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East Carolina Pirates square off against the UIC Flames

UIC Flames (4-2) vs. East Carolina Pirates (5-1) Daytona Beach, Florida; Saturday, 1:30 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pirates -1; over/under is 149 BOTTOM LINE: East Carolina squares off against UIC in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Pirates have a 5-1 record against non-conference oppponents.

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Hargress leads UC Riverside against Alcorn State

Alcorn State Braves (0-6) at UC Riverside Highlanders (3-3) Riverside, California; Sunday, 5 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: UC Riverside hosts Alcorn State after Barrington Hargress scored 31 points in UC Riverside's 77-75 overtime win against the Colorado State Rams. The Highlanders have gone 1-0 at home.

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The challenge for England is clear: they have to shut Japan out | Ugo Monye

After conceding 12 tries in three games, the defence will be under scrutiny and they need to stop the opposition scoring

The message within the England camp should be loud and clear this weekend: we are not conceding any tries against Japan. As much as Eddie Jones will be revelling in coming back to Twickenham, in trying to exploit whatever insecurities England have on the back of five straight defeats, this is not a Japan side that will harbour genuine hopes of an upset. The target for England, then, after an autumn of defensive frailties, should be to tighten up. To make sure that even if the result is not in doubt, they defend their line with all they’ve got.

It can be difficult when the drop-off is so pronounced having faced the back-to-back world champions in South Africa. Japan are historically a side who like to move the ball and I don’t expect that to change but England faced the same team in Tokyo over the summer in their first match of that tour and put 50 points on them despite stifling humidity. More than targeting a similar number of points, or a number of tries, I would challenge England to keep Japan tryless.

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Jofra Archer is caught between an Ashes rock and a Mega Auction hard place | Barney Ronay

England want their best fast bowler primed for Australia but the IPL’s financial power might hurt those preparations

Jofra Archer has sensationally re-entered the Mega Auction and people on the internet are annoyed. You’ve got to hand it to the Indian Premier League. It is relentlessly inventive in its language, even if the direction of travel is always towards exhaustion by superlatives. So a six becomes a HyperWang Mobile Attack Maximum, a good catch the Standard Cement Super Happy Sex-grab Of the Day. By the same process, what could possibly be better than an auction? A big auction? A very big auction? No. Only a Mega Auction will do.

To be fair this really is a Mega Auction. Scheduled to take place from Sunday into Monday, the IPLMA will see 1,054 players whittled down to just over 100 available slots, offered up on this occasion in disruptive, schedule-defining three-year contracts. For the players at the centre this is basically your life, your pension, your future. Kneel before Zod, muscular Kiwi impact all-rounder. We own you now.

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Ellie Kildunne: ‘Women’s rugby is on the rise. The level has really gone up’

Harlequins and England back is one of the world’s elite and is in demand across different leagues and codes

By Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required

Ellie Kildunne wants to be considered the best rugby player in the world and could take a step towards that accolade on Sunday by being crowned women’s 15s player of the year. The England full-back is shortlisted at World Rugby’s swanky event in Monaco, hours after taking her Harlequins side to Saracens for a London derby.

Having won every game with England this year, and played sevens in the Olympics for Great Britain, Kildunne says she may need to test her versatility in the best 13-a-side competition on earth: Australia’s National Rugby League Women’s Premiership.

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Duke’s Cooper Flagg thrives in first true road environment, quieting Arizona crowd with 24 points

Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg got his first taste of a true college road atmosphere on Friday night, playing in front of a raucous announced crowd of 14,634 at Arizona's McKale Center. Flagg scored 16 points in the second half, finishing with a game-high 24 as No. 12 Duke pulled away for a 69-55 win over No. 17 Arizona. “In the first half, I was a little soft on my finishes,” Flagg said.