NCAA

ACC Football: Pitt Faces Test at BC

October 14, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

CHESTNUT HILL – The undefeated run is over, but Pitt’s Atlantic Coast Conference journey continues with a Saturday test at Boston College.

The Panthers (5-1, 2-1) trek north to Chestnut Hill, Mass., in search of their sixth straight ACC road win dating back to last season after suffering a 21-17 defeat at home against North Carolina last week.

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Fifth-year quarterback Holden Geriner will continue to start after sophomore Mason Heintschel tore his ACL at Virginia Tech two weeks ago. Heintschel and the Panthers racked up 503 yards in a 48-7 win over Boston College on Oct. 4, 2025.

Against North Carolina, Geriner completed 71% of his passes with no turnovers in the first half for 99 yards. But he threw two interceptions following intermission in finishing 27 of 44 for a career-high 219 yards. Pitt also turned the ball over on downs in three straight drives at the end of the game and lost despite forcing two turnovers and allowing only 20 rushing yards.

“(Starting Geriner is) still the plan moving forward,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “You get too much rotation, then you’ve got problems. We got a ton of confidence in Holden. … I didn’t quite see what I wanted to see in the second half, but that’s football.”

Boston College (2-3, 0-2) had a bye week after letting a slight first-half lead slip in its 25-16 loss at then-No. 21 SMU on Oct. 3.

The recent time off helped the Eagles get healthier after 53 players had the flu the week of the trip to Dallas, while Notre Dame transfer Bodie Kahoun, a linebacker, has returned to the depth chart for the first time since leaving the Week 2 game against Rutgers.

“I think he probably has a good chance to play,” Boston College coach Bill O’Brien said of Kahoun.

The Eagles stayed in it against SMU thanks to Mason McKenzie passing for 208 yards in his first two-touchdown effort of the season, but five sacks helped neutralize his dual-threat ability (80.7 rushing yards per game). He finished with 74 yards on 21 carries, including a 40-yarder.

Before his injury, Kahoun quickly emerged on a Boston College defense that has eight takeaways and ranks second in the ACC with 164.6 passing yards allowed per game.

Pitt, meanwhile, averages 459.8 total yards per game and has thrown for 17 touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 11

October 11, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – The seasons, they are a’changing. Frost has already set in on the Mums. The firewood has been ordered and it better be delivered real soon because we’re going to need it within a week or two. College and Pro football are hitting stride, the NHL is underway and college ice hockey has begun.

Soon? It’ll be the NBA regular season (October 20) and the start of college basketball.

Ten games into the college and NBA seasons, there’ll be time for an educated, in-depth look-see at the contenders and pretenders, but now it’s time to focus on uncertainty.

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Uncertainty – as in – St. John’s has two players in the midst of different lawsuits against the NCAA. At the moment, St. John’s is relying on the various legal avenues, including lawsuits and injunctions, to secure playing time for athletes impacted by recent changes to NCAA participation rules. These two rulings will be critical for determining the Storm’s starting rotation and overall depth heading into the winter.

For Johnnie’s recruit Babacar Sane, he is in total limbo and currently abiding by a four-game green light to play while his case moves forward in teh legal system. His eligibility remains a focal point of the team’s Top 20 legitimacy as he pursues a permanent ruling regarding his prior involvement with the G League Ignite.

For Keyshawn Hall, his status is a bit more up in the air. He is actively contesting his status in court, arguing for fifth-year eligibility under the newly implemented “5-in-5” age-based model. St. John’s efforts to secure injunctive relief for Hall have shifted to New York after his previous attempts to gain eligibility through the Ohio court system were effectively blocked. By filing the lawsuit in Queens, where St. John’s is located, his representatives are attempting to bypass the hurdles encountered in his previous jurisdiction and secure a favorable ruling before the team’s season opener against Monmouth University on November 2nd. The hearing is scheduled for October 13.

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Those two upcoming legal hearings for the players will dictate the final makeup of the roster, which Pitino hopes will be fully available to compete in a highly competitive conference.

In mid-summer, St. John’s took two significant off-season hits.

The loss of transfer portal bonanza Donnie Freeman dealt a significant blow to all of St. John’s expectations shortly before the team was scheduled to report for offseason workouts. After transferring from Syracuse with high marks, the talented forward suffered a non-contact ruptured Achilles tendon during an individual training session in July. Freeman was expected to start for coach Rick Pitino.

The other, one of the international roster additions, was caught in an unexpected US State Department shift as 6-foot-6 Djordije Jovanovic was unable to complete his planned move to the United States. Despite an initial agreement that would have brought the player to Queens, he was ultimately blocked by logistical hurdles regarding his travel documentation. The visa-related travel issues made it impossible for him to join the team in time for the season, leading both parties to agree that he should stay with his club in Podgori (Montenegro).

Jovanovic previously obtained US clearance when he played 44 games for the (minor league) G-League Ontario Clippers (California) between 2022-24.

While St. John’s will channel the movement and nurse the recuperation of three of those players, it seems Jovanovic is out. That’s a serious set-back as he was a key contributor for Montenegro during the 2023 FIBA U-20 European Championship, where he served as a primary offensive option for his junior national team squad.

Meanwhile, the University of Connecticut (co-winners of the 2026 BIG EAST) are stacked and ranked No. 10 in the nation and No. 1 in the Big East.

Keep an eye out for Tuesday’s count proceedings and potential ruling.

BLUE RIBBON MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 for ‘26-27: Here’s a look at the preseason prognostications for the PRESEASON TOP 25 – (Blue Ribbon is a MUST PURCHASE – LINK IS HERE.

