Sep 27, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates after clinching a wild card playoff birth after a game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Royals had made moves to contend in 2014, but still, their postseason run had a “we’re just happy to be here” feel, where every day the team was playing with house money. They parlayed that attitude into a pennant, falling just short of winning one of the most improbable championships in modern baseball history.
The 2024 Royals had a more improbable postseason appearance, after improving by 30 wins that season. They had a remarkable sweep over the Orioles in the Wild Card round, but the clock struck midnight in the ALDS against the Yankees. Still, most everyone saw it as an extraordinarily successful season after losing 106 games the year before.
But expectations change, and the definition of “success” changes with it. The Royals have established they are no longer a cellar-dwelling team, but can they go from being in baseball’s middle class to reaching the penthouse?
The Carolina Hurricanes have signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year, $5.7 million contract extension the team announced on Monday.
Bussi, 27, was claimed off of waivers by the team before the start of the season and has quickly evolved into one of the best stories in the entire league.
The New York native has had a tremendous start to his NHL career, with a 23-3-1 record, 0.908 save percentage, two shutouts and has shattered multiple records along the way.
“Before we brought him to Raleigh, Brandon had been successful at every level from the USHL to college to the AHL," said Carolina GM Eric Tulsky in a press release. “Given the opportunity at the NHL level this season, he’s proven to be a winner here too. We are thrilled that he will continue to provide a steady presence in the crease for this team into the future.”
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If you heard a collective sigh of relief, it came from the Friar Faithful this morning.
San Diego Union-Tribune writer Kevin Acee reported (subscription required) the San Diego Padres and President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller have agreed on a multi-year contract extension.
The agreement ends the speculation of Preller’s potential departure that surfaced this winter. His previous deal would have expired at the conclusion of the 2026 season.
In an official team statement, Padres chairman John Seidler praised Preller for his commitment to winning and positioning the franchise for sustained success.
The Friars are coming off consecutive 90-plus win seasons, as the club has reached the postseason four out of the last six seasons (2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025). Plus, the team set a new attendance record at Petco Park with over 3.4 million fans last season.
Preller is affectionately known as the “Rockstar GM” by the Friar Faithful for his ability to make numerous player moves in a rapid-fire manner.
His first offseason saw Preller orchestrate 10 trades before the start of the 2015 season. He showed the willingness to trade top prospects for talent who can make an immediate impact on the field.
At the 2020 trade deadline, he completed six trades in less than 72 hours. Preller overhauled the roster, shedding 16 players while landing 10 new additions in return. The trades ignited the Friars to make their first postseason appearance in his tenure.
Hired by the Padres in August of 2014, Preller is now the second-longest tenured baseball executive in the majors, trailing only Brian Cashman of the New York Yankees.
No terms of the contract extension were announced.
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a three-point shot against the Detroit Pistons in the second half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on January 30, 2026 in San Francisco. Getty Images
And that’s just the beginning.
After narrowly defeating Devin Booker and Kon Knueppel in the finals with a score of 29 — Booker had 27 and Knueppel finished with 17 — Lillard shared a screenshot of his Instagram conversation Curry regarding next season’s competition.
“Next year…. Me, you, klay, book, and 4 more real shooters…” Lillard wrote.
“Yessir I’m in. Know Klay will do if I ask and book will be at home. Perfect setup,” was Curry’s response.
If the two stars have their way, they’ll be joined by Klay Thompson and Booker for next season’s competition.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard competes in the three point contest during the 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Talk about star-studded.
Curry is the NBA’s all-time three-point leader with 4,233 made shots from behind the arc in his career. He revolutionized the game, forcing opponents to defend him once he crossed half court due to his shooting prowess. He holds five of the top six seasons for most threes made in a season, including an NBA record 402 (only player in league history to make 400+) in 2015-16.
If Curry is the “Batman of shooting,” then Thompson is Robin.
Teammates with the Warriors for 13 seasons from 2011-2024, the duo had been labeled as the best shooting backcourt in NBA history for their legendary run of four titles in eight seasons and rewriting the record books when it came to shooting from deep.
