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Archives for February 9, 2026

Pitino Wins! (For St. John’s)

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – No. 17/17 St. John’s needed overtime to dispatch Xavier, 87-82, on Monday night at Madison Square Garden in the second of two regular season matchups between head coaches Rick and Richard Pitino.  It was the Red Storm’s first overtime game of the season.

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St. John’s 87, Xavier 82 OT – Box Score

  • Neither team led by more than five points in a game that saw 15 lead changes and 15 ties in 45 minutes of play.
  • St. John’s extended its win streak to 10 games – currently the nation’s fourth-longest win streak.  For the second straight season, SJU is 12-1 in BIG EAST play.
  • Zuby Ejiofor led the Red Storm with 25 points (8-11 FG) to go with seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals, while Dylan Darling added 16 points and four assists.
  • Both teams were efficient offensively in the first half, each connecting on better than 47% shooting through the first 20 minutes. The game was knotted at 42-42 at the break.
  • In the second half, both teams traded baskets for the first 10 minutes until a quick 5-0 spurt gave the Musketeers a five-point lead (69-64) with 9:26 left in regulation.
  • St. John’s countered with an 8-2 push, regaining the lead (72-71) with 5:42 left.
  • X’s Tre Carroll put the Musketeers up 78-76 with 46 ticks left, but a putback by SJU’s Oziyah Sellers with 16 seconds remaining tied it at 78-78, forcing OT.
  • Ejiofor scored six of SJU’s nine points in the extra frame, including making 4-of-6 free throws down the stretch.
  • For the game, Bryce Hopkins tallied 19 points and nine boards for St. John’s, while Sellers finished with 11 points.  Dillon Mitchell grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds
  • Xavier had five players reach double digits, led by Tre Carroll’s 21 points – 17 coming in the second half. He also had eight rebounds and four assists. 
  • Jovan Milicevic finished with 13 points while Filip Borovicanin logged a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards.  Malik Messina-Moore (11 points) and Anthony Robinson (10) rounded out the double digit scorers for the Musketeers.
Of Note:
  • The margin of victory in the two games between the Pitino-coached teams was five points.  SJU won, 88-83, on Jan. 24 in Cincinnati and prevailed 87-82 on Monday night at MSG
  • The Red Storm are now 3-1 all-time in overtime games under Rick Pitino.  The lone setback was a double OT loss against Baylor in the Baha Mar Classic in Nassau, Bahamas on Nov. 21, 2024.
  • Xavier’s Tre Carroll passed the 1,000-point mark for his collegiate career in the game.

Red Sox Acquire Durbin; Trade Hamilton

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox are acquiring third baseman Caleb Durbin and two other infielders from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for three players, multiple media outlets reported Monday.

The reported trade sends left-handers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan and infielder David Hamilton to Milwaukee. Boston will also acquire Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler and a Competitive Balance Round B Draft pick.

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Durbin, who turns 26 on Feb. 22, fills a lineup void created when Alex Bregman signed with the Chicago Cubs in free agency.

Durbin made his major league debut last April and batted .256 with 11 home runs, 53 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 136 games for the Brewers. He led the National League with 24 hit-by-pitches and finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Durbin, 25, make  his Major League debut on April 18. The right-handed hitter played in 136 games, batting .256 (114-for-445) with 25 doubles, 11 home runs, 60 runs scored, 53 RBI, and 18 stolen bases while making 119 starts at third base and three at second base. He led National League rookies in stolen bases and ranked second in runs scored and third in hits and doubles. In nine Postseason games, Durbin batted .276 (8-for-29) with two doubles, one triple, three runs scored, two RBI, and three stolen bases. An Illinois native, he was originally selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the 2021 First-Year Player Draft.

Monasterio, 28, played in 68 games for the Brewers during 2025, batting .270 (34-for-126) with nine doubles, four home runs, and 16 RBI. The right-handed hitter made 21 starts at shortstop, eight at second base, and five at third base, while also playing 20.1 innings at first base and 2.0 innings in left field. He also played in 30 games for Triple-A Nashville, batting .250 (28-for-112) with a .346 on-base percentage, six doubles, and four home runs. Originally signed as an international free agent by the Chicago Cubs in March 2014, the Venezuela native has batted .250 (133-for-533) in 219 career Major League games, all with Milwaukee (2023-25).

Seigler, 26, played in 34 games for Milwaukee during 2025, his Major League debut, batting .194 (12-for-62) with six runs scored and five RBI. A switch-hitter and ambidextrous thrower, he made 16 starts at third base and one as the designated hitter. He also played in 72 games for Triple-A Nashville, batting .285 (71-for-249) with a .414 on-base percentage, .892 OPS, 51 runs scored, 16 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, and 23 stolen bases. The Arizona native was originally selected by the New York Yankees in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft.

