February 2026

There were 1,487 posts published in February 2026 (this is page 68 of 149).

NBA All-Star Game 2026: Winners and losers, with Wemby and Anthony Edwards winning big

Welcome to our annual winners and losers of the NBA’s All-Star Game, where the biggest winner of all was the league itself, as players actually tried under the USA vs. World format.

Unlike recentyears, when effort was absent, competition was central to the exhibition, thanks in large part to France’s Victor Wembanyama, who literally set the tone from jump.

Prior to the game, after players from allthreeteams — among them Anthony Edwards on Team Stars, Nikola Jokić on Team World and Kevin Durant on Team Stripes — hinted that this year would be no different, it would not have been surprising to see more of the same.

On Saturday, Edwards, in fact, said of the absence of effort, “It is what it is at this point.”

Just before tip-off, I said to my wife, “They’re not going to try.”

“Of course they’re going to try,” she said. “It’s in their nature. They’d have to try not to try.”

“Exactly. You watch.”

Then, Wembanyama happened on Sunday.

Edwards matched up against Wembanyama for the opening tip, suggesting that Team Stars would not be taking the game seriously (after all, “I’m 6 feet,” said Edwards, who is 6-4, “and he’s 8 feet”). Only, Wembanyama tipped it to Jamal Murray, immediately posted up Cade Cunningham and threw down a dunk so thunderous it changed the evening’s tone.

As Edwards told the broadcast, after an overtime win, “I ain’t gonna lie. Wemby set the tone. He came out playing hard, so it’s hard not to match that. S***, that’s what happened.”

From there, it was game on. There were challenges. There were timeouts. Players were working the referees. Scottie Barnes even took a swipe to the face. It was real basketball.

(Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

And even though Wembanyama’s Team World lost both of its games (37-35 to Team Stars and 48-45 to Team Stripes) all three round-robin contests finished within one possession, and the Frenchman gets credit for inspiring the competition. It speaks to how good he is — that one man, albeit a 7-foot-5(?) unicorn, can swing the energy of an entire game all alone.

But Wembanyama is that good. And NBC did a nice job on the broadcast, too, highlighting him as the superstar he is. Everything he says is so great if you take it in the right tone, too.

“What makes me so sure that I will win championships?” he asked the broadcast in a feature. “Because it’s my dream, and nobody or nothing can take away my dreams. I’m in love with the game, I’m in love with competition, so why should anybody win it over me?”

That is the stuff of legend right there. And, wait, there is more.

Earlier in the weekend, when asked if he would accept the moniker of Face of the League, Wembanyama told NBA TV’s Chris Haynes, “I definitely see it happening. I think it is the natural course of things, you know? Supply and demand, you know, and I’m here to supply.”

Given Wembanyama’s effort on Sunday, that moniker may be his sooner than later. Nobody spoke louder than the Frenchman in words and actions on All-Star Weekend.

Not to start. But to end.

The question, after Wembanyama inspired competition between Team World and Team Stars — a group of mostly younger players — was whether the self-proclaimed “old heads” (a team headlined by LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard) would follow suit.

That they did in Games 2 and 3 of the evening, defeating Team Stars and Team World in back-to-back nail-biters. Legend turned NBC analyst Carmelo Anthony said he knew we were in for more effort when he saw his friend LeBron cover the court in eight steps.

In fact, a James 3-pointer, nearly from the logo, almost put away Team Stars for good in Game 2. Edwards responded with five straight, including a strip of Donovan Mitchell that he turned into a transition 3, which gave Team Stars a 40-39 advantage. Only for James to set up the final play, which fell into the hands of De’Aaron Fox, who ripped a game-winner.

Leonard took the mantle in Game 3, scoring 31 of his team’s points in a 48-45 victory against Team World that legitimately had Wembanyama bummed about the outcome.

But in the championship game, which once again pitted the youngsters of Team Stars against the “old heads” of Team Stripes, Edwards & Co. ran away with the trophy, 47-21.

