l Page 468 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Report: Playoff field to remain at 12 teams in 2026
The College Football Playoff will remain a 12-team field for a third straight season in 2026, ESPN reported Friday.,Efforts to expand the field stalled due to an ongoing stalemate between the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten, according to the report.,SEC commissioner Greg Sankey wants a 16-team f...

Patrick Reed rides bogey-free round into lead in Dubai
Patrick Reed carded a 6-under-par 66 on Friday to seize a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in the United Arab Emirates.,Reed highlighted his bogey-free round with four birdies and a 40-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 13th. The former Masters champion and curre...

Coco Gauff rallies to advance to 4th round in Melbourne
No. 3 seed Coco Gauff rallied from a set down to defeat fellow American Hailey Baptiste 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 and advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Friday.,Gauff need one hour, 50 minutes to capture the win. It was her 77th in a Grand Slam event in 100 matches. Among active ...

Justin Thomas (back) eyes potential return on Florida swing
World No. 9 Justin Thomas said he's progressing well in his recovery from back surgery and is eyeing a return during the PGA Tour's Florida swing.,Thomas has been sidelined since undergoing a microdiscectomy in mid-November. The procedure alleviated a disc problem that had been causing hip pain.,"10...
NHL Best Betting Picks Today: Rangers vs. Sharks Bets
The Rangers’ season is unraveling fast, and the Sharks are surging behind rookie star Macklin Celebrini. NHL picks, odds, and best bets for Rangers vs. Sharks, including a moneyline and total play....

No. 15 Vanderbilt vies to halt 3-game slide in visit to Mississippi State
The season has taken a turn for the worse for Vanderbilt.,The No. 15 Commodores (16-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) won their first 16 games before losing their last three, including a season-worst 93-68 setback at No. 20 Arkansas on Tuesday night. Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington called that loss "em...

No. 10 Michigan State strives to get in sync vs. Maryland
No. 10 Michigan State is carrying a five-game winning streak into Saturday afternoon's Big Ten game against Maryland in East Lansing, Mich.,But that doesn't mean Spartans coach Tom Izzo is totally pleased with his team. Not after watching his charges struggle to gain control against shorthanded Oreg...

No. 23 Louisville prepping for Virginia Tech, injuries, weather
Louisville prepares for a significant Atlantic Coast Conference matchup with Virginia Tech on Saturday while acknowledging two uncontrollable elements: injuries and weather.,As the state of Kentucky prepares for Winter Storm Fern and Louisville faces an uncertain situation with injured point guard M...
Three Trades the Warriors Could Make Before the Deadline
After a blowout loss to Toronto, the Warriors face reality and the trade deadline looms as Steph Curry waits for help....
Best College Basketball Betting Picks Saturday January 24th
A full day of college hoops is on tap. Here are the best college basketball bets, featuring Purdue, Houston, and Mississippi State....

No. 4 Purdue looks to rebound against fiery No. 11 Illinois
If you want to witness the most efficient offenses in college basketball, then West Lafayette, Ind., is the only place to be Saturday., ,No. 11 Illinois (16-3, 7-1 Big Ten), which per KenPom.com boasts the nation's most efficient tempo-free offense at 129.5 points per 100 possessions, puts its eight...

Surging Blazers likely to have Deni Avdija active vs. Raptors
The Portland Trail Blazers expect their star attraction to suit up and play when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.,All-Star candidate Deni Avdija left with back soreness during the third quarter of Thursday's 127-110 home win over the Miami Heat. However, interim coach Tiago Splitter ex...

Villanova ams to gain on No. 2 UConn in key clash
While Villanova's improvement from recent seasons is putting them within striking distance of the Big East lead, while surviving a few close calls allowed No. 2 UConn to maintain its lead and 14-game winning streak.,The Wildcats hope to draw even more notice about its strong season Saturday afternoo...

Blues desperate to put goals on scoreboard against the Stars
The St. Louis Blues are searching for more offense. So are the Dallas Stars.,They will carry the same goal -- more goals, simply -- into their matchup Friday night in Dallas.,The Blues suffered losses at Edmonton and Winnipeg by the combined score of 8-1 before heading to Texas. They are averaging j...

Big East giants Villanova and No. 2 UConn clash
While Villanova's improvement from recent seasons is putting them within striking distance of the Big East lead, while surviving a few close calls allowed No. 2 UConn to maintain its lead and 14-game winning streak.,The Wildcats hope to draw even more notice about its strong season Saturday afternoo...

Vegas' Mitch Marner prepares for 'emotional night' in Toronto
Longtime Toronto Maple Leafs stalwart Mitch Marner is bracing for an emotional Friday night when he visits his former team for the first time as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights.,Marner got an indication of how things could go for him on Jan. 15 when the Golden Knights came back to earn a 6-5 ho...

Stingy Lightning intent on limiting scoring chances for Blackhawks
Stinginess has been the key for the Tampa Bay Lightning during much of their 14-game point streak.,Tampa Bay has yielded two goals or fewer through regulation and overtime in seven straight games entering their visit to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.,Now, the Lightning tote fresh legs, to boot, a...

Trail Blazers F Deni Avdija (back) expected to play Friday
Portland Trail Blazers standout forward Deni Avdija is expected to be available for Friday's game with the Toronto Raptors after leaving Thursday's 127-110 win over the visiting Miami Heat with back soreness.,"I think he'll be fine," Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter told reporters after the game, ...

Paddy Pimblett sizes up Justin Gaethje as UFC comes to Paramount
LAS VEGAS -- Dana White and the UFC begin a new era on Saturday night.,Rising star Paddy Pimblett and former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje will headline UFC 324 in what marks the company's first numbered card since the highly publicized seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Para...

Kawhi Leonard stars in return as Clippers down Lakers
Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points, Ivica Zubac added 18 points with 19 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers continued their red-hot run with a 112-104 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday at Inglewood, Calif.,James Harden scored 18 points with 10 assists, Jordan Miller had 14 point...