Sports
What’s wrong with Houston after third straight Big 12 loss?
LAWRENCE, Kansas — When Big 12 schedule-makers unveiled the slate in September, Kelvin Sampson’s eyes gravitated toward the trial by fire that Houston just exited: Feb. 16 at No. 4 Iowa State, Feb. 21 vs. No. 2 Arizona and Feb. 23 at No. 14 Kansas.
“Spurs on Monday, Oklahoma City on Saturday, turn around and play Marcus Sasser’s [Detroit] Pistons,” Sampson says with a twinkle in his eye to perhaps hide the frustration in his soul.
Houston had Iowa State dead to rights in the second half before the Cyclones’ role players like Nate Heise and Jamarion Batemon hit some gigantic treys to rally Iowa State to a 70-67 victory. Five days later, Houston had Arizona right in its crosshairs before petering out down the stretch to one of the National Championship frontrunners. Some 48 hours after that, Houston had to walk into Allen Fieldhouse to play Kansas. The Jayhawks, fresh off a frustrating home loss to Cincinnati, used an 11-0 burst at the end of the first half and a 16-3 surge early in the second half to run away with a 69-56 win.
Houston got Hilton Magic’d, Zona’d and Big Monday’d in a week-long stretch. For the first time since 2017, Houston has lost three games in a row, and yet, Sampson walked into Monday’s postgame press conference itching to preach positivity.
“We’re not gonna go jump off with the bridge ’cause we lost this game,” Sampson says. “I knew what we were walking into, but I was really, really proud of our guys.”
Maybe that’s a public front — Sampson is never cool with Ls — but there’s some truth laced into the sermon. There is such a thing as schedule losses in hoops, and catching an irritated Kansas on Big Monday (a spot that Bill Self entered a mind-boggling 40-0) looks like a schedule loss if there ever was one.
Houston’s starting backcourt of Milos Uzan, Emanuel Sharp and Kingston Flemings combined for 28 points on 35 shots, by far the worst performance of the season for the best trio of guards that you can find in college basketball. Sampson did note that Sharp was nicked up after a bad fall against Arizona, and Uzan is fighting an ankle injury.
“I took Milos and Emanuel out for a reason; they had nothing, they were dead,” Sampson said. “Sharp guarded his butt off. I think he played 35 minutes on Saturday. Milos played 38 minutes [against Arizona]. That was why I took them all out with eight minutes to go. They just had no legs. But that’s the schedule we had to play.”
The three-game slide all but knocks Houston out of the Big 12 Championship chase. The Cougars trail Arizona by two games in the loss column with three to play. The Cougars have a 0.1% chance of earning the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament, per CBB Analytics.
But is it time for panic about Houston’s hopes in March? As usual, it’s complicated.
Potential hot spots emerging
Just 27% of Houston’s offensive shots come at the rim. This Cougars team is more jump-shot reliant than any other high-major team in college basketball, so when you play a third game in eight days, and the legs are gone, nights like Monday can emerge.
Seventeen of Houston’s 66 (26%) shots against Kansas came at the rim. The Cougars took 39 jumpers and shot just 23% on ’em, the second-worst showing this year according to Synergy.
Sampson pointed to dead legs, and the eye test and data unequivocally back up those claims. Houston missed short on a ton of jumpers.
You can win with a jump-shot heavy diet like this when you offensive rebound at a very high level. Houston preaches offensive rebounding as well as anybody in the country, and big man JoJo Tugler owns the No. 1 offensive rebounding rate in Big 12 play. Tugler is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. He’s revered for his defense, but his consistent first-half foul trouble is hurting Houston’s offense in a real way. The Cougars need his offensive rebounding in the worst way, serving as a “get out of jail free” card when jumpers are coming up short.
Tugler sat out the final 10 minutes of the first half with two fouls. At that point, Houston had five offensive rebounds. For the final 10 minutes, Houston corralled just one offensive rebound.
- Houston’s offensive rebounding percentage when Tugler is on the floor, per hoop-explorer: 23.6% (No. 3 in America)
- Houston’s offensive rebounding percentage when Tugler is off the floor, per hoop-explorer: 18.8% (No. 83 in America)
“JoJo is a lot like those old gunslingers like Daryle Lamonica, Kenny Stabler, Jim Plunkett, Sonny Jurgensen, Billy Kilmer or Johnny Unitas,” Sampson says. “Dudes got two little bars in front of their face. They go play and throw three or four interceptions and six or seven touchdowns. But if you try to take away their interceptions and make them be more pinpoint or not nearly as aggressive, they’re probably not gonna throw touchdown passes, either. It’s probably a bad analogy. But it’s hard to get JoJo to not play aggressive. A lot of his fouls are probably unnecessary. Believe it or not, since this freshman year, he’s gotten a lot better.”
Sampson is right. Tugler is “only” averaging 5.5 fouls per 40 minutes this season. That’s the best mark of his career. But the constant foul trouble for Houston’s best defender and best offensive rebounder has become a burr in Sampson’s saddle.
