w Page 20 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Xavier out to display more toughness when DePaul comes calling
Xavier and DePaul both hope to generate some momentum going into February when they battle Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati.,Xavier (11-10, 3-7 Big East) is on a three-game losing streak entering Saturday, including an 86-68 drubbing at Seton Hall Wednesday night.,It has been an up-and-down season f...

Butler battles Georgetown with Thad Matta on verge of 500 wins
Butler coach Thad Matta gets a second chance to score his 500th career win on Saturday when the Bulldogs host Georgetown in Indianapolis.,The setting couldn't be more appropriate for Matta, 58, who gained his first victory at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse 25 seasons ago, leading Butler past Eastern Ill...

Improving Marquette aims for first road win at Seton Hall
After its best overall performance of the season, Marquette will bid for its first road win of the season when it travels to Newark, N.J., to face Seton Hall on Saturday afternoon.,The Golden Eagles (8-14, 3-8 Big East) shot 68.8% in the first half and were up by as many as 31 points in an 86-62 win...

Devils C Jack Hughes being evaluated for lower-body injury
New Jersey Devils star center Jack Hughes is being evaluated for a lower-body injury sustained on Thursday night and his availability is unclear for Saturday's game at Ottawa.,"The only update is that he's still getting evaluated," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said on Friday. "In the next little bit, ...

Wake Forest wants better execution, seeks marquee win vs. NC State
Wake Forest might be running out of time to secure notable wins, so the Demon Deacons will want to take advantage of North Carolina State's visit Saturday afternoon in Winston-Salem, N.C.,NC State (15-6, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) has put together a three-game winning streak for its best eight-g...

Reports: Ravens hire Declan Doyle as OC
The Baltimore Ravens are hiring Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator, several media outlets reported Friday.,The Chicago Bears, who tapped Doyle to lead their offense a year ago, allowed him to leave for the new opportunity because he will be the play-caller in Baltimore, per ESPN. Bears head...

Report: NFL salary cap rising to as much as $305.7M in 2026
NFL teams were informed on Friday that the 2026 salary cap is projected to increase from 2025's record ceiling to between $301.2 million and $305.7 million, NFL Network reported.,This season, clubs each had a limit of $279.2 million, a $23.8 million increase from 2024. The projected number for next ...

Report: Emails show Epstein scouted women for Giants co-owner Steve Tisch
New York Giants chairman and co-owner Steve Tisch appeared throughout a newly released trove of emails related to Jeffrey Epstein, including communications in which Epstein arranged for Tisch to meet specific women.,The emails, which were sent in 2013, were released Friday by the Department of Justi...

USMNT's Alex Freeman completes transfer to Villarreal
American World Cup roster hopeful Alex Freeman finalized his transfer from Orlando City to Villarreal, one of the top clubs in Spain's LaLiga.,Villarreal confirmed the addition of Freeman, a 21-year-old right back who is the reigning MLS Young Player of the Year, through the 2032 season.,The transfe...

Packers extend contracts of coach Matt LaFleur, top executives
The Green Bay Packers signed head coach Matt LaFleur, general manager Brian Gutekunst and Russ Ball, the director of football operations, to multi-year contract extensions, the team announced Friday.,No contract lengths or financial terms were released.,"We are excited to extend our commitment to Br...

Bengals QB, 18-year vet Joe Flacco picked for first Pro Bowl
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco, an 18-year NFL veteran and a past Super Bowl MVP, earned his first career Pro Bowl selection Friday.,Flacco, who turned 41 on Jan. 16, was added as an alternate to the AFC roster for the Pro Bowl Games, joining Cincinnati wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Te...

Penguins are hot, Rangers are not ahead of meeting
The Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers are heading in opposite directions going into their game on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh.,The Penguins have won five in a row and six of their last seven and are in a playoff spot, while the Rangers, who have lost five of the past six games and 10 of ...

Report: WNBA, players union to hold CBA talks on Monday
The WNBA and its players association are scheduled to meet on Monday in New York to take up talks about a new collective bargaining agreement, ESPN reported Friday.,The sides have been unable to come to an agreement and have not held in-depth conversations this calendar year.,The WNBA's 30th season ...

Report: Prediction markets on prohibited list for Super Bowl LX commercials
Prediction-market commercials are among the list of prohibited categories for Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, according to a report in Front Office Sports.,Commercials for prediction markets, which include companies such as Kalshi and Polymarket, have been forbidden from NFL broadcasts all season, per the ...

Report: NBC adding star power to MLB coverage
NBC seems to have hit a home run with its lineup of analysts for the network's return to Major League Baseball coverage.,Front Office Sports reported Friday that NBC is "finalizing deals" to bring on board former National League MVPs Joey Votto and Clayton Kershaw, as well as three-time All-Star Ant...

Hornets to test newly discovered winning formula against Spurs
The thrills keep stacking up for the Charlotte Hornets, and they'll aim for more when the San Antonio Spurs visit Saturday afternoon.,It's the first meeting of the season between clubs that have been making nice recent climbs.,The Hornets have a five-game winning streak for the first time in nearly ...

Report: Nuggets' Nikola Jokic set to return vs. Clippers
Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic plans to return to the court on Friday for the Denver Nuggets' game against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN reported.,Jokic, who officially is listed as questionable for Friday's game, has been sidelined for one month after sustaining a bone bruise in his hype...

No. 18 Vanderbilt presents tall obstacle for Ole Miss
No. 18 Vanderbilt unexpectedly will play a second straight home game on Saturday when it hosts Ole Miss in Nashville, Tenn.,The Southeastern Conference moved this game from Oxford, Miss., and shifted the teams' scheduled March 4 rematch from Nashville to Oxford due to a winter storm that caused powe...

Patriots QB Drake Maye sits out practice due to illness
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye missed practice Friday due to illness, coach Mike Vrabel announced.,"He would have been at practice today if not for the illness," Vrabel said of Maye, who also has been limited by a sore right shoulder.,The team is preparing for Super Bowl LX against the ...

Avalanche eager to regain footing in encounter vs. Red Wings
After beginning January on a historic pace, the Colorado Avalanche find themselves stumbling as they wrap up the month at the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday afternoon.,Colorado had just two regulation losses one game into the 2026 calendar year before losing eight of its next 12 games (4-6-2). The ru...