Sports
No. 9 Texas Tech meets TCU in showdown of surging teams
Feb 15, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward JT Toppin (15) blocks out Oklahoma State Cowboys forward Robert Jennings II (25) during the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images A Texas Tech offense that is hitting its stride and a TCU defense that has tightened will square off Tuesday night in a Big 12 showdown in Fort Worth, Texas.
The No. 9 Red Raiders (20-5, 11-3) are coming off a 93-55 win at Oklahoma State on Saturday. They are tied for second place in the Big 12 with Arizona and have won nine of their past 10 games, including two in a row.
TCU (14-11, 7-7) also has won two straight games — a 73-72 nail-biter over visiting Oklahoma State on Wednesday that featured a Vasean Allette buzzer-beating 3-pointer, and a 74-70 road win over Arizona State on Saturday.
JT Toppin, Texas Tech’s leading scorer and rebounder this season, was slowed by an ankle injury earlier this month. But he didn’t miss a start and still has averaged 17.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He scored career-high 41 points in a double-overtime win against Arizona State on Wednesday and a robust 32 against Oklahoma State.
He’s on the Karl Malone Watch List, awarded to the nation’s top power forward, and has a double-double in three straight games.
“He’s healthy; when you see him move it’s not hard to tell he’s healthy,” Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. “Honestly he’s just moving better. One, he’s feeling better, and two, our offense is starting to really move the basketball. We had 23 assists and just eight turnovers (against the Cowboys).”
With Toppin commanding attention at the rim, the Red Raiders’ shooters have had open looks from 3-point range. Texas Tech is 14th in the nation in 3-point percentage at 38.4.
Three Red Raiders shoot at least 40 percent from beyond the arc, led by senior guard Chance McMillian at 44 percent.
“I think we’ve got a couple of the best 3-point shooters in the country,” McCasland said. “I think we’ve got a couple of the best set up guys in the country. When you get JT in the middle of that, it’s a monster to deal with.”
Meanwhile, for the Horned Frogs, who have won four of their past five games, redshirt freshman Jace Posey has come on strong. Against the Sun Devils, he came off the bench to play 30 minutes, collecting 20 points, hitting 6 of 8 shots from the floor, and making eight free throws and two steals.
“I’m staying the course,” Posey said. “Some things are going to go your way, and some things are not. If you can just stay the course, when your moment comes, you should perform.”
Noah Reynolds, who leads TCU in scoring with an average of 12.8 points per game, scored 19 against Arizona State and said the Horned Frogs’ defense, which led 31-24 in defensive rebounds and forced 14 turnovers, is key to the team’s success.
“We need more of a consistent effort on defense,” Reynolds said. “Myself and Vasean, when we guard at a high level, it translates directly to winning for our basketball team. It starts at the point of attack for our basketball team. When we are out there pressuring guards, creating turnovers in the ball screen, it makes our offense even easier and helps us flow better. We’ve got to be two dogs at the point of attack on defense.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dominic Canzone, Randy Arozarena spark Mariners in win over Rangers
Jul 26, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (32) slides into second base as Seattle Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson (4) awaits the throw during the fourth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images Dominic Canzone and Randy Arozarena hit back-to-back homers in the seventh inning as the Seattle Mariners rallied to defeat the Texas Rangers 6-4 Sunday afternoon in an American League West showdown at Arlington, Texas.
Ezequiel Duran went deep for the Rangers, who had won the first two games in the four-game series.
The Mariners snapped a four-game skid and moved past Houston and into second place in the division, 1 1/2 games behind the Rangers.
Reliever Gabe Speier (2-2) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings with three strikeouts to earn the victory and Andres Munoz struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save of the season.
Trailing 3-1 with one out in the seventh, Colt Emerson and Cole Young singled to left field off Rangers reliever Tyler Alexander. Cole Winn (5-3) was summoned from the bullpen and got Julio Rodriguez to fly out to second baseman Nicky Lopez. Calzone launched a three-run shot 400 feet down the right-field line to give the Mariners a the lead. Arozarena went deep to right-center on the next pitch to make it 5-3.
The Rangers got a run back in the eighth as Duran hit a solo shot to left with one out off Eduard Bazardo.
Seattle scored again in the ninth as Rodriguez was hit by a Peyton Gray pitch with one out and Canzone lined a run-scoring double to right, giving him four RBIs.
The Rangers wasted no time in taking the lead. Joc Pederson led off the bottom of the first with a double to center field and Wyatt Langford lined a single to left, putting runners at the corners. Duran lifted a sacrifice fly to center to make it 1-0.
