art by any means. We're a hodgepodge of stuff, but they sure did battle today."

The effort from Fort Hill (15-6, 7-1 WestMAC) was night and day from the uncharacteristic performance it gave its last time out in a 62-46 defeat to Keyser on Wednesday.

It was also a different showing than the relative offensive outburst the Sentinels used to beat Southern (14-8, 6-2 WestMAC) by a score of 64-51 two weeks ago in Oakland.

Points were hard to come by in the physical rematch, and Jameson Powell-Morris kicked off the final charge with an old-fashioned three-point play to answer Brown's triple with 4:15 remaining.

Landyn Green followed with a drop step and a lay-in, Green scored under the basket against a 1-3-1 trap from Southern, Neek Taylor hit a pair from the line and then punctuated the victory with a steal and score the other way.

Southern came in averaging nearly 60 points per game and defeated Frankfort, 73-67, just two days prior, but it was limited to single digits in three quarters, including a six-point showing in the fourth.

"I didn't think we matched their physicality at all," Southern head coach Hunter Broadwater said. "They play a very physical game. We just didn't match them. We really didn't seem very excited to be here tonight. For some reason they were flat, and it showed."

Powell-Morris paced Fort Hill with 16 points, adding nine rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

Hamilton tallied nine points in his return after suffering an ankle injury against University Tuesday and missing the Keyser game the following day. The senior limited his assignment, the Rams' Graham Harvey, a 30-point scorer two nights prior, to 10 points.

Brown garnered a team-high 14 points and hit three of the Rams' six 3-pointers.

The game was officiated to allow physically play, and Fort Hill seemed to make the adjustment faster than its counterpart.

"We let them be more physical with us and it really showed and that's why we couldn't run our offense like we wanted to," Broadwater said. "We just stopped cutting. When we tried to cut full speed, they'd bump us, we'd just stop cutting."

Neither team had a good grip on the game in the early going. It was tied at 7-all after a quarter, and Fort Hill used a 9-0 run in the second to take a 20-15 edge into intermission.

The Sentinels went on another 9-0 flurry in the third period, this time for a 31-23 edge, but Southern's Brown and Harvey sunk back-to-back 3s to cut Fort Hill's margin to 31-29 entering the fourth.

That, however, is when Fort Hill seemed to want it more.

"Guys were just working a little bit harder to get to get off of screens," Burner said of the defense in the fourth. "I thought we did a good job of limiting offensive opportunities as far as rebounding. Landyn Green used his length well at the end of the game. He contested some outside shots."

Green finished with eight points and eight rebounds off the bench. Taylor and Anthony Palumbo added six each.

Braden Lucas was third on the Rams with seven points.

Fort Hill won the junior varsity game 64-29. Four Sentinels scored in double figures in Nyzair Briggs (23 points), JoJo Taylor (16), Jachai St. Surin (11) and EJ Scott (11).

Southern has concluded its regular season and enters the playoffs having won three of its last four as the region's No. 2 seed.

Fort Hill heads to Boonsboro on Monday at 7 p.m. in its final tuneup before the postseason.

For now, however, Fort Hill can bask in the glory of another conference title, its fourth in as many years. The previous three ended in region titles and trips to the state tournament, two of which resulted in the Final Four berths.

"It says a lot about our program," Burner said. "It says a lot about the kids, they're going to battle, they're going to do whatever it takes to win. And we did a lot of positive things today. We did some negatives, but a lot more positives."

By now, news that Frankfort has dropped Fort Hill in all sports has begun to spread.

The school’s administration sent a letter to the neighboring school outlining how it came to that conclusion, which was primarily due to a pattern of alleged poor fan behavior from Fort Hill spectators at Frankfort. It’s effective immediately, and it includes junior varsity contests too.

Twelve games, seven in the spring and five in the fall, that had already been scheduled have been canceled.

That includes a ballgame in April local baseball fans were very much looking forward to. The schools were slated to play for just the second time since 2019.

I have a unique perspective covering our area’s sports, hailing from a more affluent area in central Maryland that scarcely prioritizes sports unless it involves a lacrosse stick (unless you consider SAT prep one).

I also don’t have ingrained biases or affiliations to any particular school or local community, a virtue my counterpart at the paper, Jordan Kendall, likewise shares.

What I see are two siblings, separated by just nine miles, fighting and quibbling and pushing each other’s buttons at every turn.

While football — more specifically the lack of a game between Frankfort and Fort Hill in football — isn’t the direct culprit in many of these incidents, it’s the fuel to the fire in our own little Hatfield-McCoy feud.

Frankfort will never play Fort Hill in football under its current administration and coaching staff, Fort Hill and its supporters won’t let it go, and here we are.

It’s small-time, and it’s embarrassing all around. Sit in a room together, hash out your grievances and find a way to move forward so we don’t punish baseball or girls soccer players, among other athletes — sports that have little overlap to what has caused this rift.

I had the misfortune of witnessing the final straw between the local rivals in person at a boys basketball game on Feb. 12 in Short Gap, West Virginia.

And before we get into the weeds, what I perceived was a situation that escalated senselessly. It was an incident that fails to register in the top 50 of worst things I’ve witnessed at local sporting events.

Just Thursday night, multiple Morgantown fans were ejected at a Southern Garrett girls basketball game, somebody flipped Southern’s students the bird and a lady left the gymnasium in handcuffs.

None of the incidents detailed between Fort Hill and Frankfort, for the record, included a fight or resulted in an arrest.

As a refresher, Frankfort overcame a 60-41 fourth-quarter deficit to take down Fort Hill, 83-73, in overtime. The crowd was spirited, and the comeback was unlike any I’ve witnessed.

Off the court, however, there was another battle being waged.

Administration from Frankfort High School approached a group of Fort Hill students at halftime who made the trip across the Potomac River and informed them of Frankfort’s rule to not direct chants, cheers, etc. at a specific player.

The player in question was Frankfort’s all-time leading scorer Jeremy Phillips, and the rule in question could best be explained as, “no names, no numbers.”

Nobody enforces a similar rule in Allegany or Garrett counties — much to the detriment of Alco’s Chris Manherz, who drew boos for 32 straight minutes every time he touched the ball in one game this winter — but it’s Frankfort’s house and it decides what flies there.

This is where the story diverges based on which side you speak to.

In one version, the Fort Hill students blew off the administrator, who wanted a “yes sir” as confirmation. In another, the students weren’t doing anything wrong to begin with.

There’s also a cultural difference that can’t be ignored. There is a belief by some at Frankfort, right or wrong, that behavior that is OK at Fort Hill High School isn’t OK at Frankfort.

And from my own experience, Frankfort does run a pretty tight ship.

Fort Hill did not have an administrator at the game, there was a heated argument between an adult and Frankfort’s administration — with raised voices and finger pointing — and most of us quickly forgot the incident once the game morphed into a surprise classic.

Afterwards, however, the battle continued, and social media posts from Fort Hill folks — likely emotional from what transpired on the court — expressed their displeasure with Frankfort’s administration.

These posts incorrectly stated that Fort Hill’s students were told they couldn’t cheer at all, and some of the comments were very personal, accusing administrators of being bullies when they were in high school, among other insults.

Both parties could have handled things better by my estimation. I know, very brave of me to say, but it’s my truth.

If you’ve been to Fort Hill games, particularly road games, you’d know the students don’t travel well. A couple dozen kids made the trip at most.

The worst offenders, by most accounts, amounted to three kids.

Situated in the upper deck, I wasn’t aware that there was a Fort Hill student section until they were spoken to at halftime.

What I’m saying is, Frankfort’s administration, likely due to past behavior it took issue with, had rabbit ears, and buttons were pushed as a result.

If the behavior was bad enough to justify suspending a relationship between the schools in all sports, then eject the guilty parties and move on. For one reason or another, a decision was made not to.

Still, Fort Hill’s adults should have handled the situation better and not contributed to the mess.

And I can’t say with certainty, but if the discourse had not gotten very personal — defamatory even — on social media, that letter may not have been sent.

Social media is in many ways a cancer to a community like this. Look how Cumberland on Patrol, a Facebook page with a monopoly on local disinformation, posted pictures on Friday of the lady flipping the bird at the Southern girls game, incorrectly stating it was a boys game and not specifying which school the fan hailed from — leading some to believe they were local.

Posts like that without context serve only to fracture our community and divide us for engagement.

The Fort Hill fans involved will have to live with the fact that they played a role in a great local rivalry ending, possibly forever. Even if Frankfort did poke the bear, so to speak, adults have the agency to take the high road.

Our actions have consequences online too. Take time to ask yourself what the best possible outcome of a post is, and then the worst, before hitting send.

People are far too comfortable speaking on somebody else’s name, bashing coaches, trashing officials and hating their neighbors behind a keyboard.

But I pose this question: What is Fort Hill’s administration supposed to do about that? You give them a stern talking to, ask them to delete the post, and then what? Unplug an adult’s router or confiscate their phone?

Is there a belief at Frankfort that Fort Hill’s general fanbase and student population is too far-gone to rein in? If so, that’s a very small-town view of the situation, by my estimation.

Nobody’s safety has been compromised at these sporting events, something you can’t say in many places around the country. Even at our worst we have it pretty good.

Still, the basketball game wasn’t an isolated incident in Frankfort’s judgment.

There was an incident in the junior varsity game that same day, in which Frankfort alleges insults were directed at an injured Falcons player.

The school cited Fort Hill fans showering words amounting to, “you beat us in JV but you’re too scared to play us in varsity” after the Falcons beat them in JV football, an over-the-top adult ripping into administrators after a JV soccer match at Frankfort, and other verbal altercations.

Is it petty for Frankfort to respond the way it has by dropping Fort Hill? It absolutely is, and I don’t think it’s justified for a number of other sports — which don’t have championship aspirations, rabid crowds, etc. as a football or basketball game would.

But it’s Frankfort’s prerogative.

I can scarcely have a conversation with Frankfort football coach Kevin Whiteman in the fall without him lamenting his tiredness in fielding the Fort Hill question at the market.

Let it go Fort Hill fans. They’re not going to play you.

And on the flip side, you’ve decided at Frankfort to not play Fort Hill in football, so why do you care what Big Red faithful say to you on the street or on social media? Tell them to kiss your rings and move on.

It’s all silly, petty and childish, and our kids are worse for it. Our adults can’t get along, and our youth suffer.

There are obvious solutions and concessions to make it work — just don’t play in basketball for a year or two, require an administrator from both schools at games, etc. — but it starts with a face-to-face conversation and a commitment to take the matter seriously.

In our increasingly digital age, one that has stripped us of our mutual sense of community, that may be too much to ask.

Boston College fell to the SMU Mustangs on Saturday, 94 to 70. This loss marks the eight straight loss in a row for the Eagles – and their seventeenth straight road ACC loss. 

The game opened up with BC relying heavily on three pointers, with four of their first five made field goals coming from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Mustangs primary source of offense came from attacking inside in the paint, where the Eagles couldn’t find answers down low defensively. It became a back and forth contested battle throughout the first 12 minutes with several lead changes between both squads – neither led by more than four points. By the 8:00 mark, SMU led 26-25 and outscored the Eagles inside 22-6 to start. 

Luka Toews showed promise early in the game as he dished out 4 assists in his first 13 minutes. His early playmaking headlined the Eagles half court offense, primarily on drive and kicks. The three pointers continued to fall, with Fred Payne and Jason Asemota drilling back to back shots from deep. On top of the threes, Aidan Shaw and Boden Kapke pulled down multiple offensive boards which created a couple of successful second chance possessions. Boston College led 33-29 with 3:44 to go following the Asemota three.

As the first half dwindled down, BC led 36-29 after a second Asemota three point make. SMU responded immediately with a made three by B.J. Edwards– but what makes this play significant is the manner in which it transpired. Eagles coach Earl Grant was on the floor during the play telling his guys to get back defensively, and nearly made contact with Edwards as he made the deep shot. Grant was issued a warning by the officials, and not only did this play eliminate the Eagles momentum, it sparked an 11-0 run by the Mustangs– including a buzzer beater three to add insult to injury. SMU led 40-36 in the first. 

Payne opened the second half with his third made three of the game. SMU opened their offense up with higher intensity and speed, which the Eagles defense couldn’t match. Offensively the Eagles began struggling to convert on shots from the Mustangs zone defense. Jermaine O’Neal Jr was the catalyst of SMU’s surge with impressive shot making, and the Mustangs took a 54-42 lead with 14:24 to go with a Grant timeout.

The Eagles tried to match the Mustangs speed following the timeout. Payne found Kapke on a smooth alley oop, and Asemota added a quick 1 foot dunk of his own. Despite trying to play at the Mustangs pace, they were no match for SMU’s elevated play. BC’s defense began allowing made threes from Edwards, O’Neal Jr, and Jaron Pierre Jr. On the other end, SMU completely took away the Eagles jumpers. By this point BC was down 75-52 with 7:24 to go – the clock couldn’t hit triple zeroes fast enough. 

The remainder of the contest remained much the same with SMU continuing their second half dominance. In just the second half, SMU outscored the Eagles 54-34.The final score was SMU 94, Boston College 70. 

Payne led the Eagles scorers with 20 points on 6-19 shooting. Kapke and Asemota added 10 points each, and Chase Forte dished out seven assists. The team shot an ugly 33% from the floor and 31% from three. Up next they travel back home and face Wake Forest on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7:00 pm ET. 

PEORIA, Ariz. - One day after winning their spring training opener, the Seattle Mariners lost against the San Francisco Giants 10-5 at the Peoria Sports Complex. Seattle scored five runs in the first, but couldn't hold on.

They are now 1-1 in the spring and here's what you need to know:

1) For the second straight day, the Mariners offense looked good right out of the shoot. Victor Robles began the game with an infield single and then Cole Young walked. Patrick Wisdom singled in a run, eventually setting the stage for Miles Mastrobuoni to hit a first-inning grand slam, giving the Mariners a 5-0 lead at the time.

IT'S GRAND SALAMI TIME 🥪 pic.twitter.com/qldl0ksVtb

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) February 21, 2026

2) Speaking of Mastrobuoni, he's in an interesting spot this spring. A versatile infielder who can also play the outfield, he does just about everything well. However, he does nothing absolutely spectacular. Dan Wilson spoke about his appreciation for Mastrobuoni before the game on Saturday, but it's hard to see him making the team if everyone is healthy. He's left-handed, just like Josh Naylor, Cole Young, JP Crawford and Brendan Donovan. He's out of options. He went 2-for-2 with a homer and a double. He'll play for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, leaving for the tournament in about a week. Dominic Canzone will also play for Italy.

3) Colt Emerson started at third for the second straight game and had a regrettable day at the plate, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. He did have a nice play at third, throwing a runner out at home on the contact play.

MLB's No. 9 prospect Colt Emerson flashes the leather to nab a runner at home 👀@Mariners | @MsPlayerDevpic.twitter.com/yCtFyPye7D

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) February 21, 2026

4) On the pitching front: Emerson Hancock pitched excellent in the first, flashing mid-90s velocity and striking out two. However, he allowed a walk and hit a batter in the second, failing to get out of the inning. In total, he struck out four and allowed the walk, the hit-by-pitch and a single. He was charged with three earned runs, though those runs only scored because of a sun double after he exited.

Back-to-back doubles from Fitzy and Bader: 4⃣ runs pic.twitter.com/MxnFUGh9Xz

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) February 21, 2026

5) Andres Munoz allowed consecutive doubles in the top of the third. His fastball hit 99 mph but was more consistently in the 97-98 range. He threw his slider most often at 84 mph, but he did have a few at 82 or 83.

6) Gabe Speier had a tidy top of the fourth, going 1-2-3 and hitting 95-96. Eduard Bazardo threw to three batters in the fifth, walking one, hitting one and throwing a wild pitch. He also generated a pop-up.

7) Cole Young had two walks and a strikeout, flashing his trademark good eye and solid discipline at the plate.

Cole Young works a very impressive 8-pitch walk. #TridentsUppic.twitter.com/tGD7jE4kU1

— Brady Farkas (@RefuseToLosePod) February 21, 2026

The Mariners are back in action on Sunday afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds. It will be the first road game of the Cactus League season for Seattle. First pitch is set for 12:10 p.m. PT. 

Also on the M's...

--Kade Anderson threw an excellent live bullpen session again on Saturday, striking out Julio Rodriguez, Mitch Garver and Rob Refsnyder. He spoke afterwards. 

--After a dreadful 2025 season that saw him battle multiple injuries, Luke Raley went 2-for-2 in the Cactus League opener. Manager Dan Wilson spoke about what a healthy Raley can do for the team in a media session on Saturday morning.

--The newest episode of the 'Refuse to Lose' podcast is now out. Brady talks with former M's outfielder Casper Wells, as well as Criswell, and shares his take on the situation for Michael Arroyo as he continues to impress at the plate.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

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Record for most Premier League appearances: James Milner makes history as EPL mainstay originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

As one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world, the Premier League is considered the pinnacle of club football.

Players consider themselves elite just for having reached the top flight of English football, and only those in rarefied air can boast the consistency, durability, and reliability to build long-term careers in the league.

Few can boast those traits at the level of James Milner, who has spent 24 seasons in the rigors Premier League, and because of that exceptional level of fitness and football skill, is on the verge of an all-time record.

The Sporting News explains where Milner sits as the new holder of the career Premier League appearance record, and how he got there.

MORE:What player has scored the most goals in Premier League history?

Who has the record for most Premier League appearances?

The player with the most Premier League appearances in the history of the competition is James Milner after he was named in the starting lineup for Brighton's 2-0 win at Brentford on February 21, 2026.

Milner,went past his former Aston Villa and Manchester City team-mate Gareth Barry, who made 653 appearances over the course of a fabulous 20-year career. An appearance off the bench when Brighton played Villa on February 11 saw Milner match that mark.

The record for most appearances across the English football league is held by goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who played in an incredible 1,005 league games across an astonishing 32-year career, and 1,390 appearances across all competitions. Shilton also holds the record for most English top-flight appearances, playing 848 games from 1966 to 1991.

Premier League most appearances

When did Gareth Barry retire?

Gareth Barry retired in August of 2020, having made 653 Premier League appearances and 833 in total across all competitions.

At the age of 38 by the time he hung up his boots, Barry won one Premier League title in 2012 and lifted the FA Cup the previous season, both with Manchester City. He made 53 appearances for England between 2000 and 2012.

At the time of his departure from the game, he also held the record for yellow cards in Premier League action with 119, 15 more than Wayne Rooney in second as the only two players having eclipsed the century mark.

What did James Milner say about his Premier League appearance record?

Asked why he had been able to break now ground, former Liverpool and Leeds favourite Milner told BBC Sport:

 It's the drive and hunger, you want to be the best every day, whether it's game or training.

I'm surrounded by a lot of young lads. I want to contribute to their careers, push them and help them get to the highest level as quick as possible. That's what I'm here to do.

I feel like I can still contribute minutes. I've been a bit frustrated this year, maybe not getting the minutes, but it's a fine balance because of course we have to develop players as well and we want to win.

Hopefully, I've proved the last few games that I can still contribute on the pitch. I'm delighted to be part of it and the dressing room, it's full of incredible characters and very good players, and a good up-and-coming manager.

How old is James Milner?

James Milner turned 40 years old on January 4 of this year, one day after earning 10 minutes off the bench making his 649th Premier League appearance in a 2-0 victory against Burnley.

He made his top-flight debut with Leeds at 18 years old in November 2002 by earning six minutes off the bench against West Ham in a 4-3 victory.

James Milner net worth and professional career

Brighton blog WeAreBrighton.com has estimated James Milner's career earnings across his entire Premier League tenure to be somewhere in the vicinity of £58 million ($79m).

He began his career with Leeds United in 2002, spending two seasons with the club before moving to Newcastle in 2004. He spent four seasons with Newcastle, although one of those was spent on loan at Aston Villa. He would eventually move to Villa permanently in 2008 where he would play two years until Man City swooped in and snatched up the 24-year-old midfielder.

Milner would win two Premier League titles with Man City across five seasons, plus one FA Cup and one EFL Cup before switching to Liverpool in 2015. Milner would spend the longest spell of his career at Anfield, making 332 total appearances for the club in all competitions across eight seasons, winning a Premier League title in 2020 as well as the 2022 FA Cup and League Cup double.

Upon turning 37, Milner left Liverpool and joined Brighton in 2023, where he has spent the last three seasons as a squad player.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe praised the efforts of his players after a “really tough run of fixtures” despite falling to a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City.

Defeat to Pep Guardiola’s men was Newcastle’s sixth match in February, which involved a trip to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag in the first leg of their Champions League play-off.

City took the league through Nico O’Reilly, but the Magpies responded strongly and were rewarded when Lewis Hall fired a shot into the bottom right corner via a deflection from Rayan Ait Nouri. However, O’Reilly headed in his second of the match soon after, and despite constant Newcastle pressure in the second half, Howe’s side succumbed to defeat.

Although the result did not come for the Geordies, who remain in tenth in the Premier League table, the 48-year-old was proud of the effort shown by his players.

“A good effort from the lads today,” Howe said. “I thought, physically, it’s been not just a tough week, it’s been a really tough run of fixtures for us.

“I think the big thing for me is that every time we enter the pitch I want the players to empty, I want the players to give everything in the pursuit of winning. Can’t ask any more physically from the players today, that was us all out. 

“We played with a good style, I thought, a good, clear plan. The players executed it really well, bar a couple of moments. The two goals I don’t think we defended well enough, we made individual errors. 

“I thought we chased the game really well in the second half because it’s a really tough thing to do here against this team. But I’m pleased with the efforts that the players gave.”

In commenting on a penalty he believed his side should have been awarded in Saturday evening’s Bundesliga Top-Spiel against RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund trainer Niko Kovac referenced his childhood experience practicing Judo. Kovac’s BVB fought back valiantly from a two-goal deficit to draw the hosting German Red Bulls 2-2 at the Red Bull Arena. Unfortunately, the dropped points may spell the end of Dortmund’s Bundesliga title hopes. 

The scene in question

BVB substitute Karim Adeyemi found himself felled in the box in the 89th minute by RB defender Castello Lukeba. At that point, Dortmund were still trailing by a goal. Despite the fact that Fabio Silva scored a spectacular equalizer at 90+5 to at least secure a point for Dortmund, Kovac hadn’t fully calmed down after the full time whistle.

Kovac and the rest of the BVB bench wildly gesticulated after the Adeyemi-Lukeba incident, pleading that match official Benjamin Brand should have at least been sent to the pitch-side VAR screen to review the play. This didn’t happen. Brand waved play on. VAR did not intervene. Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl also complained afterwards. 

Statements from Niko Kovac and Sebastian Kehl

“There were a few situations that could be discussed,” Kehl remarked in the mixed zone. “But for me, it’s mainly a penalty at the end. Lukeba doesn’t play the ball at all. It was clearly the wrong decision. Even after a few minutes of thinking and calming down, I still think it’s a clear penalty.”

”If I may say so, I was also a judoka [a judo practitioner] until I was 13 or 14,” Kovac added when speaking afterward. “That’s a clear sickle sweep. I really don’t know what they saw in the studio, but apparently the wrong thing. Of course Karim puts his foot out there, but he [Lukeba] doesn’t even hit the ball.

“And I don’t understand why no action was taken [by the VAR team],” Kovac continued. “Probably because they don’t want to overrule too much. Because if you overrule too much, it looks stupid, of course.”

GGFN | Peter Weis

Entering the 2026 season, Oregon Ducks baseball coach Mark Wasikowski needed just six wins to achieve victory No. 300 for his career. They didn't waste any time as the Ducks have won their first six games of the year to give their coach that milestone win with a 3-0 win over Youngstown State at PK Park Friday night.

"I'm blessed to be at this place," Wasikowski said after the game. "Working at the University of Oregon is unbelievable. It's a dream of mine, and I got an opportunity to do it. Thanks to Mr. (Rob) Mullens for being able to represent this great school; it is something that I take a lot of pride in."

Coach Waz is in the middle of his seventh season in Eugene after taking over for George Horton. He is currently 300-189 for his career, that included a stint at Purdue before coming to Oregon. As the Duck head coach, Wasikowski is 212-106. The Ducks have made the postseason in the last five seasons, but have yet to get over the hump and reach Omaha.

For the big win No. 300, Oregon had to do it from the mound as the Ducks were holding on to a 3-0 lead in the ninth inning. The Penguins managed to load the bases, but reliever Devin Bell came in and whiffed the final two hitters to preserve the win and stay undefeated on the young season.

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

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon coach Mark Wasikowski earns 300th career win on the diamond

Manchester United Women are quickly back in action on Sunday afternoon, as we take on Chelsea in the fifth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

It’s been a historic week for Marc Skinner’s side, after we reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League on Thursday, beating Atletico Madrid 5-0 on aggregate to set up a two-legged last-eight tie with Bayern Munich.

Next up, however, is the reigning holders of the FA Cup, with Chelsea standing in our way, as we look to progress in another competition.

The Blues beat us in last season’s final at Wembley Stadium, and we will be looking to avenge that defeat with victory at Kingsmeadow.

TEAM NEWS

Skinner confirmed after the game with Atleti on Thursday that Fridolina Rolfo and Elisabeth Terland are facing late fitness tests in order to be fit to face the Blues.

Anna Sandberg is out with a knee injury, while Ella Toone, Leah Galton and Jayde Riviere also remain sidelined.

Julia Zigiotti was brought off at the break as a precaution during our last outing, but should be fit to feature.

Chelsea have won back-to-back games against Tottenham and Liverpool, bouncing back from two defeats on the spin beforehand.

Sonia Bompastor’s side are just a solitary point behind us in the WSL. We drew our previous head-to-head in the league back in October, with Sandberg cancelling out Wieke Kaptein’s opener.

The Blues are also in UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals, where they will face holders Arsenal over two legs for a spot in the last four.

Like us, they are still competing on four fronts, and we will face them in our next game: the Subway Women’s League Cup next month at Ashton Gate on 15 March.

To reach this stage of the FA Cup, they beat Crystal Palace 5-0 after entering at the fourth round.

MILFORD - It's a 3-peat for the Trumbull High gymnastics team as the Eagles captured the Class L championship for the third year in a row Saturday at Jonathan Law High School.

Trumbull came in as the favorites (seeded first) and followed through with a winning score of 144.5. Southington took second at 138.100, and Norwich Free Academy was third (137.975).

The Eagles will also look to 3-peat at next week's State Open. They beat Hand in 2024, and topped the Ledyard co-op, this season's Class M champion, in 2025.

"We just have to get in the gym," said Trumbull coach Cathy McMahon. "Just do routine after routine and land our tricks."

Trumbull sophmore Ava Buswell said the Eagles have high expectations.

"I'm really proud of my team, and everything, for winning (the Class L title) three times," Buswell  said. "I have the same expectations (about the Open) and think we are going to do really well."

The State Open is Saturday, Feb. 28 at New Milford High starting at noon.