If ever there was any question as to whether a torch had been passed from one American generation — a group led by LeBron — to the next, Edwards answered with a punctuation.

Jokić, still recovering from a hyperextended left knee, and Luka Dončić, still recovering from a hamstring injury, were both limited to a handful of ceremonial minutes in the first of the World’s two games on Sunday. Neither played once the competition reached its peak.

Same goes for Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen strain), neither of whom played a minute. So, the World team, which arguably features the sport’s five best players — Jokić, Gilgeous-Alexander, Antetokounmpo, Dončić and Wembanyama — actually boasted only one of them (Wemby) on Sunday.

The “it-is-what-it-is” comment aside, Edwards had a fantastic weekend.

He scored 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting from the field and 6-of-15 shooting from deep across 26 minutes in three games, to go along with nine rebounds and three assists.

Asked in the arena afterward about what it was like being defended by James, Durant and Leonard, Edwards said smiling, “I want to cook them every time. You know that.”

It was not the first time Edwards sounded cool as hell over the weekend.

Which raises the question: Is Edwards the brightest American basketball star we have? Leonard may have had a claim, given how well he has played over the past two months, and given how well he played in the earlier portions of Sunday evening, but having seen how Edwards shined over the weekend, both on and off the court, it is hard to deny him.

But even Edwards knows where the NBA’s bread is buttered.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver had a wide smile on his face as he presented trophies to Team Stars for its All-Star Game championship and Edwards for his MVP performance.

And for good reason. There were many doubters, myself included, who thought the All-Star Game had lost all hope, no matter the format, and USA vs. World would not solve it.

Then again, it sounds like even former president Barack Obama had his doubts.

“I know a lot of people have been concerned about the All-Star Game not seeing as much effort; today we saw it,” Obama told Reggie Miller on the broadcast. “And I do think that, whenever you get an international team against an American team, they want to compete.”

There Silver has it — a pretty strong endorsement indeed.

I think we were all a little nervous seeing 35-year-old Damian Lillard, who has not played at all this season, trotting out there to try to win a third 3-point contest in four years, but imagine being the doctor who performed surgery on the Achilles he tore 10 months ago.

(Dr. Neal ElAttrache, by the way, from the host city of Los Angeles!)

Instead, Lillard did what he does, narrowly defeating Devin Booker in the final of the shootout, joining Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the event’s only three-time winners.

Speaking of speedy recoveries from Achilles surgeries.

Quietly, or loudly, if you are in the Boston area, NBC flexed the March 1 game between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers to its primetime slate, leading many keen observers to wonder if that game could signal Jayson Tatum’s return from Achilles surgery in May.

Tatum participated in a practice with Boston’s G League affiliate this week. He said earlier in the season that, when he did return, it would be in a home game, and that is a home game for Boston. Conspiracy theorists also note that Tatum’s birthday falls on March 3.

NBC did not dissuade viewers when on Sunday the network revealed that, in collaboration with Tatum, “over the next few weeks,” it will chronicle the All-NBA forward’s return from injury in a documentary-style series, which debuted during the All-Star Game.

It was a dunk contest field that required an introduction, and it was not always a kind one.

Carter Bryant, Jaxson Hayes, Keshad Johnson and Jase Richardson did some dunks, all of which we had seen before. In fact, Richardson recreated one by his father, two-time dunk contest winner Jason Richardson, which was cool, but the repetition got real tired quickly.

In an anticlimactic ending, Bryant did not realize he had to get his three attempts at a single dunk off in a 90-second window (why are we timing this?), missing the first two and rushing a third, less-cool dunk before the buzzer. That is how it ended. With a whimper.

Maybe it is time to scrap the dunk contest entirely.

Then again …

Johnson did some pretty sweet dunks.

Sounds like there is a lot of momentum toward a 1-on-1 competition at All-Star Weekend, if you listen to Giannis Antetokounmpo, who may or may not fear one Victor Wembanyama.

Jaylen Brown is on board, too, and he is not ducking anybody.

