Oklahoma City Thunder (46-15, first in the Western Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (21-38, 12th in the Western Conference)
Dallas; Sunday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City visits the Dallas Mavericks after the Thunder took down the Denver Nuggets 127-121 in overtime.
The Mavericks are 11-28 in conference matchups. Dallas gives up 118.0 points and has been outscored by 3.6 points per game.
The Thunder have gone 33-9 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City is second in the Western Conference scoring 119.5 points per game and is shooting 48.4%.
The Mavericks make 47.3% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.6 percentage points higher than the Thunder have allowed to their opponents (43.7%). The Thunder average 119.5 points per game, 1.5 more than the 118.0 the Mavericks give up.
The two teams square off for the third time this season. The Thunder defeated the Mavericks 132-111 in their last meeting on Dec. 6. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points, and Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 18 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Marshall is shooting 53.1% and averaging 15.4 points for the Mavericks. Max Christie is averaging 12.1 points over the last 10 games.
Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring 31.9 points per game with 4.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 14.7 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 44.8% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 2-8, averaging 115.7 points, 42.3 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 7.1 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 124.7 points per game.
Thunder: 6-4, averaging 114.5 points, 45.0 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 9.5 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.8 points.
INJURIES: Mavericks: Caleb Martin: day to day (back), Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Kyrie Irving: out for season (knee), Cooper Flagg: day to day (foot), P.J. Washington: day to day (ankle), Marvin Bagley III: day to day (neck), Klay Thompson: day to day (rest).
Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: out (abdomen), Branden Carlson: out (back), Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Memphis Grizzlies (22-36, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (15-45, 15th in the Eastern Conference)
Indianapolis; Sunday, 5 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana enters the matchup against Memphis as losers of five games in a row.
The Pacers have gone 10-21 in home games. Indiana has a 4-26 record in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Grizzlies are 10-19 on the road. Memphis is 11-16 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 14.7 turnovers per game.
The Pacers are shooting 45.0% from the field this season, 2.1 percentage points lower than the 47.1% the Grizzlies allow to opponents. The Grizzlies' 46.1% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.7 percentage points lower than the Pacers have given up to their opponents (48.8%).
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Grizzlies won 128-103 in the last matchup on Oct. 26.
TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists for the Pacers. Jarace Walker is averaging 14.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists over the past 10 games.
Cedric Coward is averaging 13.3 points and 6.2 rebounds for the Grizzlies. GG Jackson is averaging 16.9 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 2-8, averaging 115.3 points, 40.7 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 8.0 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 124.7 points per game.
Grizzlies: 3-7, averaging 118.1 points, 37.7 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 12.5 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.9 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: Pascal Siakam: day to day (wrist), Aaron Nesmith: out (ankle), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Ivica Zubac: out (ankle), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
Grizzlies: Taj Gibson: day to day (coach decision), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: out for season (finger), Ja Morant: out (elbow), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Ty Jerome: day to day (thigh), Cedric Coward: day to day (knee), Santi Aldama: day to day (knee), Brandon Clarke: out (calf).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Milwaukee Bucks (26-32, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (24-36, 12th in the Eastern Conference)
Chicago; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago hosts Milwaukee looking to break its eight-game home skid.
The Bulls are 3-10 against division opponents. Chicago is 9-5 in one-possession games.
The Bucks are 8-4 against the rest of their division. Milwaukee is 13-23 against opponents over .500.
The Bulls are shooting 46.9% from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points higher than the 46.6% the Bucks allow to opponents. The Bulls average 112.1 points per game, 8.4 fewer points than the 120.5 the Bulls allow to opponents.
The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Bucks won the last meeting 131-115 on Feb. 4, with Kyle Kuzma scoring 31 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Matas Buzelis is averaging 15.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Bulls. Isaac Okoro is averaging 10.4 points over the past 10 games.
Ryan Rollins is averaging 17.1 points, 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals for the Bucks. Kevin Porter Jr. is averaging 20.8 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 0-10, averaging 108.3 points, 40.5 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 9.0 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.0 points per game.
Bucks: 7-3, averaging 114.8 points, 42.3 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.5 points.
INJURIES: Bulls: Anfernee Simons: day to day (wrist), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Jaden Ivey: out (knee), Patrick Williams: day to day (quadriceps), Zach Collins: out for season (toe), Jalen Smith: day to day (calf).