Class L gymnastics championships

Team results: 1. Trumbull 144.5; 2. Southington 138.100; 3. NFA 137.975; 4. Fairfield Ludlowe 128.275; 5. Staples 126.100; 6. Norwalk 124.25; 7. Darien  123.575; 8. Glastonbury 123.075. 

This article originally published at Trumbull gymnasts win 3rd consecutive Class L championship; seek 3-peat at State Open.

With Spring Training underway for the San Francisco Giants, this time of year brings opportunity across the roster.

Veterans look to sharpen their form ahead of the regular season, while younger players and depth pieces aim to solidify roles on the big-league club.

One of the most competitive areas entering camp is the back end of the starting rotation.

Several pitchers are expected to compete for the fifth starter spot, including right-hander Hayden Birdsong, who made multiple starts for the Giants last season but struggled to maintain consistency.

Birdsong entered camp looking to make an early impression, but ran into trouble in his first outing against the Seattle Mariners.

On Saturday, Birdsong was tagged for five runs and recorded just one out before being pulled, an outcome that certainly wasn’t ideal for either the pitcher or the club.

While Spring Training statistics rarely tell the full story, early outings still matter when pitchers are competing for defined roles.

Another arm in the mix is Landon Roupp, who showed improvement late last season and remains a candidate to earn rotation consideration.

Here’s the @SFGiants projected #OpeningDay lineup and rotation!

Where will they finish in the NL West? pic.twitter.com/RzPQikVq7D

— MLB (@MLB) February 14, 2026

With manager Tony Vitello evaluating multiple options, each appearance this spring will play a role in shaping the final roster decisions.

Looking at the offensive front...

Despite the early struggles on the mound, the Giants saw encouraging production from newly signed outfielder Harrison Bader, who emerged as the game’s top performer.

Bader finished 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs against the Mariners, providing an early glimpse of the defensive-minded outfielder’s ability to contribute offensively as well.

Harrison Bader drives in two 😤 pic.twitter.com/hi0kUbLFBV

— SleeperSFGiants (@SleeperSFGiants) February 21, 2026

Prospect Bryce Eldridge also had a productive afternoon, going 1-for-3 with an RBI while reaching base an additional time after being hit by a pitch.

His continued development remains one of the more intriguing storylines in camp. Outfielder Heliot Ramos added a hit of his own, finishing 1-for-2.

The Giants ended up winning the game 10-5, but the result matters far less than the individual evaluations taking place throughout camp.

For players like Bader, strong early performances can help establish momentum heading toward Opening Day, while pitchers such as Birdsong will look to rebound quickly as competition for roster spots continues.

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Last game: 3-2 loss to Rangers

Next spring training game: Sunday, Feb. 22, vs. Giants at Scottsdale, 2:05 p.m. CT. TV: Giants TV. Radio: KNBR 104.5

Next regular season game: Thursday, March 26, vs. Nationals at Wrigley Field, 1:20 p.m. CT. TV: Marquee Sports Network

Cubs radio: WSCR/The Score (all regular season games), Sirius XM radio (click for channel), Cubs broadcast radio affiliates

Current MLB standings

2026 Cubs regular season schedule

Cubs 2026 spring training record: 0-2
Al’s 2025 spring training record: 0-2

Cubs 2025 regular season record: 92-70 (50-31 home, 42-39 road)
Cubs 2025 postseason record: 4-4 (4-1 home, 0-3 road)
Al’s 2025 regular season record: 53-37 (50-31 home, 3-6 road)
Al’s 2025 postseason record: 4-2 (4-1 home, 0-1 road)

Cubs 2025 regular season record on various TV channels

Marquee Sports Network: 81-64
Fox: 4-2
ESPN: 4-2
Apple TV+: 3-1
Roku: 0-1

Cubs 2025 regular season record wearing various uniforms

White pinstripe: 41-25
Chicago Blues: 9-4
Blue alternate: 14-15
Road gray: 28-25
Ryne Sandberg tribute: 0-1

Feb. 21—In a series that is often determined by a fortuitous bounce or an opportune play, the University of Alaska Fairbanks hockey team got both on Friday.

UAF forward Braden Birnie found a loose puck in front of the University of Alaska Anchorage net and scored with three seconds remaining in regulation.

The goal gave the Nanooks a 4-3 win at Sullivan Arena and a commanding advantage in the annual Governor's Cup.

"It's just another game to this rivalry," UAF head coach Erik Largen said. "We've seen so many of these types of things on both sides and we're fortunate enough to get the extra bounce tonight."

The game appeared headed for overtime as UAA won a draw in its end in the final seconds. But UAF gained possession and Nathan Rickey put a shot on goal. The puck went through Birnie's legs, hit the post and sat in the crease next to UAA goalie Tyler Krivtsov.

"I just heard it go off the post and looked back and tried to identify where it was," Birnie said. "It was under his skate right at the post. All I really had to do is poke it in. Sometimes you have good fortune and the puck just sits there."

The goal gave UAF an 11-4 lead in the Cup standings. The Nanooks can secure a victory in the series Saturday with a regulation win or overtime/shootout victory. The Seawolves would need to win in regulation to keep their hopes alive as the series shifts to Fairbanks for the final two games next weekend.

"I started playing when I was 4," Birnie said. "That might be the latest and most important goal I've ever got, so I'm going to hold on to that one for sure."

Birnie, a senior from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, said each of his years playing in a UAF jersey during the games between the two rivals have broke in a similar manner.

"I think the four years I've been here playing these guys, you know how it is — it's a bounce every game, every series, every year, same thing," he said. "Tonight we're on the right side of it."

UAA head coach Matt Shasby said while puck luck can be the difference in a game between close teams, the Nanooks often make their own breaks.

"They got two pretty fortunate bounces on two of their goals," he said. "That's what they do, though. They're a hardworking team, and you got to create your own bounces."

UAA's Aiden Westin got the scoring started on a first-period power play. The Anchorage-born forward smacked home a rebound with Karter McNarland and Ryan Johnson credited with assists.

The second period mostly belonged to the Nanooks, who tied the game at 1-1 with a power-play score of their own.

Michael Citara tied the game at 11:18 and UAF took the lead just four minutes later as Chase Dafoe got a puck past UAA's Krivtsov, who had sprawled out to his left on a save attempt, leaving a gap for Dafoe.

"We didn't play a bad first, we were just on the outside the whole time," Largen said. "We talked about getting to the front of the net and both goals were front-of-the-net goals. It's easy on that big sheet to play on the outside."

[UAA hockey will help launch foundation in honor of former Seawolf]

The Seawolves showed plenty of resolve in the third period, bouncing back from a pair of one-goal deficits.

With UAF leading 2-1 entering the third period, UAA tied the game in the first minute of the period on a power-play goal.

Tye Spencer notched the goal for the Seawolves as Dimitry Kebreau and McNarland earned assists.

UAF regained a lead at 3-2 at 10:30 of the third period on an Alexander Malinowski goal with Tommy Cronin earning his second assist of the day.

But once again, the Seawolves responded as David Jesus scored less than a minute later to knot the game at 3-3.

"It shows some maturity amongst our group in terms of not panicking and just coming out and continuing to stay the course," Shasby said.

UAF's Lassi Lehti made 13 saves in goal while Krivtsov finished with 29 saves, including 12 in the third period.

The puck drops again Saturday at 5:07 p.m. at Sullivan Arena as the two teams play in what will be the final UAA home game of the season.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes sent a message to former teammate Juan Mata, following the veteran midfielder’s brilliant performance in the Melbourne derby.

Still got it

Mata moved to A-League outfit Melbourne Victory from Western Sydney last September.

He has started 15 league games for the Victory and despite his multiple assists, was struggling to find the back of the net. However, he put those issues firmly behind him as he orchestrated the side’s 3-1 win against Melbourne City at AAMI Park.

The Spaniard broke the deadlock after 21 minutes, deftly lobbying goalkeeper Patrick Beach from 40 yards out. Where many would have taken a touch, the classy Mata connected with the ball first time to beat the shot-stopper, who was well off his line.

Max Caputo restored parity moments after the half-hour mark, but Mata put his team ahead yet again with another eye-catching strike.

The former United man demonstrated some excellent composure and technique to set himself up before firing past Beach with his wand of a left foot from the edge of the box.

Clarismario Santos was also on the scoresheet for Victory, with his goal being assisted by Mata. The win moved Victory up to fifth place in the A-League and six points behind leaders Newcastle Jets.

It seems Fernandes caught Mata’s heroics, as he sent his close friend a lovely message on social media.

Fernandes sends message

Fernandes first posted a video of Mata’s first goal with the caption “What a player.”

The Portugal international followed that up with a second clip of Mata celebrating his second goal. Fernandes wrote, “Special player.”

The second post was accompanied by a love heart emoji.

Mata spent eight years at United and helped the club win three major trophies, including the Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup.

He made 285 appearances for the Red Devils, contributing 51 goals.

Featured image Daniel Pockett via Getty Images

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BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Bangot Dak scored 17 points, Barrington Hargress added 16, and Colorado defeated Oklahoma State 83-69 on Saturday, giving the Buffaloes their third straight home win.

Colorado didn't allow a field goal in a 5 1/2-minute stretch early in the first half and the Buffaloes led 25-8 eight minutes into the game. Colorado made five 3-pointers in that opening stretch.

Scoring runs of 9-0 and 6-0 helped Oklahoma State get within 42-34 at halftime.

Christian Coleman and Isaiah Coleman combined for an 8-0 run that drew the Cowboys within 45-44 early in the second half and they went ahead 48-47 four minutes into the period. But Oklahoma State never went ahead by more than a point and Colorado used a 15-4 run to rebuild a double-digit lead, 68-57.

The lead reached 15 points on a 3-pointer by Alon Michaeli with 3 1/2 minutes remaining and 16 points when Isaiah Johnson converted a layup with 1:50 to go.

The Cowboys missed their last 10 shots.

Parsa Fallah scored 14 points and Christian Coleman and Vyctorius Miller added 11 points each for Oklahoma State, which has lost five straight.

Michaeli had 12 points off the bench for Colorado (15-12, 5-9 Big 12). Sebastian Rancik grabbed 10 rebounds and Hargress had eight assists.

The Cowboys (16-11, 4-10) fell to 0-10 when scoring less than 81 points. They are 16-1 when scoring at least 81.

Up next

Oklahoma State: West Virginia visits on Tuesday.

Colorado: Kansas State visits on Wednesday.

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Like most teams across the league, the New York Mets made some minor winter signings that are primarily designed to create competition or depth at certain key positions. That was definitely the perception when the Mets signed outfielder Mike Tauchman, who was brought in as a depth piece/competitor for right field alongside top prospect Carson Benge. 

But Tauchman doesn’t see it exclusively that way. He’s got a track record, and he has the potential to beat out Benge if the rookie struggles and doesn’t play well in spring training. 

Tauchman’s been through this before, too. He was a non-roster invitee battling then-prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong, and while neither player made the Chicago Cubs back in spring training of 2023, he and Crow-Armstrong both ended up on the roster for Tauchman’s two seasons with the Cubs. 

He sees his situation with the Mets in the same light, potentially. 

“It’s a highly talented player that the organization sees as being a core part of the team for a number of years,” Tauchman said in an article written by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “From my experience the last few years, almost every team ends up using the entirety of the 40-man roster and then some. The seasons are very long, and it’s full of a lot of ups, downs, unforeseen things, plans. … The chips are going to fall where they may.”

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has had good things to say about Tauchman so far. Mendoza cited Tauchman’s ability to play all three outfield positions as a plus defender, and he was impressive by the outfielder’s ability to control the zone as a left-handed hitter with “some damage there.” 

That offensive skillset helped Tauchman post a .356 OBP with nine home runs in 93 games last season for the Chicago White Sox, and if the outfielder gets similar results in spring training, Benge could have his work cut out for him to make the club. 

Like many non-roster invitees, the 35-year old outfielder was brought in with that status because of his injury history. He tore his meniscus in late July last year, and his OPS dropped to .635 before he finally shut it down in late September and had surgery. 

The competition in right also includes both Tyrone Taylor and Brett Baty, but both have weaknesses. Taylor doesn’t hit much, and Baty has never played right field before, plus he’s currently dealing with a hamstring issue. Tauchman hopes he can take advantage of this, and he sees the Mets as a good fit. 

“I feel like I’m in a really good spot [now],” he said. “I feel like I have a lot to offer. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.I know that this team is committed to winning, which I think is advantageous for a player that has my history and skill set. So I would say that combination of factors made it the right choice.”

Racing Bulls Formula 1 driver Liam Lawson has shared how Max Verstappen was "really good" to him after he was demoted from Red Bull in 2025.

Heading into the 2025 season, the New Zealander signed with Red Bull for the seat alongside the four-time champion, taking Sergio Perez's place. But after just two race weekends, Lawson was replaced by Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda. While Tsunoda remained in the seat until the end of 2025, he has now moved to a reserve driver role with Isack Hadjar assuming the position for 2026.

"He's also so, so nice as a person. He's such a nice guy. Through everything that happened last year with Red Bull, he was so good to me, man," Lawson explained during an appearance on the Gypsy Tales Podcast.

"Before I came into the team, when I first came on the team, he was super nice and any questions, he was just helpful, really helpful, was happy to help. And then afterwards as well, he was really, really good to me."

He added: "He was honestly really, really good. And then quite often he flies home, and I just moved to Monaco last year, and he's like 'Just come with me if you ever need a ride.' So he's a real, real nice guy."

After his move from Red Bull to Racing Bulls, Lawson retained his seat for 2026 and will enter the new season alongside rookie driver Arvid Lindblad. 

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Pre-season testing came to an end on Friday 20 February, and the countdown is now on to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 6-8 March. Lawson was positive about the team's pre-season testing, explaining that there weren't any standout issues.

"It's just probably a little bit inconsistent is the only thing. But I think, honestly, yesterday we were, in terms of specifically braking and entries, actually were not too bad for us. But yeah, obviously, we're trying a lot of different things at the moment and some stuff has not worked," he told the media in Bahrain.
 
"And then other stuff we found has been quite positive. So yeah, I don't think there's really a standout issue or limitation that we have at the moment. It's just sort of putting things together and obviously preparing as well as we can because Melbourne, as we're saying, is going to be very, very different compared to here."

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

It’s been a rare occurrence this season for No. 2 Green Canyon to be trailing at halftime, but that’s the situation the Wolves found themselves in Saturday’s 4A championship game against top-seeded Dixie.

Even though it was only a four-point halftime deficit, it was the first time this season Green Canyon had trailed by more than two at the break.

But the Wolves opened the second half with focus on attacking the rim, and that earned them a 59-53 win for their first-ever state championship.

“Just offensively, we got a little cold in the first half,” said Green Canyon head coach Kara Foster. “We just knew if we kept attacking and attacking, sooner or later the shots would fall.”

Despite the halftime deficit, Green Canyon was defending well and making sure it got plenty of possessions. In the first half, it forced Dixie to turn the ball over nine times and got up 10 more shots.

However, the Wolves were also losing the rebounding battle, and the Flyers were more efficient with their shots. Dixie shot 60% from three in the half while Green Canyon shot only 17%.

The shooting was Green Canyon’s biggest struggle early, which resulted in the 26-22 halftime deficit, but Foster made sure that didn’t deter her team from continuing to get shots up.

“I felt like our defense was pretty solid, our rotations were good, our outside was fantastic, but if we could just keep attacking, eventually the shots would fall,” Foster said. “I felt like they did in the second half for sure.”

Green Canyon focused on getting to the rim out of the half, and it paid off as the Wolves outscored the Flyers 19-13 in the third quarter to take the lead heading into the final period.

Despite struggling with her shot in the first half, Kloey Tensmeyer got to the rim, facilitated and hit a big 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter.

“What I’m most proud of her for this year is if she’s missing shots, last year she would have been more frustrated,” Foster said.

“This year, it doesn’t bother her. She keeps trying, keeps shooting, and eventually she starts hitting, which is fantastic for us.”

The Wolves remained in control for the remainder of the game. However, Dixie’s Izzy Hollinghead gave it her best effort. Hollinghead was in foul trouble all game, but scored nine points in the fourth while having four fouls.

Luckily for Green Canyon, Talyssa Nelson and freshman Halle Hunter helped keep it ahead with their scoring.

Hunter usually isn’t toward the top of the scoresheet for the Wolves, but she often makes big impact plays that help winning. On Saturday, Hunter was a perfect 6 of 6 from the field for 12 points off the bench while adding six rebounds.

“You just got to treat it like any other game,” Hunter said. “I don’t need to be the lead scorer because we have so many amazing people on our team, but when I get the opportunity, I want to make it count.”

Nelson led Green Canyon offensively with 20 points and had the shot of the game. Green Canyon had a four-point lead with just under a minute left, but Nelson hit a dagger 3-pointer to put Dixie away.

“I just shot it, and I said, ‘I really hope this goes in,’” said Nelson. “I think we played a really good game all the way around, but I think our shots started falling in the second half.

“I think the key was confidence in the second half, just not giving up, knowing that our shots would fall and keep on pushing hard.”

Mya Hinds had a strong tournament for Green Canyon and added nine points, nine rebounds and eight assists in Saturday’s win. Hinds also had a monster performance in Friday’s semifinal with 22 points.

Saturday was Green Canyon’s first-ever state championship appearance after going 0-3 in semifinal games previously. It made sure to capitalize on its opportunity.

“This is huge for us,” Foster said. “I think this has just been a great group of girls. They bought in from the beginning, which I think is rare.

“They set the standard high now for Green Canyon girls basketball and I’m so proud of them.”

4A All-Tournament Team

MVP — Talyssa Nelson, Green Canyon

Mya Hinds, Green Canyon

Kloey Tensmeyer, Green Canyon

Izzy Hollinghead, Dixie

Addison Winters, Dixie

Reese Gustin, Pine View

The Astros opened their spring training schedule with a 2-1 loss to the Nationals on Saturday afternoon in West Palm Beach. While no veterans were in action, Joe Espada’s lineup was littered with guys fighting to make the Opening Day roster, making the first half of the game somewhat interesting. Here are some notes and thoughts from the game’s first five innings.

• Zach Cole has talked about wanting to be more patient at the plate, and he took that to another level on Saturday. Cole offered at just one of the 14 pitches he saw against the Nationals, working two walks and striking out, but he wasn’t given much to swing at. Nine pitches he saw were out of the zone, per Baseball Savant, and he didn’t offer at any them. of the four strikes he took, three were borderline. 

• While he wasn’t aggressive at the plate, Cole was aggressive on the basepaths. He stole three bases, and he was thrown out trying to advance to third on a fly ball to right field. His jumps weren’t great, but overall, it was a good first day for Cole, who appears to have a leg up on the Opening Day left field job.

• Brice Matthews made a nice play at second base and did not swing at a pitch outside the strike zone in three plate appearances

• Joey Loperfido’s three-pitch strikeout on all fastballs in the second inning was rough, even though it came against a lefty. Things did get better when he worked walks in his next two plate appearances. 

• César Salazar had two hits and made hard contact on a third ball while throwing out a runner trying to steal second by a mile. That’s a perfect way to start spring for a player trying to win the backup catcher job.

• Colton Gordon is probably a little further down the list of candidates for one of those final rotation spots, but a 1-2-3 first inning against the Nationals’ regulars is a good start to the spring. Only four of his 11 pitches were in the strike zone, but he did generate some chase — something that eluded him last season — including a 1-2 fastball above the zone to Dylan Crews that resulted in his lone strikeout of the day.

• AJ Blubaugh is in the same boat as Gordon, and while he didn’t allow a run in his inning of work, he had trouble locating his pitches. Blubaugh threw nine four-seam fastballs, but only two were in the zone, and most of his misses were well above the zone. In total, only six of his 18 pitches were in the strike zone. One of those misses was a well-executed changeup that Abimelec Ortiz was able to lay off.

• Peter Lambert worked around a couple of hits to put up a zero in the third inning. A second-round pick in 2015, the 28-year old is back in the States after spending last season in Japan and is likely ticketed for Sugar Land’s rotation to start the year. Lambert’s fastball velocity was up Saturday from where it was when he pitched for the Rockies two years ago, and all six breaking balls he threw were in the zone. There’s been a long list of pitchers who have gotten better in recent years after leaving the Rockies’ bubble, so Lambert is someone to watch over the next couple of months.

• Miguel Ullola’s one inning of work was underwhelming to say the least. His fastball averaged just 93.5 MPH and he couldn’t throw it for a strike, and his slider had absolutely no bite. Making matters worse, Ullola only threw 9 of his 26 pitches in the strike zone, and he did not generate a swing on any of the 17 pitches that missed. 

It's safe to say that Köln manager Lukas Kwasniok is happy with striker Ragnar Ache. Ache scored the opener for the hosts with a stunning bicycle kick after only 15 minutes. Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann could only watch as the ball whistled into the back of the net.

Hoffenheim eventually fought back to secure a 2-2 draw, but that didn't make Ache's goal any less special.

“All I want to see today is the headline: Ragnar Ache - King of the Air,” said Kwasniok in a press conference after the game.

The goal was his fifth of the Bundesliga season, and fourth in his last six games. Only Said El Mala has more goals for Effzeh, as Ache, who was a substitute at the start of the season, has become a crucial player for Kwasniok and Köln.

“He's come a long way and is an indispensable part of the team,” said Kwasniok.

Ache joined in July 2025 after two strong seasons in the 2. Bundesliga with 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He found minutes hard to come by, though, with Köln initially using Marius Bülter up top.

Ache has fought his way into the starting eleven, though. He scored his first goal for Effzeh in October in the DFB Pokal, although Köln lost 4-1 to Bayern Munich. Days later, the striker scored his first goal in the Bundesliga.

His strong form has continued into 2026. Ache has four goals already this year, with a brace in a crucial win over Mainz before goals against Stuttgart and now Hoffenheim. In total, he's up to six goals and six assists in all competitions this season. 

It doesn't hurt that some of the goals have been fantastic, either. His strike against Hoffenheim will not be forgotten in Köln anytime soon.

"The vote for Goal of the Year will now only be about second place," said Kwasniok.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Chance Mallory drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with 3.6 seconds to play, and then sank all three free throws to lift No. 14 Virginia to an 86-83 win over Miami on Saturday.

Jacari White came off the bench to score 17 points, hitting five 3-pointers for the Cavaliers (24-3, 12-2 Atlantic Coast), who won their eighth straight.

Sam Lewis had 15 points, Thijs De Ridder scored 14, and Mallory had all 12 of his points in the second half.

Shelton Henderson and Tre Donaldson each scored 18 to lead Miami (21-6, 10-4), which saw its four-game win streak snapped. The Hurricanes out rebounded UVA 30-23 and outscored Virginia 18-2 on second-chance points.

The win kept the second-place Cavaliers ahead of third-place Miami in the conference standings and robbed the Hurricanes of a chance for a big Quad 1 victory.

UVA honored former coach Tony Bennett in a pregame ceremony, naming the court at John Paul Jones Arena after him. With a collection of his former players joining him on the court, Bennett watched as a logo of his signature was unveiled.

Miami jumped out to an early 11-point lead, but seven first-half 3-pointers kept UVA in the game. The Hurricanes scored the final eight points of the half and went to the locker room ahead 44-39.

The teams were tied at 59 with 11:33 to play. Mallory and De Ridder led the Cavaliers in opening up their largest lead of the game, 68-61 with 8:54 to go.

Miami fought back to set up a back-and-forth finish.

Malik Reneau's layup at 7 seconds tied the game 83-83. Mallory took the inbounds pass and raced across the half-court line, elevating for a shot attempt and getting fouled.

Up next

Miami: Visits Florida State on Tuesday.

Virginia: Hosts N.C. State on Tuesday.

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The Dallas Cowboys are on the board. Javonte Williams is officially returning to the team thanks to a new three-year deal worth $24M according to multiple reports.

This is fantastic news in a number of ways for the Cowboys.

First of all, they get to keep a great player in Javonte Williams. He was remarkable in his first season with the team after many thought his career was over following his stint with the Denver Broncos.

Beyond the obvious, the Cowboys also got Williams back for a decent price. The deal is reportedly “worth up to” $8M per year which is incredible relative to the market rate at running back. Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift is at that mark for some context.

What’s more, the Cowboys got this done quietly and expeditiously. It is the weekend before the NFL combine and they are already doing work towards next season. That is a breath of fresh air relative to these types of things across recent history.

Williams is coming off of career highs in carries (252), yards (1,201), and touchdowns (11), but he is only set to turn 26 years old this offseason. This is a win in every capacity.

What is your take on this deal? Good or bad for you?

TAMPA, Fla. — Shortly after Gerrit Cole faced hitters for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring, Aaron Judge said that “you would have never known” the Cy Young winner was coming off a procedure that robbed him of the entire 2025 season.

“It looked like the old 45 that I’ve seen for years,” Judge said Friday after grounding out against Cole, who faced three batters, threw about 20 pitches, sat around 95-96 mph with his fastball and topped out at 96.9 mph.

Told of Judge’s assessment on Saturday morning, Cole said it was “a great compliment” to hear.

“I wasn’t in a rehab mindset yesterday,” he continued. “I was just in that performance mindset. So it didn’t feel like anything other than how it used to feel going out there and competing.”

Cole said that he had “fun” facing hitters again, and that he found the outing to be “rewarding and refreshing.” More importantly, he felt good during the session and again on Saturday morning.

He added that he was “a little surprised,” that he threw as hard as he did, though he noted that he’s pretty built up.

But with all going well for the right-hander thus far, Cole put to rest any speculation that he may try to expedite his rehab plans.

“It’s great to feel great,” he said, “but I don’t think it makes me want to accelerate.”

Cole, 35, previously reiterated that full Tommy John reconstruction comes with a 14-18-month timetable. That means he could return sometime in May — that would be on the earlier side — or June if all continues to go well.

Cole and the Yankees have left the door open for the pitcher to throw in spring training games before camp ends, but they haven’t settled on how many more live batting practice sessions he’ll have to participate in before graduating to that step.

Judge joined by another Big Bomber

With Cole serving as a challenging tune-up a day before his Grapefruit League debut, Judge didn’t have to wait long for his first homers of the spring.

The Yankees’ captain went deep twice in Steinbrenner Field’s exhibition opener on Saturday afternoon, first taking Detroit’s Burch Smith 420 feet off the batter’s eye in the Bombers’ 20-3 win. The two-run blast traveled at 104.5 mph.

An inning later, Judge clubbed another two-run dinger off Ricky Vanasco. The shot to left sailed 395 feet at 106.1 mph.

“It’s spring training,” Judge said when jokingly asked if he’s ready for Opening Day. “We still got a lot of work to do. You like seeing results in spring, obviously, but I’m just happy to get three at-bats and feel good in the field.”

Judge went on to note that getting lots of early at-bats in spring training worked out for him last year. The back-to-back MVP, captaining Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, also added, “You don’t want to get exposed playing for your country, so you gotta be ready to go.”

