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Maryland wrecks Michigan's Big Ten hopes with upset road win
An 11-point halftime lead gave No. 13 Maryland a big enough cushion to survive being outscored by five in the second half and the Terps held on for a 71-65 road win over the Wolverines.
Make that 5️⃣ road wins for the Terps!
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) March 6, 2025
See you at XFINITY on Saturday.
Maryland had a poor night shooting from the field, shooting just 38.1% overall from the field and 36% from three.
Capitalizing off turnovers was huge for the Terps, as they forced 16 Michigan turnovers and scored 21 points off of those turnovers.
Another steal and bucket for Miguel
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) March 6, 2025
: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/Ds6IGPbwB4
As has been the theme all season, Maryland starters carried the load, scoring 67 of the teams 71 points.
Rodney Rice led the way with 19 points and knocked down four three-pointers on nine attempts. Selton Miguel and Derik Queen each scored 17 points. Queen added 12 rebounds, giving him his sixth double-double in his last seven games.
How did Selton even make that?
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) March 6, 2025
That's his third triple of the half
: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/WusWGsdSXx
Vladislav Goldin led Michigan with 20 points and 15 rebounds, his second double-double in the last three games.
Danny Wolf had an-all around good game, with 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Tre Donaldson was also in double figures, scoring 10 points and dishing out six assists.
A work of art
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) March 6, 2025
: BTN https://t.co/CtLdEuFUZj pic.twitter.com/RCmfR42mVa
The loss destroyed Michigan's chance at the Big Ten title.
Due to this loss, Michigan State has secured a share of the Big Ten regular-season title. The Spartans can win it outright if they win either one of their next two games (Thursday against unranked Iowa or Sunday against Michigan).
1⃣1⃣
— Spartans Illustrated (@SpartansRivals) March 6, 2025
Tom Izzo has now tied Bobby Knight (Indiana) and Ward Lambert (Purdue) for the most Big Ten championships in conference history.
Congrats, Coach! pic.twitter.com/KRB7TDpOQQ
More must-reads:
- How No. 5 Florida strengthened its resume with key road win
- Watch: Ole Miss stuns No. 4 Tennessee in thrilling sequence
- The 'Second-leading receiver by NFL team' quiz
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Angry Mike Vrabel vows to find 'rats' within Patriots organization who leaked major news
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel wasn't mad about how the backups performed in the team's 42-10 preseason loss to the New York Giants. He was angry that someone had leaked the news that wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk would need season-ending shoulder surgery. When asked if he had anything to add to the reports that Polk would miss the season, Vrabel didn't give the media anything aside from his unvarnished feelings. "I'd like to find out where some of these [reports] come from. Some of these rats around here. So, we'll figure that out," he added in a news conference on Thursday. Coaches and reporters are hardly the best of friends on a good day. Often, a coach will deflect if they don't want to add fuel to a report the team hasn't made official, but usually they won't deflect and promise to get the "rats" providing this information. NFL insider Jordan Schultz broke the news ahead of the Patriots' preseason finale against the Giants. According to Schultz, the decision for Polk to undergo surgery was made to ensure the 2024 second-round pick would be healthy for the 2026 season. Polk dealt with health issues throughout the offseason. It was during the second quarter of New England's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders that he took a nasty hit on a one-yard run, leading to the shoulder injury that will sideline him for 2025. Last season, Polk had a tough rookie debut, catching just 12 receptions for 87 yards and recording two touchdowns. The hope for 2025 was that he could redeem himself and become a reliable enough target for second-year quarterback Drake Maye. Expectations for Maye are much higher now with the return of Tom Brady's old offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels. Without Polk to run routes, though, the already-thin wide receiver room is nearly devoid of talent behind veteran receiver Stefon Diggs. The Patriots signed Diggs to a three-year, $69 million contract in the offseason. However, Diggs has brought some unwanted attention to the team through his offseason antics and is recovering from a torn ACL that ended his time with the Houston Texans. While Patriot fans should feel some hope in the direction of the team under Vrabel — a former defensive star for New England during the dynasty years — this roster is still in the midst of a rebuild. And with such a troubled roster, losses may pile up, and the team's relationship with the media could worsen if another season feels like a waste. So, Vrabel being upset by Polk's injury is fair, but what doesn't feel fair is to single out Patriots staff and players who are potentially talking to reporters as hostile to the organization. It's perhaps not surprising that Vrabel is willing to voice his frustrations, as he's shown no fear when breaking up practice scrums. Still, it's the job of any journalist to build relationships with staff and team members to gain reliable sources who can help them accurately report the news. While the "rats" moniker for those in the building talking to NFL insiders and the New England sports media will be swallowed up by all the other headlines as Week 1 nears, it's notable that Vrabel's time as head coach in New England is already off to a contentious start.
