Sports
PFF Links Vikings to a Familiar Free Agent
Remember the summer sentiment last year from Minnesota Vikings fans, suggesting the club sign cornerback Mike Hilton after the first few waves of free agency? The same guy is back in the rumor mill, and Pro Football Focus recommended the purple team sign Hilton next month when the free agency window opens.
Hilton’s name keeps circling back to Minnesota, and the fit makes sense if the Vikings want proven slot help fast.
Hilton is a seasoned veteran, a decent option for the team’s CB3 role if it prefers an older presence over a rookie draft pick.
PFF Connects Vikings to Veteran Slot Corner Mike Hilton
It’s the return of a popular name in Vikings free agency.
PFF: Hilton to Vikings Checks Out
PFF’s Mason Cameron sized up the best destinations for the NFL’s five best free-agent corners on Thursday, and Hilton earned a mention — news to many because Hilton isn’t necessarily considered a premier cornerback in this free-agent class. Nevertheless, Cameron claimed Minnesota is the best fit for Hilton.
He explained, “Best Landing Spot: Minnesota Vikings. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a reputation for running the most aggressive, blitz-heavy defenses in the NFL. That scheme requires multifaceted cornerback play, particularly in the slot, where the Vikings frequently deploy Byron Murphy Jr. Although talented, Murphy struggled inside in 2025, ranking in the sixth percentile in slot PFF coverage grade (49.3).”
“Adding a full-time slot cornerback to better fill out the roster would allow Murphy to remain outside, where he’s far more effective. While Mike Hilton saw limited time on the field in 2025, his overall profile suggests he has far more to contribute in the right situation.”
Hilton’s modus operandi has always been blitz-happiness, so connecting him to Flores is no surprise.
Cameron added, “Hilton could step in and man the slot role to a high level, evidenced by his 76.3 slot PFF coverage grade since the start of 2023 — the seventh-highest mark in the NFL over that span.”
“Additionally, the veteran cornerback could be used as a versatile weapon in blitz packages, as he has been in previous stops with the Bengals and Steelers, with whom he generated seven or more pressures in each full season of his career.”
The Scorecard from Hilton
Hilton played just two games in 2026. The Indianapolis Colts scooped him after the Miami Dolphins cut him in August 2025. How PFF called Hilton a Top 5 free agent cornerback of 2026? Nobody knows.
Before playing just 70 snaps in 2025, Hilton, indeed, was quite fantastic. Here’s his resume:
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2016)
- New England Patriots (2016)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2016–2020)
- Cincinnati Bengals (2021–2024)
- Miami Dolphins (2025)
- Indianapolis Colts (2025)
His marks from Pro Football Focus:
- 2025: 60.0
- 2024: 75.9
- 2023: 77.4
- 2022: 67.1
- 2021: 70.2
- 2020: 63.7
- 2019: 67.7
- 2018: 69.9
- 2017: 83.1
And the passer-rating-against:
- 2025: 78.5
- 2024: 92.0
- 2023: 66.5
- 2022: 78.8
- 2021: 99.8
- 2020: 60.2
- 2019: 84.8
- 2018: 82.2
It’s concerning that Hilton only played two games in 2025 — at age 31. That would usually suggest a career downturn. Somehow, though, PFF profiled him as a starter and covered free-agent asset.
A Fit if Vikings Don’t Swing for the Fences at CB
The Vikings haven’t drafted a productive cornerback since Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Eight times in the last decade, two general managers have selected corners in all rounds of the draft, and none have translated to long-term staying power. Zero.
So, it’s probably time for Minnesota to draft a CB competently, assuming youth in the pipeline is the preferred strategy.
Adding Hilton as a 2026 solution would not address the future, but Hilton could likely hold down the fort in his age-32 season.