“We’re a much, much better team, and he’s on the floor,” Sampson said. “When you go back and look at the game when we beat Duke [in the 2025 Final Four], he was the best friend on the floor last five minutes. He’s really important to us.”
The shot diet for Houston is not changing, largely because of the personnel. Houston does not have a backdown threat who can hunt mismatches in the mid-post area. The Cougars have been one of the worst post-up offenses in college basketball this season, so Sampson has largely ditched it from Houston’s offensive arsenal.
This team is going to take a ton of jumpers from here on out. A jumper from Sharp, Uzan or Flemings is a better shot than a Tugler post-up at this point, but it makes the offensive rebounding and Tugler’s availability even that much more vital down the home stretch.
Reason for optimism
There are three pretty simple reasons to be bullish on Houston in March:
- Sampson is the coach.
- This backcourt is unbelievable.
- Houston plays ridiculously hard.
Enough said.
“I think these three games, even though we’re disappointed, we lost them, it’s not the end of the world,” Sampson said. “I don’t know if anybody had to play three straight games like this. We just ran out of steam.”
Sports
2026 NFL combine results: Measurements, 40 times, biggest takeaways

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s Thursday of NFL combine week, which means prospect measurements and on-field workouts are officially underway. The schedule is as follows:
- Thursday: EDGE, DL and LB
- Friday: TE and DB
- Saturday: QB, RB and WR
- Sunday: OL
In the morning, players will log official measurements, including height, weight, wingspan, arm length and hand size. In the afternoon, they’ll participate in on-field testing — including the 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jumps and bench press — before wrapping up with positional drills inside Lucas Oil Stadium.
As in past years, not every prospect will participate. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, widely viewed as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, has already said he won’t throw in Indianapolis, opting instead to do so at Indiana’s pro day on April 1. Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. — the No. 2 prospect in CBS Sports draft analyst Mike Renner’s rankings – also won’t work out, per Todd McShay.
There has been some positive news on the participation front, however. The following top prospects are expected to compete in some capacity: Ohio State EDGE Arvell Reese (No. 3 in Renner’s rankings), Ohio State LB Sonny Styles (No. 10), Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love (No. 16) and Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey (No. 19).
From arm length to 40 times, we’ve got you covered with every official measurement and testing number as they come in from Indianapolis.
EDGE measurements
| Player | School | Height | Weight | Hand | Arm | Wingspan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami | 6-2 ¼ | 263 | 9⅛ | 30⅞ | 77⅜ |
| Arvell Reese | Ohio State | 6-4 ⅛ | 241 | 9½ | 32½ | 79½ |
| David Bailey | Texas Tech | 6-3 ½ | 251 | 10¼ | 33⅝ | 79⅝ |
| Cashius Howell | Texas A&M | 6-2 ½ | 253 | 9¼ | 30¼ | 74¼ |
| Akheem Mesidor | Miami | 6-3 | 259 | 10 | 32⅛ | 78⅝ |
| R Mason Thomas | Oklahoma | 6-2 ¼ | 241 | 8⅞ | 31⅝ | 78⅛ |
| T.J. Parker | Clemson | 6-3 ½ | 263 | 9½ | 33⅛ | 79 |
| Anthony Lucas | USC | 6-5 ½ | 256 | 10¼ | 33⅜ | — |
| Malachi Lawrence | UCF | 6-4 | 253 | 9¼ | 33⅝ | — |
| Gabe Jacas | Illinois | 6-4 | 260 | 10 | 33 | — |
| Joshua Josephs | Tennessee | 6-3 | 242 | 10 | 34¼ | — |
| Zion Young | Missouri | 6-6 | 262 | 9½ | 33 | — |
| Romello Height | Texas Tech | 6-3 | 239 | 9½ | 32¼ | — |
| Keyron Crawford | Auburn | 6-4 | 253 | 9 | 32 | — |
| Derrick Moore | Michigan | 6-4 | 255 | 9⅛ | 33⅜ | — |
| Dani Dennis-Sutton | Penn State | 6-6 | 256 | 10⅛ | 33⅜ | — |
| Nadame Tucker | Western Michigan | 6-2 | 247 | 9 | 31⅜ | — |
| Tyreak Sapp | Florida | 6-2 | 273 | 9½ | 32 | — |
| Wesley Williams | Duke | 6-4 | 256 | 9½ | 31⅞ | — |
| Caden Curry | Ohio State | 6-3 | 257 | 9⅜ | 30⅛ | — |
| Quintayvious Hutchins | Boston College | 6-3 | 233 | 9½ | 32⅝ | — |
| Trey Moore | Texas | 6-2 | 243 | 10½ | 31⅝ | — |
| Vincent Anthony Jr. | Duke | 6-6 | 258 | 10 | 34⅛ | — |
| Logan Fano | Utah | 6-5 | 257 | 9⅜ | 31⅜ | — |
| Max Llewellyn | Iowa | 6-6 | 258 | 9 | 32¼ | — |
| George Gumbs Jr. | Florida | 6-4 | 245 | 9 | 33⅝ | — |
| Patrick Payton | LSU | 6-5 | 260 | 10 | 33⅜ | — |
| Aidan Hubbard | Northwestern | 6-4 ⅝ | 260 | 9⅛ | 32 | — |
| Jack Pyburn | LSU | 6-4 | 258 | 10 | 30⅞ | — |
| Marvin Jones Jr. | Oklahoma | 6-5 | 245 | 9¼ | 33⅛ | — |
| Nyjalik Kelly | UCF | 6-5 | 256 | 10⅜ | 35⅛ | — |
| Mason Reiger | Wisconsin | 6-5 | 251 | 10⅜ | 32⅝ | — |
EDGE measurement takeaways
Concerns
- We knew Rueben Bain Jr.’s arms were going to measure short, but his 30⅞-inch arms rank as the fourth-shortest among edge rushers since 1999, per MockDraftable. His 77⅜-inch wingspan isn’t ideal, either; only 19 edge rushers in the MockDraftable database (since 1999) have measured shorter. Bain will still be a first-round pick — likely in the top 10 — but teams with strict length thresholds could be wary of those numbers.
