NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — Lauren Coughlin continued her strong play at Shadow Creek even in windy conditions Friday that played havoc with the second-round scores at the Aramco Championship to shoot a 3-under 69 and open a five-shot lead.

Coughlin was 8 under. Hyo Joo Kim kept alive her hopes for a third straight LPGA Tour tournament victory, shooting 73 to match Leona Maguire (71) at 3 under.

Coughlin entered the day in a three-way tie for the lead after opening with a 67, but now has created clear separation. She nearly won here last year when it was a match-play event before falling to Madelene Sagstrom in the final pairing.

Now Coughlin is close again. Even with a sizable lead, though, she isn't ready to celebrate.

“There is a lot of golf to be played,” Coughlin said. “As you can see, you can make big numbers really easily. So just try to stick to what I’ve been doing the last two days and see what happens.”

Wind gusts of 20 mph and higher made for a difficult round. A day after 26 players posted red numbers, that total was 11 on Friday, making the picturesque but demanding course almost hidden from the lights of the Las Vegas Strip even more difficult.

“It’s almost bordering on a U.S. Open-style setup,” Maguire said. “You see how few people are under par. It feels a little bit like a major without being a major.”

Miyu Yamashita got to experience that full effect. Sitting at 5 under with two holes to play, she went in the water on the par-3 17th and then took three shots to get on the green. The triple bogey put her at 2 under with second-ranked Nelly Korda (74) and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (70).

Korda, who won this event two years ago, struggled over the final nine in the second round. She bogeyed two holes and had a double on the par-4 first.

The top 20 players in the world signed up for the Aramco Championship, no doubt attracted to the $4 million purse in the first year that this tournament is strictly stroke play. This event is co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour.

Coughlin birdied Nos. 7, 8, 10 and 12, holing a 50-foot putt on No. 8. But she bogeyed the par-4 14th and 15th to halt her momentum and bring her back to the field. Coughlin then rolled in a 25-foot putt on the par-5 16th for an especially timely birdie.

“Yeah, definitely kind of helped smooth things out there towards the end,” Coughlin said. “Felt like I was playing good, especially those two holes before that. I think the easiest way to describe this golf course, especially when it gets windy, it’s so easy to make bogey. One little thing and you’re making bogey. Maybe even worse.”

Amelia Garvey made the largest leap, answering an opening 79 with a 69 even with a triple bogey on the par-3 17th. That got her to 4 over, enough to make the cut of 7 over.

“I actually played really well yesterday,” Garvey said. “I just couldn’t putt. Was putting a bit like Stevie Wonder out there.”

___

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

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 26 points, Jayson Tatum added 23, and the hot-shooting Boston Celtics capitalized on another fast start in a 133-101 victory over the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

Tatum was an assist shy of his second straight triple-double despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter of a game the Celtics never trailed. He had 11 rebounds and nine assists Friday after collecting 25 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists Wednesday in a 147-129 triumph over the Miami Heat.

In the Miami game, Boston scored 53 points in the opening period — its highest first-quarter point total in franchise history. The Celtics didn’t quite match that Friday, but they made eight of their first nine 3-point attempts and led 43-26 after the opening period.

That represented the most first-quarter points Milwaukee had allowed all season.

Boston (52-25) remained 2 1/2 games ahead of the New York Knicks in the competition for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics are four games behind the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons.

Neemias Queta had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who shot 56.2% overall and 17 of 37 from 3-point range. Derrick White scored 17, Payton Pritchard 16 and Sam Hauser 13.

Taurean Prince scored 18 points to lead Milwaukee.

Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a 10th straight game due to what the Bucks have described as hyperextension in his left knee and a bone bruise. He told The Athletic and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel before the game that he's healthy and wants to play.

The Bucks also were missing Kevin Porter Jr. (right knee), Bobby Portis (left wrist sprain), Ryan Rollins (right hip strain) and Gary Trent Jr. (left hip pointer).

Boston was without Nikola Vucevic, who last played March 6 as he deals with a fractured right ring finger.

Up next

Celtics: Host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

Bucks: Host the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

___

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

NCAA Women's Final Four live winners and losers: Updates on South Carolina, UConn, Texas, UCLA originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Friday's slate of games sets up nicely for competitive games, resulting in the National Championship matchup. South Carolina Gamecocks vs the UConn Huskies is not only a matchup of 1s vs 1s, it's also a rematch. Last year UConn defeated South Carolina 82-59 in the National Championship game. 

The semifinal game tonight has been rather close. South Carolina has held the lead for exactly 51% of the game as of the start of the 4th quarter. 

Winners: 

South Carolina vs UConn

The first "winner" is Women's College Basketball fans. After the Elite Eight round that included not one single close game, UConn vs S. Carolina has been exactly what fans need. Two elite programs battling it out in a close, competitive game. 

Raven Johnson (S.CAR): Johnson drew the assignment of defending Sarah Strong. Johnson is giving up 5" in size but has held Strong to only 12 points on 4 of 16 shooting. 

Ta'Niya Latson (S.CAR): First double-double in a Final Four. After sacrificing to play for South Carolina. 

Dawn Staley's post-game press conference response to the post game handshake issue. Coach Staley did not want that situation to deflect for the content of the game. 

Azzi Fudd in the post-game press conference. She received a difficult question about emotions after her final game. After attempting to fight back the emotion, she delivered an incredible answer. 

Texas vs UCLA

Losers:

South Carolina vs UConn

Anyone rooting for a blowout when these two teams face each other

The Big East after hearing Geno Auriemma's comments between the 3rd and 4th quarter. 

Kayleigh Heckel missed a wide-open layup to cut the lead with 1:07 left in the game. We'll leave it at that as she was visibly shaken after that play.  

UConn's inability to keep it close down the stretch. After 70% of the game being extremely close, South Carolina was able to separate at the wrong time. 

The post game handshake. Tempers were running hot after the 3rd quarter. Auriemma made sure to express his feelings during the post-game handshake. Which was anything but pleasant. 

Coach Auriemma. The internet is humming with opinions on his post-game handshake moment. 

Texas vs UCLA

Highlights and fan reactions: 

Texas vs UCLA

BIG TIME BLOCK 🚫 @AngelaDugalic

📺 ESPN#WFinalFour x @UCLAWBBpic.twitter.com/6dtZpTD1Jb

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 4, 2026

Too smooth with the pass 😮‍💨#WFinalFour x 🎥 ESPN / @UCLAWBBpic.twitter.com/6eV70oggjQ

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 4, 2026

There shouldn't be a pre-game handshake issue between Texas and UCLA

LONGHORNS AND BRUINS GOING TO BATTLE 🔥

📺 ESPN#WFinalFourpic.twitter.com/1hQIcuoInV

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 4, 2026

South Carolina vs UConn

The collab I didn't know I needed 🤝@ShedeurSanders x @DianaTaurasi#WFinalFourpic.twitter.com/OWGboGsl6t

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 4, 2026

That was some straight B.S. from the GREAT Geno Auriemma. Never — ever — thought I’d see the day when the greatest woman’s college coach in history would go down so CLASSLESSLY!!! Horrible look, and should be called out for it. He got OUTCOACHED. Plain and simple. And gets in her…

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 4, 2026

@dawnstaley is my SHERO! I’m so proud of u sis. God bless
you. You are Her. @aflac

— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) April 4, 2026

Dawn Staley on the heated exchange with Geno Auriemma pic.twitter.com/3kMYzFZBoQ

— Hoops (@Hoopss) April 4, 2026

An additional angle from the post-game handshake

Crazy moment between Geno and Dawn. pic.twitter.com/CspinsnxDz

— Kareem Copeland (@kareemcopeland) April 4, 2026

Tempers flare during the post-game handshake between Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley

Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley getting into a heated exchange during the handshake lineup…..WOW#WFinalFour#MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/9X4efYQOcb

— Sammy Profeta (@profeta_sammy) April 4, 2026

Blanca got the Husky crowd TURNT UP ‼️#WFinalFour x ESPN / @uconnwbbpic.twitter.com/T5FkvbzNip

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 4, 2026

Needed another angle 🔥 @thesarahstrong

📺 ESPN#WFinalFour x @UConnWBBhttps://t.co/1weZKyuCL2pic.twitter.com/EgPMnC1XjQ

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 4, 2026

Once a Husky, always a Husky! The UConn alums are HYPEEEE 🤩@paigebueckers1 x @kaitlynchenn2 x @DianaTaurasi

📺 ESPN#WFinalFour x @UConnWBBpic.twitter.com/p0ndJkJH7o

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 4, 2026

SARAH IS TOO STRONG 🔥#WFinalFour x 🎥 ESPN / @UConnWBBpic.twitter.com/lCxmaSQydd

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 3, 2026

.@NiyaLatson is TOO TOUGH with it 😤#WFinalFour x 🎥 ESPN / @GamecockWBBpic.twitter.com/uY4Dz2BdP2

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 3, 2026

Two legendary coaches meet again 🤝#WFinalFourpic.twitter.com/yB1EdTOxTC

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 3, 2026

Here comes Dawn 👀

📺 ESPN#WFinalFour x @GamecockWBBpic.twitter.com/kVPKkNXehM

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 3, 2026

Up next, No. 1 UCLA vs No. 1 Texas.

More college basketball news:

• Two fans ejected from NCAA Tournament after bringing FAFO energy, lose $6K
• Duke’s Jon Scheyer pulls off historic feat Mike Krzyzewski never achieved
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• Kenny Smith reacts to UNC coaching rumors
• Nate Burleson's wardrobe gets roasted during March Madness coverage

It was very warm out for the Pirates’ home opener on Friday, but we’ve actually seen warmer in recent years, specifically in 2021.

We had 82 degrees during that home opener. That was against the Cubs, and the Pirates lost 4-2.

In 2015, we hit 80 degrees, the same as in 2001. So, it’s not unprecedented, but certainly warmer than average for this time of year.

However, this is more impressive: If we hit 80 on Friday, and assuming we did again on Saturday, that would make four 80-degree days so far this spring. That would tie it for the most on record through this date.

To give you some perspective, we went from 2013 to 2024 without a single 80-degree day through this date. So, it really puts into perspective just how warm this spring has been so far.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

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What Dawn Staley said after tensions flare with Gene Auriemma originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Immediately after her heated altercation with Geno Auriemma, Dawn Staley spoke on it with Holly Rowe and gave her thoughts.

Rowe asked Staley what went wrong that sparked the confrontation, to which she responded with grace:

“I have no idea, but imma let you know this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity. So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn’t know, I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand. I don’t know what he came with after the game. But hey, sometimes things get heated, we move on.”

Dawn Staley comments on her altercation with Geno Auriemma after the game#MarchMadness#WFinalFourpic.twitter.com/NtmwcARuM2

— Sammy Profeta (@profeta_sammy) April 4, 2026

After a close first half that ended 26-24, Staley had her squad energized and ready to go for the second half, outscoring the Huskies 38-22 to finish the game.

More: Watch: Geno Auriemma has words for Dawn Staley in heated exchange at Final Four

Staley and South Carolina are not headed for their fifth National Championship appearance since 2017 and are looking to claim their fourth title. Tip-off for the title games is set for Sunday, April 5th at 3:30 p.m. EST on ABC.

More college basketball news:

• Oregon Ducks star guard Jackson Shelstad makes final decision before next seaso
• Dave Portnoy should stick to his day job after this March Madness shot
• Everything you need to know about the College Basketball Crown
• Why Cameron Boozer and Fernando Mendoza could soon make sports history
• Duke's Cameron Boozer becomes fifth player in college basketball history with a season like this

UConn coach Geno Auriemma has responded to the heated postgame exchange between him and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

Staley's team topped his in Friday's 2026 NCAA women's Final Four game in Phoenix, sending the Huskies back to Storrs and snapping a perfect season. Auriemma's night ended with him storming off the court and not participating in postgame handshakes after getting into a tense war of words with Staley.

Staley and eagle-eyed lip readers seem to think the exchange happened over Auriemma alleging a missed pregame handshake between the two coaches. The two indeed met before the game for just that.

What does Auriemma think about what happened? Mum was the word during his postgame press conference.

"I said what I had to say," Auriemma told reporters about the moment before tapering off with "nothing, nothing."

“I said what I had to say.”

Geno Auriemma addresses his confrontation with Dawn Staley.#WFinalFourpic.twitter.com/h0Chw5N5zP

— Jason Krump (@JasonKrump) April 4, 2026

Well, that's that from his perspective, we suppose. More insight would have been nice!

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Geno Auriemma responds to fiery Dawn Staley exchange after Final Four

After finishing the 2025 season with an 8-9 record and missing the playoffs for the first time in six years, the Buccaneers had a lot of work ahead of them. They needed major upgrades to the defense and stood to lose a number of major contributors on both sides of the ball.

While many fans clamored for big-money free agent deals, Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht remained true to his longtime strategy of prioritizing value signings to round out the roster. None of the Bucs' 2026 free agent deals are valued for more than $20 million or extend beyond the 2027 season.

That is not to say the Bucs did not make valuable additions. They added at least one starter and addressed some of the problematic depth issues that plagued them last season. While their roster still needs work, the Bucs got what they needed from free agency.

Here are the Bucs' free agent signing grades for 2026:

LB Alex Anzalone - two years, $17 million

Inside linebacker was Tampa Bay's weakest position over the last two seasons, so an upgrade this offseason was vital. The former Detroit Lions linebacker is a clear upgrade over SirVocea Dennis and likely over an aging Lavonte David, who is contemplating retirement.

While the Bucs likely still need to draft a long-term starter at the position regardless of David's decision, Anzalone sets a baseline of play that the Bucs sorely need. While all but $5 million of Anzalone's contract is guaranteed, it remains a solid deal for Tampa Bay. Anzalone's $8.5 million annual average salary is nowhere near top of the market money and ranks just eighth among deals signed by linebackers this offseason and is 23rd among all linebackers. Despite their issues at linebacker, the Bucs did not panic and did not overpay for help.

Grade: B+

RB Kenneth Gainwell - two years, $14 million

The Bucs' running game took a definitive step back in 2025 thanks largely to injuries to Bucky Irving. The run game was buoyed by 2022 third-rounder Rachaad White, who left Tampa Bay for Washington during free agency. To fill White's third-down and passing role, the Bucs brought in former Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell.

What Gainwell lacks in size, he makes up for in speed and burst. He will not be able to grind out yards like White was able to do, but Gainwell will definitely move the chains. His 23 first downs in 2025 only trailed Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. Paired with Irving, the Bucs may have an even more potent pass game. He is a little expensive with a $7 million annual average salary, but his compensation is on par with other veteran running backs with significant roles in their offenses.

Grade: B

DT A'Shawn Robinson - one year, $10 million

Defensive tackle depth was a sneaky need for Tampa Bay coming into the offseason. Logan Hall and Greg Gaines were both free agents, with Hall signing in Houston and Gaines apparently not returning to Tampa Bay. Instead, the Bucs replenished their defensive line rotation by signing former Panthers DT A'Shawn Robinson.

With a one-year, $10 million deal, Robinson comes in on the expensive side, but he is a definitive upgrade over Gaines, who offered next to nothing as a pass rusher and was just adequate in run defense. In 2025, Robinson had nearly four times as many quarterback pressures as Gaines in less than double the snaps per PFF. While Robinson will not revolutionize Tampa Bay's defensive line rotation, it should be more effective than it was last season.

Grade: B

OLB Al-Quadin Muhammad - one year, $6 million

The Bucs have been looking for an effective pass rusher to pair with Yaya Diaby for two seasons. Signing Haason Reddick last season was a resounding failure, leading to the Bucs signing a different veteran edge rusher, former Lions defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad.

Muhammad is less comparable to Haason Reddick than he is to former Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett. Though Muhammad is an elite athlete, he parlayed Detroit's multitude of injuries along the defensive line into an 11-sack season in which he pressured quarterbacks at the same rate as Aidan Hutchinson. Given Muhammad's age and single year of production, the Bucs still managed to sign him a reasonable one-year deal that maxes out at just $6 million. After passing on the big money free agent edge defenders, the Bucs bet low on Muhammad and likely turn their eye to the draft to round out their 2026 pass rush.

Grade: B+

S Miles Killebrew - one year, $1.8 million

The Bucs signed former Steelers safety and special teams standout Miles Killebrew to a veteran minimum deal. It is clear that Killebrew followed his longtime special teams coach Danny Smith from Pittsburgh. While he is not likely to contribute on defense, Killebrew is a core special teamer, earning All-Pro recognition in 2023. Special teams was a major problem for the Bucs last year, particularly in kickoff and punt coverage. Adding a veteran like Killebrew is a necessary move to remake the culture of Tampa Bay's special teams.

Grade: B

QB Jake Browning - one year, $1.4 million

The Bucs added former Bengals quarterback Jake Browning to back up Baker Mayfield. Tampa Bay has not paid the backup quarterback position much mind since signing Mayfield, but it potentially cost them a game last year when Teddy Bridgewater had to spell him in Week 12 due to a shoulder injury. Bridgewater looked well out of his depth, which is why the Bucs sought experienced depth this offseason. Browning played significant snaps for Cincinnati in place of the oft-injured Joe Burrow in 2023 and 2025. In an otherwise functional offense, Browning can lead a team to victory as he did for a three-game stretch in 2023, but the Bucs will hope that he stays on the bench next season.

Grade: C

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: NFL Free Agency: Grading the Bucs moves so far into the offseason

BIGFORK — Bigfork took advantage of five walks, two singles and an error to score six runs in the first inning and take a 9-3 baseball victory over Whitefish Friday.

Mason Lewis hit a two-RBI single to give the Vikings the lead for good, 3-1.

Whitefish got one back in the second thanks to an error that sent Luke Dalen home.

But Hayden Mayer singled home another runner in the fourth to put Bigfork ahead 7-2.

Lewis threw 4 2-3 innings on the bump for Bigfork, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out four. Max Schara added 2 1-3 innings of one-hit relief, fanning three.

Tait Orme threw four innings on the bump for Whitefish, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out nine batters.

Columbia Falls 12, Noxon 2

COLUMBIA FALLS — Jett Pitts hit two triples and a double while driving in three runs for the Wildcats as they rolled past Noxon in five innings.

Pitts first three-bagger opened the scoring, sending Nico Young home. Pitts scored on an error in the next at bat to make it 2-0. Jaxson Cadwell hit an RBI single and Zeke Dunn an RBI double later in the inning to cap off a four-run outburst.

In the second Columbia Falls (2-1) added two more runs as Caden Fisher came home on a dropped strike three and Pitts doubled to right scoring Jory Hill.

Pitts second triple came to cap off a five-run third inning that put the Wildcats ahead 11-0.

Noxon (0-1) loaded the bases in the fifth and Zach Sears doubled to left, scoring the lone Red Devils runs of the game.

Lincoln Fisher went three innings on the mound, allowing one hit and striking out six. Tristan Victor fanned five in 1 2-3 innings of work.

MISSOULA — Olivia Warriner had a double, a homer and three runs batted in and Glacier won a 12-9 Western AA softball slugfest with Missoula Big Sky Friday.

Warriner had four of the Wolfpack’s 18 hits and scored twice; she staked her team to a 1-0 lead with a solo homer to lead off the game.

Big Sky (1-2) scored twice in the bottom of the first, only to see Glacier (2-0) get six runs in the second: Karley Allen put the Pack up 4-2 with a two-run double and Taelor Holt followed with a 2-run home run. Sophia Frederick capped the uprising with an RBI double, making it 7-2.

The Pack pushed their lead to 9-5 in the third on Ava Grady’s two-run single, then padded a 9-7 lead out to 12-7 with Warriner hitting an RBI single in the sixth and Chloe Farrell singling in a run in the seventh.

Grady, who came on to pitch in the third, threw five innings for the win. She allowed nine hits, a walk and four runs — Big Sky had RBI doubles from Madison Norcorss and Hayden Weaver in the seventh — and struck out eight.

Glacier 162 002 1 - 12 18 4

Big Sky 230 020 2 - 9 12 0

Olivia Warriner, Ava Grady (3) and Emma Smith. Sara Bjornson, Briella Wilson (6) and Hailey Nicoson.

GLACIER — Warriner 4-5, Karley Allen 3-5, Taelor Holt 1-4, Grady 2-5, Smith 0-2, Sophia Frederick 2-4, Addy Cunningham 1-3, Chloe Farrell 1-3, Tensley Conner 1-1, Lanee Anderson 2-3, Joslyn Crofts 0-0, Avery Bailey 0-0.

MISSOULA BIG SKY — Hayden Weaver 1-4, Bjornson 3-4, Madison Norcorss 2-4, Kaya Lopez 0-4, Emery Maxwell 0-0, Kennidie Allen 0-1, Logan Latrielle 1-4, Peyton Walters 1–4, Nicoson2 –4, E Regan 0-3, Wilson 2-4.

2B — Frederick, Warriner, Ka. Allen, Latrelle, Norcorss, Nicoson, Weaver. HR — Holt, Warriner, Bjornson. RBIs — Warriner 3, Ka. Allen 2, Holt 2, Grady 2, Frederick, Farrell, Anderson, Bjornson 3, Wilson 2, Weaver, Norcorss, Latrielle.

The Glacier Wolfpack were at less than full strength for their first track and field meet of the season Friday, but still strong enough to sweep a dual from Helena Capital on their home oval.

With top-three sweeps of seven events and 12 wins overall, the Glacier boys outscored the Bruins 99-45. Addison Brisendine’s sweep of the hurdles and Zeila Wagner’s wins in the long jump and 100 led the Wolfpack girls to a 74-58 win.

Several athletes had personal bests, including Cooper Pelc winning the 100 meters in 11.40 seconds; Daniel Pederson (179 feet, 2 inches), Vaughn Ronakov (171-8) and Eli Barney (165-1) went 1-2-3 in the javelin.

Spencer Hudge uncorked a PR of 21-4 to win the long jump.

Max Mangold (4:58.34), fellow junior Duncan Young and freshman Nolan Bissen went 1-2-3 in the 1,600 for Glacier. Owen Thiel (1:57.21), Jude Sparkman and Charles Zogar went 1-2-3 in the 800.

Brisendine’s time in the girls 100 hurdles was 17.40; she won the 300s in 49.33. Wagner clocked 13.20 in the 100-meter dash and marked 15-11 to take the long jump.

Hitting PRs were Dacia Benkelman, who won the 1,600 in 5:35.13; Caitryn Vander Vloedt, who won the 400 in 1:03.13; and Allie Krueger, who marked 37-1 to take the shot put.

Freshman Ada Thiel (2:28.72) and junior Lauren Bissen (2:31.32) went 1-2 in the 800; no girls 3,200 was run Friday.

Some athletes couldn’t compete because they hadn’t hit the required practices due to spring break. Glacier will have closer to a full roster Tuesday for the Kalispell Mini Invite set for 11 a.m. at Legends Stadium.

Full results of Friday’s dual can be found at athletic.net.

The UFC-Paramount Era is well underway, as the first quarter wrapped with last week's event in Seattle.

Quarter 2 appears, on paper, to perhaps bring an elevated level of anticipation, with some of the biggest stars in the sport making their first appearances of 2026.

Currently, there are five title fights scheduled across 12 events, including eight UFC Fight Nights and three numbered events.

There's a lot to unpack in the Quarter 2 schedule, but what are the fights fans should avoid missing at all costs?

We ranked all of the main events and title fights for Quarter 2 below based on three criteria: significance, excitement potential, and fan anticipation.

It should be noted the UFC Fight Night event scheduled for June 27 in Baku, Azerbaijan does not have a publicly-announced main event, so it was not included in the list.

13. Gilbert Burns vs. Mike Malott at UFC Fight Night 273

• Date: April 18
• Location: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Preview: You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better representative of the UFC and MMA than Gilbert Burns. A total class act, fun fighter, and someone who grew up right in front of the UFC audience’s eyes. The losses have piled up recently, though. He enters the UFC Fight Night 273 main event on a four-fight skid. Mike Malott carries himself in a similar way, as the current most prominent Canadian flag-bearer in the UFC. With time, he will likely be viewed in the same light. On a three-fight winning streak, Malott gets a home-country main event. However, it’s perhaps a little surprising that this fight is headlining, given where each fighter is in the division.

12. Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim

• Date: June 6
• Location: META Apex, Las Vegas

Preview: Former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad is a name. He has fans. He has detractors. But there’s no denying he’s a great fighter. There’s also no denying he needs a win to remain in the conversation atop the division. Off back-to-back losses to Jack Della Maddalena and Ian Machado Garry, Muhammad faces Gabriel Bonfim, a fighter who has quietly racked up win after win (with the exception of a loss to Nicolas Dalby in 2023). At the Meta APEX, the event is one week prior to the UFC White House card, where many fans’ attention will be focused. Talent-wise, this fight is top-notch, though stylistically, it may not be the most thrilling – at least on paper.

11. Renato Moicano vs. Chris Duncan

• Date: April 4
• Location: META Apex, Las Vegas

Preview: Similarly to UFC Fight Night 273 in Winnipeg, UFC Fight Night 271’s main event is a little surprising. No one can look at Renato Moicano vs. Chris Duncan and think, “Hey, that’s a bad fight.” It’s a great fight. It has action potential and is extremely important to each man. Moicano wants to prove he’s still an elite lightweight, despite his age and some recent hiccups. Duncan wants to seize the moment and establish himself among the list of top marquee fighters. There’s also a wrinkle of teammate vs. teammate, which is interesting. However, the significance to the division is relatively low. It’s essentially a fight to see which guy belongs somewhere in the rankings. But hey, at least it’ll almost certainly provide some entertainment.

10. Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

• Date: May 30
• Location: Galaxy Arena, Cotai, Macau

Preview: A matchup that the UFC has seemingly wanted forever, yet has been unable to materialize, Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo will finally get their hands on one another, unless the injury bug rears its ugly head again. Both men perhaps have a little less momentum than in years past. Yadong has lost two of three. Figueiredo has lost three of four. But it remains a fun matchup, particularly with it being five rounds and in Yadong’s backyard. The winner is still likely at least a couple fights away from a crack at UFC gold. But perhaps it’s a little more of a proper main event, given the name recognition, the styles, and there being some contendership at stake.

9. Aljamain Sterling vs. Yousseff Zalal at UFC Fight Night 274

• Date: April 25
• Location: META Apex, Las Vegas

Preview: On paper, this could be a grueling watch. But for MMA purists that appreciate technique and strategy over excitement (and there might not be a ton of us relative to the swang-and-bang), this fight is for you. Youssef Zalal, a fighter who was released by the promotion just a few years ago, has stormed back with win after win. Here’s his big shot, fighting one of the division’s most recognizable names and one of the greatest bantamweights of all time. Sterling has breathed new life into his career at featherweight, though he hasn’t perhaps made the splash he’d hoped. He first lost an extremely high-level fight to Movsar Evloev. Then, he beat a heavy Brian Ortega. For Sterling, a fighter who has been around the block, it’s vital if he wants to make another push that he wins this fight. For Zalal, this is the moment he’s always been waiting for. The stakes are there.

8. Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa at UFC Fight Night 276

• Date: May 16
• Location: META Apex, Las Vegas

Preview: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa is yet another example of a veteran trying to hold his ground, and a rising contender trying to snatch his position. Different than the others, however, is just how red-hot Costa is. MMA Junkie’s 2025 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, Costa went 4-0 in 2025, after a 2-2 start in the UFC. His current momentum is of rare form. Allen remains underappreciated and underrated, somehow, despite his decade-plus tenure on the UFC roster. Perhaps it’s his streaks of inactivity due to injury. Perhaps it’s that he’s lost three of four. But going beyond the on-paper resume, Allen has continually been a difficult out for top-tier talent in one the promotion’s most competitive decisions. This is a dog fight. Let’s see not who can bark the loudest, but who can bite the hardest.

7. Manel Kape vs. Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC Fight Night 279

• Date: June 20
• Location: META Apex, Las Vegas

Preview: We’re now really turning the corner into the “yes please” echelon of the quarter’s highest-positioned fights. Despite its near dismantlement years ago, the UFC flyweight division has repeatedly proved its worth. It’s not going anywhere, and Manel Kape vs. Kyoji Horiguchi 2 will almost certainly remind us why. The technique and speed will be off the charts. The fact that this fight is five rounds is truly a treat, and it has immediate, perhaps No. 1 contender-esque, implications. Oh, and we didn’t even mention that these two have history. The two RIZIN standouts fought in the promotion’s 2017 World Grand Prix when Horiguchi submitted Kape. This checks so many boxes – an absolutely sick main event.

6. Joshua Van (c) vs. Tatsuro Taira at UFC 327

• Date: April 11
• Location: Kaseya Center, Miami

Preview: Sticking in the UFC’s most exciting division, here’s a fight for all the marbles. Joshua Van and Tatsuro Taira will serve as a supporting act at UFC 327, but that’s OK. The flyweight division may not ever get the respect it deserves, unless a true superstar emerges. Van, however, could be that. He’s the most popular flyweight we’ve seen in years and carries Myanmar on his back as the first Burmese fighter in UFC history. He’s young, and his rate of improvement as someone who made his amateur debut in December 2020 is absolutely insane. Taira, meanwhile, stumbled with a barnburner loss to Brandon Royval, but hopped right back on the horse. He’s continually improving, too. These two fighters are pushing the ceiling of what’s conceivable at flyweight. Now they’ll face each other in what could be an absolutely off-the-rails title UFC fight at Kaseya Center.

5. Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg at UFC 327

• Date: April 11
• Location: Kaseya Center, Miami

Preview: One of the UFC’s biggest stars returns against the most exciting fighter in UFC history at the White House. Seeing Ilia Topuria back is a relief of sorts. Step after step, he took up the ladder of stardom. Legal battles led to inactivity, which led to him losing some steam, but it shouldn’t take long for him to get back on track and potentially reach new heights. In order to do that, he’ll have to get through Gaethje, who admits he’s at the tail-end of his career, likely in the last title opportunity he’ll ever get. The oddsmakers list this fight lopsidedly, however. Gaethje has been knocked out several times in his career, with increasing frequency as the years have rolled on. Topuria, meanwhile, has looked invincible. You can never count Justin Gaethje out – never, ever… ever….. ever! But I do think the public perception is heavily supporting a dominant Topuria win, and that’s knocked the hype down a notch.

4. Ilia Topuria (c) vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250

• Date: June 14
• Location: South Lawn of The White House, Washington, D.C.

Preview: This fight could be sloppy. This fight could be wild. In fact, it’ll likely be both of those things. More importantly, it’ll almost certainly be a car crash – a guaranteed, “Well, I can’t look away from the screen for even a single second” sort of fight. There’s something to be said about sure-thing violence, which is what Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg. Hammer the under, because this thing will likely be quick. The anticipation of pure chaos overshadows the division’s title picture blandness, with Alex Pereira vacating the belt after winning it in October, meaning this will be for the vacant strap. It never feels right when a new champion is crowned without beating the previous champion. However, in this moment, the highlight either Prochazka or Ulberg will create should make us forget about that, at least for a few moments.

3. Jack Della Maddalena vs. Carlos Prates at UFC Fight Night 275

• Date: May 2
• Location: RAC Arena, Perth, Australia

Preview: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Carlos Prates isn’t a title fight, but it could very well be the fight on the UFC schedule that diehards are looking forward to the most. It checks a lot of boxes. It’s significant (perhaps a title eliminator, though that might be a slight stretch). It’s exciting – and it’s high-level. While there’s no title on the line, both men are in their primes. Their styles seem like a concoction that would satisfy both hardcores and casuals. Two fun personalities with finishing abilities in the loaded welterweight division. This is what a UFC Fight Night main event should be.

2. Khamzat Chimaev (c) vs. Sean Strickland at UFC 328

• Date: May 9
• Location: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.

Preview: Right now, this feels like “the fight.” In an MMA landscape that seems dull at times, Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland have already laid the groundwork for a truly nasty rivalry. The trash talk hasn’t fully engaged yet, though I’m sure it’s coming. The methods will almost certainly cross into distasteful, but fans of each fighter will be eager to see the other smashed. But the visuals of either Chimaev dominating Strickland, or Strickland flipping the combat sports world on its head, handing Chimaev his first loss, give this fight the little extra anticipation and aura the others do not have. The matchup itself is somewhat intriguing, though in a similar vein to Topuria vs. Gaethje (but to a lesser degree), the oddsmakers are confident Chimaev will get the job done, which perhaps tunes down the public's perception a few volume levels.

1. Ciryl Gane vs. Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250

• Date: June 14
• Location: South Lawn of The White House, Washington, D.C.

Preview: Don’t let the fact that we’re not getting Alex Pereira vs. Jon Jones spoil the fact that we’re getting a truly interesting co-main event at UFC Freedom 250 that could have all-time historic implications. How will Pereira do at heavyweight? It’s a question many, including myself, have been wondering for years since he first verbalized his plans to someday bulk up there. “Poatan” has the ability to become the first fighter in UFC history to hold a title in three weight classes, even if this one is just an interim (for now). Ciryl Gane is a stiff test, though the memories of Jones walking right through him seem to forever live in the minds of many fight fans, despite Gane’s career success and glimpse of brilliance vs. champion Tom Aspinall before an eye poke ended their fight in October. Interim title fights often mean a unification bout up next. But will it be an all-time mega fight between Pereira and Aspinall, or a rematch between Gane and Aspinall after the first ended in controversy? There’s a lot going on. Star power. History. Setting the scene for something potentially even bigger. This has all the fixings.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC schedule: Ranking every Spring 2026 main event and title fight

All Pittsburgh Steelers Picks 2026 NFL Draft originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

No team in the league has more picks in the 2026 NFL Draft than the Pittsburgh Steelers. The defending AFC North Champions are scheduled to make 12 picks in this year’s draft.

Pittsburgh has a selection in all seven rounds of the draft, which kicks off on Thursday, April 23rd, and concludes on Saturday, April 25th.

• Round 1: Pick 21
• Round 2: Pick 53
• Round 3: Pick 76
• Round 3: Pick 85
• Round 3: Pick 99
• Round 4: Pick 121
• Round 4: Pick 135
• Round 5: Pick 161
• Round 6: Pick 216
• Round 7: Pick 224
• Round 7: Pick 230
• Round 7: Pick 237

New Head Coach Mike McCarthy inherited a roster with more than a fair share of holes to fill. Perhaps none more so than wide receiver. 

Trading for highly productive former Indianapolis Colts draft pick Michael Pittman Jr. to play alongside D.K. Metcalf certainly helped, but third-year receiver Roman Wilson is currently slotted as the team’s wide receiver No. 3 with only 164 career yards. The Steelers can go anywhere with their first-round selection, and if one of the big three receivers falls (Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, or Makai Lemon), don’t count the Steelers out.

The second most pressing need is safety, and the Steelers are in luck. There are at least three safeties with a consensus first-round grade in this year’s class. At 21, Pittsburgh is in a prime position to pick up a day-one starter if they go this route. 

With 12 picks, McCarthy will hope to secure at least six starters/role players, and with three picks in the third round, they’ve got the draft capital to do just that.

More NFL: Colin Cowherd Explains Why Steelers Are 'Slow, Outdated, Predictable'

What UConn's Gene Auriemma said after ripping Dawn Staley originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The South Carolina Gamecocks took care of business with a 62-48 win over the UConn Huskies in the Final Four on Friday night. 

What started out as a close contest turned ugly going into the third quarter. Dawn Staley's team started to run away to the finish line and this didn't sit well with Geno Auriemma. The legendary coach aired out his frustration going into the final quarter. 

"There were six fouls called in that quarter, all of them against us," Auriemma told ESPN's Holly Rowe. "And they've been beating the s— out of our guys down there the entire game. And I'm not making excuses because we haven't been able to make a shot. But this is ridiculous."

Watch:Geno Auriemma has words for Dawn Staley in heated exchange at Final Four

As South Carolina walked away with the double-digit lead, Auriemma came face-to-face while shaking hands with Staley and things were confrontational between the two. They had to be separated by their assistants before exiting the court. 

Auriemma deflected about the exchange during the post-game press conference. When asked by reporters what he said to Staley, he said, "Nothing. I said what I needed to say. Nothing." 

South Carolina advances to face the winner of Texas-UCLA on Sunday night in Phoenix. 

More college basketball news:

• Two fans ejected from NCAA Tournament after bringing FAFO energy, lose $6
• NCAA basketball tournament reportedly expanding to 76 teams: What to know
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• Kenny Smith reacts to UNC coaching rumors
• Nate Burleson's wardrobe gets roasted during March Madness coverage

The Knicks started Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls on a 20-1 run and never looked back in a 136-96 win.

Takeaways

1. No Karl-Anthony Towns (right elbow impingement), no problem. Mitchell Robinson was fresh off missing Wednesday's 130-119 win at the Memphis Grizzlies and delivered with a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double in 22 minutes. Robinson made all seven field goals and four free throws, flirting with his season-high 21 points from New York's Dec. 19 game against the Philadelphia 76ers as he took advantage of an opportunity to start at center.
2. Another Knick who returned from inactivity, Jalen Brunson, was aggressive and efficient early while taking a step back from the scoring and facilitating more with 10 assists in 29 minutes. Brunson's 17-point double-double included 6-of-13 shooting, looking strong in his return from right ankle soreness and doing what he should have for New York (50-28) against lowly Chicago (29-47).
3. OG Anunoby continues to trend up. After scoring 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting Wednesday in Memphis, Anunoby dropped a game-high 31 against the Bulls. He did so on 9-of-15 shooting, including a 7-for-10 clip from deep, and made all six of his free throws in 28 minutes. Anunoby's seven made treys are a season-high figure for the wing, who drilled four triples on eight attempts two days ago and is coming alive for the Knicks -- albeit against subpar competition -- down the stretch.
4. Mike Brown dug deep into New York's bench as he played nine Knicks beyond his starting five, including first-quarter minutes for Jeremy Sochan, among others. Landry Shamet and Tyler Kolek led the Knicks off the bench with eight points apiece. Meanwhile, Miles McBride scored six points on a 2-of-4 mark behind the arc with two steals in 12 minutes off the bench as he works his way back from mid-February surgery and this past week's injury scare. McBride missed Wednesday's game but seemed to bounce back nicely Friday.