1. Florida

2. Duke

3. Illinois

4. Michigan State

5. Arizona

6. Tennessee

7. Texas

8. Houston

9. Arkansas

10. Connecticut

11. Vanderbilt

12. Michigan

13. Miami

14. Missouri

15. Virginia

16. Kansas

17. Iowa State

18. Louisville

19. Kentucky

20. St. John’s

21. Alabama

22. USC

23. Gonzaga

24. Ohio State

25. North Carolina

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: LOUIE, LOUIE: They’ll need the ghost of Richard Berry (1935-1997) to honor the great Coach Lou Carnesseca in song if St. John’s can eventually build an on-campus arena (see top of the column) that would house a handful of men’s games that aren’t played at The Mecca – Madison Square Garden, but would create a tremendous facility for women’s basketball and other indoor sports. It’s been years-and-years of talk about building a modern facility at Union Turpike & Utopia Parkway, and the likes of legends Mel Davis and Billy Schaeffer spent even longer trying to raise the money to get a suitable building funded and built. But, recently, St. John’s Athletic Director Ed Kull posted this dream of an artists’ rendition. (Note the retired number of “23” – as Bill Wennington must’ve been on their mind.

A SERIOUS – RIP FOR … DITKA! – Guessing LT and Tom Brady deserve mention, but for my money, there are no better three football players EVER than Sayers, Butkis and Ditka (changed TE position/great coach. Ditka = five Pro Bowls, Super Bowl wins as head coach (‘85 Bears, plus as a player and assistant coach for Dallas Cowboys) and Pro Football Hall of Fame, first ever inductee as a Tight End.

Adam Schefter@AdamSchefter

ESPN’s tribute to the one and only Mike Ditka:

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The College Football Playoff (CFP’s) communications arm issued the following update regarding discussions with ESPN on a potential playoff expansion to 24 teams:

“While Friday, October 9 marked the end of the exclusive 30-day negotiating period with ESPN, we continue to have ongoing discussions with ESPN regarding media rights connected to potential playoff expansion to 24 teams. The dialogue throughout the window has been constructive, and we will carry these conversations forward with ESPN as we determine the path ahead. Given the confidential nature of these discussions, there isn’t more to share at this time. We will provide additional updates when appropriate.”

QUESTION 68? The Athletic reported, “Out of 68 schools in the Power Four conferences, Boston College was estimated to be spending the least on its football roster.” According to the Boston Globe, “The Eagles haven’t finished above .500 in the Atlantic Coast Conference since 2009. Last year, they were 2-10 overall. But after that dismal season, the athletic department pledged to spend more to compete for talent — across all sports, not just football. BC officials, disputing the figures cited in the report by The Athletic, say they’ve lived up to that promise.”

THE WNBA FINALS matchup is set between Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries. Atlanta advanced to the league’s Finals for the first time since 2013, completing a 3-0 sweep of New York behind 22 points from Angel Reese in an 85-83 Game 3 win. The Valkyries became the first expansion team to reach the WNBA Finals within its first two seasons, completing a three-game sweep of the defending champion Las Vegas Aces on Friday night. The Valkyries will face the Dream in the best-of-seven series that begins Saturday, Oct. 17 at Golden State (SF). Atlanta reached the WNBA Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2013, but got swept each time. The series can go until Oct. 31 if it were to need seven games to decide a champion.

TIME HAS COME TODAY: Look who graces the current issue of TIME Magazine. While fantasy sports players might opt to draft Denver’s Nicola Jokic or San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama with the first overall pick, NBA GMs are more likely to favor the all-around game of the incredible Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the OKC Thunder.

“I think I’m the best player in the NBA,” he says. “I think the production that I have night in and night out is best-player-in-the-NBA production. I think the efficiency that I do it at is best-player-in-the-NBA efficiency. I think everybody picks up a basketball or a soccer ball or a football or a tennis ball to win the game, the match, whatever it is. And I’ve done my fair share of winning in these past couple years,” says the pull quotes of the cover story in TIME. You can read the full story at Shai in Time.

WHAT DO YOU PREDICT? – The NFL is urging the Supreme Court to rule on the regulation of prediction markets after the league accounted for $1.8 billion in trading volume on the first Sunday of this season alone, arguing that states are better positioned to oversee sports-related contracts “given the current landscape.”

The NFL filed a brief in support of New Jersey’s request for a high court decision on the governing authority for prediction markets, which provide an opportunity to trade — or wager — on the result of future events, according to Associated Press and multiple gaming media sites.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has maintained it has exclusive jurisdiction, while states have argued that the array of typically yes-or-no questions is akin to gambling and falls under their purview.

“Absent the clarity that only this Court can provide, (prediction market) operators will continue exploiting the gap between state and federal regulation, endangering consumers and the integrity of sports events across the country,” lawyers for the NFL wrote in their brief to the Court.

“Any delay from the Court will result in increasing consumer harm and risk to game integrity,” the NFL continued in its brief.

Kalshi spokeswoman Elisabeth Diana said its top priority is market integrity, and she pointed to its partnerships with the NHL, Major League Baseball and other sports organizations as evidence.

“Contrary to the NFL’s statements, the CFTC is actively policing sports-related markets, which are now listed on nearly every U.S. commodities exchange,” Diana said.

THIS JEST IN: Disgraced former CBS Sports NFL commentator and Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo will not have a pro golf gig to fill the time lost after being dismissed by the suits at CBS. The recently departed Romo was disqualified from the final round of a Korn Ferry pre-qualifier tournament, held October 2, coincidentally the same day he parted ways with CBS over his July operating while intoxicated (OWI) arrest.

Romo, who was attempting to make the cut for the Korn Ferry Tour, was accused of signing his score card with the wrong scores on two holes, per Golf.com.

Romo reportedly signed for a 4 on 16 and a 4 on 17 on his own scorecard. Problem was, his marker, Brandon Rice, had Romo marked down for a 4 on 16 and a 5 on 17. And when another pro reviewed Romo’s score, that pro believed Romo actually shot a 5 and a 5.

When contacted, Romo reportedly took responsibility for the error. Since he signed for a lower score than he should have received, Romo was automatically disqualified from the event.

Fore!

Remember, there’s always flag football.

CAN’T MAKE IT UP: According to the Associated Press, Andrew Bailey knew enough about the U.S. Open, this past summer, that late Friday afternoon was an ideal time to sneak away from his duties in the merchandise pavilion and watch golf. He was outside the ropes at Shinnecock Hills (Long Island) this year to see 17-year-old Miles Russell grind to make the cut.

And then it was back to work in a 34,000-square-foot tent where his company, premium golf apparel brand Holderness & Bourne, sets up shop each year.

Bailey will be back at the U.S. Open next year at Pebble Beach in a far different capacity — hitting shots, not selling shirts.

