If you’d like a look at the candidates and their dossiers, we’ve got that here. This search is going to take some time — I’d venture April 1 is the fastest possible timeline, and even that is ambitious — so this tracker will update on more with UNC’s pursuit as the weekend plays out.
Oh, and we had a hiring in a power conference on Wednesday: Butler is bringing on alumnus Ronald Nored as its coach. The 36-year-old was the behind-the-scenes frontrunner after Thad Matta’s retirement and never lost the lead.
Butler wasn’t the only school to make a move: South Florida lured Chris Mack away from Charleston to be its next coach. That’s one that wasn’t flaring many radars, and the agreement came together in a flurry on Wednesday, per one source. Mack has the most wins (323) of any inbound USF coach at the time of their hiring in program history.
“I am truly excited for the opportunity to lead a South Florida basketball program that’s on an exceptional trajectory and to join a university and athletic department defined by strong leadership, shared aspirations, and tremendous alignment,” Mack said in a statement. “The exceptional vision and commitment Rob (Higgins) outlined are inspiring, and I am grateful for his trust and belief in my leadership of Bulls basketball. I’m eager to connect with Bulls Nation, the students in the SoFlo Rodeo, and the passionate fans who make the Yuengling Center such a special home court.”
Annnnnd we’ve got one more dose of college carousel gossip: The noise around Will Wadepotentially bailing on NC State after one year to double back to LSU has a lot of people in the college basketball world laughing but also shaking their heads. One source told me they expect this to happen, it’s just a matter of days. The lack of statement from LSU on Matt McMahon’s job security over the past two weeks has been conspicuous, to say the least.
Other hirings from earlier this week
At Arizona State, Randy Bennett agreed to a five-year contract to be the coach of the Sun Devils. The Mesa, Arizona, native finally said yes after previously turning down the school multiple times in prior searches.
Bennett spent the past 25 years at SMC and went 589-228, including 12 NCAA Tournament teams, five of which came in the past five seasons. The Gaels made one Sweet 16, in 2010, on Bennett’s watch. All told, he’s one of the 20-ish best coaches in college basketball; the work he did in Moraga was a lift few others could’ve sustained over two and a half decades. He’s more than earned a shot at the power-conference level.
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Arizona State placed a premium on Bennett, who was clearly catalyzed by the fact that Gonzaga is leaving the WCC and thus downgrading the league. The Bennett move at Saint Mary’s triggered an internal promotion of Mickey McConnell in Moraga. The Gaels alumnus gets his first shot at 36 years old. Can he keep SMC at the top of the WCC?
The other high-major news from Monday was Creighton coach Greg McDermott’s impending retirement. One of the game’s best tacticians is walking away at 63. I’ve got that story and all the info here. No search there, though. Alan Huss agreed last year to be next up once McDermott was done, so that transition is already buttoned up and will be official after Creighton’s season ends in the Fox-run Crown event out in Las Vegas next week.
The first hiring of Monday came in the American, where CBS Sports broke the news that Wes Miller agreed to be the next coach at Charlotte on a five-year deal. Miller was fired from Cincinnati almost two weeks ago but let it be known he still wanted to coach and land somewhere as quickly as possible. Miller is from Charlotte, which made the hiring process even more logical. Miller and Cincinnati agreed to terms on his payout from Cincinnati last week; the school would have owed him $9.9 million if it did not formally fire him until April 1. Miller’s record in five seasons at Cincinnati was 100-74. Before that, he coached in North Carolina at UNCG, going 185-135. In his career, Miller’s won 57.7% of his games (285-209) across 15 seasons.
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G-Mac to 🍊
We’ve still got more to address! Gerry McNamara is now running the show at Syracuse. The school officially announced the hiring Tuesday morning.
The twist: Sources said Syracuse showed significant interest in other candidates, most prominently Saint Louis’ Josh Schertz, in the lead-up to the NCAA Tournament. SLU announced on March 13 it had agreed to terms of a new contract, but with the buyout being somewhat manageable, Syracuse pursued all options before landing on McNamara. One source said SU was still making a push on Schertz even after Saint Louis’ first round win over Georgia.
Though that never came to be, the fact Syracuse still looked at Schertz and other candidates falls in line with what sources previously told me: McNamara winning out comes after weeks of debate amongst big money players at Syracuse who were split over whether or not to break from the Syracuse family/Jim Boeheim coaching tree. McNamara is of course adored at Cuse, but some influential supporters of the program felt adamant that Syracuse needed to go in a new direction. Others favored keeping it in the family for at least one more try; McNamara was the obvious choice in that regard.
I’m told Syracuse is hopeful it can raise more than $9 million total in NIL budgeting for the 2026-27 season, with at least $4.5 million of that coming from revenue sharing. McMamara will have the support he needs to try and turn things around in central New York.