Who's the MVP?

Robinson, whose opening layup and 10 first-quarter points set the tone with a physical start for the Knicks in the absence of Towns.

Highlights

Mitchell Robinson puts it back! pic.twitter.com/jCok83dkER

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 3, 2026

OG for three! pic.twitter.com/YsoZjhtRaL

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 3, 2026

Mitchell Robinson with 10 points in the first 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sG0IrBHEj9

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 4, 2026

Deuce from downtown 🎯 pic.twitter.com/nXOCF14jsk

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 4, 2026

OG Anunoby hits a three to push the lead to 41 🔥 pic.twitter.com/C87fNraoaW

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 4, 2026

What's next

The Knicks, who have now won 50 games in three consecutive regular seasons, get the weekend off before they embark on their final road game of the regular season with Monday's 7 p.m. tipoff at the Atlanta Hawks.

Earlier this week, at the NFL’s annual owners meeting in Phoenix, Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said the team was within “striking distance” regarding second contracts for some rookie-deal players, like an Anton Harrison or a Brenton Strange.

A few days later, the Jaguars officially agreed to terms on a contract extension with defensive end Travon Walker.

According to multiple reports, it’s a four-year deal worth $110 million with $77 million guaranteed.

Walker, one of just six non-quarterbacks to be drafted first overall over the past 25 years, is now the NFL’s 12th-highest-paid EDGE in terms of average annual salary.

He also ranks 14th in AAV% of the cap (per @djDELFONIK), as well as 10th in total value and seventh in guaranteed money (per Over The Cap).

The deal will likely save Jacksonville some money in 2026, as Walker’s $15.2 million cap could be lowered to about $8-9 million. It will almost certainly age well, considering Walker decided to put pen to paper before potentially upping his value during a contract year.

Jaguars vice president of football operations Tony Boselli spoke to local media on Wednesday about the possibility of striking a deal with Walker.

“Obviously, Travon missed a few games and probably didn’t put the numbers up he wanted because of the injuries, but if you watch- when you watch him play, you know he’s a really good player. And so obviously, we want those guys to be Jaguars. How we get there will be a process, and we’ll address that as it comes.”

Walker was only healthy for the first three weeks of last season. He dealt with wrist and knee injuries, finishing with just 3.5 sacks in 2025. In the two years prior, however, Walker was one of eight players to notch consecutive double-digit sack campaigns. Opposing offenses run the ball away from him the way NBA players avoid Victor Wembanyama. (Wemby is beyond comparison, but you get the point.)

On Action Sports Jax’s The Brent & Austen Show a few weeks ago, Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile said, “[Walker’s] versatility is really what enables us to do a lot of the things that we do.”

“A guy like Travon lets us play so many different fronts over the course of the game with the same personnel grouping that it makes it hard for the offense to ever get a gauge on what you’re going to be in in terms of the front. It’s one thing in the backend, you know, to be multiple and changing coverages and all that, but to be able to come out and be in over defense, be in under defense, be in bear, be in 6-1 defense, you know, be in loaded fronts. You really have to have a guy who’s versatile enough to do that.”

Top reactions on social media:

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Missouri track & field hit the ground running on the first day of the Battle on the Bayou, Friday, April 3, in Baton Rouge, La. With multiple athletes improving on their results from past meets, the Tigers proved they are more than ready for what is to come during the remainder of the season.

Women and Men’s Hammer Throw Took Charge

Sam Innes led the men’s hammer throw, placing fourth overall with his mark of 70.36 meters. This result set a new personal best for Innes, and replaced his previous No.2 Mizzou program record. Alongside him, Garik Pozecki and Clayton Kamp claimed 11th and 14th with marks of 59.97 meters and 55.72 meters. 

Petra Gombas had a stellar result in the women’s hammer throw with a 12th overall placement and mark of 54.97 meters. Alongside her, Kaitlyn Morningstar claimed 13th, and her new personal best of 52.87 meters. Rounding it out for the Tigers in 14th was Reagan Kimrey, with a mark of 52.45 meters. 

Leacock Hurdles to Success

Dillon Leacock dashed to the finish line in third overall with a time of 50.93 seconds. His result broke his previous Mizzou top-10 record, placing him at No.3 overall. This race was nothing short of a job well done for Leacock. 

Women’s Memorable Javelin Throw 

Valentina Barrios shook the crowd with a first place mark of 55.80 meters in the women’s javelin. Along with her result, Barrios broke the javelin meet record and now ranks No.5 nationally. Although she did not break her current record of 62.00 meters, her result would have been a Mizzou top-10 program record. 

Alongside Barrios, Skyler Ciccolini did not surpass her personal best of 57.45 meters but finished fourth overall. Her mark would also rank among Mizzou’s top-10 program records at 50.56 meters. 

Other notable marks were Val Galligan and Morgan Cannon, who claimed sixth and eighth place overall, with marks of 47.64 meters and 45.70 meters. 

Robert’s 200 Meter Dash 

Robert Hines claimed 20th overall in the race, with his new personal best time of 21.54 seconds.

Women and Men’s 1,500 Meter Race of Personal Bests

Suzy Lecoutre took the lead for the Tigers, placing fifth overall with her time of 4:20.65 minutes. Alongside her, Allison Newman claimed 17th her new personal best of 4:30.68 minutes.

On the men’s side, Lasse Funck came in seventh overall, with his time of 3:45.17 minutes. Shortly after him , the rest of his teammates placed on after another in 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th place. Joseph Bariola led the charge in 14th, with his new personal best of 3:46.95 minutes.

After him, Ryder James placed 15th with his personal best of 3:47.10 minutes and Carter Spradling took 16th with his new personal best of 3:47.20. Finnian Russell took 17th at 3:47.27 minutes and last but not least, Ethan Hogan and River Hardman placed 24th and 28th.

Men’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase 

Andrew Hauser captured fourth place in the event with a time of 9:16.35 minutes.

Meet results: https://live.deltatiming.com/meets/66039/events/individual/2405804

What’s Next for Day 2

The Tigers are set to compete for the second day of competitions, with the women’s discus being the first event in the morning at 10:30 a.m. Soon after, there will be the men’s shot put and the women’s 800-meter race. Following that, the men will compete in the 800-meter race, where multiple Mizzou athletes are set to compete in. The day will end for the Tigers after Hines competes in the men’s 100-meter race.

To read more about Missouri’s Track and Field team, follow @Rock MNation and @SophBleedsLA on twitter/X.

NEW YORK (AP) — OG Anunoby scored 31 points, Mitchell Robinson had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and the New York Knicks routed the Chicago Bulls 136-96 on Friday night in a game they led by 47 points.

Anunoby was 9 for 15 from the field, including 7 for 10 from 3-point range, and Robinson made each of his seven shots starting in place of All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, who did not play because of a right elbow impingement.

All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson had 17 points and 10 assists to help the Knicks win their second consecutive game after dropping three in a row.

For New York (50-28), the blowout victory cemented its third consecutive season with at least 50 wins — a feat the club had not accomplished since the 1991-92 to 1993-94 campaigns. The Knicks lost the 1994 NBA Finals to Houston and were able to surpass the 50-win plateau the following season.

Collin Sexton had 19 points for the Bulls. They have lost their last six games and 10 of 12.

New York led 38-16 at the end of the first quarter by taking advantage of Chicago’s offensive struggles as they went on an 18-0 run before Sexton’s 3-pointer cut the Bulls’ deficit to 20-4 with 5:25 remaining in the period. Chicago missed 10 shots and had five turnovers during the woeful stretch.

New York’s offense overwhelmed the Bulls by outscoring them 40-25 in the second quarter to lead 78-41 at the break.

Up next

Bulls: Host Phoenix on Sunday night.

Knicks: At Atlanta on Monday night.

___

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

A couple of lip readers have tried to decipher what happened between UConn coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley on Friday night.

Staley's South Carolina team defeated Auriemma's UConn team in Friday's Final Four game in Phoenix. Afterward, the two got into a heated exchange that caused Auriemma to storm off the court without postgame handshakes.

A couple of eagle-eyed lip readers seemed to clock the exchange as Auriemma being mad at Staley not shaking his hand pregame, which the two clearly did. Staley seemingly pushed against that accusation in the moment.

More lip readings should come out soon, but here's your first glimpse at what might have gone down.

You can see Dawn say “I shook your hand Geno…don’t do that.”

GENO IS A SORE LOSER pic.twitter.com/xypvSNzDXU

— correlation (@nosyone4) April 4, 2026

you can see Geno saying something about “shake my hand at the beginning of the game” LMAOOO LYING THROUGH HIS TEETH pic.twitter.com/CvbjBlrPrehttps://t.co/dVltuuNfAj

— correlation (@nosyone4) April 4, 2026

Geno saying Dawn Staley didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game 😭💀

pic.twitter.com/2EnVmgolT9

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) April 4, 2026

What an ugly moment to cap an awesome game.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Lip readers decipher Geno Auriemma-Dawn Staley Final Four exchange

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh this month, a city that could be where the Bucs select the next star they add to their roster in hopes of righting the proverbial ship. Before then, though, there will be plenty of speculation and buildup for the team and who they may add to the roster through the draft. Thankfully, we now have some added context for players now that the scouting combine has come and gone.

The Draft Network's Keith Sanchez recently released the latest 2026 NFL mock draft of the cycle, which has the team going in a similar direction to previous mocks as he has them going with an edge rusher. Texas A&M's Cashius Howell has been knocked for his arm length in some instances, but the motor he plays with is undeniable.

Sanchez explains the Howell pick, writing, "The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to face the retirement of an all-time Buccaneers player, Lavonte David, which means this defense definitely needs an injection of youth and talent. While there aren't any stand-up 'backers to draft this high, they can address another need: the edge rusher position. The Buccaneers go with edge rusher from Texas A&M, Cashius Howell. Howell has the ceiling to be a consistent double-digit sack player in the NFL."

Howell, opposite the likes of Yaya Diaby, would be a fun match to watch unfold on Sundays. The team needs a spark at the edge rusher position and the former Aggie fits that billing perfectly.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: The Bucs find their hopeful answer for their pass rushing issues

The Los Angeles Angels have used that name since 2016, but California state legislation could result in that changing.

California Assembly member Avelino Valencia has brought the legislation forward, asking to revert the name of the MLB franchise to the Anaheim Angels as a requirement of any sale or new lease of the stadium property, according to the LA Times.

The bill is named the “Home Run for Anaheim Act.”

Anaheim was dropped from the name after the team was previously called the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 2005 to 2015. The team was previously known as the Anaheim Angels from 1997 to 2004, including during its championship season in 2002.

Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken has reportedly asked the city attorney to also explore the possibility that the MLB franchise may have violated its current lease by dropping the name from legal documents.

The team's current stadium lease extends through 2032, according to Sports Business Journal. The Angels have the option to consider extending the lease through 2038.

Arte Moreno bought the Angels from the Walt Disney Company for $183.5 million in 2003. Moreno considered selling the team in 2022 but decided the team was no longer for sale after having a change of heart in January 2023.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angels could be required to add Anaheim to name due to state legislation

PHOENIX — South Carolina defeated UConn 62-48 in the first semifinal game of Friday night in Phoenix, Arizona to advance to Sunday’s national championship game.

In what was a close game for majority of play, with tough defense and aggressive play, the game ended with two legendary women’s basketball coaches getting into what looked like an argument as the game was concluding. As the final seconds were winding down, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley seemed to get into a heated debate.

These two teams are familiar with each other, as both faced off in last year’s National Championship game when UConn came out on top.

In an interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe at the end of the third quartr, Auriemma expressed his frustration with the lack of foul calls against the Gamecocks.

After the game, Rowe interviewed Staley on the court after the game:

In the postgame press conference after the game, Staley was asked by media to “shed light on the conversation with Geno after the game.”

“You can ask Geno the question. He’s the one that initiated the conversation. I don’t want what happened there to dampen what we were able to accomplish today,” Staley said. “The difference is, I mean, experience. I think losses, when you have losses that hurt, but you really understand the why, I think UConn was a really well-oiled machine. If you didn’t have disruption and consistent disruption, you allow them to play as freely as they want to play and shoot as freely as they shoot, they’re very efficient and very, very good. Our whole objective was to get them to shoot as inefficiently as possible, make them put the ball on the floor. Don’t give them as many catch-and-shoot opportunities. I thought our kids really locked into that.”

South Carolina’s defensive power 

Led by SEC Defensive Player of the Year Raven Johnson, the Gamecocks put up a solid defensive performance vs. the Huskies. Having to go up against not one, but two Player of the Year finalists in Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, South Carolina was prepared for the star power. 

Both Johnson, along with sophomore Joyce Edwards at various times had the defensive assignments of Strong and Fudd. Strong, who usually averages 18.6 points a game, was held to 12 points and Fudd had just 8 points, scoring under double digit figures for only the fourth time this season.

“Raven thrives on any matchup, right?,” said Staley. “Sarah Strong is not the tallest player that she guarded. We were put in the position where she guarded Kentucky’s big, Strack. We know she’s fearless when it comes to who she’s guarding. She takes really great pride in not look people to score on her. When you have a guard like that that has elite defensive skills, you let ’em be great.”

Edwards had an impressive game on both sides of the court, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, two steals and a block.

“We just played great team defense,” said transfer senior Ta’Niya Latson. “I mean, we stuck to the scout report. I mean, Coach Mary (Wooley) did a good job in telling us what we needed to do. I feel like we all watched film. We were really locked in during shootarounds. We knew their tendencies, what they liked. I think we executed it really, really well.”

Another new freshman standout 

Freshman Agot Makeer made a statement in Friday’s semifinals game as she was second in scoring for South Carolina with 14 points, behind Latson’s 16 points. In South Carolina’s Elite Eight game vs. TCU, Makeer posted a season high of 18 points. Makeer’s ability to run up and down the court was on display in Phoenix, as she finished the game with four rebounds, one steal and two assists.

South Carolina has been known to have freshmen step up late in the season. Back in 2024, it was Tessa Johnson who earned honors on the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team with 14.0 points per game on 58.8 percent shooting (10-of-17) in the final weekend of the season.

In one of the most anticipated ESPN MVP straw polls, the final batch of results showed one thing — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks like he'll be a runaway winner for back-to-back MVP awards. The shocking development goes against the grain of the recent vibes.

ESPN released its latest NBA MVP straw poll on Friday. Tim Bontemps' brainchild has been an accurate forecast tool over the years of who might come away with the yearly award. He questions 100 local, national and international media members in a mock vote that resembles the real thing.

Gilgeous-Alexander had 958 total voting points. That was enough for first place. For context, Victor Wembanyama was second with 644 points. Gilgeous-Alexander had 88 first-place votes, nine second-place votes and three third-place votes.

That meant only a dozen voters didn't have Gilgeous-Alexander as the MVP winner. Wembanyama had eight first-place votes, Nikola Jokic had three first-place votes and Jaylen Brown had a single first-place vote.

Wow. This was quite the surprise. Despite Wembanyama's momentum rolling in recent weeks as the San Antonio Spurs are right behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the first seed, Gilgeous-Alexander has comfortably sat in first place in most mock voters' minds.

Heck, Gilgeous-Alexander is closer to winning unanimously than it is to being a real two-man race. With just a little over a week left in the regular season, it feels like there's not a ton of time to really change that trajectory. Barring something unforeseen, he should win a second MVP trophy to add to his all-time legacy.

Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 31.6 points on 55.1% shooting, 6.5 assists and 4.4 rebounds. The Thunder have sat atop of the NBA standings all season with a 61-16 record.

New ESPN story: The final MVP straw poll of the season has arrived — with a twist!

In a first, I broke down where a fascinating Rookie of the Year race stands, as well as to seeing whether anyone was able to catch SGA for MVP.

Here’s where things stand.https://t.co/vD7oaxeUUN

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 3, 2026

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: ESPN MVP straw poll: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains in 1st place

"I think I'm ready."

Gable Steveson is expecting his UFC call to come at any moment.

The decorated wrestler has spent the past year building a resume on the regional scene, competing in three MMA bouts and one striking-only fight under the rules of Dirty Boxing Championship. Steveson (3-0) also recently signed with Real American Freestyle to compete in wrestling, but believes a call to make his UFC debut could come at any moment.

"I got a couple of matches with RAF," Steveson told The Schmo. "I told everybody I'm a full-time mixed martial artist, and. I would love to keep doing that. But I got good news: any day now."

Steveson said he's excited to continue to show his dominance on the wrestling mats. Winning a RAF title would mean a lot to him, but his ultimate goal is capurting the UFC heavyweight title.

"I'm doing RAF to show people that I can still wrestle," Steveson said. "I'll show people that I'm great at wrestling, I'll show people I'm one of the best heavyweights of all time. But the UFC title is more important to me."

Steveson has won all three of his professional MMA fights with very little trouble. He's finished Braden Peterson, Kevin Hein and Hugo Lezama all in the first round. When looking at the heavyweight landscape in the UFC, Steveson believes it's in prime position for him to show up and make an immediate impact.

"I think there's a lot of holes in it, but that's great for me to come in and kind of be a new fan-dominant fighter that can go out there and beat a lot of heavyweights," Steveson said. "It's one day at a time, and I'm gonna keep it short and simple. ... No names, but it's gotta come for everybody."

Jon Jones has been in Steveson's corner throughout his young MMA journey, guiding him not only on techniques and the physical aspects of fighting but also on how to navigate his career. It's a role Jones has fully embraced as a coach and mentor, publicly backing Steveson like never before. So far, so good for Steveson, who many expect to take full advantage of what is considered to be a weak UFC heavyweight division.

"It's going to be crazy when it comes, but it's coming any day now," Steveson said. "Any day now. Any day."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Gable Steveson expects call for UFC debut soon: 'Any day now'

The Houston Rockets have had players donning a total of 52 different jersey numbers (and have one not part of any numerical series for Houston assistant coach and general manager Carroll Dawson) since their founding at the start of the 1967-68 season, worn by just under 500 players in the course of Rockets history.

To honor all of the players who wore those numbers over the decades, Rockets Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who wore them since the founding of the team all those years ago right up to the present day.

With seven of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Rockets of all time to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.

And for today's article, we will continue with the 19th of 21 who wore the No. 10, guard alum Marcus Thornton. After playing his NCAA ball with his hometown Louisiana State University, Thornton was picked up with the 43rd overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat.

He was dealt to the New Orleans (then) Hornets (now Pelicans) after a draft night deal, and played parts of his first two seasons in the NBA there. He also played for the Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns before he signed with Houston in 2015. His stay with the team lasted until he was cut in 2016.

During his time suiting up for the Rockets, Thornton wore only jersey No. 10 and put up 10. points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets jersey history No. 10 - Marcus Thornton (2015-16)

Just to be clear, we’re not starting a book club (though maybe we should in the offseason).

Instead, we want you to help us do a bit of planning for the future.

So far this season, we’ve done the “State of the Position” series and a lot of player and coach profiles. That’s all is pretty standard for this time of year.

Now, however, the Colorado Rockies are playing meaningful baseball, so we’re turning our attention to analysis as we wait for baseball to move out of the “small-sample size” territory.

So here’s our question as we start looking ahead: What kinds of articles would you be interested in reading? Are there players and/or coaches you’d like to hear more from? Is there an area we’re overlooking?

Let us know in the comments!

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Jiri Prochazka could be the new UFC light heavyweight champion after next weekend, but that doesn’t mean “BJP” isn’t interested in a potential move to heavyweight. After all, his former rival, Alex Pereira, will be waiting with open arms.

In case you forgot, Prochazka will face Carlos Ulberg at UFC 327 on April 11 to determine the next UFC light heavyweight king. That’s because Pereira vacated his 205-pound belt in order to move up heavyweight and land a spot on the upcoming UFC White House card in June. This, and only this, is the reason why Prochazka is fighting for another UFC title. Pereira already holds two wins over Prochazka so a trilogy fight at 205 pounds would need a lot of convincing.

Prochazka, who has only lost to “Poatan” inside of the Octagon, is completely focused on the task at hand. Even with a baby on the way the former UFC light heavyweight champion is only worried about Ulberg and taking home the vacant strap at UFC 327 in Miami, Florida. After that, he would entertain the idea of chasing Pereira down at heavyweight and locking down his desired trilogy fight.

“When I fought in Rizin in Japan, I fought with the heavyweight guys many times,” Prochazka told MMA Junkie earlier this week when asked if a move to heavyweight could be in his future. “I can push my body to show much more strength and be able to fight with these types of guys, with these heavyweight and still be faster, more endurance, precise, all these things so it’s a really good idea for me.”

First thing’s first, Prochazka needs to get past a surging Ulberg next weekend at UFC 327. If he’s able to do that and Pereira walks away with the interim UFC heavyweight title at the White House card then maybe, just maybe, a trilogy fight could come together.

Recent reports indicate that Julian Nagelsmann has decided on a midfield pivot of Aleksander Pavlović and either Leon Goretzka or another more defensive option. While many fans will cheer in joy to hear that Nagelsmann has opted for Pavlović, there is still skepticism surrounding appointing Goretzka to the second spot in the midfield pivot.

While Anton Stach massively impressed in his brief appearance in the March international break, there is still another intriguing option that is not being discussed enough. Ever since Nagelsmann appointed Joshua Kimmich as Germany’s starting right-back, that decision has seemingly come to a close.

However, Kimmich has not excelled in this role with the national team in recent years and has felt like more of a decisions surrounding a lack of other right-back options. It made fine sense for the time being, but that has perhaps changed in recent months.

David Raum has emerged over the past two years as the clear left-back for Germany, but Nathaniel Brown’s inspiring performance against Ghana proved that he is talented enough to play a large role in this team. A possible proposition is for Nathaniel Brown to start at right-back and slide Kimmich back into his natural position in midfield.

This allows Raum and Brown to excel at full-back positions and remove the uncertainty in midfield. Not only will this enable the best talent on the pitch, but it will unlock a world-class midfield with top chemistry between Pavlović and Kimmich.

As most of the chatter around the national team has been focused on the starting striker and the debate between Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané, and Jamie Leweling for the final spot in attack, this potential move could transform Germany.

While Brown almost exclusively plays on the left flank, he has played in the right-back slot twice for Eintracht Frankfurt in March with a 2-0 win over Freiburg and a 0-0 draw against St. Pauli. Two clean sheets is a small sample size, but it shows a real opportunity for Nagelsmann to set things right.

Is this too much of a change before the World Cup or would this transformation allow Germany to hit full their full potential this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he’s healthy and wants to play even as the Milwaukee Bucks continue to say the two-time MVP is too injured to take the floor.

Antetokounmpo missed a 10th straight game on Friday night against the Boston Celtics due to what the team has described as a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since landing awkwardly during a March 15 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

“I’m healthy,” Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Athletic before Friday’s game. “I hate it when people force me to do things against my nature. I’m a player. I get paid to play.”

For the last couple of weeks, Antetokounmpo has participated in pregame warmups without showing any apparent signs of injury.

Antetokounmpo also noted that the Bucks should have known this about him since the 31-year-old has spent his entire 13-year career in Milwaukee.

Throughout that time, Antetokounmpo has had a reputation for rapid returns from injury, most notably when he hyperextended his knee during Milwaukee’s 2021 playoff run but missed two games before returning to lead the Bucks to their first title in half a century.

“You know who you’re dealing with,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “So, for somebody to come and tell me to not play or to not compete, it’s like a slap in my face.”

The Bucks still had a remote chance of earning a 10th straight playoff berth at the time of that Indiana game, but they were officially eliminated from contention last week. There’s also the possibility of Antetokounmpo getting hurt again if he returns to action — he has missed a career-high 41 games this season and had two extended absences due to calf strains.

“I understand the circumstances — yes, we’re not going to be in the playoffs,” Antetokounmpo said. “For some people’s eyes, it’s not worth it for me to be out there. But for me, it’s something that goes against my nature.”

Antetokounmpo also wanted the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother, Alex, who made his NBA debut Sunday. There was a possibility of three Antetokounmpo brothers playing alongside each other in the same game, since Giannis’ older brother, Thanasis, also is on the Bucks.

“When my dad passed away, I pretty much raised (Alex),” Antetokounmpo said. “He’s able to be on the team and suit up and chase an opportunity to be great. You really think I don’t want to suit up and play with my brother? Anybody who thinks that is an idiot.”

Antetokounmpo’s desire to play — and the Bucks’ wishes to rest him — drew the attention of the National Basketball Players Association last month.

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in a statement. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

This dispute between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks comes at a time when his future in Milwaukee is uncertain. Antetokounmpo’s name dominated league-wide discussions leading up to the trade deadline, though the Bucks ultimately kept him.

Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year contract extension worth up to $275 million in October. If he doesn’t sign the extension, Antetokounmpo could become a free agent after the 2026-27 season, or the Bucks could decide to trade him beforehand.

Now they find themselves at odds over how to handle the rest of this season.

“I don’t know where the relationship goes from there,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’ve got to go to couples therapy.”

___

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

Giannis Antetokounmpo-Bucks investigation explained: Why NBA is looking into Milwaukee’s handling of player participation policy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Bucks' season took a turn for the worst on Friday.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Milwaukee, headed for a first season outside of postseason play since 2016, is facing questions from the NBA's league office related to its management of Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury issues.

Antetokounmpo has only appeared in 36 games this season. He hasn't suited up since the Bucks' March 15 win over the Pacers, being ruled out due to complications from a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise suffered following an awkward land on a dunk.

Here's what you need to know.

Why is the NBA investigating the Milwaukee Bucks?

The Bucks were the latest side in the league to be investigated for its handling of a star player's purported injuries. Charania reported that the NBA opened up an investigation into Milwaukee following potentially inconsistent statements by the franchise regarding Antetokounmpo's health.

Interviews have already been conduced between investigators, members of Antetokounmpo's entourage, the Bucks and team doctors, according to Charania.

This story will be updated.

NEW YORK (AP) — CJ McCollum had 25 points and seven assists and the surging Atlanta Hawks routed the Brooklyn Nets 141-107 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory and 18th in 20 games.

Fifth in the Eastern Conference at 45-33, the Hawks remained 1 1/2 games ahead of sixth-place Philadelphia and moved within 3 1/2 games of fourth-place Cleveland. Atlanta and Cleveland will play a home-and-set next week.

McCollum was 8 of 12 from the field, hitting 4 of 7 3-pointers.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 21 points, and Jalen Johnson had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Onyeka Okongwu scored 15 points.

Nic Claxton led Brooklyn with 16 points, and Malachi Smith had 15. The Nets lost their second straight to fall to 18-59.

Atlanta scored the first 10 points and led 35-17 with 1:28 left in the first quarter. It was 71-55 at the half, with McCollum scoring 16 points and Johnson 13. McCollum was 4 of 5 from the field in the half, hitting three 3-pointers without a miss.

Up next

Hawks: Host New York on Monday night.

Nets: Host Washington on Sunday.

___

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

NCAA gymnastics regionals 2026 bracket, schedule for women's college championships originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The women's college gymnastics postseason is here, and Oklahoma is the team to beat once again.

The Sooners have won three of the last four NCAA championships and sit atop the national rankings as the drive for the 2026 title begins. 

The one hiccup in Oklahoma's recent run of dominance came in 2024, when LSU took the crown. The Tigers are the No. 2 seed this year, with another SEC team, Florida, sitting third. The Gators are on a hot streak, recording the highest meet score this year at 198.575 on March 13 against Kentucky, then topping Oklahoma, LSU and Alabama to take the SEC championship. 

All of that would indicate the road to a national title goes through the SEC, but you never know what will happen in NCAAs. The first step for any contender is making it through regionals, and that path is set for each team. 

Here's everything you need to know to watch it all. 

NCAA gymnastics regionals 2026 bracket

The NCAA has announced the 36 teams headed to the gymnastics regionals, with 16 schools earning national seeds. Each regional will feature a first-round play-in dual meet, then two quad meets. The top two teams from each quad will compete in the four-team regional final. The top two teams from each regional final move on to the national championships.

Lexington Regional

Session 1

• No. 8 Missouri
• No. 9 Arkansas
• NC State
• Maryland

Session 2

• No. 1 Oklahoma
• No. 16 Kentucky
• Ohio State
  • Central Michigan
  • Rutgers

Baton Rouge Regional

Session 1

• No. 7 Stanford
• No. 10 Michigan
• North Carolina
• Utah State

Session 2

• No. 2 LSU
• No. 15 Clemson
• Auburn
  • Air Force
  • Nebraska

Tempe Regional

Session 1

• No. 6 Georgia
• No. 11 Michigan State
• BYU
• Southern Utah

Session 2

• No. 3 Florida
• No. 14 Cal
• Penn State
  • Arizona State
  • Arizona

Corvallis Regional

Session 1

• No. 5 Alabama
• No. 12 Utah
• Denver
• Oregon State

Session 2

• No. 4 UCLA
• No. 13 Minnesota
• Iowa
  • San Jose State
  • Washington

Where to watch NCAA gymnastics regionals

• TV channel: None
• Live stream:ESPN+

All four NCAA gymnastics regionals will stream exclusively on ESPN+, which is available via the ESPN app. See the day-by-day schedule below. 

Catch all your favorite ESPN+ action with ESPN Select! Just download the ESPN app, sign in with your ESPN account, tap Subscribe to ESPN Select, and you're set to stream live sports, originals, and more—all in one place.

NCAA gymnastics regionals schedule, scores 2026

Each regional will feature four sessions across three days between April 1 and 5. 

Wednesday, April 1

Thursday, April 2

Friday, April 3

Saturday, April 4

Sunday, April 5

When and where are the NCAA gymnastics championships in 2026?

• Dates: April 16 and 18
• Site: Fort Worth, Texas

The NCAA gymnastics championships will conclude with the semifinals on April 16 and the finals on April 18. It will all take place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

NCAA gymnastics championship history

Here are the results of the NCAA gymnastics championships the last 10 years:

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Maryland baseball relief pitcher Cristofer Cespedes kicked his foot before dealing to Ohio State third baseman Maddix Simpson with one out and runners at first and second. 

Simpson stepped into his swing as the ball sped toward him and blasted it towards center field. As the ball flew over center fielder Bud Coombs’ head, the Buckeyes rounded the bases as Simpson’s three-run home run blew the game wide open. 

Though the Terps began to rally late in the game to shave the seven-run deficit, Simpson’s three-run moonshot ultimately cost Maryland the series opener in a 10-8 defeat. 

The first and third innings ended without any runs, but the second opened with much more action. Maryland’s David Mendez singled up the middle, eventually advancing to second on the back of a fly-out from third baseman Jackson Sirois. 

Brayden Martin knocked a double to left field, bringing home Mendez from second base for Martin’s 21st RBI of the season. 

Ty Kaunas did the same just two pitches later, allowing freshman Bud Coombs to come around the horn to double the Terps’ lead before a fly out and a strikeout ended the top of the second.

Ohio State wasn’t down for the count, though. 

Buckeye Miles Vandenheuvel swung on a 1-2 count with an out away in the bottom of the second, hitting the ball towards left field. Maryland shortstop Ty Kaunas called the ball in midair, but it hit the edge of his glove and bounced away, allowing Ohio State’s Dane Harvey to score. 

Left fielder Jordan Crosland recovered the fallen ball and threw it too hard towards Sirois at third base. The ball flew by him as well, opening the door for a second Buckeye runner to come by and tie the game on the back of two errors just seconds apart. 

Martin was eager to take the lead back, first singling up the middle to advance to first, then stealing second. Kaunas banked another RBI with a sacrifice fly to bring Martin home and retake the lead. 

As David Mendez flied out to deep right field, rain began to pour over Bill Davis Stadium. Fans began to speed towards the concourse as players stepped backwards under the coverage of the dugout.

In the bottom of the fifth, rain began to clear up, but Maryland’s defense only got foggier.

Following an RBI double from Buckeye Henry Kacsmar, Maryland native Lee Ellis doubled to center, allowing his teammate Mason Eckelman to reach home plate and give the Buckeyes their first lead of the day.

Just one inning later, Kacsmar doubled to right center, this time bringing home Vandenheuvel for his first RBI of the day and doubling Ohio State’s lead.

Evan Smith ended his mound tenure after that, logging four strikeouts and allowing three earned runs in five and two-thirds innings. His appearance marks his longest since rejoining the Terps after Tommy John surgery.

A frenzy of RBIs followed Simpson’s blast, first on the back of a triple from Ohio State’s Alex Bemis, and then another right-bound double from Kaczmar. 

As the Terps looked to bounce back, Jordan Crosland took the batter’s box, slinging his bat over his shoulder. On a 1-0 count, Crosland sent the ball along the left field line. As the ball continued to roll into the corner, Maryland’s once-loaded bases cleared, closing Ohio State’s 7-run lead to just four. 

Sirois sweetened the deal, crushing a double off the left-center wall for a two-run RBI and forcing Ohio State’s third bullpen call of the night.

Martin logged a double in the top of the ninth in scoring position with the chance to tie the game. Kaunas grounded the ball to right fielder Noah Furcht who forced him out. 

Furcht then managed to swing the ball all the way to third base, just in time to tag out Martin and clear the bases. A ground-out following the double play ended the game with the Buckeyes narrowly in front. 

Three things to know

1. Martin on the run. Martin’s back-to-back base steals tied him for third-most bases stolen in the conference (12). 

2. Battle of bases on balls. Before the game started, Maryland led the Big Ten in batters walked with 156. By the end of Friday’s match, Ohio State took the lead, logging 161 for the season so far. 

3. Koshy on cleanup. Koshy’s closing performance was one of his best of the season. The junior righty logged 13 strikes in just 19 pitches, banking two of the team’s seven strikeouts in just an inning and a third. Koshy’s ERA for the season is 4.90 after Friday.

The NCAA appears to be moving closer to expanding one of its most iconic events. According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, the Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournaments are expected to grow from 68 to 76 teams in the near future.

Under the proposed format, the expansion would add eight additional games to the current First Four structure. Instead of just four play-in matchups, 24 teams would compete in a new opening round, with 12 games played before the traditional first round begins.

In this model, 52 teams would automatically advance to the current round of 64, while the remaining 24 teams, made up of lower-seeded automatic qualifiers and the final at-large selections, would battle it out for the final spots. These games would primarily take place in Dayton, the longtime host of the First Four, with an additional site also expected to be used.

The change could be implemented as early as the 2027 NCAA Tournaments, though details remain fluid as the NCAA continues discussions with broadcast partners CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery.

If approved, this would mark the first expansion since 2011, when the field grew from 65 to 68 teams. Support for expansion has reportedly been led by conferences such as the ACC and Big 12, along with NCAA president Charlie Baker.

With more teams and more games potentially on the horizon, March Madness could soon become even bigger and even more unpredictable.

The Bucs are going to be missing linebacker Lavonte David in the upcoming season and beyond. Sadly, there may not be a permanent fix for them right away in the NFL Draft, but could a band-aid at least be available to them in free agency? In fact, could there even be a decent value option for them to consider that would be available from a veteran?

Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport wrote up several veterans who could be seen as difference makers for the upcoming season. One of those players was linebacker Bobby Wagner, who is still without a team late into free agency and ahead of the NFL Draft. The departure of David would make Wagner a prime replacement and give the team a leader in the middle of their defense.

Davenport discussed Wagner, writing, "Bobby Wagner has had an outstanding career in the NFL. A second-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks back in 2012, Wagner has been named to a whopping 10 Pro Bowls. He has been named a first-team All-Pro five times. In all 14 of his professional seasons, Wagner has eclipsed 100 total tackles, including 162 in his second season with the Washington Commanders in 2025. Since 1994, only four players have more tackles than Wagner. No one currently playing in the NFL does. . .Whatever the case, Wagner's a good bet to top 130 total tackles again in 2026. After all, it has been a decade-plus since he didn't."

Wagner, working alongside Alex Anzalone, would also delay him becoming the new leader in the middle for one year in this instance. Wagner could be a great value as we mentioned and would be a fun tandem with Anzalone as they try and capitalize on the slim Super Bowl window that remains for this team.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bobby Wagner would be a fun signing for the Bucs in the short-term

PGA Tour driving ranges often turn into hotbeds of experimentation. Unlike amateurs, who spend more time worrying about how they look than they should, tour players can and often do try anything that they think will give them an edge.

And recently, that thing is a training aid called the ProSendr Widener.

The Widener is the latest in the ProSendr line of products that have popped up on tour driving ranges. The ProSendr itself and the Plane Mate have been hits with tour players in recent seasons, and now the company is launching a new product called The Widener, which sells for $199.99 on its website.

Already pros have started using it. Here's how it works...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Woods, PGA (@davidwoodspga)

Golfers attach the training aid to the lower part of their lead forearm (their left arm for right-handed golfers) then place the opposite end of the training aid under the armpit of their trail arm (their right arm for right-handed golfers).

The training aid acts as a kind of extra arm that forces your arms—specifically, your right arm—to extend further away from your body.

This solves a common problem that hurts many amateur golfers' swings: They cheat their backswing turn by collapsing their trail arm on the backswing. The training aid forcing it to stay wider prevents that from happening, and in turn promotes more T-spine rotation.

It's why you've seen it pop up on driving ranges on the top tours—and don't be surprised if you see it more soon.