“I’ve been trying to process it all,” Bailey said Monday evening, four days removed from winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur by playing bogey-free over the final 17 holes in a 5-and-4 victory. His first USGA title gets him into the Masters and U.S. Open.

Bailey tied for 38th in Q-school PGA Tour Canada in April 2015 to earn conditional status but never played on the PGA Tour. Three months later, he fell 20 feet while rock climbing at Whipps Ledges in Ohio, causing a compound fracture of his wrist that required two plates and 11 screws.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct. 4th

October 4, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – On September 28, the United States Senate issued the following statement:

On September 28th, with a large bipartisan vote of 77-22, the Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act (S.4668), authored by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz(R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). This bill is a major step toward ending the chaos and uncertainty plaguing college sports and providing student athletes, fans, schools, and coaches desperately needed relief. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.

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Cruz was quoted in the statement saying, “Today is a monumental day for college athletics. The United States Senate voted to protect the hundreds of thousands of student athletes currently competing in college sports, the millions who will follow in their footsteps, and every college sports fan who wants to preserve this great American tradition for generations to come. After years of discussions and months of intense deliberations, we achieved what many said was impossible and succeeded in getting the Protect College Sports Act through the Senate with a huge bipartisan vote. I am proud of our success, and I trust the House of Representatives will remain focused on bringing stability to college sports by delivering the Protect College Sports Act to President Trump’s desk without delay.”

The Bill faces two major hurdles:

The House of Representatives is not in session. The broken branch of lawmakers took an eight-week recess (September 16-November 9). While pundits claimed the break was to allow Congress to return to home districts to campaign for the upcoming mid-term elections, the truth was that Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, took the drastic measure to avoid a prominent call introduced by Republican Representative Thomas Massie to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Additionally, there is little to no guarantee that the House will vote on the Bill as it currently exists, and if they do, it might not pass.
While Cruz lauds the Bill for its supposed protection of collegiate athletes, there are quite a few athletes, and their legal representatives, who believe the Bill is not in the best interest of the athletes as it limits Name, Image and Likeness earnings and limits the number of years a student can remain eligible. Previously and consistently, Courts across the land have ruled for extra college eligibility years for various reasons.

According to legal expert Darren Heitner, after issuing the news release, Cruz spent the next two days insisting the momentum (of the Senate passing the Bill) would carry across the Capitol. He told (anyone who would listen) that he has held “extensive conversations” with Speaker Mike Johnson, that he still expects the House to return before the election, and that “the House can pass this in one day.” Jake Sherman’s reporting says otherwise. House Republican leadership says there is no chance members come back for the bill, that leadership doubts it could even get enough members back, that the bill is not a priority five weeks before an election, and that leadership is not confident it could get through the Rules Committee. The House is not scheduled to return until early November (Nov. 9).

Cruz certainly knows the truth of the matter, so you wonder what his motive can be in outright lying? Or, is he simply dreaming?

Marc Edelman, a tenured law professor at Baruch, a sports ethics director, Fulbright Scholar and Sports, Gaming & Antitrust Attorney, urged reporters to stop accepting what the Bill’s advocates say it does and, instead, examine the incentives each advocate actually has. “It doesn’t take a lot of intellect to understand that this Bill was never primarily about athletes, Olympic sports, or women’s sports, but about a handful of powerful constituencies each walking away with something it wanted, while the athletes who generate the revenue were subordinated,” noted Edelman.

On the surface, there’s a fundamental flaw which the Senate seemed to ignore.

The athletes will have various limitations put forth, including income and length of service.
The college administrators, coaches, school Presidents, and staff have no such limitations on their salary nor their own length of service.

Instead? There seems to be an incentive to return college athletics to the ‘way it used to be’ before all of these new rules and lawsuits changed the landscape beloved by so many fans who love the bands, the cheerleaders while looking the other way as the NCAA pocketed billions while the players in each and every sport compete with a college scholarship held over their heads as compensation.

Edelman also notes, “The NCAA’s Charlie Baker shows his incentive with the least speculation. The NCAA has been asking Congress for antitrust protection since the Supreme Court made clear in 2021 that it enjoys none. This Bill delivers it, shielding the NCAA, the conferences, the schools, and the College Sports Commission from federal suits over the enforcement of compensation, transfer, and eligibility rules. Critics have pointed out that the Bill’s protections for women’s sports sunset after nine years while the antitrust exemption never expires. When one party’s benefit is permanent, and the other’s is temporary, the drafters have told you which provision is the point.”

Proponents of the Bill note, “(The Bill has the) support of 32 collegiate athletic conferences and more than 380 colleges and universities across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Additional endorsements for the bill include: the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the players associations for the NFL and the NBA, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), FBS Athletics Directors Association, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), Team USA Athletes’ Commission (Team USA AC), and National Governing Body Council (NGBC).

Others point out a key fact which handcuffs labor, as the athletes themselves currently do not have the mechanism to unionize nationally. If there were to be a union representing the athletes (and possible sub-divisions of the union by sport and/or by college conference), the parties could enter into Collective Bargaining, and eventually reach an agreement which would serve the athletes with much better care and secure protections for an equal amount of time as the antitrust agreements for the NCAA and schools calls for in years.

No matter if the House takes a line item scissors to the Bill or even if Johnson decides to table the Bill until next year, there will be no changes in the college Football and Basketball operations of 2026-27. Chances are, we’ll be singing the same old college fight song for 2027-28, 2028-29 and 2029-30.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: “CBS Sports and Tony Romo have mutually agreed to part ways,” CBS Sports wrote in a statement. “We thank Tony for his contributions over the past nine years and wish him the best moving forward.”

Romo was tossed out the door at CBS Sports on Friday about 10 weeks after the broadcaster’s arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Romo, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback who had been the network’s lead NFL analyst since 2017, pleaded no contest to the civil charge in a Wisconsin court on Sept. 1.

“JJ Watt will continue to partner with Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson on our lead NFL announce team for the rest of the season. All other teams remain the same, including Ian Eagle, Ross Tucker and Evan Washburn.”