Judge wasn’t the only giant slugger to homer Saturday, as outfield prospect Spencer Jones cleared the ballpark with a solo shot in the second inning.

Statcast measured the bomb off Keider Montero, a big leaguer the last two seasons, at 111.7 mph and 408 feet.

“I’m feeling good,” Jones said. “I’m just trying to get some good feels with the hands, get those going and use that as a trigger.”

Lagrange’s spring debut

Another towering presence, Carlos Lagrange, started Saturday’s game. The results were mixed, as the pitching prospect totaled 2.2 innings, three hits, two runs (one earned), two walks, two strikeouts, one homer and 53 pitches.

However, Lagrange’s four-seam fastball topped out at 102.4 mph and hit at least 100 mph seven times. It also had an induced vertical break of 18 inches.

While his change-up coasted above 90 mph and his sweeper impressed, Lagrange didn’t hesitate when asked what his best pitch is.

“My fastball,” he said with a laugh. “It’s hard and big and vertical.”

Judge, meanwhile, praised the 22-year-old for the second time this spring, declaring, “Carlos’ potential is to be a frontline starter for the New York Yankees.”

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Marcel Hartel scored in the 60th minute and Pep Biel equalized in the 73rd as St. Louis City SC and Charlotte FC opened the MLS season with a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

St. Louis controlled much of the match, finishing with a 22-9 advantage in shots and an 11-3 edge in shots on goal. Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina made 10 saves.

The teams played to a scoreless first half, with Charlotte generating limited attacking pressure while St. Louis created the better chances. CITY SC made its first substitution of the season early in the second half, bringing on Brendan McSorley.

St. Louis broke through in the 60th minute when Hartel finished from the left side of the box after a well-timed pass from Simon Becher opened space in front of the goal.

Charlotte answered 13 minutes later as Wilfried Zaha delivered a through ball that found Biel making a run into the box, and the midfielder finished to level the match.

St. Louis pushed for a winner late, generating several chances in stoppage time, but Kahlina preserved the draw with multiple close-range saves.

CITY SC finished with a 1.9-0.6 advantage in expected goals and a 6-1 edge in corner kicks, but settled for a point. St. Louis remains unbeaten in its four MLS season-opening matches.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Atlantic 10 has issued reprimands and fined both No. 18 Saint Louis and VCU for violating the conference's sportsmanship policy following a scuffle between the two teams near the end of a basketball game on Friday night.

The conference said in a statement that it would not issue suspensions and praised game officials for handling the situation in “exemplary fashion.”

The A-10 did not disclose the amount of the fines, but said they would be according to conference policy.

“This was an unfortunate end to a great college basketball game between two of the best teams in the nation," the statement said. "The A-10 considers the matter closed and looks forward to the remainder of the regular season and the Atlantic 10 Championship in Pittsburgh in March.”

Saint Louis won the game 88-75, but before the final horn, there was plenty of action.

The coaches from Saint Louis and VCU were preparing to shake hands when the benches cleared with 1.1 seconds left. With the victory, Saint Louis (25-2, 13-1 Atlantic 10) prevented VCU (21-7, 12-3) from taking over first place.

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Amid the maelstrom of the closing minutes in Cardiff there was a slightly comedic moment. As the upset to end all upsets loomed large, Scotland pounded hard at the Welsh line, their desperation in full flow, the home defiance bordering on the heroic.

Inside the Principality, the noise was deafening, The head thudded, the ears split. Wales in crisis? Nobody seemed to tell Dewi Lake or Rhys Carre or their locks and back-rows and midfielders, who were awesome.

Crisis, yes. But for Scotland. Wales were not looking like a team that had lost 23 out of their previous 25 games, who had come into this as no-hopers with the bookmakers. They were tired men, though. They were flagging with the finishing line in sight.

This was such a familiar nightmare for the Scots, their darkest fears in play, their rugby sanity at stake. Wales led 23-19. They had outgunned Scotland, routing them at the breakdown, stifling their lethal runners, battering them in the collisions.

But Scotland were fighting back, they were beginning to rise above their own shortcomings. In that moment, as Scotland rumbled off a close-range lineout, the giant screens flashed a message for the Welsh fans: "Get louder," it demanded.

Louder? You cannot be serious. The temptation was to laugh because the place couldn't have been any more electrified, but the drama down below didn't allow for mirth. It was wonderfully tense, a game of psychology as much as a game of rugby.

• Scotland show 'bottle' & 'grit' in 'ugly' Cardiff win
• Podcast: Reaction to Scotland's dramatic Cardiff comeback
• Scotland battle back for Six Nations win over Wales

Seconds later, George Turner piled over and, at last, Scotland were ahead for the first time in their stressful day. Finn Russell made it a three-point game with the boot and the visitors saw it out from there.

They looked exhausted and relieved on full-time, like they'd had a brush with ghosts rather than dragons. Sione Tuipulotu said they had to dig deep and that was true.

They dug and dug and dug. It was error-strewn and maddening at times but they kept at it. If they only rarely managed to show their class, they displayed character when the heat was at its most intense. Cool heads amid the desperation won the day.

Winning ugly is a concept that has seemed beyond Scotland for years. For the most part, at any rate. They normally win with a flourish or not at all. This was an ugly one, but magnificent at the same time.

They were asked all sorts of questions and came up with enough answers. It was seriously flawed but that made the manner of the win all the more laudable. They were losing 20-5 after 47 minutes and won the remainder of it 21-3 even though never coming close to playing their best stuff. How can you not salute that spirit?

Last week we saw them win with panache, this week we saw them win through belligerence and character. Two different styles but the same precious five points.

After the torment of defeat in week one, Scotland are top of the table. They'll drop to second if France beat Italy on Sunday, but second after three games is rarefied air for Gregor Townsend and his team.

Wales? Brilliant but beaten, losers on the day but with so much to build on - and a little bit to complain about, too. If that Turner try ended up being the decisive moment in the game there was another moment, on 64 minutes, that could have filled that slot.

Wales were ahead 23-19 at the time. Into the Scotland 22 they went and won a penalty. They could have backheeled it over, had it stood, which it didn't. The TMO got involved and a call was made against Tomos Williams for a croc roll on Rory Darge that didn't look like a croc roll.

Penalty reversed. A shot for 26-19 gone. Turner drove over soon after and that was that. Back from the cliff edge Scotland stepped and into the coming weeks they go with France to play at home and Ireland away.

A formidable finale to their tournament, but at least they're alive and not without hope of achieving something tangible. Whatever happens against France they will be playing for a Triple Crown in Dublin. They haven't won it since 1990.

What is it about this fixture that produces such hair-raisers? What is it about those Scotland jerseys that makes the Welsh believe in themselves?

From the get-go, they were terrific. Scotland forced things and got found out. They tried to go wide at every turn, but got smashed. Even when Joe Hawkins was binned after five minutes Wales grew stronger. Carre scored while they were down to 14. Those awful Welsh starts in so many recent Test matches? Forget it.

Scotland coughed up chances, then scored one, then conceded another. They had little composure and no control. Wales would not allow it. Sam Costelow made it 17-5 after half an hour. Red flags all over the place now.

Townsend didn't hang about. Thirty-five minutes played and he hauled off Nathan McBeth, his loosehead, and Max Williamson, one of his locks. Fortunes did not change, not immediately. Scotland's looseness carried on. So did the Welsh scoring; 20-5 now.

Fatalism kicks in at that point. Here we go again. Another Cardiff catastrophe. Jungle drums beating. Townsend must go. Everybody must go.

Huw Jones, one of the most formidable attackers in the history of the Scotland team, dropped a ball with the try-line close at hand. When the likes of Jones are making a mess of things you start to fear the worst. You crank up the obits.

Instead of an implosion we saw Scotland reversing the narrative. Russell darted over to make it 20-12. Jarrod Evans stretched it to 23-12, but what happened next was remarkable.

Russell restarted. He spotted space and dropped his kick into the no-man's land Wales offered him, Darcy Graham reading his mind and speeding on to it. As James Botham slept, his back turned to the play, Graham pounced.

A kindly bounce and he was in for a blink-and-you-miss-it score. A colossal Welsh failing to some eyes, a piece of Russell genius to others.

The tension - raw and exhilarating - continued. The Williams croc roll and the siege lifted on the back of it. The sense of impending Welsh doom only for the Scots to lose ball on the floor just as they threatened to motor. The Turner try and the Scotland scrum penalty at the end. They cleared the lines and escaped to victory.

Later, Pierre Schoeman suggested it was a bigger win than last week's victory over England. You can see where he was coming from. The rugby world knows Scotland can beat England, but not many folk knew they could come from so many points down in an unforgiving place to win a battle.

They showed a different side of their personality on Saturday, a terrible beauty on an extraordinary day.

Related internet links

• Scottish Rugby Union

After nearly a year removed from his last fight, Ryan Garcia will return to the boxing ring later TONIGHT (Sat., Feb. 21, 2026) to challenge current WBC Welterweight champion, Mario Barrios, inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on DAZN PPV.

Barrios (29-2-2) is coming of back-to-back draws against Abel Ramos and Manny Pacquiao, with his last win coming over two years ago. “El Azteca’” fight against Pacquaio last year proved to be more entertaining than many expected as “PacMan” nearly pulled out the win (highlights), with many feeling that the former seven-division champion should have won the belt. Now, Barrios is out to secure a victory win over one of the most popular fighters in the game today.

As for Garcia, he was last seen losing to Rolando Romero in May 2025, though that didn’t stop promoters from giving him the opportunity to fight for a title (see how it all went down here). Now, “King Ry” is out to put some of his ghosts to bed by securing a big win against one of the hardest hitters at 147 pounds.

Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action, as the card kicks off at 6 p.m. ET on DAZN PPV. Feel free to leave a comment (or several) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!

BARRIOS VS. GARCIA QUICK RESULTS

147 lbs.: Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Garcia
140 lbs.: Richardson Hitchins vs. Oscar Duarte
140 lbs.: Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Andy Hiraoka
140 lbs.: Frank Martin vs. Nahir Albright
168 lbs.: Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Sena Agbeko

BARRIOS VS. GARCIA PLAY-BY-PLAY

HIGHLIGHTS

It has been another action-packed Saturday across 'The 72' and Playmaker is here to run you through some of the outstanding performers and statistics from the EFL.

From the slickest passers enroute to the most tenacious tacklers via the busiest goalkeepers, we have all the headline stats you need to know from this afternoon.

Let's dive in...

Top performers in the EFL

Most shots on target: 4 - Richard Koné (QPR) / Kyle Wootton (Stockport County) / Calum Kavanagh (Oldham Athletic)

Most tackles won: 9 - Matús Holícek (Crewe Alexandra)

Most aerials won: 10 - Richard Koné (QPR) / Jake Beesley (Burton Albion) / Kaelan Casey (Leyton Orient) / Michael Cheek (Bromley)

Most passes completed: 104 - Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough)

Most key passes: 6 - Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough) / Divine Mukasa (Leicester City) / Luke Thomas (Leicester City) / Corey Blackett-Taylor (Bolton Wanderers)

Most saves: 8 - James Beadle (Birmingham City)

Most interceptions: 5 - Mads Andersen (Luton Town) / Liam Bennett (Cambridge United)

Most successful dribbles: 6 - Patrick Kelly (Barnsley)

Most big chances created: 3 - Divine Mukasa (Leicester City) / Glenn Middleton (Doncaster Rovers)

Player of the Day

Player of the Day

Jack Payne

Midfielder - Colchester

9.9

Final Scores from the Football Leagues

EFL Championship 2025/26

EFL League One 2025/26

EFL League Two 2025/26

This was a much more interesting, and entertaining, baseball game than yesterday’s Grapefruit League kickoff. The Yankees saw one of their top pitching prospects strut his stuff, the top position player prospect hit a bomb, and the Captain look awfully locked in in during his first taste of spring ball. A proper thumping came in the eighth inning, where a bunch of Yankee farmhands all got their A-swings off at once. Overall, New York brushed the Detroit Tigers aside on Saturday afternoon, with 20-3 your final score.

From a stuff perspective, it’s easy to see why people are so excited about Curtis Lagrange. He deals easy 99 with repeatable mechanics, with a changeup and slider that both look big-league ready when they’re really working. He notched a 50-percent whiff rate with the change, but interestingly flipped his main secondary offering. Twenty-six percent of his pitches were changeups the first time through, and 19 percent sliders, only to up slider usage to 32 percent the second time. I feel like the Yankees want more data on the secondary stuff and that will be a conscious approach the rest of Lagrange’s spring.

If there’s one thing for Lagrange to work on, it’s command in the zone, not surprising for a player who ended last year in Double-A. He was hit hard more than once, giving up a pair of singles in the first at more than 100 mph exit velo, a bomb of a home run to Corey Julks that came on a hanging changeup, and another long fly ball to the track off the bat of old friend Gleyber Torres. The stuff was very impressive, and now the next step is sanding down some of those rough edges in the zone.

While we’re talking about prospects, have you heard of Spencer Jones?

Perhaps nobody in the entire Yankee system needs to impress in camp the way Jones does. The outfield at the MLB level is crowded, but the 24 year old is kind of in a make-or-break season. To start spring with a home run that loud is a really good sign, and hopefully Jones can keep it up. With Aaron Judge 10 days away from joining Team USA at the World Baseball Classic, there should be plenty of spring reps for Spencer to show off.

Oh, speaking of Aaron Judge:

On an intellectual level, I don’t care at all about Judge’s spring. I want him to be completely healthy for Opening Day, at which point I fully expect him to be at worst one of the three best players in the game. But then I watch him hit a bomb to deep center field and I start to drool a little bit and hope that Aaron Boone lets Judge face some kid getting his first taste of camp.

Oh, and then the Captain came up again in the fourth:

Spring stats don’t matter but he is likely the finest hitter you’ll ever see.

The Tigers clawed a run back in the seventh, with Yankee reliever Drake Fellows loading the bases on two walks and an infield single. A passed ball clunked off catcher Payton Henry’s glove, allowing the third Detroit run of the game. Fortunately, a man named Tyler Hardman got the run back:

Now up 13-3, Tigers manager AJ Hinch opted to bring Woo-Suk Go into the game, and immediately paid for the decision. Rodrick Arias, himself trying to recover some prospect sheen, promptly told a 93-mph fastball to go away:

Another three-run home run came off the bat of Jackson Castillo, pushing the Yanks to a nice, even 20.

George Lombard Jr. looked solid at shortstop and worked two walks, the latter coming with the bases loaded and driving in a run, to round up a pretty good day for the org’s top prospects. The Yankees will welcome the crosstown — at least, normally crosstown — Mets to Steinbrenner Field tomorrow afternoon in more Grapefruit League play, with Luis Gil getting his first start of the spring.

Box Score

Can the Boston Celtics win the Eastern Conference for the 2025-26 NBA regular season? At first glance, the 5.5 game lead currently held by the first place Detroit Pistons looks like a bridge too far for the Celtics to overcome before the end of the season in middle of April. But the Pistons will be without a key player for several more games thanks to a fight that saw several of Detroit's players suspended, and Boston might soon have Tatum back.

Both teams have a similar strength of schedule for the rest of their respective campaigns with Tankathon putting the Celtics at No. 6 overall and the Pistons at No. 8, so it would take a major run from Boston at the same time a Detroit stumble of sorts would be required.

The folks behind the "NESN" YouTube channel put together a clip from their "Boston Has Entered the Chat" podcast on this very question. Check it out below!

Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:

Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47

YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Can the Celtics win the East for the 2025-26 NBA regular season?

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly agreed to terms with running back Javonte Williams on a 3-year, $24 million deal, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Williams broke out in his first season with the Cowboys, rushing for a career-high 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns. The 25-year-old running back added 35 catches for 137 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. Williams played in 16 games last season, after missing Week 18 with shoulder and neck injuries.

Williams spent his first four seasons with the Denver Broncos after getting drafted in the second round out of the University of North Carolina in 2021.

This story will continue to be updated.

Bruce Mouat's rink were unable to end a 102-year wait for a men's Winter Olympic curling gold - and vanquish their own disappointment from 2022 - as Canada denied Team GB a fourth gold medal of this year's Games.

Mouat, Grant Hardie, Hammy McMillan and Bobby Lammie - plus alternate Kyle Waddell - arrived in Cortina as world champions and favourites.

They arrived believing this was their time. But they will leave as silver medallists for the second successive Olympics.

Left bereft by defeat against Sweden in the final in Beijing four years ago, the Scottish quartet have come to dominate their sport since.

The past 10 days in Italy have not been straightforward, though.

They were on the brink of a shock early exit as recently as Thursday and, while they recovered to guarantee a medal, they did not get the one they really wanted as they lost 9-6. It was the second time the Canadians had beaten them in five days.

"I'm a bit in shock. I think we felt like we were the better team. I don't know what to say," a tear-choked Mouat told BBC Sport.

GB suffer final heartbreak again

After the epic semi-final win over Switzerland on Thursday, Mouat referred to it as "our gold medal". Presumptuous? Perhaps. But that belief was founded in fact.

His rink have won two World Championships and a couple of European crowns as well as a record 12 Grand Slam titles since the last Games.

Furthermore, they boast an excellent record against the Canadians and beat them in last year's world semis. Jacobs' time-served team did win the round-robin meeting earlier in the week but that was a rare reverse.

In that contest, GB led after six ends before slipping to the 9-5 defeat that left them needing favours from other teams.

It was the same this time, a fabulous Mouat double-takeout edging GB 5-4 ahead at that stage after a cagey opening half during which he and 2014 gold-medallist Brad Jacobs traded points.

Canada - who have had a tumultuous time of it themselves here amid cheating claims - drew level after seven, but Britain had the advantage of the hammer in two of the final three ends.

They could not make the most of that though.

Just one in the eighth for GB gave Canada the sniff of an opportunity and that snatched it ruthlessly, capitalising on some slack stones in the ninth to lead 8-6 going into the last.

Mouat had the hammer but he needed two to force an extra end. Could the man considered the best shot-maker in world come up with the goods in the biggest moment?

He couldn't. And for the second Olympics in a row, the GB rink were left with a medal that they did not want.

"We wanted to win it for each other," an emotional Hardie told BBC Sport.

"The pain from four years ago was so much that we wanted to give it another go. We gave ourselves a chance but unfortunately we've not got there again."

• What do curlers do when they're not at the Olympics?
• How Team GB is leading the way in curling's arms race

Brazilian winger stretchered off before continental showdown

Esperance suffer injury blow as Yan Sasse is ruled doubtful for Al Ahly clash

Esperance Tunis were dealt injury setback after winger Yan Sasse was forced off before CAF Champions League tie against Al Ahly.

Injury concern ahead of big African test

Espérance de Tunis have received worrying news ahead of their CAF Champions League quarter-final against Al Ahly, after Brazilian attacker Yan Sasse suffered serious injury in domestic action.

The incident occurred during Esperance’s league match against Stade Tunisien when Sasse went down injured and had to leave the pitch on stretcher.

The winger was substituted in the 44 minute of first half forcing early change for the technical staff.

Forced substitution in narrow win

Despite the setback, Esperance managed to secure 1-0 victory but the focus quickly shifted to Sasse’s condition.

The extent of the injury has not yet been confirmed, with further medical tests expected to determine how long he could be sidelined.

Sasse has been important attacking option for the Tunisian champions this season and his potential absence would be blow as the club prepares for crucial continental fixture.

Al Ahly tie on the horizon

Esperance are set to face Al Ahly in CAF Champions League quarter-finals following the official draw.

The first leg will be played in Rades on one of 13, 14, or 15 March while the return leg is scheduled in Cairo on one of 20, 21, or 22 March.

Cagliari and Lazio shared the spoils with a goalless draw, as both sustained new injuries and Yerry Mina saw red for two bookable offences.

Both teams were coming off setbacks, as the Sardinians saw their run of three wins on the bounce cut off by two defeats to Roma and Lecce. The Aquile were pegged back 2-2 by Juventus, then lost to Atalanta. There was a lengthy absentee list for the hosts, including Michael Folorunsho, Alessandro Deiola, Gianluca Gaetano, Gennaro Borrelli, Andrea Belotti and Mattia Felici. Maurizio Sarri missed Pedro, Mario Gila, Toma Basic, Manuel Lazzari and Samuel Gigot, but at least Alessio Romagnoli returned from suspension.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Ibrahim Sulemana and Michel Adopo of Cagliari in contrast with Daniel Maldini of Lazio during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SS Lazio at Stadio Sant’Elia on February 21, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

Ze Pedro was unlucky not to give Cagliari the lead after 13 minutes, as his header clipped the outside of the near post on a corner.

Mattia Zaccagni nodded a corner over, then was surprised when both Michel Adopo and Alberto Dossena failed to cut out the Adam Marusic cross.

CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Marco Palestra of Cagliari in contrast with Luca Pellegrini of Lazio during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SS Lazio at Stadio Sant’Elia on February 21, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

Adopo should’ve scored at the other end, ghosting between defenders to nod the Adam Obert cross wide from six yards.

Zaccagni also came sliding in and couldn’t connect with the Marusic pull-back across the face of goal, while Sebastiano Esposito turned inches off target on the Adopo assist from six yards.

CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Zè Pedro of Cagliari in contrast with Gustav Isaksen during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SS Lazio at Stadio Sant’Elia on February 21, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)

The injury crisis intensified for the hosts, losing Luca Mazzitelli before half-time to a calf problem.

Elia Caprile smothered a Kenneth Taylor snapshot, but Lazio had a setback too when Nicolò Rovella fell awkwardly on his right shoulder.

Marco Palestra was a constant danger and had the ball in the net on 69 minutes when sending Pellegrini to ground with a dummy and drilling under Ivan Provedel, but was offside when running onto the Ze Pedro long ball.

Provedel got his fingertips to the Riyad Idrissi angled drive following a strong run from midfield, but Cagliari were reduced to 10 men in the final minutes.

CAGLIARI, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Nicolò Rovella of SS Lazio injured during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and SS Lazio at Stadio Sant’Elia on February 21, 2026 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Yerry Mina started the foul on Tijjani Noslin on the very edge of the area and continued it inside, the referee pointed initially to the spot and then awarded a free kick, but it was the second yellow card for the Colombian.

From the resulting free kick, Danilo Cataldi forced a difficult Caprile save at the near post. Cataldi also swung a great effort off the inside of the right boot from the edge of the box and it skimmed the top corner in stoppages.

Sent off: Mina 85 (C)

Post navigation

Report Montero to terminate Juventus contract and join Balotelli at Al-Ittifaq

Liverpool are eyeing big changes in their attacking line for the 2026 summer transfer window.

We could see several players offloaded to fund incoming arrivals - with Mohamed Salah and Federico Chiesa in real danger of being dumped.

Salah, 33, is wanted by Al-Ittihad and Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia with a blockbuster contract being drawn up by the Public Investment Fund for the Egyptian King.

And Chiesa will be saying goodbye to Anfield come the end of the season according to various reports in the Italian media - with Juventus, Roma and Napoli all thought to be vying for his signature.

Liverpool looking at Bradley Barcola

If and when Salah and Chiesa depart it will leave a sizeable hole in the Liverpool squad. And one player tipped by a new report in the Spanish press to come in and improve the Reds’ attacking options is Bradley Barcola.

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The 23-year-old won the treble as part of Paris Saint-Germain’s all-conquering side last season - but is not always a first pick for Luis Enrique.

The Frenchman has started less than half of his team’s Ligue 1 matches and could therefore be tempted to look elsewhere for first-team football next season.

Barcola’s contract expires in 2028 and without guaranteed starts the French giants may well seek to cash in.

Barcola can play either left or right

The report in Fichajes claims that Arsenal and Liverpool are the two Premier League teams most likely to take advantage of this unique market opportunity for Barcola.

It describes Barcola as “the ideal candidate” to take over from Salah - with his capabilities in terms of expected assists and non-penalty goals highlighted.

It’s no secret that Arne Slot and Richard Hughes are trying to quicken the pace of the attack and therefore the speedy Barcola might tick a lot of their boxes.

Although he normally plays on the left-hand side of attack Barcola is also capable of filling in down the right and even at centre-forward.

He could therefore be the multifaceted attacking weapon that Hughes and Slot need to improve their fortunes next term.

Barcola joined PSG from Lyon back in 2023 - for around £40m - and has been a key man in the Champions League in particular this term where he has provided three assists.

The Tennessee Volunteers’ strong run through the month of February continued on Saturday in a place that’s typically very difficult for the Vols to play. It was again, but this time, Tennessee came out on top at Memorial Gym over the Vanderbilt Commodores 69-65.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the Vols with 17 points, two assists, and three steals. Nate Ament added 13 on a tough shooting night (3-13), but made all six three throws and had a team-high nine reb0unds.

The first half was back and forth, with Vandy’s three point shot jockeying them back in front repeatedly. After Tennessee took their biggest lead at 15-10, back to back Chandler Bing threes gave Vandy an 18-17 lead. Tyler Tanner threw down another long three to give Vandy a 23-21 lead, the Vols would go on what felt like a Houston-in-the-Elite-Eight type of scoring slump for several minutes as the Commodores built a 34-25 lead late in the half.

But a 6-1 mini-run before the half, with former Commodore Jaylen Carey getting the final two points on a layup, brought Tennessee within four going into the locker room.

DeWayne Brown II, who was again a force on the offensive glass as he’s been all year, got the first four points of the half to draw even again, and then the back and forth began. Tennessee got their noses in front briefly, but Tanner again knocked down another ridiculously long three to give Vandy the lead again. Tanner had a team-high 16 points on 5/9 shooting from three.

Vanderbilt built another three-possession lead at 49-42 with around 12 minutes left, but Tennessee finally made a push to put the game into back-and-forth territory. Ament knocked down a three from the top of the key, and Brown put home another close one. Ethan Burg got aggressive and took it to the hole, and the game was tied again at 51.

The teams would go back and forth within a single possession game, with Vandy taking the lead 58-57 with five minutes left when Tyler Nickel strolled backwards to the three-point line wide open and knocked down a trey.

After Gillespie hit a three to tie it, Vandy’s Duke Miles hit another with two and a half to play that was originally called a two but changed to a three after review.

But Bishop Boswell followed with two huge baskets to give the Vols the lead late, with a driving layup followed by a pull up shot to give the Vols a 64-63 lead. Tanner hit two free throws with over a minute left to retake the lead.

Then, Ament had the shot of the game. Covered tightly and looking out of sorts while almost stumbling around, he turned and put up a contested midrange shot that was true. After Vandy missed, Felix Okpara missed the front end of a one and one. But Tennessee’s defense did its job with a stop, and Gillespie made two big free throws with 13 seconds left.

Tanner got off one more three-point attempt, but missed, and Amari Evans made one at the line to ice it for the Vols.

Up next for Tennessee is another road tilt at Missouri on Tuesday at 9:00 pm ET.