Now that the calendar has flipped to April, spring is truly in the air: the temperatures are getting warmer, the sun is shining longer, and the LSU Baseball games are getting sillier.

This time around, it was the Tigers (21-10, 5-5) scoring six runs in the eighth and ninth innings to rally back and beat Tennessee (19-11, 3-7) to take game one of this weekend’s series 7-5.

Landon Mack got the better of Friday evening’s pitcher’s duel between he and Casan Evans, but the Tennessee bullpen faltered late and LSU was able to guerrilla ball their way to a win. Mack made his first Friday night start of the season and was excellent: seven innings, three hits, one run, struck out 10 and left the game having retired 14 straight Tigers.

Once Mack left the game, however, is when LSU rallied. Brandon Arvidson came on in relief of Mack in the eighth inning and walked the bases loaded. Arvidson did manage to get Jake Brown to hit a liner right to shortstop, but was replaced for Bo Rhudy who was tasked with facing Derek Curiel. He lost, and Curiel hit an eighth inning grand slam to give LSU a 5-4 lead.

Seth Dardar then followed up Curiel’s grand slam with a solo homer of his own to up LSU’s lead to 6-4.

And if all that wasn’t enough, Chris Stanfield tacked on an extra insurance run with a solo home run in the ninth inning. All seven of LSU’s runs came by way of the long ball, with Jake Brown homering in the third inning to get the Tigers on the board.

Deven Sheerin got LSU across the finish line. Sheerin took the mound in the eighth inning working with a 6-4 lead, and got the final six outs to pick up his second save of the season. Things got a little hairy for Sheerin in the eighth inning as he put the tying run aboard with two outs, but he struck out Garrett Wright on three pitches to escape.

The ninth was a little more clean for Sheerin. He got three strikeouts to end the game, but did surrender a solo home run to Blake Grimmer to trim LSU’s lead down to 7-5. But Sheerin got Reese Chapman to strike out looking and that was that.

The Tigers are now back to .500 in SEC play, and they’re a win away from winning their second consecutive conference series. They’ll try to do that tomorrow evening at 5:00 P.M. on ESPN2.

Just two days ago, the Los Angeles Lakers had won 16 of their previous 18 games and were starting to look like a potential championship contender. But in a span of just a couple of hours, they have been reduced to a team that is hobbled and could quickly exit in the first round of the playoffs.

They not only lost 139-96 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, but they also lost Luka Doncic to a hamstring injury in the third quarter. Per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Doncic has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, which means he will miss the rest of the regular season and perhaps part of the postseason.

"Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will be sidelined at least through the end of the regular season with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, the team announced Friday," McMenamin wrote.

"Doncic underwent an MRI in Dallas on Friday afternoon that revealed the extent of the strain, which he suffered in the third quarter of the Lakers' 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.

"A Grade 2 strain typically involves a monthlong recovery, but the Lakers did not provide a timetable for Doncic's return beyond missing the final five regular-season games. The first round of the NBA playoffs begins April 18."

The superstar appeared to tweak his left hamstring early in Thursday's game, but he continued to play. Los Angeles has a 50-27 record and has five regular-season contests left. It is currently in third place in the Western Conference and has a one-game lead over the fourth-place Denver Nuggets.

Doncic had just been named the Western Conference Player of the Month for March. He's averaging 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals a game this season.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Luka Doncic has been diagnosed with Grade 2 hamstring strain

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order calling for “urgent national action to save college sports,” signaling a major federal push to reshape the current landscape of collegiate athletics.

The order proposes sweeping changes, including federal regulation of NIL collectives, stricter transfer rules, and a revamped eligibility structure. One key component is a return to a modified one-time transfer rule, allowing athletes to transfer once with immediate eligibility and a second time only after earning a degree. A second transfer without that condition would result in a redshirt season.

The proposal also introduces a “5-for-5” eligibility model, giving athletes five years to play five seasons. Additionally, schools could face federal funding consequences if they fail to comply with NCAA regulations, adding another layer of accountability.

Trump has been vocal about the current state of college athletics, saying, “The whole educational system is going to go out of business because of this.”

NCAA president Charlie Baker responded by acknowledging the effort while emphasizing the need for long-term legislative solutions.

“This action is a significant step forward… but stabilizing college athletics still requires a permanent, bipartisan federal legislative solution,” Baker said.

The executive order follows months of discussion involving key figures across sports, including former Alabama coach Nick Saban, as concerns continue to grow over NIL spending, transfer portal activity, and competitive balance.

While the proposal marks a significant step, legal challenges are expected, leaving the future of college sports reform uncertain.

The tense encounter heard 'round the world after Friday night's Final Four game between South Carolina and UConn might have happened for no reason.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and UConn coach Geno Auriemma got into a quick fracas after the former's team beat the latter in Phoenix to go to the national title game.

Staley thinks Auriemma could have been mad at an alleged lack of a pregame handshake between the two, but photographic evidence refutes any anger the UConn coach could have let boil over.

The two clearly shook hands before the game.

Two legendary coaches meet again 🤝#WFinalFourpic.twitter.com/yB1EdTOxTC

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) April 3, 2026

If this is what Auriemma was actually mad about, we're officially lost on why this even happened in the first place.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Did Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley shake hands before Final Four?

We’re back from the international break, and I hope everyone’s had a chance for a nice little mental break as well, because these final few weeks of the season could get very taxing indeed.

We begin our quest to avoid implosion (on and off the pitch) with a cupcake of a matchup against third division strugglers Port Vale, who have somehow managed to make it into the final eight of this year’s FA Cup. True Magic of the Cup stuff! They can trace their roots back a century and a half, but this is only the second time they’ve ever made it this far. Of the eight teams remaining, they’re the only ones to have never won it, reaching the semifinals only once, in 1954.

Though Chelsea continue to invent new ways to frustrate, disappoint, and infuriate (on and off the pitch), surely not even this Chelsea can contrive to [FUN] this up. Right?

Right?

Date / Time: Saturday, April 4, 2026, 17.15 BST; 12:15pm EDT; 9:45pm IST
Venue: Stamford Bridge, SW6
Referee: Farai Hallam (on pitch); Neil Davies (VAR)
Forecast: Overcast, breezy

On TV: BBC One, TNT Sports 1 (UK); none (USA); Sony TEN 1 (India); SuperSport MaXimo 1 (NGA); elsewhere
Streaming: BBC iPlayer, HBO Max (UK); ESPN Select (USA); Sony LIV (India); DStv Now (NGA)

Chelsea team news: Where to even start? Chelsea have lost four in a row, three of those by three goals, and have not scored a goal in over 300 minutes. The vibes are scraping all-time lows, with players actively agitating for change and maybe even moves away, and the club coming down with draconian punishments like suspending Vice-captain Enzo Fernández for two games for saying that the weather in Madrid sure is fine. It’s all under control! No worries.

Meanwhile, Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah are both injured and all our other key players saw lots of action over the break. Thankfully, they probably won’t be needed to dispatch Port Vale. Or, well, they “shouldn’t” be needed but our second- and third-choice players have repeatedly failed their auditions all season, by and large. But no problem, Tosin’s here to save the day and lead us to greatness.

“We’ve got many leaders. Moisés Caicedo is in our leadership group. Tosin, too. We’ve got Cole Palmer, we’ve got João Pedro. We’ve got Marc Cucurella. We’ve got leaders in the group [and] you’ll see who’s captain tomorrow.”

-Liam Rosenior; source: Chelsea FC

Oh boy.

Port Vale team news: The victors Valiant of Port Vale (not an actual place, at least not anymore) have managed stay in the Football League ever since 1919 despite never quite reaching the heights of the First Division / Premier League. They had come close a couple times in the 80s and 90s, but more recently, have been floating around the bottom two tiers. Last year, they earned promotion to the third division by finishing second in League Two, but will be going back down as they sit rock bottom of League One, fifteen points from safety with eight games left.

But their FA Cup run has been truly magical, beating lower-league sides Bristol Rovers, Fleetwood Town, and Bristol City before eliminating Sunderland in the Round of 16. All of those game were at home and all finished 1-0; this will be the first time they have to hit the road in this year’s competition. (They were beaten by Arsenal in the League Cup third round.)

Former Premier League defender Darren Moore began the season as their manager; he was sacked in December and replaced by Jon Brady in January. Results have not improved much: he’s won a third of his 21 games in charge. Manchester City academy graduate Devante Cole leads the team’s scoring charts (albeit with just eight goals total). Anthony Grant and Tom Taiwo are two former Chelsea prospects who used to play for the club, but at the moment, there are no Chelsea connections in the squad.

Previously: We’ve actually played Port Vale several times in our history, 14 to be exact, but it’s been almost exactly a century, 97 years to be exact, since our last meeting in 1929, back in the old second division. The Vale have not won any of their seven prior trips to the Bridge, losing six of them.

NEW YORK (AP) — Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Islanders 3-1 on Friday night to move within one point of the Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Travis Sanheim and Alex Bump had a goal and an assist each and Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia. Dan Vladar finished with 20 saves. The Columbus Blue Jackets are also tied with the Flyers with 88 points.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 17 saves in his 10th straight appearance, but the Islanders lost their third straight in a tightly contested Eastern Conference playoff race.

Michkov fired a shot from behind the goal line off Sorokin’s pad early in the second period to give the Flyers a 3-0 lead.

Tippett opened the scoring, completing a forehand-backhand move off a pass from Sanheim with less than seven minutes remaining in the first period.

Bump extended the Flyers’ lead to two goals when he caught Sorokin out of position and sent a wrist shot just inside the post.

Pageau scored off a feed from Mathew Barzal with less than five minutes remaining in the second period to pull New York within 3-1.

Sanheim scored midway through the third period to restore Philadelphia’s three-goal lead and put the game out of reach.

Simon Holmstrom returned to the Islanders’ lineup after missing the previous game against the Buffalo Sabres with an upper-body injury. Anthony Duclair was a healthy scratch.

Up next

Flyers: Host the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

Islanders: Visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

A fun lightweight bout has been added to UFC 328.

Grant Dawson announced during the "UFC Fight Night Preview Show" that his next opponent will be Mateusz Rebecki at the event taking place May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. MMA Junkie also confirmed the matchup with multiple sources.

Dawson (23-3-1 MMA, 11-2-1 UFC) will look to get back on track after a first-round loss to Manuel Torres at UFC 323. That result ended a three-fight winning streak for Dawson, which included wins over Joe Solecki, Rafa Garcia, and Diego Ferreira.

Recent results aside, Rebecki (20-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has been a must-watch. He has suffered back-to-back losses that went the distance against Chris Duncan and Ludovit Klein; however, he took home Fight of the Night bonuses for those bouts. Rebecki's last victory came by split decision against Myktybek Orolbai at UFC 308, which also took home a FOTN bonus.

Current UFC 328 lineup includes:

• Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland – for middleweight title
• Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Alexander Volkov
• Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley
• King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens
• Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov
• Ozzy Diaz vs. Ateba Gautier
• Roman Kopylov vs. Marco Tulio
• Clayton Carpeter vs. Jose Ochoa
• Djorden Santos vs. Baisangur Susurkaev
• Joel Alvarez vs. Yaroslav Amosov
• Grant Dawson vs. Mateusz Rebecki

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 328: Grant Dawson vs. Mateusz Rebecki set for Newark

Well. What a game. Cantillo was nearly perfect this afternnon, going 5 1/3 innings of “1-run” ball. He notched 6 strikeouts, walking only 2. I put 1-run ball in quotations because, if you watched the game, that run being earned is nonsense. For those who might not have watched, Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a lazy fly just past the infield to which Jose, Arias, and Kwan all converged. Arias called off Jose and Kwan, and then proceeded to let the ball drop. PCA got to second on that error-that-somehow-wasn’t-an-error. The Cubs brought PCA home right after. Cantillo wasn’t in the zone much today, but got the Cubs to chase quite a bit. He did a fantastic job of limiting hard contact, only surrendering 1 batted ball over 100 mph. That ball, for reference, was a groundball that escaped up the middle of the infield.

A few innings after the Cubs scored, the Guardians put guys on second and third with DeLauter coming up to bat. Counsell had brought in submarine lefty Hoby Milner to face the top of the Guardians’ order, and DeLauter did this against him:

The kid just won’t stop hitting. Arias, shown in this video, did in fact get thrown out at the plate… somehow. From a different angle, it looked like he got a pretty bad jump. Despite there being two outs, he got a bad jump. Speaking of jumps, Connor Brogdon pitched the 7th. Facing Matt Shaw, he surrendered a ball that was smoked to right-center, and Daniel Scheneemann was able to reel it in with this unbelievable play.

On the bright side — with Arias — he smoked this Hunter Harvey slider in the bottom of the 7th to give the Guardians the lead.

With two outs in that same very inning, Kwan walked. DeLauter came up, worked a 3-1 count, and then obliterated an inside fastball.

DeLauter went 3-4 in his regular season debut in Cleveland, notching 2 singles and a 2-run homer. For those keeping count, he’s slashing .346/.370/.923 through 27 plate appearances, good for a 271 wRC+. He’s up to 5 HRs and 8 RBI.

Flying somewhat under the radar was what is, somehow, an almost routine thing for Jose Ramirez. After the homer, he softly served a liner into center. What made that a signature Jose play was him somehow turning that into a double. Not many people turn 73 mph line drives up the middle into doubles.

And not to let CTC figurehead Quincy Wheeler’s favorite reliever go unnoticed… Matt Festa pitched today! He came on for Cantillo with runners on, and got back-to-back pop-ups to end the 6th.

Armstrong pitched a clean 8th, and Cade shut the door in the 9th. Cade was much better today. He was able to throw his splitter more consistently for strikes, which had been a problem for him so far this year. Hopefully, that’s a good sign.

It’ll be Cecconi vs. Imanaga tomorrow.

INDIANAPOLIS – Alec Millender and Dwayne Koroma committed to UConn the same week in May. Most Husky fans had no idea who they were, but they were both seeking the same thing.

Millender, who played for IU Indy last season as a senior for over 30 minutes per game, shot Koroma a direct message asking when he’d arrive on campus, and the rest is history. The two have grown incredibly close, going from mid-major starters to riding the bench for a Final Four team, and it was all intentional. And they’re not the only ones either.

Arizona’s Evan Nelson graduated from Harvard and decided that it was worth passing up the opportunity to start at a mid-major program to return home to Tucson and chase a title with the Wildcats.

In a situation where many players would choose to play big minutes for a mid-major program with their final year of eligibility, these guys are totally fine sitting on the sidelines as their McDonald’s All-American, five-star teammates lead the team to new heights. But they’re a big part of that too.

UConn has been to three of the last four Final Fours, but Millender didn’t miss the one that the Huskies did. A year ago, Millender flew to San Antonio to cover the Final Four as part of his graduate journalism program at IU Indianapolis.

Now, he’s back in the Final Four as a player.

“UConn was my dream school,” Millender said on Friday. “Making the Final Four wasn’t really a priority. It was just how I wanted my last year to go. When UConn came into the fold, I knew I wanted this experience.”

Millender has only played 58 minutes all season, and averages less than a point per game, but he’s not mad about any of it.

“There are those moments where you think, ‘I wish I could have come in and played here,’” Millender said in an interview with CT Insider. “And I see some friends playing 30 minutes a game (with lower-level programs), but I’ve always felt like comparison is the thief of joy. Even when I went DII, and I saw all these other players going DI, it was ‘Never compare. Just focus on what you’re doing.’”

He’s cherished the experience with of playing in the Big East and the NCAA Tournament. He mentions getting the chance to play at Madison Square Garden and other iconic venues, taking charter jets and playing with some of the most talented players in the country.

Millender played three seasons at Division II Wayne State before moving up to IU Indy last year, so everything around big-time college basketball is new to him, and he’s loved every minute of it.

“I’ll be able to get better at basketball,” Millender said. “Learn basketball, get coached by legendary coaches, play with some high-major talent in my teammates. I might not get the minutes I wanted, but I got the experience. I got to meet new people. I got connections. I just wanted this experience.”

One of those new people, Koroma, has been one of his closest friends, as they have the shared experience of sitting on the UConn bench as a senior, but they find a way to contribute.

Koroma got some minutes early in the year when Tarris Reed was hurt, and Millender had to step in for some big minutes against Furman in the NCAA Tournament when Silas Demary got hurt. But the two have mostly been relegated to the bench.

It has furthered their bond.

“I love (Dwayne) to death,” Millender said. “I’m gonna invite him to my wedding. We’ve kind of been able to talk about it. On bad days, we talk to each other. We’ve been there for each other.”

Koroma started his career at Iona in 2020-21 before going to play JUCO at Salt Lake. Then, he bounced from UT Arlington to Le Moyne, and with the Dolphins, he averaged double digits. But the Dolphins weren’t very good, struggling to a 4-12 record in the NEC.

The team fought through a plethora of injuries but couldn’t get going late in the season and ended up tied for last place in the conference. It stung for Koroma.

“Dwayne doesn’t like losing at all,” Le Moyne head coach Nate Champion told Mid-Major Madness. “He went into the portal and was looking for a situation that would provide him an opportunity to play in meaningful games. And when UConn called and asked about him, what they described to him was what he was looking for.”

“We had the conversation about going into the portal and (Champion) was super supportive,” Koroma told Mid-Major Madness. “It was important for me, for my last year of college, to go somewhere where I can really win something.”

Going through a losing season at Le Moyne made it even clearer in Koroma’s head that he wanted to find a place where he could win, regardless of how much he would play.

He still sometimes nudges Millender when the Huskies are on a charter flight or in a big time game, as two guys who came from a much lower level of the game, to express disbelief.

“We look at each other like ‘man, we can’t believe this is our reality now,’” Koroma said. “This is what we prayed about. I feel like out of everybody, he can relate the most.”

But they’re not just along for the ride. To make a Final Four, everybody has to be pulling in the same direction. And for a program to have two players with as much collegiate experience as those two do put all ego aside and find their spot on the sled is a great example for younger players.

Freshman big man Eric Reibe hails from Germany, just like Koroma, and the two talk every day. Even though Reibe was already in the States playing high school ball at Bullis, having another German on the roster helped him adjust.

Both Millender and Koroma leave a strong impression on their teammates for their ability to lead by example.

“It’s hard to be on this kind of championship team and in your fourth year or fifth year not playing,” Reibe told Mid-Major Madness. “But them being in practice every single day, giving everything is really inspiring too. They’re like the glue guys around here.”

They’ve helped Reibe with his mental toughness, keeping him moving forward when things don’t go his way.

Reibe was UConn’s leading scorer in a November blockbuster matchup against Arizona, but the Wildcats came out on top, 71-67. On the Wildcats bench, Nelson watched a monumental program win for the program that he grew up cheering for.

A Tucson native, Nelson had to leave Harvard, as graduate students aren’t allowed to play in the Ivy League. Using a medical redshirt from an injury that kept him out of the 2023-24 season, Nelson had a few options.

He told Mid-Major Madness that he was going to take a visit to Furman, but he “wasn’t shopping around much,” in the transfer portal. He knew he probably wasn’t going to be the next TJ McConnell, but he wanted to put on that same jersey.

“It’s easier to come back here and be part of (getting the program back) to where I think it should be,” Nelson said. “Loving the program growing up, seeing the success that we had, it was kind of a no-brainer to me when I had the chance to be part of it and join.”

Nelson has played just 5.4% of Arizona’s minutes, a far cry from the 29 and 27 minutes per contest that he played in his final two healthy seasons at Harvard, but he’s learned a ton in his time with the Wildcats.

“At Harvard, I got a really great education in the classroom,” he said. “Here, I feel like I learned a tremendous amount on the court. Call it a Ph.D. in basketball.”

“I’ve got a well-rounded basketball experience,” Nelson said. “Hopefully, if I choose to continue playing or going into coaching, I’ll just have a better perspective.”

Nelson is a Wildcat through and through. He loved Rawle Alkins, Derrick Williams, and Kyle Fogg.

But he’s now part of a team that went further than any of those.

From the perspective of mid-major programs, it’s already difficult to retain your best players, but when high-majors are even claiming a few potential stars or role guys from you in the portal, stashing them away on the bench, it can be even more challenging.

But it takes the right kid.

“When those schols do call,” Champion said. “And you have a legitimate chance to play in meaningful games, I think it’s hard for some of these kids not to pass it up. But it depends on what your goal is. If you’re set on playing, you’re probably not going to take a role like that.”

As for Nelson, Koroma and Millender, they’re the know-your-role all-stars of the Final Four.

They knew what they were getting into, and they’ve gotten out essentially everything that you can get out of it to this point. And these programs need guys like that.

“When you look across the board at Elite Eight and Sweet 16 teams,” Champion said. “I think identifying roles and having complete buy-in to roles is really big. When you understand what you’re looking for and how to go after that, it doesn’t always mean you look for the highest-rated player.”

But even if they don’t see the floor on Saturday or Monday, all three agree that their decision has been validated.

“It’s well worth the sacrifice,” Nelson said.

“This season’s been nothing short of amazing,” Millender said.

“When I came on my visit, (making a deep NCAA Tournament run) was what the staff was talking about,” Koroma said. “They’re like ‘We’re not here to go to the Final Four, we’re here to win national championships.’ We’re not done yet, but it’s an amazing feeling.”

UConn vs. South Carolina box score: Full stats from 2026 NCAA Women's Final Four game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The UConn Huskies have been cruising this season. After winning last year's national championship against South Carolina 82-59, Geno Auriemma's Huskies have not skipped a beat.

UConn is entering Friday night's game on a 54-game win streak — the longest active streak in women's basketball. However, familiar foe Dawn Staley and her squad are standing in their way, and there might not be a better method of revenge than beating last year's champion, along with ending their win-streak.

Both UConn and South Carolina have had little difficulty against their opponents during this year's tournament. For Staley's team, the Gamecocks have won each of their four games by an average of 40 points (69-point win against Southern, 40-point win against USC, 26-point win against Oklahoma, 26-point win against TCU).

On the other end of the sideline, Auriemma’s Huskies have won their first four games by an average of 32.5 points (38-point win against UTSA, 53-point win against Syracuse, 21-point win against North Carolina, 18-point win against Notre Dame). UConn’s trio of Strong, Fudd, and Quinonez will look to continue their stellar play as the program seeks its third title game appearance in five seasons.

The winner of this game will face the winner of No. 1 Texas vs. No. 1 UCLA. The national championship is set for Sunday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in Phoenix.

WOMEN'S MARCH MADNESS HQ:Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Latest news and more

UConn vs. South Carolina box score

UConn stats

South Carolina stats

For the second straight day, the Washington Huskies couldn't solve Saint Mary's as they fell 3-2 to the Gaels in 11 innings on Friday afternoon in Palo Alto, California.

Just like she was on Friday, pitcher Odhi Vasquez was a thorn in the Huskies' side yet again. After starter Madeline Haun went the first 6 innings and let up 2 runs on 5 hits with a walk and a strikeout, Vasquez took over and was nearly untouchable. Over the final five frames, she allowed just 2 hits and a walk with 4 strikeouts as she improved to 14-2 on the year.

That isn't to say that the Huskies didn't have their chances in the late innings, as they had runners on second and third with two outs in the eleventh inning, but Vasquez struck out catcher Jadyn Glab to eliminate the threat as the Huskies racked up just 7 hits in the contest, four of which came from center fielder Kaycie Burdick and third baseman Giselle Alvarez.

Alvarez drove in Washington's only two runs with a solo home run in the fourth inning, her team-leading 13th long ball, and added an RBI double in the sixth.

FINAL | The Gaels take it in 11. pic.twitter.com/JQm51hs3XA

— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) April 4, 2026

Sophomore Morgan Reimer went the distance for the Huskies and suffered just the second blemish to her record this season, against her nation-leading 20 wins. The Team Canada standout surrendered 3 runs on 12 hits and 2 walks with 10 strikeouts while throwing 165 pitches in the loss.

After surrendering a two-run home run to third baseman Sam Buckley in the first inning, Reimer settled in and worked around traffic throughout the day, until Buckley got her again for a solo homer to lead off the eleventh.

With the loss, the Huskies dropped to 31-8 on the year, and they will return to the diamond in Palo Alto on Saturday afternoon to finish off their time in California with a matchup against the No. 24 Stanford Cardinal.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington suffers another loss to Saint Mary's 3-2 in 11 innings

The Bucs are coming off their first season in which they haven't won the NFC South in four seasons. As a result, along with only winning one playoff game in that stretch, Todd Bowles is on the hot seat with fans. But it is not just fans taking notice of how he may be working his way out of the fold, but now analysts are as well.

Bleacher Report's Alex Kay recently wrote up eight players and coaches under the most pressure to succeed in 2026, and the Bucs sideline leader made the cut.

Kay explains his place on the list, writing, "With the Bucs taking a step back in 2025 by missing the postseason despite playing in the league's weakest division, it may not be long before Tampa is looking for Bowles' replacement. . .A reset could be in the pipeline if the Bucs come up short yet again. They'll have an opportunity to reclaim the NFC South and make some noise in the playoffs, but anything short of that could mean an end to the Bowles-Mayfield era in Tampa Bay."

Bowles took over for a retiring Bruce Arians, and it seemed as if the roster was still good enough to allow them to compete for a Super Bowl. However, the steady downward decline could justify a firing if they do not produce the results that have been set in the past then walking papers could be handed out.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs HC Todd Bowles enters the 2026 season on the hot seat

Apr. 3—FARGO — Fargo Public Schools has discontinued high school gymnastics, a sign of a wider issue that could bring an end to that level of competition in North Dakota.

In February, the school district announced it would cut an unidentified, lesser-used athletic program for a cost savings of $35,000 as part of

steps to reduce a budget deficit.

The Forum has learned the dropped sport is gymnastics, with low participation numbers cited as the reason.

Todd Olson, activities director at FPS, said the district started a co-op in 2023 between Fargo North, Fargo South and Fargo Davies high schools, along with Oak Grove and Shanley high schools, to try to preserve the program.

"Out of those five schools, we ended up with three kids," Olson said.

Those students decided in mid-February to forgo the rest of the season, including conference and state competitions.

The move leaves the state with just nine intact high school gymnastics programs, down from 12 teams in place from 2016 through 2023, according to the North Dakota High School Activities Association.

Before Fargo, the most recent to drop programs were Valley City and Grand Forks.

The Eastern Dakota Conference, with 11 member schools, has just one gymnastics team left, in Wahpeton/Breckenridge, Olson said.

The other eight teams in the state are all in central or western North Dakota.

Under a 2024 NDHSAA policy, the threshold for "sunsetting" programs that have declining interest is fewer than 12 participating teams or schools in an activity or sport that previously had that number.

Matthew Fetsch, executive director of NDHSAA, said gymnastics coaches were notified before the 2024-25 season that the sport was "at-risk."

The NDHSAA Board of Directors can choose to no longer sponsor a state tournament for "at-risk" activities when there are fewer than 12 teams for three consecutive years, putting the program in probationary status.

The 2026-27 high school gymnastics season and state championships are safe, Fetsch said, but the status is up in the air after that.

Current teams will have to be maintained and new teams added, or some growth demonstrated, for high school gymnastics not to be threatened with discontinuation.

The program with perhaps the most at stake is Dickinson, which recently won an 11th consecutive state team title, its 20th overall.

The last time a Fargo team won was in 1990, when Fargo South claimed the team title.

Whether a school is able to field a high school team is tied to the size and location of a community, but more important factors might be the prevalence of gymnastics clubs and how they interact with local high school teams.

Dickinson's high school and club programs are intertwined, whereas Fargo's programs were not.

"Gymnastics is definitely, far and away, more impacted by the club scene than anything else we do, or that we sanction," Fetsch said.

Virtually all of the top gymnasts on the far eastern side of North Dakota compete exclusively in club gymnastics sanctioned by USA Gymnastics, the national governing body for the sport in the U.S.

That includes athletes from Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead and surrounding communities, as well as the Grand Forks/East Grand Forks area.

In the F-M area, club athletes train at either American Gold Gymnastics or TNT Kids Fitness and Gymnastics.

Whitney Beck, competitive director and head coach at AGG, said the club is preparing 20 athletes for Developmental Regional competition and 33 athletes for Xcel Regionals this month. Fourteen AGG boys already competed at Men's Regionals, with six of them qualifying to the next step, Men's Westerns.

Beck said it's "surprising on the surface" that a city the size of Fargo would struggle to sustain a high school gymnastics team.

The issue isn't overall participation in gymnastics, she said, but how that participation translates into the high school setting.

Athletes who train together in club programs often attend multiple different school districts, so the natural team dynamic doesn't carry over.

"I think, ultimately ... it's a structure and culture problem. The athletes are there. The question is whether the environment gives them a reason to pursue the high school path," Beck said.

Olson acknowledged the difficulty in finding and keeping high school gymnastics coaches.

He said the biggest factor in the decline of high school gymnastics is the success of the two, high-quality gymnastics club programs.

"I think our top gymnasts have been drawn to those for many years," he said.

Logan Midthun, activities director at West Fargo Public Schools, said high school gymnastics there was terminated sometime in the early 2010s.

"We have not seen enough interest in West Fargo for us to want to try to start our own program," he said.

Midthun said a similar situation is happening with the district's dance programs, given the large number of dance studios pulling some participants away from high school competition.

The West Fargo district has the Packatahnas and the Sheyenne Mustang dance team, a co-op between Sheyenne and Horace.

"It's still a highly respected program, it's just that we have not seen the numbers," he said.

Hockey and soccer also experience the pull between club and high school teams, but in far fewer numbers than gymnastics, Fetsch said.

The Dickinson gymnastics club and high school programs have operated as one since at least the 1970s.

Guy Fridley, activities director at DHS, said former coach Kent Van Ells had a rule that if a gymnast wanted to compete with USAG, they also had to compete on the high school team.

Fridley said Casey Berry, who succeeded Van Ells after his retirement, has continued that philosophy.

"That's our expectation, and we haven't wavered from it," Fridley said.

In Dickinson, gymnasts who desire the higher club level competition usually take part in one meet early on, hopefully to get a state qualifying score, then participate in the high school season.

Following the high school state meet, they jump back into USAG meets for state and regional competitions.

In addition to winning the state high school team title again this year, Dickinson's athletes took first place in the all-around and on all of the individual events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.

Fridley said with the pride that Dickinson has in its high school gymnastics program, it's worrisome to see more high school teams fall by the wayside and put its status as a high school sport in jeopardy.

"There's no doubt ... It's at that teetering point, but ... if we stay where we are right now, we're confident things will continue with gymnastics in the state of North Dakota," he said.

Alan Jouban thinks Belal Muhammad faces a stern test in Gabriel Bonfim.

Former welterweight champion Muhammad (24-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) will look to snap a two-fight losing skid when he takes on Bonfim (19-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 278 headliner June 6 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.

With Muhammad looking to rebound, Jouban isn't sure a dangerous rising contender is the best option for him right now.

"Look, it's hard for me to look at this fight and not think they're almost punishing Belal Muhammad," Jouban told MMA Junkie. "This is a tough matchup. Gabriel Bonfim, he's a submission expert. The guy submits just about everyone. He's very dangerous on the ground. If you're looking to take him down constantly, you're putting yourself in harm's way, which is traditionally Belal's path to victory. Then he shows on the feet he's got that Brazilian muay-Thai type of style, and he showed in his last fight against Randy Brown – he got that early stoppage. A lot of people – I think I was the only analyst that had Bonfim winning – everyone was picking against him, and just felt like it was 'Rude Boy's' time. But he showed he's dangerous everywhere. He's a very long, rangy guy with a strong skill set, a very high-level skill set at finishing fights.

"And you have Belal Muhammad, ever since he won the title and inevitably lost it, has been kind of struggling to find who is as a fighter anymore. There was a point where I personally thought Belal Muhammad was one of the best grapplers we've seen, because what he had done. His body of work, being able to take down anybody and everybody and just the control time – he was becoming that Khabib (Nurmagomedov) type of fighter. ... He's going to need to get back to the old ways, but it's kind of a double-edged sword because any time you're putting yourself in a takedown position against Bonfim, you're putting yourself in a position to possibly get submitted. I felt like this was one of the toughest matchups that UFC could give Belal, so it feels like a bit of a punishment on my end."

Jouban says Muhammad never got his due on his rise to UFC gold. That's why he thinks a win is not enough.

"He needs it, and he also needs something exciting because Belal kind of got that treatment where he was (winning) but he wasn't getting big opportunities," Jouban said. "He wasn't putting on the type of entertaining fights that UFC wanted out of him, so he kind of got punished.

"He became the champion. They weren't really promoting him as well. Now it's just been tough fight after tough fight, and here's another one for him. He needs to go in there and not only win – he needs to do something exciting, get on that microphone and just create that momentum and that buzz surrounding his name again."

To hear more from Jouban, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn above.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Alan Jouban: UFC 'almost punishing' Belal Muhammad with Bonfim fight

Following the news that the Jacksonville Jaguars had signed defensive end Travon Walker to a contract extension, while appearing on NFL Live, ESPN's Mina Kimes shared her thoughts on this move.

"Travon Walker has been a good player," Kimes said. "I think he suffers a bit from being that first overall pick before Aidan Hutchinson, who obviously has become a superstar, but if you take that out of the equation and just look at Walker's career, he's been tremendous against the run. Only had four sacks last season, but before that had double-digits the prior two seasons, and he's been an excellent Robin to Josh Hines-Allen's Batman.

Kimes continued, "So I think the Jags getting this done for a young player makes sense, the contract will age well, and now I think they can focus on adding some pass-rush juice on the interior between those pass rushers because they really haven't gotten enough in that particular area of their defensive line over the last couple of years."

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Travon Walker have agreed to a 4-year, $110M extension 💰@minakimes shares her thoughts on why this is a great move for the Jaguars moving forward ✍️ pic.twitter.com/VVJjcY5W2p

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 3, 2026

Walker missed time last season dealing with injuries, and there were also a few games where he filled more of a rotational role as he worked his way back. So diving too deep into his raw production from last season isn't an accurate portrayal of where Walker was heading as a player.

During the two previous seasons, he logged double-digit sacks and ranked in the top 25 each year among defensive ends in quarterback pressures. He brings a well-rounded presence to this position, making a steady impact in the run game as well, which includes ranking tied for ninth in PFF's run-stop rate metric last season.

Walker's deal is worth $110 million total and includes $77 million in guarantees, $50 million of which is fully guaranteed at signing.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Travon Walker extension: What analyst said about latest move by Jaguars

INDIANAPOLIS — Andrej Stojaković walked off the court at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday morning after Illinois’ open Final Four practice in front of a surprising sea of orange-clad fans.

He waved with both hands to some of the people leaning over the wall to greet the Illini players on their way to the locker room, then stopped to sign a hand-drawn poster board that read that he wore No. 2 on the court but was No. 1 in that fan’s heart.

One of the first things that often is mentioned in reports on Stojaković is that he is the son of three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojaković.

The cameras sometimes find his father in the crowd watching his games. One of CBS Sports’ social media features for the Final Four was Andrej trying to guess his dad’s NBA stats. Their hug after Illinois’ Elite Eight win over Iowa circulated online. Andrej, wearing a backward Final Four cap, slapped his dad’s hand, went in for a hug and listened as his dad said a few words, both breaking into big smiles.

But Andrej Stojaković is trying to forge his own path beyond his father’s legacy, and he has made a name for himself in this NCAA Tournament. During Illinois’ run to its national semifinal against Connecticut at 5:09 p.m. Saturday, the 6-foot-7 junior wing averaged 15 points on 59.5% shooting and three rebounds in the four games. He was named to the All-South Region team.

He has done it with a smooth, athletic, downhill game that is different from that of his dad, who was a lethal shooter during his 13-year NBA career and is second all time in 3-pointers made for the Sacramento Kings.

“I’m sure nobody can put themselves in his shoes,” Illinois assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Geoff Alexander said. “That’s a lot to live up to. Peja was one of the best players in the world and a guy that has won. For him to have to live in his footsteps, I think he’s done an unbelievable job.

“He’s very secure in his own skin. He knows he’s Andrej Stojaković and not the son of Peja Stojaković. He’s trying to carve out his own path, his own lane, his own identity. It’s a beautiful thing to see.”

As coach Brad Underwood made his media rounds over the weekend to preview Illinois’ first trip to the Final Four since 2005, he told a story on “The Rich Eisen Show” about Peja’s visit to Illinois with Andrej, who transferred in after a freshman season at Stanford and a sophomore season as the leading scorer at California.

Peja walked into Illinois’ gym — hadn’t touched a ball — and nailed 13 straight 3-pointers.

“The man still can fill it up,” Alexander said. “He can put it in the basket.”

Andrej admitted there’s a pressure in that — trying to make his own way in a game his father played so well. But at this point, it’s nothing new.

“I’ve dealt with that expectation and pressure my whole life,” Andrej said. “So I haven’t really bought into anything that’s been said recently in the tournament.”

Underwood said a couple of times this season that Peja tries to let Andrej be himself — not Peja’s son. As Illinois has garnered more and more media attention during the tournament, Peja has declined interviews, wanting the focus to be on Andrej.

Both of Andrej’s parents have helped him with his career. His mother, Aleka Kamila, is “everything” to him and has helped him when he has struggled mentally with his confidence or the pressure he faces.

Andrej said Peja has offered advice throughout his career — “not just about basketball but life in general.” But he also hasn’t interfered, which Andrej said comes in part from the natural obstacles that an NBA player’s family faces.

“Throughout my life, I’ve dealt with when I was younger, stretches of not being around him, him being on the road so much,” Andrej said. “When he lived in different cities, me visiting on the weekends. We have a really good relationship of when I’m busy, he lets me experience things on my own and not really get in the way.”