“I’m proud of what I accomplished at CBS Sports over the last nine years,” Romo said in a statement. “I approached my role as a game analyst the way I’ve approached everything in my life — with a desire to win and be the best that I can be. I’m going to use this time to take a break, something I’ve never done before, and focus on my health and my family before moving on to my next opportunity. I am grateful for my time with CBS Sports and for the continued support of my family and friends, as well as the NFL community and fans.”

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Zeke Battier, out of Providence Day (NC) for the Class of ‘27, has committed to play college basketball at Harvard. Eye-brows were up here in Massachusetts as you’d think young Zeke would follow in his father’s footsteps to Duke. Instead, Shane Battier will be a sideline, backseat, parents’ view co-coach to Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker when Zeke debuts at The Ray Lavietes Basketball Pavilion in trhe Fall of ‘27.

Recruiting site Phenom Hoops of North Carolina has this to say: “A strong get for Harvard, as Battier brings an intriguing game but also is one that still has clear potential. Standing at 6-foot-7, Battier brings a fluid overall game, something he has shown for quite some time now. He is comfortable in operating from multiple levels, scoring inside and out in transition, runs the floor, can space the floor well with his perimeter game, but also can attack the rim off the bounce. Again though, he is one that we can clearly see has room for growth at the next level, which will make him an interesting prospect to follow.

“Battier is an exceptional three-point shooter who converts a very high percentage of his looks from beyond the arc. He’s also a smart passer who understands how to make the extra pass or effectively read the floor when attacking closeouts. However, he displayed a visible increase in toughness, creation skills, and ability off the bounce. Battier’s perimeter shooting is still his most valuable weapon, but his newfound confidence as a penetrator and finisher was undeniably intriguing. Having an elite shooter who can reliably attack closeouts and make intelligent decisions is an advantage for legitimately any team. Furthermore, Battier defended multiple positions and utilized his length to be disruptive in the passing lanes.”

SURPRISE! UConn and St. John’s are rated #1 and #2, respectively, by the BIG EAST Conference Coaches in a poll of their own men’s college basketball teams. The Hoyas and the Bulldogs – not so much.

WE’RE LIVE: Despite the burgeoning Sports Management offerings at the undergrad and grad levels of higher learning, there are very few “hands on” text books with first person narratives to hand down the real world experience to students. Joe Favorito’s “Sports Publicity” is already in its Fourth Edition and is a handbook for many a class, covering the Communications and Media side on the major. Now, “We’re Live” can cover the Broadcasting side as NBA broadcasting guru Ed Desser combined with his longtime friend and colleague in ESPN digital and Kosner Sports Media man John Kosner for the ultimate “go to” book for young people seeking to learn more about the very big business of sports media.

Ed Desser (left) and John Kosner at their book launch in Times Square, NYC

“We’re Live” launched this week with a special ‘invite only’ gathering of the very best in NYC sports media legends toasting good fortune to Desser and Kosner.

“Launch day for our book, “We’re Live!” was quite an experience,” Desser told me the day after the event. “Inside the big business of sports media, was magical. On Thursday, we took pictures at our Times Square billboard, watched book sales skyrocket on amazon.com, and had an amazing get together with a “Who’s Who of sports media” to celebrate the book launch.

“Particular thanks to Adam Silver, Marv Albert, and Eric Stern, former NBA Commissioner David Stern‘s son. Also a big shout out to Linda Tosi, David’s former assistant who graced us with her presence.

“There is a void in the marketplace on the subject of sports media business, and we hope to fill it with our book. Further information is available at Werelivebook.com or order a paperback or a Kindle version ($1.99) at amazon.com where it’s listed as #1 in Media and Communications Industry books.

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly (every weekend) collection of Sports Notes and News written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10:00pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a compilation of interesting sports notes, quotes and quips in a column that always sold a few newspapers. Wire Service reports are featured within the column.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – Brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

SMU Outlasts BC in the Rain

October 3, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

DALLAS – (Wire Service Report) – No. 21 SMU carried a three-point lead into halftime and nearly pitched a second-half shutout in a 25-16 win over visiting Boston College in Atlantic Coast Conference action on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Texas.

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Kevin Jennings threw touchdowns to Randy Pittman Jr. and Derrick McFall after intermission, finishing 20-for-30 passing for 160 yards.

The Mustangs (4-1, 2-1 ACC) were outgained 322-218 in total, managing only 160 yards through the air after averaging 393 through their first four games.

SMU sacked Boston College quarterback Mason McKenzie five times and held the Eagles (2-3, 0-2) scoreless over seven straight possessions from the first quarter until a touchdown with 2:07 left in regulation. That streak included a fumble and two turnovers on downs.

McKenzie also threw for two scores and 208 yards on a 20-of-31 day.

SMU forced a key takeaway after Boston College drove into opposing territory over the first 6:51 after halftime. Aakil Washington’s fumble recovery and 34-yard return following a McKenzie sack set up the Mustangs in the red zone.

Three plays later, Jennings hit a wide-open Pittman for a 14-yard touchdown. A second botched extra point followed.

Boston College’s stout defense and three SMU penalties forced a 4th-and-50 on the ensuing series, but the Eagles could not take advantage after tight end Cameron Kossmann dropped a would-be touchdown on fourth-and-1 and the 7-yard line.

Another infraction helped the Mustangs put the game away on McFall’s 20-yard touchdown reception from Jennings with 4:37 left in regulation. McFall was stuffed on a 2-point conversion.

The Eagles broke the string of seven straight scoreless possessions on McKenzie’s 6-yard touchdown toss to Danny Edgehille with 2:07 left.

SMU put together an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive to start the game, with Kendrick Raphael diving into the end zone for a 2-yard score. A bad snap on the point-after attempt kept the score at 6-0.

The ensuing series saw Boston College recover two fumbles in a span of four plays to score its first points when Luca Lombardo drilled a career-long field goal of 52 yards with 5:43 left in the opening quarter.

After Lombardo’s boot, the Eagles’ defense forced a quick 3-and-out and turned around to take a 10-6 lead with 1:41 to go in the quarter. The seven-play drive saw McKenzie connect with Jaedn Skeete and Javarius Green for chunk plays before a perfect ball to Evan Dickens, who came out of the backfield to catch the ball through two defenders and score a 43-yard touchdown.