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Here are our some of our high-major carousel headlines in the past week-plus:
ARIZONA STATE | OUT: Bobby Hurley »» IN: Randy Bennett Hurley leaves with the second-most wins in program history. Credit to ASU athletic director Graham Rossini for landing the best possible replacement. Bennett was the target of multiple previous searches and turned down the job. Now he’s going to make a run in his 60s and see if he can get the Sun Devils to consistently compete in the top half of the Big 12. That’s a real jolt for this program. He’ll have to do more with less, which is no thing new after the wizard work he guided for 25 years at Saint Mary’s.
BUTLER | OUT: Thad Matta »» IN: Ronald Nored Matta retired after a four-year, 63-69 go of it with the Bulldogs. The news was all the more surprising considering that Butler athletic director Grant Leiendecker publicly said Matta would be back for a fifth season. Ultimately, it’s probably the right move. Nored was announced Wednesday and represents the latest hire in a link of Butler-family head-coaching moves. He’s young but he’s sharp. Can he bump them up in the Big East?
BOSTON COLLEGE | OUT: Earl Grant This one was expected for months. There are 79 jobs in the Power Five leagues, and Boston College, unfortunately and unquestionably, ranks in the bottom five. Grant couldn’t win there, but this is an institutional problem as much as anything else. Minimal fan support, bottom of the league in NIL capability, and the basketball there ranks below football and hockey in the priority order. Will take a very specific fit to even give the Eagles a shot at fighting into the middle of the ACC. UConn assistant Luke Murray and Vermont head coach John Becker are the two finalists. I was thinking we’d know by Wednesday, but maybe this drags on to the end of the week.
CINCINNATI | OUT: Wes Miller »» IN: Jerrod Calhoun The Bearcats had to make a change after going five straight seasons without an NCAA bid, even if Miller’s teams came close three times. Miller wound up doing just fine by shooting off to Charlotte. Jerrod Calhoun (Utah State) is an alum and was the top target from Day 1. Bearcats fans have some hope again, and fortunately for them, the program should be at or north of $8 million to spend on a roster for 2026-27. That’s not upper tier for this cycle, but it is manageable and can be competitive.
CREIGHTON | OUT: Greg McDermott »» IN: Alan Huss The 61-year-old McDermott leaves as the most accomplished coach in program history. In addition to overseeing Creighton’s valuable upgrade from the Missouri Valley to the Big East in the early 2010s, he coached 11 NCAA Tournament-level teams at Creighton and made two Sweet 16s (2021, 2024) along with an Elite Eight (2023). McDermott went 365-188 at Creighton, and when factoring in his time as coach at North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Iowa State, he’s at 645-383 with 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Huss was at High Point a year ago and left because he agreed to be coach-in-waiting when McDermott stepped away.
G. TECH | OUT: Damon Stoudamire »» IN: Scott Cross Sources said the buyout for the 52-year-old Stoudamire was just $2.6 million, which made the decision that much easier after a 42-55 record in three seasons. This is a bottom-four job in the ACC (despite its terrific location) due to its lack of success over the past two decades, its relatively tough academic parameters and its limitations in NIL. Sources told me Tech will top out at $3.5 million in revenue sharing and maybe an additional $2 million after that. And yet, the 2026 portal market will likely mandate high-major teams to work with at least $6 million in order to be somewhat competitive. As was first reported here, Cross was the guy. The school made it official last Friday.
KANSAS STATE | OUT: Jerome Tang »» IN: Casey Alexander The first power conference job to hit the market in 2026, and it did so in a noisy fashion. Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor fired Tang for cause on Feb. 15. University lawyers and Tang’s legal representation are in an ongoing legal dispute over the validity of a for-cause firing, which, if K-State were successful, would mean $0 owed to Tang. If fully unsuccessful, Tang has more than $18 million coming his way. I’m expecting a settlement with terms undisclosed. Alexander and K-State agreed to terms on March 12 after it was clear that Jerrod Calhoun wasn’t going to leave Utah State for Manhattan, Kansas.
PROVIDENCE | OUT: Kim English »» IN: Bryan Hodgson PC finished 15-18 this season, and English was unable to get the school to the NCAAs in three seasons on the job. Hodgson agreed to a five-year contract late Saturday night. The Friars will be well-stocked; sources said the program will be well north of $10 million in this year’s portal cycle, which will be critical as Hodgson is expected to turn over almost the entire roster. PC bringing on the soon-to-be 39-year-old is a personality fit. He doesn’t run from a battle and is a guy who loves to punch up. The Big East just got more interesting. Providence agreed to a five-year contract with Hodgson.
SYRACUSE | OUT: Adrian Autry »» IN: Gerry McNamara The Orange’s season finished with an 86-69 loss to SMU in the ACC Tournament; Syracuse was a 14-seed in the league bracket. Jim Boeheim’s successor leaves with a 49-48 record and no NCAA Tournament showings. Siena coach/SU alum McNamara became the top target after some other wish-list candidates wouldn’t got to the altar. Plus: Siena almost upset Duke in the first round. This is a pivotal hiring. As one Syracuse-connected source told me a few days ago: “If this hire doesn’t go well, [Syracuse] could become a one step above a mid-major.” The program’s outlook after Boeheim feels tenuous, though the fan base is passionate and thirsty to get back to relevance. McNamara has a huge task on his hands, but his love for the school is undeniable.
