Sports
No. 21 Arkansas out for revenge hosting sluggish Auburn
Auburn Tigers forward KeShawn Murphy (3) goes up for a layup on Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (7) as Auburn Tigers take on Arkansas Razorbacks at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. Auburn Tigers defeated Arkansas Razorbacks 95-73. Fresh off a pair of resounding victories, No. 21 Arkansas looks to avenge its most decisive loss of the season against slumping Auburn in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday.
The Razorbacks went “back to the basics” defensively in a 91-62 victory at LSU on Tuesday, according to coach John Calipari, in their second straight win by at least 20 points.
Arkansas (18-6, 8-3 SEC) could benefit from a similar effort in the rematch against Auburn, which shot 56.7% from the field in a 95-73 home victory Jan. 10.
“We were so bad defensively two-three weeks ago that some of this stuff is going back to the basics,” Calipari said. “How do I get us to take unbelievable pride defensively. We’ve just got to get there.
“We go from here. We’ve got seven (SEC) games (remaining). We could lose all seven. We’ll see if we are getting better.”
The Razorbacks are one game behind SEC-leading Florida and tied with Kentucky for second, one game ahead of five 7-4 teams that are fighting for the four double-byes in the league tournament.
Auburn (14-10, 5-6) has lost three in a row after a four-game winning streak that included victories over then-No. 16 Florida and Texas. The Tigers fell to Vanderbilt 84-76 at home Tuesday.
“People are going to be panicking right now,” first-year Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “While the results haven’t been there, this team has continued to get better.”
NCAA Freshman of the Year candidate Darius Acuff Jr. scored 28 points and five assists in the win at LSU, four days after contributing 24 points and eight assists in an 88-68 victory at Mississippi State.
Acuff tied a season high with 13 field goals against LSU, and his 22 attempts were a season high. He was 1 of 4 from distance.
“Which meant either a mid-level shot, which I like him to shoot because he can make them, or he shot layups,” Calipari said. “You don’t have to live and die with the threes.”
Forward Trevon Brazile had 14 points and 12 rebounds against LSU, his fifth double-double of the season. He has averaged 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in the last three, his best stretch in SEC games.
“It makes us different,” Calipari said of Brazile’s impact. “For him, it’s a mindset.”
DJ Wagner (ankle) and Karter Knox (knee) have missed the last two Arkansas games, tightening Calipari’s rotation and providing more minutes for Billy Richmond III, who has scored in double figures in four of his last five games.
Reserve center Malique Ewin took four stitches in his forehead after being struck by an elbow late in the LSU game but is expected to play.
Auburn established control early in the first meeting, opening a 14-point lead with nine minutes left in the first half. The Razorbacks were never closer than 13 in the second half.
Tigers’ leading scorer Keyshawn Hall (20.7 points) scored 32 points in the first meeting, tying a season high. He was 11 of 14 from the field and 4 of 5 from deep.
Hall was not a factor against Vanderbilt, going 3 of 13 from the field and playing only 26 minutes. He sat the final 12:38 as Auburn cut the Commodores’ lead to 70-66 on Tahad Pettiford’s layup with 2:42 left.
“I just went with the guys that I thought put us in the best position to get back in the game,” Pearl said. “Our offense wasn’t really in sync when he was on the floor, so wanted to give us a different look.”
Pettiford, who averages 14.1 ppg, has scored 46 points the last two games, 21 against Vanderbilt and 25 in a 96-92 loss to Alabama last Saturday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kentucky Derby favorite Renegade draws the dreaded rail
People show up for the first day of horse racing on opening day of the Spring Meet ahead of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.Apr. 25, 2026.
Early favorite Renegade was picked to start on the rail for the 152nd Kentucky Derby during the official draw on Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Renegade, the Arkansas Derby winner owned by American billionaire Mike Repole, opened at 4-1 as the 20-horse field became official for the Run for the Roses on Saturday, May 2, in Louisville, Ky.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has raced Renegade just twice as a 3-year-old, but he has come through both times. He came from well back to capture the Sam F. Davis Stakes on Feb. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs, then he pulled away to win the Arkansas Derby by four lengths on March 28 at Oaklawn Park.