The Mustangs carried the lead into halftime after finishing a 15-play, 83-yard drive — aided by a pair of penalties, including one on fourth-and-8 — with 10:05 left in the second quarter. Following the flag, Jennings faked the handoff and rushed to the right for a 4-yard score.

–Field Level Media

College Sports Act Moves Forward in DC

September 16, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

WASH DC – (Wire Service Report) – The Protect College Sports Act took a step forward on Tuesday when the U.S. Senate voted 74-24 to move the bipartisan measure closer to a vote of the full body.

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The vote count to invoke cloture easily exceeded the 60 needed to prevent a potential filibuster.

One of the bill’s co-sponsors, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), said ahead of the vote on the Senate floor, “This bill brings order to (college sports). It helps women and Olympic sports, and it sets up a commission to look at the real future, which I think should include collective bargaining. …

“Let’s bring some sanity. Recognize that athletes do deserve revenue sharing, and that this bill will put that into law for the first time.”

The other co-sponsor is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

The multifaceted bill would, among many other items,:

–Nationalize the name, image and likeness policies that are currently different in each state.

–Cap the amount of revenue schools can share with student-athletes at 22%, which currently comes out at $21.5 million.

–Institute a “retention pool” of $27.5 million that would cut down on third-party NIL involvement.

–Ensure athletes could continue to use their scholarships for 10 years following the expiration of their eligibility to pursue a degree.

–Bans schools from pulling scholarships due to an injury or a poor performance.

–Permit athletes one transfer with immediate eligibility at the new school.

–Allow conferences to choose whether to pool media rights revenue.

–Permanently codify the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility rule.

–Stop football coaches from moving to a new school midseason, a provision that is being referred to as the “Lane Kiffin rule” as a nod to the coach who left Ole Miss ahead of last season’s College Football Playoff to take over at LSU.

Should the Senate approve the bill, it then must get the OK from the House of Representatives, where a close vote is expected.

If both chambers pass the Protect College Sports Act, it would move to President Donald Trump for his signature. Trump has said he would sign the bill to make it law.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Sept. 6

September 6, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

Alumni Stadium at Boston College (Photo by T. Peter Lyons)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

CHESTNUT HILL – After an NCAA Week 0, which included an eyebrow-raising North Carolina (with Coach Big Bill Belechick) win over perennial power TCU and a shocking UMass victory over Big TEN doormat Rutgers, it’s time for the 2026 College Football season. The first “real” Saturday of the season came fast upon us and the results will be unfolding as this column is created (September 5).

This column will rely upon experts such as Phil Steele and his incredible preseason magazine to ESPN pundits to VSiN experts and a few early observations from the brand new armchair placed just yesterday in the Lyons’ den.

Only a handful of early afternoon and a few early evening games are in the scorebooks as of the time of writing. Some early impressions?

Boston College barely made a showing in a 34-15 dismantling by Cincinnati
The powerhouse Top 25 schools mostly saw typical one-sided scores over weak opponenents with the exception of a back-and-forth Oregon win over Boise St. (34-27).
A primetime Clemson v. LSU game was delayed because of weather.
The non-NFL Labor Day weekend bodes well for the schedule. Sunday, September 6 boasts three top notch games, including: Washington St. at Washington, Wisconsin at Notre Dame and Louisville at Ole Miss.

Looking further down the road, there’s some interesting buckets of information tucked into the Phil Steele annual. Consider a few that struck a chord and have been filed away as the season progresses:

Steele’s 2026 Toughest Schedule – Top 10

Texas
Michigan
USC
Arkansas
Oklahoma
Ohio St.
Michigan St.
Mississippi St.
Purdue
Florida

Steele’s Surprise Teams for 2026

Alabama
BYU
Oklahoma
USC
Utah
SMU
Clemson
Louisville
Iowa
Houston

Steele’s POWER Ten Teams for 2026

Notre Dame
Oregon
Georgia
Ohio St.
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USC

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: After serving more than seven years as WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert announced her plan to step down at the end of 2026. The announcement came after severe criticism of the WNBA leadership team, mostly coming from the rank and file WNBA players.

Engelbert led the WNBA through very important times. Among her major accomplishments:

Leading the WNBA with the WNBA Players Association to formulate a monumental collective bargaining agreement that will govern the league from its inception in 2026 through 2032.
Navigating the league through a season in a bubble during COVID-19.
Leading the WNBA efforts for its current, blockbuster and record-setting television and media arrangments. The term runs from 2026-2036 aqnd will generate $2.2 billion from Disney/ABC/ESPN platforms, NBC Universal and Amazon. An additional $281m annually ($3.1 billion) will come from auxillary deals with USA Network, ION and CBS Paramount. The deals will be analyzed in 2028 for possible adjustments.
Overseeing the WNBA during unprecedented growth of teh league, including record interest to follow the career of Caitlin Clark.

The burning question surfacing in each and every story of Englebert’s retirement is the uncertain succession plan to name a new WNBA Commissioner. In columns and other media reports, speculation has run the gamut of naming recently retired players, like Swin Cash to sitting Governors (Maura Healy of Massachusetts) to former First Lady Michele Obama.

While they’re all great suggestions, it’s more likely the successor to Englebert will come from either an all-out executive search committee, an internal candidate at the WNBA or a team, or someone currently working in the sports industry. Regardless, it will take time.

The most feasible move for the NBA and WNBA is to lure recently retired Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman back to her old stomping grounds – even if it’s just for a six month interim basis.

Ackerman was the WNBA’s first executive leader, then titled President. Ackerman oversaw the lead-up to the WNBA launch – a year-long barnstorming by the USA Basketball women’s senior national team, leading into the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. It served as the perfect launchpad for the WNBA in the summer of 1997.

Ackerman’s calming presence would be welcomed by both management (WNBA Board) and players. Since the season runs from May until October (2027), the stabilization of the organization between January and June will be an important window of time.

There’s no question, Val Ackerman can get the job done and then sail off to a happy retirement sunset, maybe with a few million dollars from a thankful NBA-WNBA organization together with its players.