Other FA Options at CB
Interim Vikings general manager Rob Brzezinski — Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired three weeks ago — could also sign a non-Hilton free agent, such as:
- Montaric Brown (JAX)
- Jamel Dean (TB)
- Trevon Diggs (GB)
- Cordale Flott (NYG)
- Josh Jobe (SEA)
- Roger McCreary (NYG)
- Greg Newsome II (JAX)
- Jonathan Jones (WAS)
- Asante Samuel Jr. (PIT)
- Eric Stokes (LV)
- Alontae Taylor (NO)
- Jaylen Watson (KC)
- Tariq Woolen (SEA)
The Athletic‘s Michael-Shawn Dugar wrote about Woolen, arguably the top corner available in free agency, this week: “Woolen was essentially Seattle’s No. 3 outside cornerback but would upgrade several secondaries if signed elsewhere.”
“In 2021, Shaquill Griffin left Seattle and signed a three-year, $40 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars that would be worth around $22 million per year under the updated salary cap. Woolen may not command that much but like Griffin back then, Woolen should have multiple suitors.”
Generally speaking, Hilton should be considered a fallback plan if Minnesota does not prefer a young cornerback.
Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn are a match made in hell, in the exact way that makes them heaven for boxing promoters. For now, a match-up between the American and the Briton is in purgatory, but the barriers could come crumbling down on Saturday.
In Las Vegas, Garcia will challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title, to which Benn is the next mandatory challenger.
Never mind the fact that Garcia, 27, is receiving this title shot on the back of a loss, in which he was dropped and outpointed by underdog Rolly Romero. Never mind that he entered the Romero fight after a year-long drug ban. Never mind that Benn’s last two fights were middleweight bouts with Chris Eubank Jr, in which he went 1-1. Never mind that he went through his own drug-test saga beforehand. All roads lead to Garcia vs Benn.
Still, the terrain is often rocky in this sport.
Benn, 29, has long said his greatest desire is to become WBC welterweight champion, yet he has also barked at any American star who will listen, as well as a 47-year-old Manny Pacquiao. Just a few weeks ago, the Briton was face-to-face with new WBO champion Shakur Stevenson, having “messaged” the four-weight king over a possible showdown in the preceding weeks.
Yet the general thinking is that the unbeaten Stevenson, 28, would prove too slick for Benn, in a way that the inconsistent Garcia might not. Indeed, in Garcia, Benn might have found the ideal opponent and perfect rivalry to follow the blood feud with Eubank Jr.
However, Garcia must first overcome Barrios, and “King Ryan”’s past struggles in and out of the ring mean that is no guarantee. One cannot overlook his loss to Romero in May, his stoppage by Gervonta Davis in 2023, nor past concerns over his mental health – due to, in his own words, his habit of “drinking every day” before his bout with Devin Haney.
In that contest in 2024, Garcia was electric. He had gone 3-3 with his fellow American during their amateur careers, but the feeling was that, at this level, the unbeaten Haney would prove too clinical and elusive for Garcia. But Garcia dropped the “Dream” three times en route to a points win. Of course, that victory was ruined by the revelation of a failed drug test, with the result overturned and Garcia banned for a year.
Naturally, that adverse test result had fans and pundits questioning the legitimacy of Garcia’s performance against Haney, but King Ryan may not need to match that level to see off Barrios; with respect, the 30-year-old is seen as one of the weaker champions in boxing right now, and he enters Vegas on the back of two straight draws – one of which came against an aged Pacquiao. So, Garcia is the favourite on Saturday, and the question is whether he can live up to that status, after he failed to against Romero.
If he can, boxing may have a scintillating new rivalry: one between two admittedly-flawed fighters.
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For Benn, Garcia represents a more-beatable opponent than Stevenson, and a more-marketable one than Barrios. In that way, a Garcia victory would be the perfect outcome for Benn this weekend.
There are other options out there for Benn, such as a clash with Northern Ireland’s Lewis Crocker for the IBF belt. However, the risk-reward ratio of that fight might not tip in the right direction for the “Destroyer”.
In truth, the profile of Benn’s opponents from here on out feels more important than their status; that is to say: Benn should share the ring with big names, whether or not they carry title belts.