Mid-majors
AIR FORCE | OUT:Joe Scott »» IN: Joe Crispin Scott had two runs at Air Force, the first from 1999-2004, the second from 2020 until earlier this year, when Scott was put on leave in January amid an investigation into his treatment of players. That ultimately led to a severance between he and the school, though the two sides ended things amicably with kind words when the split was made official on Feb. 26. A military academy program in the Mountain West, Air Force easily ranks among the 10 toughest jobs in all of college hoops. Crispin, 46, will leave Penn State as an assistant to take on his first head coaching opportunity.
BALL STATE | OUT: Mike Lewis »» IN: Chris Capko The Cardinals had Lewis in charge for four seasons, but the last three were all under .500. With this year’s team going 12-19, rumors bubbled up in late January that the job would come up. Lewis, a former UCLA assistant under Mick Cronin, went 61-64 in the MAC. The team hasn’t made the NCAAs since 2000 under Ray McCallum. Capko comes aboard after years of working under Andy Enfield at USC and SMU.
BELMONT | OUT: Casey Alexander »» IN: Evan Bradds Alexander was anxious to leave after more than proving his value over the past seven seasons in Nashville. He tallied a 166-60 record with the Bruins, continuing the impressive legacy built out by his former coach and mentor Rick Byrd. Bradds spent this past season at Duke after cutting his teeth in the NBA with the Jazz and Celtics. He played at Belmont and graduated in 2017 after winning OVC POY. At 31, he’ll likely be the youngest D-I coach next season. Bradds played at Belmont from 2013-17 and was a terrific mid-major scorer, winning OVC Player of the Year as a junior and senior.
CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD | OUT: Rod Barnes »» IN: Todd Lee Barnes was fired last September after 14 years at Bakersfield, and the reason is jaw-dropping: One of his former assistants was federally charged for allegations of pimping, among other heinous illegal activities. There have also been changes in leadership in the athletic department and this is a cash-strapped job that’s extremely difficult. Lee, who’s coached for more than three decades, spent recent seasons on Eric Musselman’s staff but was also an assistant at Bakersfield in the ’90s.
CHARLESTON | OUT: Chris Mack A semi-stunner Wednesday afternoon, as Mack was announced as the next coach at South Florida. He leaves behind by far the best NIL situation (and living location) in the CAA. A premier job in a one-bid league just came open and a lot of people are going to be out for it.
CHARLOTTE | OUT: Aaron Fearne »» IN: Wes Miller The 49ers made the move after three years with Fearne, who went 17-17 this season and 47-51 overall. The school has some solid financial backing for NIL moving forward thanks to some investments by local billionaire Ric Elias. Miller lands on his feet in what’s a best-case scenario after not making it to Year 6 with Cincinnati. If he can be as effective at Charlotte as he was at UNCG for a decade, he should end the school’s two-decade-plus NCAA tourney drought. This feels like a proper bounce-back opportunity.
DARTMOUTH | OUT: Dave McLaughlin The school did not renew McLaughlin’s contract. The Big Green job is almost universally considered the toughest in the eight-school Ivy League, so picking a next coach will be difficult. McLaughlin came on in 2016 and was 87-161 with a 41-85 conference record.
EASTERN MICHIGAN | OUT: Stan Heath »» IN: Billy Donlon The Eagles are starting over after five years under Heath. EMU was 57-98 the last five seasons and only finished .500 once both overall and in the MAC (in 2024-25). The location is good for a MAC program (less than 15 minutes from Michigan‘s campus, in fact) but the resources are bottom half of the league. That will need to change. Donlon is an assistant at Clemson and has a 155-133 record at Wright State and Kansas City.
FIU | OUT: Jeremy Ballard »» IN: Joey Cantens Ballard was sacked after his eighth season on the job. The CUSA program had winning seasons in Ballard’s first two years but averaged 12 wins over the last six. Cantens came from behind to land the gig over some sitting high-major assistants. His teams went 109-21 in-state at Daytona State College in the D-II ranks. The 39-year-old is a local who grew up in Miami.
GEORGIA STATE | OUT: Jonas Hayes Hayes lasted four seasons and leaves Atlanta with a 48-79 record at the Sun Belt-based program. The school will still draw in some promising mid-major candidates because of its location and potential in that league.
KANSAS CITY | OUT: Marvin Menzies »» IN: Mark Turgeon A huge get for the Roos, who have pulled off a rarity: A school with zero NCAA Tournament appearances hired a coach with at least 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, at least 15 years of experience of high-major coaching and at least 450 wins. The only other instance of this that I can recall where that exact scenario applied is when High Point hired Tubby Smith in 2018, but he was an alum. Turgeon played at Kansas and therefore has some semi-local ties. He heads to the Summit League with a healthy boost in NIL support, determined not to let his rickety exit from Maryland in 2021 be the end of his story.
