Sports
Defensive improvement is top of mind for Utah, Arizona State
Jan 31, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Kanye Clary (1) looks for the play against Utah Utes guard Terrence Brown (2) during the second half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Arizona State and Utah are showing an ability to score but struggling to stop opponents from getting baskets.
Due to those struggles both teams find themselves residing near the bottom of the Big 12 heading into Wednesday’s contest in Salt Lake City, when Arizona State attempts to avoid a third straight loss and Utah hopes to stop its own three-game slide.
Arizona State (11-11, 2-7 Big 12) has allowed at least 80 points in six conference games so far and its 80.1 points allowed are 14th in the conference.
The Sun Devils are coming off Saturday’s 87-74 home loss to top-ranked Arizona when they faded after an evenly-played opening half. Arizona State was outscored 49-36 in the final 20 minutes and shot 41.5%, marking its third-worst showing in conference play.
“We just weren’t able to stand up to the challenge on the interior, whether that meant stopping their drive or getting a big defensive rebound when we needed to,” Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley said.
Arizona State is led by Maurice Odum’s 17.1 points, and he scored 15 on Saturday. Odum had a 33-point showing in a 14-point win over Cincinnati on Jan. 24 but is 11-of-29 from the floor in his past two games.
Utah (9-12, 1-7) is averaging 79.5 points but allowing a league-worst 81.5. The Utes have five double-digit conference losses, including an 81-69 setback at Oklahoma State on Saturday which prompted coach Alex Jensen to criticize the selfishness of his team.
“Too many guys are in their own world,” Jensen said. “Too many guys start the game thinking about just scoring. We didn’t pass, and then, obviously, that hurts our defense. But there’s also other ways to be selfish: guys not talking, guys not being ready to shoot, like that. That’s a way to be selfish, as well, but we need to do a better job.”
The Utes allowed 48.5% shooting, the seventh time they allowed at least 48.5% in conference games.
Utah is hoping to get another productive showing from Terrence Brown, whose 22.1 points per game are third in the Big 12.
Brown scored 20 points on Saturday and is 38-for-69 (55.1%) over his past four games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bucks waive Cam Thomas to convert Pete Nance's contract
Suns guard Jalen Green (4) drives against Bucks forward Pete Nance (35) during a game at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on March 21, 2026. The Milwaukee Bucks converted forward Pete Nance’s two-way contract to a fully guaranteed deal.
The Bucks waived guard Cam Thomas in a corresponding move prior to their game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. Thomas, 24, signed with the team as a free agent on Feb. 8 and averaged 10.7 points in 18 games off the bench with Milwaukee.
As for Nance, he was elated with the notion of receiving a new deal. The contract made him available to play in the team’s final 11 games this season and runs through the 2026-27 campaign.
“To be able to be in this spot is just awesome,” Nance said after the Bucks’ shootaround, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “Obviously I’m super thankful for the Bucks for giving me the opportunity. I think it’s just a testament to growth and the work that I’ve done and the experience that I’ve had over the years.”
Nance, 26, is averaging 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 12.1 minutes in 37 games off the bench this season.
Thomas was benched after playing just three minutes against the Atlanta Hawks on March 14. He was held out of consecutive games on March 15 and 17 due to what was listed as a coach’s decision before returning to the court against the Utah Jazz last Thursday.
“There are things we don’t need to talk about,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said, per the newspaper. “That’s not anybody’s business. Like I said before, that’s where as a coach you have to make decisions on what’s best for the team at that time. People don’t understand that. They start talking about other stuff. And, that’s not for anyone to know.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Buccaneers, LB Lavonte David schedule news conference
Jan 3, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) warms up before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Veteran Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David is scheduled to hold a news conference on Tuesday afternoon at the team facility.
The Buccaneers did not divulge an official reason for the conference, however speculation is strong that David will announce his retirement from the NFL.
David, 36, is a free agent after spending his entire 14-year career with Tampa Bay.
He recorded 114 tackles, 3.5 sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries while starting all 17 games last season. It was his 12th season with triple-digit tackles.
An All-Pro selection in 2013 and a Pro Bowl selection in 2015, David has 1,716 tackles, 42.5 sacks, 14 interceptions, 33 forced fumbles and 21 fumble recoveries in 215 games (all starts).
David was selected by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Nebraska.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mikaela Shiffrin on cusp of season World Cup title
Feb 18, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States celebrates during the medal ceremony for the women’s slalom during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images Mikaela Shiffrin will ski Wednesday for the season World Cup overall title.
Heading into the giant slalom, the final race of the season, Shiffrin has an 85-point lead over Emma Aicher of Germany.
Shiffrin won her ninth slalom in 10 World Cup starts this season on Tuesday, earning 100 points. She increased her overall lead on Aicher, who finished third to grab 60 points.
To take the title, Aicher must win the race — a discipline in which she never has finished higher than fourth — and hope that Shiffrin finishes worse than 15th.
Shiffrin, 31, is striving to win her sixth overall World Cup title, which would tie her with Annemarie Moser-Proll. The Austrian won five season titles from 1971-75 and the final one in 1979.
The 2026 Olympic champion in the slalom, Shiffrin won the World Cup title in consecutive years from 2017-19 and again in 2022 and 2023.
With her slalom win on Tuesday, Shiffrin earned her 110th career victory on the World Cup circuit, extending her lead over Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden, who won 86 before his retirement in 1989.
–Field Level Media
Bucks waive Cam Thomas to convert Pete Nance's contract
Buccaneers, LB Lavonte David schedule news conference