Just in case you aren’t familiar with her illustrious career, here’s a quick look via a recent edition of The Sports Business Journal. The SJ paid tribute to her amazing career with a full length story and a sidebar of her accomplishments. WWYI took the liberty to snip Val’s year-by-year C.V., including her education and sports industry high points:

The Val Ackerman File

Born: Nov. 7, 1959, Lakewood Township, NJ

Education: University of Virginia, B.A., political and social thought (1981), basketball, two-time Academic All-American; UCLA, law degree (1985)

Family: Husband, Charlie Rappaport; two daughters, Emily and Sally

Boards: NCAA Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee, member; Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, board of directors; Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, lifetime trustee

The Work of Art:

1981: Union Cosnoise Sportive Basket, player in France
1985-87: Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, corporate and banking associate
1988: NBA, staff attorney
1989: USA Basketball, board of directors
1990: NBA, special assistant to the commissioner; later named vice president of business affairs
1992: USA Basketball organizational liaison at the 1992 Olympics; later has same role for 1994 Worlds and 1996 Olympics
1996: WNBA, president (league’s first); guided the league’s launch the following year
1999: College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America Hall of Fame, inductee
2002: Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Team
2005: USA Basketball, president (4-year term)
2005: Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, member
2005: Women’s Basketball Coaches Association President’s Citation
2006: U.S. representative for men’s and women’s basketball on the Central Board of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA); named to a second term in 2010
2008: John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
2008-13: NCAA, consultant
2012: National Consortium for Academics and Sports Hall of Fame (now called Institute for Sport & Social Justice)
2013: Big East commissioner (as the college conference split from what became the AAC conference of “football schools.”
2013: USA Basketball’s Edward S. Steitz Award for contributions to international basketball
2013: Big East signed 12-year deal with Fox Sports worth $500 million
2014: NCAA Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee, member
2014: Led the relocation of the Big East’s headquarters from Providence, RI to its current site in New York City
2014: Launched Big East Digital Network (BEDN)
2016: Women’s Sports Foundation’s Billie Jean King Contribution Award
2017: U.S. Soccer Federation, at-large board member
2018: Big East and Madison Square Garden signed agreement to keep The Garden as the home of the Big East men’s basketball tournament through 2028
2019: Led negotiations resulting in the University of Connecticut’s return to the Big East, effective 2020
2019: Co-chair of the NCAA Federal and State Legislation Working Group
2020: Oversaw and navigated Big East’s response to COVID-19 epidemic
2021: Naismith Memorial Basketball of Fame, inductee
2023: Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, inductee
2024: Big East entered into a successor media rights agreement through 2031 on multiple platforms – Fox Sports, NBC/Peacock and TNT Sports
2024: Conference and MSG extended venue agreement, keeping the Garden as the home of the Big East men’s tournament through 2032
2024: Sports Lawyers Association Michael Weiner Award of Excellence
2025: Conference entered six-year agreement with ESPN to provide broad coverage of additional Big East competitions on the ESPN+ platform
2025: Big East and Playfly Sports extended multimedia rights partnership through 2031
2026: Big East announced a three-year extension with Mohegan Sun Arena to serve as host of the women’s basketball tournament
2026: Announced planned retirement as Big East commissioner, effective Aug. 31

Will 2027 see Ms. Ackerman return to 645 Fifth Avenue and guide the reestablishment of the WNBA league office while searching for the next WNBA Commissioner?

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: all basketball fans recall the 2000 Olympics and 2002 Worlds and the coming out party for Yao Ming and “The Great Wall of China.” It was an amazing time to see the athletic and versatile 7-foot-6, 310 lbs center play for his national team and eventually the Houston Rockets.

The WNBA might be awaiting a similar story as the possibilities are endless.

China’s Zhang Ziyu – a 7-foot-3 center – is playing for the Chinese women’s national team at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin. She is among 70 current and former WNBA players dotting rosters. In fact, 15 of the 16 teams competing for the FIBA World Cup for women have a WNBA player on their rosters.

If you remember, Zheng Haixia was the first player from China to play in the WNBA. She was on the opening night roster of the Los Angeles Sparks.

Guinness Dublin barrel lot — Photo by Jessica Johnston on Unsplash

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: British police are trying to recover 70,000 pints of stolen Guinness stout. Two trailer truckloads of the creamy dark suds, valued at 115,000 pounds ($155,000), were stolen from a depot near Liverpool in northwest England, the Cheshire Constabulary reported Thursday. “It is famously said that ‘Guinness is good for you,’ but that is only the case when it has been bought and paid for,” Det. Sgt. Gary McClatchy said. “We will settle for nothing less than the full recovery of all the items stolen.” The Guinness had been destined for pubs, but was snatched Monday night by two drivers who pulled up to an industrial park in Runcorn and hauled away the trailers containing about 800 barrels of stout.

The Guinness caper comes only weeks after a theft of Pabst Blue Ribbon lager from a Southern California warehouse, valued at $70,000. The company offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the recovery.

Michigan is the One

April 6, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Michigan is a national champion for the first time since 1989, standing as the best in the land even if the Wolverines weren’t at their peak on Monday.

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Michigan defeated UConn 69-63 to turn back the Huskies’ bid for a third national championship in four seasons. Led by Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau’s 19 points and endless energy, the Wolverines had to go off-script to end their title drought.

“We have a lot of banners at (Crisler Center), but we had just one lonely center banner, and we wanted to change that,” said Michigan coach Dusty May, who took over a program that went 8-24 in 2023-24.

All-American Yaxel Lendeborg had a quiet 30 minutes after a self-described “awful” and “soft” first half, but Michigan, the first title-winner in college basketball to start five transfers, came well-armed to the fight.

Cadeau and Morez Johnson Jr., who scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half, made shots and impactful effort plays on both ends.

“It means the world to me,” Cadeau said. “I was down on myself last year. It means the world to me to be Most Outstanding Player and win a national championship.”

Michigan’s perimeter shooting was virtually non-existent in the first half — the Wolverines were 0-for-8 from 3-point range — but yielded nothing close to a clean look to UConn freshman Braylon Mullins and Alex Karaban.

The Wolverines were held to 33 points in the first half, which put them 61 points behind their scoring pace from five prior NCAA Tournament wins.

Without their usual outside-inside balance to stir the offense, Michigan finished with 36 points in the paint and knocked down 25 free throws.

“All year we’ve just been finding ways to win,” Cadeau said. “We constantly just find ways to win all season.”

Lendeborg returned to the court in the semifinals after sustaining left knee and ankle injuries earlier in the contest, and he decided then that he wouldn’t miss the title game.“It took a lot to get on the court. I was having a lot of mental issues. These guys stuck with me. They believed in me, really helped me out,” said Lendeborg, who put up 13 points against UConn. “I just tried to find a way to do something to help the team out. I did the best I could regardless of the outcome, but it feels really, really good to be a national champion.”

The Huskies reached Indianapolis on the back of Mullins’ buzzer-beater against Duke in the East regional final, and he kept the hot hand with four 3-pointers against Illinois. However, he shot 4 of 17 from the field on Monday. Karaban made 5 of 14, and they were both 3 of 10 from 3-point range.

UConn shot 30.9% from the field, and when the teams switched baskets at halftime, the Huskies came up empty on their first 11 3-point tries.

“They just made it so tough on us around the rim,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said after he instructed the Huskies to wait courtside for a handshake line while the Wolverines celebrated for several minutes. “Just an incredibly talented, incredibly imposing team physically. They’re legit.

“They definitely deserved to win the national championship. They’re clearly the best team in the country this year. They’re just so hard to score against at the rim. I could talk about the threes that we missed, and I thought we had a lot of good threes that we missed. But they just made it so tough on us around the rim.”

The Huskies scrapped to the bitter end. Down nine with less than two minutes remaining after Michigan’s Trey McKenney splashed a stepback 3-pointer, UConn went 4-for-4 on foul shots before Solo Ball banked in a trey, trimming the deficit to 67-63 with 37 seconds left.

McKenney hit two free throws with 13.4 seconds left to set off the Michigan celebration.

Tarris Reed Jr., a transfer from Michigan, had 14 rebounds and 13 points, though he shot 4-for-12. Karaban had 11 rebounds and led UConn with 17 points.

“This guy changed my life,” Hurley said of Karaban. “The joy he’s brought to the university, the fan base. His decision to come to UConn has made us — Florida won the national championship last year. I’ll probably get in trouble for this. Michigan won the national championship this year. But he’s helped to make UConn, I think, right now — we’re probably the premier program in college basketball right now, having been to three out of four national championship games, having won two of them. He’s put UConn in that rarefied place in college basketball.”

Hurley, bidding to become the seventh college coach with at least three national title wins, lost a game in the Final Four for the first time (5-1).

–Field Level Media

Does Your Dog Bite?

April 5, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

Huskies Bark & Bite Their Way to Final v. Michigan

INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A gift, and not one UConn coach Dan Hurley saw coming, became fuel for the Huskies long before the team bus pulled up to Lucas Oil Stadium early Saturday afternoon.

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From Hurley’s vantage point, the overall national narrative wrote UConn into the Final Four as the underdog against an Illinois team the Huskies beat by double digits earlier in the year.

“You’re coming into the game as an underdog versus a team that you beat by 13 points earlier in the season, which was kind of surprising, that’s how we kind of came into the game. Obviously I’ve been waiting to say that,” Hurley said 12 minutes into the UConn postgame press conference.

Illinois felt UConn’s intensity almost immediately and the Huskies made a full-court, do-or-die mentality the focus of their preparation. Even though the UConn banners arranged in Storrs celebrate a growing tradition of gold-plated victories, Hurley instead preaches an eat-off-the-floor philosophy. That chip on his shoulder Saturday isn’t going away by Monday night.

“I couldn’t be more proud of my guys and how hard they fought when most people probably didn’t think we were going to win the game,” he said. “Or at least a little bit of what I saw on TV today, you know, TNT and some of the different prognostications.”

UConn is back, and at 34-5 playing for a national title on Monday night. With program royalty on hand, from Ray Allen and Richard Hamilton to Khalid El-Amin and Charlie Villanueva, UConn reacted Saturday night like the more experienced team. When things went their way and when they didn’t, the Huskies had an answer.

“We’re a group of fighters. It’s not appealing to everyone,” Hurley said. “I’m sure there’s some people in here that it’s off-putting for. But we are a group of fighters. We are incredibly tough. We’ve got incredible will. We go into these games, we’re ready for battle. Again, for us it’s not a game that we’re just kind of running around in uniforms throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That’s not what we’re doing out there. We’re fighting. It’s a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship, and then just to be able to prolong this season with each other and to make the people of Connecticut proud, to make the university proud and all the former great players.”

“It’s why I have so much respect for Alex Karaban,” Underwood said of UConn’s senior forward. “He’s been to three of them. It’s freaky.”

In the last three meetings with UConn, Illinois has been held to its lowest scoring output of that season. That includes a loss in November of this season and a blowout in the 2023 Elite Eight. Maybe, Underwood joked Saturday night, it’s “the uniforms.”

“When they beat us in the Elite Eight, I told our coaches, that was a bad feeling. This is even worse,” Underwood said. “It hurts. My gut hurts so bad right now. I feel sad. I’m sad, if you want to know the truth. Seasons coming to an end hurts.”

Tarris Reed Jr. had 17 points to lead UConn, Mullins had 15 and Ball 13.

Hurley felt the offense had a chance to turn the game into a blowout because of the quality of looks UConn was getting. Illinois had the same reaction postgame, pointing to holding UConn to 35 percent shooting.

Even things that didn’t go their way broke right for the Huskies. After not scoring in the second half, Mullins wound up with the ball after Karaban missed a 3. He calmly connected with 52 seconds on the clock and UConn booked a couple more nights at the Marriott in Indy along with the most meaningful bus ride in the sport from Hurley’s experienced perspective.

“There’s no better feeling than being on that bus on Monday night, just being one of the last two teams standing, that bus ride to the stadium,” Hurley said. “It’s just a cool experience.”

–Field Level Media

Michigan Mauls Arizona; Next is UConn

April 5, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan’s wait for a competitive NCAA Tournament game extends to the national championship game Monday after the Wolverines mauled Arizona, 90-73 on Saturday night.