LAMAR | OUT: Alvin Brooks »» Jordan Fee Fee? Hit the Phish. Lamar is hiring the FAU assistant with a really good rep as an up-and-comer who’s had previous success at some non-D1 spots. Could be one of the best mid-major gets of this cycle. Brooks went 62-95 across five seasons in the Southland. This season’s team went 12-19 overall. The Cardinals last made the NCAA Tournament in 2012 under Pat Knight.
LITTLE ROCK | OUT: Darrell Walker »» IN: Travis Ford Walker’s team went 12-20 this season and finished seventh in the OVC. He leaves after eight seasons and with a 113-133 record. If you followed the tracker, you saw I had Ford’s name as the frontrunner basically from the start. The process was a little clunky and took a scenic route to getting there, but Little Rock brings on a guy with 20-plus seasons as a head coach and almost 500 wins. Ford was most recently at Saint Louis but also Oklahoma State and UMass prior to that.
UL MONROE | OUT: Phil Cunningham »» Ryan Cross A one-and-done in the Sun Belt. Cunningham was the head coach this past season after serving as an assistant the year prior. The team went 4-28, ranking 350th at KenPom. The bad record combined with the school switching ADs in the past five months led to the change. Cross is a former assistant (2012-20) who spent the past two seasons at UAB.
UTAH STATE | OUT: Jerrod Calhoun The Aggies will be holding a coaching search for the fifth time in five years. One name that should get strong consideration is Craig Smith. He was at Utah State from 2018-21 and won 74 games in three seasons, including 50-14 in the Mountain West and three total league titles. You could also see BYU’s Chris Burgess or Bobby Hurley try to get involved as well. The pool will be competitive. This is one of the best mid-major jobs in the country. Fascinated to see who’s next up in Logan.
NORTH FLORIDA | OUT:Matt Driscoll »» IN: Bobby Kennen This job had been open dating back to last May, when Driscoll left after 16 seasons to be Jerome Tang’s top assistant at Kansas State. Now Driscoll is wrapping up a disappointing season in Manhattan, Kansas, in the wake of Tang’s mid-February firing. At UNF, the Ospreys struggled under Kennen; the team went 7-24 this season. Nevertheless, he’s got the full-time gig. UNF’s been a D-I program for two decades, with its lone NCAA Tournament trip coming in 2015 under Driscoll.
N. ILLINOIS | OUT: Rashon Burno »» IN: Matt Majkrzak Burno bounced after five seasons, all of them under .500. This year’s team finished 9-21 and 319th at KenPom at the time of Burno’s (expected) resignation. He went 48-106 in one of the toughest jobs in the MAC. As was previously noted in this here capsule, Majkrzak was a leading candiate from the onset. The 35-year-old had a 136-73 in seven seasons at Northern Michigan in Division II.
OREGON STATE | OUT:Wayne Tinkle »» IN: Justin Joyner For Tinkle, the high point was the unexpected run to the Elite Eight in the 2021 COVID NCAA tourney, when the Beavers won three games as a 12-seed after earning the auto bid by winning the Pac-12 Tournament. Joyner is a fresh new face and represents and optimistic new start for the Beavers as the Pac-12 rebirth will commence later this year. Joyner is on a five-year contract and will try to compete in the league with the likes of Gonzaga, Boise State, San Diego State, Utah State.
PEPPERDINE | OUT: Ed Schilling Two-and-through for Schilling, who was a surprising hire in 2024. The Waves went 22-45 the past two seasons and won just eight games in the WCC. Pepperdine famously has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, but it’s also a school with strong religious ties and therefore will have specific criteria for its next coach. Cal Baptist coach Rick Croy could be a name to watch here, as are guys like Virginia assistant Griff Aldrich and Notre Dame assistant Kyle Getter.
SAN DIEGO | OUT: Steve Lavin »» IN: JR Blount The 61-year-old Lavin couldn’t bring the program to consistency in the Gonzaga-dominated WCC. USD has not made the NCAAs since 2008 under Bill Grier. Athletic director Kimya Massey moved even more quickly than most expected when he brought on Blount, who’s seen his reputation rise quickly the past two seasons at Iowa State. This was a competitive job opening. I highlighted Blount just last week in my names-to-know piece for this year’s carousel cycle. He’s considered among the sharpest young defensive minds in high-major hoops, but beyond that, he has an outstanding reputation for his dedication to the job.
SAINT MARY’S | OUT: Randy Bennett »» IN: Mickey McConnell After 25 years in Moraga, Bennett is finally taking a chance on himself and coaching at a power-conference program. He’s not yet signed but is closing in on a five-year deal to be the coach at Arizona State. The plan was always to promote from within at SMC; McConnell, 36, is one of the better players in program history and has been on staff since 2019.