But again, in Garcia, he might have encountered someone who can bring both. And so Benn will watch from ringside at T-Mobile Arena, it seems.
“I don’t think he has a big presence in America, but I would be willing to go to the UK,” Garcia said of Benn in November. “I would definitely be willing to go to the UK to fight him. He seems like a fun match-up. He’s gonna come crazy and throw bombs all night and thinks he’s gonna overwhelm me, but he won’t.
“But I would love to fight him. I love fighting Eddie Hearn’s fighters, I don’t know why, I just love to beat them up. He just makes you want to beat his fighters up. It’s just the way he talks, the way he moves, I can’t wait to look at his face and say: ‘I did it again.’
“That would bring so much joy to me, almost more than a championship title. I would be ecstatic just to see Eddie’s face, sad and confused. I beat Luke Campbell, Devin Haney – he was representing him, I beat him. I’m ready to beat up Conor now.”
In any case, Garcia must beat up Barrios. Then, fans will hope the road to Garcia vs Benn remains firm under the fighters’ feet. The press conferences would be engrossing, and the fight itself would be captivating. Yes, Garcia and Benn are flawed, but at this precise moment, they could make each other whole.
Editor’s note: Friday brought the shock news that Benn is leaving Hearn’s promotional company, Matchroom, to join rivals Zuffa Boxing. Given Zuffa’s desire to move away from boxing’s traditional belt system, it is conceivable that Benn will soon lose his status as WBC mandatory challenger.
Sports
India, Pakistan players ‘talking behind closed doors’: England legend amid handshake row | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: The rivalry between India and Pakistan has become more intense in recent times. India has been dominating Pakistan on the field, but the focus has now shifted to something else. Indian players have refused to shake hands with Pakistan players after matches, and this has created a big debate.The issue started during last year’s Asia Cup. India captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with Pakistan players. The decision was linked to showing respect for the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and support for the Indian Army after Operation Sindoor. Some former overseas players criticised India, but many former Indian players supported the move and said cricket should remain the main focus.
The topic came up again after India and Pakistan played in the T20 World Cup, where the captains again skipped the handshake. Former England players Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, Phil Tufnell, and David Lloyd discussed this on a cricket podcast.Phil Tufnell said Pakistan are not at the same level as India right now. He said, “Dare I say it, Pakistan against India, that’s a mismatch, isn’t it,” and added that India look far stronger.Michael Vaughan also shared his opinion and said Pakistan seem nervous when they play India. He said, “I mean it look to me that way. It seems to me every time Pakistan play India they look intimidated by India on a cricket field.” He also felt the handshake issue was sad and said, “That whole situation in sour isn’t it? You know, it is just sad. Not shaking hands on a cricket field.”Alastair Cook had a different view. He questioned whether the tension is real or just for the public. He asked, “But aren’t they talking behind closed doors? I read somewhere that everyone’s just chatting away.” He also said, “It like, it is only for show, isn’t it? On the actual field, they are not shaking hands, but then behind closed doors, they are all talking and are all fine.”
Feb 11, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Buzz Williams gives instructions to guard Andre Mills (7) in the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images As Washington has struggled through a second straight lackluster season since joining the Big Ten Conference, one positive has been the remarkable consistency of Hannes Steinbach.
Meanwhile, 2,700 miles away at Maryland, which is muddling through its worst season since 1988-89, the most encouraging development has been the progression of Andre Mills.
With both freshmen coming off stellar performances, they will square off Saturday in College Park, Md., when the Huskies (13-13, 5-10 Big Ten) face the Terrapins (10-16, 3-12).
Steinbach, who is averaging 18.0 points and a Big Ten-high 11.3 rebounds per game, has scored in double figures in every game this season, including last Saturday when he posted 26 points in a 69-57 win over Minnesota.
The 6-foot-11 Steinbach made 12 of 17 shots from the floor, prompting Huskies coach Danny Sprinkle to urge his guards to get him the ball more often.