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: day to day (calf), Taurean Prince: out (neck).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Philadelphia 76ers (33-26, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (39-20, second in the Eastern Conference)
Boston; Sunday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Philadelphia looks to keep its three-game win streak intact when the 76ers take on Boston.
The Celtics are 8-5 in division games. Boston scores 115.0 points and has outscored opponents by 7.5 points per game.
The 76ers are 8-6 against opponents from the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia has a 6-8 record in one-possession games.
The Celtics score 115.0 points per game, 0.9 fewer points than the 115.9 the 76ers give up. The 76ers average 12.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 fewer made shots on average than the 14.0 per game the Celtics allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The 76ers won 102-100 in the last matchup on Nov. 12.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jaylen Brown is averaging 29.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard is averaging 19.8 points and 5.8 assists over the last 10 games.
Joel Embiid is scoring 26.6 points per game and averaging 7.5 rebounds for the 76ers. Tyrese Maxey is averaging 28.5 points and 3.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 8-2, averaging 109.6 points, 49.8 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 6.3 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 99.9 points per game.
76ers: 5-5, averaging 115.6 points, 43.0 rebounds, 23.1 assists, 10.8 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.1 points.
INJURIES: Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (achilles).
76ers: Johni Broome: day to day (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (44-14, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (31-27, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Orlando, Florida; Sunday, 6 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Detroit visits Orlando trying to continue its five-game road winning streak.
The Magic have gone 19-18 against Eastern Conference opponents. Orlando is ninth in the Eastern Conference in rebounding with 43.4 rebounds. Paolo Banchero leads the Magic with 8.5 boards.
The Pistons are 29-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Detroit is second in the Eastern Conference giving up only 109.7 points while holding opponents to 44.1% shooting.
The Magic average 11.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 fewer makes per game than the Pistons allow (12.8). The Pistons average 11.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 fewer makes per game than the Magic allow.
The teams play for the third time this season. The Magic won the last matchup 112-109 on Nov. 29, with Desmond Bane scoring 37 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Banchero is averaging 21.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Magic. Bane is averaging 24.7 points and 1.7 steals over the last 10 games.
Ausar Thompson is scoring 10.3 points per game and averaging 5.9 rebounds for the Pistons. Cade Cunningham is averaging 26.1 points and 6.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 6-4, averaging 112.6 points, 41.6 rebounds, 26.5 assists, 10.4 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points per game.
Pistons: 8-2, averaging 118.3 points, 47.9 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 10.3 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Colin Castleton: out (thumb).
Pistons: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
San Antonio Spurs (43-16, second in the Western Conference) vs. New York Knicks (38-22, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio will look to keep its 11-game win streak alive when the Spurs take on New York.
The Knicks are 22-8 in home games. New York is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 27.1 assists per game led by Jalen Brunson averaging 6.1.
The Spurs are 22-10 on the road. San Antonio is fourth in the Western Conference scoring 118.5 points per game and is shooting 47.8%.
The 117.3 points per game the Knicks score are 5.6 more points than the Spurs give up (111.7). The Spurs score 7.0 more points per game (118.5) than the Knicks allow (111.5).
The two teams match up for the second time this season. The Spurs defeated the Knicks 134-132 in their last meeting on Jan. 1. Julian Champagnie led the Spurs with 36 points, and Brunson led the Knicks with 29 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brunson is averaging 26.7 points and 6.1 assists for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 18.3 points and 9.6 rebounds over the past 10 games.
Stephon Castle is shooting 46.7% and averaging 16.6 points for the Spurs. Devin Vassell is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 114.2 points, 42.8 rebounds, 28.0 assists, 7.5 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.8 points per game.
Spurs: 10-0, averaging 126.1 points, 48.1 rebounds, 32.1 assists, 8.6 steals and 7.2 blocks per game while shooting 50.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.1 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Miles McBride: out (ankle).
Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Mason Plumlee: day to day (reconditioning).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Briton overcame crippling self-doubt to become F1 world champion and is determined not to relinquish his crown
Lando Norris recalls being rendered speechless with joy when he was given his first contract with McLaren. Sitting in the cramped office of a paddock truck, the confirmation that he had made it to Formula One left him “very smiley for a long time”. Seven years on, he enters the new season having achieved his lifelong ambition of becoming world champion and is wearing an equally irrepressible grin as he sets about defending his title.