I don’t know about you, but I had some friends who missed the start of All-Star Saturday Night because it was more like All-Star Saturday Early Evening, beginning at 5 p.m. ET.

The good news: They didn’t miss much, as Lillard won (again), and the New York Knicks took the Shooting Stars Competition (that’s right: another shooting competition replaced the Skills Competition, because Chris Paul ruined what was left of that last year), before Johnson won a dunk contest between players most people I know did not recognize.

Is it time to scrap the dunk contest? Silver managed to spice up the All-Star Game, so maybe he can resurrect that, too. I like this idea from Edwards as a wrinkle to the event: “Now, if we have a contest where, Can I dunk on him? Can he dunk on me? That’d be fun.”

Dunking on defenders? That would be fun, Ant. That would be fun.

And who would Edwards dunk on if he could? Why, “Rudy Gobert,” of course.

Still got it.

If anyone besides Wembanyama deserves credit for the effort on All-Star Weekend, it is Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe, who brought the heat in the Rising Stars games, scoring the final 10 points of a semifinal and delivering the title-clinching free throws.

Afterward, Edgecombe said, “I wanted to win.”

See how easy that is for the players. They would have to try not to try. Instead, they tried.

NBA All-Star 2026: USA vs. World format a success as future faces of the league lead the way — ‘This is what it’s all about’

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Shortly after a De’Aaron Fox buzzer-beating, left corner triple lifted Team Stripes to a 42-40 win over Team Stars in Game 2 of the new-look ]

“I think they ain’t really going to take in what I’m saying, but I like this format,” All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards said, with 10 out of 14 possible votes. “I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys. I think it was really good … I feel like the old heads played hard, too. They were playing real good defense.”

For the basketball purist and casual fan alike, Sunday afternoon offered up the best the NBA has to offer. Players picking up opponents at the point of attack, with real defensive intensity on and off the ball. Edwards picking defenders apart like a hyena dissolving a carcass, going right at James and Kevin Durant. Victor Wembanyama’s insatiable drive to win, visibly frustrated at missed rotations, less-than-optimal shot selection and losing. Jaylen Brown manifesting his desires for a 1-on-1 tournament, inviting anyone who dared to step up to challenge. And Kawhi Leonard, putting phenomenal belt to ass to young whippersnappers and the international cream of the crop, reminding the world — in front of his home crowd — that he remains one of the best to lace them up. Sunday was special. 

“It was great,” Leonard said. “Happy that Adam [Silver] let me in. That’s what the home crowd wanted to see. I’m glad I was able to do something in that game. … It’s always fun to go out and compete with those guys and just cherish the court with them. They’re all legends, and they’re playing great basketball.”

Moving the conversation forward, seeing the likes of Edwards and Wembanyama raise their games on one of the biggest stages, as ambassadors of basketball, is critical for the future of the sport. One of the topics discussed over the weekend, as an aside to the futures of the LeBrons, Durants and Currys of the world, is the crowning of the face of the league. Both Edwards and Wembanyama offer different vantage points as it pertains to the league dynamic, but collectively, they represent the best the NBA has to offer. In Wembanyama, a reminder of the beauty in being different and the growth that accompanies that realization. In Edwards, the boldness in being apologetically yourself and discovering your true power and influence. Together, the recipe for carrying the league for the next generation is as clear as day. 

“It’s something that’s got to be natural, of course,” Wembanyama said. “Obviously, social media, the NBA can promote whoever they want. But at the end of the day, it’s going to be the best players and who the people ask for. Being the face of the league, it’s something that can be manufactured but only to some extent. It’s only going to be the best players. This is what it’s all about.”

There is a very real storm that the NBA finds itself in, with illegal sports gambling, alleged financial misconduct and tanking at the forefront of the issues. But if Sunday was a microcosm of what it means to be in the eye of the storm, it’s phenomenal. The blending of the fiery youth and the very present aging stars still gracing us with their presence is why folks pay inane amounts of money to come out in droves. Perhaps seeing the success of the All-Star Game inspires some of the most prolific dunkers to rethink their lack of interest in entering the contest. Maybe watching Dame Lillard lift the trophy forces great shooters — like Steph Curry did — to find love for the competition again. 