Renegade’s jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., has not won a Derby in nine tries, but he has raced to victory in two Belmont Stakes (2016, 2022).
Renegade’s assignment to the first gate will have it fighting against history along with the other 19 horses. Ferdinand, the Derby champion in 1986, was the last horse to win from the rail. Seven other horses have won from Gate No. 1, but most were long ago when Derby fields were smaller.
Commandment, which will start from the No. 6 gate, and Further Ado, which will come from the outside at No. 18, both opened at 6-1. They are trained by Brad Cox.
Bob Baffert, the legendary trainer who returned to the Kentucky Derby last May after serving a three-year suspension, has two horses in the field: Potente and Litmus Test
Here’s the entire field with their opening odds:
1) Renegade 4-1
2) Albus 30-1
3) Intrepido 50-1
4) Litmus Test 30-1
5) Right To Party 30-1
6) Commandment 6-1
7) Danon Bourbon 20-1
8) So Happy 15-1
9) The Puma 10-1
10) Wonder Dean 30-1
11) Incredibolt 20-1
12) Chief Wallabee 8-1
13) Silent Tactic 20-1
14) Potente 20-1
15) Emerging Market 15-1
16) Pavlovian 30-1
17) Six Speed 50-1
18) Further Ado 6-1
19) Golden Tempo 30-1
20) Fulleffort 20-1
–Field Level Media
Sports
Eagles draft North Dakota State QB Cole Payton
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton (QB15) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Eagles selected quarterback North Dakota State Cole Payton in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Payton was selected with the 178th overall pick and was one of six quarterbacks selected in the first five rounds.
Payton established himself as a dynamic dual threat quarterback at North Dakota State. After four seasons as a seldom-used reserve, he took over as starting quarterback last season, throwing for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. On the ground, he rushed for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns.
As a backup, he was a two-time FCS champion (2021, 2024).
At the NFL combine, the 6-foot-3 left-hander ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash and posted a 40-inch vertical.
The 23-year-old will join a crowded Eagles’ quarterback room that includes Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, and Andy Dalton.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Magic withstand Pistons’ rally to gain series lead
Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley looks on in the second half against the Detroit Pistons during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane scored 25 points apiece as the Orlando Magic withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat the visiting Detroit Pistons 113-105 on Saturday in Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
Detroit trailed 96-79 with 8:34 remaining before Cade Cunningham’s 3-pointer capped a 25-8 run and tied the game at 104-all with 3:15 left.
Cunningham made one of two free throws to put top-seeded Detroit ahead by one with 2:52 left before Orlando closed on a 9-0 run to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Game 4 is set for Monday in Orlando.
Banchero had 12 rebounds and nine assists for the eighth-seeded Magic, who improved to 7-1 in their last eight home postseason games, including play-in tournament games. Bane was 7-for-9 from 3-point range.
Franz Wagner added 17 points for Orlando. Jalen Suggs scored 15, and Wendell Carter Jr. had 14 points and 17 rebounds
Cunningham scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for the Pistons. Tobias Harris scored 23 points, Ausar Thompson had 17 and Duncan Robinson added 10.
The teams were tied at 26-all after the first quarter. Suggs was held scoreless before hitting a 3-pointer to put the Magic ahead 42-36 with 6:50 left in the second quarter.
Suggs had 12 points in the second quarter to help Orlando take a 61-54 at the half.
Thompson tallied 15 points to lead all scorers in the first half. Bane’s 14 points paced the Magic.
Bane made his first six 3-point attempts, including one with 8:32 left in the third quarter to give Orlando a 74-62 lead.
The Magic led 87-79 at the end of the third quarter and opened the fourth on a 7-0 run to move ahead 94-79 with 10:05 remaining.
Cunningham committed nine turnovers and was 8-for-23 shooting from the field and 3 of 10 from 3-point range for Detroit, which shot 34.4% (11 of 32) from beyond the arc.
–Field Level Media
Kentucky Derby favorite Renegade draws the dreaded rail
Eagles draft North Dakota State QB Cole Payton