Claiming the championship after a monumental season-long tussle that went to a thrilling three-way fight at the finale in Abu Dhabi was the defining moment of the 26-year-old’s career and perhaps something of a turning point.
It’s been a breath of fresh air in Phillies camp. For the first time in several years, the big-league club is shaping up to include some youthful faces when late March rolls around.
Andrew Painter is expected to break camp as the fifth starter. Justin Crawford is slated to be the everyday center fielder. And the Phillies’ top prospect, Aidan Miller, could reach the bigs in 2026, but is dealing with lower back soreness, with no timetable for his return.
While all eyes are on the headliners, there are other names worth tracking as the Grapefruit League rolls on.
Dante Nori, OF
The Phillies’ first-round pick in 2024 hasn’t generated much buzz yet, but his tools are hard to ignore. For a 5-foot-9 frame, Nori carries a stout, physical build — FanGraphs has drawn comparisons to Milwaukee’s Sal Frelick — and he has elite speed, swiping 52 bases in 2025. His .733 OPS last season at Single-A Clearwater wasn’t eye-catching, but his plate discipline stands out. He posted a 19.3 percent swing-and-miss rate at A-ball per Prospect Savant, and across 537 professional at-bats, he has drawn 91 walks against just 99 strikeouts.
The 20-year-old finished the year at Double-A, tore up the Arizona Fall League and will represent Italy in the World Baseball Classic. He’s not a power threat, but if he stays gap-to-gap and builds on his contact approach, the havoc he can cause at the top of a lineup is there. Nori scorched a double Thursday for his first extra-base hit of the spring.
Keaton Anthony, INF
Anthony has been a hit-machine in the minors, and he’s done it using the entire field. Last season between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, 40.2 percent of his batted balls went the other way. He posted a .402 batting average on balls in play, making him one of just 16 qualifiers out of 1,079 batters (minimum of 300 plate appearances) to eclipse that mark.
The undrafted Indiana native — a similar overlooked path to Otto Kemp — has slashed .324/.402/.467 across 738 career at-bats. He’s not a power hitter by trade, with just 16 professional home runs, but he tallied 31 doubles in 82 games in 2025, which suggests the raw power is there. His chase rate will be something to monitor as he enters his fourth year in the organization and faces more advanced pitching.
Felix Reyes, 1B/OF
Like Anthony, all Reyes did last season was hit. The 6-foot-4 corner bat slashed .331 in 2025, a jump of nearly 100 points from the year prior, with his slugging climbing 200 points. He struck out just 66 times on the year, making him one of six hitters in all of minor league baseball to post a sub-16 percent strikeout rate, a .300-plus average and a .900-plus OPS with a minimum of 400 plate appearances.
The Eastern League batting champion isn’t ‘athletic’, and the Phillies have already begun giving him consistent reps at first base. If he keeps hitting for average and slugging at this clip, Philadelphia will face a decision — whether that’s using him as trade bait or finding a way to get his bat into the lineup in a corner outfield spot.
Dylan Campbell, OF
Campbell’s name surfaced last offseason when the Phillies sent international pool money to the Dodgers in exchange for the outfielder, helping Los Angeles fund the Roki Sasaki signing. A fourth-round pick out of Texas in 2023, his offensive numbers haven’t stood out yet, but his athleticism and baserunning have. He’s posted back-to-back 30-steal seasons.
Strikeouts have been a concern — consecutive 110-strikeout campaigns — but there are reasons for optimism. He’s put together 32-plus extra-base hits and 50-plus walks in each of those seasons, and a swing adjustment carried into the Arizona Fall League with strong results. He blasted four home runs, half his hits went for extra bases, and he posted a team-leading 1.044 OPS. He also appeared at five positions in the Fall League which gives him real utility value on a big-league roster down the line.
Jean Cabrera, RHP
With the Phillies still searching for starting pitching depth, Cabrera will have his share of opportunities this spring. The 6-foot-4 right-hander threw a career-high 137 innings at Double-A Reading in 2025, posting a 3.81 ERA across 26 starts. Command was a concern — his walk rate climbed to 4.0 per nine after consecutive seasons under three — but the underlying stuff is intriguing.
His fastball sits in the mid-90s and touches 97. If the command issues were simply an adjustment to Double-A competition, a strong spring could put him in a position to be called on if the Phillies need a rotation arm. He threw two clean scoreless innings in his first spring start on Friday.