“It felt good,” Durant said. “Hopefully we just build upon this and the weekend becomes more and more competitive, and the fans start to enjoy it more and more.”

NBA All-Star Game 2026: How to watch tonight, who’s playing, where to stream free and more

The NBA All-Star Game will be played this Sunday, Feb. 15. The midseason exhibition has a new format this year, with three teams competing in a round-robin tournament. Team USA Stars, led by J.B. Bickerstaff, includes Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards. Team USA Stripes, led by Mitch Johnson, includes Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks, Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Team World will include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokić, and Victor Wembanyama, with Darko Rajaković coaching. 

The All-Star tournament tips off 5 p.m. ET Sunday on NBC and streams live on Peacock. Here’s the full NBA All-Star Weekend schedule and everything you need to know to watch the game.

Date: Sunday, Feb. 15

Time: 5 p.m. ET

Location: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, Calif.

TV channel: NBC

Streaming: Peacock, DirecTV

The 2026 NBA All-Star Championship Game will be held Sunday, Feb. 15. Leading up to the All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Weekend has a packed slate of events, including the three-point contest and slam dunk contest. 

Friday, Feb. 13

  • Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

  • Rising Stars Game 1 – Team Melo vs. Team Austin: 9 p.m. ET (Peacock)

  • Rising Stars Game 2 – Team Vince vs. Team T-Mac: 9:55 p.m. ET (Peacock)

  • Castrol Rising Stars Championship: 10:35 p.m. ET (Peacock)

  • NBA HBCU Classic (Hampton vs. North Carolina A&T): 11 p.m. ET (Peacock)

Saturday, Feb. 14

  • NBA All-Star Media Day presented by AT&T: 1:30 p.m. ET (NBA App, NBA TV)

  • NBA Commissioner Adam Silver news conference: 4 p.m. ET (NBA App, NBA TV)

  • NBA All-Star Saturday Night: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • State Farm 3-Point Contest: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • Kia Shooting Stars: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • AT&T Slam Dunk Contest: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

Sunday, Feb. 15

  • NBA G League Next Up Game: 2:30 p.m. ET (NBA App)

  • All-Star Game 1 – Stars vs. World: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • All-Star Game 2 – Stripes vs. Game 1 Winner: 5:55 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • All-Star Game 3 – Stripes vs. Game 1 Loser: 6:25 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • All-Star Championship: 7:10 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

The NBA All-Star Game will air on NBC and stream live on Peacock.

USA Stars

  • Head coach: J.B. Bickerstaff (Detroit Pistons)

  • Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors

  • Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

  • Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

  • Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons

  • Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks

  • Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

USA Stripes

  • Head coach: Mitch Johnson (San Antonio Spurs)

  • Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

  • Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

  • Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors*

  • Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors

  • Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets

  • LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

  • Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers

  • Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Norman Powell, Miami Heat

World

  • Head coach: Darko Rajaković

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

  • Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers

  • Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder*

  • Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

  • Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

  • Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers

  • Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets

  • Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks

  • Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

*unable to play because of injury

NBA All-Star Weekend 2026: How to watch, full events schedule, where to stream free and more

It’s time for NBA All-Star Weekend! The midseason exhibition tournament will be held this Sunday, Feb. 15, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. But before the big All-Star Championship Game, there’s a star-studded celebrity game, the slam dunk contest and more fun NBA events for fans to enjoy. This year’s All-Star game also features a new format, with three teams competing (USA Stars, USA Stripes, and World) in a round-robin style. Yahoo Sports broke down the new NBA All-Star competition format for you.

Most of the action will air across NBC and Peacock. Here’s the full NBA All-Star Weekend schedule and everything you need to know to watch the game.

Dates: Feb. 13-15

Location: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, Calif.