The United States will be battling history as well as Canada when the countries play in Sunday's gold medal game (8:10 a.m. ET, NBC, Peacock) at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

That's because Canada has the edge against the USA in recent championship games of best-on-best tournaments featuring NHL players.

You have to go all the way back to the 1996 World Cup of Hockey for the last time that the United States prevailed. In the meantime, Canada has won two Olympic gold medal game matchups and last year's 4 Nations Face-Off.

The 2026 U.S. and Canada Olympic rosters are mostly made up of 4 Nations Face-Off players.

Here's a look at how the USA has fared in the last five championship matchups against Canada:

2025 4 Nations Face-Off: Canada 3, USA 2 (OT)

There was hope for a victory after the United States won a fight-filled game in the round robin of the NHL-run tournament. But the championship game was a loss for the USA.

Tournament MVP Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring, but Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson gave the USA the lead. That didn't last long as Canada's Sam Bennett tied the game less than seven minutes later. After a scoreless third period, the game went to overtime. Jordan Binnington made big saves on Auston Matthews and Tkachuk before Connor McDavid scored the winner.

The USA's Matthew Tkachuk, who had missed the third game of the tournament with an injury, dressed for the final but couldn't finish the game.

2010 Olympics: Canada 3, USA 2 (OT)

The Americans tied the game in Vancouver on a Zach Parise goal with 25 seconds left in regulation. Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby then scored the golden goal for Canada at 7:40 of overtime. That started an international run for Canada. The country won the 2014 Olympics (beating the USA in the semifinals) and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey (Crosby was MVP).

2002 Olympics: Canada 5, USA 2

The United States had the home crowd in Utah and the "Miracle on Ice" coach in Herb Brooks. But Canada got big games from future Hall of Famers. Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic each scored twice and Paul Kariya also scored as Canada overcame 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to win Olympic gold for the first time since 1952. Martin Brodeur made 31 saves.

1996 World Cup of Hockey: USA wins final series 2-1

This, along with the 1980 Olympics, is one of USA Hockey's bigger moments. Canada won the opener of the best-of-three final in Philadelphia, then the Americans needed to win twice in Montreal for the title. They had two 5-2 victories and overcame two one-goal deficits. After Adam Foote put Canada ahead 2-1, the USA scored four times in the final four minutes to stun Canada in the final game. Keith Tkachuk, father of U.S. Olympians Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, scored five goals in that tournament.

1991 Canada Cup: Canada wins final series 2-0

Canada swept the final with 4-1 and 4-2 victories. Canada's Steve Larmer had two goals (one short-handed) and an assist in the second game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA-Canada hockey history favors Canadians in Olympics gold medal game

The North Carolina Tar Heels entered Saturday afternoon's rematch against Syracuse with one goal on their mind: win.

Sure, the game wasn't pretty throughout. Just eight minutes into the second half, UNC found itself deadlocked in a 44-all tie with Syracuse.

That 12-minute media timeout was exactly what North Carolina needed to refocus. The Tar Heels scored eight straight points, giving themselves a much-needed momentum-booster, en route to a 77-64 victory.

UNC (21-6, 9-5 ACC) benefitted greatly from Henri Veesaar's return to the starting lineup. Missing the past two games with an injury, Veesaar looked fully healthy, leading North Carolina with 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Veesaar grabbed three rebounds, but his three blocks made a decisive impact on the defensive end.

Zayden High did a great job filling in for Veesaar the past couple games, while also proving himself worthy of more playing time. High nearly recorded another double-double, this time in a Tar Heels-best 10 minutes off the bench, scoring nine points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Luka Bogavac and Seth Trimble added 13 points apiece, giving UNC's offense a 3-headed attack. North Carolina thrived in transition, earning a 19-9 advantage in fast break points. The Tar Heels scored 42 points in the paint, compared to just 32 for Syracuse, which enjoyed a season-high 22 points from JJ Starling.

UNC has a quick turnaround, hosting Louisville on Monday, but can enjoy Saturday's win for now. Take a look at some postgame social media reactions, which are filled with plenty of happy fans.

We get a happy General Wilson today!

Dearest Mother,

Cpt. Veesaar gloriously returned to the battlefield this afternoon and led the Carolina regiment to victory over the Orange. The sun shines down on us once again. We shall see brighter fortunes before long.

Your loving son,
General Wilson

— General Caleb S. Wilson (@general_caleb_w) February 21, 2026

How the tables turn

Remember when Kansas fans were on us on Tuesday....

— ♛Young Simba♛ (A Leaky Black Stan Account) (@CrownedPrinceHC) February 21, 2026

Road games are always tough

Genuinely wondering has North Carolina ever had a game on the road that didn’t look exactly like this ??

— William McCallister (@WilliamMcCall_) February 21, 2026

NC State fans still running their mouths

How much did he pay for that beachfront property in your frontal lobe? https://t.co/ehKjyXi0r6

— Benny “Creatine” Griffin (@notRJdavis) February 21, 2026

Plus/minus ratings for the Tar Heels

#UNC +/- at Syracuse

+17 High (19 mins)
+13 Veesaar (26 mins)
+12 Powell (17 mins)
+9 Evans (8 mins)
+7 Trimble (30 mins)
+5 Bogavac (31 mins)
+4 Dixon (32 mins)
+2 Stevenson (31 mins)
-4 Young (5 mins)

— Michael Koh (@michaelkohwchl) February 21, 2026

UNC fans don't have to stress about today's game

Would have accepted any type of win but a comfortable double digit ACC win is the best kind…

— Daggum Hubert (@DaggumHube) February 21, 2026

BIG wins only!

77-64 HEELS WIN!

— UNC Barstool (@UNCBarstool) February 21, 2026

Zayden High will always have his teammates' backs

Say what you want about Zayden High, but I fw how he doesn’t let his teammates get punked

— Armandoavenue (@Armandoavenu3) February 21, 2026

BIG mood!!

HEELS WIN HEELS WIN HEELS WIN HEELS WIN HEELS WIN HEELS WIN HEELS WIN HEELS WIN HEELS WIN

*** Welcome back Henri!!! Man…we missed you
*** Coming into the dome under pressure to produce…and they did
*** Love the toughness
*** Good Quad1-2 win💪🏿

— Jon Robinson (@jonrob11011965) February 21, 2026

He's growing up before our own eyes!

Zayden with 9 pts & 11 rebs

As @RL_Bynum just said, "He's gone beyond serviceable"

— Andrew Jones (@AJTarHeel247) February 21, 2026

Larger win if you make the free throws!

UNC would be dominating this basketball game if they were hitting their FTs

After 13 straight games at or under 70%, UNC has been over 70% in the last 5. Not gonna be a 6th straight.

— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) February 21, 2026

Solid road win today.

Game, set, match in Syracuse. Heels took care of business, played well in the second half. Really solid road W.

— Jacob Turner (@JacobTurnerNC) February 21, 2026

Positive takeaways from the win!

FINAL
UNC 77
Syracuse 64

• Welcome back Henri Veesaar! 19pts, 9-13FG, 1-3FT, 3reb, 3blk in 26min
• Nearly another dub-dub for Zayden High, but off the bench - 9pts, 11reb
• Nice 2nd half for Seth Trimble - 13pts, 5-7FG, 4reb, 2ast, 2 stl

— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) February 21, 2026

Henri Veesaar highlights for your viewing pleasure!

Henri Veesaar 19 points (9/13) FG 3 rebounds 3 blocks pic.twitter.com/EI1LeS3QYb

— Jay (@Jayy_Hardyy252) February 21, 2026

Zayden High the enforcer?

Personally I don’t mind Zayden High getting the T. Freeman slung his teammate down & High was taking up for him. UNC has needed somebody to play with a chip at times. High probably feels he needs to play a bit of the enforcer role. That’s what he brings. @TarHeel_247

— David Sisk (@CoachDavidSisk) February 21, 2026

It's all about the energy!

I LOVE ZAYDEN HIGH

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT UNC NEEDS ENERGYYYYYYYYY

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

— William McCallister (@WilliamMcCall_) February 21, 2026

A complete effort from the Tar Heels!

Some quick thoughts on UNC’s 77-64 win over Syracuse today:

* This is the best Zayden High has looked as a Tar Heel. Complete game, didn’t force anything on offense, pulled down 11 rebounds, battled on defense, etc. Team-best +17 today.
* It seems like Henri Veesaar’s lower leg…

— Trevor William Marks (@twmarks_) February 21, 2026

How about that?!

HEELS WIN.#CarolinaFamily | @WellsFargopic.twitter.com/2tkRIlhSGY

— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) February 21, 2026

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Social media reacts to big win at Syracuse

NEED TO KNOW

• Alysa Liu dazzled on the ice at the figure skating exhibition gala in Milan, Italy on Saturday, Feb. 21
• The gala is a skating tradition that happens after competitions, and is not for scores or medals
• Liu's skate came two days after she won gold in the women's skating final

Alysa Liu returned to the ice for the first time since she won gold in the figure skating final for a special performance at the Olympic figure skating exhibition gala.

Liu, 20, skated to "Stateside" by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson at the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Saturday, Feb. 21, just two days after she won gold for her program in the figure skating final on Feb. 19.

Earlier in the night, she performed alongside her Team USA teammates for a group program.

The gala is a post-competition tradition that features the podiums of all three completed figure skating events, plus other notable names from all over the world. This year's gala includes Liu, Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, Mikhail Shaidorov and Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry.

Before winning gold, Liu, who retired from figure skating altogether in 2022 before finding joy in the sport again in 2024, expressed a strong desire to perform in the gala, regardless of whether she made it to the podium.

"I already have a dress picked out," she told reporters on Feb. 17 following her performance in the short program.

After securing the gold medal — and subsequently a spot at the gala — Liu told reporters she's "so excited" to skate. "But, I'm going to need some sleep so that I can do the exhibition in my full capacity," she said.

Liu has become a fan favorite of Team USA not just for her talent on the ice but for her bold personality and transparency with her fans. Some may consider her a role model, though Liu said she's not totally convinced, telling PEOPLE, "I don't know if I really want to be a role model, I would say, but I guess I am."

Still, she's fully on board with those who find her alt style iconic: "That's really awesome."

"I'm just doing me," Liu continued, "so, it's cool if I'm inspiring any other people. I just have a certain fashion sense and I'm kind of stubborn with it, so it'll always come through."

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.

Read the original article on People

Who won the NASCAR Truck race today? After a weather delay at EchoPark Speedway, we got a delayed start in the Fr8 Racing 208 at EchoPark Speedway in Georgia on Saturday afternoon. In a Truck Series raced that featured Cup Series drivers like Kyle Busch, Corey Heim, Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Truck drivers had to battle against great competition on a superspeedway.

Let’s dive into the NASCAR Truck Series results today from Atlanta for the Fr8 Racing 208. We’ll start with the full results from the NASCAR Truck race today followed by the stage results for the Truck Series. Of note, because of the weather delay, it was a shortened race with the winner declare after 2 laps after 4:20 PM ET under the adverse conditions rule.

Related: NASCAR Starting Lineup for Sunday, Cup Series Starting Grid for EchoPark

NASCAR Truck Results Today: Fr8 Racing 208

Here are the NASCAR Truck results today for the Fr8 Racing 208 from EchoPark Speedway.

NASCAR Truck Race Today: Stage Results for Truck Series Race

Here are the NASCAR stage results for the Truck Series race today.

Who won the NASCAR Truck race today?

Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Truck race today at Atlanta, beating Carson Hocevar (second place) and Giovani Ruggierio (third place).

Related Headlines

• NASCAR Starting Lineup for Atlanta: Autotrader 400 Starting Grid after Cup Series Qualifying Canceled
• “What Are We Doing?” Veteran Blasts NASCAR Standards Approval After Daytona
• NASCAR Stock Watch Before Atlanta: Stock Up, Stock Down for 6 Drivers

Reports from the Daily Mail indicate the 49ers ownership group is ready to authorise a £100 million transfer war chest. This funding depends on Leeds United staying in the Premier League this season. While cash is currently tight at Elland Road, the board is firmly committed to spending big on the squad if the club avoids the drop.

The 49ers ownership group is ready to authorise a £100 million transfer war chest for Leeds United

This massive financial promise comes as Daniel Farke guides his team through a vital stretch. The side recently built a six-point cushion over the bottom three following a run of strong results. Now, the West Yorkshire club have a real chance to cement their place in the top flight. They plan to achieve this with a huge recruitment drive in the upcoming summer window.

Recommended Summer Targets

Staying in the world’s toughest league takes more than just hard work. It requires a serious injection of quality right through the middle of the team. Daniel Farke is 49 years old and brings the tactical style of his native Germany to the job. Even with the promised investment, he faces a career crossroads regarding his long-term future at Elland Road.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 10: Daniel Farke, Manager of Leeds United, celebrates his teams draw following the Premier League match between Chelsea and Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on February 10, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

The club want to focus on tightening up the defence. As a result, the recruitment team should look closely at the Bundesliga, where Farke has many deep professional connections.

• Danilho Doekhi (Union Berlin): Bringing in a dominant centre-back like Doekhi is a must. He is exceptional in the air, and his experience in a back three would provide a vital safety net for the injury-prone Pascal Struijk.
• Nick Pope (Newcastle United): The club need a reliable presence to take over for Illan Meslier. Aiming for a Premier League veteran like Pope makes perfect sense for the scouting department.
• Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City): Fans at Elland Road still love the idea of a homecoming. However, the board must decide if the sentiment is worth the massive wages the Manchester City midfielder would demand.
• Igor Paixão (Marseille): Instead of looking backwards at former players, Leeds should target rising stars. Paixão could bring genuine explosive speed to the wings.
• Bilal El Khannouss (on loan at VFB Stuttgart): The Whites currently sit in 15th place with 30 points from 26 games. A versatile playmaker like El Khannouss would bridge the gap, linking a busy midfield to the clinical finishing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

In the end, the 49ers must ensure this £100 million expenditure builds a solid future. The investment should create a sustainable foundation rather than serving as a quick fix for current problems.

Osasuna stunned Real Madrid with a dramatic 2-1 victory at El Sadar, ending the league leaders’ eight-match winning run and handing Barcelona the initiative in the title race.

Madrid travelled to Pamplona seeking to extend their advantage at the top, but instead suffered a damaging defeat that could reshape the weekend’s standings.

The hosts began with intensity and quickly unsettled the visitors despite Madrid dominating early possession.

Ante Budimir twice went close inside the opening half-hour, first curling narrowly wide before striking the post with a header.

Thibaut Courtois was required to produce a sharp one-handed save to deny the Croatian striker as Osasuna built confidence.

The breakthrough arrived late in the first half after a VAR review judged Courtois to have clipped Budimir inside the area.

Budimir converted the resulting penalty with composure, sending Courtois the wrong way to give Osasuna a deserved lead.

Madrid struggled to respond immediately and entered the interval under pressure.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s side showed greater urgency after the restart and gradually pushed Osasuna deeper.

Kylian Mbappé appeared to have equalised with a fine finish into the top corner, only for the offside flag to intervene.

The visitors did level shortly afterwards when Federico Valverde’s driven cross found Vinícius Júnior unmarked at close range.

Vinícius converted confidently, marking another decisive contribution after an emotionally charged week.

Madrid looked the more likely to find a winner as momentum shifted in their favour.

However, Osasuna remained organised and waited for their moment.

That opportunity came in stoppage time when Raúl García collected possession on the left side of the area.

He cut inside and produced a precise finish beyond Courtois, sparking wild celebrations among the home supporters.

The goal was initially flagged offside, but a VAR review confirmed García had timed his run perfectly.

Madrid were unable to mount a late response, and the final whistle sealed a rare league triumph for Osasuna against the capital club.

The result lifts Osasuna into the top half and extends their unbeaten run.

The defeat leaves Madrid vulnerable at the summit.

Barcelona, who play on Sunday, now have the chance to overtake their rivals and reclaim first place.

The title race has tightened significantly, with Madrid’s margin for error reduced after a night that shifted momentum away from the leaders.

Manchester United’s budget for the summer transfer window will be strongly influenced by their European fate.

A failure to secure Champions League football would leave United with a meagre transfer budget, which could potentially impact their plans to overhaul their midfield.

However, United are not waiting around to put themselves in a strong position to secure the signing of one of the Premier League’s most exciting young wingers.

PSG enter race to sign Mateus Mane

Earlier this week, The Peoples Person relayed a report claiming Manchester United have held initial talks with Mateus Mane‘s agent in recent days.

Mane’s emergence has been a rare bright spot in a miserable season for Wolverhampton Wanderers, getting fans off their seats with his mesmerising footwork and explosive pace.

In January, Mane became Wolves’ youngest ever Premier League goalscorer at 18 years and 109 days old.

However, with Wolves destined to be relegated to the Championship, it is going to be very difficult for the Midlands side to keep hold of the Portuguese-born versatile forward.

According to Teamtalk, Mane has been identified as a “top target” by United, but the Red Devils face competition from six other Premier League clubs as well as Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

Europe’s biggest clubs have been watching the 18-year-old in recent weeks, having been left impressed with his technical ability and maturity.

Mateus Mane tempted to join Manchester United

PSG, in particular, have intensified their interest in Mane, who could reportedly be tempted by the opportunity to join a top side.

The report adds that the Ligue 1 giants’ recruitment team have “watched Mane on more than one occasion since January.”

Mateus Mane Premier League stats: 2025/26 Season

However, on Friday, a separate report claimed United are leading the race to sign the Wolves starlet, who is valued at around £50 million.

It is thought the idea of a move to Old Trafford is viewed as “incredibly appealing” to Mane despite interest from elsewhere.

Featured image Matt McNulty via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

It was the moment that turned the Six Nations Test match in favour of Scotland as the visitors quick thinking ruthlessly exposed Wales as they switched off in defence.

It allowed Scotland replacement wing Darcy Graham to score the try that changed the game.

Wales were leading 23-12 in the 58th minute after replacement fly-half Jarrod Evans had just slotted over a penalty.

An efficient home ball boy quickly presented the ball on the halfway line for Scotland to take a quick restart and Finn Russell and Graham did the rest.

Russell took a quick drop out towards the vacant Welsh right hand side which caught the home defence napping.

Wales replacement flanker James Botham, who had an outstanding match, watched the ball drop over his shoulder with Graham, who had just come on the field, reacting the quickest.

Graham outsprinted Wales wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb - who was running back after following up Evans' penalty kick - to stun the hosts with Russell's conversion reducing the deficit to four points.

The momentum switched with Scotland going on to win the game and break Welsh hearts.

• Scotland battle back for Six Nations win over Wales
• Reaction as Scotland complete Cardiff comeback
• Shoulda Woulda Coulda

'Another harsh lesson for Wales' - Tandy

"It was huge in the game," said Wales head coach Steve Tandy.

"Test match rugby, you need to make people work for their opportunities and we feel we didn't do that in that moment.

"We were looking to extend the lead. It gave Scotland energy, where if we take the kick-off and get it off the field, that's seconds off the clock.

"It's another harsh lesson in some of the games. In high-class games, you can't knock off.

"We backed up moments in the game and handled our yellow card pretty well.

"There was some great stuff, the intent and physicality from the group was there, but that moment cost us."

What the pundits say

Former England World Cup winning-captain Martin Johnson on BBC One: "Wales will wake up tomorrow and they'll think the try straight off the kick-off has cost them the game. Not looking at the ball after a kick-off has cost them.

"It all comes down to fundamentals. That was such a huge moment, it changed the game completely."

Former Wales fly-half Jonathan Davies on BBC One: "The turning point was that Darcy Graham try.

"At international level you cannot allow opposition to score a try straight from the restart when you've got 15 players in your own half."

Former Wales wing Alex Cuthbert on BBC Radio Wales: "If you gave me this result before the game I would've taken it, but I think how it was just one moment [Darcy Graham's try] that got Scotland back into the game makes it so much harder to take.

Former Scotland flanker John Barclay on BBC One: "Credit to Scotland for being brave.

"The game swung on the Darcy Graham try. Wales were brilliant, Scotland got away with that."

After a slow start to the game, Adil Aouchiche’s fortuitous strike opened the gate for two teams who would only benefit from three points. Schalke’s deadline day signing was on a difficult angle when he received the ball from Edin Džeko, but his ambitious effort ended up in the net after a huge deflection from Jean Hugonet.

Magdeburg only needed seconds to respond with Alexander Nollenberger beating Kevin Müller with a beautiful curler. The Heidenheim loanee made his Schalke debut in place of Loris Karius, who was nursing a back injury.

The next chance of the game fell to Dejan Ljubicic, who is yet another new signing by Schalke in a hectic January window for the club. However, Dominik Reimann was barely troubled in Magdeburg’s goal as his routine saves from two weak efforts by Džeko.

The Bosnian had his first big chance in the 35th minute, but his curling effort narrowly missed the target. Three minutes later, the legendary striker put Schalke in front once again with an effortless header from Aouchiche’s delivery. It was a fourth goal in three Veltins Arena appearances for the 2009-10 Bundesliga top-scorer.

Schalke still allowed two clear-cut chances at the other end before the half-time break, but Mateusz Żukowski failed to test Müller from a promising position before Falko Michel rattled the crossbar from Barış Atik’s free-kick delivery.

Aouchiche’s deliveries continued to cause problems at the other end as Schalke awarded a penalty-kick inside the first five minutes of the second-half. Philipp Hercher’s inexplicable handball was punished by Kenan Karaman, who calmly slotted it home from 12 yards.

However, Magdeburg scored immediately once again as Żukowski beats Müller from outside the box. The Polish striker reached double-figure goals despite only making his 2. Bundesliga debut on matchday 13 due to an injury.

Schalke’s strong defensive record has been plummeting in 2026, but they did finally score more than three goals for the first time this season. First, Ljubicic netted his first Schalke goal after an unselfish play by Džeko.

Three minutes later, Karaman became the first Schalke player to reach ten goals for the season as the captain capitalized on Lubambo Musonda’s mistake. Reimann’s double save from Moussa Sylla and Aouchiche’s quickfire shots prevented a sixth goal with more than 15 minutes still left to play.

However, it was the visitors who scored the eighth goal of a cracking football match. After a sequence of mistakes in Schalke’s backline, Mertcan Ayhan conceded a penalty-kick for a foul on the lively Żukowski. The 24-year-old gladly took the opportunity to score his 11th 2. Bundesliga goal in as many appearances. 

Schalke have conceded three goals in a game for the first time this season, but the three points were the most important thing on an enthralling night of football at Veltins Arena.

Schalke are back in first place after Darmstadt and Elversberg climbed above them with home wins over Fortuna Düsseldorf and Eintracht Braunschweig earlier today. Magdeburg could drop to 17th place if Dynamo Dresden beat promotion hopefuls Hannover tomorrow.

Magdeburg will host ninth-placed Karlsruhe next week, while Miron Muslić’s side will be away at Greuther Fürth. Both of their opponents won their respective games on matchday 23.

How should the Boston Celtics handle a potential Jayson Tatum return? By all accounts, the St. Louis native has been ramping up his process of getting back on the court for Boston as his long rehab from the Achilles tendon injury he suffered vs. the New York Knicks in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals.

And that begs the question of his team plans to reintegrate the Duke alum into a ball club that is currently in the Eastern Conference second place position despite Tatum's injury and the offseason exits of Al Horford, Luke Kornet, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday to trades or free agency. A number of younger players already on the roster or added to the team in that same offseason have been excelling, and upsetting things could actually be a problem for Boston to solve.

The folks behind the "NBA on NBC" YouTube channel put together a clip from their "Numbers of the Board" show looking into this potential conundrum. Check it out below!

Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:

Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47

YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: How should the Celtics handle a potential Jayson Tatum return?

American-born Olympian Eileen Gu, 22, has responded to Vice President JD Vance’s comment that she should not be competing for China in this year’s Winter Olympics.

During a Tuesday interview with Fox News, Vance suggested that because Gu was born and raised in San Francisco, California, she should compete for the United States and not her mother’s home country of China.

The freestyle skier then spoke with USA Today days later, where she responded to the vice president’s comments, saying, “I’m flattered. Thanks, JD! That’s sweet.”

She was also asked if she felt “like a bit of a punching bag for a certain strand of American politics at the moment,” prompting Gu to agree.

“So many athletes compete for a different country,” she added. “People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really about what they think it’s about.”

The Olympian also admitted that Vance was not the only person to criticize her decision to not compete for Team USA, as she recalled being “physically attacked” on Stanford University’s campus — where she is a student — in “broad daylight.”

“It was pretty serious,” Gu said.

Her comments came after Vance told Fox News that he hoped American citizens would choose to compete for the U.S. on the world stage.

“I certainly think that somebody who grew up in the United States of America, who benefited from our education system, from the freedoms and liberties that make this country a great place, I would hope that they want to compete with the United States of America,” Vance said.

“So, I’m going to root for American athletes. I think part of that is people who identify themselves as Americans. That’s who I’m rooting for in this Olympics.”

The skier has won two silver medals at the 2026 games, adding to her collection of two golds and one silver from the 2022 games in Beijing. Even though she is the most decorated female Olympic freestyle skier, Gu’s citizenship has been a point of contention, as this is her second Olympics competing for China.

Her reasoning behind that decision is that she wants to help make the sport more mainstream in China, since the U.S. “already has the representation,” she told Time Magazine earlier this year.

The International Olympic Committee requires athletes to be citizens of the nations they represent, noting on its site that a “competitor who is a national of two or more countries at the same time may represent either one of them.”

“Dybala won’t be involved against Cremonese. He’s continuing his treatment and I’m really sorry for him, as I am for the others who are working to get back. He’s doing everything he can to make himself available but he still has this niggle that’s holding him back. He’s fully determined to recover as quickly as possible.”

“Soule hasn’t trained all week so he won’t be involved. Hopefully he’ll make it for our upcoming games.”

Those were the unfortunate updates on Roma’s two creative attacking midfielders heading into Sunday’s match against Cremonese at the Olimpico. That will open space for Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Zaragoza to support Donyell Malen. And Gasperini was asked about the room for improvement for those two.

“I’d say so, definitely. Pellegrini has been playing regularly but it can happen that you experience a dip in form and lose a bit of sharpness. However, I expect him to start playing a decisive role again, starting with this game against Cremonese. He’s always made a big, consistent contribution to the team.

“As for Zaragoza, we need to give him a bit of time. He hasn’t been here long and we threw him straight in, giving him playing time and responsibility. He has some very good qualities and he’s already shown a bit of what he can do, but it takes a few games to properly adapt to the team and to become consistent.”

And speaking of Malen, Gasperini touched on what has made him such an instant success with Roma after being on the margins at Aston Villa.

“I don’t think Serie A is inferior; in fact, in many ways it’s more difficult, especially for forwards. Malen is an Aston Villa player and plays for the Netherlands so he’s an important player. When we signed him I said that I was convinced about his quality and the main reason I wanted him at Roma was because of his position. I told him very clearly: I think you should play in that position. He was often used on the wing in a 4-2-3-1 and ended up out wide, both in England and for his national team. I see him in that central role, where I think he can be decisive. A centre-forward doesn’t necessarily have to be one metre 90. The way I want to play football, with the attributes he has, I think he can perform at his best in that position. He can play in other positions too but I think this is his natural role.”