Illinois forward Jake Davis said that comes through because Andrej is “100 percent his own player,” though he does think it has been “super sick” to have an NBA legend around the program.

“He wants to get better and wants to learn and strive to win games as a team,” Davis said. “He’s very much a team player for us.”

Andrej looks forward to spending more time with his parents in the offseason, but right now he has business to handle.

After battling injuries at different times this season — a knee issue in the preseason and a high ankle sprain in February — he has made himself a player crucial to Illinois’ success down the stretch. He comes off the bench to provide a key scoring spark, often changing the game’s dynamic with his ability to get to the rim, and has scored 17 points or more in four of Illinois’ last seven games. But the Illini also have relied on him to be a multifaceted player.

Alexander pointed to his help defending Iowa star guard Bennett Stirtz in the Elite Eight game. Stirtz came out in that game hot as the Hawkeyes jumped to an early lead, but Stirtz went 2 for 8 from the field and 1 for 5 from 3-point range in the second half.

“We made an adjustment and used (Andrej’s) length, his athleticism, his ability to make Stirtz take hard shots. It was huge for us,” Alexander said. “Not that he couldn’t do that before. He just knows how important it is now to winning. Those are the things he’s grown in from year to year.”

Andrej picked Illinois because he wanted to expand his game and he wanted to win. He wants to continue doing both.

He has no idea what to expect when he returns to a packed Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday evening to face UConn, how the atmosphere inside a football stadium will feel. But he’s confident in his ability to handle it.

“I think I’ve done a good job of trying to maintain the same focus level from regular season to NCAA games so far, not letting the crowd faze me, especially in our two Houston matchups where it was loud in there,” he said. “As a team, we’ve done a really good job of staying focused on the task and not worrying about the media outside.”

Peja will be watching, though Andrej can’t say if he will be wearing orange and blue as some have pleaded on social media. His dad likes to wear plain things without logos, though he does have Illini gear.

“Oh, he has stuff,” Andrej said. “He has a lot of stuff.”

Andrej said he knows all his dad wants is for him to have a great experience.

“He’s someone who enjoys watching basketball, and all he cares about is myself and the rest of the guys on the team finding enjoyment from playing,” Andrej said. “He doesn’t care we made the Final Four. It’s not about that. It’s about the hard work we put in is finally paying off. And the idea of us loving the game is showing right now.”

NEED TO KNOW

• Lauren Betts has three younger siblings: Sienna, Dylan and Ashton
• Sienna joined her older sister's team, the UCLA Bruins, in 2025, and Dylan plays on his high school basketball team
• Though she and her siblings were born in Spain, they relocated to Colorado when Lauren was 8 years old

Lauren Betts has bonded with her siblings over a shared love of basketball — she and her younger sister are even on the same team.

"It's been super special as an older sister," the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins center told SportsCenter in March 2026. "To win games like that and have your sister on the floor with you, it's unforgettable."

The basketball star is the oldest of three siblings: Sienna, Dylan and Ashton, per her UCLA bio. She spent the first few years of her life living in Spain, where her father, Andy Betts, played professional basketball until the family moved to Colorado when she was in the third grade.

“Since my dad worked a lot, it was usually just my mom, my siblings, Sienna and Dylan, and me,” Lauren wrote in a 2026 essay for Players' Tribune.

Though little is known about Ashton, who is Andy's child from a different relationship, Dylan has also inherited their dad's affinity for basketball and plays for his high school team, per USA Basketball.

Here's everything to know about Lauren Betts' siblings, Sienna, Dylan and Ashton.

They moved to the U.S. when Lauren was 8

According to her UCLA bio, Lauren was born in Vitoria, Spain, on Oct. 15, 2003, to Andy and Michelle Betts. The couple welcomed Sienna on Oct. 3, 2006, and Dylan on March 8, 2010. Ashton's birthdate hasn't been shared.

The family lived in Barcelona, Seville, Málaga and San Sebastian, living what the basketball star described as "a magical childhood" in her Players' Tribune essay. They moved to Colorado when Lauren was 8 years old.

Though they later divorced, Andy and Michelle maintained shared custody of their kids and lived only a few minutes apart, per ESPN.

"It was kind of a culture shock," she wrote in her 2026 essay of moving to the United States. "It’s funny, I grew up watching High School Musical, and that was like my favorite movie. And I remember going into my first day at my new school thinking, 'I wonder if it’s going to be like that?' "

Dylan is the tallest in the family

Basketball skills weren't the only thing Lauren and her siblings inherited from their father, who is 7-foot-1. By the time Dylan was 15, he surpassed his dad in height by an inch, making him the tallest member of their family.

“I think maybe a few more inches — like one or two more,” he told USA Basketball in April 2025 of his room to grow. “My growth plates are still open, I’ve heard, so maybe a few more inches.” 

Sienna also plays basketball for UCLA

In November 2024, Sienna signed with the UCLA Women's Basketball team, joining her older sister on the roster.

Because she's a freshman, the Betts sisters will only have one season to play together before Lauren, a senior, graduates.

"It's really comforting to know that there's someone on the court who just like knows you for you and who's known you for your entire life," the UCLA star said of playing with her younger sister during a December 2025 episode of the In Case You Missed It with Khristina Williamspodcast.

Lauren continued, "Sienna and I know what we're thinking most of the time, and we know how to speak to each other when we're both frustrated."

Sienna added that being teammates is "the closest" she's ever been to Lauren and that she was "really thankful" for the opportunity to play with her.

Dylan described his sisters as “very talented”

Though he won't graduate until 2028, Dylan has already begun to make a name for himself in the sport.

He was invited to join the USA Basketball's 2025 Men's Junior National Team's minicamp and has already received offers to play for the University of Washington, Purdue University and the University of California, Berkeley, per his Instagram.

Dylan has also credited his sisters for being role models for him in the sport.

“You definitely learn a lot as you watch them,” he told USA Basketball of his sisters. “They’re very talented and they obviously know a lot. Watching both of them, you just learn what it takes to be a USA Basketball player and the communication you need, everything."

Read the original article on People

Francis Ngannou is on the cusp of his mixed martial arts (MMA) return and the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight king looks more powerful than ever.

In just a few months, Ngannou will step back inside the cage to fight heavyweight veteran Philipe Lins on the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card live on Netflix from Inglewood, California. It will be just the second time in over four years that Ngannou is competing in MMA. The former UFC superstar spent most of his time over the past few years trying his hand against elite boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

While Ngannou is expected to return in dominant fashion against a very hittable Lins there are still some questions about how good his MMA game is right now. The 39-year-old hasn’t had much time inside of the cage over the past five years and even against someone like Lins it will be up to “Predator” to prove he’s still got a gas tank. After all, Ngannou’s clash with Lins is currently booked as a 25-minute affair.

Earlier this week, Ngannou was back in training in preparation for his MMA return on May 16. Like a bird has wings or a cat has claws, Ngannou still possessed his legendary natural punching power. The former UFC heavyweight champion posted a short clip of some nasty punches to the body while calling for the next “Body Shot Challenge.” It’s highly unlikely anyone answers that call.

Check out the video below and let us know if Ngannou is looking in prime form for his return:

“Who’s want to do the next body shot challenge with me?”

Rakeem Nunez-Roches is heading back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After spending the last three seasons with the New York Giants, the 11-year veteran is signing with Tampa Bay, where he played from 2018-2022.

Known as “Nacho”, the 2015 sixth-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, played in 40 games for the Giants with 20 starts after signing as a free agent before the 2023 season.

Despite head coach John Harbaugh’s stated desire to build the best defensive line in the NFL, the giants have done very little so far this offseason on the defensive interior.

Nunez-Roches is now a Buccaneer. D.J. Davidson signed recently with the Washington Commanders.

The only addition the Giants have thus far made on the defensive line is the signing of journeyman Sam Roberts, who has played in 20 games over the last four seasons with the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, and Atlanta Falcons.

The Giants figure to continue bargain-hunting in free agency, and to look add to the line in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Byron Buxton had to leave the game in the seventh inning when he was hit by a pitch and suffered an right arm contusion. X-rays were negative, but obviously we’ll know more later tonight or over the weekend.

In the game itself, Bailey Ober didn’t take well to the cold, but the bullpen (!) held in there until the Twins were able to get past Rays flamethrower Joe Boyle. And a guy YOU DID NOT EXPECT provided the big hit for the home team.

Pregame: This is just absolutely perfect:

At about 2:00, Target Field lost power (as did much of downtown Minneapolis). Since that meant the wi-fi was down, the little hand-held ticket scanners that Target Field employees use to “ping” people into the ballpark weren’t working. So fans had to wait for a bit. Eventually the team just decided to let people in who showed a ticket, and not to worry about the scanners.

Since that will affect the reported attendance a bit (maybe)? and teams have to share a certain proportion of the gate with the visiting team (I think?), I expect the Pohlads cut the power off on purpose.

Either that or Hans Gruber is making off with millions of bearer bonds right now.

(Tom Pohlad on the radio, being asked about if he’s ready for a bunch of Pohlad jokes: “I’ve got a thick skin. Bring it on.” OK.)

1: Bailey Ober, inspired by the 20 walks Saints pitchers gave up on Tuesday, decides to walk leadoff Yandy Díaz and then changes his mind, instead grooving a nice high hittable one to Junior Caminero. Double. Ober hangs a one-out slider that Jake Fraley pops up, then returns to groovin’ against Nick Fortes. The Rays score two and that means this game is likely over unless the Twins put more than the expected amount of effort into it.

After a leadoff walk to our own Kody Kat Klemens, Byron Buxton decides to take Strike 3 right down the middle, so yep, the expected amount of effort. Nobody else cares, either, soDevil Rays 2-0

2: Well, Bailey can handle the bottom of the Rays’ lineup alright. Unfortunately so far Joe Boyle can handle the entirety of the Twins’. He is not related to Danny Boyle, the British film director who made 28 Days Later, but these Twins bats are definitely zombified right now.

3: Tristan Gray, from Missouri City, TX, gets a one-out walk. He’s playing short today because Brooks Lee is “under the weather.” Back in the day “under the weather” in the NBA meant “Jordan and Barkley were at the casino until 6 AM” but I doubt that’s the case for Lee. A wild pitch advances Gray to second. Kody Klobberin’ Klemens has a check-swing foul tip into the glove for strike three, which is about as disappointing a way to strike out as I can think of. Buxton pops one up and this team is NOT an offensive powerhouse, methinks.

4: Instead of leaving a slider up to Fraley this time, Ober politely puts it right in the middle and Fraley doubles to right. Ober gets the next two guys, since if the Rays score any more runs the Twins are doomed, but sure enough here comes a 89-MPH fastball right in the happy place and Ben Williamson cranks another Tampa double. Pitch #78 walks Chandler Simpson (Maggie’s firstborn). Ober Ks the next guy, but nobody’s real excited about watching five innings of the Twins’ bullpen in sub-40° weather, are they?

Luke Keaschall decides to swing out of his shoes at three straight inside pitches and, amazingly, this works; he gets the skinny part of the bat on a slider and pokes it through the infield at 70.5 MPH. That’s good enough to score on a 69.2 MPH double by ex-Pirate Josh Bell. Then Jeffers 70 MPH bloops one into short right. Talk about small ball! Bell advances to third on the Jeffers duck fart. Trevor Larnach walks. Bases loaded, one out.

Royce Lewis hits what SHOULD be a double play, but SS Carson Williams utterly boots it and nobody’s out (it’s the Rays’ MLB-leading 10th error of the year; Bell scores.

Missouri City’s finest, Mr. Gray, sac flies Jeffers in. Wow, the Twins have made offense! Kooky Kody Klemens Ks to end the inning, but this baby has been securely tied 3-3

5: 28-year-old Eric Orze (pronounced “orr-zee”), who we got from the Rays for something called a Jacob Kisting, makes his home debut with a walk, followed by a flyout, popup, groundout. 25 pitches, though, so Shelton’ll have do dig deeper into his Magical Arm Barn, which does not inspire confidence.

Boyle gets the Twins easily. He’s not related to American actor Peter Boyle, but aside from all those 70-MPH bloopers last inning, he’s definitely kept the Twins from puttin’ on the hitz.

6: My bad! Orze is still in here. That reminds me of MLB’s stupidest new rule; how pitchers who start any inning have to pitch to at least three batters. The third one here gets on base, but Orze retires the fourth. It’s still a stupid rule.

Less stupid but still not one of my favorite rules; the ban of the shift. On a routine Jeffers groundout, the Twins say that Rays 2B Ben Williamson was too far to his right when the pitch was thrown. After like a hundred hours of looking at the video, the umps decide, yep, Williamson was in the wrong spot. So Jeffers is now ruled safe. Trevor Larnach then bounces one off the limstone in right (the Twins’ first well-hit ball of the day), and that puts guys at 2nd and 3rd with one out. In comes reliever Hunter Bigge. Royce Lewis walks.

And then, Tristan Gray and Kinky Kody Klemens both K, and that’s a little annoying. It’d be a lot annoying if I thought the Twins would win more than 75 games this year, but I don’t, so it’s only mini-annoying.

7: Justin “On” Topa in to pitch. Díaz gets another of those “little part of bat” hits with one out (it’s going around today). Topa gets the next guy, but on a Junior Caminero groundout, the umps rule that 1B Clemens took his foot off the bag and bobbled the ball. He did take his foot off; he didn’t bobble. Once again, MLB takes forever on a review play and STILL gets it fuggin’ wrong anyways; Caminero is ruled safe. Then Kody Funderburk comes in and gets the next guy anyways. I think the umps just want the fans to sit in the cold longer in revenge for all the critiquing of umps we’ve done over the years. Well, they’re big meanies and they deserve it.

CRAP.

Rays reliever Kevin Kelly hits Buxton on the right arm, it sounds bad, and Buxton leaves the game. It wasn’t at all intentional, the pitch just moved oddly.

CRAP.

Sigh. James Outman takes the base for him and steals second. Keaschall reaches when Caminero boots a backhand (his sixth error and the Rays’ twelfth!). Matt Wallner strikes out (for the fourth time!), but Josh Bell has the Twins’ second decently-hit ball of the night and knocks Keaschall in.

Then Jeffers reaches on ANOTHER Caminero error (which I didn’t think was an error), and Kelly walks Larnach to send home Keaschall. And Kelly walks Royce Lewis!

So of course Tristan Gray, who struck out with two guys in scoring position and one out last inning, says “I’m so sorry TwinkieTown! Let me do better!” OK. Grand slam? We forgive you!

Well, call me a genius for predicting all of this; the Twins would score a lot and their bullpen would be better than the other team’s. That’s why I’m known as Nostrajamus. Twins 10-3

8: Anthony “Panda” Banda, a former Ray, decides to come in, plunk Nick Fortes, WP Fortes to second, and give up the RBI to Cedric Mullins. Then WP Mullins to 2nd. Good grief man. He does manage to avoid anything worse, though. Cold state 10-4

9: ANOTHER Cody, Cody Lawyerson, nicely ends the game in the cold rain for us so that the nice people can go home, and even the mean ones too. TWIMS WIM! (Yes, around here we spell it wrong on purpose. No, I don’t know why.

Studs of the game: Bell & Larnach’s soild hits when nobody else was getting more than duck farts, Keaschall’s hustle… and DEFINITELY 30-year-old backup infielder Tristan Gray for going 1-for-5 with 5 RBI. Why not, man?

NO DUDS, TWINS WIN!

COTG goto norff for “the LOOGY lives on in spirit,” Kirilofffan19 for “I don’t think anyone here ever doubted the capabilities of Josh Bell or Trevor Larnach!” and TawnyFroggy for a g’day in Australia. We miss you Froggy, be well!

Tomorrow’s game is scheduled for 6:10 (weather permitting), and features the Twins’ Mick “Is He Very?” Abel against the Rays’ Steven Matz. Catch ya next time!

Today was not the party the Rockies or their fans were hoping for. 

For a moment, it felt like it might be possible. A perfect afternoon, a packed house, and Hunter Goodman receiving his Silver Slugger before first-pitch set an optimistic tone. 

Then the first inning happened. 

Michael Lorenzen never settled in. Trea Turner led off with a double, walks piled up, and Bryce Harper made it hurt with a two-run single. Bryson Stott followed with a double, and Brandon Marsh — Charlie Blackmon-esque beard and all — turned on an 0-2 fastball and launched it into the right field seats. 

Seven runs crossed before the inning finally ended, aided by a ball lost in the sun in right that only made things feel sloppier. 

The boos came early. 

Lorenzen’s final line told the story: three innings, 12 hits, nine runs — all earned — with two walks and two home runs allowed. He takes the loss and falls to 0-1 with a 14.73 ERA through two starts. The first inning was the clear nightmare, a rude introduction to the home crowd in his first start at Coors Field as a Rockie. 

It didn’t get better. Harper added a homer in the second, and Kyle Schwarber later crushed one into the second deck — a 460-foot blast, the longest in the majors so far this season. 

The damage was spread throughout the lineup. Turner (3-for-4) set the tone, Schwarber supplied the power, Harper reached three times, and Alec Bohm and Stott kept innings moving. It was complete, relentless offense. 

Lorenzen looked stiff, out of rhythm, and unable to command his fastball. It was a rough, disappointing start—but not the whole story. 

Meanwhile, Nola looked like vintage Nola. 

Aaron Nola improves to 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA through two starts, going 6.1 innings and allowing one earned run on five hits with a walk and nine strikeouts. He now has 16 strikeouts on the season. Nola worked ahead, changed speeds, and kept Rockies hitters defensive all afternoon. With a lead, he never had to do more than control the game —and he did that with ease. Still, the Rockies had chances.

In the second, Willi Castro ripped a 104.2 mph double down the line, TJ Rumfield battled his way on, and Jake McCarthy drove one to the track — but it died in center. 

In the fourth, Mickey Moniak and Ezequiel Tovar singled, Rumfield hustled out an infield hit, and a run finally scored on a Castro grounder. Not pretty, but something. 

Too often, though, it wasn’t enough. 

Brenton Doyle struck out looking twice in big spots. The strikeouts piled up. Runners were left on. Momentum never stuck. 

Through the game, the line told the story: 15 strikeouts against just one walk, no hitter with more than one hit. That’s now 32 strikeouts over the last two games — eye-watering stuff. Add it up, and your head starts to spin. 

Doyle and Goodman each struck out three times. 

Even late, nothing came easy. Kyle Backhus, a funky Phillies lefty, kept hitters uncomfortable.

Even a brief spark — a Doyle single in the seventh — went nowhere. Strikeout. Lazy fly. Inning over. 

And that was the story the rest of the way, with Zach Pop striking out Doyle to end it in the ninth.

If there was a bright spot, it was Valente Bellozo. 

Recently added to the roster, he didn’t look the part of a prototypical power arm — but he pitched like one. Efficient, composed, and exactly what the Rockies needed. 

Six innings. One hit. One run. One walk. Seven strikeouts. 

The only blemish: the Schwarber homer — yes, that one — the 460-foot missile into the second deck, still the longest in the majors this season. (Schwarber is ridiculous. He would look pretty good in purple, not going to lie…) 

Bellozo stabilized the game, saved the bullpen, and was easily the Rockies’ MVP of the afternoon. 

Behind him, Kyle Karros looked like a big leaguer in the field. Clean plays, steady presence — nothing flashy, just reliable defense. 

There’s also a broader way to look at this one. 

Take away the disastrous first inning, and it’s a 3-1 game. The Rockies still likely come up short, but it’s at least competitive. And that’s what lingers more than anything — this wasn’t just about Lorenzen having a rough day. 

It was about the offense. 

Right now, it doesn’t look like a lineup. It looks disconnected. The at-bats feel isolated, the approach inconsistent, and there’s no sense of momentum building from one hitter to the next. Too many strikeouts. Too many empty stretches. 

At times, it feels like a collection of 7, 8, and 9-hole hitters trying to get through the order. 

It’s one game — but it felt like one we’ve seen before. 

And yet… this is part of it. 

There was always going to be adversity with this team. New faces, new ideas, a new direction. Days like this were going to happen. 

You just hoped it wouldn’t show up like this. 

Not on today. Not when the party was just getting started. 

Up Next 

The Rockies return to Coors tomorrow at 6:10 p.m., with Jesús Luzardo set to go for the Phillies. Colorado’s starter? Still TBD. 

And that’s part of the story. 

Is it a bullpen game? Is it time for Chase Dollander? However it shakes out, today’s outing from Bellozo looms larger — six innings that may end up giving the Rockies just enough flexibility to get through tomorrow. 

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

Things continue to shift and change in the Marquette women’s basketball office as this offseason gets underway. We’ve already discussed a pair of player transfers that are already out in the public, and now we turn our attention to a change in head coach Cara Consuegra’s staff. On Friday morning, MU assistant coach Chaia Meier was tabbed as the 11th head coach in Bradley women’s basketball history.

To the press release!

“Throughout this search, Chaia quickly distinguished herself as the right person to lead our program forward,” said Reynolds. “As a Central Illinois native, she brings a strong connection to this region and a clear understanding of what it takes to excel at Bradley. Chaia has demonstrated success as both a head coach and assistant, consistently developing student-athletes and building competitive programs. She is the ideal leader for Bradley Women’s Basketball and will create a premier student-athlete experience that positions our program for sustained success.”

“My family and I are thrilled to join the Bradley community and return to Central Illinois, a place that we consider home,” Meier said. “I want to thank Chris Reynolds and Jen Jones for the opportunity to lead this program and these young women. Bradley Women’s Basketball is primed to take the next step and I am honored to be entrusted with that challenge.”

And later, a quote from Marquette head coach Cara Consuegra:

 “Chaia Meier is the kind of coach every program hopes to find — someone who is not only exceptional at what she does on the court, but an even better person off of it. She understands what it takes to build a program the right way and to win consistently. Chaia invests deeply in people — she builds genuine relationships, cares about the growth and development of her players, and creates a culture that lasts. She’s incredibly loyal, and that shows in the trust and respect she earns everywhere she goes. Bradley is getting a tremendous leader who will elevate the program in every way.”

Meier was hired at Marquette in early June of 2024, joining carry over assistant Khadijah Rushdan from the Megan Duffy era and continuing Consuegra assistant Deont’a McChester on the first staff at the McGuire Center after the coaching change. She came to Marquette after breaking the all-time wins record at Edgewood College in Madison with a record of 104-95 in eight seasons. Marquette was her first job at the Division 1 level after leading the Division 3 Edgewood team, as well as head coaching stops at Grace University and Moody Bible Institute, both of which weren’t NCAA affiliated outfits.

Now she makes a pair of head coaches at Bradley with Marquette connections, as MU men’s basketball star Brian Wardle has been leading the men’s team in Peoria since 2015. Meier will be taking over a Bradley squad because Kate Popovec-Goss took the Boston College job after leading the Braves to their first 20 win season since 2019-20. Bradley has been to the NCAA tournament just once in program history, back in 2021 when Andrea Gorski guided them to a 17-12 record overall but secured a Missouri Valley Conference tournament title to earn a #11 seed that year.

As for what it means for Cara Consuegra and the Golden Eagles, that’s kind of up in the air a little bit. After all, McChester remains on the staff, and thanks to a little bit of NCAA rule changing, Consuegra has added Sam Logic and Michael Garven to the staff with the title of assistant coach. That would seem to indicate that Consuegra isn’t and shouldn’t be in much of a hurry to replace Meier in terms of manpower, even with the transfer portal set to open up and the Golden Eagles in need of four players just to be able to go five-on-five in practice until Se’Crette Carter enrolls at some point over the summer.

However, we do have to ask the question of exactly how many assistants is Consuegra looking to hire? After all, Khadijah Rushdan just… kind of… disappeared from the team and the official roster with no fanfare in late January/early February. We haven’t gotten any assistant hiring news since the 2025-26 Marquette season ended in the Big East tournament quarterfinals, which makes you wonder if Consuegra isn’t going to hire anyone to replace Rushdan. Now with Meier gone, it would seem likely that she’ll want at least one more assistant on staff if she had wanted five assistants at this time a year ago and is now down to just three.

Tbere’s still a bit of coaching carousel to go around, so we’re still in a pretty solid “hire an assistant” window for the time being. The only question is whether Consuegra is going to focus on that or focus on getting her roster up to a competitive level…

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Georgia State University announced Atlanta native Jon Cremins is the new head coach of the men’s basketball program.

Cremins most recently coached Vanderbilt as an assistant coach in the Sun Belt Conference for two seasons. During his tenure under head coach Mark Byington, Vanderbilt boasted a 47-22, including NCAA tournament appearances both years, GSU said in a Friday news release.

He is the nephew of legendary coach Bobby Cremins, and served as an assistant for him at Charleston.

“Coach Cremins emerged as the exact coach GSU needs at this time, rising to the top of a strong pool of interested coaches. I look forward to him bringing success back to the basketball program and overall energy that winning brings to our campuses,” Georgia State University President M. Brian Blake said.

In addition to his tenure at Vanderbilt, he served as an assistant coach under Byington at JMS, Georgia Southern and Charleston.

“Coach Cremins is a leader who has a clear vision for building a championship program, and our staff looks forward to working with him to build a program that all Panther fans will embrace,” Director of Athletics Charlie Cobb said.

Cremins will be formally introduced at the football spring game April 17.

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Home game! First of the year everyone. The A’s are back in West Sacramento for their first series of the year in front of the home crowd.

The starting pitcher for the home team is going to be Jeffrey Springs. Set to make his second start of the season he’ll be looking for more of the same from his last time out when he pitched into the sixth inning and allowed only a pair of runs. Against the Astros he’s got a good track record so we’ll be hoping for a good performance from the veteran lefty tonight to start the series on a good note.

Here’s how the Athletics line up for their first home game of the year:

We got the regular lineup this evening with first baseman Nick Kurtz back atop the batting order leading off. We all remember his performance against these guys last year so hopefully meeting these guys again will wake up his bat.

We’ll also get to see offseason acquisition Jeff McNeil back in there lining up at second base for his fourth start of the year. A couple Athletics have gotten off to slow starts this year including McNeil. The squad needs some production from the second base spot.

That lineup will be up against Houston right-hander Cristian Javier. Javier didn’t look quite right in his first start of the year last week so the A’s need to take advantage of a pitcher still finding himself after years of injuries.

And the Astros’ lineup:

Are we ready for the second win of the year? Let’s do this! Let’s go A’s!

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West Virginia and Creighton meet in the semifinals of the College Basketball Crown postseason tournament on Saturday afternoon.

Creighton is playing to try to send retiring head coach Greg McDermott out on a winning note, while West Virginia is looking to win its first postseason tournament since 2007.

The game will likely come down to defense, and my West Virginia vs. Creighton predictions and college basketball picks look for the Mountaineers to dominate on that end of the floor and ultimately prevail. 

West Virginia vs Creighton prediction

Who will win West Virginia vs Creighton?

West Virginia: The Mountaineers were picked to finish 11th in the Big 12 but ended up four spots higher, thanks to a defense that ranked No. 18 in the country. West Virginia also finished in the Top 40 for lowest field goal percentage allowed and No. 12 in lowest percentage allowed on two-point shots.

Creighton has made more than half of its two-point attempts in just one of its last 10 games. The Bluejays are unlikely to snap out of that slump against West Virginia's defense.

West Virginia vs Creighton best bet: West Virginia -1 (-110)

West Virginia faced a brutal Big 12 schedule that included 14 Quad I games, which has hurt its defensive stats.

However, against Quad II opponents like Creighton, West Virginia has performed well on defense, allowing only 49% shooting on 2-pointers over its last five games against comparable teams.

The Mountaineers should also control the boards. Creighton has a rebounding rate below 30% on both ends and ranks No. 284 nationally on the offensive glass.

Take West Virginia to stand tall in Las Vegas. 

COVERS INTEL: Creighton will have a tough time defending Honor Huff, who has made nearly as many threes (109) as the Bluejays’ leader in 2-pointers (109). The Bluejays' perimeter defense ranked just 218th in the country.

West Virginia vs Creighton same-game parlay

West Virginia operates at the No. 361 pace in college basketball, with only four teams playing slower.

Creighton also ranks in the bottom half nationally, at 170. Both teams have gone Under the full game total in three of their last four games.

West Virginia vs Creighton SGP

• West Virginia -1
• Under 134.5

West Virginia vs Creighton odds

• Spread: West Virginia -1 (-110) | Creighton +1 (-110)
• Moneyline: West Virginia -115 | Creighton -105
• Over/Under: Over 134.5 (-110) | Under 134.5 (-110)

West Virginia vs Creighton betting trend to know

The last time Creighton won back-to-back games came all the way back on Dec. 30. Find more college basketball betting trends for West Virginia vs. Creighton.

How to watch West Virginia vs Creighton

West Virginia vs Creighton key injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Asking concrete questions during the first full week of the 162-game slate is always a bit perilous. For instance, had I asked you before Friday’s series opener against the Texas Rangers whether or not Spencer Steer and Tyler Stephenson should be losing playing time due to their struggles, my best guess is that many of you would’ve responded with a resounding yes.

Those two just combined to go 4 for 8 with 3 runs scored, 4 ribbies, and a pair of 2-run homers to lead the Reds past Texas in impressive fashion in the team’s first road game of the season. If I asked whether the two of them deserved to lose playing time right now, you’d tell me I was ridiculous.

Such is the case, potentially, with the closer’s role for the Cincinnati Reds. After taking the job and running with it last year, Emilio Pagán was brought back in free agency to take the 9th inning role once again, but his first week of the 2026 season was rather brutal.

Pagán was hammered for a pair of homers and 5 ER in 3.1 IP across his first 3 appearances of the season. He blew a save in his first chance of the year against the Boston Red Sox (in a game the Reds ultimately won), and he later watched as Connor Phillips – who’s much younger with a much more electric arm – get a save when he was unavailable for the day after having thrown so many pitches earlier in the week.

It just so happens that I asked you whether Pagán, or someone else, would lead the Reds in saves in 2026 right after he was slugged around for a homer and 4 ER in an IP against Pittsburgh in a game the Reds lost 8-3. Even though that came in a non-save situation, it was a pretty rough time for an evaluation of his job title to come down, but that’s just how the timing of the situation went.

(I’d actually sent in the question for a graphic to be made a day earlier, but the baseball gods chose to make the timing more dramatic for when I could relay it in a post.)

So, it’s somewhat unsurprising that 79% of you thought, at that moment, that someone other than Pagán would end up leading the Reds in saves in 2026.

As the baseball gods would have it, these results are getting posted shortly after Pagán posted a 1-2-3 inning for the save against Texas in the Reds series opening 5-3 victory, his second save of the season. That gives him the team lead once again, and it’s clear that manager Terry Francona is willing to give him a long leash in the role given his 30+ save season a year ago and long track record as a high-leverage reliever.

This is a situation that should have some intrigue down the road, though. Pagán is no spring chicken as he nears his 35th birthday, and he’s already spoken glowingly of the arm talent of Phillips (and several other relievers the Reds have coming around). If he doesn’t find a way to keep the good vibes going, we very may well see a changing of the guard in the closer’s role down the road.

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Athletics baseball is back in California this weekend for their home-opener series against an an AL West division rival. The Athletics face Houston Astros for a three-game set, beginning Friday, April 3 at 6:40 p.m. PT (9:40 p.m. ET).

After a rough start on the road, where the A's went 1-5 combined against the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves, the A's are looking to string along some wins in front of their temporary home crowd at Sutter Health Park, a minor league ballpark that seats 14,000 in West Sacramento, California.

It's one of the rare times that fans can watch the team in person in Yolo County in the early part of the season as their series against Houston is the team's only three home games over their first 15 games.

The A's are currently tied with the Red Sox and White Sox for the lowest winning percentage in the majors, marking the second time in the last three years the A's have started the season 1-5. The last time they started 1-5 was the 2024 season, when they finished with a 69-93 record.

However, the A's have had good fortune against Houston. They went 8-5 against the Astros in 2025, winning the season series for the first time since 2020. The A's went 4-3 in West Sacramento and 4-2 in Houston against the Astros last year.

Here's what to look out for in their home-series against the Astros as the A's look to get things on track.

More A's: Bold and fun predictions for the Athletics' 2026 season

Athletics batting lineup

Here's the A's batting order:

Athletics Lineup/Batting Order vs. Houston Astros

Pitcher: Jeffrey Springs, LHP, 0-0, 3.38 ERA, 2 SO

1. Nick Kurtz,1B
2. Shea Langeliers, C
3. Tyler Soderstrom, LF
4. Brent Rooker, DH
5. Jacob Wilson, SS
6. Lawrence Butler, RF
7. Max Muncy, 3B
8. Jeff McNeil, 2B
9. Denzel Clarke, CF

Houston Astros batting lineup

Here's the Houston Astros batting order:

Astros batting order vs. A's

Pitcher: Cristian Javier, RHP, 0-0, 11.57 ERA, 1 SO

1. Jeremy Peña, SS
2. Yordan Alvarez, DH
3. Jose Altuve, 2B
4. Carlos Correa, 3B
5. Christian Walker, 1B
6. Cam Smith, RF
7. Jake Meyers, CF
8. Yainer Diaz, C
9. Brice Matthews, LF

Athletics' young core offensive capability

The A's have capable hitters and game changers throughout their lineup including Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, Jacob Wilson, Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom.

Langeliers has already knocked five homers in the A's first six games, which matches Mark McGwire's 1992 season for the most in Athletics history over the first six games. He leads the majors in home runs (5), is tied for third in extra base hits (5) and tied for fourth in RBI (8).

Rooker needs a double to hit the 100-mark for his career. A home run would put him at the 100-mark with the A's, and he would be the 30th player in A's history to reach that milestone.

Kurtz hopes to make some of the same magic he did last year against the 'Stros. He went 21-for-42 (.500) with 17 runs, six doubles, nine home runs and 18 RBI in 10 games against Houston in 2025. Kurtz provided heroics last year with walk-off home runs against Houston on June 16 and 19.

And those game-winners were only a sample.Kurtz batted a career-high 6-for-6 with six runs, a double, four home runs, eight RBI, five extra base hits and 19 total bases in a July 25 win.

Can Jeffrey Springs be answer to bullpen questions?

The A's bullpen has allowed just two runs in the last four games (16.1 IP, 1.10 ERA) and has a 2.52 ERA overall, which is ninth lowest in the majors.

Jeffrey Springs is getting the starting nod against Houston's Cristian Javier. Springs should give A's fans a good feeling, as he is 3-0 with a 3.55 ERA in four games, two starts, in his career against Houston.

Last year against AL West teams, Springs went 5-2 with a 2.91 ERA and .594 opponents OPS in 10 games. He has a career record of 15-6 with a 3.44 ERA against that division.

Springs needs one strikeout for the 500th of his nine-year career.

How to watch A's vs. Astros

The A's take on the Houston Astros at 6:40 p.m. PT (9:40 p.m. ET), here how to watch.

• Matchup: HOU at ATH
• Date: Friday, Apr. 3
• Time: 9:40 p.m. (ET)
• Venue: Sutter Health Park
• Location: West Sacramento, California
• TV: NBC Sports California and Space City Home Network 2
• Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo

Athletics vs. Astros odds

Here are the odds beween the Houston Astros and Athletics for their game on April 3, courtesy of BetMGM.

• Spread:Astros -1.5, +140; Athletics +1.5, -165
• Total (O/U): Astros O 10, -105; Athletics U 10, -115
• Money:Astros -115; Athletics -105

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Athletics face Astros this weekend. Can young A's core deliver wins?

Over Dawn Staley's 18 seasons at South Carolina women's basketball, she has emerged as one of the titans of women’s college basketball while transforming the Gamecocks from a middling program into a three-time national champion that’s one of the ubiquitous national powers in the sport.

During that time, she has attracted attention not only for her 510 wins, but also for her standing as perhaps the most stylish coach at any level of basketball, men’s or women’s, in the country, whether it’s rocking Gucci or a jersey of one of her beloved Philadelphia sports teams.

Her sideline attire isn’t limited to clothes.

REQUIRED READING: South Carolina vs UConn score, live updates in Final Four as Huskies lead at halftime

With South Carolina yet again in the Final Four — this time, competing against reigning national champion UConn on Friday, April 3 in Phoenix — Staley is wearing beaded necklaces, including a pair that spell out her first name with basketballs in between the letters.

The jewelry is more than just a sartorial choice. Staley wears the necklaces in honor of Blakeleigh Thompson, an 8-year-old girl enduring a fight with leukemia.

The sweet reason behind Dawn Staley's necklaces is a little girl named Blakeleigh Thompson ❤️ pic.twitter.com/MtL3DbGFcD

— ESPN (@espn) April 5, 2025

The two first met in 2023, when Staley was visiting UVA Children’s Hospital at the University of Virginia, Staley’s alma mater. Two years later, Thompson got to see Staley coach in person for the first time at the 2025 Final Four, when the Gamecocks beat Texas in the national semifinals.

Staley, who wears the beads every game, had previously spoken about the bond she and Thompson had forged and what it meant to her, noting that it “gives me perspective.”

Dawn Staley's necklace she made earlier this summer at the UVA Health Children's Hospital was beginning to wear.

This morning, she was greeted with a special surprise from one of her favorite people 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/aOKElHZqpn

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 23, 2024

"Blakeleigh, you would have never known what she was going through,” Staley said during an appearance on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” in March 2024. “As an adult, I know what she’s going through. I know what her family was going through. I just feel forever indebted that they allowed me a small part of their life, which changed my life. I mean, I'm going to wear this until the beads fall off."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Dawn Staley wears beaded necklaces during South Carolina basketball games

Guilherme Lira, Ruan Yago and Eduardo ConceiçãoCredits: Disclosure / Conmebol

Brazil’s U-17 National Team will make its debut in the South American Championship for the category on Saturday (4). The match will be against Bolivia at 8 p.m. at Ameliano Villeta Stadium, in Villeta, Paraguay. The squad numbers of the 23 players available to coach Carlos Eduardo Patetuci have already been defined (see below).

