Sports
No. 9 Illinois visits No. 5 Nebraska for high-stakes rematch
Dec 13, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) drives the ball around Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Pryce Sandfort (21) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images When Nebraska visited Illinois on Dec. 13, Jamarques Lawrence swished a game-winning 3-pointer as time expired to give the Cornhuskers their most prestigious win of the season.
While the memory of that knockout punch still stings for No. 9 Illinois (18-3, 9-1 Big Ten) as it visits No. 5 Nebraska (20-1, 9-1) for a Big Ten first-place showdown Sunday in Lincoln, Neb., the Fighting Illini also haven’t forgotten all the body blows administered by Pryce Sandfort that set it up.
Sandfort scored 26 of his career-high 32 points in the first half as Nebraska sped to a 14-point first-half lead. While the Illini caught up by halftime, Sandfort’s early blitz made the Illini uncomfortable throughout as they led for just 16 seconds on their home floor.
And for that, the Illini are grateful.
Since that 83-80 loss to Nebraska, Illinois has won 10 in a row to climb to No. 7 in the NET rankings.
“I think that was an eye-opening moment,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “I didn’t think we were very focused on what it took to win. And they whipped us. … Our mental mistakes in that game were very high.”
“The Nebraska loss started it all,” added Illini freshman forward David Mirkovic, who averages 12.5 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds. “We changed our mentality after that. Coach was, I mean, we deserved that he got to be mad after that loss. We changed our mentality. We started living for each other, playing harder defense, communicating more.
“When we give our best and try to play as hard as possible, points find us and we win.”
Illinois boasts the nation’s most efficient offense per KenPom.com with 130.3 points per 100 possessions.
Freshman guard Keaton Wagler (17.7 points, 4.2 assists), the reigning Big Ten and national player of the week, has received the lion’s share of praise recently, but the Illini feature five players in double figures.
“I think they play to a certain standard that they hold themselves accountable to,” Underwood said. “I appreciate that. I think that players buying into all their roles, and players being willing to sacrifice for the great of the team and commit to that, that’s all a part of it.”
Underwood could also have been describing the vibe at Nebraska, where the Huskers have earned their highest Associated Press ranking in school history by finding a way regardless of who’s on the court.
Yes, their 20-0 start came to an end Tuesday at No. 3 Michigan, but the Huskers led for 36:18 despite playing without two of their top three scorers in Rienk Mast (flu) and Braden Frager (ankle).
The only difference between Nebraska’s trips to Illinois and to Michigan? Lawrence’s last-second 3-point attempt, which would have tied the game, went off the rim against the Wolverines instead of swishing through.
“I give our guys all the credit in the world for the fight that they showed in that game from start to finish,” said Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg. “Listen, that team is projected by a lot of people to win a national championship. You got no Braden, you got no Rienk, you got no Ugie (Ugnius Jarusevicius), you got no Connor (Essegian) — and you fight ’em all the way to the finish and you lose by a basket.
“I mean, that shows the character of our team. And it also shows we can compete with anybody in the country… For our guys, it should be a confidence-builder.”
Mast (14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds) should be good to go against Illinois, but Frager (12.2 points) figures to need more time. Illini guard Kylan Boswell (14.3 points, 3.4 assists) will miss his fourth straight game with a broken right hand.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cloud9 earn sweep to reach upper-bracket finals at LCS Lock-in
Lincoln student Kaden Bylkeland uses mouse and keyboard to play League of Legends on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Career and Technical Education Academy in Sioux Falls. Cloud9 barged into the upper-bracket final by sweeping FlyQuest 3-0 in semifinal action on Sunday at the League Championship Series 2026 Lock-In in Los Angeles.
Cloud9 will face Sentinels in the upper-bracket final on Feb. 22 to determine which team advances directly to the grand final on March 1.
FlyQuest fell to the lower-bracket quarterfinals against LYON. Team Liquid faces Disguised in the other quarterfinal. The lower-bracket semifinal is Feb. 27, and the lower-bracket final is Feb. 28.
There are six teams competing in this double-elimination playoff and all matches are best-of-five. The overall winner on March 1 qualifies for the 2026 First Stand Tournament.