“He’s a creator because when he gets the ball, he’s a willing passer,” Sprinkle said. “We need to do a better job getting him open and finding him when he is open. He is such a threat, teams are game planning for him.”
Steinbach, who led Germany to the silver medal at the 2025 FIBA U-19 World Cup, is likely one-and-done at Washington as he has been projected as a potential lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
At Maryland, Mills has evolved into a blossoming force after some midseason struggles. In Wednesday’s 78-74 loss at Northwestern, he scored a career-high 39 points on 12-of-17 shooting with six 3-pointers. Mills has improved as the season has progressed. In six games this month, he is averaging 18.8 points while hitting 53.5% of his shots from the floor and 45.5% from 3-point range.
Those figures are a vast improvement from his January numbers of 7.3 points per game on 36.7% overall shooting and 33.3% marksmanship from deep.
Terrapins coach Buzz Williams saw positives in the loss at Northwestern, including strong work inside from Solomon Washington (11 points, 14 rebounds).
“We doubled them up on the offensive glass,” Williams said. “That’s the highest number of assists we’ve had all year. We’re sharing the ball.” –Field Level Media
Team USA is cruising into the men’s hockey final.
Hours after Canada won a tense semifinal match over Finland at the Winter Games in Italy, the Americans locked in the all-North America final by smashing Slovakia 6-2.
Now, for the third time in four Games featuring NHLers, Canada and the U.S. will play for gold. Slovakia, meanwhile, will try to end the tournament on a high when they battle the Finns for bronze.
After surviving a quarterfinal scare versus Sweden — the Americans surrendered a 1-0 lead with 90 seconds to go, but came through in overtime — the potential was certainly there for the Stars and Stripes to overwhelm the Cinderella Slovaks.
And that’s exactly what happened.
Granted, the issue was at least somewhat in doubt halfway through the game, as the Slovaks — surprise winners of a preliminary-round group featuring Finland and Sweden — were trailing just 2-0. However, Jack Hughes — who continues to be one of America’s most dangerous skaters — scored a gorgeous goal to make it a 3-0 lead with 7:46 to go in the second. Nineteen seconds later, Jack Eichel deposited a fourth American tally that chased Slovakian goalie Samuel Hlavaj, who had done all he could to keep his club as close as possible to the powerhouse Americans.
From there, Team USA put two more pucks past Stanislav Skorvanek in the third period to round out the Red, White and Blue scoring.
The only point of potential concern for Team USA was the fact that Tage Thompson — who scored his third goal of the tournament in the win — did not return with the team after the second intermission for the final frame. His absence was described as “precautionary” on the broadcast, and head coach Mike Sullivan said after the game that Thompson is expected to play against Canada on Sunday.
Slovakia looked overmatched from the outset, as the Americans came at them with speed and physicality. Team USA opened the scoring just 4:19 into the night when Zach Werenski hit Dylan Larkin in full flight at the offensive blueline. Larkin tore into the Slovakian zone and let a shot go that ticked off defenceman Peter Ceresnak’s stick and into the net.
Slovakia did get two power-play opportunities in the first period, but couldn’t mount much of an attack. Still, it looked like they might emerge from the opening 20 minutes in a feel-good state thanks to some huge saves by Hlavaj. However, the Americans went to work on a man advantage with 58 seconds left in the frame and, sure enough, Thompson walloped his third of the tournament, crushing a one-timer from below the face-off dot off the right arm of Hlavaj and into the short side of the net for a 2-0 American advantage.
Slovakia got a couple more power-play chances early in the second frame, but again the U.S. kept them at bay. The path to an upset required some special-teams success and the Slovaks just weren’t able to generate Grade-A looks, even at five-on-four.
The dam finally broke when Jack Hughes grabbed the puck in the offensive zone, absolutely juked longtime NHLer and Slovak captain Tomas Tatar in the high slot and wired a shot past Hlavaj.