SIENA | OUT: Gerry McNamara A one-ane-done year for McNamara, who had everything break just right in order for him to go back to Syracuse and try to restore the luster at a program facing an uncertain crossroads. McNamara’s Saints team nearly toppling 1-seed Duke in the tourney made his hiring that much easier to sell to a fan base that has loved him for 23 years and counting. Will Siena promote in-house or try to land a quality assistant from the high-major ranks?
TROY | OUT: Scott Cross After seven seasons, Cross leaves for Georgia Tech. The Trojans are coming off back-to-back tournament runs. The Sun Belt program is down to a few finalists, I’m told, including SEMO coach Brad Korn.
USF | OUT: Bryan Hodgson »» IN: Chris Mack With Hodgson’s expected move to Providence, USF will be the only team in the sport to have five coaches in a five-year span. In 2022-23, Brian Gregory was in charge and got fired. Amir Abdur-Rahim took over, revived the program, then tragically died in in October 2024, weeks before his second season was set to begin. Ben Fletcher was the interim in 2024-25 and then Hodgson got the job. Next up? Chris Mack. A stealth job switch from Charleston for the former Louisville and Xavier coach. He’ll be well-stocked to keep it rolling in Tampa.
ST. BONAVENTURE | OUT: Mark Schmidt Schmidt, 63, leaves the profession with a terrific reputation. Bonaventure is an extremely tough job, yet he won 339 games most in program history, and captured four combined conference titles. With Schmidt leaving, program GM and prominent former NBA national reporter Adrian Wojnarowski will work with school leadership to try and land a coach on the cheap who is about leaning into the challenges and culture of Bonaventure. I’ve been told that this job is going to be a significant pay cut from what Schmidt was making after 19 years and all the pay bumps that come with such a long tenure. Bona doesn’t have any revenue sharing and needs to fundraise all of its capital in order to try and field a roster that can compete in the A-10; Wojnarowski has a huge task ahead, to be sure. Two early names rumored for the job are both alums: Washington Wizards assistant David Vanterpool and D-II Daemen College coach Mike MacDonald, who’s done well at that level.
TARLETON STATE | OUT: Billy Gillispie »» IN: Eric Haut Gillispie oversaw Tarleton State’s transition into Division I, with the high point being a 25-10 season in 2023-24. The WAC-based school went 92-90 in six years at the D-I level under Gillispie. The university, based in Stephenville, Texas, is about 70 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Haut will join the program after Utah State finishes playing in the NCAA tourney. He’s been a valuable assistant at USU, Northern Kentucky and Kent State. Was due for a shot at running his own show.
TENNESSEE TECH | OUT: John Pelphrey »» IN: Tobin Anderson Pelphrey lasted seven years in the Ohio Valley and went 79–138 at what is obviously a very hard job with limited resources. TTU last won the regular-season title in the OVC in 2005, but it landed the best guy possible. Anderson famously coached FDU to a 16-over-1 upset of Purdue in the 2023 NCAAs. He potentially could’ve gotten a bigger job this cycle. Big coup for this school.
UNCG | OUT: Mike Jones »» IN: Jerod Haase Something of a surprise here, as Jones went 93-69 and didn’t get his contract extended. The Spartans went 15-19 this season, the only one of Jones’ five that didn’t end above .500. The job is considered in the top third in the SoCon. Haase got the job after two years away from coaching. He’s 206-180 at UAB and Stanford. The Carolina connection was big in getting him the gig.
UTRGV | OUT: Kahil Fennel Tough loss for the Vaqueros, who had Fennel for two seasons but did not have the resources to keep a quality up-and-coming coach around for Year 3. The Southland program will plumb the depths to see if they can land an assistant at a power conference school.
WAGNER | OUT: Donald Copeland (?) Wagner was coached by interim Dwan McMillan since the start of the season after Copeland was put on indefinite leave amid a school investigation into alleged abusive coaching tactics, including withholding water breaks during practice. One former player went on record with the New York Post last fall to confirm the allegations, but the school has yet to fire Copeland, who is still listed on the team’s website. The Seahawks went 14-17 and lost in the NEC semis to LIU.
WEBER STATE | OUT: Eric Duft We have a Brad Stevens-esque transition in the Big Sky. Duft has been with the program for two decades, but he’s not being fired. He’s going into the athletic department with a title of President of Basketball Operations and Development for the men’s basketball program. He’ll be working with Damian Lillard, who’s labeled as Weber State’s GM, to get the Wildcats to a better spot, roster-wise, for the net coach. Duft was the head coach the past four years.
WESTERN MICHIGAN | OUT: Dwayne Stephens »» IN: Kahil Fennel The former Michigan State assistant lasted four seasons in Kalamazoo, going 42-84. The Broncos came extremely close to ending Miami University’s undefeated run on Feb. 27 before falling in the final second 69-67. The school last made the NCAAs in 2014. Fennel, 43, arrives via UTRGV, where he went 35-29 the past two seasons. A pretty solid get at a place with enough to be a player in the MAC in the next two years.
Macklin Celebrini delivered a statement performance with a goal and three assists as Canada rolled to a 6-1 win over France in pre-tournament action at the IIHF world championship.