Cloud9 won Sunday’s match in 29 minutes, 26 minutes and 26 minutes on blue. Cloud9’s Robert “Blaber” Huang and fellow American Eain “APA” Stearns earned MVP honors for the match. “Blaber” posted a kill-death-assist ratio of 13/4/25, while “APA” was at 9/4/31 and teammate Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen of Denmark was at 18/5/23. For FlyQuest, Song “Quad” Soo-hyung of South Korea recorded a K-D-A of 7/6/6.
2026 Lock-In at Los Angeles prize pool
1. TBD, qualifies for First Stand Tournament
2. TBD, qualifies for America’s Cup
3. TBD, qualifies for America’s Cup
4. TBD
5. TBD
6. TBD
7. Dignitas
8. Shopify Rebellion
–Field Level Media
Sports
Furious comeback earns FURIA second-round win at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year. FURIA fought back after dropping the first map by winning an overtime battle en route to downing FUT Esports on Sunday in Round 2 of the PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 event in Romania.
Other winners on Sunday in 2-1 matches were Team Falcons, Team Vitality, PARIVISION and Aurora Gaming. MOUZ, Astralis and B8 won in 2-0 sweeps.
The 16-team Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event begins with a Swiss style format with Saturday’s winners playing Sunday’s Round 2 high matches and the losers playing in the low matches. In Round 3 on Monday, the four 2-0 teams pair off, as do the four 0-2 teams, and the eight 1-1 teams make up the mid matches.
Two more rounds follow before the eight-team playoff field is set on Wednesday. All matches are best-of-three. The playoffs, which run Feb. 20-22, are single elimination and best-of-three except for the grand final, which is best-of-five.
The $625,000 prize pool awards $225,000 to the winner and $100,000 to the runner-up.
In Sunday’s Round 2 high matches, FURIA dropped the opening match to FUT Esports, 13-9 on Mirage, then responded with a triple-overtime victory to stay alive, 22-18 on Overpass, followed by a 13-9 win on Anubis to take the match.
MOUZ swept Natus Vincere 2-0, winning 13-9 on Inferno and 13-7 on Mirage.
Team Falcons worked past FaZe Clan, taking Anubis 13-9 before dropping a 13-11 decision on Dust II. The Falcons won on Ancient 13-4 to decide the match.
Team Vitality followed the same pattern, falling to The MongolZ 13-10 on Mirage, then powering to 13-4 victories on Dust II and Nuke.
In Round 2 low matches, Astralis swept 3DMAX with wins on Overpass (13-2) and Nuke (13-11).
PARIVISION topped G2 Esports 2-1, winning 13-8 on Mirage, falling 13-8 on Inferno and triumphing 13-4 on Dust II.
Aurora Gaming fell 13-10 on Nuke to paiN Gaming before surging to wins on Anubis (13-7) and Dust II (13-4).
B8 swept HEROIC by winning on Nuke 13-9 and Ancient 13-4.
Monday’s PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 matches:
Round 3 high matches:
–Vitality vs. MOUZ
–FURIA vs. Team Falcons
Round 3 mid matches:
–Natus Vincere vs. Aurora Gaming
–FaZe Clan vs. PARIVISION
–The MongolZ vs. B8
–Astralis vs. FUT Esports
Round 3 low matches:
–3DMAX vs. HEROIC
–G2 Esports vs. paiN Gaming
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 prize pool
1. $225,000
2. $100,000
3. $68,750
4. $43,750
5-8. $25,000
9-11. $15,625
12-14: $9,375
15-16. $6,250
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 standings (match record and round difference)
1. FURIA, 2-0, +9
2. MOUZ, 2-0, +20
3. Team Vitality, 2-0, +17
4. Team Falcons, 2-0, +20
5. Natus Vincere, 1-1, 0
6. FUT Esports, 1-1, +7
7. FaZe Clan, 1-1, +1
8. The MongolZ, 1-1, +2
9. B8, 1-1, +8
10. PARIVISION, 1-1, -1
11. Aurora Gaming, 1-1, +1
12. Astralis, 1-1, +3
13. G2 Esports, 0-2, -11
14. 3DMAX, 0-2, -22
15. HEROIC, 0-2, -25
16. paiN Gaming, 0-2, -29
–Field Level Media
Sports
Two more improve to 2-0 at CDL Stage 2 major qualifying
Nov 5, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Fans hold signs for T1 mid laner Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok (not pictured) during the League of Legends World Championships against DRX at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images Los Angeles Thieves and Paris Gentle Mates joined OpTic Texas atop the standings at the Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major on Sunday, each team winning to improve to 2-0 in the qualifying round.