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in Dallas. AP
Curry, Thompson (No. 4 – 2,837) and Lillard (No. 5 – 2,804) make three of the top five players on the NBA’s all-time three-point makes list. Cavaliers guard James Harden is No. 2 on the list with 3,318.
Phoenix is scheduled to host the 2027 NBA All-Star Game, which would make Booker’s inclusion in the event a near certainty pending health. It’s unknown about Thompson, but considering the relationship between he and Curry, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them share the court one more time.
Time will tell if all four of them compete — and including James Harden in that group (No. 2 all-time in made threes) — but if they were, it’s a competition nobody will want to miss.
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Jabari Walker should return to action soon — and on a new contract.
The Sixers intend to sign Walker to a two-year deal, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday night.
The 23-year-old power forward’s status had been in limbo because he’d reached the two-way contract limit of being active for 50 NBA games. He’d been inactive for the Sixers’ last four before the All-Star break.
Both Walker and Dominick Barlow started the season on two-way deals and earned standard NBA contracts. Walker’s appeared in 45 games and averaged 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per contest. Though he’s flashed outside shooting ability, Walker’s numbers are subpar on that front (27.0 percent beyond the arc). However, he’s been up for any task, rebounded at an excellent rate and ultimately proven to the Sixers that he merits more than a two-way contract.
“Just the idea and the plan I have for myself, I didn’t see two-way at all,” Walker said at his introductory press conference in July. “I didn’t think that would be a position I was in, but the market and just feedback, it doesn’t lie. So whether that’s things I need to be doing better or whether that’s just the situation, it all led to me being here.
“I’m just grateful for this moment because a lot of people don’t even have this. I’m friends with former teammates that aren’t even in the league anymore. Talking to them, they’re like, ‘Man, take advantage of what you have in front of you.’ So yes, the goal is the (standard) contract, but just me being here and being part of a team that wants to win, playing with all these great guys, I’m just grateful.”
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets owner Steve Cohen likes the vibe in a revamped clubhouse, and says he'll never have a captain in charge of that scene.
“As long as I’m owning the team, there will never be a team captain,” Cohen said in his first meeting with reporters at spring training Monday. “That was my decision. My view is the locker room is unique. And let the locker room sort it out, year in, year out.”
New York said goodbye to popular slugger Pete Alonso, star closer Edwin Díaz and two other Mets stalwarts before Christmas, but added free agent Bo Bichette and traded for All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta.
The Mets are going into their third season with manager Carlos Mendoza after they missed the playoffs following a run to the 2024 NL championship series.
“I just was in that locker room and in the meeting and I sense an energy that really is exciting,” Cohen said on the day of the team's first full-squad workout. “These are new faces, fresh faces that I think our fans are really going to enjoy watch playing. It’s different. And I think we’ll play a different type of baseball, and I think that’s great.”
The rival Yankees had Derek Jeter, known simply as the “the captain,” for all 20 of the Hall of Famer's seasons. Becoming an owner in the same city won't sway Cohen, whose view might also keep the Mets from having a tricky choice between two of their biggest stars, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto.
“Just my own views on how I want a locker room to be,” Cohen said. “My view is every year the team’s different and let the team kind of figure it out in the locker room rather than having a designation. Having a captain in baseball doesn’t happen often. It’s actually unusual.”
40 years and counting
The Mets have alternated between making and missing the playoffs during Cohen's tenure. New York made the playoffs in 2022, then missed in 2023 with an underperforming group that led to the unloading of star pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the trade deadline.
Disappointment returned last season after the Mets lost in six games to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 NLCS. New York's most recent World Series title came in 1986.
“About not winning? Yeah, I’m annoyed,” Cohen said. “I’m absolutely annoyed. Every year that goes by, I get frustrated. I’m really committed to this team. I know how much the fans care. I know we’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of 1986, and that’s just too long.”
Looming labor situation
Asked about the big-spending Dodgers, Cohen said he had no problem with their approach, while drawing laughter from reporters by saying the billionaire hedge-fund manager could spend big, too.
Cohen also didn't sound opposed to a salary cap, which figures to be the primary point of contention during collective bargaining talks that could jeopardize the 2027 season.