TV channel: NBC, ESPN

Streaming: Peacock

The 2026 NBA All-Star Championship Game will be held this Sunday, Feb. 15. Leading up to the All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Weekend has a packed slate of events, including the 3-point and slam dunk contests. NBA All-Star Weekend events run from Friday, Feb. 13 – Sunday, Feb. 15.

Friday, Feb. 13

  • Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

  • Rising Stars Game 1 – Team Melo vs. Team Austin: 9 p.m. ET (Peacock)

  • Rising Stars Game 2 – Team Vince vs. Team T-Mac: 9:55 p.m. ET (Peacock)

  • Castrol Rising Stars Championship: 10:35 p.m. ET (Peacock)

  • NBA HBCU Classic (Hampton vs. North Carolina A&T): 11 p.m. ET (Peacock)

Saturday, Feb. 14

  • NBA All-Star Media Day presented by AT&T: 1:30 p.m. ET (NBA App, NBA TV)

  • Commissioner Adam Silver News Conference: 4 p.m. ET (NBA App, NBA TV)

  • NBA All-Star Saturday Night: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • State Farm 3-Point Contest: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • Kia Shooting Stars: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • AT&T Slam Dunk Contest: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

Sunday, Feb. 15

  • NBA G League Next Up Game: 2:30 p.m. ET (NBA App)

  • All-Star Game 1 – Stars vs. World: 5 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • All-Star Game 2 – Stripes vs. Game 1 Winner: 5:55 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • All-Star Game 3 – Stripes vs. Game 1 Loser: 6:25 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

  • All-Star Championship: 7:10 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock)

The Majority of NBA All-Star Weekend events will air on NBC and stream live on Peacock. The exceptions to that rule are the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which will air on ESPN, and the media events, which will air on NBA TV and stream in the NBA App.

USA Stars

  • Head coach: J.B. Bickerstaff (Detroit Pistons)

  • Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors

  • Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

  • Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

  • Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons

  • Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks

  • Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

USA Stripes

  • Head coach: Mitch Johnson (San Antonio Spurs)

  • Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

  • Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

  • Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors*

  • Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors

  • Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets

  • LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

  • Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers

  • Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Norman Powell, Miami Heat

World

  • Head coach: Darko Rajaković

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

  • Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers

  • Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder*

  • Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

  • Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

  • Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers

  • Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets

  • Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks

  • Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

“*” denotes unable to play because of injury

  • Keshad Johnson, Miami Heat

  • Jase Richardson, Orlando Magic

  • Carter Bryant, San Antonio Spurs

  • Jaxson Hayes, Los Angeles Lakers

  • Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

  • Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

  • Kon Kneuppel, Charlotte Hornets

  • Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

  • Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

  • Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks

  • Norman Powell, Miami Heat

Ziegler leads No. 9 Louisville in 88-65 romp over Florida State

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Laura Ziegler scored 14 points for ninth-ranked Louisville in an 88-65 rout of Florida State on Sunday night.

The matchup between the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top scoring offense (Louisville, 81.9 ppg) and its next-to-last defense (Florida State, 76 ppg) played out that way as the Cardinals (24-4, 14-1 ACC) took control early and never trailed en route to their third straight win.

Ziegler scored the game’s first five points and Louisville used a 9-0 run later in the opening quarter to build a 16-5 lead with 2:45 remaining. Meanwhile, the Seminoles (9-17, 4-10) shot just 25.8% (8 of 31) in the first half as Louisville led 34-20 at halftime.

The senior forward opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer, and the Cardinals added to their lead throughout the second half, leading by as much as 80-51 midway through the fourth quarter. She also flirted with a triple-double, finishing with eight rebounds and seven assists before exiting the game with 6:37 remaining and the Cardinals up 71-49.

The transfer from Saint Joseph’s was one of five Cardinals to finish in double figures. Imari Berry, Skylar Jones and Reyna Scott all scored 11, while Grace Mbugua pitched in 10. Aside from Ziegler, Louisville’s other top scorers came off the bench.