Moments later, the Tkachuk brothers — Matthew and Brady — went crashing into the end boards and kicked the puck back to Eichel, who swiped it into the net.
After the Slovak goalie change, Jack Hughes went back to work and scored his second of the night, this time on an American power play. Hughes now enters the gold medal game tied with Thompson, Auston Matthews — who had several great chances but couldn’t buy one versus the Slovaks — and Brady Tkachuk — who scored on a third-period breakaway — for the team lead with three goals.
With Thompson expected to be good to go for the final, the U.S. has certainly found something on its third line with Larkin between Thompson and Hughes. There’s a bit of everything on the unit, with Larkin’s sharp two-way game up the middle, to say nothing of Thompson’s all-world shot and hard-to-handle six-foot-six frame. Throw in Hughes’ outrageous shiftiness and ability to create offence at any moment and you’ve got a recipe for a lethal line.
Connor Hellebuyck wasn’t tested a whole lot while facing 15 shots, but he did have to do some work before the score got out of hand. Not long before Thompson scored to make it 2-0 in the first, Slovak centre Matus Sukel sent a shot through from the point that was tipped by Adam Liksa and made it through to the net. Hellebuyck turned it aside with all kinds of traffic in his face and the U.S. was able to clear the zone.
Not surprisingly, when Slovakia did beat Hellebuyck for their first goal, it was Montreal Canadiens star Juraj Slafkovsky scoring his fourth of the Olympics in the third period. Before the final buzzer, Pavol Regenda snuck in behind the U.S. defence and scored on a nice shot under the bar to close out the scoring.
Ultimately, the Americans endured precious few tense moments and will be on their toes, flying into Sunday morning’s (8:10 a.m. ET) gold medal showdown with Canada.
While all of North America will be fixated on that battle, Slovakia will be gunning for a second straight bronze medal when they take on the Finns — who won gold four years ago — at 2:40 p.m. ET on Saturday. After winning the country’s first-ever hockey medal at the 2022 Games, earning another third-place finish — this time versus the best of the best — would be huge for Slovakia.
The up-and-coming filly Mareth confronts a pivotal trial during the autumn series when she meets older females in the Millie Fox Stakes at Rosehill.
This three-year-old boasts a limited record of five starts, with her breakthrough win at Canterbury in December and a strong second to talented filly Caffe Florian in the Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m).
Trainer Michael Freedman ups the ante for her return, matching her with veterans Lazzura, Oh Diamond Lil, and barnmate Cinsault, while trying 1300m for the very first time.
Zac Lloyd returns to the saddle for Mareth post-Gosford and labels her a reliable three-year-old with substantial scope for improvement.
“She is a very nice filly. A pleasure to ride, and she does everything right,” Lloyd said.
“She has obviously made her way through the grades quite quickly.
“She was unlucky not to win the Gosford Guineas. Her performance was very good, we just bumped into a very smart horse.
“We will get a good guide on her level at the moment after Saturday.”
Lazzura, at $2.50 odds-on, targets an eighth Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) success for Chris Waller, extending his recent dominance with Firestorm (2025) and Zougotcha (2024).
Pinito ($12), another Waller entrant, resumes following her runner-up finish in the Queensland Oaks (2200m) in June, switching from James Cummings’ yard.
As part of Godolphin’s assault on the fillies and mares event, Pinito lines up with Mareth ($10) and Cinsault ($6.50).