Harrison, 24, posted a 4.04 ERA (16 ER/35.2 IP) with 38 strikeouts in 11 games (six starts) during 2025 with the San Francisco Giants (eight games, four starts) and Boston (three games, two starts). The left-hander also made 18 Triple-A starts between Worcester (12 starts) and Sacramento (six starts), going 5-2 with a 3.66 ERA (31 ER/76.1 IP) and 88 strikeouts. He was acquired by the Red Sox in a trade from San Francisco alongside three others in exchange for Rafael Devers on June 15. Originally selected by the Giants in the third round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, the California native has posted a 4.39 ERA (95 ER/194.2 IP) with 191 strikeouts in 42 career Major League games (37 starts) with the Giants (2023-25) and Red Sox (2025).

Drohan, 27, went 5-2 in 2025 with a 3.00 ERA (18 ER/54.0 IP), 77 strikeouts, and a .202 opponent batting average in 15 games (14 starts) between High-A Greenville (three starts) and Triple-A Worcester (12 games, 11 starts). The left-hander is rated as the Sox’ No. 15 prospect by Baseball America. Selected by Boston in the fifth round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, the Florida native owns a 4.29 ERA (196 ER/411.2 IP) in 104 career minor league games (89 starts).

Hamilton, 28, batted .198 (35-for-177) with six home runs and 22 stolen bases in 91 games for the Red Sox in 2025. The left-handed hitter made 42 starts at second base and seven at shortstop. Originally selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft, the Texas native has hit .222 (112-for-504) with 23 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, 47 RBI, and 57 stolen bases in 204 career Major League games, all with the Red Sox (2023-25).

See You on “The Dark Side”

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SANTA CLARA – (Wire Service Report) – The “Dark Side” was not going to let history repeat itself. Instead, the Seattle Seahawks’ self-nicknamed defense more than returned the favor.

Eleven years after New England beat Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX with a clinching interception in the end zone, the Seahawks forced a pair of fourth-quarter turnovers to send Seattle to a 29-13 win over the Patriots on Sunday in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium.

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It is the second Super Bowl title in franchise history — 12 years after the Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Running back Kenneth Walker III rushed for 135 yards to earn Most Valuable Player honors, Jason Myers connected on all five field-goal attempts and quarterback Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass while Seattle’s offense didn’t turn the ball over.

But it was the “Dark Side” that provided the real fireworks, setting the tone from the outset and closing the door when New England threatened to serve Seattle a second heartbreaking defeat on the game’s biggest stage.

The Seahawks, who led the NFL in allowing an average of 17.2 points per game during the regular season, held the Patriots to 51 total yards in the first half and off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter. And when New England twice appeared to have generated significant momentum, twice the Seahawks’ defense responded with turnovers.

The final blow came with the Patriots trying to rally from a 22-7 deficit with 4:27 remaining in the game. Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon hit Patriots quarterback Drake Maye on a blitz, popping the ball in the air. It was intercepted by linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who returned it 45 yards for his first career touchdown, all but cementing the second Super Bowl title in Seahawks history.

The final tally for Seattle’s defense was six sacks, eight tackles for loss, three forced turnovers and the touchdown. Three quarterback hits came courtesy of Witherspoon, while Derick Hall and Byron Murphy II each recorded a pair of sacks.

“They just made a decision that they’re going to play a certain way,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, who also serves as the defensive play-caller, said in accepting the Lombardi Trophy. “They lived up to the ‘Dark Side’ today. It’s going to go down in the history books.

“We love our players, but they made it happen. They made it come to life, and we won the game.”Sam Darnold threw for 202 yards and a touchdown, and while he led the offense to only one touchdown, he also completed Seattle’s three-game playoff run without throwing an interception.

“I have to give a shout out. Our offensive line, our tight ends, our receivers and, of course, the running backs for everything they did tonight. It’s special in the run game,” Darnold said. “But the defense!”

Three of Myers’ field goals came in the first half, when Seattle took a 9-0 lead to the locker room. However, the Seahawks left the Patriots in the game by failing to reach the end zone despite two trips inside the red zone.

With less than 100 yards in total offense and just 12:58 left in the game, the Patriots quickly capitalized in a break in the action when a fan streaked across the field. After the fan was wrestled to the ground and removed by several security personnel, Maye hit Mack Hollins with a 24-yard completion on the next play.