“Obviously, I’m listening to all the arguments,” Cohen said. “But I’ve always been a league-first owner. So I’m listening to all the sides and I haven’t made up my mind yet. We’ll see where it goes. Sometimes I put the league’s interests above my own interests.”
Tuckered out
Although the Mets pivoted with the signing of Bichette and the trade for Peralta, they thought they were going to land the biggest prize in free agency before four-time All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker signed with those free-spending Dodgers.
“I’m competitive,” Cohen said. “When you’re actually making a bid and you decide you want that player, you don’t want to lose, like anything else. And then you get over it, and then you move on. It’s sort of like in my business. I have a bad trading day, all right, I move on to the next day, and then the next day's better.”
More investment
The Mets are set to break ground on a player development complex at their spring training home in Port St. Lucie. The 55,000-square-foot facility will include locker space, a training room, therapy pools and a dining facility.
Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka scored the first century of the 2026 T20 World Cup on Tuesday morning AEDT to put his side into the Super Eights and leave Australia on the brink of elimination.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game was the most-viewed contest in 15 years.
The game, which was aired on NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, averaged 8.8 million viewers, NBC said in a press release Monday. It was the largest audience for the midseason event since 2011.
Viewership peaked at 9.8 million views from 7-7:15 p.m. ET as the Team USA Stars beat Team World in Los Angeles, Calif., at the Los Angeles Clippers‘ new Intuit Dome.
This year’s edition featured the highly anticipated U.S. vs. World format, which saw two U.S. teams and one world squad compete in a four-game round-robin tournament. The Stars, led by eventual MVP Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, won the tournament.
The game also topped last year’s viewership by 87%. It was the first NBA All-Star Game on NBC since 2002.
The path to the big leagues hasn't changed for Yankees top prospect Spencer Jones -- he's entered another spring training blocked by a group of veteran outfielders recognized as everyday starters.
But the slim chance of reaching the majors once camp breaks isn't lost on the 24-year-old slugger.
In spite of the obstacles in his way, Jones realizes the opportunity to wear pinstripes in 2026 also rides upon clear progression, wherever his season begins.
"The biggest focus for me this spring is to focus on the little things I do well," he said Monday in Tampa. "Between hitting the ball, playing good defense, and stealing bases, I'm just going to try to be the best athlete I can be every day."
Jones' stock has fluctuated in recent years, largely due to alarming swing-and-miss habits. He struck out 37 percent of the time across 122 games with Double-A Somerset in 2024, and the contact troubles caused his external value to plummet.
But the 6-foot-7, 240-pound lefty discovered new power in a breakout 2025 campaign, leading all of MiLB in home runs (35) between stints with Double-A and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Overall, he slashed .274/.362/.571 with 80 RBI and an OPS of .932.
Jones credited swing alterations to the boost in his production, and he spent the entire offseason refining his plate approach even further. He believes the changes in the batter's box will "pay off."
"The plan is to stick with [the adjustments] the whole season," Jones said. "I feel like I'm progressing well. I know the organization values me and I've had success. It's only a matter of time... I'm very confident. I'm very excited for this coming year and to show people what I can do."
While the Yankees were reluctant to move Jones as a trade chip last summer, it's unclear when -- or if -- he'll make his MLB debut with the club.
The odds of Jones or Jasson Dominguez battling for the Opening Day job in left field took a huge hit when the Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger, and manager Aaron Boone addressed that topic just a few weeks ago.
"The reality is that [the outlook] does change," Boone said. "We got Cody right back in the center of the mix and [Trent Grisham] back. That maybe complicates some things for [Jones and Dominguez], but we also know what potentially outstanding players they are going to be in this league."
Entering his age-25 season, Jones fell short of appearing on MLB Pipeline and Baseball America's preseason Top 100 Prospects lists for 2026.
Kendrick Perkins if the NBA is ready for life after LeBron James:
“Is the NBA ready for life after LeBron? Hell no. Hell no. They’re not…. We come on television every damn day and if LeBron James played the night before, we gonna talk about LeBron James the next day”
“Is the NBA ready for life without LeBron?” Perkins asked. “Hell no. Hell no.”