Alex McFarlane, RHP
The Phillies thought enough of McFarlane to protect him from the Rule 5 draft by adding him to the 40-man roster alongside Gabriel Rincones Jr. (injured this spring). The University of Miami product returned from Tommy John surgery last season, moved to the bullpen and touched 101 mph.
He leaned almost exclusively on his fastball-slider combination, using those two pitches 92 percent of the time per FanGraphs, with his splitter sprinkled in at just 8 percent. His starter’s background gives him some versatility, but the Phillies are focused on letting him hone his command in a full-time relief role at Double-A to begin the year.
Seth Johnson, RHP
Acquired from Baltimore in 2024 in exchange for Gregory Soto, Johnson got his first taste of the big leagues shortly after the trade. Last season, he made ten appearances out of the Phillies’ bullpen, striking out 17 and walking just four across 12 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old former first-round pick by Tampa Bay has a high-90s fastball that touches triple digits as part of a four-pitch mix.
A career starter who transitioned to full-time relief at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, his WHIP climbed to a career-high 1.53, making command the priority this spring. He’ll likely begin the year back at Lehigh Valley, but with improved control, an elevation at some point in 2026 wouldn’t be a surprise. Johnson has already made three appearances this spring, and his velocity is already where it needs to be.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
The Phillies will take on the Blue Jays at BayCare Ballpark on March 21 for the third annual Spring Breakout game, where clubs across baseball will feature their top prospects against one another. Expect some of the names to make an impact.
In his second year leading the program, May and the No. 3-ranked Wolverines clinched the Big Ten Conference regular season title with a dominant 84-70 win over No. 11 Illinois on Friday, Feb. 27, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois.
May has helped lead Michigan's transformation from an 8-24 campaign in the 2023-24 season to a potential No. 1 seed and the regular-season conference title with an impressive 27-2 record in 2025-26.
May, of course, wasn't with Michigan during the 2023-24 season: He was coaching Florida Atlantic to the Final Four as a major Cinderella. The run with the Owls had every program with an opening trying to court May. However, the choice of Michigan came down to a family decision.
"Anna, my wife, is a major, major influence and probably more of an influence on my decision-making than I," May said of his decision to pick Michigan over other programs with interest. "I'm a pretty simple man. Give me a ball, a gym and some dudes that want to work, and I am happy with Michigan."
May pointed to Michigan as a place where he would want his sons to attend college, which factored into his decision — rather than seeking a team that could win a championship right away.
Talk about having the best of both worlds: With the win over Illinois, the Wolverines clinched their first Big Ten regular-season title since 2021. Now, they are locked into a No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and are likely a lock for the same in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
"The first time we saw the team together, we felt like this was the most talented team that our staff collectively had ever been around," May said. "And some of us have been high majors, mid majors, low majors. ... We felt this team had the highest upside or most potential of any group."
Michigan showed promise in May's first year in 2024-25, finishing the season 27-10 with a loss to Auburn in the Sweet 16. The 14-6 record in conference play tied Maryland for second in the Big Ten, a sign the Wolverines were heading in the right direction.
May then went to the transfer portal to add UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg, North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau, Illinois forward Morez Johnson Jr. — who had 19 points and 11 rebounds against his former team on Feb. 27 — and UCLA center Aday Mara, putting together a Big Ten championship-caliber roster.
"We want to win a Big Ten regular season championship every year," May said. "... Did we envision this? What's our record, 17-1 (in Big Ten play)? Absolutely not. Because I have that much respect for the teams, coaches and talent in this league."
Elite Michigan defense beats an elite Illinois offense
According to KenPom rankings, Illinois entered Feb. 27 as the No. 1 team in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency. Meanwhile, Michigan entered with the No. 2 defense, trailing only No. 1 Duke.
The adage that defense wins championships won the day for the Wolverines.
"That's why they are so good," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said of Michigan taking away any potential mismatches Illinois has used against other opponents this season.
"They're as good a basketball team as I've seen in my nine years in this league," Underwood added.
Illinois' adjusted offensive efficiency (or points per 100 possessions) sat at 132.4 entering play on Friday. The Fighting Illini entered averaging 85.1 points per game, which ranked 22nd in the nation. They also tied for sixth in 3-point baskets made per game.
However, the Wolverines' defense limited Illinois to 70 points — its lowest total in a loss since Nov. 28 vs. UConn — 41.3% shooting from the field and 9-of-29 shooting from 3-point range.