It was the biggest play of the game for New England’s offense to that point, and Maye immediately went back to the well. He hit Hollins again on a perfectly-thrown 35-yard touchdown strike to the left side of the end zone, beating tight coverage from Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen.

The Patriots appeared to have fully switched the momentum when they forced a punt and Maye marched them to their 44-yard line on the ensuing drive with a 16-yard scramble and a 7-yard toss to Kyle Williams. However, he threw an ill-advised pass into coverage on the next play that was intercepted by Seahawks safety Julian Love.

Love returned it to the Patriots’ 38-yard line. Six plays later, Myers connected on his fifth field goal to extend Seattle’s lead to 22-7.

New England quickly moved the ball back into Seattle territory. But that’s when the Seahawks’ defense struck the decisive blow with Nwosu’s touchdown.

“I’d like to have it back,” Maye said. “I’d like to go back to the beginning and redo it. So many plays that decide and change the game. What was it, 19-7 or 22-7, I had the fumble or throw for a touchdown? It comes down to who makes the plays and who doesn’t.”

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Maye added that he required a pain-killing injection in his shoulder in order to play, despite saying that the shoulder was fine all week leading up to game day. A Seattle defense that racked up 11 quarterback hits and forced three turnovers certainly didn’t help.

“The plan was to get to Maye. Disrupt him,” Nwosu said. “We knew — he was their whole team. He was the MVP runner-up, could’ve been MVP. We knew if we get to him, their game plan was nothing.”Patriots rookie left tackle Will Campbell was charged with 16 pressures allowed, per NFL Next Gen Stats, a single-game high for any player this season, including the regular season.

“We can sit here and try to put it on one guy,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said. “You’ll be disappointed. That’ll never happen. It starts with us. The coaching staff making sure that we’re doing our part and, obviously, we’ve got to be able to protect. And we do protect we have to progress through, get guys open, help the quarterback.”

New England’s initial first down of the second half didn’t come until Seattle was flagged for defensive holding with 1:23 left in the third quarter. It was also the Seahawks’ first penalty of the game.

The Seahawks opened the scoring on a 33-yard field goal by Myers on their opening drive. Seattle took the kickoff and moved the ball 51 yards in just over three minutes, with Darnold sharp on completions to tight end A.J. Barner and Cooper Kupp in tight coverage, but the drive stalled on the Patriots’ 14-yard line.

That proved to be the only scoring of the opening quarter. New England penetrated Seattle territory on both of its first two drives, only to suffer three negative plays — including a pair of sacks — that resulted in two punts. The Seahawks managed only one more first down in a pair of drives after the field goal.

NOTES: Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion after making a reception in the third quarter, but returned in the fourth quarter and made a catch on Seattle’s final drive. … Seahawks rookie defensive tackle Rylie Mills, who entered the game with one career solo tackle, recorded his first NFL sack when he dropped Maye for a 10-yard loss in the second quarter. Mills suffered a torn ACL toward the end of his 2024 season at Notre Dame, causing him to slide to the fifth round of the 2025 draft. Mills was activated by the Seahawks in November but played only a modest role in the line rotation. … The first penalty of the game wasn’t called until 3:09 remaining in the second quarter, when Patriots left tackle Will Campbell was flagged for a false start.

–Derek Harper, Field Level Media

Darnold’s Full Redemption

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SANTA CLARA – (Wire Service Report) -Seattle’s well travelled quarterback Sam Darnold didn’t need to play a starring role to pen the final chapter in one of the greatest redemption stories in NFL history on Sunday night.

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Darnold completed 19 of 38 passes for 202 yards with a touchdown and did not turn the ball over in Seattle’s 29-13 victory over New England in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. He didn’t win Most Valuable Player honors — those went to running back Kenneth Walker III. And truth be told, he missed a few open receivers that could have helped the Seahawks pull away earlier in the game.

But Darnold also led an efficient offense that steadily applied more pressure on a Patriots offense besieged by the Seahawks’ relentless defense. He also completed a three-game postseason run without throwing an interception after tossing 14 during the regular season.

A former first-round pick previously cast aside by the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, Darnold is now a Super Bowl champion, playing for his fifth team in eight seasons. And while he wasn’t the Super Bowl hero, he was most definitely a major driving force in Seattle’s journey to the franchise’s second world championship.

“My teammates and my coaches, they believed in me ever since the beginning of OTAs, training camp,” Darnold said in what gave him the belief that the Seahawks had championship potential. “That was our mindset. Every single day we came to work.”

Following three seasons with the Jets and two with the Panthers, Darnold latched on with the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 as Brock Purdy’s backup. It was ironically playing with the 49ers in the stadium of Sunday night’s ultimate triumph that began Darnold’s resurrection from being viewed as one of the biggest busts in NFL draft history.

