Sports
Alonza Barnett's 5 TDs help James Madison top UNC 70-50
Sep 21, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; James Madison Dukes tight end Taylor Thompson (17) reacts with tight end Josh Phifer (89) after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Alonza Barnett III threw for five touchdowns and ran for two more as visiting James Madison scored in a variety of ways in stunning North Carolina 70-50 on Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Barnett finished 22-for-34 for 388 passing yards and cranked out 99 rushing yards on 13 carries.
Omarion Dollison gained 125 receiving yards on three catches and Cam Ross had 107 yards on seven receptions. They both caught a TD pass.
Barrett threw 11 yards to Logan Kyle for a touchdown with 4:26 left, and the extra-point kick by Noe Ruelas made it 70-44, matching the most points ever scored against North Carolina.
James Madison scored on a blocked punt and an interception in the first half in a dominant performance by first-year coach Bob Chesney’s team. The teams combined for the most points in Kenan Stadium history in a game that lasted nearly four hours.
North Carolina’s 616 yards were nearly matched by James Madison’s 611.
The Dukes (3-0) had 418 first-half yards of offense. Combined with North Carolina’s four turnovers, James Madison was up 53-21 by halftime, marking the most points the Tar Heels had ever allowed in a first half.
It was the final tune-up for North Carolina (3-1) before next week’s Atlantic Coast Conference opener at Duke. Running back Omarion Hampton picked up 139 yards on 19 carries with three touchdowns for the Tar Heels.
Jacolby Criswell, who was the third starting quarterback this season for North Carolina, threw for 475 yards and three touchdowns on 28-for-48 passing to go with two interceptions.
The Tar Heels were within 25-21 early in the second quarter before Barrett threw two TD passes and ran for a 27-yard score in a span of slightly more than three minutes.
James Madison’s first touchdown came on Jayden Mines’ 14-yard return of a blocked punt. In the final minute of the first half, Terrence Spence returned a Criswell interception 33 yards for a touchdown.
The Tar Heels scored back-to-back touchdowns — the latter off a blocked punt — to close within 60-38 with 3:08 to play in the third quarter. Hampton’s second touchdown run made it 63-44 with 11 minutes left, though a two-point conversion play failed.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jannik Sinner wins Madrid, shatters record for consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles
Mar 29, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates his victory over Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the final of the men’s singles at the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images Jannik Sinner became the first player to capture five straight ATP Masters 1000 titles when he breezed past Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday in the Mutua Madrid Open final.
The 24-year-old Italian, who ranks No. 1 in the world, started his unprecedented streak in France by winning the Paris Masters on Nov. 2. He set the record there for losing the fewest number of games (29).
Sinner won the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in March, where he became the first player not to lose a set in two consecutive ATP Masters 1000 events. He followed that by claiming the Miami Open, the Monte-Carlo Masters and now the Mutua Madrid Open. The last four victories have come in a nine-week span.
In Sunday’s win over the second-seeded Zverev, Sinner never faced a break point while converting all four of his break points against Zverev. Of his 29 first serves that landed, he won the point on 27 (93.1%). He averaged 130 miles per hour on his first serves compared to Zverev’s 124 mph.
Sinner needed just 25 minutes to complete the first set and 31 minutes to take the second set and wrap up his ninth consecutive win over Zverev. The German sensed the match might go this way.
“He’s world No. 1 and hasn’t lost a match since the beginning of February,” Zverev told reporters after capturing his semifinal match on Friday. “Right now he’s definitely the best player in the world. I have to play very, very good tennis to have a chance.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Raptors' Brandon Ingram downgraded to doubtful for Game 7
Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) shoots the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) defends during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram was seen in a walking boot during the team’s shootaround on Sunday morning, several hours before Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against the host Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ingram initially was listed as questionable to play due to right heel inflammation. He was downgraded to doubtful when the NBA released its official injury report early in the afternoon.
An All-Star this season for the second time in his career, Ingram was limited to 11 minutes and scored one point in Toronto’s 125-120 setback to Cleveland in Game 5 on Wednesday. He did not play in Toronto’s 112-110 overtime victory in Game 6 on Friday.
During the regular season, the 28-year-old Ingram averaged a team-high 21.5 points over 77 games. He also averaged 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists and drilled 38.2% of his 3-point attempts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros' Christian Walker batting cleanup one day after HBP to head
May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker (8) is helped off the field after being hit by a pitch during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Less than 24 hours after taking a fastball to the helmet, Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker was penciled into the starting lineup for the Astros’ series finale on Sunday at Boston.
Facing an 0-2 pitch from Red Sox rookie left-hander Tyler Samaniego, Walker was drilled over his left eye by a 93.3 mph fastball on Saturday that broke his helmet and sent the biggest piece flying 10 feet toward the backstop.
With the Astros leading 6-3 in the ninth, they took precautionary measures and removed Walker in favor of pinch runner Brandon Shewmake.
“I feel OK,” Walker told reporters afterward. “I think the helmet took most of it. And turning away from it hopefully made it more of a glancing blow than straight impact.”
Clearly Walker felt good enough to fill the cleanup spot for Sunday’s game against the Red Sox. Walker has appeared in every game this year for the Astros — starting all but one — and the 35-year-old has been producing some career numbers.
His .309 batting average, .386 on-base percentage and .577 slugging percentage all represent career bests. He has delivered eight homers and 26 RBIs through 34 games, which put him on pace for a career-high 38 homers and 124 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Jannik Sinner wins Madrid, shatters record for consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles
Raptors' Brandon Ingram downgraded to doubtful for Game 7