In addition to Soulé and Dovbyk, Roma will also be without Evan Ferguson, Artem Dovbyk, and Stephan Elk Shaarawy, leaving the attacking options behind Malen, Zaragoza, and Pellegrini limited. In his presser, Gasperini addressed the injury issues and spoke about the youngsters Robinio Vaz and Lorenzo Venturino, who are the main attacking options off the bench.

“Injuries are part of the game and always have been. It’s even more the case nowadays because there are lots of matches and that’s when most injuries happen. Games are played at a very high tempo and it’s not always possible to fully recover between one game and the next. As for us, I have 14 or 15 players who have basically never been injured – touch wood – but there have been situations that have had a big impact: [Artem] Dovbyk, [Evan] Ferguson, [Leon] Bailey, Dybala, [Stephan] El Shaarawy and others. They’ve been sidelined for long periods. When you add up the matches they’ve missed, or the months in which certain players have been unavailable, it obviously has an impact. Over the course of 40, 50 or even 60 games, it can happen that someone has to miss a game or two, like [Manu] Kone, and that’s par for the course. The real problem is when injuries drag on for weeks or months even – in that case it clearly has an impact on the team.”

“Venturino and Vaz are two very young players who were thrown into the action soon after arriving, partly out of necessity and partly to get a gauge of their maturity. They’re very different. Venturino is on loan. He played a few games for Genoa last season and scored a few goals but hasn’t played much this year. He plays in a position where we were short on numbers and I think with time he can help us.

“Vaz is a big investment the club has made. He’s very young too and has only really made substitute appearances so far, but he’s already scored some goals. The price tag is a bit of a burden for him because naturally it changes people’s perception. I’m trying to understand how useful he can be for Roma in the short term, because I’m sure he will be very useful in the future. We have to assess him carefully based on what we see in training and his substitute appearances. It’s not easy to slot straight into a difficult league like Serie A mid-season.”

Where Roma has regained full health is in the center of the park where Manu Koné is again available and expected to start. Ranieri was asked about the possibility of Koné starting with Pisilli.

“All four of the players you mentioned are doing well. We have a wealth of options in that area. Given the emergency situation up front, we have to consider if any of them could play in a more advanced role – a bit like with Pellegrini. They can adapt but they can’t offer the same attributes you get with proper forwards. In midfield we have plenty of cover and great options – they’re all performing well. When we’re back in European competition, having all these options will be a big advantage. Teams involved in multiple competitions need big squads and we’re definitely well equipped in the middle of the park.”

Another huge boost is the fact that Wesley is available after spraining his ankle while drawing a penalty against Napoli. However, he isn’t expected to start. He’s also one of three players—along with Evan Ndicka and Gianluca Mancini—who are one yellow card away from suspension. Gasperini was asked if he’d try to protect those players with the big match against Juventus a week away.

“Getting three points against Cremonese is essential. We need to be at our best and very determined because the points are important in every match and they’re always difficult to earn. We can’t look beyond this game.”

With that in mind, Mancini and Ndicka are expected to start alongside Mario Hermoso in the back three. However, as stated previously, Wesley is more likely to come off the bench, which opens a starting role for Kostas Tsimikas on the left wing. Zeki Çelik, who this week is rumored to have found a contractual pre-agreement with Juve, is expected to start on the right.

ROMA (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Çelik, Cristante, Koné, Tsimikas; Zaragoza, Pellegrini; Malen

New UCLA coach Bob Chesney will direct his first football season in a historic venue the Bruins have long called home.

UCLA announced on Saturday that the Bruins will play the 2026 season at the Rose Bowl amid ongoing litigation of the university's right to potentially break its lease and play home games at SoFi Stadium.

"We know how much game day means to Bruins — to our students, alumni and fans who plan their autumn around Saturdays together," UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications Mary Osako said in a statement. "Our priority is delivering a strong season experience for our student-athletes and our community, and we have great momentum in our football program.

"During this unprecedented time in college athletics, UCLA will always be guided by what’s best for our student-athletes and the Bruin community."

Read more:Plaschke: Shame on UCLA for trying to ditch the iconic Rose Bowl for cash grab at SoFi Stadium

The California Post was the first to report UCLA's decision to play another season at the Rose Bowl.

While the lawsuit states UCLA has formally notified the Rose Bowl that it is “moving on” and that “there’s no way we’re staying long term,” the school has never publicly announced plans to move its home games to SoFi Stadium.

“While we continue to evaluate the long-term arrangement for UCLA football home games, no decision has been made,” Osako said in a statement to The Times in October.

After a judge denied UCLA's request to settle its legal dispute with the Rose Bowl operators and city of Pasadena via arbitration, it seemed unlikely the legal issues would be resolved in time for UCLA play the 2026 season anywhere but the Rose Bowl.

Read more:Will UCLA be forced to stay at the Rose Bowl? Legal scholars weigh in on the case

The city of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Operating Co. filed a lawsuit in October to force UCLA to honor its contract and play games at the stadium through the 2044 season.

The complaint and subsequent filings have alleged that the university has been working to play its home games at SoFi Stadium, calling the move “a profound betrayal of trust.” Rose Bowl officials have since added SoFi Stadium and its operator, Kroenke Sports, to the lawsuit.

UCLA’s lease runs through June 30, 2044, and Pasadena officials say taxpayers have invested more than $150 million in stadium renovations while recently refinancing an additional $130 million in bonds for capital improvements.

The iconic Rose Bowl opened in 1922, is a national historic landmark and boasts ample tailgating opportunities, but some fans have complained about the aging venue's uncomfortable seating and lack of modern amenities.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Friday as it proceeds toward trial.

Sign up for UCLA Unlocked for big game takeaways, recruiting buzz and more UCLA sports insights.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

There’s just something different about this Alabama gymnastics team right now. Confident. Composed. Hungry. And on Friday night inside a loud, hostile Neville Arena, the No. 3 Crimson Tide proved once again that they are built for big moments.

All Tide!!

Alabama takes its first win in Neville Arena since 2018 and ties its season-high score!#RollTidepic.twitter.com/PPYTJFFDtM

— Alabama Gymnastics (@BamaGymnastics) February 21, 2026

Alabama delivered its second consecutive 197.950 team score, powering past in-state rival Auburn 197.950-197.250 and securing its first win on the Plains since 2018.

In a rivalry where emotion runs high and chaos often follows, the Tide didn’t blink. T

hey executed.

This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement.

National bars leader Chloe LaCoursiere once again set the tone. She posted three scores of 9.900 or higher for the third time this season, continuing what has been one of the most dominant stretches in the country. When she’s on the bars, Alabama isn’t just hoping for a big score, it almost feels expected.

But this victory was the definition of a team effort.

Six different Tide gymnasts claimed event titles across all four rotations.

Jordyn Paradise soared to a 9.950 on vault.

LaCoursiere and freshman standout Azaraya Ra-Akbar matched that 9.950 on bars.

Jasmine Cawley and Kylee Kvamme anchored beam with matching 9.925s, showing nerves of steel in one of the most pressure-packed events.

Gabby Gladieux closed things out on floor with a 9.925, putting an emphatic exclamation point on the night.

Head coach Ashley Johnston said the team’s focus word all week was “certain,” and that mindset showed.

Alabama didn’t look rattled by the environment, the rivalry, or the stakes.

They looked prepared.

Calm.

Dangerous.

And maybe most encouraging of all, they still believe their best gymnastics is ahead of them.

Small improvements added up.

Landings tightened.

Execution sharpened.

The Tide found those extra tenths that separate good teams from championship contenders.

This group doesn’t appear satisfied. They’re not celebrating scores, they’re chasing perfection.

That’s what makes this run feel different.

Alabama didn’t just survive an Iron Bowl on the road. They controlled it with poise, power, and precision. If this is what “not at our peak yet” looks like, the rest of the SEC, and the nation, should be paying very close attention.

Because this team isn’t just winning.

They’re building momentum.

And they look unphased… and relentless.

Roll Tide.

Mikaela Shiffrin just made history and quoted Taylor Swift after winning at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The alpine skier won a gold medal in slalom and became the first-ever skier from the United States to win three Olympic golds.

After the win, Shiffrin posted an Instagram picture capturing herself skiing, with the caption, “My advice is always ruin the friendship.” Fans were quick to notice the shoutout to Swift, as the lyrics are from her song, “Ruin the Friendship.” If that wasn’t enough to create a buzz online, the singer’s reaction to the post, calling the win “historic,” did that.

Mikaela Shiffrin quoting song lyrics after winning gold has Taylor Swift saying ‘historic’

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Mikaela Shiffrin has grabbed all the spotlight after making history, and she has also got Taylor Swift’s attention. She won a gold medal in slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics, marking a proud moment for the country. The professional skier made history by becoming the first U.S. skier to win three Olympic golds.

While the country celebrated her win, something else caught the attention of the fans. Shiffrin not only brought a major win to the country by bringing home a gold medal, but also grabbed the attention of Swift and, in turn, the Swifties.

Shiffrin shared a photo on Instagram showing herself skiing at the Winter Games. She posted the photo on February 19, and what became buzzworthy was the caption alongside it. The gold medalist captioned the post, “My advice is always ruin the friendship.”

She chose lyrics from one of Taylor Swift’s songs for the iconic post. The lyrics are from “Ruin the Friendship,” a track from Swift’s latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl”. The “Opalite” singer also congratulated her on the win, exclaiming, “HISTORIC,” in the comments section.

Shiffrin has always loved Swift’s music. In fact, in 2024, she reportedly said that Swift’s songs help guide her in navigating fame, challenges, and success.

Originally reported by Chhavi Puri on RealityTea.

The post Taylor Swift Reacts to Mikaela Shiffrin Quoting Her Lyrics After Win appeared first on Mandatory.

Four-star Miami Hurricanes wide receiver commitment Ah'Mari Stevens plans to visit four schools this spring. Stevens recently released his top five schools despite committing to Miami in January 2025. He will visit four of his top five schools.

The elite wide receiver prospect plans to visit the Georgia Bulldogs (June 5), Miami (May 29), LSU Tigers (April 18) and Texas Longhorns (June 19). Stevens does not have a scheduled visit with the Tennessee Volunteers even though they are among his top schools. Stevens appears to be reconsidering his commitment to the Hurricanes.

Stevens plans to take an official visit to Georgia for multiple days. The Bulldogs are looking for more commitments at wide receiver in the class of 2027. UGA and coach Kirby Smart currently only have a commitment from three-star receiver Aden Starling.

The talented wide receiver plays high school football for Chaminade-Madonna in Miami, Florida, which is the same high school Ohio State superstar Jeremiah Smith attended. Stevens is a track athlete in high school and his speed shows in the film.

Stevens is the No. 235 prospect in the nation and the No. 31 wide receiver, per 247Sports. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound receiver is the No. 25 recruit in Florida.

Stevens recently received scholarship offers from Georgia, Texas and LSU, who will all receive visits from the shifty wide receiver recruit. The Miami commit is excellent after the catch and has elite speed. In addition to playing wide receiver, Stevens plays as a punt returner and cornerback.

Ah'Mari Stevens plans Georgia football visit

Locked in 🫡 @Dawgs247@KirbySmartUGA@CoachColeypic.twitter.com/3sIZGZoacv

— Ah’Mari Stevens ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (@1bombedyou_) February 16, 2026

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: 4-star WR Ah'Mari Stevens plans four spring visits

Louisville never trailed for a second as they celebrated Senior Day with an 87-70 win over Georgia Tech Saturday afternoon inside the KFC Yum Center.

Mikel Brown Jr. led the Cards with 19 points, while the senior trio of J’Vonne Hadley (17), Ryan Conwell (15) and Isaac McKneely (14) also scored in double figures.

It wasn’t all pretty for U of L. The Cardinals allowed multiple runs of 10-0 or more against a Yellow Jacket team that lost for the ninth straight time. Louisville also struggled again with turnovers, giving the ball away a season-high 18 times.

Louisville made up for those deficiencies by shooting 52% (27-of-52) from the field, 45% (14-of-31) from three, and 95% (19-of-20) from the free-throw line. They also forced Tech into 17 turnovers of their own.

Senior walk-on Spencer Legg added the afternoon’s exclamation point by burying the second made shot of his Cardinal career with a three-pointer in the game’s closing seconds.

It was not an overwhelmingly encouraging performance against the current worst power conference team in college basketball, but it got the job done.

Huge opportunity in Chapel Hill coming up in about 48 hours.

FIRST HALF ANALYSIS:

Pryce Sandfort came out like he did when the Huskers played Illinois in Champaign back in December. Nebraska had to make a lineup change due to Berke Buyuktuncel out with an illness. Given the fact that Fred Hoiberg has only been using a 7-man rotation lately, that was going to test the Husker depth early. Sandfort was doing his level best to keep pace with the entire Nittany Lions team. Penn State went on a 7+ minute scoring drought, not scoring between the 5-minute and 12-minute mark.

Penn State had plenty of turnover issues during that drought, and Nebraska would open up a double-digit lead. Braden Frager and Cale Jacobsen both picked up 2 fouls in the half, leading to the introductions of Leo Curtis and Jared Garcia. Garcia was doing some work on the glass, something that has been sorely lacking the last few games for Nebraska. Nebraska was comfortable most of the half and took a 38-20 lead into the half.

FIRST HALF STATS:

Penn State shot 8-24 for 33% from the floor. They went 1-8 for 13% from deep and 3-5 for 60% from the free-throw line. The Nittany Lions collected 17 rebounds, 4 of which were offensive. Penn State had 11 turnovers to just 4 assists. 12 of their points came in the paint.

The Nittany Lions were led by Josh Reed, who had 8 points. Ivan Juric led the way with 6 rebounds. 4 different Nittany Lions had 1 assist.

Nebraska shot 14-31 for 45% from the floor. They went 7-16 for 44% from deep and 3-5 for 60% from the free-throw line. The Huskers collected 18 rebounds, 6 of which were offensive. Nebraska had 10 assists to 5 turnovers. Nebraska scored 12 points off of turnovers.

The Huskers were led by Pryce Sandfort, who had 20 points. Jared Garcia had 6 rebounds off the bench to lead Nebraska. Jamarques Lawrence had 4 assists to pace the Huskers.

SECOND HALF ANALYSIS:

Nebraska was pretty comfortable throughout the entire second half. The Huskers used a 9-0 run to push the lead to 22. Pryce Sandfort, who had 20 in the first half, only had 2 in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. That was alright, as Sam Hoiberg worked his way into his first career double-double. Sandfort would finish with a career high 33 points in the end, but needed just 1 rebound to get a double-double of his own.

He had 6 minutes to do it but couldn’t find one. Ivan Juric was about the best thing for Penn State, as he had a double-double of his own. Penn State would not cut the lead any closer than 15 points, and Nebraska eased its way into its 23rd victory.

FINAL STATS AND THOUGHTS:

Penn State shot 24-57 for 42% from the floor. They went 4-20 for 20% from deep and 12-17 for 71% from the free-throw line. The Nittany Lions collected 33 rebounds, 10 of which were offensive. Penn State had 15 turnovers to 13 assists, and had 36 points in the paint.

The Nittany Lions were led by Ivan Juric, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kayden Mingo also contributed 13 points and 6 assists. Josh Reed had 11 points and 5 rebounds.

Nebraska shot 32-62 for 52% from the floor. They went 14-35 for 40% from deep and 9-12 for 75% from the free-throw line. The Huskers collected 36 rebounds, 10 of which were offensive. Nebraska had 22 assists to 11 turnovers and had 19 points off of turnovers.

The Huskers were led by Pryce Sandfort, who had a career high 33 points. He also had 9 rebounds. Sam Hoiberg had 11 points and a career high 10 assists. Jared Garcia had 7 rebounds off the bench, which was pivotal in helping Nebraska outrebound Penn State.

This one was a good “get right” game. Pretty straightforward, not challenging and a solid home victory. 9 different Huskers scored, with 3 of them getting into double figures. Sandfort going 8-14 from deep certainly helps, but I felt Frager, Hoiberg, Mast and Lawrence did a really good job of balancing things out today. Jared Garcia, who I felt needed more minutes to help out the big men, came in and did a great job of clearing the glass in his short time. 4 points and 7 rebounds (3 offensive) in 19 minutes was the exact thing Fred Hoiberg needed to help rest Rienk.

Nebraska has another home game coming up, as they take on the Maryland Terrapins. Maryland is not nearly as good as they were a year ago, as they lost their head coach and two star players (Derik Queen and Julian Reese) from last season’s squad. Tip-off from Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 6:00 pm on Wednesday, February 25th, and can be seen on the Big Ten Network.

Baseball is back and the Washington Nationals have come out on top not once, but twice. The team had a split squad double header today, where half the group went to Jupiter to face the Cardinals, while the rest of the team stayed in West Palm Beach to play the Astros. Both teams won, with the Nats edging the Astros 2-1 and beating the Cardinals 6-2.

It was an impressive start to the Paul Toboni and Blake Butera era. The pitching was mostly solid and the boys were able to get enough timely hits to get the job done. There are still things to clean up, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but they were good enough to win today. Also, these mistakes are only natural in the first games of Spring Training.

The Astros game was the one that was televised, so I was following that much more closely. It was a hotly contested game, where the Nats were let off the hook a few times by the Astros inability to hit with runners in scoring position. While there were some defensive miscues, there was also some brilliance. In the top of the 1st inning, prospect Andrew Pinckney made an outstanding throw to gun down a runner.

We were able to see the whole package with Pinckney today. As we saw, Pinckney’s arm is a major asset. Baseball America gave his arm a rare 80 grade. They noted that out of the 22 Triple-A outfield throws that were at least 100 mph, Pinckney made 8 of them. After seeing the rocket he unleashed today, that is easy to believe.

His skillset at the plate was also on display. In his first at bat, Pinckney looked overmatched and struck out. Those ugly strikeouts will always be a part of his game, it is all about limiting them. However, in his second plate appearance, he hit a 114 MPH rocket for a double in the gap. Pinckney has a 4th outfielder skillset. He has big power, elite speed, good defense and an elite arm, but has whiff concerns. 

Speaking of elite power, we saw that from Jorgelys Mota this afternoon. His home run gave the Nats a lead they never relinquished. The 20 year old got all of that ball as well, hitting it 434 feet and 115 MPH. Power has never been an issue for Mota, his big concerns come from his hit tool and propensity to chase. Maybe the new development team can unlock his potential and help him get to the next level.

Mota has not fully broken out yet, and has holes in his game, but Baseball America still has him as the Nats 25th ranked prospect. He showed why he was put on the top 30 with his monster blast today. Mota is an intimidating presence in the box and is likely to start this season at High-A.

While the young guys were the story, another player who looked good was CJ Abrams. He went 1 for 2 with a walk today. His hit was a double he ripped down the line. Abrams looked very composed in the box and was seeing pitches well. His bases loaded walk also drove in a run. 

On the mound, it was a mixed bag. While the Nats only allowed one run, they did walk 11 batters. However, I thought PJ Poulin and Paxton Schultz looked sharp. Jake Eder also had his moments, but was inconsistent.

The winning pitcher Seth Shuman got bailed out by his defense right away. Minor league free agent signing Leandro Pineda robbed a home run with a fantastic catch. I can’t say I had heard of him until today, but it was a good way to make a first impression.

Holden Powell survived three walks to close the door, and the Nats got their 2-1 win. It was not their only curly W of the day though. Over in Jupiter, the Nats defeated the Cardinals 6-2.

Maxwell Romero’s three run homer was the decider in that one. Harry Ford also had a solid first game in the organization, with a walk and an RBI base hit. The other piece of the Jose A. Ferrer package Isaac Lyon also fired two scoreless innings. Marquis Grissom Jr. was also sharp in his two innings of work.

Overall, you can’t ask for a much better first day of Spring Training contests. The Nats got two wins and some of the young guys impressed. Hopefully the Nats can build on that and have a strong spring. Who knows, maybe they can surprise people this season, you never know. The boys are back in action tomorrow at 1:10 against the Marlins.

Villanova Wildcats 21-5 (12-3) vs #5 Connecticut Huskies 24-3 (14-2)

Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena (Philadelphia, PA)

When: Saturday, February 21 at 5:30 PM

Betting Line: Villanova +2.5 (subject to change)

How to Watch: TNT + truTV

How to Listen: Villanova Sports Radio Network

Net Rankings: Villanova 29, Connecticut 10 (Quad 1)

KenPom: Villanova 27, Connecticut 13

Torvik: Villanova 29, Connecticut 9

MMA Fighting has Ryan Garcia vs. Mario Barrios live round-by-round updates for one of the most anticipated boxing fights of the year at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The main event is expected to begin around 12 a.m. ET on DAZN pay-per-view. Check out our Garcia vs. Barrios results page to find out what happened on the undercard.

Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 knockouts) is 2-2 with one no-contest in his past five fights. He lost via unanimous decision to Rolando Romero in his last outing this past May in Times Square.

Mario Barrios (29-2-2, 18 knockouts) is 3-0-2 over his past five fights. He has recorded two straight draws to defend his WBC welterweight title, including against legend Manny Pacquiao in his last outing this past July.

Get the Garcia vs. Barrios round-by-round live blog below:

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Round 4:

Round 5:

Round 6:

Round 7:

Round 8:

Round 9:

Round 10:

Round 11:

Round 12:

Barcelona star Eric García this week made use of the opportunity to aim a jibe at the standard of officiating in Spanish football.

This of course comes fresh off a drama-filled last week for the Blaugrana.

First, en route to a Copa del Rey drubbing at the hands of Atlético Madrid, Hansi Flick’s troops were left feeling hard done by through a trio of high-profile refereeing decisions.

Then, days later, Barca again found themselves up in arms, owing to a late Girona winner being allowed to stand in the Catalan Derby.

The fallout from the fixtures has since been widespread at the Camp Nou, amid mounting claims of an officiating campaign against the reigning La Liga champions.

And as alluded to above, late this week, a member of Barcelona’s backline has added his name to the list of vocal critics.

Speaking during an exchange with the media, as cited by Fabrizio Romano, Eric García revealed his take that:

“Right now, we feel like the referees can disallow every goal we score. If they want to disallow it, they will do it.”

Conor Laird – GSFN

WWE's Nattie may have plenty of focus on her own career right now, especially since she turned on former protege Maxxine Dupri and began to reinvent herself as the "Lowkey Legend." But despite all of that, the veteran still has plenty of time to keep track of other wrestling promotions, including AEW. And one woman that's really impressed her over the last year in Triangle of Madness leader Thekla.

While discussing Thekla's AEW World Championship victory on last week's "Busted Open Radio," Nattie revealed she had become a fan of "The Toxic Spider" one year ago, when she by chance got to see Thekla wrestle a match.

"I watched Thekla wrestle, and I wanted to meet her," Nattie said. "I wanted to get a picture with her backstage, because I was so impressed with her ability. She also just had this...it wasn't just what she was doing in the ring...She had this cool presence about her that you could tell she had worked on her character, and she really knew who she was. She kind of, she was doing stuff that kind of reminded me of Bray Wyatt. And she just had this bad ass presence about her. But everything she did was crisp and had snap to it and was like...I was so impressed." 

Nattie also had kind words to say about the woman Thekla beat for the AEW Women's World Championship, Kris Statlander. In particular, Nattie complimented Statlander on her ability to overcome several major obstacles.

"It's not easy, coming back from an injury," Nattie said. "I was talking yesterday with Nikita [Lyons]. I was filming some stuff yesterday at the Performance Center for 'LFG,' and I was talking to Nikita, because Nikita had two back to back knee injuries. Nobody realizes how hard that is to get injured, not just once, but twice, and come back and be better than ever before. It's work. But it's also mental work."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

Read more: Why Fans Are Turning On The Rock

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Chelsea conceded a late equaliser to Burnley this afternoon, having been reduced to ten men earlier in the game, adding to two bad stats.

It was head in hands time at Stamford Bridge this afternoon, where an extra time goal cost ten man Chelsea two points.

Some shocking marking from a set piece allowed Zian Flemming to score just minutes before full time.

“More points squandered at Stamford Bridge by Chelsea,” said Chris Wise of the BBC at full time.

“It’s yet another red card too, and that’s become a theme of Chelsea’s season. It really costly one today as it completely changed the game.”

Wesley Fofana’s red was the SIXTH in the Premier League this season. No other team has more than four. We’ve had as many reds as home wins. In all competitions, the number has reached eight.

Chelsea’s reds leading to dropped points

Wesley Fofana gets his marching orders against Burnley. (Photo by Jasper Wax/Getty Images)

The red cards are also a large factor behind the other dreadful stat that’s haunting us this year – the dropped points. The Blues have dropped 17 this season at Stamford Bridge alone. That’s the most of any team in the league. It’s 19 in all competitions, with only relegation threatened West Ham beating us on 20.

With some tough games coming up, it’s not going to get any easier either. This was a brilliant chance to earn 3 points after a nice rest, and we’ve blown it.

In other news…

Cole Palmer played 74 minutes today and was heavily involved – but he wasn’t decisive in front of goal, when he usually makes the difference.

The late equaliser for Burnley came from a corner, and the marking was truly shocking despite the number of central defenders on the pitch.

Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

Federico Dimarco was the driving force behind Inter Milan’s 2-0 victory at Lecce, picking up the Panini Player of the Match award after laying on two assists in what proved to be a harder test than the scoreline suggests.

The Italian wing-back spoke to DAZN at full time, via FCInterNews, reflecting on a victory that extends Inter’s lead at the top of Serie A while also providing much-needed momentum heading into Tuesday’s crucial Champions League second leg against Bodo/Glimt at San Siro.

Dimarco was characteristically humble throughout, even suggesting the individual award belonged to someone else entirely.

“It’s a huge sigh of relief,” he said of the second goal, which arrived on 75 minutes to settle Inter’s nerves.

“We knew this was a very demanding game against a well-organised team, and we were also coming off the trip to Norway. But it’s fine, it’s an important victory because it gives us continuity after the Juventus win. We needed it to extend our lead.”

Lecce 0-2 Inter Milan – Dimarco: ‘Mkhitaryan Deserved MOTM’

MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 14: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of FC Internazionale in action during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Dimarco was quick to deflect the individual recognition, pointing to a teammate’s impact from the bench.

“Mkhitaryan came on very well and he deserved it,” he said of the MOTM award.

When asked where he keeps his growing collection of prizes, the wing-back was endearingly straightforward.

“I give them to my kids, they sort them out. The important thing is the team and continuing to travel the way we are.”

On the whistles directed at Alessandro Bastoni during the match, Dimarco was keen to draw a line under the episode.

“Those are things of the past. Bastoni and those involved have said enough. We focus on doing our job.”