He only threw 46 passes that season, but showed enough growth under 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan that the Minnesota Vikings signed him in 2024. When J.J. McCarthy went down to a torn ACL before the season started, Darnold guided the Vikings to a 14-3 regular-season record.

However, a disastrous playoff performance contributed to Minnesota deciding not to re-sign Darnold in the offseason. The Seahawks signed Darnold to a three-year deal worth more than $100 million to replace Geno Smith, beginning a relationship that ultimately led to an NFC West title, home-field advantage and a Super Bowl title.

Darnold was consistently under pressure when he dropped back on Sunday night. The Patriots’ blitz-heavy gameplan only resulted in one sack, but Darnold was constantly on the move. So, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak responded with a run-heavy attack that led to Walker ripping off 135 yards on 27 carries.

Darnold’s lone touchdown pass came on a throw to tight end AJ Barner in the fourth quarter — a few possessions after All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba went to the locker room to be evaluated for a potential concussion. So, Darnold turned to Barner and veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp to finally reach the end zone after two previous trips to the red zone resulted in field goals.

Darnold finished the game with 202 passing yards and the touchdown for a modest 74.7 passer rating. But he also left Levi’s Stadium as a Super Bowl champion, with his status forever etched in Seahawks history.

Darnold’s thoughts when he saw the blue and green confetti falling down following the final whistle?

“We did it,” he said. “That was it. It’s been such a special journey with these guys. So much hard work that’s been poured into this, and that’s it.

“It’s just a job well done.”

–Derek Harper, Field Level Media

MVP is Kenneth Walker LX

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SANTA CLARA – (Wire Service Report) – When the Seattle Seahawks won their first Super Bowl title 12 years ago, a 43-8 thrashing of the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos, the Most Valuable Player award could have landed in a number of different players’ hands. Little-known linebacker Malcolm Smith was the winner, his pick-6 and fumble recovery standing out in Seattle’s complete defensive effort that night.

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When the Seahawks’ lead stood at 12-0 entering the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LX on Sunday, the MVP discussion may have been down to another defensive selection, or perhaps Seattle kicker Jason Myers. But one offensive player was the consistent throughline from the Seahawks’ first quarter through the fourth, the steady engine of an offense that eventually found another gear.

Running back Kenneth Walker III finished the game with 135 rushing yards on 27 attempts and took home Super Bowl LX MVP honors after his team’s 29-13 triumph over the New England Patriots. He is the first running back to win the award since Denver’s Terrell Davis at Super Bowl XXXII in January 1998.

The soft-spoken 25-year-old let his legs do the talking until it was time to accept the award on stage at Levi’s Stadium.

“First and foremost, I want to thank God for this blessing to be here,” Walker said. “Also I want to talk to my brothers. This don’t happen without them. We went through a lot of adversity this season but we came together and we stuck together, and this is what we got.”

As NBC presenter Maria Taylor was about to move on to quarterback Sam Darnold, Walker cut back in.

“Hey, shoutout to the 12s!” he added, referring to Seattle’s fan base.

A native of Tennessee, Walker played two seasons at Wake Forest before transferring to Michigan State in 2021 and lighting up the college football world with 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. Despite winning the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s top running back, he finished a mere sixth in Heisman Trophy voting and went to Seattle early in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Because he dropped out of the first round that year, his rookie contract was four years without a fifth-year option. Walker enters the offseason as a free agent and was mostly mum on his future during Super Bowl week.

Walker’s workload increased when backfield mate Zach Charbonnet went down with a torn ACL in the divisional round against San Francisco. After finishing the regular season with 1,027 yards and five touchdowns rushing, Walker ran for 116 yards and three scores against the 49ers and another 62 yards and a touchdown against the Rams in the NFC Championship Game.

He didn’t add to the TD total Sunday, but time and again he brought the Seahawks into scoring position. Walker took the first play of the game 10 yards around left end. His 30-yard run propelled Seattle to its second of five field goals, and he added two catches for 26 yards, including a 20-yarder.

Walker is only the third player in Super Bowl history with two carries of 25-plus yards in a game, according to ESPN Stats and Information. He joined Washington’s Timmy Smith in Super Bowl XXII (three) and the Raiders’ Marcus Allen in Super Bowl XVIII (two).

He nearly had a third run of more than 25 yards late in the fourth quarter, when he broke free up the middle for what would have been a 49-yard touchdown. But center Jalen Sundell was called for holding and the play was nullified.

–Field Level Media