Louisville topped 80 for the 17th time this season and shot 49.3% (35 of 71) from the field. The Cardinals also got 26 points off 16 Florida State turnovers and dished out 25 assists, one off their season high.

Sole Williams led the Seminoles with 19 points on 6 of 11 shooting, and Allie Kubek came off the bench to score 18 on 7 of 10 shooting for the Seminoles, who made just 36.9% (24 of 65) of their shots.

Up next

Florida State hosts California on Thursday.

Louisville is off until next Sunday, when Virginia visits.

—

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Ziegler leads No. 9 Louisville in 88-65 romp over Florida State

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Laura Ziegler scored 14 points for ninth-ranked Louisville in an 88-65 rout of Florida State on Sunday night.

The matchup between the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top scoring offense (Louisville, 81.9 ppg) and its next-to-last defense (Florida State, 76 ppg) played out that way as the Cardinals (24-4, 14-1 ACC) took control early and never trailed en route to their third straight win.

Ziegler scored the game’s first five points and Louisville used a 9-0 run later in the opening quarter to build a 16-5 lead with 2:45 remaining. Meanwhile, the Seminoles (9-17, 4-10) shot just 25.8% (8 of 31) in the first half as Louisville led 34-20 at halftime.

The senior forward opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer, and the Cardinals added to their lead throughout the second half, leading by as much as 80-51 midway through the fourth quarter. She also flirted with a triple-double, finishing with eight rebounds and seven assists before exiting the game with 6:37 remaining and the Cardinals up 71-49.

The transfer from Saint Joseph’s was one of five Cardinals to finish in double figures. Imari Berry, Skylar Jones and Reyna Scott all scored 11, while Grace Mbugua pitched in 10. Aside from Ziegler, Louisville’s other top scorers came off the bench.

Louisville topped 80 for the 17th time this season and shot 49.3% (35 of 71) from the field. The Cardinals also got 26 points off 16 Florida State turnovers and dished out 25 assists, one off their season high.

Sole Williams led the Seminoles with 19 points on 6 of 11 shooting, and Allie Kubek came off the bench to score 18 on 7 of 10 shooting for the Seminoles, who made just 36.9% (24 of 65) of their shots.

Up next

Florida State hosts California on Thursday.

Louisville is off until next Sunday, when Virginia visits.

—

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Jeff Stoutland’s Eagles Departure Signals Major Organizational Changes

News broke on Feb. 4 that Jeff Stoutland, the Philadelphia Eagles’ run game and offensive line coach, will not return to the team next season. The report from ESPN’s Tim McManus came as a complete shock to fans.

Stoutland has coached Philadelphia’s offensive line since 2013. During his tenure, he’s played a key role in developing one of the league’s best units. Jason Kelce, Jordan Mailata, and Mekhi Becton are just some of the players who greatly benefited from Soutland’s guidance. 

Following the announcement, Mailata, a current star for the Eagles’ offensive line, said he is “heartbroken” by the news. Additionally, veterans Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson are reportedly contemplating retirement, which is likely tied to Stoutland’s departure.

This unexpected exit is shaking up Philadelphia’s offseason plans and has left fans with many questions.

 

Sean Mannion’s Involvement

The timing of Stoutland’s exit in relation to the hiring of new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion may not be a coincidence.

NBC Sports’ Dave Zangaro noted how Mannion’s staff-building decisions this offseason could indicate a significant shift Philadelphia’s offensive identity for 2026.  Rumors are circulating that Mannion wants the reins of the offense entirely to himself. As he brings in several new coaches and staff members who share his vision, perhaps Stoutland saw the writing on the wall that changes are coming, and he wasn’t going to be a part of them.

Stoutland’s Irritations and Shortcomings

Stoutland’s frustrations with Philadelphia’s operation date back to last season. He was reportedly irritated with the Eagles’ offense and his lack of contribution to the group towards the end of the year. In these reports, it’s said that head coach Nick Sirianni and former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo had complete control over the offense in the final few games.