- Cashius Howell, Mike Renner’s No. 24 prospect in this class, has even shorter arms than Bain at 30¼ inches — the shortest of any edge rusher since 1999, per MockDraftable. However, the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t believe his historically short arms will prevent him from being productive in the NFL. “Those are just the cards that I’ve been dealt,” Howell said during Wednesday’s podium session. “I’m going to do everything in my power to perfect my technique and perfect my craft in whatever way possible.”
Can star Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. overcome physical limitations?
Jared Dubin

EDGE testing numbers
| Name | School | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | Vertical (in) | Broad (in) | 3-cone | Shuttle | Bench (reps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami (FL) | |||||||
| Arvell Reese | Ohio State | |||||||
| David Bailey | Texas Tech | |||||||
| Cashius Howell | Texas A&M | |||||||
| Akheem Mesidor | Miami (FL) | |||||||
| R Mason Thomas | Oklahoma | |||||||
| T.J. Parker | Clemson | |||||||
| Anthony Lucas | USC | |||||||
| Malachi Lawrence | UCF | |||||||
| Gabe Jacas | Illinois | |||||||
| Joshua Josephs | Tennessee | |||||||
| Zion Young | Missouri | |||||||
| Romello Height | Texas Tech | |||||||
| Keyron Crawford | Auburn | |||||||
| Ethan Burke | Texas | |||||||
| Derrick Moore | Michigan | |||||||
| Dani Dennis-Sutton | Penn State | |||||||
| Nadame Tucker | Western Michigan | |||||||
| Tyreak Sapp | Florida | |||||||
| Wesley Williams | Duke | |||||||
| Caden Curry | Ohio State | |||||||
| Quintayvious Hutchins | Boston College | |||||||
| Trey Moore | Texas | |||||||
| Vincent Anthony | Duke | |||||||
| Logan Fano | Utah | |||||||
| Max Llewellyn | Iowa | |||||||
| George Gumbs | Florida | |||||||
| Patrick Payton | LSU | |||||||
| Aidan Hubbard | Northwestern | |||||||
| Jack Pyburn | LSU | |||||||
| Marvin Jones | Oklahoma | |||||||
| Nyjalik Kelly | UCF | |||||||
| Mason Reiger | Wisconsin |
DL measurements
| Player | School | Height | Weight | Hand | Arm | Wingspan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Woods | Clemson | 6-2 ½ | 298 | 9⅛ | 31¼ | 76⅝ |
| Lee Hunter | Texas Tech | 6-3 ½ | 318 | 9¼ | 33¼ | 80⅝ |
| Kayden McDonald | Ohio State | 6-2 ⅛ | 326 | 9⅝ | 32¼ | 78⅛ |
| Keldric Faulk | Auburn | 6-5 ⅞ | 276 | 9¾ | 34⅜ | 82¼ |
| Christen Miller | Georgia | 6-3 ¾ | 321 | 10 | 33 | 80⅛ |
| Caleb Banks | Florida | 6-6 ¼ | 327 | 10⅞ | 35 | 85¾ |
| Jaishawn Barham | Michigan | 6-3 ½ | 240 | 10¼ | 34⅛ | — |
| Chris McClellan | Missouri | 6-4 | 313 | 11 | 34 | — |
| Rayshaun Benny | Michigan | 6-3 | 298 | 9¼ | 33⅜ | — |
| Domonique Orange | Iowa State | 6-2 | 322 | 10¼ | 33⅜ | — |
| Dontae Corleone | Cincinnati | 6-0 ⅝ | 340 | 9½ | 31⅞ | — |
| Nick Barrett | South Carolina | 6-3 | 312 | 10 | 33⅜ | — |
| Darrell Jackson Jr. | Florida State | 6-5 ⅝ | 315 | 11 | 34¾ | — |
| LT Overton | Alabama | 6-3 | 274 | 10⅝ | 33¼ | — |
| Kaleb Proctor | Southeastern Louisiana | 6-2 | 291 | 9½ | 33 | — |
| Tim Keenan | Alabama | 6-1 | 327 | 8⅝ | 30½ | — |
| Zxavian Harris | Ole Miss | 6-8 | 330 | 10 | 34⅝ | — |
| Skyler Gill-Howard | Texas Tech | 6-1 | 280 | 9¼ | 30⅝ | — |
| Gracen Halton | Oklahoma | 6-2 ⅝ | 293 | 10 | 31⅛ | 77¾ |
| DeMonte Capehart | Clemson | 6-5 | 313 | 10¼ | 33⅞ | — |
| Albert Regis | Texas A&M | 6-1 | 295 | 9⅝ | 31⅝ | — |