The former NBA champ explained for over two minutes on ESPN’s morning show that the league will suffer for a multitude of reasons if James calls it quits after this season.
LeBron James consistently drew the loudest cheers at during Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game. NBAE via Getty Images
“When you just go and look at his social media following, we’re talking about over 200-million-plus followers,” Perkins said. “Name me another athlete that’s coming close — or another basketball player, should I say — that’s coming close to that. We can’t.
“When you talk about packing out arenas on the road, LeBron James does that in every arena that they pull up in that’s not in [LA’s] Crypto.com. He’s been doing that for the last two-plus decades.”
Perkins also said James helps lift jersey and sneaker sales, and with a squeaky-clean off-court résumé, he’s a great role model, too.
James, who is 41 years old, is currently in the final year of his Lakers contract. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“Do a lot of these guys, like a Victor Wembanyama or Anthony Edwards — do they have potential?” Perkins asked. “Absolutely. But let’s not sit up here and take for granted at all what this man has been through and what he has done.
“Hell, we come on television every damn day, and if LeBron James played the night before, damn it, we going to talk about LeBron James the next day.”
James has been in the NBA since 2003, and despite now being 41 years old, he’s still playing at an elite level, averaging 22 points per contest.
But speculation that he might retire this year has grown louder than ever, particularly after he wouldn’t commit to at least one more season while being peppered with questions about his future before Sunday’s All-Star Game at Intuit Dome in LA’s Inglewood.
Despite his advancing years, James is still averaging 22 points per game. NBAE via Getty Images
“When I know, you guys will know,” James said of his basketball plans beyond 2026. “I don’t know. I have no idea.
“I just want to live, that’s all,” he added
James is currently in the final year of his contract with the Lakers, and if the star athlete opts for retirement instead of re-upping with Los Angeles or playing elsewhere, it’s clear Perkins thinks the entire landscape of the NBA will be drastically altered.
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Feb 11, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1), forward Keldon Johnson (3), and guard De'Aaron Fox (4) celebrate as the clock expires against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
Welcome to Week in Review: a Monday feature that looks back at the week that was for the San Antonio Spurs, takes a look at the week ahead, and more. Enjoy!
Week 16: The Spurs avoided a series of trap games for their first undefeated week since December, beginning with an Oklahoma City Thunder team that was both injured and “load managing” on the second night of a back-to-back and had none of their top 7 players available, followed by an away/home mini-series against a depleted Mavs team that was waiting for trade assets to become available. In the first two games — against OKC and at Dallas — the Spurs were a little complacent but kept both teams at arm’s length the entire time before exploding at home in the second game against a more complete Mavs team, riding a historic 40-12-12 triple-double from Stephon Castle to a blowout victory.
In a scheduling quirk resulting from the NBA Cup Quarterfinals, the Spurs began their annual Rodeo Road Trip playing in the home of the Lakers for the third time this season. Again facing a depleted team, with Luka Doncic out with a hamstring injury and LeBron James and Austin Reaves load managing on the second night of a back-to-back, Victor Wembanyama left little doubt who was the best player on the floor, scoring a historic 25 points in the first 8 minutes of the game, 37 in the first half, and 40 overall before getting extended second-half rest in a rare wire-to-wire blowout victory.
AGAIN facing a depleted team, with Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler both out injured, the Spurs initially looked like a tired team on the second night of a back-to-back, out step defensively and getting down by as much as 16 in the the third quarter. However, in a familiar trend from recent weeks, they weathered the storm before flipping the switch in the final 18 minutes, ramping up their defensive intensity while attacking the Warriors down low on offense, making a surging comeback to win their sixth straight game and enter the All-Star break as the hottest team in the league.
All-Star Weekend moment: We can finally say it: the Spurs are ranked above a team they beat four times this season.
Mitch Johnson, coaching the veteran USA Stripes, delivered some of the week’s best pre-All-Star sound — openly wondering why San Antonio had only one All-Star despite strong results against star-laden opponents, and arguing that if De’Aaron Fox or Stephon Castle weren’t All-Stars, Victor Wembanyama should be leading the MVP race.
Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are all still on their rookie contracts, and the team has a real chance to finish second in the loaded West.
So, this aim for the team may seem a little nitpicky.