Discover the finest racing betting markets ahead of the Millie Fox Stakes action.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar believes the India team have not fully lived up to expectations in the group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, but said the team’s best performance is still to come. He also pointed to one area that needs improvement before the Super Eight stage. India remained unbeaten in the group stage with wins over the United States, Namibia, Pakistan and the Netherlands However, the side showed difficulty against spin, batted cautiously in the middle overs and dropped chances in the field.Speaking on JioStar, Bangar said the team had made a steady start and had not dominated opponents, which meant they appeared slightly below their usual level.“However, the good thing is that their best is yet to come. Another positive aspect is that all the players have had a chance to feature in the playing XI, which augurs well in case there are any injury concerns later in the tournament. All the players are match-ready. If there is one department where they would want to improve, it would be catching, because we saw a few chances being dropped against Pakistan and the Netherlands,” he added, as cited by news agency ANI.Bangar said that with limited runs from Abhishek Sharma, the world’s top-ranked T20I batter who is yet to score in three innings, Ishan Kishan has become crucial for India. Kishan has scored 176 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 202.29, including two fifties and a 40-ball 77 on a slow track against Pakistan in Colombo. He also highlighted Suryakumar Yadav and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as key players.“From here on, three players who are going to be extremely critical to India’s journey in this T20 World Cup are the men in form. That’s where I feel Ishan Kishan, given the way he has been batting and the lack of runs from Abhishek Sharma, becomes crucial. The onus is now on Ishan Kishan to provide those explosive starts. So, he is player number one. Player number two is Suryakumar Yadav. He has scored runs in most games on a consistent basis, while understanding the situation of the match. The third player is Jasprit Bumrah, because everybody is talking about the spin strength of this Indian team, but I believe Jasprit Bumrah will hold the key when the match is on the line, as far as bowling is concerned,” he concluded.India have struggled against spin through the tournament. They lost three wickets for 42 runs in eight overs of spin against the USA, and five wickets for 61 runs against spin in eight overs against Namibia. Their run rates in those matches were 5.25 and 7.6. Namibia off-spinner Gerald Erasmus returned 4/20 in that game.Against Pakistan, 18 overs of spin were bowled, and India managed 144 for six against spin at a run rate of eight per over. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha dismissed Abhishek Sharma, while Saim Ayub and Usman Tariq kept things tight. India hit only two boundaries in four overs against Tariq.India’s best return against spin came against the Netherlands, scoring 70 runs in eight overs and losing two wickets at a run rate of 8.75.India will begin their Super Eight campaign against the South Africa in Ahmedabad on February 22. They will then face the unbeaten Zimbabwe in Chennai on February 26, before meeting the West Indies in Kolkata on March 1.
The most jam-packed Saturday slate of the college basketball season is imminently upon us. On the docket, we have twenty ranked teams in action throughout the day, headlined by a massive Big 12 showdown between No. 2 Houston and No. 4 Arizona, and a rare nonconference treat between No. 1 Michigan and No. 3 Duke.
Conference races will take further shape as the big games play out, but more illuminating will be the form of the sport’s top title contenders. Rarely do we get tilts between highly-ranked teams, but we get No. 2 vs. No. 4 and No. 1 vs. No. 3 tipping off in the span of a few hours.
We also get No. 10 Illinois vs. UCLA in a pivotal Big Ten showdown, No. 6 Iowa State at No. 23 BYU in a meaningful Big 12 matchup, and the Darryn Peterson-led Kansas Jayhawks welcoming Cincinnati to Lawrence, Kansas.