Recent reports from the Turkish press show that both Leeds United and Sunderland actively pursued Gabriel Sara during the winter transfer window. According to the outlet Fotospor, as relayed by Sport Witness, both English clubs held talks with the Brazilian midfielder. They also spoke with his current team, Galatasaray. The 26-year-old playmaker has proven himself in the Championship with Norwich City. However, he clearly isn’t in a rush to head back to the UK.

Turkish Media Exposes Transfer Interest From Leeds And Sunderland

The report suggests that Sara and the Istanbul giants felt the money offered by the Whites and the Black Cats wasn’t enough. They didn’t think the deals were worth a big mid-season move. So, the player chose to stay in the Süper Lig. His value keeps going up there after some big performances in European competitions.

The source didn’t give exact numbers for these bids. Still, the rejection shows a big gap in how the clubs value him. Sara moved to Turkey for about £15 million in 2024. Since then, he has become a key part of the Galatasaray midfield. His recent form has really boosted his reputation as a top talent. This includes a great goal and an assist in a 5-2 win over Juventus in the Champions League.

Another Turkish outlet, Sabah, as relayed by the same newspaper, claims that European scouts watched the Juventus game. His skill on the ball blew them away. Galatasaray now reportedly want over €30 million for the midfielder. Any future move by Sunderland or Leeds would take a massive financial effort. Such a deal would be much bigger than their previous winter offers.

Is a €30m Price Tag Actually a Good Deal for Sunderland?

ISTANBUL, TURKEY – DECEMBER 5: Gabriel Sara of Galatasaray looks on during the Trendyol Süper Lig match between Galatasaray SK and Samsunspor at Rams Park Stadium on December 5, 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

Looking at the situation, it’s clear that recruitment has changed for a club like Sunderland. This is especially true since they are fighting for a mid-table spot in the Premier League as of February 2026. The Black Cats have shown they mean business by going after a player of Sara’s quality. However, the rumoured €30 million price tag seems like a lot. The team are still trying to establish themselves in the top flight.

The Brazilian turns 27 this summer and is right on the edge of the Brazil national squad. He brings a combination of South American style and experience in the English leagues. Sunderland usually focus on signing younger players they can sell for a profit later. Putting so much of the budget into one player in the middle of his career goes against that plan.

Régis Le Bris obviously might like how Sara can play different roles. However, sticking with local talent and smart loan deals might be a better way to grow in a sustainable manner. If the Black Cats really want to push for Europe, they have to decide if a star signing like Sara is the right move. Otherwise, he might just be a pricey risk on a player who has already turned them down once.

Manchester United’s summer business is set to bring significant changes at Old Trafford, with INEOS aiming to equip the next permanent manager with the resources needed to mount a challenge for the Premier League title.

Whether Michael Carrick secures the permanent role after his interim spell remains to be seen, but it promises to be an exciting summer at the club.

Naturally, the rumour mill will go into overdrive in the coming months, with a multitude of players being linked with a move to the Theatre of Dreams.

Chelsea defender on the list?

Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has introduced a surprise name into the mix: Chelsea defender Jorrel Hato. As reported by Metro, Meulensteen believes the former Ajax player might be seeking an exit from Stamford Bridge after a discouraging maiden season in West London.

“It is a disappointing move for Jorrel Hato because he was absolutely outstanding for Ajax at the time.

“It doesn’t help his career, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he is looking for a loan move or another challenge elsewhere,” said Meulensteen.

The Dutchman then said his fellow countryman would be a great fit at United, referencing his versatility and potential as huge selling points for any Premier League club.

“If I were any Premier League team, including Manchester United, and he were available or became available, I would definitely be looking at him because he is still very young, and there is a lot of potential to unlock.

“He is also versatile, he can play left-back, centre-back, or as a number six. He is technically very, very good,” he said.

Midfield the priority

The 19-year-old certainly has potential, having become the youngest ever captain of Ajax before his £37 million move to the English top flight last summer.

Meulensteen’s recommendation to potentially use Hato as a number six could be crucial to United’s interest in the youngster, given the necessity to improve their options in the middle of the park.

Finding a suitable replacement for Casemiro is arguably the highest priority this summer in terms of the playing squad, and Hato could be one to keep an eye on.

The two clubs are also no strangers to doing business, with Alejandro Garnacho‘s move the other way at the end of last season being the most recent transfer between the Premier League rivals.

Additionally, Chelsea’s incredibly high turnover of players would probably leave them open to talks should United make an approach.

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Inter manager Cristian Chivu showed optimism about his team’s chances in the second leg of the Champions League playoff tie against Bodo/Glimt.

Speaking to the press (via Inter.it) following the Nerazzurri’s 2-0 victory over Lecce, Chivu lifted the mood around the club for the upcoming Champions League second leg clash against Bodo/Glimt. The first leg ended in a 3-1 loss for Inter in the Arctic Circle but everything can change with the crowd at their back at San Siro. The head coach said: “We saw what happened on Wednesday in Bodo, we have to be ready for Tuesday, the game is still wide open, qualification is in the balance.”

The Romanian manager grounded his team’s performance in the victory over Lecce that saw them go clear by ten points at the Serie A summit. He recognised the shortcomings they have experienced in the match, and talked about repairing those in the future. Chivu remarked: “Today we should have made better use of set pieces. We had a lot of them, but in the first half, we weren’t able to maximize them. We have two extraordinary players who made the most of them and Federico Dimarco, who has a fantastic left foot, and we know we can do better in these situations. We are aware of the difficulties of every match and that no one gives us anything.”

Finally, he gave some positive news on the recovery of Denzel Dumfries and Hakan Calhanoglu as the former is set to join training from tomorrow and the Turkish midfielder will be back on Monday. The boss said: “Dumfries has made some progress in recent weeks: from tomorrow he will officially be back in the group and available. Calhanoglu is also doing well and I think he will be back with the group from Monday.”

Trambak Bhattacherjee | GIFN

For a long time this campaign, it has looked like Glenavon would be facing relegation from the Irish Premiership at the end of the season.

However, just like in the title race at the other end of the table, it looks like there will be twists and turns with just nine games left this season.

The Lurgan Blues, who are bottom of the table, collected their first away points of the season with a 3-1 win at Bangor, while Crusaders slipped to a 5-2 defeat in the north Belfast derby at Cliftonville.

The results mean that Glenavon have moved to within seven points of Crusaders in 11th place, which isn't headline news on first reading.

However, when Michael O'Connor took charge of Glenavon in October they were 11 points off automatic safety, and they have now won two of their last four matches.

Declan Caddell's Crusaders, on the other hand, last won a game of football on 3 January.

Ballymena United are just three points ahead of the Crues and are far from safe, while Portadown and Bangor will want more points on the board to ensure their place in the top flight.

So, with just four games left before the split, when the bottom six sides will all face each other in the final five rounds of fixtures, will Glenavon drag themselves off the bottom of the table, or will Crusaders pull clear?

• Cliftonville beat Crues as Glenavon win at Bangor

Former Portadown title winner Philip Major said the lack of leadership was a worry for Crusaders, who lost Jarlath O'Rourke and Ross Clarke to Glentoran in January, and when asked if he feared for the Seaview side he said, "I do".

"I'm concerned for them regarding the leadership on the pitch. That is something that has given them some trouble this season," he added on Sportsound.

"They have lost a lot of leaders in their dressing room and they need to create much more resilience as a squad. So far it hasn't really happened and I'd guess it is because there are so many young players.

"Maybe they'll grow into that role, but whether they will grow quickly enough to get themselves out of that play-off position, I'd have reservations.

"If Glenavon continue with their upward trajectory then you could see them looking at Crusaders and thinking they have something to play for."

Crucially, the bottom two sides still have to face each other two more times this season - and both will be crucial.

First of all, on 14 March the Lurgan Blues will travel to Seaview and they will play again at Mourneview Park in the post-split fixtures.

'You can't have any regrets'

O'Connor said he was "delighted" with Glenavon's performance in the win over Bangor on Saturday, as Conor Falls scored twice and Barney McKeown also netted.

The former Northern Ireland midfielder said he aimed to avoid relegation when he took the job at Mourneview Park and that that ambition hasn't changed as the season as progressed.

"We were 11 points behind at that point and Crusaders had two or three games in hand," he said on BBC Radio Ulster.

"We're slowly but surely getting there. The next nine games are nine cup finals for us. You have to give everything you have, you can't have any regrets.

"It's only three points at the end of the day and we have to move on to Tuesday."

On the other hand, Crusaders coach Sean O'Neill said they were made to pay for an "awful" opening 20 minutes against Cliftonville.

O'Neill, who joined the Crues' coaching set-up in January, said it "wasn't good enough" but the onus was on the club to turn their form around, and not worry about Glenavon's recent upturn results.

"Look, we just have to rely on ourselves. We need points on the board, and we need them as soon as possible," he told BBC Sport NI.

"The fact that other teams are picking up results is what it is. We can't worry about what others are doing, we have to look after ourselves.

"For too many weeks now, too many lads have been looking over their shoulder, and that's not the Crusaders way.

"We need to knuckle down, get points on the board, and get back at it."

Show him the money.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba isn't in a hurry to get paid, but the Seattle Seahawks star receiver is bound to cash in with a big contract when that time comes. He took home the award for NFL Offensive Player of the Year and also helped Seattle win its second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history after winning Super Bowl 60.

The receiver is officially eligible for an extension this offseason, but there is no timeline on when a deal will be done.

"I'm really not too pressed right now to get it done," Smith-Njigba said in an interview with WFAA on Feb. 20 in his hometown of Dallas. "I know my time is coming, and when we get it done, it's going to be a great deal. God's timing is perfect timing, so whenever that may come, we'll be ready for it. I believe I deserve to be the highest paid in my position. Just what I give to the game and the community, I give it my all, and I think that's worth a lot more."

Smith-Njigba went on to talk about his love of the game, but the business side of things drives his desire to be the highest-paid.

"I would play this game for free," Smith-Njigba said. "I love this game so much. But you don't have to, and I'm learning to be a good businessman, and we need that check at the end of the day."

He is currently set to enter the final year of a four-year, $14.4 million rookie contract. The deal, just like every NFL rookie contract, was slotted. Smith-Njigba was drafted by the Seahawks with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Since his selection came in the first round, Seattle has the ability to pick up Smith-Njigba's fifth-year option, which would extend his stay in the Pacific Northwest for another year. The fifth-year-option window for the 2023 draft class opened Jan. 5, with the final deadline set for May 1.

That option would be worth about $24.4 million, per Spotrac.

Smith-Njigba recorded 119 catches, 10 touchdowns and led the league with 1,793 receiving yards, setting a franchise record. He was also named a first-team All-Pro and earned a Pro Bowl selection.

If the Seahawks' star wants to become the highest-paid receiver, he will have to surpass the number that Ja'Marr Chase received last offseason. The Cincinnati Bengals' receiver inked a four-year, $161 million deal on March 16, 2025 to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

With an average annual value (AAV) of $40.25 million, the mark is set for Smith-Njigba.

Time will tell if he beats it.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seahawks Jaxon Smith-Njigba wants to be highest-paid WR with extension

Henrikh Mkhitaryan's second-half goal helped Inter Milan move 10 points clear at the Serie A summit with a 2-0 win at Lecce on Saturday, while beleaguered Juventus slumped to defeat by Como.

Cristian Chivu's Inter struggled to break down their stubborn hosts but 37-year-old Mkhitaryan and Manuel Akanji struck late to put the pressure on second-placed AC Milan ahead of their match against Parma on Sunday.

Inter suffered a surprise 3-1 defeat by Norwegians Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League knockout play-off first leg in midweek, but have now won seven successive games in Serie A.

Attention will now turn to Tuesday's second leg against Bodo as last season's losing finalists bid to keep their European campaign alive.

"We are aware of the difficulties, that we have to earn everything on the pitch and can take nothing for granted," Chivu told DAZN of that game.

"We must be the best version of ourselves, because the qualification is still wide open. Nothing is decided yet."

They were given a boost by Milan's draw with Como on Wednesday and strengthened their grip on the title race further at Lecce as they look to regain the Scudetto from Napoli.

Inter wing-back Luis Henrique had an early effort cleared off the line by Lecce defender Jamil Siebert, before home goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone made a fine save to deny Pio Esposito.

Falcone was called into action again in the 36th minute, tipping an Esposito header around the post, and Davide Frattesi fired over shortly afterwards.

Inter thought they had scored six minutes after the restart but Federico Dimarco's effort was ruled out after a VAR review for a tight offside against Marcus Thuram in the build-up.

The visitors finally made their dominance count with 15 minutes remaining, though, as Mkhitaryan fired home a half-volley through a crowded penalty area.

Inter put the game to bed when Akanji headed in a Dimarco corner with eight minutes remaining.

- Juve jeered by fans -

Juventus were jeered off after capping a dreadful week with a 2-0 home loss to fellow Champions League chasers Como.

Luciano Spalletti's men were thrashed 5-2 by Galatasaray in their Champions League knockout play-off first leg in midweek and slumped to another disappointing loss.

Sixth-placed Como inflicted a damaging first home league defeat of the season on Juve, moving to within one point of their fifth-placed opponents.

Roma, who hold the fourth and final Champions League berth, could move four points clear of the Turin giants when they host Cremonese on Sunday.

"There is too much pressure over recent results, and these moments make the difference," Juve coach Spalletti said after a fourth defeat in five games for his team in all competitions.

"It's all about self-belief, that we have what it takes.

"We had managed to create that belief in our potential, but when confidence and a sense of authority goes...

"I saw misplaced passes that are simply never done by my players. It's not something that happens, and they feel trapped by the situation."

Cesc Fabregas's Como, playing in just their second Serie A season since being promoted in 2024, gave their own Champions League qualification hopes a massive boost with their first league win in four matches.

Como were in front in just the 11th minute when Juve gave the ball away in midfield.

Anastasios Douvikas took up possession and played in Mergim Vojvoda on the right.

The Kosovar cut inside before unleashing a left-footed shot which goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio could not keep out despite getting a hand to the ball.

The second goal came just after the hour mark when Como counter-attacked from a poorly taken Juventus corner.

Maximo Perrone carried the ball all the way up the pitch before spotting Lucas Da Cunha making a run into the box.

The captain drilled a low cross to Maxence Caqueret who tapped into an empty net from close range.

jc/nf

After No. 12 Iowa women's basketball (21-5, 12-3 Big Ten) secured an 83-74 victory over Purdue (12-14, 4-11 Big Ten) on Thursday at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind., freshman guard Journey Houston reflected on her pregame emotions, in-game trust with teammates, and overall preparedness for her first game in the Hawkeyes' starting lineup.

The 5-foot-11 native of Davenport, Iowa, played an exceptional game for the Hawkeyes, securing clutch buckets throughout the contest en route to a new career-high in scoring with 16 points on a 5-for-9 shooting effort. Houston was also 6-of-7 from the charity stripe and added five rebounds and two assists in her 28 minutes of action against the Boilermakers.

Houston has been a consistent scoring boost off the bench for Jan Jensen's Hawkeyes throughout the season, but was thrust into the starting lineup on Thursday due to the sudden injury to senior forward Hannah Stuelke.

"I was nervous when I was first told that I was going to be starting, but today I just took it day by day, and I always stay ready. So when I stepped on the court, I wasn't really that nervous.

"For myself, when I see the first shot go in, that helps a lot, and then we have people on fire like (Taylor) Stremlow and Ava (Heiden), so we just work as a team and find the open person. I feel like I have a good sense of my role. I try not to do too much at times, and I just give effort," Houston said.

Stuelke is "day-to-day" with her upper-body injury. Iowa hopes that the senior can return to the starting lineup for their next game on Sunday, Feb. 22, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena against No. 5 Michigan (22-4, 13-2 Big Ten) for Senior Day.

Obviously, if Stuelke cannot play or is limited in any capacity, Houston has shown she is well-prepared to step into the spotlight and deliver whatever the team needs of her.

Iowa and Michigan will tip off from Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday, Feb. 22, with the game being broadcast on Fox.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews

This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women's basketball freshman comments on first start, career-high

Hey Testudo Times community! This is your open space to discuss all things Maryland women’s basketball. Keep things respectful as always.

Be sure to keep up with all of our women’s basketball coverage here.

All open threads will be restarted periodically as needed. Please direct any questions/comments/concerns to managing editor Matt Germack(mgermack@gmail.com). Enjoy!

Hey Testudo Times community! This is your open space to discuss all things Maryland men’s basketball. Keep things respectful as always.

Be sure to keep up with all of our men’s basketball coverage here.

All open threads will be restarted periodically as needed. Please direct any questions/comments/concerns to managing editor Matt Germack(mgermack@gmail.com). Enjoy!

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has inherited many of the problems that afflicted Enzo Maresca's side before him.

After Burnley's 93rd‑minute equaliser in their 1-1 draw, Chelsea became the Premier League leaders for dropping points at home - 17 this season.

They also now have a league‑high six red cards this term, following Wesley Fofana's dismissal in the 72nd minute.

That red card ultimately led to Chelsea's subsequent collapse after Joao Pedro opened the scoring, with Rosenior lamenting that his side have "set fire to four points" after drawing 2-2 at home to Leeds in their previous league match.

"There's an inquest after every game whether we win or lose," Rosenior added.

However, this is the first result to prompt such an angry reaction from the manager, who was appointed after Maresca left the club on New Year's Day following a falling-out with the hierarchy.

Rosenior continued: "I'm learning about the players. I'm learning about the people you can lean on when things aren't going your way and you need to see a game out. That's something we need to address very quickly."

There was further frustration over goalscorer Zian Flemming being given a free header in the centre of Chelsea's box, with Burnley substitute Jacob Bruun Larsen missing a similar chance minutes later.

"A marking assignment was missed," Rosenior said. "I'm not here to throw players under the bus - I will always protect my players, and I'll deal with it during the week.

"But there was a player assigned that duty who marked the wrong man."

Worst discipline in Premier League

Chelsea have equalled their highest number of red cards in a single Premier League season, matching the 2007‑08 campaign - but with 11 games still to play.

Only away at Nottingham Forest have Chelsea claimed all three points after going down to 10 men, holding on following an 87th‑minute dismissal.

Defeats against Manchester United, Brighton and Fulham can largely be attributed to red cards earlier in those matches, while Chelsea rallied well after Moises Caicedo was sent off in the home draw with Arsenal in November.

The pattern is clear - Chelsea are suffering because of their lack of discipline. They are also a team accustomed to collecting yellow cards.

They sit bottom of the Fair Play table with 86 points, having received 60 yellow cards this season. They were second-bottom last season and bottom the season before.

It is hard not to link the disciplinary record to the age profile of the squad. Chelsea have not fielded a player over the age of 28 all season and have the youngest squad in the Premier League - a profile deliberately built by the club's hierarchy.

However, Rosenior does not subscribe to youth being the main problem.

"I think youth is one thing, accountability is another," he said. "I'm accountable. I'm the head coach, I'm the manager of the team. I'm responsible for every result and every performance we have. We need players you can rely on in the moment to do their job.

"I know what we need to get there. It's not down to youth, it's down to assessing the players and identifying the ones you can rely on in difficult moments."

Rosenior also refused to single out Fofana and pointed out that the majority of red cards this season came before his appointment. Maresca himself was sent off for celebrating a last‑minute winner against Liverpool.

"Our discipline since I've come in - which is what I can speak about - has been very good," added Rosenior.

Chelsea keep dropping points at home

Chelsea have dropped a league‑high 17 points from winning positions at home and 19 in total - the second‑worst record in the Premier League behind West Ham on 20.

It is another area affected not only by red cards but also by an inability to finish teams off and defensive lapses, particularly from set-pieces.

Chelsea have conceded a league‑high 13.54 expected goals from set-pieces this season, resulting in 11 goals against.

It is unsurprising, therefore, that the combination of dead‑ball specialist Ward‑Prowse and an aerial presence such as Flemming contributed to the equaliser.

"Set plays are massive in the Premier League, they're so important. Our record this season, defending set plays, is not at the level required for us to achieve what we want to achieve, and that's something I need to address," Rosenior said.

There may also be a broader mentality issue, which again could be linked to the youthfulness of the squad - particularly within Chelsea's leadership group.

Asked whether Chelsea have enough leaders, Rosenior simply replied "Yes", before adding: "I think there are certain values you need to have in your team.

"The best teams, the teams that win titles - which is where we want to get to - win games 1-0 when they probably haven't played at their best.

"That should have been at least a 1-0 today. Even with 10 men for 25 minutes, that should have been a 1-0 at the least. I know what we need to get there. It's not down to youth, it's about assessing the players and identifying the ones you can rely on in difficult moments."

Chelsea were booed off at full‑time, and Rosenior's reaction may signal the end of a brief period of calm around Stamford Bridge.

It remains a promising start for the Englishman in his 11 games in charge, but he walked into a club already experiencing a febrile atmosphere, with anti‑ownership chants growing louder and fringe protests beginning to move into the mainstream.

It promises to be an interesting few weeks for Chelsea, with Arsenal, Aston Villa and Newcastle to come in a tougher run of Premier League fixtures.

• Latest Chelsea news, analysis and fan views
• Ask about Chelsea - what do you want to know?

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has on Saturday provided an update on the personnel situation in his squad.

And the news is of an altogether positive nature.

This comes amid confirmation that the Blaugrana will have a pair of important players back for their upcoming meeting with Levante.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Saturday, Hansi Flick was asked for the latest on the wellbeing of Pedri and Marcus Rashford.

As much comes after respective spells on the sidelines for the midfielder and attacker.

And Flick went on to confirm that both Pedri and Rashford will be available for selection to face Levante:

“Along with Pedri, Rashford is also back.”

There was further positive news regarding long-term absentee Gavi, after the midfield starlet was spotted back in group training for the first time since September this week:

“Gavi has also started showing significant progress and will soon be available.”

Conor Laird – GSFN

The 2026 NFL Combine is just right around the corner and it’s a great opportunity for the Cowboys and the rest of the league to get a better understanding of this year’s rookie draft class. Through the on-the-field drills and interview process the Cowboys should able to better fill out their draft board with all of the information they should be able together.

There are a few players participating in the combine they should be particularly paying close attention to. Below we’ve listed the ones they could be targeting with their two first-round picks in April and why they should take a deeper dive into the results from the combine.

CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

After sustaining a season-ending knee injury in 2024 that caused him to miss the entire 2025 season, all eyes will be on Jermod McCoy’s medical results at the combine. With no recent tape to go one, teams are having to rely on his 2024 tape. Based on that, he’s still in contention to be the top CB drafted in April, however, that could change depending on what his medical checkup reveals. If he gets the thumbs up, he could be one of the top players the Cowboys target at 12. He’s a potential starter as a rookie and would be a great fit in Christian Parker’s scheme.

Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami

Ahkeem Mesidor is without a question one of the top pass rusher’s in the 2026 draft class. He possesses first-round talent and could be in play for the Cowboys at either 12 or 20. But at 25 years old with a history of foot problems, questions have arisen as to whether he’s worth getting selected so high, quite possibly falling out of the first round altogether. He will not only need to excel in the on-the-field drills and interviews, but also get a clean bill of health on his medicals that there will be no lingering issues with his feet moving forward.

WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Currently in possession of the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cowboys could find themselves sitting pretty if they are considering trading George Pickens. One or both of either Carnell Tate or Jordyn Tyson could still be on the board when Dallas is on the clock. Both are Day 1 potential starters, however, Tyson has some past injury history that needs to be cleared up at the combine. If everything checks out, he would make a nice complement for CeeDee Lamb as Pickens’ potential replacement.

Federico Dimarco and Henrikh Mkhitaryan joke about the Inter wing-back’s latest Man of the Match award, but are ‘a family’ to protect Alessandro Bastoni from jeering.

It looked on paper like a more comfortable victory than it really was, because they had to wait until the 75^th minute to break Lecce down.

Dimarco had the ball in the net earlier, but it was disallowed because Marcus Thuram’s shoulder was offside in the build-up.

The wing-back was involved in both goals anyway, his corner flicked on for the Henrikh Mkhitaryan half-volley, then a pure assist for the Manuel Akanji header again from the flag.

Dimarco and Mkhitaryan joke about Inter award

LECCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Inter celebrates after scoring his team’s opening goal during the Serie A match between US Lecce and FC Internazionale at Stadio Via del Mare on February 21, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

“It was a real sigh of relief to get the breakthrough, as we knew it was a difficult game, as Lecce are well-organised. After our long journey to Bodo, we left on Thursday evening, then had to set off again yesterday to travel here, it wasn’t easy,” Dimarco told DAZN Italia.

“This win gave a sense of consistency after beating Juventus, and that is what we needed to keep pushing at the top of the table.”

It means Dimarco makes history as the first Serie A defender to provide assists in five consecutive appearances since 2006-07, and receives another MVP trophy.

“I thought Mkhitaryan deserved the Man of the Match award really, he came on so well. I leave the awards to my kids, they like arranging them, but what really matters for me is the team.”

The Italian now has 14 assists in Serie A this season, comfortably more than any other player.

LECCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Inter celebrates after scoring his team’s opening goal during the Serie A match between US Lecce and FC Internazionale at Stadio Via del Mare on February 21, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Standing next to him, Mkhitaryan joked that Dimarco “needs to get a new house to store all these awards.”

“It is usually Bastoni in that position, but seeing as he just ran and made a big challenge, he didn’t have the energy to go there, so I did it instead,” revealed Mkhitaryan.

Following a week of controversy over his simulation to get Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu sent off, Bastoni was jeered loudly by Lecce fans every time he touched the ball this evening. How did his Inter teammates help him deal with that?

“It’s in the past now, we have to focus on the present. Bastoni and everyone else has already talked about it too much, we just focus on our work,” insisted Dimarco.

LECCE, ITALY – FEBRUARY 21: Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between US Lecce and FC Internazionale at Stadio Via del Mare on February 21, 2026 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)

Mkhitaryan also had words of advice for the Italy international.

“We are a family, we support each other through thick and thin, but that is in the past now and we move on.”

Earlier this month, WWE's Big E (real name Ettore Ewen) officially confirmed his retirement from pro wrestling, years after a broken neck led to him stepping away from the ring. Big E is best known for his membership in The New Day, one of the most accomplished trios in WWE history, but the last time he was onscreen with his partners, things did not go very well.

According to Ewen, speaking on 107.7 The Bone, there was talk about Big E getting a measure of revenge against Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods for their treatment of him at the New Day 10th anniversary celebration on "WWE Raw." However, it never came to pass.

"It was something that was discussed at some point," Big E said. "But, look, I'm very zen these days. I'm a big mindfulness meditation guy. Right now, I'm focused on my broadcasting role. That is my role. And look, if those guys would actually appear on a PLE, if they would be there on one of these things, maybe I would spend more time talking and thinking about them. But I look around – I look at the card, no New Day. Another PLE goes by, no New Day. So what do you want me to do?"

Big E regularly appears on pre- and post-show panels for major WWE events, offering his predictions and reactions alongside other panelists. He's set to continue broadcasting outside of WWE soon, too, appearing as the host of NFL draft analysis series "The Evaluation."