Celebrini factored in four of Canada’s six goals after being named captain Sunday morning.
Canada opened the scoring at 5:16 of the first period when Parker Wotherspoon buried a chance off assists from Robert Thomas and Sam Dickinson. France answered midway through the opening frame on a goal from Guillaume Leclerc to tie the game at 1-1.
Dylan Holloway restored the lead early in the second period off assists from Dylan DeMelo and Mathew Barzal.
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Celebrini continued his big offensive day with assists on goals by Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi. Celebrini then added a goal of his own later in the period off assists from Vilardi and Scheifele to extend the lead to 5-1.
In the third period, Celebrini added another helper on a power-play goal by John Tavares to cap off his four-point night.
Vilardi and Scheifele had three points each while Tavares added a goal and an assist.
Canada received a strong performance in goal from Jet Greaves, who stopped 24 of 25 shots in the win. France made a goaltending change midway through the second period with Martin Neckar being pulled for Antoine Keller.
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Canada also had notable players unavailable for the game, with Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, Ryan O’Reilly and Cam Talbot listed as scratches.
Real Madrid have imposed significant disciplinary fines on Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni following an altercation during a training session. Both midfielders have been fined around €500,000 (approximately $588,000) after their on-field disagreement escalated earlier in the week and doubts remain on whether the duo will feature for the all-important El Clasico tonight or not.
The incident reportedly took place during practice on Thursday, when tensions flared between the two players. While Valverde later clarified on social media that no physical punches were exchanged, the situation still resulted in internal disciplinary action from the club.
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According to reports, the confrontation ended when Valverde struck his head against a table, causing a minor cut that required medical attention. He was subsequently taken to a hospital for precautionary checks.
Injury Concerns Over Valverde
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Valverde’s availability for the upcoming El Clásico remains in serious doubt. The Uruguayan midfielder did not participate in training on Friday, with his absence attributed to the head injury sustained during the incident.
With only a few days remaining before the high-stakes clash against Barcelona, Valverde is expected to miss out on the matchday squad. His potential absence is a major setback for Real Madrid, especially given the importance of the fixture in the La Liga title race.
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Tchouaméni Expected to Be Available
Unlike Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni returned to training on Friday and is in contention to feature in Sunday’s El Clásico at Camp Nou. However, his final inclusion will depend on the coaching staff’s assessment and the decision of head coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
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While he is currently expected to be available, his starting role is not guaranteed as the club evaluates both fitness and disciplinary considerations ahead of the crucial encounter.
High Stakes Ahead of El Clásico
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The upcoming clash carries enormous significance, with Real Madrid needing a victory to delay Barcelona’s potential La Liga title celebrations. Any slip-up could see the Catalan giants crowned champions, adding further pressure on the Madrid squad heading into one of the biggest matches of the season.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicket-keeper batter Urvil Patel recorded the joint-fastest fifty in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, after reaching the milestone off just 13 deliveries during the ongoing clash against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The right-handed batter showcased destruction of the highest order to headline the team’s run chase at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, on Sunday, May 10.
Coming into bat at No.3 midway through the powerplay after Sanju Samson’s dismissal, Urvil Patel got into the act straightaway, smashing four sixes off his first five deliveries. The wicket-keeper batter made the most of the early boost, and concluded the powerplay with a series of sixes as well.
Racing off to 41 deliveries off just nine deliveries, Urvil Patel had a shot at the outright record, but after getting to 49 runs off 12 deliveries, he notched a single off Mohammad Shami in the seventh over to go level with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
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Urvil Patel, after reaching the historic milestone, removed his helmet, folded his hands, and unfurled a note from his pocket, before unfolding it and showing it around. The cameras zoomed in on it in time to register the message, ‘This is for you, Papa’, along with another message in Gujarati. Have a look at the moment right here:
The note celebration has caught on in recent times, with the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Raghu Sharma also emulating the celebration with different messages conveyed.
Urvil Patel dismissed for 65 runs off 22 deliveries in CSK vs LSG IPL 2026 match
The No.3 batter struggled a bit after reaching his fifty and was not able to get his shots away, compared to earlier. He was dropped by Digvesh Singh Rathi off Prince Yadav’s bowling in the ninth over. However, he could not make the most of it, Shahbaz Ahmed dismissed him in the very next over.
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Despite the dismissal, CSK are in a very strong position while chasing the 204-run target, with the score currently reading 128-2 in the 10th over.
It was at super-welterweight where the Australian claimed his world title, against Brian Mendoza, before being relieved of the WBO belt by Sebastian Fundora.
This came just two fights after an even more devastating night against Bakhram Murtazaliev, whose third-round finish has caused many to question Tszyu’s world-level credentials.
Similar doubts have been raised about the current capabilities of Spence, too, as the 36-year-old has not fought since his ninth-round stoppage defeat to Terence Crawford in 2023.
It will have been three years of inactivity, then, by the time he returns to action against Tszyu, this time competing at just 2lbs below the middleweight limit.