| Tyler Onyedim | Texas A&M | 6-3 ½ | 292 | 10⅛ | 34⅛ | — |
| Bryson Eason | Tennessee | 6-2 | 323 | 10 | 33⅛ | — |
| David Gusta | Kentucky | 6-2 | 308 | 10 | 31⅛ | — |
| Brandon Cleveland | NC State | 6-3 | 307 | 9¼ | 32⅜ | — |
| Zane Durant | Penn State | 6-1 | 290 | 10⅝ | 31⅞ | — |
| Damonic Williams | Oklahoma | 6-2 | 305 | 10 | 33⅛ | — |
| Gary Smith III | UCLA | 6-1 | 319 | 9⅝ | 32⅝ | — |
| Cameron Ball | Arkansas | 6-4 | 310 | 9½ | 33 | — |
| Bobby Jamison-Travis | Auburn | 6-3 | 328 | 9⅝ | 34¼ | — |
| Deven Eastern | Minnesota | 6-5 | 315 | 10 | 34 | — |
| Jackie Marshall | Baylor | 6-2 ½ | 293 | 9½ | 32 | — |
DL testing numbers
| Name | School | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | Vertical (in) | Broad (in) | 3-cone | Shuttle | Bench (reps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Woods | Clemson | |||||||
| Lee Hunter | Texas Tech | |||||||
| Kayden McDonald | Ohio State | |||||||
| Keldric Faulk | Auburn | |||||||
| Christen Miller | Georgia | |||||||
| Caleb Banks | Florida | |||||||
| Jaishawn Barham | Michigan | |||||||
| Chris McClellan | Missouri | |||||||
| Rayshaun Benny | Michigan | |||||||
| Domonique Orange | Iowa State | |||||||
| Dontay Corleone | Cincinnati | |||||||
| Nick Barrett | South Carolina | |||||||
| Darrell Jackson | Florida State | |||||||
| LT Overton | Alabama | |||||||
| Kaleb Proctor | SE Louisiana | |||||||
| Clay Patterson | Stanford | |||||||
| Jordan van den Berg | Georgia Tech | |||||||
| Tim Keenan | Alabama | |||||||
| Zxavian Harris | Ole Miss | |||||||
| Skyler Gill-Howard | Texas Tech | |||||||
| Gracen Halton | Oklahoma | |||||||
| DeMonte Capehart | Clemson | |||||||
| Albert Regis | Texas A&M | |||||||
| Tyler Onyedim | Texas A&M | |||||||
| Bryson Eason | Tennessee | |||||||
| Brandon Cleveland | NC State | |||||||
| David Gusta | Kentucky | |||||||
| Zane Durant | Penn State | |||||||
| Damonic Williams | Oklahoma | |||||||
| Gary Smith | UCLA | |||||||
| Cameron Ball | Arkansas | |||||||
| Bobby Jamison-Travis | Auburn | |||||||
| Deven Eastern | Minnesota | |||||||
| Jackie Marshall | Baylor |
LB measurements
| Player | School | Height | Weight | Hand | Arm | Wingspan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonny Styles | Ohio State | 6-5 | 244 | 10 | 32⅞ | 80⅞ |
| Anthony Hill | Texas | 6-2 | 238 | 9⅝ | 32⅜ | 79 |
| Jake Golday | Cincinnati | 6-4 ½ | 239 | 9½ | 31⅞ | 76⅞ |
| Josiah Trotter | Missouri | 6-2 | 237 | 10¼ | 32¼ | — |
| CJ Allen | Georgia | 6-0 ¾ | 230 | 10⅛ | 31½ | 75½ |
| Kyle Louis | Pittsburgh | 6-0 | 220 | 9½ | 31¼ | — |
| Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech | 6-1 | 231 | 9¼ | 30⅞ | — |
| Lander Barton | Utah | 6-5 | 233 | 9½ | 32¼ | — |
| Harold Perkins Jr. | LSU | 6-1 | 223 | 8⅛ | 31⅜ | — |
| Red Murdock | Buffalo | 6-2 | 232 | 10⅜ | 31 | — |
| Keyshaun Elliott | Arizona State | 6-2 | 231 | 9¼ | 31¼ | — |
| Deontae Lawson | Alabama | 6-3 | 226 | 9¼ | 31⅞ | — |
| Bryce Boettcher | Oregon | 6-1 | 233 | 9 | 30⅝ | — |
| Taurean York | Texas A&M | 5-11 | 226 | 8⅜ | 30 | — |
| Jimmy Rolder | Michigan | 6-2 ½ | 238 | 9⅝ | 30½ | — |
| Aiden Fisher | Indiana | 6-1 | 232 | 9½ | 31⅛ | — |
| Wade Woodaz | Clemson | 6-3 | 236 | 10 | 32⅝ | — |
| Jack Kelly | BYU | 6-2 | 240 | 9⅛ | 31⅛ | — |
| Kaleb Elarms-Orr | TCU | 6-2 | 234 | 9 | 31½ | — |
| Scooby Williams | Texas A&M | 6-2 | 231 | 9¼ | 32 | — |