Brazil is in Group B of the South American U-17 Championship. Alongside Bolivia, the team will also face Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru.

With two consecutive titles in the competition, in 2023 in Ecuador and in 2025 in Colombia, the Brazilian National Team is aiming for its third straight trophy.

Kauê Furquim and Lyan AraújoCredits: Disclosure / Conmebol

CHECK OUT THE SQUAD NUMBERS

Goalkeepers

1 - Vitor Wachter

12 - Gustavo Milani

22 – Arthur Vale

Center-backs

3 – David Brendo

4 – Breno Sales

13 – Guilherme Lira

14 – João Sá

Full-backs

2 – Samuel Almeida

6 – Arthur

16 – Ricardo Wendel

23 – Danylo do Amaral

Midfielders

5 – Vinicius Rocha

8 – Eduardo Pape

10 – Eduardo Conceição

15 – Leonardo Cerci

18 – Ruan Yago

20 – Robert William

Forwards

7 – Kauê Furquim

9 – João Bezerra

11 – Riquelme Henrique

19 – David Nogueira

17 – Bryan Lima]

21 - Lyan Araújo

Goalkeeper Arthur ValeCredits: Disclosure / Conmebol

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

Randy Orton’s Mystery Caller | Key Points

• Pat McAfee turned heel and was revealed to be Randy Orton’s mystery accomplice on the April 3, 2026 broadcast of SmackDown in Orton’s hometown of St. Louis, Miss.
• McAfee delivered a low blow to Rhodes and helped Randy Orton lay out the Undisputed WWE champion. “The Rams left town, the Blues aren’t gonna make the playoffs, the Cardinals are ass…” said McAfee in a heel promo.
• Beginning on the March 20, 2026 broadcast of SmackDown, Randy Orton was seen on a phone call with a mystery figure. Social media conspiracy theories ranged from Cowboy Bob Orton to Vince McMahon. Randy Orton will face Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 42, Night 1.

Pat McAfee Turns Heel And Buries WrestleMania 42 Ticket Sales

Pat McAfee was revealed as Randy Orton’s mystery accomplice, cutting a heel promo on St Louis about how he doesn’t like the direction of the WWE with smaller wrestlers doing long iron-man matches when Randy Orton is around.

McAfee exclaimed his surprise that tickets to WrestleMania are somehow available, and mentioned SmackDown’s recent nosedive in ratings for the episode where Rhodes regained the WWE Championship.

“I’m the one on the phone telling Randy Orton he needs to kill everything!” said McAfee in a profanity laced promo. “[Randy Orton] is gonna save the f—ing business!”

The newly heel Orton had been counseled by a mysterious voice on the other end of a smartphone for multiple weeks, leading to WWE’s next major mystery in a WrestleMania season filled with them.

“I’m glad I picked up, you’re right. I’m gonna go to the ring right now, and I’m gonna fix it,” Orton first told the mystery figure after attacking Matt Cardona. Orton went on to destroy Cardona in the main event segment moments later.

“Yeah, I’m here. It was good seeing you a couple of weeks ago, too,” Orton told the mystery caller during a rare appearance on Raw. “I appreciate you doing this, I really do. And I’ll see you soon.”

In the last and final tease before the SmackDown reveal, Orton’s call heavily implied that he was speaking with his father, WWE Hall of Famer Cowboy Bob Orton.

“I appreciate everything you’ve been doing for me. I think we’re good to go. This Friday, right? I’ll see you in St. Louis,” said Orton as the camera zoomed in on a vintage black-and-white photo of Bob Orton Sr. and Bob Orton Jr.

Despite already setting another new live gate record for Allegiant Stadium, WWE has lagged behind last year’s WrestleMania in numbers of tickets sold. WrestleMania is starting to feel more like an all-hands-on-deck show with John Cena recently being announced as its host. Orton’s heel turn and the subsequent reveal of a mystery accomplice has added several intriguing layers to what was originally a babyface vs. babyface feud. The addition of McAfee to the mix won’t just boost the feud, it could boost ticket sales as well amid WWE’s final push.

As of this writing, Orton remains a sizable favorite (-210) to capture his 15th world title, which would put him just one behind Ric Flair and two world title wins behind John Cena.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

PHOENIX (AP) — Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw and the 1996 U.S. Olympic women's basketball team will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.

Parker, Holdsclaw and members of the 1996 Olympic team were all in attendance as well as Amar’e Stoudemire and Mike D’Antoni.

They will be joined by longtime NBA official Joey Crawford, NBA coach Doc Rivers and Gonzaga coach Mark Few.

The group was announced at halftime of the women's Final Four with many members in attendance.

Parker won three titles in the WNBA with three teams: Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas. She's the only player in league history to win both the MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season.

She also won two titles while playing in college for Tennessee under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, two Olympic gold medals and two WNBA MVP awards.

Delle Donne won two league MVP awards in 2015 and 2019, the second of which came when she led the Washington Mystics to their lone WNBA championship. Delle Donne became the first player in league history to shoot over 50% from the field, 40% from behind the 3-point line and 90% from the free throw line.

Holdsclaw won three straight titles at Tennessee from 1996-98, the first team to accomplish that. The 1998 championship was Tennessee’s first undefeated season at 39–0 and the Vols also set an NCAA record for the most wins in a season. Holdsclaw went on to an 11-year WNBA career.

Stoudemire, who was the only NBA player in this year's class, was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003 and six-time All-Star. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Phoenix Suns, where he teamed with D'Antoni.

Rivers got nearly 1,200 victories on his resume which puts him eighth on the all-time wins list. He led the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008 and was also in charge of the Los Angeles Clippers during their Lob City era.

Few has won over 770 games at Gonzaga in his career at the school. He set the NCAA Division I men's coaching record by winning 81 games in his first three years at the school.

Crawford officiated 2,561 regular-season NBA games and 50 Finals games over his 39-year career. He retired in 2016.

The enshrinement ceremony will take place in August at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.

INDIANAPOLIS — When Jimmy Chitwood hit the game-winning shot at the end of “Hoosiers” and became an Indiana high school legend, it was the climactic scene of the movie.

It’s a different story for UConn freshman Braylon Mullins, a fellow small-town Hoosier and Indiana Mr. Basketball, who became a March Madness legend Sunday when his game-winning 3-pointer against Duke sent the Huskies to the Final Four.

Mullins was the toast of college basketball and knew his name would go down in NCAA Tournament history.

“Yeah, after the game, I got 200 or 300 texts (from) family, friends, famous (people),” he said. “Crazy. It’s just all over the place. I think now you’ve got to move past the highs of that moment. I mean, it wasn’t the national championship. And now we’ve got to focus on Illinois.”

Illinois? Oh, yeah, the team Mullins faced while making his college debut Nov. 28, scoring two points in 10 minutes in UConn’s win. As anonymous as he was that day, Mullins enters Saturday’s semifinal game at Lucas Oil Stadium with a target on his back. Every time he touches the ball, fans will be paying attention.

That’s the reward for making one of the most famous shots in tournament history, turning a season-ending defeat into a chance at UConn’s third national championship in four years.

Coach Dan Hurley said he let his players celebrate the win until Tuesday, when his message was to turn the page and focus on the Illini.

“Listen, it’s like a dream come true,” Hurley said. “A made-for-TV movie, or Netflix, I guess, since we’re streaming now. Yeah, we’ve been shot-coaching since Tuesday. I had to let everyone enjoy it. I couldn’t come in on Monday like a cold, wet blanket and just start destroying people. That would’ve been a cruel thing to do to people’s spirits after such an incredible victory.

“Tuesday, you’ve just got to bring everyone back to reality, and like, reality is that that moment is over. It’s an incredible moment. You’ll have that the rest of your life. But we came here for rings, not watches. Everyone that comes to the Final Four gets a beautiful watch. Only one group is going to get a ring.

“So get off social media. Stop injecting dopamine into your arm, and get serious about preparation and practice, because we don’t hang banners for Final Fours at UConn. We hang national championship banners. And if you want to hang a banner, you’ve got to get your eyes off social media and get your face off the phone and get locked in on Illinois. Because Illinois is one of the best teams in the country, and they’re as big a threat to winning this tournament as any of the four teams.”

Mullins was recruited from nearby Greenfield-Central High School, about a half-hour east of downtown Indy, with the idea of having his homecoming this weekend at the Final Four.

“I know with my official visit that I took to UConn, that was the message Coach Hurley wanted to put across,” Mullins said. “It was like, ‘Hey, the goal is Indy.' ”

One of those recruitment ideas was a giant photoshop of Mullins on the side of the JW Marriott Indianapolis, the hotel that now has a giant NCAA Tournament bracket on it.

“There’s a whole bunch of things,” he said. “That was the message, and we accomplished it. But now we’ve got to win it.”

Even though he grew up here, Mullins told me he wasn’t all that familiar with Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts.

“Believe it or not, I’ve never been to a Colts game,” he said.

He said he did attend a Michigan-Iowa Big Ten football championship game and a couple of state championship football games.

“But I never played in this building,” he said. “It’s crazy how far everything is and how big it is. It’s going to be crazy to picture all those seats filled on Saturday.”

“Crazy” is a word Mullins repeated a few dozen times Thursday, which seems appropriate for someone who ended one of the craziest games ever. After winding up with the ball after a deflected pass, he passed it to star Alex Karaban, who threw it back to Mullins with no time left to think about anything but shooting.

Mullins was 0 for 4 from 3-point range in the game and 4 for 23 from beyond the arc in the tournament. But he had enough time to set and shoot from about 35 feet out.

“The adrenaline helped me feel that, but I definitely feel I can shoot from there, especially,” he said. “It made it easier that I had a clear view to the rim. Or I think it was.”

The shot went through with four-tenths of a second left, and the wild scene on the bench after the ball went through the net was right out of “Hoosiers.” Making the highlight even more memorable was Hurley head-butting referee Roger Ayers afterward.

That’s something even Gene Hackman would never have done as coach Norman Dale in “Hoosiers,” though Dennis Hopper’s character, “Shooter,” might have considered it.

“Coach is one of a kind, man,” Mullins said. “I think he’d be the only one to get away with that. Looking back at it, I can’t believe he did it too.”

Hurley downplayed the headbutt Thursday and admitted he was “intense” and it was “not easy (for officials) to work my game.”

“But I’ve always gotten zero technical fouls in my NCAA Tournament coaching career,” he said before realizing his mistake. “I just jinxed myself. Oh, my God, now I’m going to get bounced out of this thing. Oh, my God.”

Fortunately the headbutt will likely become a mere Easter egg in any potential Netflix version of Mullins’ story.

Mullins was still receiving congrats via texts and DMs before Thursday’s practice at Lucas Oil Stadium. The most famous person to congratulate him, he said, was “Impractical Jokers” star Joe Gatto, who told Mullins he talked about it during his comedy act.

How many times has Mullins seen the shot?

“I know the first day it was countless,” he said. “It was like every scroll on the feed it was there. After the first day I was like, ‘Hey, I’ve got to scroll past it, got to move on, flip the page.’ But the first day it was every scroll. It was everywhere.’’

We don’t know who will win this weekend, but we already know who will make the highlight reel on “One Shining Moment,” which traditionally comes right after the national championship game. Mullins’ fate is secured.

“Looking back at it, it’s insane, knowing that shot is going to be played every March Madness and that I’m a part of that moment,” he said. “That’s something I can cherish the rest of my life.”

Crazy? For sure. But the Huskies’ happy ending isn’t guaranteed, as the Illini hope to remind UConn on Saturday.

This is not a movie, at least not yet.

Megyn Kelly took aim at Tiger Woods following reports that the golf legend called President Donald Trump in the immediate aftermath of his recent DUI arrest.

On Friday’s episode of “The Megyn Kelly Show,” the host criticized Woods’ actions at the scene, citing newly surfaced police body cam footage.

“Tiger didn’t kick things off on a good note,” she said, referencing the video obtained by TMZ. According to Kelly, Woods placed a call to Trump “as soon as he rolled the car and got out of it while the cops were there.”

She didn’t mince words about the pro golfer’s decision, calling it “a douche move” and suggesting it was an attempt to avoid consequences. “I think it’s very clear he called to try to get out of this somehow,” Kelly added. “It’s my supposition, but why the hell?”

Watch the full “Megyn Kelly Show” segment below:

The footage appears to show Woods referencing the call while speaking with officers.

“Yeah, I was just talking to the president,” he says in the clip.

Kelly argued that the timing of the call raises questions about Woods’ intent, speculating that he may have been seeking help as he faced what she described as both a “PR disaster and potentially a legal one.”

She also pointed to Trump discussing Woods publicly just the night before the crash.

“The night before Trump had been on ‘The Five’ on Fox News and said, ‘I don’t think Tiger’s going to play the Masters this year,’” Kelly said, suggesting the president may have disclosed private information and later apologized.

Still, Kelly dismissed the idea that Trump initiated the call to make amends. “I’m going to go with Tiger called him and asked for some help,” she said.

The host went on to argue that Woods appeared to receive preferential treatment at the scene after rolling a clip of the arrest. She added that if it had been her at the scene after “rolling a vehicle” with her “eyes dilated,” she would have been treated differently, adding that “the whole thing has got privilege written all over it.”

Kelly concluded by framing the arrest as part of a broader pattern of behavior. “What other favors did he call in on other potential accidents?” she said, pointing to Woods’ past legal troubles.

Woods was arrested March 27 in Jupiter, Fla. for driving under the influence following a car crash, which flipped his car. This is not the first time Woods has been involved in reckless driving. In 2021 the golfer was speeding and involved in a severe car crash in California, which resulted in multiple leg injuries. The golfer was also arrested in 2017 on suspicion of driving under the influence. He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving, only paying a $250 fine.

You can watch the full “The Megyn Kelly Show” segment in the video above.

The post Megyn Kelly Blasts Tiger Woods for Calling Trump at DUI Scene: ‘Douche Move’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

North Carolina’s search for its next head coach has been the talk of the town before the Final Four tips off in Indianapolis. 

A large reason for it is that UNC’s top two choices, Tommy Lloyd of Arizona and Dusty May of Michigan, ironically will coach against each other. Because of the noise surrounding Lloyd, Arizona acted swiftly and gave Lloyd an extension with some lucrative benefits.

With Lloyd staying at Arizona, the Tar Heels turned their attention to May, and rightfully so. In two seasons in Ann Arbor, May is 62-13 with two Big Ten championships — one regular-season title and one tournament title — and Elite Eight and Final Four appearances. 

Before he came to Michigan, May had great success at Florida Atlantic, going 126-69 from 2018 to 2024. He led the Owls to the Final Four in 2023, losing to San Diego State on a buzzer-beater in the national semifinals.

However, unlike Lloyd, who was giving a lot of mixed signals, May was more upfront about how much he and his family love being at Michigan.

"I think it's well-documented how happy I am at Michigan,” he said during a media availability on Friday. “Obviously, my private life, my personal life, my family, their happiness is very important. So, yeah, I love it at Michigan, but you'll never hear me comment on any other job, unless Michigan lets me go, and I'll comment on every job."

The University of Michigan’s athletic brass have also been on top of things and will do whatever they can to keep May. 

“(Michigan AD Warde Manuel) told me, ‘we're prepared when all this is over to do anything we have to do to keep our head coach,’” Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports said. “That means one thing: Dusty May's kids are not gonna have to de-deal with student loans. And North Carolina is either gonna have to wait until after the NBA season to talk to Billy Donovan or go down its list.”

With Tommy Lloyd staying with Arizona, where does UNC look next in its head coaching search?

"(Michigan AD Warde Manuel) told me 'we're prepared when all this is over to do anything we have to do to keep our head coach.'"

-- @JonRothstein on Dusty May's candidacy at UNC pic.twitter.com/WAzqe9TRaD

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 3, 2026

It will be difficult to lure May to Carolina. Michigan is as committed to basketball as it is to football and is considered one of the favorites to win a national title. The Wolverines also have as much, if not more, NIL support as North Carolina. Notable donors such as Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins, and Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, have given money to Michigan athletics in the past.

Moreover, May had the opportunity to return to his alma mater, Indiana, where he had been a student manager under the late Bob Knight, when Mike Woodson announced his retirement in 2025. However, he chose instead to sign a multiyear extension with the Wolverines rather than return to the Hoosier State.

“I think Michigan is really unique,” May said. “We say in recruiting that we have the academic profile of Stanford with the passion of SEC football for our athletic department as a whole — and usually those two things aren’t merged. So we’re very proud that those two things are aligned at Michigan.”

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC's coaching search: Dusty May is a tough target

Apr. 3—For the last few years, Pisgah softball catcher Addie Foust has been a steady presence behind the plate.

Now, the senior is headed to the next level, signing to play for Division II Erskine College.

"It means a lot to me. All the hard work I've done in my life is finally paying off," Foust said.

Foust has been a consistent force for the Bears — a weapon at the plate and a leader on and off the field.

When asked her favorite individual moment of the past four years, she was torn between a 15-inning battle over spring break last year and beating West Henderson 3-2 at home her sophomore season.

For the senior, recruiting wasn't always a straightforward path.

"At first, it was kind of slow. Over this past travel ball and school ball year, it excelled," Foust said.

Erskine stood out to Foust for one reason in particular — the Flying Fleet's coach, Alleen Hawkins.

"I like Coach Hawkins. She knows what she's doing. She's been there for a long time. She knows how to win," Foust said.

Pisgah Coach Heidi Morgan said Foust has risen to the occasion of a team leader her senior year.

"Her last four seasons here, she has demonstrated exceptional work ethic, toughness and competitiveness," Morgan said. "She's always been a phenomenal leader, but this year, I have watched her take it to another level."

The Bears' ace for the last couple of seasons has been an underclassman, making the experience and confidence of Foust behind the plate even more important.

"There's a switch when you have a younger pitcher on the mound, and she's constantly talking to her and being that positive reinforcement. It really helps with the mindset, and we spend a lot of time talking about that," Morgan said.

Her leadership has extended even beyond softball, as Foust can be found at basketball and football games cheering on her fellow Bears.

"Away from the field, she's just a constant voice of making sure we compete and has strong leadership. She's a good friend, and she's a good person. She truly cares about her teammates and her classmates and just being supportive," Morgan said. "She's just all around a remarkable human."

The team teammates has been one of her favorite things about softball. She said she's loved just being around them and having fun.

"I've loved it all four years. We've had quite an experience, I'd say. I love Coach Morgan and my teammates. It's just the culture," Foust said.

Foust joins several Pisgah softball players who have made the jump to the collegiate level over the last couple of seasons.

"I think it speaks volumes for the work ethic and the passion that they bring to the sport and being able to take it to the next level and wanting to pursue those goals. It just contributes to their everyday love for the game," Morgan said.

INDIANAPOLIS – The greed is astounding.

Not from the athletes, who the power brokers and even the president of the United States would have you believe are bringing about the ruin of college sports. No, the people who have broken the system are the esteemed leaders of college sports, the commissioners and university presidents willing to burn it all down if it means more cash in their pockets.

It wasn’t enough to destroy the fabric of college sports, the traditional, mostly geographically-based rivalries by supersizing the power conferences. Now they appear set on watering down the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments so the Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12 can get a few more of their mediocre teams in.

Armour: Dan Hurley isn’t actually a jerk. He just plays one on TV

Why not just say the hell with it and make it all comers? If 76 teams will wring a few more zeroes out of CBS and TNT and ESPN, imagine what 350-plus would bring!

It’s shameful, and it will do more to destroy the best thing left in college athletics than any 20-something who’s finally getting paid.

Expansion of the tournament has been on the table for what seems like an eternity, but someone has always had the good sense to pump the brakes. Not anymore, apparently. According to Yahoo! Sports, the tournaments will be expanded to 76 teams soon after the completion of this year’s Final Fours.

The First Four would now become the First 24, with 12 games spread out over two days. The 12 winners would then join 52 teams already in the main bracket.

No surprise, most of the additional eight slots would go to the power conferences, but you know darn well they’re not going to be relegated to the de facto play-in tournament. Further minimizing the “little guys” while rewarding more SEC and Big Ten teams for being mediocre. Talk about March Madness.

The argument against expansion has been it will dilute the tournament, and that hasn’t changed. Are there really another eight teams that deserved to be in this year’s tournament and would have improved the quality of the field? Forget eight. Are there even two?

And what about the secret sauce that makes the NCAA Tournament so compelling? Part of what keeps us coming back every year is knowing, however unlikely, a UMBC or a Fairleigh Dickinson might take down a No. 1. Being assured that, every year, a Florida Gulf Coast or a High Point is going to humble a school twice their size and with 10 times the name recognition.

But that won’t happen if those schools are weeded out before the tournament even gets going. It will suck the very soul out of the NCAA tournaments, turning them into glorified versions of the Big Ten/ACC and SEC/Big 12 challenges during the regular season.

The NCAA also seems to be under the illusion there is endless viewing capacity. That people don’t have jobs or school or family responsibilities. Which isn’t the case, obviously. People are simply not going to, even if they wanted to, take off or quiet quit for four entire days the first week of the tournament.

At least, not in the numbers necessary to make it worth the networks’ while. Go look at the ratings for the Xbox Bowl and you’ll get the idea.

There’s also the rank hypocrisy of the same people who howl about how athletes getting paid destroys the integrity of college sports enthusiastically endorsing pulling even more “student-athletes” out of their classes and away from campus.

But hey. So long as SEC commissioner Greg Sankey’s wallet gets fatter, it’s all good, right?

The NCAA tournament is perfect the way it is. Expanding it will make it bigger, not it sure won't make it better.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA plans to expand March Madness to 76 teams. it's a bad idea

Legion Hoops: Jaylen Brown on the jokes about him having no left: “I think there was some truth to it. I had a major surgery on my left wrist in 2021 and then I reinjured it in 2023… at one point I could barely dribble the ball with my left hand.” (h/t @lockedupjb)

x.com

Jaylen Brown on the jokes about him having no left:

“I think there was some truth to it. I had a major surgery on my left wrist in 2021 and then I reinjured it in 2023… at one point I could barely dribble the ball with my left hand.”

(h/t @lockedupjb) pic.twitter.com/AUNKMtbxCZ

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 4, 2026

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: “I think there was some truth to it.

Bobby Marks: Tyrese Maxey has now played 65 games and is eligible for postseason honors. Maxey ranks fourth in points (28.8) and third in total clutch points.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Tyrese Maxey has now played 65 games and is eligible …

Jim Miloch: Wilt Chamberlain now has the 2nd most blocks in an NBA season. We never had any official block totals for Wilt. And now we do, just for one season, his last season, his age 36 season.

x.com

Wilt Chamberlain now has the 2nd most blocks in an NBA season.

We never had any official block totals for Wilt. And now we do, just for one season, his last season, his age 36 season. https://t.co/ukGlwmPT2hpic.twitter.com/fG4oyWdCgZ

— Jim Miloch (@podoffame) April 3, 2026

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: We never had any official block totals for Wilt. And …

Michael Martin: Potentially even crazier stat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is shooting 60% on 2s this year. That would rank as the 4th most efficient shooting season in Wilt Chamberlain’s career. And on top of that in Wilt’s 3 seasons he took 7.1, 14.2 and 9.3 shots a game vs SGA’s 15.2 2s a game.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: That would rank as the 4th most efficient shooting …

Team held final training session before debutCredits: Nelson Terme / CBF

Everything is set for Brazil’s U-17 National Team debut in the South American Championship. The team, coached by Carlos Eduardo Patetuci, held its final training session before the match this Friday (3). The activity took place at Cafem, in Ypané, Paraguay.

On the pitch, the national team coach led a tactical scrimmage and outlined the starting lineup.

For the match, Carlos Eduardo Patetuci has all 23 called-up players available.

The current two-time U-17 South American champion, Brazil is the most successful team in the competition. In 20 editions played, the Seleção has lifted the trophy 14 times: 1988, 1991, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2023 and 2025.

Brazil and Bolivia face off on Saturday (4), at 8 p.m., at Ameliano Villeta Stadium, in Villeta.

Ameliano Villeta StadiumCredits: Nelson Terme / CBF

GETTING TO KNOW THE DEBUT VENUE

Before training, Brazil’s U-17 National Team went to Ameliano Villeta Stadium, the venue for the match, for the traditional inspection of the pitch and the facilities at the sports venue.

Assistant coach Pedro Gabriel Palacios and head coach Carlos Eduardo PatetuciCredits: Nelson Terme /CBF

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

From businesses to basketball fans, Greenfield is going all out to show their support for native son Braylon Mullins.

Signs are popping up across the Hancock County city cheering Mullins and the UConn Huskies in this weekend's Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium. Replays of his game-winning shot to send the Huskies to Indianapolis are still playing on TV screens. 

"People were crying. They were so happy," said Victoria Johnson at Mozzi's Pizza in Greenfield. "Sunday night was huge here. Everybody was cheering."

At Mozzi's Pizza, basketball is in the decor and is the talk of the table. 

"We're ready. We know they're gonna win. We think they'll win," said three women at a Friday lunch table. 

"Greenfield is just so shell-shocked or just excited," Johnson said. "This is huge for us."

At Wooden Bear Brewery, the support is getting creative. A massive, DIY tournament bracket covers one wall of the establishment.

"It's gotten more colorful and everything," said Alyssa Wiseman. "(UConn has) the best logo so far, so fingers crossed!"

Just as large as the bracket on the wall is the hometown pride.

"It's really exciting to see a Greenfield graduate go this far and be able to show them, you know, hard work can pay off," Wiseman said. 

"Everyone's really excited. Anytime anyone from a small town like this has, you know, anything exciting, we like to celebrate people that put back into our community and vice versa. So everyone loved it," said Emily McCarthy at Wooden Bear Brewery.

With the Final Four back in Indianapolis, this run feels like something bigger.

"I think people are going to be super-excited," McCarthy said. "It's Easter Sunday. So I think more people will be in town visiting family, too. So I think they'll come out and have a little bit more to celebrate, too."

"We're known for...having the Final Four here, having our hometown kid playing in the Final Four in Indy, I think just brings it all full circle," Johnson said.

UConn faces Illinois in the first semifinal game at Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday, April 4. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. 

The Denver Broncos are in a great spot this offseason. After a narrow loss in the AFC Championship, they already demonstrated that they have a top-tier roster. As such, they’ve worked hard to cement it. So far, Denver has re-signed several key pieces like running back J.K. Dobbins and linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad. Following a tremendous 2025 season, the Broncos are eager to retain their core.

However, the organization was getting a lot of flak for not signing any players from other teams. Denver silenced these critics by trading a first-, third-, and fourth-round pick for big-play receiver Jaylen Waddle.

Between re-signing Dobbins, trading for Waddle, and hanging onto everyone else, the offense looks more dangerous than ever before in the Sean Payton era. But there’s still one position that Denver should address.

Broncos’ Tight End Tension

Last offseason, the Broncos made a big splash by bringing in two-time Pro-Bowler Evan Engram. With the offense struggling at the time, Coach Payton felt that he was the perfect piece to help jump-start it. Unfortunately, Engram has not quite lived up to the hype, putting up underwhelming numbers in his first year in Denver. With under 500 yards on the season and only one game over 45 yards, Broncos fans were disappointed.

Regardless of Engram’s numbers, he has other problems that make tight end a need. First off, he is already 31 years old. At this stage in his career, it is far more likely that his production will continue to decrease, not increase. Secondly, he only has one more year left on his deal. This will likely be his last season in Denver, so the Broncos may as well address the position sooner rather than later.

Other tight ends on the roster include Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, and Lucas Krull. Both suffice as blocking tight ends and reserve pass catchers, but none of them have a chance at being Denver’s tight end of the future.

Despite the Waddle trade, Denver has a second-round pick and two fourth-rounders this year. Therefore, they will likely take a swing at the position in the draft. The Broncos are a young team on the rise, and they could contend for years to come. However, in order to ensure their future competitiveness, they will need a threatening pass-catcher. 

Eli Stowers

Outside of Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq, who will almost certainly be gone in the first round, Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers is widely considered the best tight end prospect in this draft. Stowers led the nation in receiving yards amongst tight ends, and he did it while playing in a formidable SEC. He also tallied six games of over 64 yards last year, with two games of 122+. Beyond just the stats, though, Stowers’ tests about as well as possible.

In the draft combine, Stowers ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, second only to Sadiq. He further demonstrated his athleticism, posting a 45.5-inch vertical leap and 11-foot-3 broad jump, the best by a tight end since 2003.

The Broncos are already set on blocking tight ends. Therefore, they can afford to take a shot on a pass-catching-focused tight end. Stowers’ speed and athleticism as a downfield threat, combined with Waddle and Sutton wreaking havoc on the outside, would be torturous for defenses. As the clear number two in the draft at his position, the Broncos cannot afford to wait until the fourth. If they want him, they will have to grab him in the second, assuming he is still there.

Between his production and his intangibles, Stowers could be exactly what Denver needs.

The Others

After Sadiq and Stowers, the rest of the tight end pool becomes uncertain. Based on various mock drafts and draft profiles, it seems as though any tight end after those two could go between the second and seventh rounds. Some interesting names include Baylor’s Michael Trigg, Georgia’s Oscar Delp, Ohio State’s Max Klare, and N.C. State’s Justin Joly. Assuming they pass on Stowers, by the time their fourth-round picks roll around, they may just have to take whoever is available.

Trigg had the most production, finishing second behind only Stowers in receiving yards amongst tight ends. Size-wise, Delp has the advantage, as his 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame allows him to be a very reliable target. Delp also has the edge in speed, as his 4.48 40 time, combined with his build, makes him very dangerous.

As for Klare and Joly, they are also both solid, consistent options with good hands. They both finished in the top ten in yards amongst tight ends in 2024. Their stats took a dip last year as Klare joined a loaded Buckeye team from Purdue and Joly dealt with injuries and a struggling offense. However, they clearly possess the talent and upside needed to be a difference-maker in the NFL.

Draft Day Drama

Ultimately, the Broncos absolutely should take a tight end in the draft. Outside of David Njoku, who is already 29 and will likely come with a hefty price tag, there aren’t any tight ends worth looking into in free agency. Especially if Denver is looking for their tight end of the future.

If Stowers is there in the second round, that should be a no-brainer pick for the Broncos. They already have talent across the board at every position on the depth chart. The inside linebacker position has been squared away with Singleton, Strnad, and now Jonah Elliss, who will be moving inside from outside linebacker. Denver can afford to swing big, and if Stowers pans out, the sky is the limit.

If Stowers is gone, the Broncos will still have some strong options in the fourth. Delp has tremendous upside, with many calling him the next Brock Bowers. Additionally, with Trigg’s 7-foot+ wingspan and elite pass-catching ability, he could prove to be a diamond in the rough as well. Klare is the safest of the bunch, as his conventional tight end skills could translate nicely. Meanwhile Joly, the converted receiver, is the most high-risk, high-reward option.

The selection may just come down to who is left when Denver is on the clock. All of the options have very bright futures in the league, and they would all be considered by many as solid picks. However, change happens constantly in the NFL. One second, a team is on top, the next, they’re at the bottom.

The Broncos are in a great spot, but they need to strike while the iron is hot. If Denver can secure their tight end of the future in this draft, then a Lombardi trophy could be within reach.

The post The Denver Broncos Need a Tight End in the 2026 NFL Draft appeared first on The Lead.

The Washington Huskies' biggest building block is searching for a new home.

Coach Danny Sprinkle's squad suffered its biggest loss on Friday afternoon when sophomore guard Zoom Diallo announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal. The former four-star recruit and McDonald's All-American from Tacoma had been a key piece of Washington's rotation ever since he stepped on campus, and enjoyed a breakout second year.

Diallo improved in practically every category, averaging 15.7 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 31.5 percent from three-point range, the latter being a massive step up from the 18.2 percent he shot during his freshman year. He also evolved as a distributor, with three double-doubles, including a 22-point, 11-assist outing in UW's comeback win over USC in the Big Ten Tournament.

BREAKING: Zoom Diallo says goodbye to the Washington Huskies. pic.twitter.com/NoybBkxScR

— Percy Allen (@PercyAllen206) April 3, 2026

"He draws a lot of attention with ball screens, and I think he's, for the most part, just making the easy play," Sprinkle said after Washington's loss to Iowa in February. "A lot of them, just hitting Hannes [Steinbach] in the short roll. He had three or four tonight, just coming off, and Wesley [Yates is open]. He just made the right play, you know, and that's what a really good lead guard does, and that's why I expect that from him. I expect him to have ten assists every game because I think he's that talented of a passer and a distributor."

Sprinkle has emphasized building Washington back to its former glory by recruiting local talent that's passionate about the program, and that description fits Diallo perfectly. He always displayed tremendous energy for his hometown team and stated in his goodbye announcement on social media that he's leaving the door open to potentially return to Montlake.

Diallo becomes the third member of Washington's backcourt to enter the portal, joining freshmen guards JJ Mandaquit and Courtland Muldrew.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies' local star to enter transfer portal

Top seed Jessica Pegula once again fought back from a set down to reach the WTA Charleston Open semi-finals with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win against Russia's Diana Shnaider on Friday.

Defending champion Pegula has lost the first set in all three matches so far, but again dug deep to maintain her hopes of retaining the title.

The world number five from the United States took two hours and 10 minutes to defeat 19th-ranked Shnaider, relying on a formidable service game that included eight aces.

Shnaider battled well in the first two sets, and broke early for a 2-0 lead in the final set, before losing six straight games.

Pegula, chasing her second tournament victory of the year after winning the title in Dubai in February, will face fourth-seeded fellow American Iva Jovic, who beat Russian Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-4.

Despite a first-round bye, Pegula has clocked up nine sets and more than seven hours on court so far. She has won nine of 10 matches this year that have gone to a deciding third set.

On the other side of the draw, fifth-seeded American Madison Keys booked her semi-final spot with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over third-seeded Swiss Belinda Bencic in a battle of former Charleston champions.

Keys's comeback win over 2022 champion Bencic has her back in the semi-finals for the first time since her own title run in 2019.

Keys, who is in her first WTA semi-final of the year, will face Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva for a place in the final. Starodubtseva beat American McCartney Kessler 6-4, 6-4.

bb/amz

PHOENIX (AP) — When Jennifer Rizzotti arrived at UConn as a player in 1992, the expectations around the school, as well as the women's basketball landscape, were much different than they are today.

Geno Auriemma was only in his eighth season coaching the Huskies. UConn hadn't yet hoisted a national championship trophy. There wasn't nearly the same pressure to win that the Huskies face now. And women's basketball as a whole hadn't seen the unprecedented growth in sponsorships and popularity it is experiencing now.

By the 1994-95 season, Rizzotti and fellow UConn standout Rebecca Lobo helped the Huskies go undefeated en route to their first national title. Everything about the program changed, and even as women's basketball has evolved and skyrocketed in exposure, the Huskies have remained the gold standard.

“There was no thought that we were going to be undefeated,” Rizzotti said. “We didn't have that internal pressure. We didn't have external pressure. That's the last time a UConn team could play that way. Think about that: 1995 is the last time a UConn team could play without that kind of pressure.”

The Huskies have since won 12 national titles, reached the Final Four 25 times and won 30 conference titles. They've been ranked 653 weeks in The Associated Press women's basketball poll, and Auriemma is the winningest coach in women's college basketball history.

As conversations around the Final Four in Phoenix center around how the women's game has grown, the Huskies, who are competing for the second straight national title, have been at the forefront.

“You could tell that everything was aligned for this program to reach that pinnacle," said Rizzotti, who is currently the president of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun. “I don't think anything of us would have predicted that it would have gone on as it had.”

Rizzotti joined former UConn players Stefanie Dolson, currently with the WNBA's Washington Mystics, and Shea Ralph, now Vanderbilt's coach, on a panel Friday at “The AP Top 25 Fan Poll Experience,” which is being held at Arizona State’s First Amendment Forum in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Earlier Friday, Big East commissioner Val Ackerman, former Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) commissioner Rich Ensor and AP women’s poll founder Mel Greenberg spoke on a panel moderated by college basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli on the growth of women's basketball at the college and pro levels.

“I think women's basketball has never been more popular,” said Ackerman, who was the first president of the WNBA from 1996-2005. “I think schools that are succeeding are really seeing, feeling and believing in the (return on investment). And UConn's a case in point.”

Ackerman sees the investment that the schools in this year's Final Four — UConn, Texas, South Carolina, and UCLA — have made in their programs to reach back-to-back national semifinals as a reflection of the growing importance of pouring resources into women's hoops.

“And that's done a world of good,” she added. “Programs like South Carolina, UCLA, you see what they're doing for their campuses. The investment is paying off in terms of the brand and engagement with the community and school reputation.”

Even as women's sports are drawing record crowds and WNBA players are set to make more money than ever, Ensor sees much more room to capitalize on this current growth.

“It has been about breaking down barriers, and they still exist,” Ensor said. “We marvel at what's happened, but we still recognize there's a lot more that's to come.”

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AP Top 25 Fan Poll Experience: https://apnews.com/https:/apnews.com/projects/arizona-state-fan-poll-experience/

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Stars' Glen Gulutzan reveals surprising admission after Jets win originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan spoke to the media after his team's 3-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.

Among the topics he addressed, Gulutzan said what he liked most about his team was its response after he was not convinced by the group's level across all areas.

"I liked our response from this morning, a little bit of nipping at the heels and, you know, like I said to you guys this morning, that our game wasn't good enough in all areas, from number 1 to 96, all the way through. So I liked the response. I thought you guys could all see it," he said after the game Thursday.

