Sports
No. 10 Michigan State outlasts No. 5 Illinois in OT
Feb 7, 2026; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Trey Fort (9) stops teammate Michigan State Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler (0) while the pair defend Illinois Fighting Illini forward David Mirkovic (0) during the first half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images Jeremy Fears Jr. scored 26 points, including 11 in overtime, and dished out 15 assists as No. 10 Michigan State snapped No.5 Illinois’ 12-game winning streak with an 85-82 victory in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday.
Jaxon Kohler had 11 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for Michigan State (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten), while Kur Teng and Jordan Scott added 10 points apiece.
David Mirkovic had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists for Illinois (20-4, 11-2), which fell out of the top spot in the conference behind Michigan. Andrej Stojakovic supplied 17 points and seven rebounds, Keaton Wagler tossed in 16 points and Tomislav Ivisic added 12.
Fears gave Michigan State a 79-76 lead with 1:47 remaining in the extra session on a three-point play. Cameron Ward’s putback of a Fears miss nudged the Spartans’ lead to five points. Fears knocked down four free throws in the closing seconds. Wagler made a 3-pointer to get it within three and then stole the ball, but Zvonimir Ivisic then missed a potential tying 3-pointer.
Mirkovic scored nine points and dished out three assists in the first half as the Illini grabbed a 39-35 halftime lead.
Illinois scored the first five points of the second half to take a nine-point lead. The Spartans then went on a 14-4 run to gain a one-point advantage with 13:19 left in regulation.
The Illini scored the next six points, including a four-point play by Jake Davis. After a Scott 3-pointer tied the score with 9:03 remaining, Illinois had a 5-0 spurt.
The visitors maintained a slim lead until Scott made two free throws with 1:49 remaining to give the Spartans a 68-67 edge. After a couple of empty possessions, Mirkovic made a layup with 32 seconds left.
Teng then missed a 3-pointer, but Kohler grabbed the offensive rebound and kicked it back out to Teng, who made the second attempt from the right wing to give Michigan State a two-point advantage.
Wagler missed a 3-pointer but Davis snatched the offensive rebound and was fouled with one second left. Davis made both free throws to send the game to overtime.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Amaka Agugua-Hamilton no longer coach at Virginia
Feb 22, 2026; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton calls out instructions during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images Virginia parted ways with Amaka Agugua-Hamilton as its head women’s basketball coach after four seasons.
The university announced the news Saturday about Agugua-Hamilton, who helped the Cavaliers become the initial First Four team to advance to the Sweet 16 of the Women’s NCAA Tournament after defeating seventh-seeded Georgia 82-73 in overtime in the first round, then upsetting second-seeded Iowa 83-75 in double overtime in the second round.
Virginia’s season came to an end after dropping a 79-69 decision to third-seeded TCU on March 28.
The Cavaliers, who finished 20-12 this season, posted a 70-58 record with a 29-42 mark in ACC play under Agugua-Hamilton.
The university issued a brief statement on Saturday, saying only that she will not return to the role and that a national search will begin immediately.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kelly Morrone named women's basketball coach at Albany
Dec 10, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Merrimack Warriors head coach Kelly Morrone at the end of the first quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images Albany announced the hiring of Kelly Morrone as the next women’s basketball head coach.
Morrone spent the past six seasons as the head coach at Merrimack, a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. She was named 2026 MAAC Coach of the Year after the Warriors finished 19-13 (15-5 MAAC) and was selected to the women’s NIT. Merrimack lost to NJIT in the first round.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to accept the position of head women’s basketball coach at the University at Albany,” she said Saturday in a statement. “I’ve long admired the tradition and pride of the Great Danes, and I am deeply grateful to be entrusted with this important opportunity. It is a privilege to lead a program with such strong institutional support and a clear commitment to excellence.”
Her record at Merrimack was 74-92. During her tenure, Merrimack made the transition from Division II to Division I.
She also won 117 games at John Carroll, a Division III program in University Heights, Ohio.
Morrone played at South Carolina and was a three-year captain, her career ending with a second-round loss in the Women’s NCAA Tournament in 2003. She began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Buffalo (2005-08), followed by stops at Davidson (2008-10), Rhode Island (2010-12) and William & Mary (2012-13) before John Carroll.
At Albany, she replaces Colleen Mullen, who recently accepted the same job at Rhode Island. Mullen led the Great Danes to one NCAA Tournament berth in eight seasons, but before her arrival, Albany was a consistent winner in the America East.
The Great Danes appeared in the NCAA Tournament six consecutive seasons between 2012-17.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cubs place RHP Cade Horton (forearm) on 15-day IL
Mar 28, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton (22) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images The Chicago Cubs placed right-handed starter Cade Horton on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right forearm strain.
The move is retroactive to Saturday for Horton, who exited Friday’s start against the host Cleveland Guardians after one-plus inning and 17 pitches.
Horton retired the side in order in the first inning before walking Kyle Manzardo on five pitches to open the second. He left the game with the Cubs’ head trainer. The Guardians went on to win 4-1.
“I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,” Horton said on Friday. “I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.”
Horton lowered his ERA to 2.45 on Friday after he yielded two runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 10-2 win over the Washington Nationals on March 28. It is the 24-year-old’s second season in the major leagues.
He was 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in his rookie season.
Also on Sunday, the Cubs recalled left-hander Riley Martin from Triple-A Iowa and tabbed right-hander Ethan Roberts as the 27th man for Sunday’s doubleheader against the Guardians.
Martin, 28, has yet to pitch in a major league game. He is 24-13 with a 3.76 ERA in 174 career appearances (three starts) in the minors.
–Field Level Media
Amaka Agugua-Hamilton no longer coach at Virginia
Kelly Morrone named women's basketball coach at Albany