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Former Yankees Outfielder Rips Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman
The New York Yankees have been having a rough couple of months, losing their once-dominant lead of the AL East. Now, both Yankees manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman are on the receiving end of some tough words by a former player, outfielder Clint Frazier. Boone has been criticized by a number of analysts (not to mention Yankees fans) for lineup and mid-game moves that range from head-scratching to downright bizarre, especially for a team that has been having a hard time securing wins. Cashman has repeatedly defended Boone, arguing that is knowledge of the players' capabilities is driving his decisions. To Frazier, Cashman's defense of Boone is self-serving because Cashman is the person who is responsible for Boone's tenure as manager. “When Cashman comes out and gives support to Boone, lowkey, I kind of feel like that’s self-preservation,” Frazier said on his podcast. “I know his resume is insane, but when he gives the confidence boost to Boone, I was saying ‘he’s got to, because Booney is the frontline of defense for him. I brought this guy in, and I have to support him, because he’s my guy.' Boone is Cashman’s shadow a little bit." Frazier, who played for the Pinstripes from 2017 to 2021, went on to discuss the Yankees' playoff chances, criticizing Boone for his lineup and mid-game decisions, which he claims will impact the team negatively during the post-season. “You need to make sure that you aren’t walking into it with bad decisions, because these are the decisions they’ll be doing in the playoffs,” he said. “They’re going to be way more under the microscope in the playoffs... You’ve got to make sure that you’re buttoned up and ready to go. If you start firing from the hip, it becomes a mockery of what every guy is trying to do.” While the Yankees are doing better now than they were at the time of Frazier's comments, surpassing the Boston Red Sox for second place in the AL East and securing the top spot in the AL Wild Card standings, they still aren't consistent. For New York to secure a trip to the World Series for the second year in a row, they're going to have to play better, which requires Boone to make better decisions. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Yankees Have Advantage in Cody Bellinger Sweepstakes Former Yankees Pitchers Swap Places On NL Contender Hall of Famer Explains Leaving Red Sox for Yankees Mariano Rivera's Injury End of Yankees Old-Timer's Game? Four Yankees Among MLB's Top 25 Free Agents
How offseason gambles put the Toronto Maple Leafs in a better position
With training camp on the horizon, the Toronto Maple Leafs are about to enter their first season of a new era. This new “era” rightfully has some fans dismayed, but that doesn’t mean these fans should not be excited. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Unfortunately, this is exactly what we have seen the Leafs do over the last nine years, and it has not worked. Not even close. We have beaten to death the playoff failures and how the “Core Four” was a problem. Mitch Marner unfortunately had to go, and from the sounds of it, it was mutual. But we now have a change in perspective and direction when it comes to the team. In this post, let’s take a look at some of the offseason moves made by the Leafs and why the Leafs are in a better position than last season. Changes and acquisitions With the changes so far, we have seen a shift in team philosophy. The two “go to” guys are now Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Perhaps throw in Knies after signing his six-year extension. But either way, the Leafs will have to fill in the holes with actual supporting players, instead of shopping at Value Village for bargain-bin players like they have the last several years. The three big additions this offseason by general manager Brad Treliving were Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, and Dakota Joshua. Maccelli is a young winger at 24 years old, while Roy and Joshua are entering the tail end of their prime. Maccelli has one 57-point and one 49-point season in his four-season NHL career, with last year being a disappointment. It should be mentioned that he played for the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Mammoth for his career. The team has made the playoffs once in over a decade, and Maccelli was playing for Ilves Tampere in the SM-liiga at the time. Nicholas Roy and Dakota Joshua are known to play a heavier game and have an aggressive forecheck. Roy has been a 30–40 point centre the last four seasons, while Joshua showed promise two seasons ago, scoring 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points, but tapered off considerably. Last season, he only scored seven goals and seven assists for 14 points in 57 games. This is what Leafs fans have wanted for several years now: a much more balanced roster in terms of salary allocation. But are they better? Are the Leafs better? I think the question everyone is wondering with these acquisitions is: Are the Leafs better? I think this can’t be answered until the conclusion of the 2025–26 season. But for the sake of argument, I will say yes, they are better, but not from a skill standpoint, but from a cultural shift and flexibility point of view. The Leafs’ roster needed to change in a big way; the playoff failures speak for themselves. Brad Treliving’s Gambles Losing a 100-point winger in Mitch Marner hurts. If we add up the point totals from last season for all three new additions, they scored 30 goals and 33 assists for 63 points. Compared to Marner’s 27 goals and 75 assists for 102 points, this looks like a horrible proposition on paper. But what do these three players have in common? They are all expected to have bounce-back seasons. If we add up the point totals of three new acquisitions from the 2023–24 season, they scored 48 goals, 82 assists for 130 points. Much better value, especially when considering these three players will play throughout the lineup, not just on