Gulutzan didn't expect goals from Erne-Hyry duo but 'it creates a buzz'

When asked about the result of putting Adam Erne and Arttu Hyry together, Gulutzan revealed he did not expect them to score goals.

"When you decided to go 11-7 and put Erne and Hyry together, did you expect to get goals out of each other?" a reporter asked, to which the coach replied, "No, I was looking there after the second. They had six minutes of ice time already, and he had one and one."

"So I thought I'd better get them out there a little bit more. No, it's just sometimes that 11 and 6, you guys, it just creates a little bit of a buzz for the forwards. They know if they're having a good run, you can get some extra minutes."

Following this important victory -- crucial for regaining form and confidence -- Dallas hosts Colorado at American Airlines Center on Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. ET.

More NHL news:

• Stars' Jake Oettinger addresses Dallas' improvement ahead of NHL playoffs

• Stars' Glen Gulutzan reveals plan to fix team's struggles ahead of NHL playoffs

• Stars' Wyatt Johnston sends clear message ahead of critical home stretch

• Stars’ Wyatt Johnston sends strong message amid Dallas’ bad run

The NFL will not discipline Kansas City Chiefs star Rashee Rice after finding insufficient evidence he violated league conduct policy amid claims he assaulted his ex-girlfriend, a spokesman said Friday.

Rice's former partner Dacoda Jones has accused the wide receiver of multiple assaults over a span of 18 months between 2023 and 2025, including when she was pregnant.

In a civil lawsuit filed in February, she sought more than $1 million in damages for "severe and permanent injuries."

She also posted photos of herself with a bloodied lip, scratches and bruises in a now-deleted Instagram post, which did not name her alleged attacker.

The National Football League opened its own probe into the allegations, and Friday said the wide receiver had not been found in violation of the league's personal conduct policy.

"There was insufficient evidence to support a finding that he violated the personal conduct policy," spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement to AFP.

Rice has not been criminally charged in the matter, and the civil case is still pending.

In her lawsuit, Jones alleged that Rice "grabbed, choked, strangled, pushed, thrown, scratched, hit, and headbutted" her, as well as hitting her with inanimate objects.

"Additionally, he has engaged in other violent and abusive behaviors towards Ms. Jones, including throwing objects, destroying property, punching walls, and breaking furniture, as well as locking her out in the middle of the night.

"Many of these behaviors occurred while Ms. Jones was pregnant."

At the time the lawsuit was filed, Rice's lawyer Sean Lindsey said Jones had previously given a sworn statement that Rice had not struck her.

On Friday, Lindsey sent a statement to US media thanking the NFL for its investigation.

Jones has two children with 25-year-old Rice, a talented pass-catcher who won a Super Bowl in 2024 at the end of his rookie year with the Chiefs.

In 2025, Rice served a six-game suspension after his conviction for causing a multi-vehicle collision the previous year. 

Rice pleaded guilty to felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury.

amz/bb

On Friday, it was announced that Luka Dončić will be out indefinitely after suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While there isn’t a definite timetable for Dončić’s return, Shams Charania also mentioned in his reporting that Dončić will miss the remainder of the regular season.

Along with potentially destroying the Lakers’ season (more on this in a moment), this would also make Dončić ineligible for any end-of-season awards.

It has been a major talking point this season, but just in case you are unaware, players are only eligible for end-of-season awards (outside of Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year) if they play at least 65 games (and 20+ minutes in each of those games).

As it stands, Dončić fell just short of this threshold – appearing in 64 games for Los Angeles before going down on Thursday. So, it appears this hamstring strain will keep him from MVP/All-NBA ballots.

The league does have an exception for season-ending injuries. If a player has played over 20 minutes in at least 62 games, they are still eligible if they suffer a "season-ending" injury. However, Dončić’s injury will likely not fit this description. The NBA defines a season-ending injury in this case as "one that an independent physician (jointly selected by the league and players’ union) deems more likely than not to sideline the player through at least May 31."

According to Jeff Stotts, one of the best resources you will find on NBA Twitter, the average time lost for this type of injury is 35 days. Even if Dončić does not appear in another game for the Lakers this season, it is unlikely that an independent physician would deem that Dončić would miss two months from this hamstring strain.

So, it sounds like Dončić is flat out of luck. Unless…

Luka Dončić Is Filing For Award Eligibility Grievance

There is an exception to the 65-game rule known as the "Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge." Dončić’s representation has already made it known that they are going to file for this exception.

This challenge allows players to file for an exception to the 65-game rule if the rule affects the status of their next contract (you know how making an All-NBA team makes players eligible for the supermax extension).

To prevail under this exception, "the player must prove that if not for extraordinary circumstances, he would have met the 65-game requirement and that it would be 'unjust' to exclude him from award consideration."

Dončić’s representation has already mentioned the argument they plan on using to prove their case:

"[Dončić] missed two games this season for the birth of his second child in Slovenia. His daughter was born on December 4 on another continent, and yet he was back in the United States competing with his team on December 6 [Dončić] has gone to great lengths to show up for his team and this league this season. His record-breaking season deserves to be noted in the history books, despite last night’s unfortunate injury and other extraordinary circumstances," Dončić’s agent, Bill Duffy, explained.

The CBA doesn’t strictly define what constitutes an "extraordinary circumstance" based on this exception. As someone with a background in law, I can tell you that it isn’t atypical for policymakers to be more ambiguous with rules like this, allowing for flexibility in unforeseen situations, as we see here.

This is the first time a player has challenged the 65-game rule under this exception. So, we do not have any precedent to look to here. However, CBA experts like Bobby Marks believe that Dončić has a good case.

The Los Angeles Lakers Will Be In Trouble Without Luka Dončić

This season, Los Angeles has a net rating of -2.3 in the minutes Dončić is not on the floor (1,412 minutes, per PBP Stats). Their defensive rating remains roughly the same, but their offense loses over 6.5 points per 100 when Dončić is off the court (114.2 offensive rating) compared to when he is on it (120.9 offensive rating).

It is pretty normal for a team to be worse when its best player is not on the floor. However, really good teams are usually still able to outscore their opponents without their top player. For reference, the Detroit Pistons still have a net rating of +4.4 when Cade Cunningham is not on the floor (1,625 minutes).

We don’t know if Dončić will be available for the postseason (or if his request for the extraordinary circumstances exception will be granted), but if he misses any time in a playoff series, we definitely know that Los Angeles is in a whole mess of trouble.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

GLENDALE – The WNBA held its expansion draft for two new franchise in the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire on Friday, leading to the Phoenix Mercury losing two depth pieces. Phoenix is coming off an impressive Finals run, thanks to the roster’s depth. Toronto looking to come out of the draft ready to compete took two players from the franchise in guards Lexi Held and Kitija Laksa.

Portland took a more young approach, drafting players in early 20s. The Tempo went with players with experience, leading to selecting 26-year-old Held and 29-year-old Laksa.

Aug 3, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (1) looks to shoot against the Chicago Sky during the first half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Mercury lose Held and Laksa in expansion draft:

Held and Laksa each appeared in over 30 games for the Mercury during the 2025 season. Laksa had a more prominent role in her 33 appearances last year, even starting five games. The Latvian guard averaged 19 minutes for 5.9 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. During the franchise’s playoff run, she would only appeared in two games, the same for Held during that span.

Sep 9, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Kitija Laksa (9) against the Los Angeles Sparks during a WNBA game at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Burlington, Kentucky native played 14.7 minutes per game during his 2025 campaign in Phoenix. In 32 games, Held averaged 5.3 points, 1.1 assists and 1.1 rebounds. Last season was her first opportunity in the WNBA, after going undrafted in 2022 following her collegiate career at DePaul.

Neither of Held or Laksa has had the opportunity in the league that they will in Toronto. The pair of guards could establish themselves as the face of a new and exciting new franchise. The Mercury losing two depth pieces could end up hurting them early off next season, but if the talents of Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper return in 2026, they will likely survive the losses.

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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports

NEW YORK (AP) — New York center Karl-Anthony Towns was held out of the Knicks' game Friday night against the Chicago Bulls because of a right elbow impingement.

Towns was in a good mood as he participated in pregame warmups and took a couple of shots. However, he stood in front of the visitor’s bench and grabbed his elbow before he walked off the court toward the home locker room.

The All-Star center is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds. He was replaced by Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup.

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

The Double-A Birmingham Barons have been the brightest spot in the Chicago White Sox organization over these last few dreadful seasons, winning their second consecutive Southern League championship in 2025. This season will have a mix of familiar faces alongside some recent free agent signings, but it’s likely we’ll see some fluctuation throughout the season depending on how the major league season progresses.

Starting Pitching
With Hagen Smith, Noah Schultz, Wikelman González and others moving up to Triple-A, the 2026 rotation might look a little different.

Righthander Riley Gowens will return as a staple to the Birmingham starting rotation after settling into Double-A ball nicely in his first full season at that level. Gowens tossed the most innings on the team in 2025 (132) at a solid 3.32 ERA and 1.189 WHIP. He also rang up 151 batters at a strong 28% strikeout rate. His walk rate is still a bit higher than the White Sox would like (9% BB%), but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make the leap to Charlotte early this season; he’s more than proven that he can perform at his current level.

Despite making just four starts with the Barons in 2025, lefthander Lucas Gordon was impressive upon moving up from the High-A Winston-Salem Dash towards the end of the season. In 21 innings, he allowed five runs on nine hits, posting a 2.11 ERA and 0.750 WHIP while striking out 24 batters and walking seven. Gordon’s strikeout rate also jumped from 25.4% with the Dash to more than 31% with Birmingham, and his 2.06 FIP is in close alignment to his ERA, showing consistency if you strip out the defense.

Connor McCullough was injured for majority of the 2024 season but came back strong in 2025, joining the Barons in July after a rehab assignment with Winston-Salem and shifting back into a starting role almost seamlessly. McCullough made 13 starts (41 innings) and despite recording four losses, he ended the year with a 3.43 ERA and 0.894 WHIP, highlighting his stellar 5.8% walk rate to accompany his sound 23% strikeout percentage.

Balancing out the rotation with another durable lefty arm is Jake Palisch, who made 13 starts last season of his 29 appearances, ultimately getting the call up to the South Side at midseason but appearing in just one inning. Across both starting and relief roles, Palisch flashed a 2.14 ERA in 105 innings with a 1.067 WHIP, though he had a below-average strikeout rate (16.1%) with the Barons last season. Palisch’s elevated 3.30 FIP in comparison to his ERA suggests that an elite defense behind him might also be providing some support, so it would be interesting to see how he would perform in the majors with the current mess of a White Sox defense.

Relievers
The bullpen has quite a few returning players in Eric Adler, Phil Fox and Jared Kelley. Adler struggled throughout the 2025 season, putting up a 4.78 ERA with the Barons while averaging at a 5.89 ERA on the season, but both Kelley and Fox posted ERAs in the mid-3.00s. In his first pro season, Fox tossed 59 2/3 innings with the Dash and his 11 K/9 and 30% strikeout rate definitely helped.

New additions to the Birmingham arm barn include three recent left-handed pitching signees in Chase Watkins, Jacob Heatherly and Rylan Kaufman.

• Heatherly has struggled with shoulder injuries in the past and holds a career 5.35 ERA. Though some of his pitches have decent scouting grades in the 50-55 range, he lacks command and accumulated a whopping 22% walk rate in 2023 and even higher at 25% in 2024, completely offsetting his high strikeout rates.
• Kaufman is a former Top 30 prospect in the Kansas City but he couldn’t fully adjust to the advanced competition, averaging a 5.41 ERA in his minors career. He ended up needing Tommy John surgery and was out for the 2025 season, but has worked his fastball back up into the mid-90s.
• The South Siders picked up Watkins just last week, after he was released by the Cubs on March 23. Watkins amassed a 2.65 ERA across 40 2/3 innings in High-A, and a sharp 0.92 ERA in 29 1/3 innings once moving up to Double-A.

Catchers
Both returning from last season, Calvin Harris and Jorge Corona will continue to split duties behind the plate, with Harris likely getting more innings. Corona has floated on and off the development list, ultimately slashing .170/.314/.270 in 100 at-bats. Harris made the jump to the Barons 31 games into the season after posting a solid .768 OPS in 119 at-bats, and slashed .253/.317/.312 in 186 ABs with Birmingham, and allowed three passed balls in 469 2/3 innings.

Position Players
If you don’t know his name by now, outfielder Braden Montgomery is one to watch this season, ranking as the top White Sox prospect at South Side Sox and at 34 in the MLB Top 100. The 22-year-old flew through the minors in his first year with the team in 2025, slashing .270/.360/.444 with a solid .804 OPS in 448 at-bats. Upon moving up to Double-A, his stats remained consistent against the tougher competition, and his defensive ability in the outfield (strong arm, speed) give him to the tools to be an All-Star caliber player in the future.

Another exciting player within the White Sox organization is Rikuu Nishida, whose ability to get on base and subsequently steal them is almost unmatched. Aside from Sam Antonacci, Nishida’s .403 OBP led the team in 2025, and he is excellent at being selective at the plate, swinging 39% of the time but making contact on nearly 86% of his swings. Not only is he elite at making contact, but Nishida walks at a higher rate than he strikes out with 75 walks compared to 69 strikeouts last season. Nishida started as a second baseman, but has since adjusted into the outfield, playing the majority of his games in right and center last season. He begins his second full year and third overall in Double-A, however, so someone at the White Sox is not impressed.

Rounding out the outfield will be Caden Connor and Wilfred Veras. Connor posted a .708 OPS with a .266 BA in 342 at-bats with the Barons, and earned a promotion up to Charlotte for 13 games. He was even better with the Knights, and posted a .422 on-base percentage that factored into his .832 OPS. If not for the half-dozen fringe major-leaguers the White Sox acquired in the offseason, Connor could well be starting 2026 in Charlotte. Veras’ arrow is pointing in the opposite direction, as his performance regressed compared to where he was at in 2022 and 2023. In fact, Nishida has nothing on Veras, as Veras is beginning his third straight full season and fourth overall in Birmingham. He slashed just .215/.293/.327 with a .620 OPS that dropped by 17% year-over-year. It’s possible Veras has reached his peak, and it will be interesting to see if he’s made any adjustments heading into this season.

Last but not least, the infield will have mostly all returning playerss with Jason Matthews, Jordan Sprinkle, Ryan Galanie and the recently-signed Andy Weber.

• Matthews had a hard time at the plate last season, putting up a measly .549 OPS in 211 ABs with Birmingham.
• Middle infielder Sprinkle was efficient enough with the Low-A Cannon Ballers (.271/.411/.295) to be promoted to Winston-Salem where he struggled to adjust, and ultimately to Double-A to close out the season. Sprinkle is quick and is able to steal bases when he gets on, but he lacks the raw power to efficiently drive in runs.
• Galanie holds down first base with plenty of power, and he’s fairly selective at the plate and doesn’t strike out a lot. He led the team in RBIs in 2025 (71), and mashed 19 doubles and seven homers.
• Weber was was signed to a minor league contract after electing free agency out of the Diamondbacks system. Likely to play second base, Weber was mostly with the Arizona’s Triple-A team last season where he posted solid numbers with a .310/.368/.434 slash line.

There’s plenty of talent with the Barons, and we’ll likely see a revolving door of players throughout the season. While maybe not having the most raw power at the plate, they have some solid arms that can keep them in games. So it might be best not to rule out a three-peat.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Konnor Griffin debuted in style. The 19-year-old Pirates shortstop delivered an RBI double in his first big league at-bat as Pittsburgh held off the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 on Friday.

Griffin, called up on Thursday and the consensus top prospect in baseball, looked every bit the part during an electric afternoon at PNC Park.

He laced a double to center field off Kyle Bradish (0-2) in the bottom of the second, then showcased his speed while racing home on a single to shallow right field by Jared Triolo.

The teenager, the youngest player to make his major league debut at shortstop since Alex Rodriguez did it at 18 for Seattle in 1994, also drew a walk and handled all of his defensive chances without an issue as the Pirates won their third straight. Griffin became the first Pirate under 20 to reach base twice in his debut since Bobby Del Greco in 1952.

The sellout crowd at PNC Park, which opened 25 years ago, or a full half-decade before Griffin was born on April 24, 2006, roared when Griffin was introduced during the pregame ceremony. The roars drew even louder when he took an 85 mph curveball from Bradish and sent it rocketing to the fence in center field.

Triolo, who moved from short to third after Griffin's promotion, had a pair of hits and his first RBI of the season. Ryan O'Hearn, Henry Davis and Oneil Cruz also drove in runs for the Pirates.

Mitch Keller (1-0) allowed two runs and six hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Gregory Soto gave up a solo home run to Gunnar Henderson with two outs in the ninth, but rebounded by striking out former New York Mets teammate Pete Alonso to pick up his first save with Pittsburgh.

Henderson finished with three hits for Baltimore. Dylan Beavers and Blaze Alexander had two hits apiece for the Orioles. Bradish was touched for four runs and six hits with three walks and six strikeouts in four innings.

Up next

The series continues Saturday when Baltimore's Shane Baz (0-0, 6.75 ERA) faces Pittsburgh's Carmen Mlodzinski (0-0).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

ASSOCIATED PRESS

When Cleveland Guardians rookie right fielder Chase DeLauter fouled a Shohei Ohtani pitch off his back foot on Tuesday night, it looked like the 24-year-old himself might be the only one who could actually put a stop to his season-opening power surge.

After grounding out later in that at-bat, DeLauter left the game with a left foot contusion, and he didn’t play in the series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers the following day, although manager Stephen Vogt said DeLauter was supposed to be off regardless.

With negative X-rays, DeLauter was confident he’d return to the lineup for the Guardians’ home opener on Friday. He was back, and the same could be said for his seismic swing, which delivered another home run in a 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.

DeLauter has now hit five home runs over his first seven career regular-season games, tied for the second most in such a span since at least 1900, according to MLB researcher and reporter Sarah Langs.

The only player with more in that data set is Trevor Story, who scattered seven homers across the first seven games of his rookie season with the Colorado Rockies.

This story is being updated.

The Cincinnati Reds hit the road for the first time during Thursday’s day off, and on Friday began their first road series of the 2026 season.

Fortunately for them, they opened the scoring in their game against the Texas Rangers the very same way they ended it – with a major 2-run homer from a veteran off to an otherwise slow start.

Spencer Steer swatted a 2-run blast off Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore in the Top of the 2nd inning to open Cincinnati’s ledger in this one, and Tyler Stephenson effectively closed it with a 2-run homer of his own in the Top of the 9th inning off veteran righty reliever Chris Martin. Stephenson’s came with the game tied 3-3, and closer Emilio Pagan – himself a veteran entering play on Friday having sputtered out of the gate – hammered down a perfect Bottom of the 9th to give Cincinnati the 5-3 victory.

It was a classic back and forth tie that lent itself to need a big hit late, and that’s precisely what Stephenson provided. He battled into a deep count with Martin, fouling off pitches as he worked for one he could mash, and he eventually went the other way over the wall in right-center for the blast that gave Cincinnati the victory, as the Reds shared on Twitter shortly after it happened.

Steer had doubled in front of Tyler, so he scored on the play. That gave him a pair of extra-base hits, pair of ribbies, and pair of runs scored on the day. Hopefully it’s a sign that he’s getting his bat going, as he’s going to be very much needed to anchor the lineup with his defensive versatility daily (as well as on days against a LHP starter). Stephenson, who’s going to get today’s Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game award, similarly went 2 for 4 with a pair of ribbies – he gets the nod for the WPA boost on the homer, I suppose.

Reds 5, Rangers 3, and happy Reds fans a million.

Other Notes

• Elly De La Cruz chipped in with a solo homer, his third of the year. It was another laser hit from the right-side of the plate, which is an incredibly good sign.
• Eugenio Suarez did not blast a mighty dinger today, but he did have another pair of hits.
• Tony Santillan kept his season ledger clean after another incredibly effective 10-pitch inning yielding zero runs. Sam Moll needed 12 pitches for his, but it was a similar good ending.
• Rhett Lowder will toe the rubber in Saturday’s game between these two clubs, doing so opposite fellow former college standout Kumar Rocker. First pitch in that one is slated for 7:05 PM ET.

Here are the latest news updates and possible return dates for Knicks players...

April, 3, 7:05 p.m.

It looked as if the Knicks were completely healthy heading into Friday's game against the Bulls, but things changed suddenly.

Karl-Anthony Towns was listed as questionable with a right elbow impingement, and shortly before tip, the team ruled him out for the game.

Mitchell Robinson will start in Towns' place.

Towns is coming off a game where he recorded his second triple-double as a Knick in the team's win over the Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

April 1, 7:01 p.m.

After initially being listed as questionable with right ankle soreness, Jalen Brunson has been ruled out by the Knicks for Wednesday's matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Brunson joins Miles McBride (core muscle injury management) and Mitchell Robinson (load management) on the bench, leaving New York shorthanded and with few options to turn to for the second game of a back-to-back following Tuesday's loss to the Houston Rockets.

Jose Alvarado will likely be inserted into the starting five as the point guard, alongside Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns.

March 21, 5:50 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report has Landry Shamet (knee) as out for Sunday's game against the Washington Wizards. Shamet exited Friday's win against the Nets with right knee soreness.

Josh Hart (knee), who missed Friday's game in Brooklyn, is questionable as he continues to manage his knee injury.

Shamet took Hart's place in the starting lineup against the Nets. If Hart is unable to play, Jose Alvarado could see himself inserted into the starting five. When Shamet exited the game against Brooklyn, Alvarado was the second guard on the floor with the starters. 

March 19, 5:25 p.m.

The Knicks officially ruled Josh Hart (knee) out for Friday's game against the Nets. Hart missed two games during the Knicks' West Coast road trip earlier this month with knee soreness. 

Jalen Brunson, who missed the Knicks' win against the Pacers on Tuesday with neck soreness, is off the injury report and is set to return to the lineup when they take on the cross-town rivals.

March 17, 6:05 p.m.

The Knicks ruled Jalen Brunson (ankle) out for Tuesday's game against the Pacers. Coach Mike Brown confirmed Jose Alvarado will take Brunson's place in the starting lineup. This is the first time Brunson has missed a game due to injury since Jan. 17. 

In addition, Brown said that Mitchell Robinson will play after being questionable with a back injury.

Feb. 11, 1:30 p.m.

The Knicks have ruled out OG Anunoby for Wednesday night's game at the Philadelphia 76ers.

Anunoby has been out of the lineup since playing 48 minutes in the double-OT win over the Nuggets on Feb. 4 with a toenail avulsion on his right foot.

New York will have Mitchell Robinson available for the game against the Sixers after the big man missed the first game of the Knicks back-to-back, a disappointing OT defeat to the Indiana Pacers.

Feb. 8, 11:00 a.m.

The Knicks will remain shorthanded on Sunday in Boston, but they are getting two big pieces back.

Karl-Anthony Towns (eye laceration) and Josh Hart (ankle) are set to play while OG Anunoby (toe) will remain out. 

Towns and Anunoby missed Friday's game in Detroit with their respective injuries.

Hart was forced to leave that loss early with his.

New York will also have Jose Alvarado available for the first time after he passed his physical.

Feb. 7, 5:20 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Josh Hart (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns (eye laceration), and OG Anunoby (toe) as questionable for Sunday afternoon's game against the Boston Celtics, the team announced.

Towns and Anunoby missed Friday night's loss to the Pistons, during which Hart sustained an injury that saw him exit the game in the third quarter.

New York will have Jose Alvarado available for the first time since adding the guard in a trade before this week's deadline. 

Feb. 6, 7:02 p.m.

The Knicks will be without star Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby on Friday night in Detroit against the Pistons, per the NY Post's Stefan Bondy.

Towns was previously listed as doubtful with an eye laceration, while Anunoby was a game-time decision due to right toe soreness.

The good news for New York is that Josh Hart will be active after missing Wednesday's 2OT win over the Denver Nuggets.

Feb. 6, 1:10 p.m.

It appears the Knicks will be a bit shorthanded when they head to Detroit on Friday night. 

Karl-Anthony Towns has been downgraded to doubtful with an eye laceration suffered Wednesday, and OG Anunoby is being listed as questionable with right toe soreness. 

Additionally, Jose Alvarado is not yet with the team, as he and Dalen Terry still need to pass their physicals. 

On a more positive note, Josh Hart is now being listed as probable after missing Wednesday's game with an ankle sprain. 

Hart was originally questionable, but he's already been upgraded hours before tipoff. 

New York is looking to push its winning streak to nine games against the Eastern Conference leaders.  

Feb. 5, 4:15 p.m.

The Knicks could be a bit short-handed when they take on the Pistons on Friday night. 

The team is listing Karl-Anthony-Towns (eye laceration) and Josh Hart (left ankle) as questionable, while OG Anunoby (toe soreness) is probable to play. 

Hart did not play on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets, the same game in which Towns played through a cut above his eye.

Miles McBride (core muscle surgery) is also out, and likely won't be able to return until the playoffs. 

Feb. 4, 5:25 p.m.

The Knicks are once again dealing with a thin backcourt, as head coach Mike Brown revealed guards Josh Hart and Miles McBride are unavailable for Wednesday's home game against the Nuggets with ankle injuries.

Hart suffered a left ankle sprain during the third quarter of Tuesday's road win over the Wizards, as cameras caught him hobbling to the locker room. While the severity of his injury is still unknown, the veteran missed a handful of games earlier this season due to a right ankle issue.

As for McBride, who last played on Jan. 27 against the Kings, he's about to miss a fifth straight game. He's averaged 12.9 points across 35 games this season, shooting a career-best 42 percent from three.

The good news is rookie Mohamed Diawara, who also exited Tuesday's win early with an ankle injury, will be active on Wednesday. 

Feb. 2, 5:00 p.m.

The Knicks' depth will be tested against the Wizards on Tuesday night, as Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson have already been ruled out due to left ankle injury management.

McBride, who last played on Jan. 27 against the Kings, will be unavailable for a fourth straight game. The fifth-year guard has averaged 12.9 points across 35 games this season, shooting a career-best 42 percent from three.

As for Robinson, his absence is more precautionary with a back-to-back slate ahead. He racked up seven rebounds and one block (23 minutes) in Sunday's win over the Lakers, and SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reports he's likely to return to action on Wednesday against the Nuggets.

Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m.

New York ruled out Miles McBride (left ankle injury management) for Sunday's primetime game against the Los Angeles Lakers, per the team's Saturday injury report.

It will be the third straight game that McBride has missed, last playing on Jan. 27 against the Sacramento Kings. Over 35 games this season, McBride is averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting 42 percent from three.

Despite his absence the past two games, the Knicks have extended their winning streak to five games after a rough 2-9 stretch

Jan. 28 1:36 p.m.

The Knicks will be without Miles McBride (left ankle management) and Mitchell Robinson (left ankle management) when they take on the Raptors in Toronto on Wednesday night in the second game of a back-to-back.

McBride played 30 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Kings, scoring nine points. Robinson also played against Sacramento, scoring seven points with 13 rebounds (six offensive) over 27 minutes of action.

Additionally, Josh Hart is being listed as questionable due to right ankle soreness.

Jan. 24, 2:36 p.m.

After the Knicks designated Karl-Anthony Towns as questionable with back spasms, the team announced just before Saturday's tip with the 76ers that the big man will indeed play.

Philly upgraded Paul George (knee) and Joel Embiid (ankle) as available for Saturday's game.

Jan. 23, 6:20 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report was updated and Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the 76ers.

New York is citing thoracic back spasms as the reason for Towns' designation.

As for Philly, Paul George (knee) and Joel Embiid (ankle) are listed as probable for the big showdown between Eastern Conference rivals. 

Jan. 19, 3:35 p.m.

Fresh off being named an All-Star starter for the second straight year, Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) will be back in action on Monday when the Knicks take on the Dallas Mavericks, head coach Mike Brown said.

Brunson has missed most of New York's last three games, all losses, after spraining his ankle in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings last Wednesday.

Josh Hart (right ankle soreness) will also return to the court on Monday after sitting out Saturday's loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Jan. 18 5:20 p.m.

Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) and Josh Hart (right ankle soreness) are both being listed as questionable for Monday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The former college teammates did not play on Saturday night in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Brunson has already missed 2-plus games since suffering the injury on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings, as the Knicks have dropped their last three straight contests.

Jan. 17, 5:58 p.m.

After initially being listed as questionable, Knicks head coach Mike Brown ruled out Josh Hart (ankle) and Jalen Brunson (ankle) for Saturday's game against the Suns.

Jan. 17, 1:15 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Josh Hart as questionable for Saturday's game against the Phoenix Suns due to right ankle soreness.

Hart has played in New York's past three games after missing eight games with an ankle injury suffered on Christmas Day. The team went 3-5 in his absence.

He's averaging 12.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game over 31 contests this season.

Jalen Brunson (ankle) is also questionable for Saturday night and still listed as day-to-day after suffering a right ankle sprain against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. He did not play in Thursday's loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Jan. 15, 8:20 p.m.

The Knicks will be without Jalen Brunson on Thursday, but they will receive reinforcement in the rotation.

Landry Shamet has officially been ruled available for the meeting with the Warriors.  

Shamet's been out since Nov. 22 with a shoulder injury, but he's been working his way back and was officially upgraded to questionable heading into the matchup. 

It's unclear whether or not he'll be on a minutes restriction, but his return is certainly a welcome sight. 

Shamet was averaging 9.3 points on 45 percent shooting from the field in 15 games prior to the injury.

Jan. 10, 5:00 p.m.

Josh Hart (ankle) has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The wing has not played since Christmas Day, missing the past eight games.

New York has gone 3-5 without him, including dropping five of their last six games.

Jan. 6, 5:20 p.m.

The latest Knicks injury report lists Josh Hart and Landry Shamet as out for Wednesday's tip against the Clippers at MSG.

Hart (ankle) will miss his seventh consecutive game, in which the Knicks are 2-4 in his absence. SNY's Ian Begley said on The Putback that Hart is "close" to coming back. The team had said last week that they would re-evaluate Hart in a week, and it seems enough progress hasn't been made.

After Wednesday's game, the Knicks travel west to take on the Suns in Phoenix on Friday.

Jan. 3, 2026, 1:41 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Karl-Anthony Towns as questionable for Saturday night's game against the visiting Philadelphia 76ers due to illness. Towns missed Friday night's defeat to the Atlanta Hawks with the same ailment.

Mitchell Robinson (ankle injury management) is off the injury report for Saturday after not playing the previous night.

Josh Hart (shoulder) is making improvements, but remains out alongside Landry Shamet (shoulder). 

Dec. 30, 10:27 p.m.

Mitchell Robinson (ankle injury management) is out for Wednesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs.

New York's big man is one of three players who have been listed as out for the NBA Cup rematch on New Year's Eve. Robinson joins Josh Hart (right ankle sprain) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) as those unavailable for the game.

Tyler Kolek (right ankle soreness) is listed as probable, while Ariel Hukporti (lip laceration) is questionable for Wednesday's game.

Dec. 27, 6:10 p.m.

On the last injury report ahead of Saturday's tip against the Hawks, the Knicks listed Miles McBride (ankle) as out.

McBride was listed as questionable as recently as Friday, but it seems the guard will miss his eighth game.

Dec. 26, 3:42 p.m.

The Knicks will be without forward Josh Hart when they play the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The forward left the Christmas Day win over Cleveland in the fourth quarter and has been diagnosed with an ankle sprain. 

But there was some good news: reserve guard Miles McBride (ankle) has been upgraded to questionable. That's an indication that he is very close to making a return to the court after missing the last seven games.

Landry Shamet (shoulder) remains sidelined.

Dec. 22, 4:20 p.m.

The Knicks will be short-handed on Tuesday night in Minnesota against the Timberwolves.

Jalen Brunson (right ankle management), OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness), and Guerschon Yabusele (illness) are all listed as out.

Additionally, Miles McBride (ankle), Landry Shamet (shoulder), and Pacôme Dadiet (G-League assignment) will remain out as well.

New York has gone 2-1 since winning the NBA Cup last Tuesday and face a hot Minnesota squad, winners of four out of their last five games.

Dec. 19, 5:25 p.m.

Head coach Mike Brown confirmed that Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart will play against the 76ers on Friday, hours after they were listed as probable on the injury report.

Dec. 19, 2:00 p.m.

On the heels of a back-to-back, the Knicks will get some of their core back in the lineup on Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Karl-Anthony Towns (knee soreness) and Josh Hart (rectus abdominis strain) are listed as probable, while Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby aren't on the injury report and should be available. Towns, Hart, and Robinson all did not play in Thursday's win over the Indiana Pacers. 

Miles McBride (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) will remain out for New York on Friday. Additionally, Pacôme Dadiet was assigned to the Westchester Knicks.

The Sixers will be without former MVP Joel Embiid (illness, right knee injury management), who was downgraded from questionable. Embiid has played in just 11 of Philly's 25 games this season, averaging only 20.5 points and 6.6 rebounds when on the court (26.2 minutes per game). Philadelphia will also be without Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).

Dec. 18, 5:15 p.m.

Fresh off the NBA Cup triumph, the Knicks are going to be without a host of players for Thursday night's matchup with the lowly Indiana Pacers (6-20).

Karl-Anthony Towns (knee soreness), Josh Hart (rectus abdominis strain),  and Mitchell Robinson (ankle management) will all not feature due to slight injuries. New York will already be without Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, who are on the shelf with longer-term injuries.

OG Anunoby (knee contusion) was on the injury report, but will play.

Dec. 7, 3:22 p.m.

Knicks guard Miles McBride exited Sunday's win over the Orlando Magic in the first half, and according to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, the guard is still in the process of being evaluated for a left ankle injury.

The Knicks say they will know more on McBride's status on Monday. 

As a starter or a bench player, McBride has been terrific this season. In 19 games (nine starts), McBride has averaged a career-best 15.8 points per games while shooting 46.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Dec. 4, 5:10 p.m.

The Knicks are seemingly close to getting OG Anunoby back. According to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, Anunoby (hamstring) has been upgraded to questionable for Friday's game against the Utah Jazz at MSG.

Begley noted on Thursday's episode of The Putback that this weekend's games are a target for the Knicks to get Anunoby back on the court.

Anunoby has missed every game since suffering the injury on Nov. 14 against the Miami Heat.

Head coach Mike Brown said that Anunoby has progressed to taking contact in practice and it seems as though the forward is reacting to it in a positive manner. Of course, this doesn't mean Anunoby will play on Friday, but it leaves open the possibility.

Dec. 3, 6:40 p.m.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown gave a short update on OG Anunoby (hamstring). The coach said that Anunoby has progressed to taking contact in practice.

“It’s still the same, he’s still progressing in the right direction," Brown said of Anunoby before Wednesday's game against the Hornets. "We’re not going to rush him."

Brown also confirmed that Mitchell Robinson (injury management) will miss Wednesday's game, as it's the second of a back-to-back. 

Mike Brown said that OG Anunoby has taken contact in practice but the Knicks "won't rush him" pic.twitter.com/tZLSHsXqY0

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 3, 2025

Nov. 19, 9:05 p.m.

Jalen Brunson (ankle) will return to the court and start on Wednesday night in Dallas against the Mavericks, the team announced prior to tip-off.

Brunson suffered a Grade 1 right ankle sprain against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 12 and missed the team's next two games against the Miami Heat. New York split the two contests, winning at home and losing on the road. The team is still searching for its first road win of the season, dropping all four games away from the Garden.

Over 11 games this year, Brunson is averaging 28.0 points on 46.7 percent shooting and 6.5 assists per game. 

Meanwhile, the Mavs will be without rookie Cooper Flagg (illness) on Wednesday night as he'll miss the first game of his career.

Nov. 18, 6:50 p.m.

The Knicks upgraded Jalen Brunson (ankle) to questionable for their Wednesday tip against the Mavericks in Dallas. 

Brunson had missed the team's last two games since suffering a right ankle sprain back on Nov. 12 against the Orlando Magic at MSG. Already without OG Anunoby (hamstring), the Knicks could use their captain to try and get their first road win of the season. 

Oct. 28, 7:18 p.m.

Before the Knicks' tip-off against the Bucks, the Knicks announced that Towns (right quad strain) will play, but Yabusele (left knee sprain) will be out, joining McBride (personal) and Robinson (ankle sprain management) as players who are unavailable for Tuesday's game.

Oct. 28, 3:35 p.m.

Miles McBride has been downgraded from questionable to out for the Knicks' game on Tuesday at the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced. This is the second-straight game the guard missed due to personal reasons. He was out for Sunday's loss against the Miami Heat.

Oct. 27, 6:45 p.m.

Mitchell Robinson still isn't ready to make his season debut, as the Knicks have officially ruled him out again for Tuesday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Robinson has been sidelined for the first three games due to left ankle injury management, and it's still unknown when he'll make his return to the court. 

New York has also listed Karl-Anthony Towns (right quad strain), Miles McBride (personal reasons), and Guerschon Yabusele (left knee sprain) as questionable for the contest. 

Yabusele is the only new addition to the injury report. Towns has been included heading into each of the first three games, but played in all three, and McBride missed Sunday's game against the Heat for personal reasons. 

Yabusele left Sunday's game at one point and had his knee checked, but he was able to return and saw regular time off the bench down the stretch.

Oct. 23, 6:10 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report has been released and the Knicks have designated center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) as out for Friday's home game against the Celtics.

Robinson missed Wednesday's season opener and the Knicks are being cautious with their big man this season as they want to have him at close to full strength for an anticipated long playoff run.

The Knicks have also designated both Josh Hart (lower back) and Karl-Anthony Towns (right quad strain) as questionable. 

Hart also missed the season opener but has not seen action since the first preseason game where he tweaked his back. Towns almost missed Wednesday's game but toughed out his quad strain and to help the Knicks' win against the Cavaliers.

