Sports
No. 15 Vanderbilt hope to be healthier against struggling Oklahoma
Jan 31, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores guard Tyler Tanner (3) shoots the ball over Mississippi Rebels guard AJ Storr (2) during the second half at Memorial Gymnasium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images No. 15 Vanderbilt looks to extend its three-game winning streak against visiting Oklahoma — losers of nine straight — in Nashville, Tenn. on Saturday afternoon.
The Commodores (19-3, 6-3 Southeastern Conference) had a needed week off after a 71-68 home win over Ole Miss. Tyler Tanner led all scorers with 24 points, AK Okereke tied a season high in scoring (17) and Mike James established season highs with nine points and nine rebounds off the bench.
“I knew we weren’t coming into this game at our best,” coach Mark Byington said afterwards. “Injuries, illnesses, fatigue, just a lot of things going on. Ole Miss fought really hard and we knew they were going to play that way. We just had to figure out somehow, some way, to be able to win that way.”
The Sooners (11-12, 1-9) come off a 94-78 loss at Kentucky on Wednesday. Xzayvier Brown’s 21 points led the Sooners, who allowed 1.44 points per possession (per Ken Pomeroy) while being outrebounded, 41-25.
“It’s … physicality, size,” coach Porter Moser said when asked about the rebounding differential. “We battled back. I think we cut (the lead) to eight at one point and then they got two or three offensive rebounds. When you’re trying to cut (the lead) those are just daggers, when you’re trying to get a stop and can’t finish the play with a rebound.”
Vanderbilt has been burdened by absences to guards Duke Miles (16.6 ppg) and Frankie Collins (7.8); Miles likely won’t play Saturday while Collins’ status is uncertain.
The Commodores have been hampered by illness — Jalen Washington (8.9 ppg) threw up in warm-ups last Saturday and played through it at less than full strength, while leading rebounder Devin McGlockton (6.8) had a season-low two points in 26 minutes.
Vanderbilt ranks 31st nationally in average offensive possession length (15.9 seconds) per Pomeroy, but played its slowest-tempo game of the year (64 possessions) against Ole Miss. The game before, the Commodores slowed the pace to a crawl in the second half of an 80-55 win over Kentucky to rest Tanner, who has played at least 33 minutes in every league game.
The Sooners take care of the ball (10 turnovers per game, ranked 35th in Division I) and have capable scoring threats in Brown (16.4 ppg), Nigel Pack (15.8), Tae Davis (12.7) and Derrion Reed (11.9). But they’ve leaked defensively, allowing 79 points or more in their last eight games.
Pack, a sixth-year player, had scored 22, 23 and 25 in Oklahoma’s previous four games before scoring just six on eight shots in Lexington.
The Commodores would like more from Tyler Nickel (14.5) than the five points (which tied a season low) he had against Ole Miss, which snapped a nine-game double-digit scoring streak. He’s had a pair of games in which he hit eight 3-pointers this season.
Vanderbilt is 14th in the latest NET rankings, and has a 6-3 mark in Quad 1. It drew a four-seed in Joe Lunardi’s projected NCAA tournament field of Feb. 3. Oklahoma (85th) is a Quad 3 opponent.
This is one of just four remaining home games for Vanderbilt. The Commodores are in a fourth-place tie in the SEC’s overall standings behind leaders Florida and Texas A&M (7-2).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Iowa finalizing 6-year deal with coach Ben McCollum
Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum calls a timeout against the Florida Gators in the second half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Ben McCollum is finalizing a deal with Iowa that would keep him as the Hawkeyes basketball coach for the next six years, ESPN reported Friday.
McCollum is coming off his first season at the helm in Iowa, when he took the Hawkeyes on their deepest NCAA tournament run in almost 40 years.
Compiling a 24-13 record, the Storm Lake, Iowa, native led the No. 9 Hawkeyes on a run to the Elite Eight that included a 73-72 second-round upset win over top-seeded Florida and another win over No. 4 Nebraska before being eliminated by Illinois in the regional final.