| Justin Jefferson | Alabama | 6-0 | 223 | 10 | 31⅝ | — |
| Xavian Sorey | Arkansas | 6-2 | 228 | 9⅝ | 31⅝ | — |
| Namdi Obiazor | TCU | 6-3 | 229 | 10½ | 30⅝ | — |
| Owen Heinecke | Oklahoma | 6-1 ½ | 227 | 9⅝ | 30⅛ | — |
| Kendal Daniels | Oklahoma | 6-5 | 242 | 9½ | 32⅝ | — |
| Eric Gentry | USC | 6-7 | 221 | 10½ | 35 | — |
| Karson Sharar | Iowa | 6-1 ⅝ | 231 | 10⅛ | 31⅛ | — |
| Wesley Bissainthe | Miami | 6-2 | 225 | 9⅝ | 31⅞ | — |
LB testing numbers
| Name | School | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | Vertical (in) | Broad (in) | 3-cone | Shuttle | Bench (reps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonny Styles | Ohio State | |||||||
| Anthony Hill | Texas | |||||||
| Jake Golday | Cincinnati | |||||||
| Josiah Trotter | Missouri | |||||||
| CJ Allen | Georgia | |||||||
| Kyle Louis | Pittsburgh | |||||||
| Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech | |||||||
| Lander Barton | Utah | |||||||
| Harold Perkins | LSU | |||||||
| Arion Carter | Tennessee | |||||||
| Red Murdock | Buffalo | |||||||
| Cian Slone | N.C. State | |||||||
| Keyshaun Elliott | Arizona State | |||||||
| Deontae Lawson | Alabama | |||||||
| Bryce Boettcher | Oregon | |||||||
| Taurean York | Texas A&M | |||||||
| Jimmy Rolder | Michigan | |||||||
| Aiden Fisher | Indiana | |||||||
| Wade Woodaz | Clemson | |||||||
| Jack Kelly | BYU | |||||||
| Kaleb Elarms-Orr | TCU | |||||||
| Scooby Williams | Texas A&M | |||||||
| Justin Jefferson | Alabama | |||||||
| Xavian Sorey | Arkansas | |||||||
| Namdi Obiazor | TCU | |||||||
| Owen Heinecke | Oklahoma | |||||||
| Kendal Daniels | Oklahoma | |||||||
| Eric Gentry | USC | |||||||
| Karson Sharar | Iowa | |||||||
| Wesley Bissainthe | Miami |
Friday: TE and DB measurements and testing numbers
Results will be added here as testing begins.
Saturday: QB, RB and WR measurements and testing numbers
Results will be added here as testing begins.
Sunday: OL measurements and testing numbers
Results will be added here as testing begins.
Sports
Max Scherzer arrives (home)
Max Scherzer arrives (home)
Sports
T20 World Cup Super 8s: England vs New Zealand best bets and betting odds
England vs New Zealand tips
England have already qualified for the T20 World Cup semi-finals but their final match, against New Zealand, looks likely to decide whether they go through as group winners or in second.
Cricket tipster Jonathan Doidge takes a look at the top bets for the match using the best odds from betting sites.
England vs New Zealand tips: Black Caps to edge out Brook’s side
This match will look winnable to both sides, given how they’ve played in the competition to date. New Zealand lost to South Africa in the group stages, while England were toppled by West Indies but both teams go into this on the back of wins and Harry Brook’s boys have the comfort of knowing that another defeat won’t stop them going through.
That’s a good thing because, although they have played well in parts, they’ve been inconsistent and you could argue that the Black Caps have been better in that respect. Mitch Santner’s team looks a well oiled unit, with Tim Seifert playing well up top, Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra providing the class among the batters and bowling options including Ravindra, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry and the skipper, all consistent performers with the ball.