"They're really good at punishing a matchup," May said of the Illinois offense. "Because of our lineup versatility, I don't think they did it as well as they usually do."
While Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler finished with a game-high 23 points, including 17 points in the second half, he shot just 7-for-17 from the field and had four turnovers. Lendeborg took the responsibility of not only guarding Wagler, but also guarding him for the full 94-feet, putting pressure on him as soon as he received the inbounds pass.
"Yax was up to the challenge," May said. "He loves guarding point guards. And then when he switches, you have a big body that played (center) in the American Conference, and played it pretty well. So it's not as easy to get the matchup advantages they are hunting against our team, because we can change what we do."
Veteran leftovers carry team to new era
Nimari Burnett, Will Tschetter and Harrison Hochberg are three members of the Wolverines who were around for the 2023-24 team that finished 3-17 in conference play, good for dead last in the Big Ten standings.
However, each of them has stuck around with the program, with Burnett starting all 29 games this season and Tschetter appearing in all 29 games. Instead of showing them the door when he took over the program, May instead kept the three to build the culture in Ann Arbor for the team that won the conference this season.
"We kept those guys because we believe in who they are as people, first and foremost," May said. "That was a tough season for Michigan basketball. There were a handful of guys we couldn't recruit for various reasons and then there were a handful we thought might fit our culture as far as work ethic.
"Nimari and Will were both guys who dove in from Day 1, and they wanted Michigan to be back in this position. It was that simple."
Will Jesske doubles at Auburn | Nebraska Athletics
This wasn’t a matchup we hadever seen before, Auburn vs Nebraska on the diamond. In fact, going to any SEC team for a weekend series isn’t something we see very often at all. But the way the NCAA Tournament Committee has been rewarding teams that have a tough non-conference schedule, it will probably become a more common sight. And with how good of a game we saw tonight, it would be a welcome one.
For the first time this season, the game had a true Friday night feeling as the teams rolled out top flight starters to begin a series. Nebraska with Ty Horn and Auburn with Virginia Tech transfer Jake Marciano, and they were dueling early on. They combined to strike out 7 batters in the first two innings.
Auburn was the first to strike in the 3rd inning. Mason McCraine singled through the right side of the infield, and stole second base. His brother, Brandon hit a choppy grounder to Husker third baseman Josh Overbeek who was unable to come up with it. A sac fly brought 1 run home. Then Horn slipped covering a bunt, potentially another out awarded to the Tigers. a 3-2 count walk, loaded the bases for Auburn, and back to back singles made it 4-0. In the middle of all that, Horn and Worthley also got crossed up on the pitch call, despite wearing the communication devices. Just a bad half inning all around.
The Huskers would respond in the next half inning. Case Sanderson singled to lead off. Overbeek and Dylan Carey both stuck out on 3-2 pitches, including Sandy, that was 3 batters in a row that got to a full count. DH Cole Kitchens had no interest in working a full count, driving his first pitch off the War Eagle Wall (Auburn’s version of Fenway’s Green Monster) for an RBI double. Nebraska left fielder Will Jesske hammered a ball (on a full count!) to the nearly the same spot, trading places with Kitchens and cutting the lead to 4-2.
Jesske has had a lot of pop in his bat to start the season, the only issue is he has played at some of the biggest and strangest laid out outfield fences you can find. Had Nebraska played all their games in places like Haymarket Park, Jesske could very well be leading the nation in home runs. Could that be foreshadowing?!
Auburn added a run back in the 4th, ending Horn’s day at 3.2 innings pitched, with 4 earned runs allowed, on 5 strikeouts and 2 walks. Things went sideways quick on him, for the first time in quite a few outings, as he was clutch down the stretch for Nebraska last year and had been off to a good start to 2026.
Marciano was able to make it only through 5 himself, as the Huskers were able to work him deep into counts often, and he chased the strikeouts, all 9 of them, but allowed zero walks. Nebraska would strike out 18 times in the 10 inning game, but despite the numerous deep counts, end up with zero walks. That shows you how ready you have to be in the batters box, but also how predictable the pitches can be when they get to a count with 3 balls.
The bullpens led by Cooper Katskee for the Huskers and Jett Johnston for the Tigers took over, tossing up zeros until Nebraska broke through in the 8th. Mac Moyer reached on an error, Case Sanderson ripped a single into center field, and Overbeek loaded the bases by taking a ball to the elbow.