OG Anunoby, who played Wednesday despite being questionable with an ankle sprain, is probably for Friday's game.

Oct. 22, 10:59 p.m.

Karl-Anthony Towns was questionable, then doubtful, then questionable again in the hours leading up to the Knicks' win over the Cavaliers and now we know exactly why.

The Knicks forward told reporters after Wednesday's win that he is playing through a Grade 2 quad strain. 

"I’ve been banged up and haven’t really got a chance to practice or play in the last two preseason games," Towns said. "I didn’t want to disappoint the fans, dealing with a Grade 2 quad strain. It’s not something that’s easy to do. We made it happen tonight. Glad the fans respect the effort I put in to play tonight, and my teammates, too. Shoutout to them for supporting me, knowing the situation that I was in."

Since the Oklahoma Sooners got to the SEC, they have had back-to-back years with arguably the hardest schedule in the entire country. Although they'll play a number of different opponents in 2026, the slate doesn't get any easier for head coach Brent Venables and his squad this fall.

Oklahoma will kick off the season against UTEP at home, before going on the road to face Michigan in Week 2. After another home date with New Mexico, OU will go back on the road for another marquee game, this time against Georgia. After a bye week, it's another huge contest for the Sooners, with the annual clash against Texas in Week 6. The Sooners will come back home to face Kentucky, and hit the road again versus Mississippi State, before closing out October back at home against South Carolina on Halloween.

In a bid to repeat last season's "Red November", the Sooners will open the month against Florida on the road, before heading back home to take on Ole Miss and Texas A&M on the season's final two contests on Owen Field. The regular season will end on the road against Missouri.

That's another extremely tough draw for Venables' Sooners, especially early on in the season. In fact, Josh Pate believes that OU has one of the toughest early-season slates in the entire nation.

Pate hosts "Josh Pate's College Football Show", and he ranked the Sooners (along with USC, LSU, Texas, Florida State, and Colorado) as having one of the country's hardest starts to the season schedule-wise. Those three games away from Norman against Michigan, Georgia, and Texas in the first six weeks were a major reason why.

"You have to afford yourself some wiggle-room," Pate said. "You can't be walking the tightrope by mid-October."

However, the Sooners also had a tough schedule last season, and it benefitted them in the chase for the College Football Playoff. Early wins over Michigan and Auburn, and late wins over Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU were enough to buoy OU into the CFP, despite having two losses. For navigating the tough schedule, Oklahoma was ranked as the nation's top two-loss team, making the playoff with losses to Texas and Ole Miss. The Sooners also didn't stumble against the likes of Illinois State, Temple, Kent State, or South Carolina, an important detail for the playoff selection committee.

Having a difficult schedule is both a challenge and an opportunity, and Oklahoma threaded that needle well last year. Now that the Sooners have proven they can win the tough games, and have proven that they belong in the SEC, it's time to do it again in 2026 with another tough docket awaiting them.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: OU's early-season schedule will reveal a lot about the 2026 Sooners

The 2026 WNBA offseason is finally underway, and the first step was completed Friday with the expansion draft for the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. Both teams selected 11 players as they begin to build out their rosters for the upcoming season.

The college draft remains and free agency after that, so much work remains to be done before the Fire and Tempo open training camp. The rosters could look very different in two weeks’ time, but it’s likely that Friday’s selections will form the bulk of the two rosters. Seven of the nine players who suited up for Golden State on its opening night came from the expansion draft.

We’re limited in our ability to fully understand the decisions of the Fire and Tempo (and the other 13 teams) because we don’t have access to the lists of protected players. There were also several international players selected who haven’t yet debuted in the WNBA or who choose not play in the WNBA every season, and we don’t yet know which of them will come over in 2026. However, based on the information that is available, here is an early look at the winners and losers of Friday’s draft.

Winners

Portland’s depth

The Fire didn’t take a lot of big swings, not unlike the Golden State Valkyries a year ago when Vanja Černivec was part of that front office. But they did end up with several players who have proven that they belong in the WNBA. Bridget Carleton and Sug Sutton were solid starters in 2025, and Maya Caldwell has been a capable role player for multiple seasons. Carla Leite, Luisa Geiselsöder and Chloe Bibby have less tape, but they all had decent rookie seasons. Emily Engstler and Haley Jones have also shown flashes even if their careers have been inconsistent. That is the outline of a quality rotation if the Fire can bring in some top-end talent in free agency, like the Valkyries did with Tiffany Hayes.

Any scorer who signs in Toronto

Julie Allemand is an elite passer and playmaker who hardly ever hunts her own shot. A point guard with her experience in the WNBA and internationally (she is a two-time EuroBasket champion for Belgium) will make the game easier for everyone around her. Allemand’s table-setting will also allow the Tempo to better evaluate the players around her. Competent point guard play is critical to any success in the WNBA, and Toronto has that with Allemand and Lexi Held off the bench. Tempo assistant general manager Eli Horowitz was in the same role in Los Angeles when the Sparks acquired Allemand and understands the 29-year-old’s value to a team.

Nyara Sabally

Sabally was riding high after the 2024 WNBA Finals, when her inclusion in a three-big lineup alongside Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones helped turn the tide of Game 5 and win the Liberty their first title in franchise history. That game forced New York to protect her in the Golden State expansion draft. But 2025 was a new story, as injuries limited her to 17 games out of 44. The Liberty, who expect to continue to contend for titles, couldn’t afford to keep her around with her inconsistent availability.

Now, Sabally gets to go to a situation with much less pressure and a chance to develop and get healthy on a longer timeline. She also stays with the coach, Sandy Brondello, who believed in her enough to contribute in the finals. Sabally was the fifth pick in the 2022 draft ahead of players like Veronica Burton, Lexie Hull and Naz Hillmon. She had a lot of potential, and she and the Tempo now have another chance of realizing it.

Phoenix’s 2025 European shopping spree

The Mercury had to scour international leagues to fill out their roster in 2025, ending up with four rookies who served as rotation players throughout the season. It worked so well that Toronto plucked two of them away in the expansion draft: Held and Kitija Laksa. Neither saw the floor much during the WNBA playoffs (a total of 21 minutes), but the Tempo won’t have veterans blocking Held and Laksa’s path to minutes. Meanwhile, Phoenix still has Monique Akoa Makani and Kathryn Westbeld, and gets to prove its scouting mettle in the 2026 offseason to once again build out the back end of its roster.

Losers

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx were in a difficult situation with all five starters from last year’s dominant regular-season squad entering unrestricted free agency. If Minnesota protected the full starting lineup, there was no certainty that all would re-sign with Lynx. Furthermore, losing their cost-controlled younger players would make managing the cap more difficult.

Minnesota appears to have protected some of its starters but not all of them, and it lost two rotation players in the draft. No other team lost as much 2025 production as the Lynx between Bridget Carleton and Maria Kliundikova. It’s understandable to have wanted to keep Dorka Juhász at a lower salary than risk losing Carleton in unrestricted free agency regardless, but it still leaves Minnesota at a talent deficit relative to this time last week. The Lynx struggled to replace Cecilia Zandalasini’s contributions in 2025 after losing her to the Valkyries (both Karlie Samuelson and DiJonai Carrington ended the season injured), and filling in for Carleton will be another big challenge.

Las Vegas Aces

At some point, I will stop giving the Aces grief for not caring about young players. They valued unrestricted free agents in 2024 and lost Kate Martin to Golden State in the expansion draft, and then some of those free agents left anyway. They traded away an unprotected 2027 first-rounder — in what could be a generational draft — to acquire an inconsistent NaLyssa Smith midseason. Their most recent top-15 pick (the current length of the first round) who is still on the team is Kierstan Bell from 2022, who is no longer on a rookie contract. They don’t have a first-rounder this season or next season, and they just lost Aaliyah Nye, presumably because Las Vegas once again prioritized unrestricted free agents who could still find new homes.

At some point, the Aces will get old, and they will get expensive, and it will matter. It hasn’t mattered yet. But just because A’ja Wilson papers over any other lapses on the roster, it doesn’t mean the process couldn’t be better.

Marina Mabrey

Mabrey has had quite the odyssey through her seven WNBA seasons. She was traded after her rookie year. The first chance she had to pick a destination, she signed in Chicago but lost the head coach who vouched for her midway through that season. The Sky traded her to a winning situation in Connecticut, but that fell apart within a couple of months, and she was left with a developing Sun team even after asking for a trade.

Now, as an unrestricted free agent for the first time, Mabrey’s rights belong to an entirely new team — this after she eventually started to enjoy playing in Connecticut. The likelihood is that the Tempo core her and she once again cannot pick where to play. The new CBA and the one before it has given players much more agency in where they want to sign, but much power still lies with teams. As a good player who isn’t quite an All-Star, let alone a superstar, Mabrey keeps finding herself beholden to the whims of others.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo, WNBA

2026 The Athletic Media Company

Along with all of the results from this Good Friday's EFL action, Playmaker is here to provide you with a rundown of the top performers from across 'The 72' today.

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

Off we trot...!

Top performers in the EFL

Most shots on target: 4 - Rayan Kolli (QPR) / Bradley Ihionvien (Shrewsbury Town)

Most tackles won: 7 - Arthur Read (Colchester) / Max Clark (Gillingham)

Most aerials won: 13 - Carl Piergianni (Stevenage) / Mike Fondop (Oldham Athletic)

Most passes completed: 74 - Jack Sanders (MK Dons)

Most key passes: 6 - Matt Targett (Middlesbrough)

Most saves: 8 - Daniel Iversen (Preston North End) / Will Norris (Wycombe Wanderers)

Most interceptions: 7 - Sam Stubbs (Shrewsbury Town)

Most successful dribbles: 6 - Ben Knight (Cambridge United)

Player of the Day

Player of the Day

Patson Daka

Forward - Leicester City

8.7

Final Scores

EFL Championship 2025/26

EFL League One 2025/26

EFL League Two 2025/26

Florida State hosted 2028 athlete prospect Dominick Harris-Payne on a visit back in November, and he left with a scholarship offer. It was his first time on campus, and now he's set to return.

Per his social media, Harris-Payne will be in Tallahassee on Saturday, the 6-foot-3, 165-pounder announced.

"Extremely Blessed and excited to be at FSU tomorrow!!!," Harris-Payne said.

The Lakeland High School star is a two-way performer. He plays both wide receiver and cornerback. 247Sports has him listed as a receiver, while Rivals industry rankings have him listed as a cornerback.

Harris-Payne has over 20 offers at the moment. He has some from several notable programs with Notre Dame, Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and others having extended offers.

Rivals' industry rankings have Harris-Payne listed as the No. 350 overall prospect in the country and the No. 40 cornerback. They also have him ranked as the No. 43 recruit coming out of Florida.

In addition to Harris-Payne, FSU will have two more athlete prospects on campus Saturday in Dion Edwards and Dayon Cooper.

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: Dominick Harris-Payne to visit Florida State on Saturday

Cincinnati Bengals fans have long called Caleb Downs the “perfect” prospect for the team in the NFL draft, among other kind things. 

It wasn’t just the loud portion of the fanbase that likes Ohio State, either. Safety has been a serious problem for the Bengals since Jessie Bates walked out the door. 

Bryan Cook is in town now to start alongside Jordan Battle, but that doesn’t take Downs off the board, either. 

ESPN’s Matt Bowen explained why the Bengals are still his favorite team fit for Downs: 

“Under coordinator Al Golden, Downs would be an interchangeable safety. He could rotate low in single-high zone, while playing over the top from depth. Plus, with Downs' ability to create disruption near the line of scrimmage, Golden can play him as a big nickelback in three-safety personnel. He has the urgent play demeanor to set the identity of Cincinnati's defense.”

It’s an underrated storyline: The Bengals signing Cook might’ve upped the chances they take Downs. They have a serious problem at slot corner right now and no good way to fix it. 

Maybe Downs’ long-term spot would be at safety, but the fact he can cover all sorts of problems across different packages is a big deal. 

Of course, this is all assuming Downs even makes it to the Bengals’ pick at No. 10. But he’s by far still one of the very best possible outcomes for the rebuilding defense.

This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Caleb Downs is still perfect Bengals fit: Expert breaks it down

Willson Contreras Brings Flair To Red Sox Home Opener originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox got back in the win column on Friday with a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres. Two off-season trade acquisitions, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras, were big parts of the win. 

Contreras finished the day 1-3 with a home run and a walk. While the line doesn't seem out of the ordinary, he made the most of his trips to the plate. The walk came in the second inning. Contreras was initially called out on strikes, but challenged the pitch and was successful, putting him on first base. He challenged as he was walking to first base, and was already standing on the base by the time the challenge was complete. When it was announced that the pitch was a ball, he threw his arm guard into the dugout. 

"On the challenge, I was 100% sure that was a ball," Contreras said. "That was my reaction, I didn't try to show up the umpire or anything like that."

In the sixth inning, with the score tied, Contreras stepped back to the plate for a third meeting with Padres starter Michael King. He put the first pitch he saw over the monster. The first baseman watched the ball from home plate before flipping his bat into the air.

"I took the homer personally, because the first at-bat, he threw one, I know it got away from him, that was close to my face," Contreras said. "If I hit a homer in this one, it's going to be a big bat flip."

The solo home run proved to be the winning run as the Red Sox held the Padres to just two runs. It was their first win after a five-game losing streak. They'll play two more games against the San Diego Padres before moving on to welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to Fenway Park on Monday. 

More MLB: Ken Rosenthal Explains Why Roman Anthony Is In A Tough Spot With Red Sox

DENVER (AP) — Brandon Marsh hit a three-run homer as part of a seven-run first inning, Aaron Nola pitched efficiently into the seventh and the Philadelphia Phillies spoiled Colorado’s home opener by beating the Rockies 10-1 on Friday.

The Phillies set the tone early by sending 11 batters to the plate against Michael Lorenzen (0-1) to begin the game. They finished with 13 hits, including three homers — all by lefties — with the wind blowing from left field. Marsh hit a sinker that went a projected 454 feet to the second deck in right-center. In the second, Bryce Harper launched a solo shot. Kyle Schwarber added a 460-foot drive to right field in the fifth.

Nola (1-0) scattered five hits and gave up one run over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out nine — the bullpen had six more — as Philadelphia won its eighth straight over Colorado.

It was win No. 350 for Phillies manager Rob Thomson, making him the fastest to reach the mark in club history (604 games).

There were 48,366 fans who showed up on a sunny but cool afternoon. The Rockies, a team coming off three straight 100-loss seasons, dropped to 18-16 in home openers, including 17-15 at Coors Field.

It was a rough outing for Lorenzen, who allowed nine runs and 12 hits over three innings. Mickey Moniak had one of Colorado's five hits in his first game of the season. Moniak started on the injured list due to a sprained right ring finger.

The Rockies were coming off a three-game series win in Toronto. They didn't capture their first series last season until early June against Miami.

Up next

The Phillies will throw lefty Jesús Luzardo (0-1, 9.00 ERA) on Saturday. The Rockies hadn't announced a scheduled starter, but right-hander Chase Dollander (1-0, 9.00) is expected to get some work.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

All it took was one off-hand comment from Sean Payton to set of plenty of speculation around Denver Broncos linebacker Jonah Elliss.

We’ve dedicated quite a bit to our roundup to end the week around what that might mean. Normally, I tend to hate when edge rushers are moved inside. Often the result equates to a player not good enough to play at either position, but there are examples of this switch working out well.

It will depend on how Elliss is used. I do not think he’ll come in and be a coverage-type inside linebacker. Instead, I think he’ll be used inside to create additional pressure variations for opposing offenses to deal with. Elliss has pass rush ability and moving him inside would give him a lot more flexibility in that role as opposed to just being an outside rusher.

Vance Joseph has proven he has some very creative and successful pressure schemes with the Broncos defense leading the league in sacks in back-to-back seasons. I’m actually curious to see how Elliss getting snaps inside might add a new wrinkle to an already dominant pressure defense.

Broncos daily recap

The big thing we’ve got going on is the draft interest tracker. Scotty Payne is all over every rumor and report going around the Broncos during their draft preparation.

2026 NFL Draft: Denver Broncos draft interest tracker
With the draft less than a month away, MHR is tracking every reported meeting, interview, and top-30 visit the Broncos have had with college prospects this offseason. The list spans all-star games, the Scouting Combine, Pro Days, and facility visits. Among the notable names brought in: Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers, Boston College OT Jude Bowry, Oregon G Emmanuel Pregnon (a projected first or early second-rounder), Texas A&M TE Nate Boerkircher, and TCU LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr. It’s a useful roadmap for where Denver’s draft board might be leaning as the picks reshape post-Waddle trade.

Broncos brass united in excitement after Jaylen Waddle blockbuster
From the top down, Denver’s leadership is all-in on the Waddle trade. CEO Greg Penner told reporters at the league meetings that the organization came into the offseason “prepared to be aggressive if we thought that there was an opportunity.” President Damani Leech echoed the excitement, noting the buzz has extended well beyond the building — from texts within the front office to board members at community events praising the direction of the football program. It’s a clear signal that ownership, Paton, and Payton are aligned: the window is open, and they’re not being shy about it.

Potent quotables

Head Coach Sean Payton began the talk of moving Jonah Elliss inside when he mentioned we’ll see Elliss “take some snaps inside” when asked about Dre Greenlaw. The follow-up question was even more enlightening.

On releasing 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw and the plan at inside linebacker

“That was a tough one. Here is why: he is so passionate. In my career as a coach, I’ve been lucky enough to coach a lot of passionate players that love the game. I’m always disappointed internally that that didn’t work out because I love that player. I love how he competes. I love all the things he brings. You feel somewhat responsible when it doesn’t work out. We knew it would take a little bit of time with [ILB] Alex [Singleton] and [ILB] Justin [Strnad]. You’re going to see [OLB Jonah] Elliss take some snaps inside. That is something that we have discussed relative to our depth at the edge. Then we will see where that goes during the draft. Those aren’t fun when you re-sign your own players, and I understand… But when we look at the puzzle, you have to take the red magnets that are [unrestricted free agents] and put them off the depth chart, then begin to address the ‘musts’, ‘needs’ and ‘wants’.”

On OLB Jonah Elliss getting snaps at inside linebacker

“It’s the decision to give him snaps going forward. Skill set, it’s a position where we are wanting—I drafted his brother [Saints LB Kaden Elliss]. The same thing happened with [Eagles LB] Zack Baun, only we couldn’t get Zack Baun on the field. Now Philadelphia managed to. It was really looking at your assets, and we know that he is smart, tough and he has all the… Sometimes, that inside backer position—one of the best in our league at San Francisco in [49ers LB] Fred Warner, you saw him play more out in space, outside backer. Sometimes you have to look at the skill set, and then project where you think it can go, and your depth on the edge that allows you to do something like that. We will have a chance to visit with him on it.”

Under the radar

Speaking of Jonah Elliss, there were a few clips Luca Evans shared that shows him playing inside last season.

The FEED happenings

Meow Meow Meow talks rookie and roster space. Take a look and discuss:

Post your own thoughts on MHR’s Feed.

Interesting Broncos Stats

Bo Nix don’t need that tush push…

I am sure everyone remembers how confidence we felt any time Bo Nix lined up under center on a fourth and short. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if the 17% failed attempts involved them getting “cute” and running some other play outside of that quarterback sneak by Nix.

But of course, we absolutely need 86-year-old Aaron Rodgers if this franchise is serious about winning a Super Bowl in 2026. L.O.L.

So what is everyone’s plans for this weekend? Any epic egg hunts going down?

Arman Tsarukyan continues to make headlines outside of the Octagon, but this week the UFC lightweight contender may have went too far.

Tsarukyan, who is still in the UFC doghouse, has been staying busy with freestyle wrestling matches and a multitude of guest appearances on influencer video streams. The controversial lightweight star kept things rolling just the other day when he was featured on a live stream with popular influencer, Clavicular. They discussed a variety of topics before making their way to a shoe store for some shopping.

While in the store, Clavicular’s friend, Shoovy, asked the world-class fighter to choke him out. Tsarukyan has become a man of the people and gave the eager streamer his wish. Unfortunately, it looked like Tsarukyan held the choke a bit too long. Not only did he leave the young man unconscious, but he was extremely slow to get back up.

Even Clavicular thought something was wrong as he blurted out, “Oh shit, is he dead?”

Check out the footage below and let us know if you think Tsarukyan went too far with this random choke out:

Tsarukyan, who has fought just one time for UFC over the past two years, just booked his next freestyle wrestling match against former UFC star Urijah Faber in just a matter of two weeks. The hope is that Tsarukyan escapes that matchup unscathed and finally fights for the UFC lightweight title later this year, which he may or may not already have a date for.

INDIANAPOLIS—The largest arena in the NBA in terms of capacity is the United Center in Chicago, which can hold 20,917 fans. The biggest in college is Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center, which has a capacity of 22,090.

When the 2026 Final Four gets underway on Saturday, with Illinois and UConn meeting in the first semifinal, more than 70,000 people could be in attendance inside Lucas Oil Stadium. So it goes when college basketball is played inside a football stadium.

Friday’s open practice was the second opportunity for players from all four teams to get used to the layout of the venue, with a court raised two feet above the team benches. Beyond the playing surface, there were the sightlines for shooting to acclimate to.

“It’s definitely weird being up, and the stands and all that stuff farther out, but we’re going to adjust and play our game,” Arizona guard Jaden Bradley said. “At the end of the day we’re all playing on the same court. I’m just a hooper, all I need is a ball and a rim and I’m going to get used to the environment.”

The NCAA has exclusively used football domes for the Final Four since 2000, and though each venue’s layout is slightly different what has stayed the same is the tendency for some bad performances from 3-point range. In the the 75 Final Four games more teams have shot below 30 percent (53) than above 40 percent (47).

That could bode well for the UA, which has become notorious for not relying on the perimeter shot. It has only attempted 53 triples in the NCAA tourney, making 23, while Michigan is 45 of 101.

Since 2000, teams attempting 15 or fewer 3s in a Final Four game are 21-16 compared to 15-12 for those taking 25 or more from deep. In the four games Gonzaga played in 2017 and 2021, with Lloyd on staff, it went 29 of 76 (38.2 percent) from 3.

From Yuma with love

The top-ranked player in the Final Four, according to NCAA.com’s Andy Katz, is a few months away from potentially being a lottery pick. Not bad for someone who was forced to spend three years in Yuma.

Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan’s 6-foot-9 senior forward, began his college career at Arizona Western College in the same conference as Pima. He went there from New Jersey, where because of academic issues he only played 11 high school games and did not get through the NCAA clearinghouse.

“It was a culture shock, I was very depressed,” said Lendeborg, who said his mother made him to play junior college basketball rather than continue with a warehouse job after finishing high school. “As soon as I landed in Yuma, it was awful. There was no green anywhere. I didn’t see any trees. It was all desert. I see movies where they have tumbleweeds going across the street. I actually saw one, I was like damn, this is crazy.”

Lendeborg was a JUCO All-American his final two years at Arizona Western, and from there he was set to play at St. John’s before a coaching change landed him at UAB. Following two seasons there he joined Michigan, where he’s the leading scorer and a consensus All-American, and he credits his time in Arizona for getting him to this point in his career.

“Just being alone without my mom helped me trust people around me more,” he said. “I was a super shy kid back then. They broke me out of my shell. I had no confidence in myself when I went to JUCO, I didn’t want to go anywhere. But that journey has really felt like a dream, every step of the way.”

Born-again Boswell

The first premier recruit that Lloyd signed at Arizona was Kylan Boswell, a 4-star point guard from Compass Prep in Phoenix who reclassified in order to join the Wildcats as part of the 2022 class. That meant Boswell was only 17 throughout his freshman season in 2022-23, a fact that was ad nauseam on broadcasts.

Boswell spent two seasons at the UA, coming off the first year and then starting 35 of 36 games in 2023-24 when he averaged 9.6 points, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game. His play was uneven, scoring at least 15 points eight times but five or fewer 10 times, and off the court there were issues as well.

A change of scenery was needed.

“I left Arizona to put myself in a more disciplined environment,” Boswell said Friday. “I knew who I wanted to be as a person off the court and who I wanted to be as a basketball player, and how I was perceived and all that. And I think I needed to surround myself back home, my roots, how I grew up.”

Originally from Champaign, Ill., Boswell lived there until eighth grade and still has plenty of family in the area, which made transferring to Illinois a no-brainer.

“I think going home has helped,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “I think that a place that Kylan was so beloved, I think so many friends and family, and everybody says, well, sometimes that can be a distraction. I think it’s just been a source of comfort for him. Mom, dad, grandparents, everybody is right there. I think that our fans have great appreciation for one of their own. And then the way he’s handled himself has been—he’s just been elite. He’s been a joy to coach. He’s been unselfish. He’s been a guy that is all about winning. When I think of Kylan, I think of those things. He’s been a great teammate to everybody. He’s as much a part of this success, and it’s pretty unusual to do it from your hometown.”

Boswell has started 63 games with the Fighting Illini, including 29 this season, and is averaging 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He missed seven games in January and February with a fractured right hand, and since returning has averaged 9.5 points and 2.6 assists.

Blanca Quiñonez was just 13 years old when she left her family in Ecuador to play club basketball in Italy. Two years later, she was making her professional debut for Magnolia Campobasso in Italy’s Serie A1 professional basketball league. Now at just age 19, she is a star forward for the UConn Huskies.

Born August 3, 2006, in Milagro, Ecuador, Blanca started playing basketball at age five after attending a local summer camp with her twin brother and older brother. While she played in Europe for years, Blanca opened up to college recruitment in April 2024 after watching that year’s Final Four and taking note of the growth of women’s college basketball in the United States. Interest from top Division I programs followed immediately. In October 2024, she verbally committed to UConn without having visited the campus, becoming the first player from South America in the program’s history.

The 6-foot-2 forward, nicknamed “Blanquita” by her family, Blanca remains close to her family even if she can’t be near them geographically. “I’m very attached to my family—they are a fundamental pillar for me—but I think that when you take a leap like this, you focus on the person you can become in the future,” she told CT Insider. “And I think that’s something that helped me stay firm with this decision and not want to turn back.”

Here, get to know Blanca Quiñonez’s family:

Blanca’s father Guillermo

Her father is said to have worked long hours to support Blanca and her two brothers, though details about his profession have not been publicly reported. “We sacrificed so much to be able to take care of my family,” Guillermo told USA Today. “To see my kids successful and achieve what they want, that is all I could ask for.”

Blanca’s mother Fabiola

View this post on Instagram

Her mother, also a former basketball player, was the one who introduced Blanca to the sport at age five when she took her to summer camp, where her athletic interests first developed. Fabiola has said in interviews that Blanca was very shy as a child, which made her initial move away from home much harder. “She was a girl who didn’t speak. She only ever said two to three words,” Fabiola told USA Today. “To see her now, speaking three languages, to see how she has developed—she took advantage of every second of distance from her parents.”

Blanca’s older brother Joel

Blanca has two siblings: a twin brother named Jaime and an older brother named Joel. “With the three of us—my twin, my older brother, and me—whenever we were together, we were total chaos,” Blanca told CT Insider about playing sports together growing up.

Blanca’s twin brother Jaime

Blanca’s twin brother Jaime is also a professional athlete. Jaime is a pro soccer player who has competed for domestic clubs including Alianza Milagro, Emelec, Técnico Universitario, 9 de Octubre, and Orense, and had a trial with C.F. Pachuca of Liga MX in Mexico. She described him to the Ecuadorian newspaper El Comercio as “a fighter with talent and discipline.” Blanca even played soccer before committing fully to basketball. She credits the sport with sharpening her agility, court vision, and stamina, although she has said in interviews she only stuck with soccer for so long to spend more time with her twin.

“We were inseparable. We played all day, we challenged each other, we helped each other,” she told the newspaper. “Leaving him was the hardest thing. But I understood that this leap was necessary if I wanted to grow as an athlete.”

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FC Barcelona had plenty of good news lately with the returns of several players from injuries. Alejandro Balde, Jules Koundé, and Eric Garcia were confirmed to be back fit by manager Hansi Flick. This gives the defense a boost in a crucial juncture.

However, Frenkie de Jong is not quite yet ready. “We have to wait for Frenkie,” Flick said, saying he may be fit next week. When the Dutchman is back, he is surely to start in midfield. However, Barça have dealt well with his absence. Marc Bernal, in particular, has done a good job as his deputy.

Regardless, De Jong’s return is critical. His combination of passing, dribbling, defending, and movement in attack is hard to replace. Barça may have to do without him for a clutch match against Atlético de Madrid tomorrow in La Liga.

The Catalans play against the same team in the UEFA Champions League next Wednesday. He may not yet be 100% then, but chances are better that he’d play. There’s the Catalan derby against Espanyol on the 11th and the second leg against Atléti on the 14th. That will be the third time the Blaugrana square off against Diego Simeone’s men in quick succession, for what will be a hotly contested, bruising series of matches.

If Barcelona are to progress in the Champions League and maintain first place in La Liga, they will surely need De Jong to play some part.

Earlier today, we had a Q&A with NFL Draft expert Doug Farrar over at SB Nation’s new NFL Feed*. You might have seen it promoted on the NN homepage, but if not, I made sure to get a question in for all of us Niners fans. I’ll drop in the answer below, I’ve also embedded Doug’s Q&A post below and you can check out all the conversation topics.

Doug posted a two-round mock draft (first round, second round) on Wednesday and had the 49ers picking Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor in the first round and Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas in the second round. In the comments, I asked him if he would change his pick if the 49ers get a deal done with Trent Williams before the draft. Or would he keep it the same and slot in Proctor at right tackle. His response:

I don’t know how much that would change my process. Smart personnel people know that it’s better to replace key pieces of your roster a year early as opposed to a year too late. Proctor would be serviceable right now, but he’s still in process as far as technique goes. He has improved a ton with his pass pro and movement skills, and there’s an advantage to being the size of a house. He wears it well. It’s also going to be fascinating to see what that deal is. Williams is far from done, but there have been injuries of late, and 2025 wasn’t his best season. I’d be more inclined to make Proctor the swing tackle in 2026 and prepare him to be the full-time left tackle in 2027.

That all seems pretty logical to me. If Proctor is a guy they think can slot in long-term at left tackle, it makes sense to jump on him. But if they get a deal done with Williams and see an edge rusher or another immediate impact option sitting there at 27, it’s just as reasonable to go with best player available if that’s not a tackle. We’ll see, but it’s an interesting hypothetical as we see some optimism from John Lynch.

*If you’re wondering what the NFL Feed is, it’s a stand-alone spot where you can talk whatever you want about the NFL. If you’ve got thoughts on something not related to the 49ers, you can hop over there and start up a conversation. It’s similar to the Niners Nation Feed, but for all NFL conversations! I’m happy to answer any questions about it.

Ronda Rousey wants to shake the UFC out of its stupor.

Next month, Rousey returns to MMA for the first time in nearly a decade when she fights Gina Carano in the main event of MVP MMA 1. In the pre-fight press conference for the event last month, Rousey was more critical of the UFC than she had ever been, saying the promotion had stagnated and was resting on its laurels. And behind the scenes, she was even harsher.

In a video posted on her YouTube account on Friday, Rousey revealed new behind-the-scenes footage of her before the MVP MMA 1 press conference, where she again ripped into the UFC.

“I feel like we’re in a crossroads for the sport, and this is the beginning of a big change that is long overdue,” Rousey said. “I meant it when I said that the UFC is suffering from a lack of competition. They’ve become too comfortable with being the dominant force in the industry, and just making fighters offers where they go, ‘Take it or leave it, what else are you going to do?’

“It used to be that UFC was the best way to make money in combat sports. Now it’s becoming the worst place to make money in combat sports. It used to be anti-establishment, and now it’s become the establishment. And I’ve always been an ‘anti’ kind of bitch. [Laughs]

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been a company woman, and was very grateful while I was there, but I feel like since they’ve taken the reigns away from Dana they’ve really lost their way, and they think that they’re too big to fail, and that they can just disappoint the fans over and over, and they don’t care how many casual fans they lose, because they’ve got their streaming, and ‘F*ck you, we got ours.’

“I think they need to be reminded of the precariousness of their situation, and they need to start appreciating the fighters that give everything that they do any value at all. I think that they’ve forgotten that, and I’m coming to remind them.”

MVP MMA 1 takes place on May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

The Seattle Seahawks are free to chase edges in the 2026 NFL Draft, and won’t be dictated by needs over potential.

One edge they could chase is literally shooting for the most upside possible with another edge rusher at No. 32. While T.J. Parker would be a fun choice, he’s no sure thing to be available. Texas A&M‘s Cashius Howell played so well in college but his short arms limit his upside. However, Central Florida’s Malachi Lawrence would be no consolation prize.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein lists his NFL comparison as Josh Sweat. If the Seahawks could get that type of player in this draft, it might be a perfect fit. The profile also mentions him as “enticing for pressure-hungry defenses”. Boye Mafe was a pressure monster for the Seahawks last year, but after receiving $20 million/year in free agency, the Seahawks will need to find a lot of pressures without paying as much. Lawrence could be the ideal replacement.

He has all the physical tools one could want in a next level edge rusher.

Malachi Lawrence is a DE prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.94 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 13 out of 2085 DE from 1987 to 2026.

Pending Pro Day.https://t.co/7enRf24sxypic.twitter.com/ectOmUfgeM

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 19, 2026

With elite explosiveness and speed testing all in the 97th-99th percentile range and extensive 33.630 inch arms, he’s in elite company as a prospect.

UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence is one of four EDGE rushers since 2015 with an RAS > 9.89 and a sack rate > 4.00%, joining Montez Sweat, TJ Watt, and Myles Garrett. His length and elite movement skills all show up on film.. pic.twitter.com/YtU8w1bw0l

— Adam Carter (@impactfbdata) March 17, 2026

Of course, if he truly were projected to play at the level of a T.J. Watt or Myles Garrett, he would be taken well before No. 32. Being a smaller-school player and a little more raw actually might cause the perfect storm for Seattle to have a shot at him.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks 2026 NFL Draft profile: UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence

BOSTON (AP) — Caleb Durbin experienced something in his first game at Fenway Park as a member of the Boston Red Sox that few others have before him.

He was booed and cheered in the same afternoon.

Durbin, who entered the day 0 for 18 from the plate during the Red Sox’s first six games, was showered with boos when he was introduced prior to Boston's home opener against San Diego on Friday. He then got similar treatment after grounding out via a dribbler in front of home plate during his first at-bat in the second inning.

But all was forgiven two innings later when he snapped his hitless streak with an RBI single that put Boston in front 2-0 and helped it snap a five-game losing streak with Friday's 5-2 victory. It ended Durbin's overall hitless streak of 34 plate appearances, which dated to Sept. 22, 2025, when he was still with Milwaukee.

“Obviously it felt good. ... Just good to come through for the guys," Durbin said. "Obviously getting the first one over with was good, too.”

Aside from the lack of offense, Durbin's struggles to start the season have been scrutinized even more given what happened to his immediate predecessors at third base. All-Star Rafael Devers was traded to San Francisco last June after his relationship with the team began to deteriorate when Boston signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to DH. Bregman then signed with the Chicago Cubs in the offseason.

Enter the 26-year-old Durbin, who has looked little like the player who had 11 home runs and 56 RBIs as a rookie in 136 games with Milwaukee in 2025.

But through his slow start, he said he has tried to stay locked in.

“I’m here to help the team win," Durbin said. “Regardless of who was here before I’m just trying to play good third base and defense is super important to me. That’s got to be locked down more than anything.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he has been encouraged with how Durbin has remained solid defensively while working out his batting issues.

“I love the fact that he's playing third base the way he is,” Cora said. “That's very important for us.”

Durbin said he'll continue to try to endear himself to Boston's fans, even if he gets more boos.

“That’s Boston, right? You want fans that are poured into it, though," he said. "When it’s not going good, when it’s bad, you’re beating yourself up more than anything. So, definitely don’t take it personally. It’s honestly a good thing because you want the fans to be on you and that’s what makes Boston special.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

So many former New Orleans Saints players and coaches have left to join Sean Payton on the Denver Broncos in recent years that it tends to stand out when the Saints come out ahead for a change. It turns out that's exactly what happened when former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. signed with New Orleans in free agency. The Athletic's Mike Sando reports that Etienne's decision stunned the Broncos, who opted to re-sign veteran running back J.K. Dobbins once Etienne made his intentions known.

One executive Sando spoke with said the Broncos believed their were frontrunners to sign Etienne, but “they were shocked” when he went to New Orleans instead. Dobbins had a good year in Denver but comparing his two-year, $16 million extension to Etienne's four-year, $48 million deal shows you how highly regarded both players have become.

Hopefully Etienne can produce just as many explosive plays in New Orleans as he did in Jacksonville. The Saints signed him to take over for Alvin Kamara on top of their depth chart, and even if head coach Kellen Moore can see a way for both rushers to coexist, Kamara's contract status (he has a $10.4 million salary cap hit this season, with $16.2 million deferred to next year, when he'll be a free agent) makes his future murky. He just might end up in Denver if he and the Saints can't reach a compromise. Payton often talked about how Kamara was one of the brightest football minds he coached over the years in New Orleans, and if Kamara wants to keep playing football once the Saints have decided to move on, it shouldn't shock anyone if he and Payton team up for one last run together.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL free agency: Saints 'shocked' Broncos by signing Travis Etienne Jr

Who are the Boston Celtics likely to play in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs? Perhaps more importantly, who should the Celtics WANT to play in the first round? And are there any teams that Boston should want to avoid? At the moment, there is at least a small chance that the Celtics might end up matched up with the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, or Orlando Magic in the first round.