But if Castle (28.8 percent from three this season) and Harper (25.2 percent) enter the playoffs shooting like they are right now, defenses are going to completely ignore them and make life a lot more difficult for every Spur sharing the floor with them.
There isn’t enough time for either to fix their outside shots between now and the postseason, but giving them plenty of opportunities to try should be a priority. Opposing defenses are going to give them opportunities to hit big shots. They’ll at least need the confidence to hit them.
Coming up: Thurs. 2/19 vs. Phoenix Suns* (32-23); Sat. 2/21 vs. Sacramento Kings* (12-44)
* at the Moody Center in Austin
Prediction: 2-0 — For once, the Spurs were able to align their two games in Austin with the Rodeo Road Trip to give them a bit of respite from traveling (although a five-game road trip still awaits afterwards). They’ll be relatively fresh and motivated after a big showing at All-Star weekend, where they were well represented but left wanting coming up short in nearly every event (outside of Carter Bryant in the Rising Stars Challenge). First is a rematch with a Suns team (and possible future playoff opponent) that had their number early in the season but will be missing Dillon Brooks, who will be suspended for receiving his 16th technical of the season. (It’s a little early for that, don’t you think?!) Next will be a directionless Kings team that may have a motivated DeMar DeRozan, who tends to show out against his former teams but otherwise won’t have enough if the Spurs show up.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — There is no grudge, no animosity, no hard feelings.
All Xavier Booker has to do to make sure is check his phone.
That’s where he’ll find friendly text messages from Michigan State’s Coach Tom Izzo. Some light scrolling will reveal congratulatory messages from other Michigan State Spartans staffers after the big man put together the best game of his college career earlier this month.
UCLA forward Xavier Booker during the NCAA college basketball game against Oregon, Dec 2025, in Los Angeles. AP
That he did it for the UCLA Bruins didn’t bother anyone.
Everybody understood that it was time for a new position and a new school after Booker’s two underwhelming seasons as a Spartan.
“Most nights, you are going to play somebody who is just as strong as you or stronger,” said UCLA’s Booker. Getty Images
“It was definitely a little sad,” Booker told the California Post of his departure. “But we kind of all knew what it was and we all came to an agreement.”
Booker will return to the Breslin Center on Tuesday night as a different player, the changes going well beyond a blue-and-gold uniform.
He’s playing center now, starting for the Bruins. That means there’s less lingering on the perimeter and considerably more manning the middle, fighting for rebounds and serving as the last line of defense. Booker still has permission to shoot 3s, his 41.5% accuracy from long-range ranking as the fourth-best percentage on the team.
It hasn’t been the easiest of transitions, with the converted power forward sometimes struggling to hold his own at a wiry 6 feet 11 and 250 pounds.
“Most nights, you are going to play somebody who is just as strong as you or stronger,” said Booker, who is on the way to setting career highs across the board with averages of 7.2 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game. “It’s definitely been an adjustment, but I have been getting better every day.”
A reminder of his unique talent came when he made all four 3-pointers and 10 of 11 shots against Rutgers, dominating from beyond and inside the arc. His best moments are when he’s super active, using his elite athleticism and 7-foot-5-inch wingspan to protect the rim and snag rebounds.
Bruins head coach Mick Cronin during the game against the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor, Feb. 14. Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
So how has Booker gone about increasing his?
“He’s got a little bald guy chasing him up and down the court in practice,” Cronin cracked, referring to himself, “and I try to tell him every day, ‘You’ll decide your fate in basketball.’”
His future seemed more assured a few years ago, when Booker arrived as the highest-rated high school prospect of Izzo’s three decades at Michigan State. Growing up, he had spent more time on the wing than under the basket before a massive growth spurt in high school.
Even with an almost mythical combination of size and skill, Booker never found a rhythm as a Spartan. On a roster stocked with centers, he mostly played power forward. As a sophomore, he went from starting the first three games to out of the rotation during the team’s final three games in the NCAA tournament.
A departure seemed inevitable.
“We had meetings about it and an almost tearful departure, if you want the truth,” Izzo said at Big Ten media day. “But I just didn’t get his motor going like I needed to.”