The exact man Coach Will Bolt and Husker fans everywhere would want up for the situation strode to the plate, in Dylan Carey. Despite being 0-3 on the night, Carey worked it to a 3-2 count, and as stated above, got a predicable strike right over the middle of the plate and smashed the 51st double of his career to the War Eagle Wall. Two pitches later Cole Kitchens tied the game with a double into the right field corner. Overbeek scored on thr play, and Dylan Carey may have been able to score the go ahead run, but went back to tag up as the fielder seemed to get close to catching it on the fly from his perspective.
J’Shawn Unger took over on the mound in the 8th for NU, and despite a rocky inning with a walk, wild pitch, and unintentional/intentional walk, Unger was able to come up with a big strikeout to hold the tigers off the board.
After the Auburn closer struck out the side, Unger need only 7 pitches to retire the Tigers and send the game to extra innings.
The 10th started with a bang, as Sanderson collected his team leading 3rd hit of the night, a double into the left field corner. Overbeek hit a ball to the right side to move Sandy over to third and bring up that man again, Dylan Carey. Carey continued his hot streak, hitting a single to left and claiming his 3rd RBI of the night and team leading 15th RBI on the season in only 8 games. Devin Nunez added a base hit putting runners on 1st and 2nd for Jesske. This time Jesske conquered the War Eagle Wall, blasting his 3rd home run of the season and increasing his RBI total on the day to 4, putting his team up 9-5.
Nebraska would need every single one of those runs as they have struggled at the closer position to start the season. Kevin Mannell would be passed over, as the team tried other options. Unger gave up a 1 out single. The runner advanced to 2nd without a throw, then came around to score on a single. Caleb Clark came in to face a left handed batter and surrendered a 3-2 walk. Freshman Jace Ziola replaced Clark and gave up an 0-2 RBI single. A passed ball and 4 pitch walk loaded the bases.
Nebraska then turned to Pryce Bender, who was able to induce a ground ball which Carey snagged at short despite the runner and Overbeek both flashing in front of him. A run did score on the play, cutting the Husker lead down to 9-8. The best hitter for Auburn stepped to the plate with the tying run on 3rd and winning run on 2nd. Bender was able to get him to pop up on his first pitch and secure the win for Unger and a save for himself, albeit in nail-biting fashion.
This was the first Nebraska regular season win at an SEC field since 2014, and their 2nd win over a ranked team in a row. They did it by continually putting pressure on the Auburn pitchers, getting 6 lead off hitters on out of 10. Number of pitches is a big thing, but number of pitches under pressure is just an extra bit of stress on an arm. Nebraska is going to have to cut down on the strikeout numbers on offense if they want to win this series. They should go down a bit, as Auburn did use both of their closers and their top strikeout starter, but the rest of the staff is just as stingy on handing out walks, so get ready!
The Huskers go for the series win Saturday at 2pm CT.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Chris Kreider beat Connor Hellebuyck off a rebound at 4:47 of overtime to give the Anaheim Ducks a 5-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.
Beckett Sennecke kept the puck and shot on a two-on-one break, with Kreider backhanding the loose puck in at the side of the net.
After Leo Carlsson, Pavel Mintyukov and Ryan Poehling scored third-period goals to give Anaheim a 4-3 lead, Winnipeg's Kyle Connor tied it with 1:22 left and Hellebuyck off for an extra attacker.
Hellebuyck made 35 saves in his first game since backstopping the United States to Olympic gold.
Jacob Trouba also scored for Anaheim, Sennecke had three assists and Lukas Dostal made 29 saves. The Ducks have won seven in a row at home and 11 of 13 overall.
Anaheim won two nights after returning from the break to beat Edmonton at home for coach Joel Quenneville’s 1,000th NHL victory. The Ducks have five games left on a nine-game homestand.
Winnipeg rookie defenseman Elias Salomonsson had his first NHL goal and Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi also scored. Well back in the race for a playoff spot, Winnipeg has a game left on three-game trip before an eight-game homestand.
SEATTLE (AP) — Emma Maltais scored a go-ahead goal early in the third period, and Sara Hjalmarsson and Kali Flanagan added empty netters in the final two minutes to give the Toronto Sceptres a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Torrent on Friday night.
Toronto (5-1-3-8) had gone winless in four straight road games. The Sceptres were also held scoreless in their last two games before the Olympic break.