England’s performances have largely been lukewarm, with the ball outperforming the bat in the main, think Nepal and Sri Lanka. Brook’s century against Pakistan will have given the squad a lift, as well as the captain himself. Having said that, here would be a perfect opportunity to trip out that sporting cliche that the sign of a good team is one that wins when it’s not playing well.
The thing is, can England raise the bar or is this just how it’s going to be in this tournament? Everyone, with the exception of Oman, has looked capable of beating anyone else if the stars align and we know that a red hot England could win this title. What we don’t know is whether those misfiring can hit form in the two, possibly three, matches that remain.
I never like to take England on but my head says that, pending Thursday’s result, if New Zealand go into this needing to win to make the semis, I think they will find a way as they have more players fully firing than those sporting the Three Lions.
England vs New Zealand tip 1: Match Result: New Zealand to win – 2pt wins @ 11/10 (Betfred)
England vs New Zealand betting: Look out for Seifert impact
I’ve covered most of New Zealand’s matches in this tournament and have been impressed with how Tim Seifert has gone about his business in the powerplay.
The positive with him is that he plays pace well but, if the opposition resorts to spin early, he looks a better player of that to me than his opening partner Finn Allen. If the Black Caps are to win this, I think Seifert is key.
England vs New Zealand tip 2: Top Batter: Tim Seifert – 1pt win @ 11/2 (Unibet)
England vs New Zealand betting: Santner to lead the way for Black Caps
England have always found the New Zealand captain Mitch Santner’s left arm spin very tough to score off.
His use of the crease and the very slow speed of numerous deliveries is not what most of Harry Brook’s line-up wants and I think Santner’s four overs could prove the real difference between the teams on the day.
England vs New Zealand tip 3: Top New Zealand Bowler: Mitch Santner – 9/2 (PricedUp)
England vs New Zealand prediction: Back NZ for most maximums
At the prices and given I’ve sided with them to win the match, I think the 11/8 on offer about New Zealand hitting more sixes than England looks worth taking, as they have several players who could use the pace of their opponents to clear the ropes.
England vs New Zealand tip 4: Team to hit most 6s: New Zealand – 1pt win @ 11/8 (Betway)
Gamble responsibly
If you’re having a bet on England vs Pakistan, it’s vital to practice responsible gambling.
Betting can be addictive, and it’s important to stay in control of your gambling, whether you’re using online bookmakers, casino sites, slot sites, bingo sites or any other gambling platform.
Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop.
Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help you stay in control.
Try not to get carried away by free bets or casino bonuses, which are widely available on gambling apps.
But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.
We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Sports
Tim Bradley sees only one winner in Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2: “I’m sorry to tell you”
Tim Bradley has revealed his prediction for Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Manny Pacquiao 2, giving one man no chance of beating the other.
Their Netflix event was officially announced on Monday, with the two pound-for-pound legends gearing up for a professional rematch at the Sphere, Las Vegas, on September 19.
Mayweather emerged from their first encounter, back in 2015, with a unanimous decision victory, before successfully defending his world welterweight title against Andre Berto later that year.
‘Money’ then ended his illustrious professional career in 2017, engineering a 10th-round finish over Conor McGregor, and has since been involved in a number of exhibition matches.
But now, the 49-year-old is returning to a professional ring, after it was also reported he is set for an exhibition with a 59-year-old Mike Tyson on April 25.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, has fought as recently as July, back when he boxed to a highly-contentious draw against then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios.
Before that, the eight-division world champion had lost a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in 2021, which followed his points victory against Keith Thurman over two years earlier.
But despite the 47-year-old boasting a greater number of professional rounds than Mayweather, especially in recent years, Hall of Famer Bradley is nonetheless predicting a repeat of their first fight.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bradley admitted their rematch, much like their first encounter, has arrived far too late, but believes that Mayweather should once again have his hand raised.
“It’s too late. Will I be watching it? Yeah. I think the world going to be watching it, too. I think everybody going to be watching it.
“However, Manny Pacquiao can’t beat no damn Mayweather, man. Sorry to tell y’all; he can’t beat no Mayweather.”
Given the convincing nature of his first performance against Pacquiao, many others will likely be picking Mayweather to get the job done in their rematch.
Sports
India batting comes back to life, keeps T20 World Cup campaign alive | Cricket News
TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: It took them five matches but India’s batting finally clicked and registered the second-highest total in T20 World Cup history. The Men in Blue fired on all cylinders to end their innings at 256/4 and later completed the formalities by restricting Zimbabwe to 184/6 in their must-win Super Eight clash of the multi-nation tournament in Chennai. From the strong powerplay to intent in the middle overs and a blockbuster finish—back-to-back sixes by Hardik Pandya—India checked the boxes they were yearning to in the fixtures preceding Thursday’s clash. Restoring the right-left combination at the top of the order worked wonders for the defending champions.