Cayden Steele at NJ.com wrote about how the divide late last season played a role in the separation. According to Steele, Stoutland was “not consulted” enough regarding changes in the run game.

That isn’t to say Stoutland was blameless. This season’s offensive line is one of the weakest he’s coached in his 13 years with the Eagles. However, a lot of that can be chalked up to injury. Johnson missed significant time, and Dickerson played through lingering injuries all year. Still, that doesn’t explain the regression from Mailata and Cam Jurgens.

But even in a down season, the Eagles’ offensive line still graded as the seventh-best in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

What is Mannion’s Plan?

Mannion has instead brought in a slew of new offensive coaches. He is expected to incorporate a “west coast” type of offense, similar to that of Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan.

Chris Kuper will be the new offensive line coach to replace Stoutland. Some of the other new faces include Josh Grizzard as the passing game coordinator, and Ryan Mahaffey as the Tight Ends Coach and running game coordinator. 

Mannion has close connections to Mahaffey and Kuper already. Mahaffey coached with Mannion in Green Bay, and Kuper was a coach in Minnesota in 2023 while Mannion was still playing quarterback.

What Does the Future Hold?

There’s been no indication of Jeff Stoutland’s next move yet. The term “leaving” indicates he may not be retiring, but he could instead try to coach elsewhere.

So what does this mean for Philadelphia’s offense? Well, big changes are still on the rise. With Dallas Goedert entering free agency and Dickerson still contemplating retirement, the Eagles’ offense could look much different than it has in recent history.

For now, however, it seems that Sean Mannion has the reins, and Sirianni is taking a step back in his offensive involvement. For better or for worse, the Mannion era is off to a polarizing start.

The post Jeff Stoutland’s Eagles Departure Signals Major Organizational Changes appeared first on The Lead.

Tyler Reddick stuns Chase Elliott, wins Daytona 500 for Michael Jordan’s team

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Tyler Reddick needed a game-winner at the buzzer to win the Daytona 500 Sunday and deliver team owner Michael Jordan another championship.

Reddick led a single lap on Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, and it wasn’t for long.

With leader Chase Elliott seemingly in command coming off Turn 4, Reddick made a move reminiscent of his boss. Reddick dove to the inside and bumped Elliott to pass him, earning a career-defining victory two days shy of the NBA great’s 63rd birthday.

“Just incredible how it all played out,” Reddick said. “Just true Daytona madness.”

Jordan met Reddick and his team in Victory Lane and helped him lift the Harley J. Early trophy.

“I can’t believe it,” Jordan said. “You never know how these races are going to end. You’re just trying to survive. We just hung in there all day.

“I’m just ecstatic.”

Jordan, like everyone in the sellout crowd, was stunned to see Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota take the checkered flag.

Teammate Bubba Wallace, the original member of Jordan’s 23XI Racing co-owned with NASCAR star Denny Hamlin, lead a race-high 39 laps in his bid to become the first Black Daytona 500 winner. But the two-time runner-up (2018, 2022) in the sport’s biggest race lost ground during a Lap 181 pit stop and finished 10th.

“I don’t want my emotions to take away from the monumental day they just accomplished — Happy birthday, MJ,” Wallace said. “That’s a massive birthday present.

“I thought this was our week, the best 500 I’ve ever had, and come up short, sucks. But couldn’t be more proud of the team.”

Unlike Wallace, Reddick hadn’t factored at the front of the 68th running of the Great American Race. The 200-lap affair featured 66 lead changes among a record 26 drivers in the 41-car field.

Elliott moved to the front of the pack after a restart on Lap 197. The Cup Series Most Popular Driver the past eight years, the 30-year-old would have been a celebrated winner.

Instead, Reddick spoiled Elliott’s best chance during 11 attempts.

“At that point you’re on defense. That’s a very tough place to be,” Elliott said. “If I had thrown a double-block on the No. 45, it would have just crashed us. It really sucks to be that close … and not finish it off.”

Reddick, who turned 30 Jan. 11, entered the day an afterthought following a winless 2025 ended a string of three consecutive seasons with at least two victories.