Our team of experts has picks below straight up and against the spread for all the day’s biggest games.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook | All times ET
Cincinnati at No. 8 Kansas
1 p.m. on CBS,, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App, Paramount+ Premium: KU is 6-3 against the spread at home this season and playing its best basketball — aside from a confounding no-show loss at Iowa State last Saturday — for most of the last month. I’m laying the points on the Jayhawks with this pick. The Darryn Peterson noise has reached deafening levels in recent days after yet another early exit, and I think he will be out to prove he’s the unquestioned No. 1 prospect in this year’s NBA Draft class. Pick: KU -11.5(Boone)
No. 4 Arizona at No. 2 Houston
3 p.m. on ABC, fuboTV (try for free): It’s hard to envision a world in which Arizona goes from zero losses to three in the short span of less than two weeks. But that’s a reality I’m picking here. It’s a tough task to face this Houston team anywhere, much less at home, and much less without the services of Koa Peat. Tommy Lloyd’s team is capable of keeping this close, but the Coogs have too many weapons. Pick: Houston -5.5 (Boone)
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 3 Duke
6:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): A take I believe in that could very well age poorly: This Michigan line is too low. I’d have guessed this would be Michigan -6 or -7. It leads college hoops in scoring margin, has the No. 1 defense in adjusted efficiency at KenPom and is, at least on paper, terrificly equipped to match what Duke does best. I’m laying the points with the Wolverines. Pick: Michigan -2.5 (Boone)
No. 10 Illinois at UCLA
9 p.m. on Fox, fuboTV (try for free): Things have gone sideways for UCLA in a hurry after a swing up to Michigan this week resulted in two losses to Michigan and Michigan State by 30 and 23 points, respectively. Mick Cronin will have his Bruins playing for pride, if nothing else, as they return home to face Illinois. Whether that will be enough remains to be seen — I think Illinois wins this one, say, 75-70 — but the Bruins manage to put up a respectable showing in a loss. Pick: UCLA +6.5 (Boone)
No. 6 Iowa State at No. 23 BYU
10:30 p.m. on ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): It’s tough to feel good about BYU right now after it lost sharpshooter Richie Saunders to a season-ending ACL injury. So I’m going with my gut here with Iowa State to snag a road win. This Cyclones team is dangerous defensively and playing with a full head of steam after picking up wins over Kansas and Houston in the last week. A shorthanded Cougars team can still put up a fight, but I don’t think they have the horses to get it done vs. this ISU team. Pick: ISU -3.5 (Boone)
Who will win and cover in every college basketball game? Visit SportsLine to get picks from the model that simulates each game 10,000 times and is up more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated spread picks the past six years.
Team Akwa Ibom shone brightly at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Niger Delta Games at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, on Friday, 20 February 2026. The event was filled with colour, music, and unity. The Akwa Ibom contingent was at the centre of the dance segment, as athletes from different states danced together in groups, reflecting the unity and regional integration goals of the games.
Beyond the energetic dance display, Akwa Ibom also received special recognition at the ceremony. Former Akwa Ibom State Governor and current Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, received loud cheers when he was announced to give his address, which was delivered on his behalf by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong.
Distinguished sons of Akwa Ibom also played key roles at the event. Mr Edidiong Stephen served as one of the comperes and delivered with distinction, while Guinness World Record holder George Iniabasi Essien, popularly known as Mighty George, hosted the red carpet.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sports, Mrs Rosemary Ubia, was also present and joined the athletes on the dance floor in an inspiring moment, adding to the celebratory atmosphere of the evening.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, praised the vision of the Niger Delta Games and aligned it with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He said the competition was here to stay and called on governors in the region to support the NDDC in co-funding the event.
Dr Ogbuku described the games as a platform to discover future national and Olympic champions, stressing that the aim is to tap talents from the amateur level and sustain their development. He added that the games promote regional integration by helping athletes build bonds and friendships.
In their remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo said the Niger Delta is blessed with both natural and human resources and commended the NDDC for initiating the games.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, described the Niger Delta Games as a powerful investment in the future of Nigerian youths. He said the maiden edition showed that young people respond with excellence when given opportunities and that the second edition builds on that foundation.
He noted that beyond medals, the games focus on talent discovery and creating pathways into the multi-billion-dollar sports industry. He urged the NDDC and stakeholders to continue investing in youth development programmes and called on athletes to embrace sportsmanship.
The President also said the progress of the Niger Delta is inseparable from the progress of Nigeria and expressed hope that the games would strengthen unity and discover new talents.
President Tinubu officially declared the 2nd Niger Delta Games open. Music star Patoranking then took the stage, delivering an electrifying performance that provided the perfect ending to the event.
The 2nd Niger Delta Games features 16 sports events and brings together athletes from nine participating states. Dunamis-Icon Limited is the rights owner and organiser of the games, sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Bayelsa State emerged champions at the maiden edition held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, in 2025, while Team Akwa Ibom will be looking to improve on their sixth-place finish from the first edition.