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Prior to the Crawford loss, Spence was widely considered to be the leading champion at 147lbs, even after being involved in a life-threatening car accident in 2019.
It is therefore the experience of Spence which, in an interview with The Agnew Podcast, has inspired Stevenson to predict a rather undesirable outcome for Tszyu.
“I got Errol. I don’t think Tim Tszyu can do anything with him. I don’t see Tim Tszyu being the [only other] guy to beat Errol.
“I feel like that experience [Spence] has doesn’t go nowhere. For me, personally, I feel like an in-the-box fighter like Tim Tszyu is going to get destroyed [fighting] like that [against Spence].”
Before losing to Crawford, Spence had claimed victories over Danny Garcia and Yordenis Ugas, which both followed his near career-ending car crash.
An illness derailed Highvol‘s northern trip, forcing Ryan into a spring-focused approach.
He placed fourth late in the Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley before Ryan chased the Victoria Derby with his three-year-old.
“He had a frustrating spring,” Ryan said.
“He ran super in the Stutt second-up, flying home, against these types of horses.
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“He then almost won a Geelong Classic, and we pushed on to the Derby, but it flattened him a lot and I was very mindful of that and hence we didn’t rush him back for the autumn.
“I went and looked at him and said to the owners to give him some more time because he was quite tired after the Derby.
“He was second-up today. They went very slow last time, and he’s no good off a slow tempo, and when they sprinted, they left him flat-footed.”
Since the first-up run at Sandown a month ago, Ryan has worked Highvol hard to prepare for the 1600m grind.
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“I said to Motty that I had screwed him down between runs and he’s at his best free rolling off a fast tempo and that’s what that was,” Ryan said.
“It was a bit of a dogfight late and he’s good in the soft, so there was a lot of positives.
“He’s a handy horse and he won his first two and we had plans to go to Queensland, but he got crook.
“He ticks the wet-track box, and he makes his own luck, so a trip to Queensland, anything is possible.”
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Online bookmakers offer great betting sites for the Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Handicap action.
Lagos have booked their place in the final of the Ibom Air @7 Anniversary Football Tournament after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Calenport at the Uyo Township Stadium in Akwa Ibom State.
The match was attended by several top guests, including the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, and the Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Football Association, Mr Samuel Umoh. Both officials were present to support Ibom Air Group General Manager, Marketing and Communication, Mrs Aniekan Essienette, who performed the ceremonial kickoff.
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Calenport — a team made up of players from Calabar, Enugu and Port Harcourt — made history when Abasi-Ofon Akpaka scored the first goal of the competition in the 29th minute to give them the lead.
However, Lagos responded strongly before halftime. Elisha Asuquo, who had been a constant threat but wasted several chances, finally levelled the score just before the break.
In the second half, Asuquo completed his brace with a decisive strike to seal victory for Lagos and send them into the final. His brilliant performance earned him the Man of the Match award, which was presented by Elder Paul Bassey after full time.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports Elder Paul Bassey presents Elisha Asuquo with his Ibom Air anniversary tournament Man of the match award. (Photo Credit: Jimoh Otisoro)
Lagos dominated large parts of the game, with fans treated to exciting action and loud vuvuzela celebrations from the stands. Ibom Air also supported fans in attendance, adding colour to the lively atmosphere.
Remaining fixtures and anniversary activities
The tournament continues on Saturday with the second semi-final as Abuja face Uyo at the same venue, also kicking off at 4pm. The winner of that match will meet Lagos in the grand final scheduled for Saturday, May 23, 2026.
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All matches in the competition will still be played at the Uyo Township Stadium, with organisers confirming tight security and entertainment activities for fans throughout the remaining fixtures.
The tournament forms part of celebrations marking the seventh anniversary of Ibom Air, the Akwa Ibom State-owned airline, which began commercial operations on June 7, 2019.
As part of the anniversary programme, there will also be continued fan engagement activities around the stadium, showcasing Ibom Air’s growing support for sports development in the state.
After the tournament, Ibom Air will round off the celebrations with a special exhibition match against Akwa United FC on May 30, 2026, at the Uyo Township Stadium.
Barangay Ginebra forward Justin Brownlee challenges TNT big man Bol Bol during their game in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Barangay Ginebra clinched the No. 2 spot with a 93-86 victory over TNT to end the PBA Commissioner’s Cup elimination round on Sunday night at Mall of Asia Arena.
The Gin Kings hiked their record to 9-3, setting up a quarterfinals date with the Phoenix Fuel Masters (6-6).
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“I think they played a good game like they wanted to but I don’t think it’s a big deal that they lost,” coach Tim Cone said.
TNT suffered its third straight setback despite Bol Bol dominating with 33 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. Calvin Oftana was the lone Tropang 5G local to hit double-digit scoring with 11.
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TNT slid to the eighth seed with a 6-6 record and will face top seed NLEX (10-2), which ended the elims with a four-game winning streak. The top four tea
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Morgan underlined his talismanic status for Ospreys, and showed how much he will be missed, by scoring the winning try as Ospreys edged Scarlets 27-20 in a fierce Welsh derby at the Brewery Field in Bridgend.