Boston Breach and G2 Minnesota were the day’s other winners, both teams getting their first win of the event to improve to 1-1.
The 12 Call of Duty League teams are playing a full qualifying round robin to determine seeding for the second major of the season, to be held March 27-29 in Marston Green, England, as part of the DreamHack Birmingham event.
The top six teams in qualifying head straight into the Stage 2 Major playoffs, while the teams in seventh through 10th place will compete in a play-in round.
The Stage 2 Major champion will receive $150,000 and 100 Call of Duty League points, while the runner-up will get $90,000 and 75 CDL points.
Paris got things started against the Miami Heretics on Sunday, winning 250-224 on Scar Hardpoint before dropping Raid Search and Destroy 6-4. After edging Miami 2-1 on Scar Overload, the Gentle Mates took the match with a 250-172 win on Den Hardpoint.
Daunte “Sib” Gray led the way for Paris, posting 101 kills with 93 deaths for a plus-8 kill-death differential. Only one player for Miami finished with a positive differential. David “RenKoR” Isern of Spain posted a plus-20 differential that was the highest by any player on Sunday.
In the next match, the Riyadh Falcons took the lead against Boston with a 250-204 win on Exposure Hardpoint. But it was all Breach after that, with Boston winning 6-5 on Colossus Search and Destroy, 4-3 on Den Overload and 250-217 on Colossus Hardpoint.
Byron “Nastie” Plumridge of the UK was the match MVP, posting a match-high plus-8 differential in the win. Amer “Pred” Zulbeari of Australia was the only Falcons player with a positive differential — and just barely at plus-1.
The Thieves were never really threatened their matchup of 1-0 teams against Carolina Royal Ravens, with all four players posting positive differential while winning 250-201 on Colossus Hardpoint, 6-4 on Exposure Search and Destroy, and again 6-4 on Den Overload.
Tyler “aBeZy” Pharris was the best of the LA squad, posting a plus-15 differential with 55 kills as each of the Thieves recorded between 53 and 55 kills. Dylan “Nero” Koch was the only Royal Raven to finish in the black in differential at plus-3. The rest of the Carolina team was a cumulative minus-46 differential.
In the final match of the day, Minnesota topped Cloud9 New York in the latter’s first match of the tournament, winning 250-215 on Den Hardpoint, 6-2 on Exposure Search and Destroy, and 3-2 on Scar Overload.
Justice “Estreal” McMillan was the player of the match, posting high totals of 70 kills and a plus-17 differential. Puerto Rico’s Jonathan “Nejra” Pabo’n was the best player on the losing side, posting a plus-3 differential for New York.
Play resumes next week with another three-day slate of 11 matches.
Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major week 2 schedule
Friday
–Vancouver Surge vs. FaZe Vegas
–Riyadh Falcons vs. Cloud9 New York
–Toronto KOI vs. Los Angeles Thieves
Saturday
–Toronto KOI vs. G2 Minnesota
–Los Angeles Thieves vs. Boston Breach
–Paris Gentle Mates vs. Carolina Royal Ravens
–OpTic Texas vs. Miami Heretics
Sunday
–Riyadh Falcons vs. Carolina Royal Ravens
–Vancouver Surge vs. Boston Breach
–OpTic Texas vs. Cloud9 New York
–G2 Minnesota vs. FaZe Vegas
Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifiers standings (match record, map differential)
1. Los Angeles Thieves, 2-0, +5
T2. OpTic Texas, 2-0, +4
T2. Paris Gentle Mates, 2-0, +4
4. G2 Minnesota, 1-1, +2
5. Miami Heretics, 1-1, +1
T6. Carolina Royal Ravens, 1-1, even
T6. FaZe Vegas, 1-1, even
8. Boston Breach, 1-1, -1
9. Vancouver Surge, 0-1, -2
10. Cloud9 New York, 0-1, -3
11. Riyadh Falcons, 0-2, -4
12. Toronto KOI, 0-2, -6
–Field Level Media
Cloud9 earn sweep to reach upper-bracket finals at LCS Lock-in
Furious comeback earns FURIA second-round win at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