the first line. The team is heading towards a better balance instead of being so top-heavy. Maccelli playing with either Auston Matthews and Knies, or with John Tavares and William Nylander, is a solid bet, especially with Maccelli in a contract year. For the sake of discussion, let’s say Maccelli scores 50–60 points. At age 25 and an RFA, you absolutely re-sign him and have a decent young player in your top-six. Joshua and Roy are less flashy and are older. However, while not every player will be a Matthew Knies, Roy and Joshua could be the missing pieces in the bottom-six that have plagued the Leafs for nearly a decade: A bottom-six that can ram you through the boards and can also score. With Treliving’s gamble on Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, and the gambles on defence, notably Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Simon Benoit, Treliving has deserved the benefit of the doubt. More often than not, his gambles have paid off. Future opportunities The offseason acquisitions have a lot to do with future opportunities just as much as they do with this upcoming season. The Leafs are no longer married to a high-priced offence that disappears come playoffs. They can continue to find personnel who fit their new vision. The Leafs have just under $2M in cap space. With a logjam of players in the bottom-six, one or both of David Kampf or Calle Jarnkrok will likely be moved. I am not expecting a huge trade, but the Leafs will likely have more cap space by the NHL trade deadline to fill holes. None of the changes made this offseason prevents the Leafs from making changes in the future. If one of the new additions doesn’t work out, their cap hits aren’t insurmountable that they can’t be traded. With few draft picks or solid prospects, these new acquisitions can be used in combination with available cap space to make a bigger acquisition come the trade deadline or next offseason. The offseason moves provide the Leafs with much-needed cap space and roster flexibility. However, if the new additions perform well in the lineup, the team will be much more well-rounded than last season, especially come the playoffs. Way forward I think we need to look at everything in totality, as opposed to viewing it as a “100 point player out, a bunch of third line producers in.” During most of the regular season, most of the series against the Ottawa Senators, and when the Leafs went up 2–0 against the Florida Panthers in the second round, what were your thoughts? My thoughts, and we’ve written about it several times, are that this team has changed. A lot of it is due to Craig Berube and his system, but this was Year 1. Adding more “Berube-esque” players in Joshua and Roy, and this team will perhaps be even better than last year. Combine these solid offseason bets with existing players like Matthews and Morgan Rielly being due for bounce-back seasons, or perhaps Easton Cowan making the roster out of camp, and there’s plenty to be excited about heading into next season. I am not dismissing the importance of points during the regular season. After all, the team still has to make the playoffs. But if the Panthers are any indication, regular season success does not translate to playoff success. It’s how the team plays the game, and the Leafs need to continue to reshape their DNA into something where we will not have an annual eulogy.
Falcons HC speaks out after offensive starter gets carted off practice field with concerning injury
What five-star pledge means for South Carolina's 2026 class
South Carolina has its first five-star commitment in its 2026 recruiting class. Darius Gray, the No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the rising high school senior class according to 247Sports, has verbally pledged to the Gamecocks out of the Southeastern Conference, a massive recruiting win for head coach Shane Beamer and his program. Gray, an elite top-20 national prospect from Virginia, picked South Carolina over other finalists Clemson, Ohio State, LSU and Tennessee. Gray's recruitment ultimately was between the Gamecocks and LSU. "It came down to the final days this week," Gray said Rivals. "It was a very tough decision between LSU and South Carolina. LSU led this past year, and South Carolina led before that. It has been a battle between those two for a while. A lot of prayer went into it. It was my decision, but talking with family helped a lot too." The difference maker for South Carolina prevailing for the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Gray was Beamer, 247Sports reported. "When you look at how he handled Darius's recruitment, the personal touch and approach he took, especially when dealing with his mother, that was a huge factor that swung things in favor of the Gamecocks," a source told 247Sports. South Carolina's 2026 class is up to 15 verbal pledges and includes eight prospects who are rated four stars, per the industry-generated Rivals Industry Ranking. Gray, though, is the team's first five-star commit. With Gray on board, the Gamecocks' 2026 cycle has moved to No. 16 nationally, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. Over at the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, South Carolina's 2026 class is No. 19 overall. Gray's highest 2026 ranking is from 247Sports, which has him at No. 16 nationwide, No. 1 at interior offensive lineman and No. 1 in Virginia. Both the 247Sports Composite and the Rivals Industry Ranking place Gray in the top 35 overall. He is a standout rising senior at the St. Christopher's School in Richmond, Va. In the 2024 campaign, as a junior, Gray tallied 50 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, according to 247Sports. Earlier this month, MaxPreps unveiled its 2025 preseason All-America teams in high school football. Gray was named to the MaxPreps All-America second team on offense. Gray will join a South Carolina program that went 9-4 last year and was No. 19 in the final Associated Press top-25 poll. The Gamecocks are No. 13 in the preseason AP top 25 ahead of the 2025 campaign.
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