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“It’s a great feeling to get the try and really special to win on my last home game for the Ospreys,” the flanker told S4C afterwards.
“My time here has been great. I’ve loved playing here and I’ve always said this group of boys are special. I’m grateful to everyone at the club, I’ve loved it.
“But I’m not finished yet. We’ve still got Leinster so I’m looking forward to coming back on Monday for another week with them before my last game.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game against Scarlets and in fairness they were very good.
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“But I was proud of the boys’ effort throughout the 80 minutes and to dig out the win in the end.”
Fellow Wales back row Wainwright was unable to conjure a similar fairytale ending in his last game at Rodney Parade before joining Leicester, as Dragons succumbed 24-15 to Edinburgh.
“It was a special occasion for me tonight being my last home game here. I think going into next year, [there are] plenty of positives for the Dragons,” said the 28-year-old.
“Hopefully they keep the momentum going from what we’ve done this year because we’ve had some real good wins over the course of the season.
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“Hopefully they can give the fans more to get behind next year.”
Wainwright ended his time surrounded by Dragons supporters, allowed onto the pitch to give him a heart-felt send-off.
St Helens withstood a strong second-half fightback from Leeds Rhinos to set up a Challenge Cup final reprise against old foes Wigan Warriors.
Saints looked to be cruising into the Wembley showpiece on May 30. They were 24-0 up after 50 minutes as Erin McDonald, Zoe Harris, Faye Gaskin and Emily Rudge all scored tries, with Gaskin impeccable on the conversions.
Leeds finally found their feet after a poor first half as Connie Boyd, Ruby Enright and Olivia Whitehead hit back with tries to give Lois Forsell’s side hope.
The comeback was simply not soon enough, however, and McDonald’s second try removed any lingering doubt that Saints would face Wigan in a repeat of last year’s one-sided final, which the Warriors won 42-6.
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Wigan were in ruthless mood as they thrashed York Valkyrie on Saturday, but Saints quickly stamped their own personality on the second semi-final, held at the EcoPower Stadium in Doncaster.
McDonald was too powerful for a Leeds defence which lacked belief and conviction in the first 40 minutes, and the try inflicted the first points the Rhinos have conceded in the competition this season.
Saints defence, by contrast, was exceptional, their best moment being Rachael Woosey’s superb try-saving tackle on Whitehead, who also lost control of the ball when presented with another chance a few minutes later.
Gaskin’s delicate kick sent Harris through for another Saints try, and the half-time pep talk for the rattled Rhinos fell flat as Gaskin burst through three tackles and added the conversion for a personal tally of 14 points.
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Leeds finally found their rhythm, their big pack making good yards, and dominated the last half-hour as Boyd forced her way over, Enright finished off the best passing move of the match, and more quick hands left Whitehead free to score wide out.
Mel Howard only kicked one of her three conversion attempts to ensure that the comeback was too little, too late, and McDonald powered over to complete the score two minutes from time.
Jacob Fatu put an exclamation point on his desire to win the World Heavyweight Championship even as he was pinned in a loss to Roman Reigns at Backlash on Saturday night.
Fatu got that crazed look in his eye after Reigns pulled off the victory. Fatu was shocked and enraged as Reigns’ hand was raised in the win to retain his title. But Fatu made clear that his pursuit of gold and glory wasn’t going to stop at the premium live event.
Jacob Fatu wrestles Roman Reigns during WWE Backlash at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., on May 9, 2026.(Kevin Sabitus/WWE/Getty Images)
The “Samoan Werewolf” took his frustrations out on Reigns, Raw general manager Adam Pearce and some of the producers who came out to stop his post-match assault. The attack included Fatu going after the referee, putting the Tongan death grip on Reigns and super-kicking anyone who got in his way.
Reigns got the last word in as he walked up the entrance ramp following the vicious assault.
“This is why we shoulda never let Jacob in this company,” Reigns told Cathy Kelley as he walked to the back. “You don’t belong here, Jacob. There is no order with you. This is your last night here.”
Jacob Fatu celebrates over Roman Reigns during WWE Backlash at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., on May 9, 2026.(Kevin Sabitus/WWE via Getty Images)
Reigns and Fatu battled throughout the night with a lot of the “Tribal Chief’s” damage seemingly being ineffective throughout the match. But one key mistake ultimately cost Fatu.
Fatu had Reigns in the Tongan death grip toward the end of the match. Reigns clung onto the referee and exposed a turnbuckle in the process. Reigns was able to thrust Fatu into the exposed turnbuckle and hit a spear.
Reigns pinned Fatu for the win, but it sparked the chaotic scene.
Roman Reigns enters the ring during WWE Backlash at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., on May 9, 2026.(Michael Owens/WWE)
Fatu was last seen holding the World Heavyweight Championship over Reigns, who was sprawled out on the mat. The first battle may have ended between the two, but the war is far from finished.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
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