Sanju Samson’s return to the Playing XI forced the opposition to keep the off-spin—their nemesis in the last few games—away. When it was finally introduced, runs were already on the board and Abhishek Sharma was back to six-hitting ways.Chepauk was in for a treat as the Indian batters feasted on one of the tournament’s most batting-friendly surface, aided by some ordinary captaincy and bowling. The dot-ball percentage – just 26 — was significantly down in comparison to previous games and all of them operated at a strike-rate of over 150 with three of them hovering in the 200s. There were plenty of sixes, but what was heartening to see was the intent to sustain momentum throughout the innings.Samson was out after a breezy cameo but Ishan Kishan didn’t allow the innings to drop a gear. Suryakumar Yadav toyed with the bowlers and field positions. Hardik Pandya took his initial time but hit top gear when it mattered and the biggest positive was Tilak Varma’s return to fluent form. Batting at No.6, the left-hander, who had been facing criticism for lacking intent in the middle-overs came like a breath of fresh air by taking off from the word go. The left-hander perfected the finishing act, smashing a 16-ball 44 that included 3 boundaries and 4 sixes.India benefitted from their brightest opening stand in the tournament but unlike their best powerplay outing (86/1 vs Namibia), there was no middle-overs choke. Even when off-spinners Sikandar Raza and Brian Bennett bowled in tandem after the field restrictions were lifted, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma kept the scoring rate healthy and showed no desperation to slog their way out of trouble. The shot selection was good, the scoring areas were intelligent, and India negated the off-spin threat quite convincingly. Raza did pick the wicket of Kishan to break an ominous-looking 72-run stand, but five collective overs of off-spin went for 45, allowing the defending champions to seize control of the middle-overs.Abhishek is always the crucial piece in India’s batting puzzle and the Super 8 clash was another reminder of why life is comfortable when he gets going. It took the youngster a while to score his maiden T20I World Cup fifty but India wouldn’t be complaining as his return to form augurs well for the side in the business, and must-win end of the tournament. There is no room for another slip-up if they are to become the only side to first defend the title, and then win an edition at home. The afternoon assist from South Africa has put the Men in Blue nicely in a good scoring position and the finishing act is now upto them. The batters roared and the bowling unit’s collective might was again on exhibition in front of a capacity crowd. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik kept it tight with the new ball and when Jasprit Bumrah was introduced in the fifth over of the chase, Zimbabwe looked edgy about making a move. With little assistance for the bowlers, India bowled in tight channels. Vice-captain Axar Patel, returning to the XI after two games, drew first blood in his first over by dismissing Tadiwanashe Marumani. However, Zimbabwe threw some punches during a period of play with Brian Bennett.The right-handed opener enjoyed attacking the bowlers on and used the slog-sweep effectively to clear the ropes multiple times. Shivam Dube leaked runs – going for 46 runs in two overs – but the mountain was too high to climb, even after the giant strides in the middle-overs. India still had two overs from Arshdeep, one from Bumrah, and two from Hardik to seal the deal, and the experienced trio followed the expected script.The unchaseable 113 runs were needed off the last 24 deliveries and Arshdeep’s double-wicket over brought the hosts closer to sealing the formalities. Bennett put on a real show with the bat to test the bowlers but even his blinder could only push the total to 184/6. With this emphatic win, India not only kept their campaign alive but also regained their mojo before another must-win clash against the West Indies at Eden Gardens.Brief scores:India 256/4 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 55, Hardik Pandya 50 not out; Sikandar Raza 1-29, Tinotenda Maposa 1-40)Zimbabwe 164/6 in 20 overs (Brian Bennett 99; Arshdeep Singh 3-24)
Sports
Conor Benn to face former world champion on Tyson Fury undercard in ‘$15M fight’
Conor Benn‘s next fight has been officially announced.
Benn caused shockwaves last week when it was announced he had joined forces with Dana White and Zuffa Boxing, bringing his decade-long relationship with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing to an end.
Matchroom had promoted Benn since his debut in 2016, going through plenty of trials and tribulations together, notably a two-year battle after a failed drugs test, and a pair of memorable fights with bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr in 2025.
The nature of Benn’s departure from Matchroom was met with criticism by a number of figures, who have sympathised with Hearn over the split, but ‘The Destroyer’ will now look to immediately put that behind him after his return to the ring was confirmed.
As reported by Netflix, Benn will fight former world champion Regis Prograis on the Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov card at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 11.
“OFFICIAL: Conor Benn will headline the co-main event of the Tyson Fury vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov card — taking on Regis Prograis #FuryMakhmudov FURY vs. MAKHMUDOV Saturday April 11 LIVE only on Netflix.”
Prograis was previously world champion at 140lbs, but has suffered defeats to Devin Haney and Jack Catterall in recent years, though did claim a win over Joseph Diaz last August.
The main event sees Fury return to action for the first time since his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024, as he looks to secure a win against Makhmudov and restart his quest to becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion.
The card at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will now be bolstered by the addition of Benn, who returns to the scene of his previous two fights against Eubank Jr, with it reported that he will be receiving a $15 million purse for the clash against Prograis.