Big E began his wrestling career in 2009, when he signed a developmental contract with WWE after playing college football. That makes Ewen one of the few wrestlers of his era to have such a lengthy career without ever wrestling outside of WWE. Along with the accolades achieved with The New Day, Big E went on to become WWE Champion in 2021 before the end of his in-ring career the next year.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit 107.7 The Bone and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Read more: Every WWE Star Departure In 2025 So Far

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Well, the D-backs are already off to a better spring start than they were in 2025. Last year, they lost their first three games, conceding a total of 32 runs in the process. So it was nice to see them put together a well-pitched game right out of the gate. On the other hand, opening with a victory makes it a little harder to remember that spring training numbers are totally meaningless! We’ll see if the Diamondbacks can run their unbeaten streak to a mighty two games this afternoon!

[Wrestling commentator voice] WHAT IS JORDAN LAWLAR DOING IN CENTER FIELD?!?!? After yesterday saw a fairly convincing facsimile of Arizona’s Opening Day line-up, this afternoon is… not so much. In fact, absent any injuries, Lawlar might be the only one who’ll be trotting out onto the field in Los Angeles next month. Still, we should probably get used to this, because it’s not long before the World Baseball Classic will be sucking away seven of the 40-man Arizona roster from Salt River Fields, and we should get used to seeing replacements for the next few weeks.

Also, Mitch Bratt makes his first appearance in a Diamondback jersey. He was one of the players received by Arizona from Texas, in exchange for Merrill Kelly’s holiday in Arlington, and will hopefully become a useful piece in the D-backs rotation. Perhaps not this year – Kohl Drake is the more advanced prospect we got off the Rangers – but fingers crossed for down the line. After him, we can expect to get some or all of the following pitchers: RHP Alfred Morillo, RHP Hayden Durke, LHP Spencer Giesting and LHP Yu-Min Lin. I don’t believe today’s game has any TV coverage, but it’ll be on the radio through ESPN 620 AM.

The biggest news of the week, by far, is Ronda Rousey (and Gina Carano) are back!

Earlier this week, Most Valuable Promotions announced that Rousey is coming out of retirement to fight Gina Carano in an MMA bout this may. So, let’s talk about that, plus whatever else you hooligans have questions about.

Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano undercard

With the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano news, it opens the door for a lot of names to compete on the Netflix card. So, be the matchmaker: what other fights would you make for this card?

Great question, Mike!

The announcement of Rousey vs. Carano caught me entirely off guard when it dropped earlier this week. Alexander K. Lee and I wrote about the event already, but there are so many more things to dive into, and this is one of the topics that has me most curious, because Rousey vs. Carano is going to big the biggest fight (viewership-wise) of the year, and so the supporting bouts are fascinating. Basically, every fighter not signed to the UFC or PFL should be trying to be involved in this thing. But who should MVP choose?

First, I think we keep the card tight. We don’t want a 14-fight sprawling MMA card like the UFC loves. Seven fights, max, on this thing, including the main event, so that leaves us with six undercard bouts to fill. Let’s assume that two of those get taken up by random fights with minimal broad appeal; just bouts between some people Jake Paul knows or maybe represents. So now we need four high-profile fights.

One of those fights should include Holly Holm. Let’s be honest, Holm is not an exciting fighter to watch, but she has a built-in storyline with Rousey, and if Rousey decides to fight again after this, at least set up the possibility for that rematch, even if it doesn’t come to pass. Holm can fight any random WMMA fighter in the opening main card bout.

Next up, let’s get Amanda Serrano in there. While Rousey might not be interested in fighting Holm again, she might be amenable to an MMA/boxing split with Serrano, where they each do one apiece. Again, maybe nothing comes of this, but you’re planting seeds of possibility for the future.

Then we’re going spicy. Rousey and Carano seem to be full of respect for each other, and that’s all well and good, but we need a different kind of matchup to bring some acidity to this meal; enter, Tony Ferguson vs. Dillon Danis (shoutout to DukeMadDuck, who threw this out on BTL Thursday). Ferguson would bring life and energy to all the press, and he’s always down for a fun scrap, and Danis would bring some much-needed villainy to the proceedings. It’s a perfect fight for the occasion, assuming MVP can pull it off with Misfits in the mix.

And lastly, this is truly the best idea: put Gable Steveson on this thing.

Everyone knows that Steveson is UFC-bound sooner or later, but why not make it later? Yes, there’s a belief that Steveson will join the promotion in time to fight at UFC White House, but that’s just tittle-tattle. As far as I know, Steveson hasn’t signed any papers yet, and if I were him, I wouldn’t. Fighting Netflix with Rousey and Carano will give the Olympic gold medalist the biggest possible profile, and as of right now, nothing is stopping him. Fight anyone — perhaps newly crowned BKFC champion Andrei Arlovski? — smoke them, and then turn around quickly for the White House card. OR, leverage MVP and UFC against each other and go with whoever is going to pay you.

And if I’m MVP, I absolutely want Steveson on this card. You don’t want this thing to be exclusively old names, and Steveson is young, bona fide, and extremely likely to deliver a big highlight. And even the UFC might not be too upset, as this could help boost Steveson’s profile before he inevitably comes to them. Everyone wins, so make it happen, MMA Gods.

Scheduling

Feels like the UFC is stalled with zero championship fights on the calendar. You think is has to do with the White House event? Without Jon Jones, Conor McGregor or Alex Pereira for the White House, what could be those 6 or 7 “amazing” fights? They don’t have enough stars for it, I believe. Thank you

I think the lack of championship fights on the schedule does have something to do with the White House card, but perhaps not what you think.

When the White House card was first announced, my belief was that it would be a huge letdown, a la Fight Island (which was just an arena they’d already had shows at before). After some time, I let my imagination get the better of me and began to think this might be fun, but now I’m all the way back. The UFC White House card is going to be deeply underwhelming for hardcore MMA fans.

Despite what some people have said, I just cannot imagine they actually put six or seven title fights on this card. My guess is this looks a lot like UFC 300, but this time the UFC learned from its mistakes. UFC 300 was such a big story for a long time because the promotion didn’t have fights for it, but booked out its slate ahead of the event, leaving few options for the big card. This time, the UFC is holding all the options to figure out which two or three title fights it wants at the White House, and then the other fights will get doled out after. It’s a better process, even though it’s a little frustrating for the fighters, I’m sure.

So, yeah, I’m not banking on anything “amazing” for UFC White House, because that’s not really what the promotion is after. This is going to be like UFC Sphere: some good fights, a unique and different atmosphere, but ultimately, just another fight card.

Where is the fun?

I was rewatching some older UFC with Anderson Silva taking LHW fights for fun while he was still MW champion. Do you think it’s the UFC or the fighters that stop the best fights from happening now?

I mean, it’s definitely both. As we’ve seen at the start of 2026, the UFC is not focused on the meritocracy of the sport, so we’re getting more “fun” fights than the best fighting the best. But also, the top level of MMA is inherently broken because the moment a fighter wins a belt, they can barely contain how disinterested in defending it they are. Ilia Topuria moved up to lightweight almost immediately, and would be on his way to welterweight right now if he had his druthers. Khamzat Chimaev finally won a title, and all he can talk about is fighting Alex Pereira. Pereira reclaimed his belt and has eyes on heavyweight. And, of course, Islam Makhachev moved up to welterweight and is trying to fight the shadow of Kamaru Usman for his first defense. And none of this even mentions the ever-present desire to go to boxing and get actually paid.

Ultimately, everything is the UFC’s fault because they’re in charge, and they’ve shown fighters that this is the way to get ahead in the game. But man, I wish things weren’t this way.

Bank Robbery

Look, I’m not writing this entire question out. You can go read it if you can’t read the image above, but the premise is right up my alley: pick four fighters to fill the role of characters in The Town to pull off a bank robbery. If you want to get into the mailbag, these are the sorts of hypotheticals that’ll do it.

First off, the Doug MacRay role, AKA the Leader. This is the easiest and most obvious answer possible, but it’s also the correct one: Lee Murray.

For those who don’t know, Murray is a former UFC fighter and all-around wild man (the stories about him are legendary) who masterminded and executed a £53 million Securitas depot robbery, which was, at the time, the largest cash robbery ever (and could have been bigger; they left another 150 million behind). Murray is a terrible human being and stone psycho, but if I’m planning a heist, there simply is not a better option in the world.

Second, the James Coughlin role, AKA the loose cannon/muscle of the group. Frankly, Murray also could fill this role admirably, and perhaps has more Jem in him than MacRay, but there is no shortage of crazy MMA fighters to call upon, and Murray’s heist experience is too valuable. If we’re being honest, I should probably pick someone like Datsik (if you don’t know how he is, congratulations, you have not been involved in MMA for way too long like I have), but Lee Murray is already odious enough, and I don’t want this to just be a crew of the worst people in MMA history, so instead, give me Charles Bennett, AKA Felony, AKA Krazy Horse.

The thing about Jem is, despite being a sociopath, he’s also somewhat endearing. Bennett is not nearly as bad a person as Jem is, but he’s also even more lovable, while retaining an immense amount of wild card energy. He fills the role nicely.

Third, Albert “Gloansy” Magloan, AKA the glue guy. Gloansy isn’t smart enough to plan a heist, or crazy enough to shoot it out with the cops in the street, but he’s takes nothing off the table, and is as resolute as a rock, with a bit of a selfless streak to him. If Dougie came to Gloansy to hurt somebody, he’d also be in immediately, but he might crack a joke or two as well, instead of turning the dial up even more. This feels like Max Holloway to me. Plus, Max has some heist experience, having previously helped Donnie Wilson rob the Federal Reserve in Den of Thieves.

Lastly, Desmond “Dez” Elden, AKA the other one. Not every player on a team is going to be an all-star, and that’s Dez. He’s a man with a specific set of skills, and he’s loyal, but he’s not bringing much to the table other than that. This is the hardest role to fill by far, and basically just means I need someone I can trust not to turn snitch when the big heist is completed. For that, give me Arnold Allen. After all, “Almighty” kind of even looks like him.

Now, let’s go get paid.

Thanks for reading, and thank you to everyone who sent in questions. Do you have any burning questions about things at least somewhat related to combat sports? Then you’re in luck, because you can send them to me. Every Sunday (sometimes I forget and it happens on Monday), I’ll put out a call for questions on The Feed. Doesn’t matter if they’re topical or insane; just dropyour questions in there and let’s have fun.

The Texas Rangers hitch a ride east for their first road game of the spring where they will take on the Chicago Cubs from Mesa, AZ. It’s days like today where we discover people such as Jonah Bride, Cooper Johnson, and Tyler Wade both exist and are employed by the Rangers.

Right-handed rotation hopeful Kumar Rocker will make the start for Texas opposite LHP Matthew Boyd for Chicago. According to Kennedi Landry, expect to see Cal Quantrill, Patrick Murphy, Luis Curvelo, and Carter Baumler also pitch for Texas in today’s game.

You can listen to the game via 105.3 The Fan, watch the Chicago feed via MLB.TV, or follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Sloan Park is scheduled for 2:05 pm CT.

Go Rangers!

Ronda Rousey was in talks to return to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and make record-breaking money to fight Gina Carano, but the promotion’s transition to Paramount+ and death of pay-per-view (PPV) points put all that to rest.

Earlier this week, Rousey and Carano dropped a bombshell on the mixed martial arts (MMA) community by announcing a fight for May 16 on Netflix. The two women’s MMA pioneers partnered up with Jake Paul and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) to make the superfight a reality. It may be 10 years too late from when Rousey and Carano were in their respective primes, but it’s still a big deal for MMA in 2026.

The first question fight fans were asking was whether or not UFC had a shot to bring Rousey vs. Carano to the Octagon. According to Rousey, all parties were involved in talks to get a deal done prior to UFC’s transition from ESPN+ to Paramount+. Once the new partnership took flight and PPV points went away it completely changed what UFC was willing — or approved — to offer both Rousey and Carano.

Check it out below:

“I went to (Dana White) and said, ‘Dude, you always say that I’m the best fighter you ever worked with. Like, reward me for it. Don’t punish me for being easy to work with. Give me the best deal you ever gave anybody,’” revealed Rousey during a recent interview with Jim Rome.

“He came back and he like literally brought me a deal where I would make more per pay-per-view buy than anybody in history.”

“It happened to go to the other side of when the ESPN deal and their pay-per-view model would be ending and they would be going to streaming,” added Rousey.

“They didn’t want to set a precedent of giving me the guaranteed money that I deserve because once I raise that tide it lifts all the boats.

“It’s in their best interest actually not to put on the best fights possible, but to spend as little as money as possible so that he can keep it.”

Once Rousey and Carano knew UFC would not be able to give them the type of money they were looking for the two women took their superfight to Paul and MVP. It wasn’t for a lack of trying on UFC’s part, but still a bittersweet end to Rousey’s storied journey with the promotion.

“It no longer made sense for me to go over there because they didn’t want to pay us the money that we deserve because then for the rest of the the time of the deal, they’re going to have to pay everybody else more,” explained Rousey. “And so then I decided to look elsewhere.”

Here are your Guardians lineups for today:

Double-barrel action to start Cactus League play.

Who has it better than us?#GuardsSpringpic.twitter.com/hV8tY50v2J

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) February 21, 2026

vs. Reds:

LF Kwan

CF Martinez

3B Ramirez

C Naylor

SS Arias

DH Fry

1B Kayfus

RF Rodriguez

2B Brito

P Allen

vs. Brewers

CF DeLauter

SS Rocchio

1B Manzardo

C Hedges

3B Schneemann

DH Valera

RF Jones

LF Halpin

2B Bazzana

P Cantillo

Alvaro Arbeloa spoke to the media after Real Madrid’s 2-1 loss to Osasuna on Saturday evening. He was asked about their intensity, to which he said: “I’ve said that we always have to match the intensity of our opponents. I don’t know if I’m saying things differently or if I’m not expressing myself well. It’s true that we haven’t been able to string together games, even though we were coming off three good wins. But this is a day-by-day situation. We can’t get stuck after the fourth game. That’s what we’re working towards.”

Arbeloa on what this defeat implies

“I hope it’s nothing serious, because we’re fighting for our lives again in four days. A team shows its strength in adversity. What we can’t allow is doubt. I believe in my team. We need to maintain that level of performance over time. We’ll keep working, pushing ourselves, and getting the best out of every player, because we need them all.”

Arbeloa on whether the team was ‘too slow’

“I didn’t say we were too slow, but rather that we needed to move the ball faster and create more danger. It’s a matter of concept, knowing what we want to do and what we want to provoke. We have to keep working on it, to see what we did well on Tuesday and not today. There are many more matches to play. We have a lot of room for improvement. If you’re not at 100%, anyone can beat you. Our opponents prepare very well for their matches.”

Arbeloa on the result

“Nobody likes to lose, least of all us. This is going to be a long season; I said it hadn’t even started yet. And I still think so. We had control of the first half, but we lacked speed. Against any deep defensive block, we need to move the ball faster. We need to create chances on both flanks. We focused a lot on the left wing, which is normal, but that makes us easy to defend against. We have another game on Wednesday, and we need to approach it in the best possible way.”

Arbeloa on Fede Valverde’s substitution

“He’s been putting in a lot of effort playing many games in a row, and he’s been dealing with a lot of discomfort. He’s been feeling it for the last few weeks. And I preferred not to risk Fede. It was more about not taking any chances, in case he got injured.”

Arbeloa on the refereeing

“From what little I saw, there could have been a foul in the previous play. Two very close offside calls went against us. We didn’t play well; we need to play much better, with more intensity. It’s not easy to do that Wednesday-Sunday, but that’s what’s expected of us. This is Real Madrid. I knew they were demanding, and I wasn’t wrong.”

Arbeloa on Kylian Mbappé’s fitness

“He rested last weekend; he didn’t play against Real Sociedad, which wasn’t just any team. When we think he’s not fit, we’re not going to take risks. It’s not something I decide alone; I do it with the doctors. He felt ready to play, and as I said, he didn’t play against Real Sociedad.”

Clemson’s late-season ACC swoon continued on Saturday afternoon with the home-standing Tigers dropping a crucial conference game to the surging Florida State Seminoles, 70-65. Florida State’s Robert McCray V decimated the Clemson defense, putting up a game-high 29 points and scoring at will down the stretch. The Tigers were led by freshman guard Ace Buckner, who scored 15 points off the bench. Dillon Hunter chipped in 13 points, and RJ Godfrey contributed 12 in the losing effort.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with neither team finding an offensive footing until both teams hit a scoring surge late in the half. The score was 21-18, Clemson at the 5:07 mark in the opening stanza, but the Tigers went to the halftime break with a 36-33 lead. Ace Buckner got hot from deep and poured in nine of his team leading 15 points on a trio of treys down the stretch of the first half, and Dillon Hunter temporarily overcame his scoring phobia and chipped in seven, including an acrobatic finish at the buzzer to push Clemson’s lead out to three going into the locker room.

I’m not sure what happened to Florida State’s Robert McCray V in the locker room, but the Noles should bottle it, because he came with his phasers set to kill in the second half. While Clemson worked the ball around and eventually launched ill-fated 3-pointers, Florida State got the ball into McCray’s hands and got out of the way. Clemson had to search for baskets, but the Noles knew exactly where to look. That was the story of the game for me. The normally solid Brad Brownell defense could not stop McCray from driving the ball into the lane, and they couldn’t stop him from finishing once he reached the heart of the Tigers’ defense. He went five of six from inside the arc, and three of five from outside the arc, and Clemson couldn’t find enough buckets late to close the gap. Whenever Florida State needed a bucket, McCray provided. Meanwhile, Clemson let multiple wide-open looks from distance go wanting down the stretch and refused to cut into Florida State’s lead despite multiple attempts by the Noles to melt down and give Clemson the victory. After multiple attempts to give up the lead in the last two minutes, Florida State got frustrated and decided to win the game by extending its three-point lead to five points at the foul line.

At the end of the day, Clemson can either hit shots or play solid defense to win games. They didn’t do either today and lost a home game to Florida State. There’s not much else to say, other than don’t shoot 33 3-pointers if you can only hit 10 of them, and don’t let one player beat your entire defense.

The Tigers get a week to lick their wounds before Louisville comes to town in what is shaping up to be a critical game for the Tigers’ postseason seeding.

A word from our sponsor:

Don’t forget to visit our sponsors at Section 103, which has added a Clemson apparel collection.

They have polos, hats, stickers, and a variety of shirts to choose from. You can grab some new Clemson gear with our promo code for 10%: STS10.

Hey Testudo Times community! This is your open space to discuss all things Maryland football. Keep things respectful as always.

Be sure to keep up with all of our football coverage here.

All open threads will be restarted periodically as needed. Please direct any questions/comments/concerns to managing editor Matt Germack(mgermack@gmail.com). Enjoy!

Harry Kane scored a double yet again as nervy Bayern Munich overcame Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 at home on Saturday and went eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga following Borussia Dortmund's late draw at RB Leipzig.

Dortmund drew 2-2 after Fabio Silva's first Bundesliga goal in stoppage time.

Two carbon-copy tap-ins from the in-form Christoph Baumgartner pushed the Austrian to 10 league goals for the season and the Red Bulls to a 2-0 lead.

But a Romulo own goal boosted the visitors on 50 minutes and the late drama from Karim Adeyemi's pass meant Leipzig stayed fifth and outside the Champions League spots for now.

Second-placed Dortmund host Bayern on matchday 24 of 34 next Saturday and anything other than win for the home side would put the Bavarians well on the way to a 13th championship in 14 years.

Bayern's Aleksandar Pavlović gave the hosts the lead against Frankfurt before Kane's brace had the champions cruising. Jonathan Burkardt's penalty after Kane's foul and an Arnaud Kalimuendo goal following a terrible pass by Joshua Kimmich cut the deficit to 3-2.

Mario Götze almost levelled against his ex-club but Bayern clung on.

RB Leipzig defender David Raum delivered a brutally honest assessment after his side conceded a last-minute equalizer to draw 2-2 with Borussia Dortmund, expressing deep frustration at what he described as a recurring failure to finish games.

“I’m extremely disappointed, really angry, really furious about how we gave the game away again at the end,” Raum said after the final whistle.

Leipzig had been the better side for long stretches and held a deserved lead, but were unable to protect their advantage in the closing moments - something Raum believes reflects a deeper issue.

“It’s not the first time we’ve lost points even though we were better and leading,” he said. “We lack a bit of experience and that dirty mentality needed to win games like this at the end. I’m really angry.”

Raum emphasized that Leipzig must learn to prioritize results over attacking ambition in key moments, even if it means abandoning their usual style.

“We need to review the match, but in the end we simply have to want it more,” he explained. “We need to put our ego aside and sometimes just get the result over the line instead of trying to score more goals. We have to do better there.”

The defender also briefly voiced frustration with the officiating, though he stopped short of detailed criticism.

“The refereeing performance wasn’t okay today,” Raum said. “But I don’t want to go into that further right now.”

Raum’s emotional reaction reflected the disappointment within the Leipzig squad after letting a victory slip from their grasp - and highlighted the mental step the team must take if they are to consistently compete at the highest level.

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker will miss at least one week because of a right hip strain that happened against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

The team made the announcement on Saturday before the team's game against the Orlando Magic.

Booker is averaging 24.7 points, 6.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds over 44 games this season. The 29-year-old recently missed seven straight games with a sprained right ankle.

The Suns also said that recently signed guard Haywood Highsmith is continuing to recover from right knee surgery last offseason. The team said Highsmith is making “good progress” and will be evaluated in 2 to 3 weeks.

The Suns have been one of the NBA's surprise teams this season with a 32-24 record, but injuries have taken a toll and they've lost four of their past five games.

___

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

UCLA’s flirtation with SoFi Stadium isn’t resulting in a move in 2026.

The school told the California Post in a statement that it was going to play this season at the Rose Bowl. The school has been exploring the possibility of leaving the iconic stadium to play its home games at the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.

“UCLA will play the upcoming football season at the Rose Bowl,” Mary Osako, UCLA’s vice chancellor of strategic communications, said in a statement provided to the California Post. “We know how much game day means to Bruins — to our students, alumni and fans who plan their autumn around Saturdays together.

“Our priority is delivering a strong season experience for our student-athletes and our community, and we have great momentum in our football program. During this unprecedented time in college athletics, UCLA will always be guided by what’s best for our student-athletes and the Bruin community.”

That exploration led to a lawsuit from the city of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl against the school. UCLA’s lease with the stadium stretches into the 2040s. A court date is set for Friday regarding that suit.

The suit was filed in October and said that the school was “unequivocally expressing its intent to abandon the Rose Bowl Stadium” to relocate to the NFL stadium. The Rose Bowl has been UCLA’s home for 44 seasons since the school moved from the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Given the length of the lease remaining at the Rose Bowl, it’s likely that UCLA will have to pay a hefty sum to move to SoFi Stadium in the near future. And remember, UCLA has an athletic department that hasn’t exactly been flush with cash in recent seasons.

UCLA has seven home games at the Rose Bowl in new coach Bob Chesney’s first season. The Bruins host USC to end the season, and teams like Illinois and Wisconsin also come to the Rose Bowl.

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Robert McCray V matched his season-high with 29 points, including Florida State's final 10, and the streaking Seminoles defeated Clemson 70-65 on Saturday.

Florida State held the lead for 11 minutes in the first half despite nine lead changes. Ace Buckner nailed three 3-pointers in the final four minutes, and two of them were during an 8-0 run that helped Clemson take a 36-33 halftime lead.

The lead continued back and forth in the second half until the Seminoles' 7-0 run gave them a 48-42 lead with 13 1/2 minutes remaining. Florida State went ahead by eight before Clemson rallied again, taking a 56-55 lead with eight minutes left.

There were five more lead changes, the last when McRay hit a 3-pointer for a 66-65 lead. The Tigers did not score thereafter, missing their last six shots, five of them from 3-point range. McRay closed it out with a layup and a couple of free throws.

In all, there were 22 lead changes and the game was tied five times.

Lajae Jones scored 13 points for the Seminoles (14-13, 7-7 ACC), who have won seven of their last nine games.

Buckner scored 15 points, Dillon Hunter 13 and RJ Godfrey 12 for Clemson (20-8, 10-5), which has lost four in a row since a 10-1 start to the conference season.

Up next

Florida State: Miami visits on Tuesday.

Clemson: No. 21 Louisville visits on Saturday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert felt "disappointed" after only winning a point at home to Charlton but admitted it could be a decent result come the end of the season.

Saints fired themsleves into the lead in the second half as Leo Scienza's cross was glanced into the net by Ross Stewart.

But after Sonny Carey's equaliser they were unable to find the goal to win them three points, despite large periods with the ball and 10 minutes of added time.

"There's a little bit of a disappointment for the very moment," Eckert said after the game. "But at the same time I think it might be a point that will come to quite a big importance towards the end of the season.

"In those games, especially at home we play to win. I think that's very clear. If you go behind after scoring in the second half, we have done it sometimes where we managed to bring those games over the line or then score a second goal.

"We didn't manage that today, so for the moment there's a little bit of disappointment on the result. But that will be gone by tomorrow morning and then we go again on Tuesday."

Southampton are now four points off the top six and next host QPR at St Mary's on Tuesday.

For the Dodgers, the Cactus League gets underway today, on the road in Tempe.

Saturday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Angels
• Ballpark: Tempe Diablo Stadium
• Time: 12:10 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (simulcast), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Raul Garcia's superb 90th-minute strike consigned leaders Real Madrid to a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday, in a blow to their title hopes.

Champions Barcelona trail Madrid by two points but can overtake them on Sunday if they beat Levante at Camp Nou.

Alvaro Arbeloa's Madrid put on a below-par performance in Pamplona and fell behind to an Ante Budimir penalty, before Vinicius Junior pulled the visitors level.

The second leg of Madrid's Champions League play-off against Jose Mourinho's Benfica on Wednesday seemed to play on their minds as they failed to kick on at El Sadar. 

Vinicius, who scored a sensational goal to give Madrid a slender first-leg lead but was then the victim of alleged racial abuse, thought he had earned his team a point before Garcia blasted home the winner.

"It was not a good game from us... we have to play a lot better," Arbeloa told reporters.

"Nobody likes to lose, us least of all, but we're not hurt. There's a long way to go.

"We had control at some points but we lacked speed in our play... on Wednesday we have another final, another game that is very important for us."

Croatian target man Budimir curled narrowly wide of Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois's far post early on, the first of many problems he gave the visitors.

The Belgian stopper made an excellent save a few minutes later, after Budimir tried to nod home Ruben Garcia's cross under pressure from Alvaro Carreras.

Budimir also clipped the post with a header as Osasuna impressed, with their victory helping them rise to ninth.

Madrid defender David Alaba came close when Alejandro Catena blocked his shot, shortly before the hosts took the lead.

