26+ min ago (330+ words) Freshman guards Brayden Burries and Ivan Kharchenkov each had 20 points to lead No. 2 Arizona to a 103-73 victory Monday night over Denver at Tucson, Ariz. Fellow freshmen Dwayne Aristode (17 points) and Koa Peat (12 before fouling out) also scored in double figures for Arizona (6-0). Tobe Awaka came off the bench to contribute 12 points and 15 rebounds. Burries had seven rebounds and Kharchenkov and Aristode each had five as the Wildcats outrebounded Denver 50-29. The Wildcats dominated Denver (2-4) in the paint, outscoring the Pioneers 50-22. Arizona produced 26 assists for its 41 made field goals, led by Anthony Dell'Orso's seven assists. Denver was led by Carson Johnson's 18 points. Zane Nelson added 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Arizona scored the first 13 points of the game and led 14-5 when Denver made its first field goal with 13:53 left in the first half. The Wildcats then went on a 19-2 run…...

28+ min ago (543+ words) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The recent national championship has placed Ohio State football in an unusual position heading into Michigan week " one that has sparked a provocative debate on the Buckeye Talk podcast: What matters more to Ohio State in 2025, winning back-to-back national titles or ending a four-game losing streak against Michigan? This once-unthinkable question only exists because of college football's expanded playoff format, which allowed Ohio State to win the national championship last season despite losing to Michigan. Now, with the Buckeyes positioned for another title run, the podcast hosts posed this challenging hypothetical to their audience. "What is more important for Ohio State in 2025 if you can only have one of these two? Winning back-to-back national titles or beating Michigan and ending a four-game losing streak," Stephen Means asked on the podcast. Stefan Krajisnik, despite acknowledging the difficulty of the…...

30+ min ago (429+ words) San Diego State might be the unanimous pick to win the Mountain West, but the Aztecs aren't ready to hang with the big boys of college basketball." The Aztecs were overwhelmed 94-54 by No. 7 Michigan on Monday night in their opening game of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. They had an early lead that quickly disappeared as the Wolverines (5-0) built a double-digit lead before the game was six minutes old." The Wolverines led 45-33 at halftime and never let up as they overwhelmed the Aztecs (2-2) with better size and athleticism." SDSU was playing six days after taking a gut punch in a 108-107, double-overtime home loss to Troy. The tournament expanded from eight teams last year to 18 teams this year. EAch team will receive $1 million in NIL money, with the winner receiving another $1 million. San Diego State finished third last year,…...

30+ min ago (173+ words) Michigan State Spartans coach Jonathan Smith met the media Monday and attempted to address the biggest elephant in the room: his job security. Smith clarified that while he recognizes the frustration coming from all angles, all he can control is himself and his team's outcome. Smith said eight consecutive losses, which included a 20-17 defeat at the expense of the Iowa Hawkeyes this past Saturday, is not what he had envisioned entering his second season in East Lansing. The last thing Smith said he'll do, though, is fold under scrutiny. "What, you just quit? You run? You start blaming others? It's like, no. Keeping the main thing this week, we've been going at it, deeply believing in these guys. And we want it for them to come out on the right side of the scoreboard, and that's the approach this week....

31+ min ago (348+ words) Six players scored in double figures and No. 7 Michigan held San Diego State to 27.4% shooting from the field in a 94-54 blowout win Monday night in the opening round of the Players Era men's championship in Las Vegas. Yexel Lendeborg scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists for the Wolverines (5-0), while Morez Johnson Jr. and Elliot Cadeau each added 13 points. Nimari Burnett and reserve Roddy Gayle chipped in 11 points apiece and Will Tschetter came off the bench to contribute 10. Michigan's size and shotmaking was simply too much for the Aztecs (2-2). The Wolverines connected on 50% from the field, including 11 of 33 3-pointers and also dominated the glass 49-34. They carved out advantages of 38-12 in points in the paint and 28-13 in points off turnovers. Elzie Harrington scored 15 points and BJ Davis added 11 but the Aztecs simply didn't have enough help. They bricked…...