McCollum, 45, came to Iowa last spring after one season at Drake, which he led to the NCAA Tournament after guiding the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley regular season and conference tournament titles in his first year with the program. Drake finished with a 31-4 record after falling to Texas Tech in the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament.
He previously spent 15 seasons with NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State University, helping his alma mater capture four national championships (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022).
During his 17-year coaching career, McCollum has amassed a record of 450-108.
McCollum was reportedly pursued by North Carolina in their search for a head coach to replace Hubert Davis, who was fired after five seasons. Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was ultimately hired to coach the Tar Heels.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao agree to rematch
May 2, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather (right) talks with Manny Pacquiao as celebrates after his welterweight championship bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have agreed to terms on an amended deal for a proposed boxing match on Sept. 25 in Las Vegas.
Manny Pacquiao Promotions CEO Jas Mathur told The Ring magazine on Friday that the sides reached terms to go ahead with the anticipated bout at T-Mobile Arena. The fight will stream live on Netflix.
The initial plan was for the bout to be held at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 19, however that fell through. The rock band The Eagles are performing on that date as part of their residency at the venue.
Mayweather could be rather busy given that he has exhibition bouts lined up against Mike Tyson and Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis. The Tyson fight does not have a specific date or location, while the Zambidis bout is set for June 27 in Athens, Greece.
Mayweather, 49, and Pacquiao initially fought in 2015 after years of buildup, with the former winning by unanimous decision. That bout wound up being the highest grossing boxing event of all time.
Pacquiao, 47, retired from boxing in September 2021 as the only eight-division world champion in boxing history before coming out of retirement last year for a WBC welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios, which ended in a majority draw.
Mayweather, who has a perfect 50-0 career record and won 15 world titles, hasn’t fought competitively since his highly controversial boxing match against UFC legend Conor McGregor in August of 2017.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Coaches share spotlight as slumping Red Bulls visit Fire
Jan 27, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; USA head coach Gregg Berhalter (left) greets midfielder Michael Bradley after being pulled from the game against Panama during an international friendly soccer match at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images When Chicago hosts New York on Saturday, it will be a reunion of former U.S. men’s national team members Gregg Berhalter, now the coach of the Fire, and Michael Bradley, who is in his first season guiding the Red Bulls.
In 2019, which was the final season of Bradley’s 14-year playing career on the USMNT, Berhalter was the head coach of the Stars and Stripes.
Seven years later, their respective MLS teams are going in opposite directions. While Chicago (5-3-2, 17 points) has collected 13 points in its last six games, New York (3-5-3, 12 points) is winless over its last five MLS matches.
After opening with wins in his first two games as an MLS coach, it has been a struggle for Bradley.
“He probably doesn’t need my advice, but you know coaching is a journey and he’s a smart guy,” Berhalter said. “And for him, it’s just a continual journey to keep learning and keep improving.”
The journey has been filled with success for Berhalter. In five seasons with the Columbus Crew, he guided them to four playoff berths. Last year, in his first season with the Fire, Berhalter helped them end an eight-year postseason drought.
“The way he sees the game, the way he sets up training sessions, the tone that he has with the group, his way of leading — you take little bits of that and you try to use it in a way that can help you,” Bradley said.
The Red Bulls have failed to score in their last two MLS matches, including a 2-0 loss at home last Saturday to FC Dallas.
Getting on the scoreboard won’t be easy against Chicago keeper Chris Brady who has recorded five clean sheets, including four at home.
Eighteen-year-old forward Julian Hall (six goals, two assists) has emerged as the top threat for New York, while Chicago is paced by forward Hugo Cuypers, who is tied for the league lead with 10 goals after scoring a brace in each of the Fire’s last three MLS matches.
“They have speed. They’re a quite big, physical team. We’re not gonna shy away from that,” Red Bulls keeper Ethan Horvath said. “We’re gonna go out. We’re gonna attack the game head on and try to give Chicago a really tough time.”
–Field Level Media
Reports: Iowa finalizing 6-year deal with coach Ben McCollum
Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao agree to rematch