Sports
Terence Crawford sees only one winner in Mike Tyson vs Floyd Mayweather
In two months, Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr will meet in an unconventional exhibition bout in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Ahead of the clash, recently retired pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford has admitted he sees only one possible winner.
With Floyd Mayweather’s professional comeback on the horizon, many fans are intrigued to see how the undefeated 49-year-old will look in his ring return against the once ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’.
Whilst Mayweather has been officially inactive for almost 11 years as a professional, ‘TBE’ has kept himself in shape through the use of many lucrative exhibition contests, this being his ninth non-sanctioned appearance since hanging up the gloves.
Meanwhile, ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson retired from the sport after defeat to Kevin McBride in 2005, but he made a controversial return in November 2024, when he was outboxed by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, suffering a seventh professional defeat.
Now, despite Mayweather having reigned as a super-featherweight world champion and Mike Tyson spending his entire career at heavyweight, the two are set to meet in Kinshasa — the site of the iconic “Rumble in the Jungle,” where Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman.
Speaking on ‘The Joe Rogan Experience‘ podcast ahead of the fight, five-division world champion Crawford revealed that, despite his physical disadvantages, he is expecting Mayweather to dominate proceedings, due to Tyson’s performance against Paul.
“He [Mike Tyson] is not going to land a fist on [Mayweather], not after his last performance.”
Sports
Reports: Colts, Anthony Richardson mutually agree to seek trade
Another quarterback has hit the off-season market.
The Indianapolis Colts and Anthony Richardson have mutually agreed to seek a trade, according to multiple reports on Thursday.
An eventual move would end what has been an up-and-down tenure for Richardson in Indianapolis.
When the Colts selected him with the fourth-overall pick in the 2023 draft, he was projected to be the team’s long-term starter.
But Richardson had a big problem with staying healthy through his first three seasons, and has been limited to just 15 starts and 17 appearances out of 51 possible games.
He made only four starts as a rookie before needing season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder. He missed six games in 2024 with back and hip injuries and dislocated his pinkie during a 2025 pre-season game before losing the quarterback battle to Daniel Jones.
But even when he played, he also struggled on the field, mainly with accuracy. His completion percentage, 47.7 per cent, in 2024 was the lowest of any starter in the NFL. And in three seasons, he’s compiled an 8-7 record, a completion percentage of 50.6 per cent with 11 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions.
So Richardson is eager for a fresh start, and it appears that is going to happen somewhere other than Indianapolis.
Sports
Money over passion: Why Tsitsipas skips South America
The South American swing remains one of the most passionate stops on the ATP calendar, but for Stefanos Tsitsipas, the decision to stay away has come down to finances.
Speaking in an interview with CLAY, Tsitsipas admitted that financial incentives have played a decisive role in shaping his February schedule.
“South America has never offered me a deal good enough to seriously consider it. The Middle East has always been much better in terms of appearance fees,” he said.
The two-time Grand Slam finalist explained that while he appreciates the energy and love for tennis in the region, the difference in financial backing between tournaments makes it difficult to prioritise those events.
“There’s that passion in South America that I sometimes set aside, but when the financial gap is large, you really have no choice but to go with what backs your career,” he added.
Meanwhile, Matteo Berrettini believes the region deserves greater recognition at the top level of the sport. Having competed in Buenos Aires, Rio and Santiago this season, Berrettini called for a premier ATP event in South America.
“Personally, I think South America deserves to have a top-level tournament on the tour,” he said. “People here are passionate about the sport, and there are top players as well.”
With the ATP planning a new Masters 1000 event in Saudi Arabia from 2028, concerns remain that financial power could shift player priorities even further away from traditional stops like South America.
Sports
Medvedev questions ranking system and calls for shorter Tour
Daniil Medvedev has suggested a major rethink of the ATP Tour structure, arguing that the current system pushes players to compete more than they should.
Medvedev proposed a streamlined calendar built around the biggest events.
“Make it four Grand Slams … 11 Masters. The others, maybe make them without points.”
He believes ranking points from smaller tournaments often force players into decisions that prioritise standings over health.
“That’s the only way to make the tour shorter. It’s never going to happen because there are licenses, and the ATP won’t have enough money to buy all of them.”
He pointed to the example of Holger Rune, who suffered an Achilles injury while competing in an ATP 250 event last year.
“Everybody was like ‘Yeah, but you don’t have to play it’, but if he wants to be in Turin, he has to, even if it’s not a mandatory tournament.”
Medvedev admitted he has felt the same pressure.
“Last year I played seven tournaments in a row. Did I have to? No. I played bad at the beginning of the year, maybe I can get 100 points here, 200 here. If there would be no points, it’s an easier decision.”
He acknowledged that such changes are unlikely.
“The other tournaments won’t say, ‘OK, we’re out’ because they would lose money. It’s business. Right now with how the ATP Tour is, it’s never going to change, at least while I’m playing.”
For Medvedev, the issue is not willingness to compete. It is the structure that makes rest difficult when rankings are always at stake.
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