“Last year was really hard for all of us, hard for me,” Reddick said. “When you’re a Cup driver and you get to this level and drive for Michael Jordan, it’s expected you win every single year.”

Reddick’s improbable ninth career victory came on a warm and breezy day at the iconic 2.5-mile oval.

Sustained winds in the teens, with gusts over 30 mph made Turn 4 trickier than usual.

The elements, coupled with aggression and risk-taking on the track, led to compelling racing. At the 200-lap race’s midpoint, the lead had changed hands 27 times, the third most in the Daytona 500 history.

The approach also led to chaos.

Multi-car crashes, including an 18-car melee on Lap 125, ended the hopes of top contenders, along with the field’s youngest competitor — 19-year-old Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch.

Zilisch, former Daytona 500 winners Austin Cindric (2022) and Austin Dillon (2018) and Chase Briscoe, who started on the front row for the second straight, finished the race, but were multiple laps behind — 63 in Dillon’s case.

Hamlin’s push to become the third four-time champion was wishful thinking after 23-year Truck Series phenom Corey Heim, a development driver for 23XI racing, bumped the rear of Hamlin’s car to cause a crash.

Christopher Bell, a four-time Cup Series winner in 2025, got the worst of it, slamming into the outside wall. Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota limped to a 31st-place finish, two laps back.

But with Reddick, Wallace and Riley Herbst still in the mix, Hamlin still had skin in the game. When the dust settled, the 45-year-old felt like a big winner when Herbst recorded a Jordan-like assist. The second-year 23XI driver drafted behind Reddick until Herbst’s No. 35 Toyota was caught up in a crash with Elliott and others as Reddick pulled away.

“I know the odds of winning here are really, really small,” Hamlin said. “After I got crashed at the end, I looked at the scoreboard — how many horses have I got left in this race? It was great to see Tyler making all the right moves, and Riley giving him a push at the end.

“It certainly soothes the sting of the day for the 11 car.”

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Duck baseball opens season with four-game sweep over George Mason

The Oregon Ducks baseball team would like to put 2025 season behind them as they hosted an NCAA Regional only to lose two straight and go home.

There’s no better way to do that than to start the very next season with a convincing four-game sweep.

Oregon went on to easily dispatch George Mason in a four-game weekend set, ending with an 11-1 victory over the Patriots at PK Park. The Ducks set the tone in Game 4 of the series with five runs in the bottom of the first. Starting pitcher Ryan Featherston was able to cruise from there. The junior has turned himself into a starter after making 18 appearances out of the bullpen last season. He was able to go six strong innings, giving up just two hits and striking out five.

At the plate, the Ducks were led by Maddox Molony’s two-run double and Drew Smith’s three runs driven in on the night. That was more than enough for Oregon, whose four pitchers gave up just six hits and one earned run.

Oregon used the momentum it got from the previous day as the Ducks swept a doubleheader, although the weather was less than ideal, but good enough to get the games in.

Game 1 of the Saturday doubleheader was put on ice early on as the Ducks plated nine runs in the second inning to go on to win 14-5. Drew Smith’s grand slam blew the game wide open to make it a nine-run frame. Starting pitcher Collin Clarke had a career-high 10 strikeouts in his six innings on the mound.

It was more of the same in the nightcap as the Ducks took Game 2 by the score of 14-4. They waited until the fourth inning this time to blow the game wide open with an 8-spot in the frame. Molony, Smith, and freshman catcher Brayden Jaksa all homered.

In the season opener, starting pitcher Will Sanford threw a solid five innings to earn the win as the Ducks went on to win 6-2. Relievers Miles Gosztola and Tanner Bradley each threw two innings to close the Patriots out. The big blow came in the second when Dominic Hellman hit a three-run blast to left field to give Oregon a 5-0 lead, which was more than enough.

Oregon will continue its eight-game homestand this coming week with a four-game set with Youngstown State beginning Thursday.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon baseball opens 2026 with series sweep over George Mason