Four different players scored their first goal of the season.
Jesse Compher scored 28 seconds into the game for Toronto off a nice back pass from Daryl Watts, who led Canada in her Olympic debut with eight points on two goals and six assists.
Renata Fast gave Toronto a 2-1 lead on her first goal of the season 4:25 into the second period with a shot from a sharp angle that bounced off the stick of goaltender Hannah Murphy.
Maltais scored her third goal after getting past the defense for a two-on-one opportunity.
Both goals for Seattle (4-1-2-8) came in the final 80 seconds of the first and second periods. Aneta Tejralová had a one-timer to tie it at 1-all with 11.2 seconds left in the first and Natalie Snodgrass sent in a rebound off of Alex Carpenter's breakaway shot with 1:12 left in the second.
Seattle, which was without Hilary Knight due to a lower-body injury suffered at the Olympics, announced it was the first sellout in franchise history with 17,335 fans.
DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 27: Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Detroit Pistons on February 27, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
DETROIT — The Cleveland Cavaliers had numerous chances to win Friday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, even though they were without four rotation players, including James Harden (finger) and Donovan Mitchell (groin). They couldn’t make the one play they needed to seal the victory. As a result, they fell 122-119 in overtime.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson believes in luck. He was asked before the game if his team was cursed given their latest rash of injuries.
He laughed the question off, but then proceeded to provide the perfect table setter for one of the wildest games of the season.
“I believe in luck,” Atkinson said before the game. “I think luck plays more into this whole thing in sports. I know in America, we don’t like to talk about luck, like you earn it, you win it. That was a good thing about being overseas for so long. I was shocked when I first went out there, especially in Spain, they talked about luck so much. … When you read the sports papers, it was part of the way they talked. … Here, we want right and wrong and clear yes and no. That’s kind of how our mentality is. So I definitely think luck plays a lot into this.”
The Cavs lost this game, so we’re programmed to see things in the worst possible light. Instead of viewing the areas that the Cavs did right, we automatically look at what didn’t go their way, and there’s a long list of those things.
Poor rebounding, inability to create offense late, turnovers, and blowing multiple chances to defeat the top team in the conference are a few that come to mind. All of these are problems that could be explored deeper, considering they’re things that could be an issue in a possible playoff series.
However, if a few calls go slightly differently, we’re likely looking at all the things that went right, such as Jarrett Allen’s dominance, Evan Mobley’s resurgence, and the role players stepping up.
This is a results-based business, but sometimes, the results come down to things far outside of the player’s control.
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Cleveland should’ve won this game.
They were up six with two minutes left when MVP candidate Cade Cunningham fouled out of this game. That should’ve been the final nail in the coffin, but the Cavs failed to execute from there.
In the final two minutes, they turned it over in the backcourt, allowed baskets on Detroit’s final eight possessions in regulation, Evan Mobley missed a free throw with seven seconds left that would’ve made it a two-possession game, and they didn’t properly commit a foul on the floor while up three, which led to the game-tying free throws.
It was a litany of errors from a team that has blown more than a few important games in this embarrassing way in the past.
“That was our game to take,” Jaylon Tyson said. “We were definitely there. We should have won that game. Yeah, we should have won that game.”
Overtime presented its own issues.
The Cavs struggled to generate offense after Allen fouled out, but they still had chances to win. They were on the wrong side of a few calls (and weren’t afraid to make that known in the locker room afterward), including what could’ve been easily called a shooting foul on a potential game-tying Sam Merrill three-point attempt.
Even so, they kept fighting, forced a jump ball when providing defensive pressure in the backcourt, and created what would’ve been a game-tying three-point attempt for Mobley that didn’t go.
“There’s no moral victories,” Atkinson said. “This was a big game. We had chances. … The execution, turnovers, you know, we’re just kind of kicking ourselves.”
Still, there are things that the Cavs should feel encouraged about if they happen to play the Pistons in the postseason, the most important being Allen’s continued dominant play.
Allen once again couldn’t be stopped, scoring 25 points on 10-12 shooting to go along with nine rebounds, four assists, and a block.
“Jalen Duran is one of the toughest, strongest guys in the league,” Atkinson said. “He went toe to toe with him. And I just love [it]. … We just got to keep him there. You know, it’s our job as coaches to keep him in this great, great space. But I loved his energy tonight.”
