Connect with us

Sports

No. 16 Maryland bids to bounce back in clash at Penn State

NCAA Basketball: Michigan State at MarylandFeb 26, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) reacts after making shot during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Following one of the more stunning losses in school history, No. 16 Maryland must pull itself together quickly for Saturday’s Big Ten matchup with Penn State in University Park, Pa.

The Terrapins (21-7, 11-6 Big Ten) had won eight of their last nine games before Wednesday’s crushing 58-55 loss to Michigan State – when the Spartans’ Tre Holloman swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer from just beyond half court.

In fact, Maryland’s seven losses all have been tight setbacks. The Terps’ largest margin of defeat this season is only six points as the team appears destined for a high NCAA Tournament seed.

While Holloman’s buzzer-beater got all the headlines, the reality for Maryland was that it shot poorly from the field (31.3 percent) and the 3-point line (4-of-20) against the Spartans. Rodney Rice (20 points), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (15) and Derik Queen (10) accounted for 45 of the squad’s 55 points while nobody on the bench scored in limited minutes.

“I know we don’t have any bench points, but there’s just not a whole lot of shots to go around with those first five (starters),” coach Kevin Willard said. “Those first five are all guys that can score, so there’s no one on that starting five that I’m not going to tell to shoot. So, I don’t know where the shots are going to come from.”

Despite the loss, Willard wasn’t about to hang his head. After all, there is no time for sulking in March.

“I’m extremely proud of how these guys fought all night and all year. They’ve gotten better,” Willard said. “We’ll go back, watch the film, see where we need to get better and what adjustments we need to make. … That’s life in conference play — you don’t have much time to really feel sorry for yourselves.”

Penn State (15-14, 5-13) is in a similar boat, having absorbed a tough defeat on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions didn’t lose on a buzzer-beater, but they did hold a halftime lead at Indiana and a two-point edge with six minutes to go before coming up short, 83-78.

Ace Baldwin Jr. led the way with 22 points and six steals, while Yanic Konan Niederhauser chipped in with 16 points and seven boards.

“We’ve had a lot of struggles, but our guys keep showing up and working,” Penn State coach Mike Rhoades said of his team, which shot 52.9 percent from the floor but allowed Indiana to shoot 56.9 percent.

The Nittany Lions are in danger of missing out on the Big Ten tournament. In the current format, 15 of the 18 teams in the league will qualify for the conference’s postseason event. Penn State sits in 17th place with two games remaining and probably needs to beat Maryland and No. 11 Wisconsin to have a realistic chance to move into the top 15.

“I think that’s horse (poop), to be honest with you,” Rhoades said. “Everybody bangs their chest about student-athlete experience, and we’re in the Big Ten, and we’re keeping three teams out of it?”

Maryland and Penn State split a pair of meetings last season. This serves as the only regular-season matchup between the teams in 2024-25.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

New Bengals DT Dexter Lawrence signs 1-year, $28M extension

NFL: Green Bay Packers at New York GiantsNov 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) scrambles away from New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence passed his physical and signed a one-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals through the 2028 season on Sunday morning.

Financial terms were communicated through Win Sports Group, which informed multiple media outlets that the extension was worth $28 million.

Lawrence was acquired by Cincinnati from the New York Giants on Saturday in exchange for the No. 10 pick overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“We are excited to add Dexter to our team,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “He has been a dominant player in the league since he was drafted, and he will be a tremendous presence on the field and in our locker room.”

Lawrence, 28, requested a trade last week and did not report to the Giants’ offseason program, with reports that discussions over a contract extension had reached an impasse.

The Giants have three of the top 37 picks in the 2026 draft. That includes their original first-round pick — No. 5 — and Cincinnati’s selection, No. 10.

A 2019 first-round pick (17th overall) out of Clemson, Lawrence has recorded 341 tackles, 30.5 sacks and 103 quarterback hits in 109 games (102 starts) over seven seasons in New York.

Lawrence was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2022 through 2024, but not last season when he started 17 games and had 31 tackles, 0.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits and one interception.