Seattle tied it in the third as Young tripled to left-center with two outs on a ball that went off the end of center fielder Evan Carter’s mitt after a lengthy run. Rodriguez followed with a broken-bat single that left fielder Langford trapped with a sliding attempt at the catch.
The Rangers regained the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth. With one out, Brandon Nimmo reached on an infield single on a comebacker off the left foot of Mariners starter Logan Gilbert. Following a walk to Jake Burger, Carter lined a run-scoring single to right with Burger taking third on the throw to the plate. Lopez hit a grounder up the middle on which second baseman Young made a diving stop, but his flip to second from his mitt to shortstop Emerson covering the bag was high, allowing all runners to advance safely and Burger to score to make it 3-1.
Neither starter factored into the decision.
Gilbert allowed three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out four.
Rangers righty Jacob deGrom gave up one run on seven hits in five-plus innings. He didn’t walk a batter and fanned four.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jackson Koivun, 21, tops Scottie Scheffler at 3M Open for first title
Jul 25, 2026; Blaine, Minnesota, USA; With ball in hand Jackson Koivun acknowledges applause from the gallery for scoring eagle on hole 18, which made him leader in the clubhouse at -20 after the third round of the 3M Open golf tournament at TPC Twin Cities. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images Rookie Jackson Koivun shot 5-under-par 66 to stave off hard-charging Scottie Scheffler and win on the PGA Tour for the first time at the 3M Open on Sunday at Blaine, Minn.
Koivun, 21, finished at 25-under 259 for a three-shot victory on Scheffler, who closed with a 63 at TPC Twin Cities.
Less than two months ago, Koivun was helping Auburn to its second NCAA championship in a three-year stretch. He demonstrated more poise while playing the final two rounds of his third tournament since turning pro without carding a bogey.
Denny McCarthy (66), Brian Harman (65), Chandler Phillips (67) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (64) tied for third place at 20 under.
World No. 1 Scheffler birdied three consecutive holes to begin the back nine as part of his bogey-free round. He birdied Nos. 16 and 18, leaving him trailing by two strokes.
Koivun then birdied No. 16, extending the margin to three strokes with two holes to play.
Koivun, a three-time Player of the Year in the Southeastern Conference, surged into the lead across the final nine holes Saturday and then went right to work Sunday, with his approach shot on the first hole spinning back to within 2 feet of the cup for an easy birdie putt. A birdie on No. 4 pushed his lead to five strokes, with Scheffler among five golfers tied for second place at the time.
Jake Knapp shot an early 62 to rise quickly on the leaderboard and finish at 16 under, tying for 13th.
Defending champion Kurt Kitayama (68) finished tied for 24th at 13 under.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Drew Rasmussen, Rays one-hit Guardians to complete series sweep
Jul 26, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit over seven shutout innings while Chandler Simpson manufactured the game’s lone run as the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 1-0 win Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rasmussen (9-5) walked one and struck out nine. Garrett Cleavinger pitched a scoreless eighth inning before Bryan Baker worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his 28th save.
Simpson had two hits for Tampa Bay, which won for the sixth time in its last seven games and has the American League’s best record at 62-43.
Cleveland was held to one hit and lost its fifth straight game. The Guardians were shut out for the second consecutive game and eighth time this season.
Parker Messick (8-6) was a hard-luck loser after giving up one run on six hits over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out six with zero walks.
The Guardians went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and have scored a total of four runs in their last four games.
Tampa Bay broke the scoreless tie with a run in the fifth inning. Simpson hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on Ben Williamson’s groundout before scoring on Cedric Mullins’ bunt single.
Rasmussen settled in quickly after yielding Steven Kwan’s double to begin the game. He struck out four of the next six batters and retired the last 12 batters he faced.
Cleavinger replaced Rasmussen to begin the eighth inning and recorded three outs with a strikeout on 11 pitches.
Messick retired the first seven batters he faced before Nick Fortes doubled with one out in the third inning. Fortes moved to third on Richie Palacios’ groundout, but he was stranded when Yandy Diaz lined out to first.
Tampa Bay put two runners on with one out in the seventh inning, but Messick struck out Mullins and Fortes to escape unscathed.
Baker completed the Rays’ eighth shutout of the season in the ninth by striking out Brayan Rocchio with a runner at first for his second save in as many days.
–Field Level Media
Dominic Canzone, Randy Arozarena spark Mariners in win over Rangers
Jackson Koivun, 21, tops Scottie Scheffler at 3M Open for first title