But it is looking more likely by the day that Boston could end up squaring off against the Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, or Toronto Raptors to start their next run at a title. Which of these six ball clubs represent the toughest and easiest outs for the Celtics to start the 2026 postseason?

The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" took some time to suss out which ball clubs are likely to play Boston and which will likely end up with another opponent, as well as the teams the Celtics should most and least want to see early in the 'offs. 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: Who are the Celtics likely to play in the first round of the playoffs?

SAN ANTONIO — When J.J. Spaun emerged from a jam-packed leaderboard to capture his first PGA Title in 2022, holding off Matt Jones, Beau Hossler and others to take the Valero Texas Open, not only did he earn a healthy paycheck, he also earned a ticket to Augusta National.

And Spaun wasn't the first to use the TPC San Antonio Oaks Course as his entrance into golf's greatest stage, as Corey Conners, Andrew Landry, Kevin Chappell, Charley Hoffman, Jimmy Walker and others had also previously done so.

It's also a good bet that — if the tournament remains on the schedule in its current slot — many more will use the event for a similar late gate pass to Magnolia Lane.

While leaders Robert MacIntyre and Ludivg Aberg already have spots in the Masters field, here's a list of the players in position to turn a victory into a trip to Augusta National.

(Editor's note: A few of these players had not finished when the horn sounded for lightning before 7 p.m.)

Kevin Roy (9 under through 36)

The 36-year-old Central New York native and former college teammate of Xander Schauffele at Long Beach State has never qualified for the Masters, but he backed up an opening round 67 with a solid 68 on Friday and sits within striking range of the leaders.

Alex Smalley (8 under after 36)

Although Smalley hasn't cracked the top 15 in any of his nine PGA Tour starts this year, he's only missed one cut and already amassed over $700,000. Can he add a first-ever Masters start to the resume? He's in position to catch the leaders in San Antonio.

Andrew Putnam (8 under through 36)

Putnam is looking to get back to a second Masters after missing the cut in 2020. He was just two shots off the lead after the first round with a 66, but fell back a bit with a 70 on Friday. Still, he's within range of the leaders at the midway point.

Steven Fisk (8 under after 36)

With a PGA Tour win under his belt from the 2025 Sanderson Farms, Fisk would love to run the table at the Valero and earn his debut at the Masters, but he's had a rough start to the season, missing the cut in his first three starts, and he's yet to crack the top 35 in any of his eight events played.

John Parry (8 under through 36)

The British product has a total of just 15 PGA Tour starts under his belt but after finishing in the top 10 in the 2025 DP World Tour Eligibility Ranking, he can start dreaming of Amen Corner.

Sam Ryder (8 under through 35 holes)

Ryo Hisatsune (8 under after 32 holes)

If not here, soon. Hisatsune was named the 2023 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year on the DP World Tour, the first player from Japan to win the award. That season, he won the French Open, becoming the first Japanese player to win in Continental Europe in over 40 years. Prior to that, he won three times on the Challenge Tour before age 19. And he's cleared more than $2.1 million this season with some impressive finishes.

Billy Horschel (5 under through 36 holes)

Horschel has 10 Masters starts under his belt and has made the cut seven times, but he needs a big run this weekend to get back for No. 11.

Tony Finau (7 under through 35 holes)

Finau finished in the top 10 in three of his first four Masters appearances, but he's in danger of missing the trip to Augusta this year for the first time since 2017.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Valero Texas Open golfers eye Masters invitation

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jordan Lawlar was placed on the injured list Friday with a fractured right wrist after getting hit with a pitch during Thursday's 17-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

The 23-year-old hit the first homer of his career in the third inning — a solo shot to left field — but was hit on the wrist by Osvaldo Bido in the seventh. Lawlar was in obvious pain, but stayed in the game to run before being taken out for a defensive replacement in the eighth.

Lawlar is considered one of the D-backs' top young players and looked as though he might be primed for a breakout season after getting six hits in his first 18 at-bats.

The D-backs called up catcher Adrian Del Castillo to take Lawlar's place on the roster. Arizona also called up right-hander Taylor Rashi and designated veteran right-hander Joe Ross for assignment.

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

CLEVELAND (AP) — Rookie Chase DeLauter had three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh inning, and drove in three runs as the Cleveland Guardians won their home opener 4-1 against the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Gabriel Arias also went deep in the seventh inning as the Guardians won their home opener for the third straight season.

Connor Brogdon (2-0) got the win and Cade Smith picked up his second save. It was 70 degrees at first pitch, which was Cleveland's warmest March or April opener since 1992.

Miguel Amaya had an RBI hit in the third inning for the Cubs. Starting pitcher Cade Horton exited early in the second inning due to right forearm discomfort.

The right-hander looked toward the Cubs’ dugout after throwing a 93.8 mph fastball to Bo Naylor low in the strike zone for a called strike. Horton threw 17 pitches, including eight strikes. He retired the Guardians in order in the first and walked Kyle Manzardo to lead off the second.

DeLauter tied it at 1-1 in the fifth inning with a base hit to left to score Daniel Schneemann. After Arias' homer put Cleveland on top in the seventh, DeLauter drove Hunter Harvey's 96.6 mph fastball 402 feet into the right-field stands to extend the Guardians' lead to three runs.

It was DeLauter's fifth home run of the season, tying him with the Athletics' Shea Langeliers for the American League lead. DeLauter had four homers in his first three games, becoming the first big league player since Trevor Story did it in 2016 with Colorado.

Arias — who tried to score from second on DeLauter's hit in the fifth but was thrown out at home by left fielder Ian Happ — connected on a hanging slider from Harvey (0-1) for his second home run of the season.

Up next

Cubs' lefty Shota Imanaga (0-1, 7.20 ERA) faces Cleveland RHP Slade Cecconi (0-1, 12.46 ERA) ion Saturday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The Seahawks bond over “walk and talks.”

That’s their head coach’s initiative. They have small groups of players walk with coaches around the headquarters building and the practice field. They share and talk about themselves, not football.

Their position meetings become revealing, introspective discussions of a player’s why.

Leonard Williams says they have a “lifetime” bond, one that will endure long and far beyond the football field. He says this bond has changed his life since he arrived in Seattle, in a trade from the New York Giants in 2023.

“This has been the best defense I’ve ever been a part of,” the 11-year Pro Bowl veteran defensive lineman said a few months ago. “And it’s not because of stats or anything like on paper. ... It is just the togetherness.

“The brotherhood that we have on this defense is really special.”

Now the Seahawks’ unique culture, their secret sauce they say is the reason they won the Super Bowl, is in danger of getting exposed. With the rest of the NFL and world watching and taking notes. They don’t like it.

John Schneider was far less than thrilled when commissioner Roger Goodell called to tell the general manager the league selected the Seahawks, for the first time, to be the team that NFL Films will record daily on and off the field in training camp for “Hard Knocks” episodes airing on HBO this summer.

Schneider didn’t hide his feeling about it this week when asked on his weekly radio show Thursday.

“I mean, we avoided it for 17 years, so....,” the GM said on KIRO AM.

He laughed.

“I’m just always worried about telling our story,” Schneider said.

“I mean, I get it, from a PR standpoint, a marketing standpoint. “We’re just very protective of how we do things, what our culture looks like.

“We’re going to make it as positive as we possibly can,” Schneider said of “Hard Knocks, “without sharing as much information as we possibly can.”

He laughed again. He wasn’t joking.

John Schneider’s tone, body language and words make it obvious how the GM and the #Seahawks feel about the NFL picking them to be the Hard Knocks training camp team on HBO weekly in August.

He says they are very “protective” of how they do things and of their culture pic.twitter.com/V1DuSF710c

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) April 3, 2026

Decisions suboptimal for Seattle

Most of 2025, almost all the recent postseason, went the Seahawks’ way.

They won 17 of 20 games. They won the NFC West for the first time since 2020. They rode the top seed and home field through the conference playoffs to Seattle’s first Super Bowl in 11 years. Then the Seahawks dominated New England in Super Bowl 60 in Feburaryfor the franchise’s first NFL title since the Legion of Boom team’s 2013 season.

A few weeks after the team’s raucous Super Bowl victory parade through downtown Seattle, free agency began. It went mostly as Schneider and the Seahawks wanted.

They didn’t chase out of their budget plans the money Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, safety Coby Bryant, outside linebacker Boye Mafe and cornerback Riq Woolen sought. They all got it, elsewhere. Walker signed with Kansas City, Bryant with Chicago, Mafe with Cincinnati and Woolen with Philadelphia for more than Seattle wanted to pay.

So Schneider retained his more affordable core to that brotherhood.

He spent most of his free-agency money ($51 million) on keeping Rashid Shaheed, the Pro Bowl kick returner and wide receiver that was perhaps the team’s MVP over the latter half of last season.

And he re-signed All-Pro Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The NFL offensive player of the year for last season got the richest contract for a wide receiver in NFL history, up to $168.6 million with $120 million guaranteed.

But this hasn’t been a perfect offseason for Schneider and the Seahawks. This last week has been what the GM sees as two strikes against his team.

The Super Bowl champions are learning they are kings of only their own domain. As in, their Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton.

About the time Schneider got the call from Goodell about “Hard Knocks,” down I-5 in Olympia Monday Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law a new state millionaire tax. You may have heard of it. Households in Washington that bring in more than $1 million annually get taxed at 9.9% on that income, beginning in 2028.

The law could face efforts to block it in state courts. On Friday, opponents of the new income tax asked the Washington Supreme Court to allow them to pursue a referendum that would give voters a chance to repeal the law in the November general election.

Washington has been one of five states with NFL teams that have no income tax. Texas (with the Cowboys and Texans), Florida (with the Dolphins, Buccaneers and Jaguars), Tennessee (home of the Titans) and Nevada (with the Raiders) do not.

Schneider said he and the Seahawks have used to their advantage to sign players over other teams.

“It’s going to affect us,” Schneider said of the millionaire this week, talking to reporters at the NFL spring meeting in Phoenix. He called the lack of income tax in Washington a perk, “a bonus,” but not a deciding factor when players decide to sign with the Seahawks over, say, the 49ers, Rams or Chargers in California. California has an income tax up to 13%, one of the nation’s highest.

In 2024, veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins laughed when he said part of why he signed with the Seahawks that spring over a free-agent offer from the 49ers was Washington not having an income tax.

Schneider helped Jenkins, who now plays with the Cleveland Browns, realize that. It’s been part of his pitch to free agents to come here.

In mid-March, when the bill was getting signed towards law, Schneider said on his radio show the Seahawks were going to feel a “sting” from the new millionaire tax. The GM may need to change his pitch to free agents to sign with Seattle and keep all their money.

“There were a bunch of agents texting me the other day like, ‘Hey, can’t use that anymore, buddy,’” Schneider said last month on KIRO radio. “I think it is for all the pro teams here in town.

“It’s always been a huge attraction, especially competing with the California teams. It’s been a big deal for us. So, it’s going to sting, from a recruiting standpoint and what that looks like. I’m sure (former Seahawks general managers) Mike Reinfeldt and Mickey Loomis and all the (salary) cap guys that have been here before, too, are looking at this like, ‘Dang!’

“It’s going to sting, no question about it.”

This is GM John Schneider's almost-subtle way of supporting Derick Hall, the #Seahawks LB the NFL suspended for today's game at Carolina for stepping on a fallen Rams offensive lineman. https://t.co/qLoDXIQWBs

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 28, 2025

They’ll be OK

Now, just because two decisions way outside their domain didn’t go their way doesn’t mean this offseason is going awry for the Seahawks.

Yes, they have only four picks in the draft that begins April 23. That’s by design. Schneider told me and a handful of other team beat reporters at the league’s scouting combine in Indianapolis five weeks ago he and his scouting staff assessed last year this year’s draft was relatively weak. They see next year’s draft as far deeper in NFL-ready talent. That’s why the team traded two third-day picks in this month’s draft to New Orleans in November to get Shaheed.

Through all the rumors and noise around free agency, get this: The Seahawks are bringing back 10 of the 11 starters on offense and — by re-signing cornerback Josh Jobe at $8 million per year — all 11 of the starters on the top-ranked defense that won the Super Bowl. Coach Mike Macdonald said this week 12-year veteran DeMarcus Lawrence, the Pro Bowl defensive end who will turn 34 this month, has indicated to him he’s returning to play in 2026.

That’s 21 of 22 starters — plus your kicker (Jason Myers), punter (Michael Dickson) and long-snapper (Chris Stoll, also on a new deal) — coming back for next season. In this salary-capped NFL that hard to do.

Especially for a defending Super Bowl champion, whose players often leave for new riches elsewhere.

“We are trying to be, like, really careful with our language. We are not trying to say we are ‘running anything back’ or ‘defending’ anything. It’s just not really our attitude,” Macdonald told reporters this week at the league meeting in Arizona.

“The goal is to try to retain as many great players as we can. And we love our roster. We love our guys. We are trying to keep that unit together, that continuity.

“That’s part of our long-term plans, too, how we’ve budgeted. ...That’s how we’ve done business.

“And I feel like we’ve executed that pretty well, for the most part."

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The opener of the Milwaukee Brewers' three-game series against the Kansas City Royals was postponed about 90 minutes before the scheduled first pitch on Friday night, with persistent rain and the chance for storms in the forecast throughout the evening.

The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Saturday, with the originally scheduled game moved from 3:10 p.m. local time to 1:10 p.m., and Friday night's game starting at 6:10 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium.

The rain had not yet started when the game was called. In fact, the Brewers were in the middle of batting practice while stadium workers waited by the tarps, ready to pull them onto the field the moment the team finished.

The pitching matchups for Saturday's split doubleheader were not immediately available. The Royals had recalled Luinder Avila from Triple-A Omaha to start against the Brewers' Chad Patrick on Friday night, and Saturday's game was set to feature Milwaukee rookie Brandon Sproat and Kansas City right-hander Seth Lugo.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tyler Stephenson hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the ninth inning and the Cincinnati Reds won in their first road game this season, a 5-3 victory to spoil the home opener for the Texas Rangers on Friday.

Spencer Steer and Elly Del La Cruz also homered for the Reds.

Steer opened the ninth with a double off reliever Chris Martin (1-1) before Stephenson lined a full-count pitch into the Rangers' bullpen in right-center for his first homer.

Tony Santillian (1-0), the fourth of five Reds pitchers, pitched a perfect eighth inning. Emilio Pagán worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

The Rangers played their first home game for new manager Skip Schumaker after taking two of three games in series at Philadelphia and Baltimore. The last time they played six games before their home opener was 2008.

Steer's two-run homer in the second and De La Cruz going deep to lead off the sixth both came off MacKenzie Gore, the All-Star left-hander that came to Texas from Washington in January in a trade for five prospects. It was the third homer, all solo shots, for De La Cruz this season.

Gore struck out nine without a walk while allowing those three runs over six innings in his first home start.

Texas got even at 2 in the bottom of the second on No. 9 batter Danny Jansen's double under the the glove of diving left fielder Steer off Brady Singer, the Reds starter who struck out five and walked one while pitching into the sixth.

Brandon Nimmo had a one-out triple in the Texas seventh before Wyatt Langford's RBI double for a 3-3 tie.

Up next

Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder, still a rookie after making his MLB debut in 2024 and then missing all of 2025 because of forearm and oblique strains, makes his second start this season Saturday. Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker, their No. 5 starter, makes his season debut.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The Cubs lost to the Guardians 4-1 Friday afternoon in Cleveland, but that’s not the big story of the day.

That, of course, is the apparent injury to Cade Horton in the second inning.

Here’s what happened [VIDEO].

It’s really hard to tell what actually went on there. There was no obvious sign of any sort of pain from Horton, but he immediately signaled for the dugout and left the game.

Later, it was announced by the Cubs via the Marquee Sports Network broadcast that Horton left due to “right forearm discomfort.” Which… isn’t good. That sort of thing is sometimes a precursor to Tommy John surgery. Or maybe it’s not. We just don’t know at this time. Hopefully, the Cubs will have an update later this evening, or tomorrow. For now all we, and the Cubs, can do is hope for the best.

Horton faced only four batters. From BCB’s JohnW53:

Before today, the last Cubs starter, excluding “openers,” to exit after facing no more than four batters was Alec Mills, on July 2, 2022, at home against the Red Sox. He struck out the leadoff man on a 2-2 count, then gave up a double on an 0-1 count. He injured his back, went on the Injured List and was lost for the season.

Colin Rea, who did such a good job last year filling into the rotation when Justin Steele was injured, did a great job in this one as well. He threw 3.1 innings, allowed four hits and a run and struck out four. If Rea needs to fill in, there’s at least a competent replacement for Horton, though obviously not at the same talent level.

Here’s a breakdown of Rea’s 57-pitch outing [VIDEO].

The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a double and stole third. Miguel Amaya then doubled, with PCA scoring [VIDEO].

Amaya was serving as the DH in this one with Carson Kelly catching. He’s been doing that vs. left-handed starters. I continue to think that Amaya is primed to have a big offensive season, presuming he can stay healthy.

Hoby Milner relieved Rea in the fifth and allowed one inherited runner to score on a single by hotshot rookie Chase DeLauter, but four-time Gold Glover Ian Happ threw out the trailing runner at the plate [VIDEO].

Happ’s going to win another Gold Glove this year. That has value. I think it’d be worth keeping him around for a while longer.

Hunter Harvey relieved Milner in the seventh and served up a solo homer to Gabriel Arias that gave Cleveland a 2-1 lead. A walk to Steven Kwan followed and then DeLauter smashed a two-run shot, his fifth of the young season. (The Cubs have just six home runs as a team so far this year.) Not a good outing for Harvey, who faced just five batters, two of whom went deep.

Happ decided to challenge a strike three call leading off the ninth [VIDEO].

That was pretty obviously in the zone, but I suppose with two challenges left and three outs to go, it was worth using one.

This was yet another game where the offense simply didn’t produce — four hits and two walks isn’t going to score too many runs, and it didn’t. Can’t use the weather as an excuse here, the temp was in the 70s. The Cubs bats are simply going to have to do better.

The game was the fifth loss in a row for the Cubs in Cleveland dating to 2021, though the Cubs did sweep the Guardians at Wrigley Field last year. Hopefully, the result will be better tomorrow, and we’ll get good news about Horton. Fingers crossed.

The Cubs and Guardians will play the second game of this series Saturday evening at Progressive Field. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and Slade Cecconi goes for Cleveland. Game time is 6:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Fox-TV (regional — coverage map, scroll to the bottom of that link).

Juventus face Genoa in Serie A on Monday in a match that appears crucial for the Bianconeri as they aim to secure a top-four finish. While Juventus are widely expected to win, the fixture will require focus and effort, as football rarely guarantees results before the final whistle. The team must continue their strong form at the Allianz Stadium to maximise their chances of success in the closing stages of the season.

Juventus have only a few matches remaining, and each game represents an opportunity to strengthen their position in the league. Genoa, although considered underdogs, is unlikely to make the contest straightforward. Juventus must maintain intensity and discipline throughout, ensuring they convert possession into clear scoring chances while avoiding lapses at the back.

Spalletti Faces Selection Decisions

Luciano Spalletti will need his top players available for the encounter, with multiple attacking options to consider. According to Tuttojuve, Dusan Vlahovic is now available to start, joining Jonathan David, Lois Openda, Jeremie Boga, and Arkadiusz Milik as potential striker choices. Spalletti must balance form, fitness, and tactical considerations to field a team capable of securing all three points.

Importance of the Fixture

The match holds added significance as Juventus attempts to consolidate its top-four standing ahead of the season’s conclusion. Genoa will be motivated to claim a positive result, making the fixture a competitive test despite the perceived gap between the teams. Both sides have had the benefit of the international break to recover and prepare, and Juventus will need to demonstrate cohesion and sharpness to overcome their opponents. The game represents a key opportunity for Spalletti’s squad to maintain momentum and strengthen their position in Serie A.

Rayo Vallecano 1-0 Elche

Rayo Vallecano gave themselves the breathing room they wanted to enjoy their Conference League clash against AEK Athens on Thursday, after downing ten-man Elche at Vallecas. Los Franjiverdes had little to show for their efforts in something of an arm wrestle.

The significance of the game was visible in the Elche players early on, as they nervously defended some relatively prosaic attacks from Rayo Vallecano in the opening stages. Rarely do Rayo face a team of comparable resources so intent on dominating the ball, and it meant that both teams remained extremely vigilant of transitions, taking the safe pass more often than not.

As the game moved towards the half hour mark, the home side began to find more spaces in midfield though, with Unai Lopez working Matias Dituro for the first time in earnest. Minutes earlier, Florian Lejuene headed the clearest opening over from a corner. Dituro became overly anxious to get involved thereafter, rushing out to the edge of his box to be rounded by Alvaro Garcia. Against the angle, Garcia beat Dituro twice more in the box, as Elche defenders rushed to close down his options, and eventually blocked his effort off the line.

That could have been described as a good effort, but moments after he wished for the same composure. After a lovely pass by Andrei Ratiu, this time he blazed over from the inside left channel. Firmly on the back foot now, from nowhere Elche almost responded with the opener. A teasing ball through the corridor of uncertainty by Buba Sangare caught out Rafa Mir at the back post too, who was inches away from connecting with it.

That might have been considered the sliding doors moment for Elche. In the busiest period of the game, from a set piece that followed quickly after, Bigas attacked the ball with a high foot, and Oscar Valentin beat him to it with his head. The result, a yellow card for the veteran captain after 40 minutes, his second.

Rayo edge ahead after hard churn

Eder Sarabia must have thought his luck had changed when a mishap at the back for Rayo gave German Valera a clear opening moments into the second period. He could only sting Augusto Batalla’s gloves though, a disappointment it took him a while to get up from. Keen to make Valera regret his central effort even more, Lejeune then whistled a shot from 30 yards just past the post. If Elche had come out to dominate the ball and pick their way through Rayo in the first period, the red card flipped that script in the second period.

The game was drifting in a manner that Sarabia seemed content with in the middle section of the second half though, with Elche largely managing to do their defending from a settled shape – first foremost halting Rayo’s counters. Hence why the noise thundered up a gear when Andrei Ratiu cut the ball back to Pedro Diaz on the edge of the box, and his curling effort licked the outside of the post. Most of Rayo’s shots were coming from outside the box, and as much as a battle for the opener, it felt like it was a battle for momentum – Rayo trying to up the tempo, Elche doing their best to slow it.

For the first time in the second half, Rayo had managed to have a consistent spell doing so, and with 15 minutes to go, finally made Elche pay. Simple in its construction, substitute Randy Nteka simply read a Garcia cross from the left bettter than his marker, and nipped in to prod home at the near post before Dituro could react. Something of an inspired change from Inigo Perez, the Angolan was on the scoresheet for the first time in 15 months.

Making three changes, Sarabia’s side never truly looked like they had the resolve to mount a comeback in the final 15 minutes. Not entirely familiar with the direct game, if anything Rayo enjoyed finally having some space to stretch into when they did get the ball.

The victory moves Rayo seven points clear of the drop into 12th, as they prepare for their Conference League quarter-final on Thursday. A solid if somewhat clunky showing was enough to squeeze Elche out of the game once down to ten.

Elche will nervously hope that Real Madrid can ensure RCD Mallorca do not eliminate their one-point advantage from the drop zone. After a vital win over Los Bermellones last time out, it’s back to the drawing board before Valencia next week. There was little to reproach about their effort and performance, but at this stage of the season, to take little from the performance is disappointing, to take no points from the game is to endure a week of worry.

Mikel Arteta pointed to the number of players Arsenal have had injured on national team duty, when asked about the criticism towards him and the club for the number of players who pulled out of their national squads during the recent international break.

Gabriel, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Piero Hincapie, Martin Zubimendi and William Saliba were among those to withdraw from their respective national team squads either before or during their camps.

“I think it’s part of the narrative, but I understand that,” Arteta said when asked about the criticism towards the number of players who pulled out of national team squads.

“I hope it’s been the same when we had a lot of players from the national team injured in the past.The same emphasis, because then it’s a fair comment, so it’s fine. 

“Let’s see who is available and not tomorrow, and maybe we have to change the narrative.”

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Asked if he considers his players’ national team hopes and the World Cup in his own team selections as the tournament approaches, Arteta responded: “Everything is in consideration. 

“I think we need to commit to the moment, and the moment here is Arsenal and the moment they are with the national team is the national team.

“Something that happens in between, you cannot be thinking about that because your duty, your obligation is to perform in wherever you are in that moment and that’s what we expect from all the players.”

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Arsenal is still hurting from losing the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City just before the international break and must use that experience to drive success in other competitions, according to Mikel Arteta.

Before that final at Wembley, Arsenal were aiming for a quadruple this season, and Arteta worked diligently to ensure the team was fully prepared for the occasion. However, Arsenal failed to convert their first-half dominance into goals, and when City improved after the interval, they scored and secured the trophy.

The Gunners were given a harsh lesson in that match, and they will be seeking to learn from it to avoid repeating the same mistakes in other competitions. Arteta is now preparing his team for an FA Cup fixture this weekend and has outlined how he wants them to respond to the disappointment at Wembley.

Learning from Setbacks

Arteta said, as quoted by the Irish News:

“When you didn’t manage to win that final, what you have to take on board is: ‘Okay, how is this going to make us stronger for the final push of the season?’ That has been the mindset and the only work that we have done in the last few days, to use that as fuel, as tools, to be able to get the final push that we want and achieve what we want. And immediately, I could sense that (from the players). Ideally you play again the next day and when you have an international break, it is not exactly what you want. But you have to use it in the right way.”

This demonstrates Arteta’s focus on turning setbacks into motivation and ensuring his squad maintains the mental resilience needed for a successful campaign.

Preparing for the Final Push

Every Arsenal fan and player was affected by the Carabao Cup defeat, and the club is now determined to approach the remaining fixtures with renewed intensity. Learning from past mistakes, the team aims to maximise their chances of winning the FA Cup and other trophies, keeping their treble ambitions alive.

Arsenal’s response in the coming weeks will be crucial. By using disappointment as a source of motivation, Arteta expects his team to strengthen their performances, maintain consistency, and ultimately challenge for every title still available this season.

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More Stories / Latest News

Tottenham joins Arsenal in the race for Serie A star

3 April 2026, 23:00

Arsenal must use cup final loss to fuel their push for treble

3 April 2026, 22:00

“It’s just a reflection” Arteta reacts to being named Manager of the Month

3 April 2026, 21:00

Arsenal is interested in a move for AS Roma star Wesley Franca, and the Brazilian has also been linked with a switch to Tottenham. The defender only arrived in Italy a few months ago, yet he is already demonstrating his quality and suggesting that he could thrive at a bigger club.

Arsenal has reportedly been monitoring his progress for some time, and their interest in securing his signature appears to be growing. The club may consider making a formal approach at the end of the season, particularly if there are changes within their current defensive options.

Transfer Interest Develops

Ben White remains a reliable full-back, but Arsenal could decide to part ways with him should a suitable offer be received. In that scenario, Wesley is viewed as one of the players capable of filling the gap, as reported by Football365. The Gunners are understood to be assessing potential reinforcements carefully, and the Brazilian’s performances in Serie A have not gone unnoticed.

Wesley has adapted quickly to Italian football, delivering consistent displays that underline his potential. His ability to perform at a high level so soon after his move has strengthened the case for clubs seeking to invest in emerging talent. Arsenal, in particular, would be eager to add a player with his profile to their squad as they continue to build for sustained success.

Competition from Tottenham

Tottenham’s reported interest introduces an additional layer of competition for his signature. However, their current situation could play a decisive role in shaping the outcome. With the club facing relegation concerns, their ability to attract top talent may be significantly affected if they fail to retain their top-flight status.

From Wesley’s perspective, a move to the Emirates could be appealing, given the opportunity to join one of Europe’s leading clubs and compete at the highest level. Arsenal’s stability and ambition may provide them with an advantage in any potential transfer battle.

As the season progresses, the situation will become clearer. Arsenal’s recruitment plans, combined with Tottenham’s circumstances, will ultimately determine whether Wesley makes a move and where his future lies.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENT

So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….

You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.

CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…

More Stories / Latest News

Tottenham joins Arsenal in the race for Serie A star

3 April 2026, 23:00

Arsenal must use cup final loss to fuel their push for treble

3 April 2026, 22:00

“It’s just a reflection” Arteta reacts to being named Manager of the Month

3 April 2026, 21:00

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he thinks Rodri will stay at the club but did admit “not one player would turn down Real Madrid”.

The Ballon D’Or-winning midfielder made comments over the international break sparking speculation that he could be on the move to the Spanish capital.

Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez made comments of a similar nature and has since been sanctioned by his club. Liam Rosenior revealed that Chelsea have suspended their Argentine midfielder for the next two matches.

“No, no, what Chelsea has done is Chelsea,” Guardiola responded on whether City would take similar action. “So there is not one player I would think that would turn down the chance to play for Real Madrid. And I understand completely, he was born in Spain, so.

“Always my wish is that Rodri could stay long, as long as possible in this club because he’s an incredible player, a top player. But life for everyone is different.

“So I know he has proved for many, many years how attached and how close he is in this club. His contribution in this club has been massive. 

“Now I had the feeling that the last one or two games, he’s really, really back for a long, long period and this is all I’m concerned with.”

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The Catalan continued: “I know what the club wants, yeah. They informed me what they want for Rodri. It’s a stay, a stay and a stay.”

On whether he believes the midfielder will stay, he added: “I think so. I am always positive with that, but in the end, I don’t know.”

Asked if he would allow Rodri to depart the Etihad if that was his wish, Guardiola answered: “Absolutely, absolutely. The organisation of the club is above all of us. And if one player is not happy, they have to leave. 

“I think he’s happy and hopefully he can be happy. But if he’s not happy, he just has to knock the door. The sporting director will accept an offer according to his incredible, incredible quality and after that, it belongs to the club and himself.”

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Lazio head coach Maurizio Sarri is expected to make two mandatory changes to his starting lineup against Parma, as Patric and Mario Gila are unlikely to make it.

Patric Out, Danilo Cataldi In

Patric has been operating as a makeshift deep-lying playmaker with Nicolo Rovella and Danilo Cataldi out of the action, and has managed to put on convincing displays in this unusual role. However, the defender picked up a knock in training earlier this week, so he won’t be available for the contest.

The 32-year-old has been enduring rough times with injuries over the past few years, and it remains to be seen for how long he’ll be out of action this time.

According to La Lazio Siamo Noi, Cataldi has made a timely recovery, so he’ll reclaim his starting spot at the heart of the lineup, playing as a Regista between Kenneth Taylor and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru. Toma Basic is hoping to finally overcome his two-month injury ordeal and return to the squad, but he won’t be fit enough for a starting role either way.

Mario Gila Highly Doubftul for Lazio vs Parma

Moreover, Gila is also expected to miss out, as he’s still struggling with the knee inflammation that forced him to leave the pitch in the first half against Bologna before the international break. Oliver Provstgaard will thus complete the backline, joining Alessio Romagnoli, Adam Marusic, and Nuno Tavares.

Luca Pellegrini is also doubtful for the contest, while Mattia Zaccagni, Rovella, and Ivan Provedel remain long-term absentees.

Lazio Attacking Trio Intact

Finally, Daniel Maldini is expected to lead the line once more, flanked by Gustav Isaksen and Pedro, so Boulaye Dia, Tijjani Noslin, and Matteo Cancellieri will all start on the bench.

Lazio Probable XI (4-3-3):Motta; Marusic, Romagnoli, Provstgaard, Nuno Tavares; Dele-Bashiru, Cataldi, Taylor; Isaksen, Maldini, Pedro

Three weeks have passed since the UW Men’s Basketball team lost a tight contest to Wisconsin to bow out of the Big 10 Conference Tournament. The Dawgs finished 16-17, a disappointing record given the NCAA Tournament aspirations the team had to start the year. There were green shoots, including Hannes Steinbach’s brilliant year and a respectable KenPom net rating that was 52nd best in the country. But with Steinbach destined for the pros, the Dawgs were destined for an off-season with more turnover. Optimistically, one could point to a settled backcourt with Zoom Diallo, Wesley Yates, and JJ Mandaquit. Roster building lessons from the last two years might help build a more balanced roster. Instead, Mandaquit and Diallo have already jumped into the transfer portal and the Dawgs are back at square one. What comes next for the program? Our staff discussed it, and we had a lot to say:

Kirk DeGrasse: It’s too early to say what the roster looks like for next season (and in general under Sprinkle), but it does seem like the general idea of trying to build a “talented” roster and hope it’s enough isn’t going to work at the UW in this new college sports environment. Doesn’t seem like we can land enough talent, and/or Sprinkle isn’t a good enough coach to get the most out of what he has.

It may be that for UW MBB to have any chance of getting good, they have to approach it like a mid-major: find a coach with a clear, proven system that doesn’t require the most talented players, but mid-tier players that fit the system that can be developed and (hopefully) retained through a B1G budget. The Bennetts didn’t require the most talented players to succeed at Wisky and WSU, they had a clear system that worked. Would it still work in today’s free agency market? I don’t know, maybe not. The optimist in me says if that coach found success in years 2 & 3, there would be enough enthusiasm & money around the program to fund NIL enough to retain most of those players. And to be clear, I’m not necessarily advocating for the Bennett system, but using them as a template of a kind of approach that can and does build winners at smaller programs. UW is now clearly a smaller program given just how good the B1G is in MBB, and if Sprinkle fails, it may be time to adopt that mindset with the next coach.

Andrew Berg: Honestly, it seemed like that’s what we were trying to do with Sprinkle.

Raymond Lucas Jr.: They better get it together quickly. The NBA is coming back soon, WNBA grows every year, the Seahawks look here to stay, the Mariners are stepping into what could be their best era and the Kraken… I don’t watch hockey so not sure. And of course Husky football.

Most D1 programs don’t have to compete with local pro sports so there’s already a disadvantage as far as generating/sustaining interest goes. Husky hoops could get lost in the shuffle within the next two years.

Of course, Romar was able to succeed while the Sonics were in town, but the program didn’t have to compete with local sports teams to fund the roster because the NCAA was still in it’s exploitation era

Luke Kemper: I can see how this story ends already. Extreme roster turnover with no star power coming in, another disappointing season where we miss the tournament and Sprinkle gets fired.

Aaron Sieverkropp: Besides the fat that they can’t win, it seems like players aren’t happy to stick around and play for him. The turnover isn’t helped by NIL but it’s a massive red flag, on top of Sprinkle’s record.

Kirk: I don’t know if it’s so much a red flag on Sprinkle as it is the reality of the professionalization of CBB. Zoom is a fringe NBA prospect, so if he can move to Arizona or UNC and double his money, it’s hard to argue with that. That’s combined with the reality that NIL money for UW MBB is not what is previously was, probably in part from UW trying to follow the book with NIL.

Back in the mid-’80’s MBB was sinking quickly post-Harshman and WBB was on a rocket-rise under Gobrecht. There were seasons where I think WBB outdrew MBB. I wonder if we’re headed in that direction again.

I’m glad to see the Langley deal done. Being a consistent NCAA Tourney team (which I think is entirely realistic) is a pretty good baseline for a while.

Andrew: I’m not a Sprinkle doomer, but hard to feel any way other than “waiting for the buyout to drop” at this point. The one reason for optimism was the idea that we had a decent returning core and he could have learned about the roster construction from his previous mistakes to selectively fill in the gaps with spacing wings.

Luke: Yes, Yates was hurt for stretches, but between the talent of him, Zoom, and Steinbach alone that should at least get you a winning record. I think most teams with that comparable level of talent would at least push to make the tournament.

Max Vrooman: Those three only played 36% of the minutes together for the season. So we were good for that third and then meh much of the rest of the time.

Aaron: Sprinkle is on very very thin ice- that buyout number is going to come into focus- so far it’s been about as bad as you can be. Not only are we losing but we are losing players. What’s the plan? Get 13 new transfers? Why does no one one to stick around?

Kirk: The buyout is a big problem, and it hits at a key issue with the program: funding. If someone is cutting a check to offset the buyout, that’s money that’s NOT going to paying a player. I suppose if there’s some ultra-wealthy whale that’s willing to pay to make Sprinkle go away AND pay for an upper-tier B1G roster, cool. But I’m skeptical such a unicorn exists.

The unfortunate reality is this program has been historically mediocre. There were some sustained bright spots under Harshman and a great first 9-10 years under Romar, but Romar lost his touch and Hopkins and Sprinkle (so far) haven’t been good enough to lift the program above its historical level.

I’m not saying the program is doomed, but there’s a lot working against success here. There’s not a particularly rich history to point to for recruits (the Romar glory years were before they were born), and there’s not a well-established fan base and booster support level on a par with the stronger B1G programs we compete against. The local talent pipeline isn’t nearly what it was when Romar was flying high. And of course the new free agency college model exacerbates the problem. Sprinkle did well to get financial investment in the team, but if that source is disillusioned with the return on investment, there’s not much left to pick up the slack.

I mentioned it a earlier, but if Sprinkle gets the axe in the next couple of years, Chun (or whoever the AD is at that point) probably needs to think of UW MBB like it was a mid-major and find a coach with a well-defined and successful system that can take lower-rated guys that fit the system and make a team that’s greater than the sum of its parts. I was hoping Sprinkle was that guy, but it seems like he benefitted from landing a gem in Osobor and then keeping the good times going in his one year at a strong G6 program. The template would be something like a Dick Bennett. If it’s someone doing it on the west coast with PNW ties, even better.

Aaron: I get the NIL kids chasing money, but we haven’t retained anyone other than Zoom and Frank last year. I get getting some bigger top end guys but you need to have kids stay around for 2-3 years. Why we haven’t tried to get any of the local 3 star guys and develop them is beyond me.