It’s easier to keep Allen in check when he doesn’t have the benefit of playing alongside dynamic guards like Mitchell and Harden. This allowed the Pistons to crash inside anytime he rolled to the basket, which made it difficult for them to get him the ball.
But if Allen got his hands on the ball, he was able to make them pay as he converted nine of his 10 shots in the paint. He spent stretches of this game being the best player on the court, which is incredibly impressive considering the talent on the other team.
Detroit also didn’t have an answer for Mobley.
He did more of his damage outside, going 4-8 from three. But they also couldn’t handle Mobley inside as he went 5-6 in the restricted area.
“He’s starting to catch a groove, I can see it,” Atkinson said. “Just seems like when he comes back from injury, it just takes him a little bit to get going. So that might be the most positive thing about this, about this game tonight.”
The Cavs are on the Pistons level, even though they couldn’t get the result on Friday, and rightfully so. They routed the New York Knicks on Tuesday and went toe-to-toe on the road with the conference leaders despite being severly short handed. They should feel that way.
“I feel like we’re one of the top teams,” Mobley said. “They’ve got to face us, honestly. We’re playing pretty good basketball, and we’re going to continue to play good basketball. Just got to play our best basketball in April, May, and June. That’s our goal right now. We’re going to learn from this game and just keep stacking wins and get ready for the playoffs.”
Right now, the Cavaliers are unlucky. Injuries are happening at all the wrong times. And on top of it, they weren’t rewarded with a win despite playing well enough to get one.
Yes, they should’ve closed it out, but they were also on the wrong end of more than a few calls that went against them. If the referees called the foul on the floor on the Dannis Jenkins “shot attempt” as they should’ve, this game ends differently. The same could be said about several other calls.
However, the end result in a game like this isn’t the only thing that matters. This team is putting the pieces together at the right time. And if they ever get healthy, they will be a problem in the playoffs.
And that’s true, even though luck wasn’t on their side on Friday.
“Learn from our mistakes right now and just keep ramping up, staying focused,” Mobley said. “Game in and game out, just being locked in, knowing what our game plan is and figuring that out. Getting comfortable with the new guys. But I feel like we’re getting there pretty quickly and we’re on a good trajectory right now.”
The NBA got a little spicy in the Thunder’s 127-121 win over the Nuggets on Friday night in Oklahoma City.
The two teams got into a heated scrum in the fourth quarter after it appeared Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort tripped Denver star Nikola Jokic, leading to a heated scene at center court with both teams pushing and shoving.
Things all started after Jared McCain hit a two-point bucket for OKC, and on the ensuing inbound, Dort appeared to make an intentional step — almost like a hip check — into Jokic as he made his way back up the court.
Lu Dort was ejected after appearing to trip Nikola Jokic on this play.
Nikola Jokic was not happy with Lu Dort after the trip. ESPN/XThe Nuggets and Thunder got into it on Friday night. ESPN/X
Jokic immediately fell and tumbled onto the floor at Paycom Center. But that’s only where the fun began.
Dort was called for a foul, and he didn’t appear to agree with it, and as Jokic got back to his feet, he immediately got in his opponent’s face, eyes wide as he was incensed over what had just taken place, bumping Dort’s chest before anyone could step in.
The teams converged but officials eventually calmed things down before things could really escalate.
After reviewing the play, Dort was assessed a flagrant 2, meaning he was ejected from the game.
Jokic and the Thunder’s Jaylin Williams also received technicals in the bizarre scene in Oklahoma City.
Dort finished his night with eight points and six rebounds.
The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder are among two of the top teams in the Western Conference this season. That was on display as the two teams played in a tightly contested game that went into overtime at the Paycom Center on Friday, Feb. 27.
Tensions were running high during the game between the two championship contenders.
Luguentz Dort was ejected following a Flagrant 2 foul after it was considered unnecessary and excessive by the officials.
Dort tripped Nuggets star Nikola Jokic while the Thunder had a 90-88 lead with 8:03 left in the fourth quarter.
Lu Dort was ejected after appearing to trip Nikola Jokic on this play.
Jokic was upset and immediately approached Dort. Jokic and Jaylin Williams received technical fouls for pushing and shoving one another following the initial tripping incident. The fouls offset.
Dort scored eight points and six rebounds in 28 minutes of play before the ejection. Even with Dort ejected and reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sitting out the overtime period, Oklahoma City prevailed, 127-121.