Cincinnati already added to its defensive line with offseason signings of former Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe to a three-year, $60 million contract and former Minnesota Vikings tackle Jonathan Allen to a two-year, $25 million deal.

“The opportunity to add a player of Dexter’s ability was too good to pass up,” Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said. “… Dexter fits the vision we have on our defense and will also elevate others around him. We are confident in Dexter and can’t wait to see the positive effects he and the other players we have acquired this offseason have on our football team. We are excited to turn to the draft and our remaining picks to further enhance our team.”

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

St. Bonaventure sees influx of transfers added to basketball roster

NCAA Basketball: Iowa at Penn StateFeb 28, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions forward Mason Blackwood (1) drives the ball to the basket during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

Former Penn State forward Mason Blackwood became the latest transfer to commit to St. Bonaventure and to new head coach Mike MacDonald.

ESPN broke that news Sunday morning, and Blackwood’s transfer caps an eventful week for the Bonnies.

Per the 247 transfer portal and multiple reports, St. Bonaventure, located in Olean, N.Y., has added to its roster this week, along with Blackwood:

–Akbar Waheed III, a 6-foot-6 guard who redshirted at Boston College last season.

–Zach Philipkoski, a 6-4 guard, and 6-10 center Benjamin Bill, both of whom played for MacDonald at Division II Daemen.

–Taj Au-Duke, a 6-3 point guard who started his college career at Pepperdine but transferred to Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, where he became a first-team JUCO All-American.

–Ryan Kalambay, a 6-9 forward from Detroit Mercy.

Returning to the Bonnies from the 2005-06 roster are Ilia Ermakov, a 6-6 guard from Russia; John Ikpotokin, a 6-7 center from Ireland; Jack DeRose, a 6-foot guard and local product from Olean High School; Achille Lonati, a 6-5 Italian guard; and Joe Grahovac, a 6-10 forward from Santa Ana, Calif.

With Kalambay and Au-Duke from Canada, the Bonnies will have an international flair.

The Bonnies are losing four seniors and seven players to the transfer portal. According to 247Sports’ portal tracker, none of them have selected a new school.

Adding two players with experience in a power-conference program is a boost for St. Bonaventure.

Blackwood, from nearby Rochester, N.Y., appeared in 26 games as a freshman (one start) and averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds over 12.2 minutes. The 6-7 forward is expected to be a building block for the revamped Bonnies.

Waheed didn’t appear in any games at Boston College as a freshman. He will have four years of eligibility remaining.

St. Bonaventure finished 17-17 in the 2025-26 season and 4-14 in Atlantic 10 play.

MacDonald was hired as head coach on March 31 to replace Mark Schmidt, who retired after 19 seasons on the job. A 1988 St. Bonaventure alum, he led Daemen to a 265-86 record over 12 seasons. He led the Wildcats to NCAA Division II East Regional championships in 2026 and 2021.

He is the only coach to win 100 games with programs at the Division I (Canisius), II (Daemen) and III (Medaille) levels.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Marlins OF Kyle Stowers activated, to make season debut

MLB: Miami Marlins at Atlanta BravesAug 8, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers (28) walks and tosses his bat against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

Miami Marlins All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers was activated from the 10-day injured list to make his season debut against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

The Marlins optioned infielder Deyvison De Los Santos to Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move.

Stowers, who had been sidelined with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, finished a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville.

“Everything from the rehab checked out,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “He continued to check the necessary boxes. Certainly, there was a physical component with how he felt, how the hamstring was. He got back-to-back nine-inning games. I think he came out of that feeling like he’s in a really good spot physically, and also, I think mentally, now he feels like, ‘OK, I’m over this.'”

Stowers, 28, made a massive leap in production in 2025. He entered the season with a .208 average, six home runs and 35 RBIs in 117 games spread across three major league campaigns, including 67 games with the Baltimore Orioles.

In his first full season with the Marlins, after a 2024 trade, Stowers batted .288 with 25 homers and 73 RBIs in 117 games while earning a spot on the National League All-Star team.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading