Sports
Ryan Conwell takes over late to help Louisville survive vs. SMU
Mar 11, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell (3) reacts late in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images CHARLOTTE — Ryan Conwell scored five of his 16 points in the final 77 seconds as No. 24 Louisville overcame SMU for a 62-58 victory in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament’s second round Wednesday afternoon.
The Cardinals, playing without freshman standout Mikel Brown Jr., received lifts from Adrian Wooley’s 14 points and Isaac McKneely’s 10 points. SMU didn’t score in the final 2:43.
Sixth-seeded Louisville (23-9) meets third-seeded Miami (24-7) in Thursday’s quarterfinals in a rematch from Saturday’s regular-season finale won by the visiting Cardinals.
Jaron Pierre Jr.’s 17 points led No. 11 seed SMU (20-13), while Jaden Toombs had 13 points and nine rebounds and Corey Washington added 10 points. Scoring leader Boopie Miller (19.5 ppg) was held to eight points on 4-of-17 shooting, missing all eight of his 3-point attempts, while the Mustangs were 9-for-27 overall from 3-point range (33.3%).
SMU was hurt by 14 turnovers — which led to 16 Louisville points — a day after eliminating Syracuse in the first round. The Mustangs will await their NCAA Tournament fate Sunday. They appear firmly on the bubble having missed the chance to boost their resume with another ranked win.
Louisville prevailed despite shooting 39.6% from the field. At least in part, this was because the Cardinals were 14-for-20 on free throws and SMU made 1 of 3 at the foul line.
Conwell got it together at the right time, making his final three field-goal attempts to finish 6-for-15 from the field.
Neither team led by more than six points, with the score at 26-26 at halftime. SMU was up 48-43 with eight minutes left.
The score was deadlocked at 50-all and 56-all before Pierre’s go-ahead basket for SMU with 2:43 left.
Louisville’s Vangelis Zougris went 1-for-2 at the foul line before Conwell’s 3-pointer put the Cardinals ahead with 1:17 to play, making him 2-for-9 for the game on 3-pointers. After Miller missed a 3-pointer, Conwell scored a layup on the ensuing Louisville possession to push the lead to four points.
Miller was off the mark from long range again on the next possession, one of six consecutive field goals SMU missed to end the game.
Pierre accounted for over half of SMU’s made 3-pointers, finishing 5-for-9 from outside the arc.
Louisville needs two more victories to return to the ACC tournament championship game for the second year in a row.
–by Bob Sutton, Field Level Media
Sports
Flyers' Noah Cates (lower body) out for rest of series vs. Canes
Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates (27) watches for the puck drop on a third period face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Trailing the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Philadelphia Flyers will be without versatile two-way center Noah Cates for the remainder of the series due to a lower-body injury.
Cates, 27, has four points (one goal, three assists) in eight playoff games following the best offensive season of his career, when he posted 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 82 games.
“I mean, he’s been Mr. Consistency all year. Does a lot of things for us,” coach Rick Tocchet said Wednesday. “But like I said, it’s no different than other teams. Next man up. You’ve heard the drill before.”
Cates averages 16:15 in ice time and is one of the league’s top defensive forwards, as the Flyers averaged only 1.67 goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 during the regular season with him on the ice.
Despite losing Cates, Tocchet is confident in the Flyers’ centermen, including 20-year-old rookie Denver Barkey, who has received more time at the position. Trevor Zegras will return to center as a move “to get him going,” Tocchet said.
Veteran Sean Couturier is a reliable option at the position along with Christian Dvorak, who is expected to play in Game 3 despite an undisclosed injury.
With the Flyers limited to two goals over the first two games, Tocchet is encouraging his players to have a “shot-first mentality” to overcome the Hurricanes’ defensive aggressiveness.
“I think to help some guys out that are struggling against Carolina, they’ve got to have a shot-first mentality,” he said. You’ve got to be able to make a play around them. I think some guys are overpassing and that’s the one thing Carolina’s good at. They make you overpass. But if you throw pucks at the net, beat their aggressiveness, you’re going to get chances.”
The best-of-seven series resumes Thursday night with Game 3 in Philadelphia.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (back) exits after one inning
May 6, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow was removed after pitching one inning against the host Houston Astros on Wednesday with low back pain.
Glasnow allowed a first-inning home run to Brice Matthews and attempted to return in the second. After several warmup pitches, Glasnow, 32, motioned for trainers, who along with manager Dave Roberts removed him from the game.
Glasnow’s first-inning strikeout of Yordan Alvarez was the 1,000th of his career.
A 2024 All-Star with Los Angeles, Glasnow was 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA entering his seventh start this season. He signed a five-year, $136.5 million contract before the 2024 season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to skip Preakness
Trainer Cherie DeVaux, in red jacket at left, helps lift the Kentucky Derby trophy with Daisy Phipps Pulito (representing Phipps Stable) and Vincent Viola (of St. Elias Stable) after Golden Tempo won the 2026 Kentucky Derby. May 2, 2026. For the second consecutive year, the Kentucky Derby winner will not run in the Preakness Stakes, as Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux announced Wednesday the horse will skip the second leg of the Triple Crown and compete in the Belmont Stakes next month.
“Golden gave us the race of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby, and we believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort,” DeVaux wrote in a statement posted to X.
Golden Tempo was a 23-1 long shot on Saturday but made a late charge down the stretch to edge out favorite Renegade. The victory made DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.
Last year, Sovereignty passed on the Preakness, and many trainers feel is too close to the Kentucky Derby — two weeks apart — and makes it difficult to keep a horse healthy for big races in the summer and fall.
The Preakness will be held May 16 at Laurel Park south of Baltimore, due to Pimlico undergoing a grandstand renovation. Pimlico is scheduled to host the 2027 Preakness.
As of Wednesday afternoon, none of the 19 horses who participated in the Kentucky Derby have committed to compete in the Preakness.
The Belmont is slated for June 6 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., due to ongoing construction at the main Belmont Park facility on Long Island, N.Y.
–Field Level Media
Flyers' Noah Cates (lower body) out for rest of series vs. Canes
Dodgers RHP Tyler Glasnow (back) exits after one inning