After investing 18 months in meticulous planning, Don’t Hope Do’s owners and team will finally gauge their strategy’s success during the Group 1 sprint at Caulfield.
Trainer Simon Zahra believes the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on Saturday at Caulfield provides Don’t Hope Do’s top shot at Group 1 glory.
In partnership with cousin Mathew Ellerton, Zahra helped prepare Booker for the 2019 Oakleigh Plate win, was assistant trainer for River Dove (2023) and Miss Kournikova (2001) under Ellerton, and contributed to John Hawkes’ team for Sports in 2000.
“Mathew and I won three, and we didn’t think Booker could win,” Zahra said.
“We sort of knew what type of horse it takes to win it, and whether this bloke is up to that class, time will tell, but the weight certainly helps.”
Don’t Hope Do boasts four triumphs across 15 starts, specialising in rapid distances between 1000m and 1100m.
Stakes level has seen him twice before, with a fourth in the Listed Wylie Handicap at Morphettville last September and a recent first-up runner-up effort in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on February 7.
“We’ve placed him quite well over the last 12 months, but I said to the owners, probably 18 months ago, the Oakleigh Plate was probably the race for him,” Zahra said.
“The 1100 (metres) at Caulfield, he loves it, he’ll get in with no weight, so that was the plan and, so far, it’s worked.
“We put him up against better sprinters in the Rubiton at set-weights and thought if he can compete with them then under handicap conditions in the Oakleigh Plate, he’ll run him.
“We didn’t have him screwed down, we left a little in the tank in case we got into the Oakleigh Plate and we’ve got him there.”
Oak Hill, first, and Hedged, third, from the Rubiton Stakes carry unchanged weights from that day two weeks ago, while Don’t Hope Do unloads 4.5kg.
In addition, Don’t Hope Do has filled a placing in each of his three Caulfield starts, with a win among them last October.
“He loves it here, especially the 1100 (metres),” Zahra said.
“He might get to the front a bit easier with Jigsaw and some of those horses not running.
“We’ve drawn well, so we’ll see how we go.”
Discover top racing odds for the Oakleigh Plate via betting sites.
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It’s pretty clear that Lindsey Vonn has a long road ahead.
In one of her first runs at the Milan Cortina Olympics earlier this month, fresh off a ruptured ACL she suffered a week before the Games, Vonn fell, resulting in a compound fracture of her leg.
The 41-year-old was hoping to have some hardware around her neck, but instead, it’s now inside her body.
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Lindsey Vonn speeds down the course during alpine skiing women’s downhill official training at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
Vonn underwent her fifth surgery on Thursday — this one accompanied by “a lot of plates and screws” that took more than six hours, she announced on Instagram.
“Made it through surgery… it took a bit more than 6 hours to complete. As you can see, it required a lot of plates and screws to put back together but Dr. Hackett did an incredible job. Thank you Dr. Viola for the surgery assist as well!!” Vonn posted.
“With the extent of the trauma, I’ve been struggling a bit post op and have not yet been able to be discharged from the hospital just yet… almost there. Baby steps. Will explain the injury and what it all means soon.”
United States’ Lindsey Vonn arrives at the finish area of an alpine ski women’s downhill training, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
USA WOMEN’S HOCKEY TEAM BRINGS OLYMPIC GOLD BACK HOME IN OT THRILLER OVER CANADA
Vonn posted a video of herself being wheeled into another room and photos of X-rays with the plates and screws.
Vonn recently revealed that her beloved dog of 13 years, Leo, died the day after her crash.
“I said goodbye to my big boy as I laid in my hospital bed,” Vonn wrote on X. “Been some of the hardest days of my life and still have not begun to process his passing… I will always love you Leo.”
United States’ Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women’s downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Vonn, 41, needed to be airlifted off an Italian mountain in a frightening scene during her downhill competition. She returned to the United States earlier this week.
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