33+ min ago (416+ words) It's been nearly a decade since the NFL's Rams relocated from St. Louis to Los Angeles, but the legal fallout continues with no end in sight. Last week, a Missouri appellate court ruled that whether the Rams can buy a team training facility in Earth City, Mo., for just $1 will remain a question for Missouri courts and not arbitration. The Rams' move from Los Angeles to St. Louis in 1995, and then back to Los Angeles in 2016, is key to understanding this legal dispute. So, there are two contracts'a settlement and a lease'and each offers conflicting directions on whether disputes should be heard in court or arbitration." The Rams would understandably prefer arbitration over litigating in Missouri courts. The risk is that it's possible the team will be viewed negatively by locals for leaving St. Louis. Arbitration is also confidential, whereas…...

43+ min ago (534+ words) Miami was 13th in the College Football Playoff rankings last week before beating Virginia Tech. Ryan Hunt / Getty Images Today's the final Tuesday of the college football regular season, which means the College Football Playoff selection committee will be releasing another Top 25 " and we're one step closer to the rankings that matter most on Dec. 7. So what will the rankings look like Tuesday night (7 ET, ESPN)? I'm here again to do my best at projecting what the committee is going to do, using my Playoff projections model, after a chalky weekend across college football. Last week, the committee went against my formula and gave edges to Notre Dame over Alabama and Texas over Michigan. After drubbing Syracuse, Notre Dame moved ahead of Alabama in my projections, so I assume they'll be in agreement with the committee this week. Michigan, however, stays…...

48+ min ago (398+ words) The No. 7 Michigan men's basketball team set itself up well. After going down 5-0 in the open to San Diego State, the Wolverines used two scores in the paint, three free throws and four 3-pointers to jump out to a 21-9 lead. Michigan (5-0) rode that hot start to the finish line Monday night in Las Vegas. The Wolverines held their double-digit cushion through the first half, ballooned it in the second and took down the Aztecs (2-2) in dominant fashion, 94-54. Then, up 8-7, Michigan rattled off three straight 3-pointers: the first by junior guard Elliot Cadeau and the next two by graduate forward Will Tschetter. All three were assisted. Mara tipped in two more points off another offensive rebound, Lendeborg hit two free throws, and just like that the Wolverines were up 21-9 less than eight minutes in. Michigan kept up that momentum for the…...

50+ min ago (200+ words) The Pepperdine Waves play the Fresno State Bulldogs at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California Fresno State Bulldogs (5-2) vs. Pepperdine Waves (3-3) Palm Desert, California; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Pepperdine plays Fresno State at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California. The Waves have a 3-3 record in non-conference play. Pepperdine is sixth in the WCC in rebounding averaging 34.7 rebounds. Javon Cooley leads the Waves with 6.3 boards. The Bulldogs have a 5-2 record in non-conference games. Fresno State is 1-2 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 13.7 turnovers per game. Pepperdine makes 46.0% of its shots from the field this season, which is 3.0 percentage points higher than Fresno State has allowed to its opponents (43.0%). Fresno State averages 7.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 fewer made shots on average than the 9.8 per game Pepperdine gives up. TOP PERFORMERS: Aaron Clark is shooting 47.3% and averaging…...

50+ min ago (205+ words) The Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Ole Miss Rebels at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California Ole Miss Rebels (5-0) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (5-0) Palm Desert, California; Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hawkeyes -2.5; over/under is 146.5 BOTTOM LINE: Iowa faces Ole Miss in Palm Desert, California. The Hawkeyes are 5-0 in non-conference play. Iowa ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 20.2 assists per game led by Bennett Stirtz averaging 6.2. The Rebels are 5-0 in non-conference play. Ole Miss ranks third in the SEC allowing 65.0 points while holding opponents to 39.2% shooting. Iowa makes 57.6% of its shots from the field this season, which is 18.4 percentage points higher than Ole Miss has allowed to its opponents (39.2%). Ole Miss averages 8.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.0 more made shots on average than the 6.4 per game Iowa allows. TOP PERFORMERS: Stirtz is shooting 57.4% and averaging 17.6 points for the Hawkeyes....