Michigan was all gas, no brake in improving to 36-3 and earning a spot in the title game with a fifth consecutive blowout in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

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Aday Mara scored 26 points, Trey McKenney had 16 and generations of Wolverines celebrated with Chris Webber, Jalen Rose and the Fab Five courtisde at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Michigan had 26 points off turnovers and made 12 of 27 3-pointers.

The barrage had Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd shaking his head long before Elliot Cadeau splashed his second 3 and gave the Wolverines a 27-point lead with 12:20 left in the game.

There was little life remaining in the Wildcats, who were atypically frustrated for most of their third loss of the season (36-3).

With Michigan All-American Yaxel Lendeborg in and out of the game — first due to foul trouble, later to have his rolled ankle checked and taped to return — the Wolverines flexed their title-worthy depth. Cadeau missed 12 of his 14 shot attempts in the first half, but McKenney could scarcely miss and Arizona had no way to slow down 7-foot-3 center Mara.

McKenney made three 3s in less then five minutes during a second-half sprint that helped Michigan kick its way to a 77-47 lead with 10:31 on the clock.

Mara was more of a constant.

He made 11 of 16 field goals, three of them emphatic and emotional dunks. On defense he slapped away shots, changed countless more and harassed Arizona freshman Koa Peat into a night to erase from his memory.

Peat took a team-high 18 shots (made six) and had only 11 points with 10 minutes left in the game. He eventually led Arizona with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Arizona had a couple of roundhouse punches left as the deficit hovered around 30 points, but a true game never materialized.

Peat and Burries cashed 3s and Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley, limited to 25 minutes due to foul trouble, outsprinted the Wolverines for a layup that narrowed the gap to 81-60. The Wildcats forced a stop and then Cadeu’s fourth foul sent Bradley to the line for one-and-one. He came away with two and whittled the margin to 19.

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Burries was 2 of 10 from 3-point range. He finished with 13 points, as did Bradley.

It was still a 19-point game when Mara lowered his right shoulder and tugged Tobe Awaka with him for a five-footer on the baseline that gave him a career-high 25 points and added the free throw to balloon Michigan’s lead to 86-64 with 5:19 left.

Michigan improved to 8-1 in the Final Four and meets UConn (34-5) on Monday. The Huskies held off a late Illinois rally to improve to 13-1 all-time in the Final Four. Michigan is 1-6 and UConn is 6-0 all-time in the national title game.

–By Field Level Media

NCAA SemiFinal: Illinois vs. UConn

April 4, 2026 by Digital Sports Desk

INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Preview) – Forgive Brad Underwood if he takes an extra beat to appreciate the novelty of his weekend surroundings as Illinois returns to the Final Four for the first time since 2005.

Ready and waiting, perhaps unimpressed by the pomp and circumstance on the periphery of a third trip to the Final Four in four years, stand UConn and head coach Dan Hurley. And that’s the piece of the Fighting Illini itinerary in Indy that Underwood finds painfully familiar.

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UConn demolished Illinois 74-61 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 28 and waylaid the Illini in the 2024 Elite Eight in Boston, a blowout by every measure that is memorable for the Huskies’ 30-0 run and 77-52 final score.

Only senior forward Alex Karaban remains from UConn’s previous tournament win over Illinois and the teams are changed in major ways since the November game. But in the days since Illinois defeated No. 9 seed Iowa to win the South, Underwood found a couple of common denominators comparing his losses to UConn’s 19-point comeback to defeat East No. 1 seed Duke on Sunday.

“I look at one guy — well, two. I look at Danny (Hurley) and then I look at Karaban,” he said. “Their culture is, I think this is their third Final Four. You understand why they’re here. It’s never — things have to go right in a 19-point comeback, and they did. But there was no quit. There was no lay-down. We’ve talked a lot about that.”

UConn (33-5) tournament breakout star Tarris Reed Jr. was coming off of an injury when the teams played earlier this season and All-American Keaton Wagler was a non-factor for Illinois (28-8), serving in a vastly different catch-and-shoot role as a spot-up sniper on the baseline. These days, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year handles the ball on every possession and gets the offense going as a point guard or point forward.

The Most Outstanding Player in the South Region, Wagler had 25 against the Hawkeyes and his best game of the year came in the state. He poured in 46 points on Jan. 24 at Purdue in a national coming-out party that featured 9-of-11 shooting from 3-point range. He led Illinois in scoring 19 times this season.

“It does give you a lot of confidence when they put that much trust in you,” Wagler said.

Wagler leads the Illini in scoring (17.9) and assists (4.3), ranks third in rebounding (5.0) and drew praise from UConn for not being a superstar in one sense that you “never see him take bad shots.” Wagler played only 14 minutes in the loss to UConn.

Hurley stressed to his newbies in the locker room, which happens to include Indiana kid and Elite Eight hero Braylon Mullins, that the Huskies aren’t here to hang a Final Four banner. The participants in the national semifinals receive watches in swag bags this week. Hurley couldn’t care less about the timepiece. The treasure Hurley wants the Huskies to focus on can’t be dug up until Monday night, and only after winning twice in the Final Four.

He said Friday he’s even willing to embrace the criticism received since he went eyebrow-to-eyebrow with referee Roger Ayers, risking a technical or ejection in the moments after Mullins had his “One Shining Moment” against Duke.

“I’m not a victim. I’ve done everything. I did what I did,” Hurley said. “We don’t allow victims in our program, and I’m not a 53-year-old man sitting up here like I’m some victim. I don’t want to waste a lot of time with it because it takes away from the team. But for me, the way I view what we’re going into in the game, when some people, again, view it as a game, just my family, how I was raised in the sport, where I’m from in Jersey, we look at it more like a battle.”

-Field Level Media

NCAA

ACC Football: Pitt Faces Test at BC

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 11

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct. 4th

SMU Outlasts BC in the Rain

College Sports Act Moves Forward in DC

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Sept. 6

Michigan is the One

Does Your Dog Bite?

Huskies Bark & Bite Their Way to Final v. Michigan

Michigan Mauls Arizona; Next is UConn

NCAA SemiFinal: Illinois vs. UConn

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