Cronin pitched Booker on moving to center as part of a career reboot. The thinking was that this was his most likely path to a spot on an NBA roster. What sparked the idea was Cronin watching Booker produce 12 points and seven rebounds while playing the five during a victory over North Carolina early last season.
“He said the UNC game,” Booker said, “was all he needed to see.”
Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg drives to the basket against Booker in Ann Arbor, Mich., Feb. 14. AP
Many wondered how Cronin could unlock a better version of Booker, given the coach’s similarities to Izzo in terms of a snarling demeanor and prioritization of defense.
The concerns have proven valid, Booker nearly falling out of the rotation last month. But Booker said UCLA’s coaching staff has continued to back him, even before a revitalizing nine-point, four-rebound, three-block performance during an upset of then-No. 4 Purdue.
“The coaches, they all still instill a lot of faith and they believe in me, so they’re on me every day and I just take it, I don’t ever take anything the wrong way,” Booker said. “I just take everything they say with a positive outlook and just try to get better.”
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Motivation won’t be an issue against the Spartans, even if there figures to be plenty of handshakes and hugs. Booker said he still talks to guard Jeremy Fears Jr., his former roommate, nearly every week.
“Definitely going to reconnect with some of the guys there probably before the game or after,” Booker said. “But the main thing is just coming out of there with a win, that’s what I want most.”
Of course, his old pals want the same thing. This could be one day when his phone doesn’t buzz with pleasantries from his former coach.
“I told him I’ll pull hard for him,” Izzo said, “all but one game a year.”
Michigan (24-1) took over the top spot in the poll on Monday, Feb. 16, and has won 10 consecutive games since dropping its only game this season against Wisconsin on Jan. 10. Nine of its wins during the win streak have been by double digits, outside of its 75-72 win over No. 9 Nebraska.
Arizona not only fell out of the No. 1 ranking, but fell behind Michigan, No. 3 Houston and No. 4 Duke after its back-to-back-losses. Elsewhere, Purdue jumped five spots to No. 7 in the update, ahead of the Boilermakers' top 10 showdown against No. 1 Michigan on Feb. 17.
Here's a look at the updated men's college basketball USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll for Feb. 16:
FORT MYERS, FL- MARCH 16: A detail view of the jersey of Bailey Ober #17 of the Minnesota Twins prior to a spring training game against the Boston Red Sox on March 16, 2025 at the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Pitchers and catchers have reported, optimism is in the air, and the first spring training game is this Saturday! Baseball is upon us, and in less than two months, it’ll be Opening Day, and we can enjoy cheap drinks, courtesy of the Twins. All is well in Twins Territory. (besides…y’know, everything else surrounding the team).
The Past Week on Twinkie Town:
Check out The Feed, where you can add your discussions about the Twins!
We’re starting a new segment called Daily Questions! Provide your opinion on the Twins and debate with the community!
How can you not be romantic about Twinkie Town Movie Night? Many thanks to James Fillmore for organizing our Friday movie nights. We’ve got Back to the Future III coming up this week!
Arizona’s reign as the No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll is over for now. After five weeks at the top, the Wildcats took their first two losses of the season, losing their hold on the Big 12 lead as well.
Michigan reclaims the No. 1 ranking, the unanimous choice after the Wolverines extended their current winning streak to 10. Houston, now alone atop the Big 12, climbs to No. 2. Duke vaults to third as Arizona falls to No. 4. Connecticut continues to round out the top five.
It was a mixed week for Iowa State, which drops two positions to No. 6 but picked up a convincing bounce-back win against red-hot Kansas. Purdue leaps back into the top 10 at No. 7, a gain of five positions. Gonzaga, Nebraska and Illinois round out the top 10.
Kansas slips to No. 12 behind Florida, whose late charge continues with another three-spot gain. Texas Tech also moves up three places to No. 13 after beating Arizona on the road.
Virginia checks in a slot higher at No. 14, but a couple other ranked ACC squads weren’t as fortunate as North Carolina tumbles seven places to No. 20 and Clemson takes a six-position fall to No. 24.
Wisconsin, nudges into the poll at No. 25, replacing fellow Big Ten member Iowa.