Budimir burst into the area and went down under a challenge from Courtois. Although he was initially booked for diving a VAR review showed the goalkeeper stood on his foot.

The veteran forward took the resulting penalty himself and sent Courtois the wrong way to give Osasuna the lead.

"I knew it was a penalty and I wanted to stay cool (while it was being reviewed)," said Budimir.

Osasuna sat deep at times in the second half, looking to fend off 15-time European champions Madrid.

Arda Guler came close with a vicious shot that flew just over.

Chasing an equaliser, Arbeloa threw on creative duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Brahim Diaz and his team began to take control.

French superstar Kylian Mbappe put the ball in the back of Osasuna's net but had edged offside, although the equaliser was not long in coming.

Fede Valverde charged into the box with the ball, unperturbed by Osasuna's defenders bouncing off him, before crossing for Vinicius to tuck home.

It was the Brazilian's fifth goal in his last four games across all competitions, having found his best form since Arbeloa replaced Xabi Alonso at the helm in January.

- Wasted chance -

Mbappe, La Liga's top goalscorer, should have put Madrid ahead with 10 minutes to go but Javi Galan brilliantly blocked his shot.

Alexander-Arnold curled a free-kick wide as the clock ticked down and it looked like Madrid were left ruing two points dropped, when the third was taken away from them too.

Raul Garcia cut inside the sliding Raul Asencio brilliantly and fired across Courtois and in at the far post.

The striker's celebrations were cut short by the offside flag but a VAR review showed he was onside and the goal was given.

It was the first time Osasuna have beaten Madrid in La Liga for 15 years.

"It's an incredible feeling... I think (that fact) is crazy. The fans deserved a victory like this after so many years," Raul Garcia told DAZN.

"When I saw (Asencio) coming I knew he was going to go to ground and after that I stayed calm to swerve him and was able to score."

Real Betis, fifth, were held 1-1 at home against Rayo Vallecano earlier Saturday, leaving them three points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid.

Diego Simeone's side host Espanyol later on, aiming to make amends after last weekend's 3-0 defeat by Rayo.

rbs/nf

A middleweight clash between former champion Sean Strickland (29-7) and red hot rising contender Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez (14-2, 1 NC) headlines Saturday’s UFC Houston fight card.

Strickland enters the match ranked No. 3 in the division and coming off a one-sided loss to former champion Dricus du Plessis. Hernandez will be bringing an eight-fight winning steak with him to the octagon inside Toyota Center. 

UFC Houston Start Times

• Main Card begins at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount+
• Preliminary Card beings at 5 p.m. ET on Paramount+

UFC Houston Official Results

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)

• Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez
• Uros Medic vs. Geoff Neal
• Melquizael Costa vs. Dan Ige
• Ante Delija vs. Serghei Spivac
• Josiah Harrell (171 vs. Jacobe Smith
• Michel Pereira vs. Zach Reese

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)

• Carlos Leal vs. Chidi Njokuani
• Alibi Idiris vs. Ode Osbourne
• Alden Coria vs. Luis Gurule
• Nora Cornolle vs. Joselyne Edwards
• Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Punahele Soriano
• Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani vs. Phil Rowe
• Yadier del Valle vs. Jordan Leavitt
• Carli Judice vs. Juliana Miller

The season of futility continues. The product on the field leaves a lot to be desired, and so will this recap.

Call me when someone else is coaching the team.

Player of the Game

Someone I guess – however many points, assists, steals, blocks, whatever

I’m sure they did great!

Random Observations

Wow they suck – 8 minutes without a single point.

Wow they suck 2 – Another blowout loss on the road.

Wow they suck 3 – I don’t know think of something.

Looking Ahead

Penn State will lose to some other team on their schedule. I couldn’t be bothered to figure out which.

Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones felt his side were "very good defensively" in their draw with Southampton.

The Addicks went behind to a Ross Stewart header after the break but were able to rescue a point thanks to a Sonny Carey goal.

After 90 minutes with the score still level, 10 minutes of added time were played and Saints really pushed Charlton, but Jones' backline stood firm and were able to leave the south coast with a point.

"Southampton are a really good side at the level," Jones said after the game. "And after what they did to us at home when we were too open and gave up too many clear-cut chances, we knew we couldn't do that - and we didn't.

"I thought we were really good defensively, very disciplined but we could have had a little bit more quality in transition and built a little bit more.

"Every time we did build, or every time we secured the first or second pass, we actually got in, so I would have liked this to have been a little bit more. But on the scale of stuff, it's a good point."

Charlton are next in action when they play Championship strugglers West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.

There are great players for the Houston Texans and then there are elite names that alter the outcome of games.

All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. falls in the latter category after being the face of the Texans last fall. Pro Football Focus tends to agree, which is why he graded out as the highest player on the defensive side for the AFC South franchise.

PFF recently finished its top 101 players list for the 2025 season, naming the best players based on their metrics and on-field play. Do-it-all defensive back Jalen Pitre found his way into the top 101, ranking No. 35 overall ahead of defensive back Kamari Lassiter (No. 55) and wide receiver Nico Collins (No. 50).

As for Anderson? He came in ranked at No. 5 overall, the second-highest defensive player on the metric. The only one higher? Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, who ranked No. 1 overall by PFF, though the website did say Anderson was the highest-graded player by consistency.

"Anderson finished 2025 as the highest-graded defensive player in the NFL," PFF wrote. "He was a menace to opposing offenses all year, with his 102 pressures and 25.3% PFF pass-rush win rate leading the league."

Year 3 was one to remember for Anderson, who was the only player to challenge Garrett for votes as the league's top defender. While he ranked second on the Texans in sacks, tackles for loss and QB hits, his ability to pressure quarterbacks into rushing through their progression. No player also finished with an 88.2 or higher in PFF grades each week.

Anderson is expected to be the next defensive name locked up long-term on a new deal this offseason. Based on his breakout season, he's expected to be one of the highest-paid defensive players in league history.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. named to PFF's Top 101 players of 2025

Arizona vs. Houston live score, updates, highlights from 2026 college basketball game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Arizona vs. Houston updates, highlights from 2026 college basketball game

Houston 44, Arizona 42 14:16 2nd Half

2nd Half- 14:04 Arizona timeout.

2nd Half- 14:16 Houston's Milos Uzan makes 25-foot three point jumper (Joseph Tugler assists). The Cougars first lead at 44-42

2nd Half- 14:52 Houston's ninth turnover comes at a time they could've taken its first lead. 

2nd Half- 15:41: Kingston Flemings with a layup to cut Arizona's lead to a single point 42-41 

2nd Half- 15:55: TV Timeout

2nd Half- 17:37: Houston's Kingston Flemings starts the half off with five straight points to cut Arizona's lead to 38-36 

Team Stats

Halftime: Houston trails at halftime for the second time at home as a member of the Big 12. 

1st Half- 0:03: Houston's Chris Cenac layup as the last bucket before the half.

1st Half- 0:22: Sidi Gueye Block on one end leads to a Anthony Dell’Orso kiss-off-the-glass layup on the other end for a 36-29 lead before halftime.

1st Half- 2:03: Houston losing the turnover battle with seven thus far.

1st Half- 3:43: TV timeout. 

Anthony Dell’Orso is having another good game off the bench for Arizona.

Nine points on 3-of-4 shooting and three steals in Koa Peat’s absence.

— Brai Williams (@B_Willz14) February 21, 2026

1st Half- 4:38: Anthony Dell'Orso makes three point step back jumpshot for a 32-22 lead. 

1st Half- 5:04: Houston's Emanuel Sharp knocks down free throws. 

1st Half- 5:22: Houston timeout. 

1st Half- 6:59: Houston pulls out a big stop with a Jaden Bradley travel call.  

1st Half- 7:58: TV Timeout.

1st Half- 8:25: Ivan Kharchenkov knocks down a 3-pointer, ending Arizona's scoring drought. The Cougars have found a little bit of a grove. 

1st Half- 9:30: Houston's Tobe Awaka cashes in on a 3-point play. 

1st Half-10:05: Emanuel Sharp with a pair of free throws.

1st Half- 10:44: AnthonyDell'Orso knocks down a set for free throws. 

1st Half- 12:05: Arizona and Houston trade buckets with the lead 16-11, but back-to-back triples for the Cougars.  

1st Half- 13:58: Houston snaps 3 minute scoring drought with a Milos Uzan three-pointer.

Steal ➡️ Bucket ➡️ And-1?

Anthony Dell'Orso does it all.pic.twitter.com/ImADp1JGvT

— Coein Kinney (@CoeinKinney) February 21, 2026

1st Half- 15:08: Timeout on the floor.

1st Half- 15:48: Arizona opens the game with a 9-2 lead behind three Houston turnovers. The Cougars need to settle down. 

#2 Houston vs. #4 Arizona. UH looks to shake off a Monday night loss. The Cougars, if they want to be a 1-seed, have a big game they need to come out atop today.

Stay tuned to Pawd Slama Jama for coverage during and after the game! pic.twitter.com/3KK4zcNkVf

— Pawd Slama Jama (@PawdSlamaJama) February 21, 2026

Arizona enters as the No. 6 offense and No. 4 defense in the country. Houston ranks No. 10 offensively and No. 3 defensively per BPI.

Arizona vs. Houston grades out as the 9th-highest pregame matchup quality of the 2025–26 season.

Two top-10 units on both ends of the floor 😤 pic.twitter.com/YYLNXxe3DF

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) February 21, 2026

For the first time in program history, No. 2 Houston will host a top-five showdown inside Fertitta Center when No. 4 Arizona visits at 3 p.m. Saturday in a game that carries major Big 12 implications.

The matchup features the top two teams in the conference standings, with the winner claiming sole possession of first place.

Though it marks the first home top-five game for the Cougars, Kelvin Sampson’s program is familiar with the spotlight. Houston owns a 5-4 record all-time in top-five matchups at all sites, including two appearances during the 2025 NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.

The Cougars (23-3) enter Saturday looking to rebound from a 70-67 loss at No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night. Freshman point guard Kingston Flemings scored 22 points with four 3-pointers, five rebounds and four assists in Ames, while senior guard Emanuel Sharp added 16 points with four 3s.

LIVE:Watch Arizona vs. Houston on the ESPN App

Freshman forward Chris Cenac grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds against the Cyclones and leads Houston with 7.6 boards per game, ranking among the Big 12’s top 10.

Flemings paces the Cougars with 16.6 points and 5.3 assists per contest, shooting 49.7% from the field. Sharp averages 16.5 points and recently passed Marcus Sasser as Houston’s all-time leader in 3-pointers.

Arizona (24-2) comes into the game after having a 23-0 streak snapped last week. Tommy Lloyd's team have lost two of the last three with a bounce back win over BYU on Wednesday night.

Houston has dominated at home, posting a 122-7 record inside Fertitta Center, including wins in 18 straight and 51 of its last 52 games.

Where to watch Arizona vs. Houston basketball

Date: Feb. 21
Time: 3 p.m. ET

The huge Big 12 matchup between the No. 2 Houston Cougars hosting the No. 4 Arizona Wildcats will tip-off at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 21. This could be a conference championship matchup between the two powers.  

What channel is Arizona vs. Houston on?

TV: ABC
Live stream: ESPN App

Radio (Arizona): ESPN Xtra 81
Radio (Houston): KPRC 950 AM
Radio (SiriusXM): 81 (Arizona) / 200 (Houston)

The Cougars and Wildcats matchup can be caught nationally on ABC. The broadcast team features Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst). Fans looking to stream the action can do so via the ESPN App with a valid cable login.

More college basketball news:

• Adrian Autry buyout, contract details as Syracuse Orange coach
• Bruce Pearl sends warning to NBA teams about Kansas' Darryn Peterson
• AJ Dybantsa makes college basketball history never done by NBA stars
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• Texas Tech's March Madness hopes take major hit with JT Toppin injury

It's almost time. The biggest remaining game on the Iowa women's basketball team's schedule is nearly here.

On Sunday morning, thousands of Iowa fans will flock to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to see their 12th-ranked Hawkeyes take on No. 5 Michigan. There's so much on the line in this game for both teams, as this contest could decide crucial seeding for both the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments.

Entering Sunday, Iowa is a game back of Michigan for second place in the Big Ten standings. The Haweyes are 12-3 in conference play, while the Wolverines are 13-2. An Iowa victory would bring them even with Michigan and give them a critical tiebreaker. A Michigan victory would put them two games ahead of Iowa with just a pair of games left in the regular season, all but securing a second-place finish.

With so much on the line, a sold-out crowd ready to explode, and a nationally televised matinee broadcast, this game is shaping up to be an all-timer. Here's what Iowa needs to do to come out on top:

Take care of the basketball

Michigan is the best team in the Big Ten at turning over its opponents. They force an astounding 22.7 turnovers per game, which includes nearly 12 steals per game. Forcing all those turnovers allows the Wolverines to get out in transition and pick up easy buckets. Those points can make all the difference in what figures to be a close game on Sunday.

Iowa needs to make sure they take care of the basketball. They average 15.1 turnovers per game this season, a mark in the middle of the conference. If the Hawkeyes commit fewer than 15 turnovers on Sunday, they should like their odds. But if the turnovers start to mount, this one could get out of hand. It may sound very simple, but the turnover numbers could easily decide this game.

Force Michigan to beat you from three

Michigan is an extremely well-rounded team with very few weaknesses. But, one of the things they don't do as well as most teams is shoot the three. This season, the Wolverines are the fifth-worst 3-point shooting team in the Big Ten, making 33.1% of their shots from behind the arc. In their four losses this season, Michigan shot a combined 26-of-87 (29.8%) from three.

The Hawkeyes need to force Michigan to win this game from beyond the arc. They're one of the best teams in the conference in the paint, which is where their game thrives. Iowa's goal should be to defend the paint and force kick outs. If Michigan hits a bunch of threes to win, you tip your cap. But, if this season is any indication, there's a decent chance that won't be the case.

Depth must show up

The Hawkeyes' depth has been tested this season, especially with Taylor McCabe's season-ending injury. In some games, the depth has been great. In others, they've been nonexistent. Sunday's game really needs to be one of those games where the entire roster shows up to play. Michigan is going to key in on Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke—assuming she plays—which will put a lot of pressure on Iowa's depth.

Taylor Stremlow will need to continue her recent breakout, as hitting some of the open looks from beyond the arc will force the defense to be more honest. Journey Houston has been fantastic as of late, and will be called upon to provide a spark off the bench.

And this would be a great game for five-star freshman Addie Deal to find a rhythm that she's been lacking lately. It'll be all hands on deck for Jan Jensen's team in this one if they want to walk out of Carver with a win.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney

This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women's basketball vs. Michigan: 3 keys to victory

Tampa Bay’s backfield is already facing questions this offseason, and a new offseason report adds another layer for fans to monitor.

According to JoeBucsFan.com, Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving underwent shoulder surgery after the season concluded. The issue stems from injuries that sidelined him for more than two months during the 2025 campaign. Irving missed seven games in the heart of the season while dealing with ankle and shoulder concerns before returning to finish the year, appearing in the final six games of the season while earning back his starting role.

The good news, per the report, is that the procedure is not expected to significantly affect his availability for the offseason program.

Irving burst onto the scene as a rookie with 1,122 rushing yards and an impressive 5.4 yards per carry average. His production dipped in 2025 to 588 rushing yards at 3.4 per attempt, though injuries clearly played a role in his performance in 2025.

With Rachaad White potentially departing in free agency, Irving is positioned as the likely starter heading into 2026, assuming his recovery stays on track and the Buccaneers don’t make a major addition.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving has offseason shoulder urgery

Liverpool Injury Crisis Deepens as Jaros Ruled Out for Season

Liverpool’s pursuit of momentum in the Premier League has become an exercise in resilience. Each week seems to bring fresh complications, and as the campaign edges towards its decisive phase, the strain on the squad has become increasingly evident.

Jeremie Frimpong has been absent since January 28 with a thigh problem and has missed four matches. He has returned to light training but will not feature against Nottingham Forest, with hopes pinned on a return for West Ham next week. Wataru Endo faces a longer spell out after suffering an ankle injury against Sunderland on February 11, an incident that required a stretcher. He is not expected back before May, and there remains a real possibility that he will not play again this season.

Alexander Isak continues his recovery from the broken leg and ankle sustained against Spurs on December 20. He has begun running on grass, yet a return to full training is projected for late March, with April more realistic for competitive action. Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni have already been ruled out for the season following knee injuries, while Stefan Bajcetic is training alone as he attempts to overcome recurring hamstring setbacks. Liverpool’s resources are being tested across the pitch.

Jaros Blow Adds to Goalkeeping Concerns

Now, Liverpool have suffered another setback, this time involving Vitezslav Jaros. The goalkeeper, on loan at Ajax, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a serious knee injury in training.

Ajax confirmed the news in a statement: “Ajax goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros has been ruled out for the rest of the season.”

“The Amsterdam club’s shot-stopper sustained a serious knee injury during training today.”

“Medical examinations at the hospital have shown that surgery is required, meaning he will not feature again this season.”

Jaros made 26 appearances for Ajax this term, recording five clean sheets. For Liverpool, his development had been closely monitored, particularly given the competitive landscape at Anfield.

Competition at Liverpool Remains Intense

In December, Jaros reflected candidly on his ambitions. “If I say I’m satisfied, how can I improve?” he said.

“When I’ll be ready to become Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper — especially with two formidable competitors like Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili — is hard to predict.”

“Taking their place isn’t easy.”

“But that’s ultimately the goal. And once I succeed, I want to win the Champions League.”

His time in the Netherlands had also left an impression. “I’m really pleasantly surprised about the quality in the Netherlands.”

“There are many great and big clubs in the Netherlands with quality players, which means many matches are close and difficult to win.”

“And the stadiums may not be as impressive as in the Premier League, but they’re still very nice.”

“And you hardly see any empty seats.”

For Liverpool, the loss of Jaros adds to a season shaped by enforced adaptation. As the Premier League race intensifies, depth and patience will be required in equal measure.

Real Madrid faced off against Osasuna at the El Sadar Stadium earlier this evening as they hoped to secure a good result on the road in La Liga. The Madrid giants made a slow start to the game and conceded the opening goal in the 38th minute when Ante Budimir scored from the penalty spot. Alvaro Arbeloa’s men were trailing 1-0 at the half-time break.

Vinicius Junior equalised for Los Blancos in the 73rd minute. However, Raul Garcia scored the winning goal for the home side in the 90th minute. The match ended with Real Madrid suffering a poor 2-1 loss away from home.

Let’s take a look at how each Real Madrid player fared during the clash against Osasuna.

He made two solid saves at the back but conceded twice this evening.

RB: Dani Carvajal – 6.5/10

Carvajal performed his defensive duties well and made one good chance in the final third.

CB: Raul Asencio – 6.5/10

He put his foot through the ball when he could and was a threat at the other end of the field.

CB: David Alaba – 6.5/10

Alaba did his fair share of defending, but it was not enough this evening.

PAMPLONA, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 21: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Arda Gueler during the LaLiga EA Sports match between CA Osasuna and Real Madrid CF at Estadio El Sadar on February 21, 2026 in Pamplona, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

LB: Alvaro Carreras – 7/10

Carreras was a positive influence at both ends of the field.

RM: Federico Valverde – 7/10

He performed his defensive duties well and managed to secure an assist for setting up Vinicius Junior’s goal.

CM: Arda Guler – 6/10

Guler struggled to get a foothold in the game and was replaced in the 82nd minute.

CM: Aurelien Tchouameni – 7/10

He anchored the midfield well and was a good presence on the ball.

LM: Eduardo Camavinga – 6.5/10

Camavinga came back to defend when he could, but offered very little in the final third.

ST: Vinicius Junior – 7/10

He was a constant menace in the final third and was tidy with his passing.

ST: Kylian Mbappe – 6.5/10

Mbappe caught the eye at times up top, but there was no goal for him.

Substitutes:

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6/10

He made one key chance going forward.

RW: Brahim Diaz – 6/10

His impact on the game was minimal.

Following Bayern Munich’s win against Eintracht Frankfurt, the pressure was on Borussia Dortmund to get a result against RB Leipzig.

In such an important game in the context of Dortmund’s season, this was not the time for Niko Kovac’s side to struggle defensively. 

Leipzig saw a large portion of their chances come from the flanks, with both Yan Diomande and Brajan Gruda causing issues for the likes of Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson. When the wingers were able to put a cross in, the centre-backs would struggle to deal with clearing the ball, and that is how both of Leipzig’s goals were scored, in near identical fashion

Diomande was left one-on-one with Ryerson, managed to get to the byline and play a cross in which Christoph Baumgartner was able to divert in. The second time, it would be Raum who played the ball in, with the Austrian again at the end of it for his second of the game and to double Leipzig’s lead. 

Dortmund were a much better side in the second half, and got themselves back into the game when a Ryerson corner was turned into the net by Romulo for an own goal to make it 2-1.

The game would then transcend into a basketball game as Niko Kovac’s side looked for an equaliser, and the hosts were looking to extend their lead with Diomande being the source for most of Leipzig’s attacks in the second half. 

After several rather underwhelming substitutions from the visitors, it was a substitute who rescued a point when Fabio Silva’s goal in the 95th minute made it 2-2.

Before Silva’s goal, the gap between first and second was nine points; after the goal, it dropped down to…eight. 

The point is not good enough for any hope of Dortmund competing for the title. If you said a BVB title was at around 20% before this matchday, it has dropped down to 5% now. Kovac’s side will have to win next week against Bayern to bring the gap down to five points, then be perfect for the rest of the season and hope the league leaders drop points at least two more times. 

Considering how Dortmund have ridden their luck for most of this season, especially in recent weeks, this is not likely. 

The title race was ulitmately a pipe dream, and it was really just the friends we made along the way. 

RB Leipzig:

Maarten Vandevoordt (6), Ridle Baku (6), Castello Lukeba (5), Willi Orban (6), David Raum (6), Nicolas Seiwald (5) Xaver Schlager (5), Christoph Baumgartner (8), Brajan Gruda (7), Romulo (5), Yan Diomande (7)

Substitutes: Antonio Nusa (5), Conrad Harder (-), Ezechiel Banzuzi (-), Benjamin Henrichs (-), Max Finkgräfe (-)

Borussia Dortmund:

Gregor Kobel (6), Luca Reggiani (5), Waldemar Anton (5), Ramy Bensebaini (5), Julian Ryerson (6), Felix Nmecha (5), Marcel Sabitzer (5), Daniel Svensson (5), Maximilian Beier (6), Jobe Bellingham (6), Serhou Guirassy (5)

Substitutes: Julian Brandt (5), Yan Couto (5), Carney Chukwuemeka (5), Fabio Silva (6), Karim Adeyemi (5)

GGFN Player of the Match: Christoph Baumgartner (8)

The Austrian continues his incredible season with a first-half double. Baumgartner has made a habit of crashing the box from midfield for Leipzig this season, and he showed that again today, constantly appearing in positions a striker would usually be in. 

The 26-year-old now has 10 goals and six assists in 21 games for Leipzig, and has found a new lease of life under Ole Werner, after being freed from the shackles of being shoehorned to fit in Xavi Simons, Loïs Openda and Benjamin Seško.

GGFN | Jack Meenan

Serie A leaders Inter pulled themselves clear by ten points from second-placed Milan following a 2-0 victory over Lecce. 

The final whistle at the Via Del Mare on Saturday meant a seventh straight league victory for the Nerazzurri, who are now in pole position to lift the Scudetto this season. The three points from this match bring their tally to 64 points from 26 matches this campaign and Cristian Chivu’s men find some breathing space as their closest rivals Milan stay second on the table, yet distant with 54 points.

While the Rossoneri enter into Serie A action on Sunday against Parma, the 1-1 draw with Como midweek took the wind out of their sails. Massimiliano Allegri’s men emerged as potential Scudetto candidates in an earlier part of the season, but dropping points against Genoa, Fiorentina and Roma made Inter grab the opportunity to become league leaders with a cushion. 

Chivu’s troops had an uncharacteristic show in the Champions League during the week, when they lost 3-1 in the Arctic Circle against Bodo/Glimt. The second-leg of the two-legged playoff tie will be staged at the San Siro, and a comeback is very much on the cards. However, the defeat did not affect Inter in this outing as second-half goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Manuel Akanji granted them a professional victory. 

Lecce fought well with their defence for seventy five minutes, frustrating Inter on numerous occasions but Chivu’s substitutions were on point to make the difference they were sent out for. It is back on the drawing board for the Salentini as they came into this fixture with consecutive victories. As for Inter, they keep marching on towards the title, and it will not be of much concern for them even if Milan cut their lead to seven points tomorrow.

Trambak Bhattacherjee | GIFN

In their latest high-profile acquisition, Zuffa Boxing revealed a deal with British superstar Conor Benn (24-1, 14 KOs). The promotion announced the huge signing via social media on Friday.

“The Destroyer” is coming off a one-sided, unanimous decision win over Chris Eubank Jr. in a November rematch of their bout from April of last year. We may not see a trilogy fight anytime soon, as Benn shut down any interest in a third meeting following the victory.

So, who will the native of London, England, face in his first bout under the Zuffa Boxing banner since he is open to bouts at different weights? We offer up seven options, including boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

Callum Walsh

At 25 years of age, Callum Walsh is rising rapidly as one of the top prospects in the sport. Through 16 fights, the native of Cork, Ireland, has yet to taste defeat. In January, Walsh overcame a knockdown in the sixth round to defeat Carlos Ocampo by unanimous decision. It was the only time “King” had hit the canvas in his four-year professional career.

Manny Pacquiao

“Pacman” still aims to capture a championship title and isn’t ready to hang up the gloves just yet. Manny Pacquiao fell short of that milestone in a draw against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios last July. The 2025 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee is set to return for an exhibition match against Ruslan Provodnikov in April. At 47 years old, it would not be surprising if he fights once more, and it could come for Dana White and Zuffa Boxing.

Carlos Ocampo

“Chema” took a wide unanimous decision loss against Walsh in January. However, the 14-year veteran had won three consecutive fights by stoppage before his last outing. Carlos Ocampo displayed some of his power as he connected with a left hook that caused Walsh’s gloves to touch the canvas for a knockdown. Ocampo was handed a loss for the first time since a knockout defeat to Tim Tszyu in June 2023. He is another strong option already inside the promotion to face Conor Benn.

Misael Rodriguez

“El Chino” is coming off an impressive fourth-round TKO victory against Austin Deanda in January. Misael Rodriguez overwhelmed Deanda with combinations, outlanding him 91-53. The win was the 2016 Rio de Janeiro bronze medalist’s eighth stoppage victory through 16 professional contests. Getting a huge fight with Benn next is a real possibility.

Shakur Stevenson

Shakur Stevenson moved up to 140 pounds for a clash against Teofimo Lopez in January. Stevenson’s skills were on a different level, as he out boxed Lopez en route to a lopsided unanimous decision win. He claimed the WBO and Ring junior welterweight titles in the bout, becoming a four-division champion.