Sports
Bennett Stirtz drops 32 points, Iowa hands Oregon 8th straight loss
Jan 28, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum reacts during the second half against the Southern California Trojans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Bennett Stirtz set a career high with 32 points, leading Iowa to an 84-66 win over Oregon on Sunday night in Eugene, Ore.
The Hawkeyes (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten) won their fourth straight game, making 58.9% of their shots for the game, including 18 for 26 (69.2%) in the second to turn a somewhat close game at halftime into an easy double-digit road win.
Stirtz was nearly unstoppable, making 12 of his 15 shots and 4 of 6 from 3-point range. He scored 21 of his points in the second half. Alvaro Folgueiras put up 15 points and eight rebounds, Brendan Hausen scored 11 and Cooper Koch had 10.
Stirtz, a transfer from Drake with previous experience at Division II, started his 117th career game and scored 20 or more points in a game for the 11th time this season. He surpassed 2,000 points for his college career with an early-second-half layup that gave Iowa a 41-34 lead.
The Ducks were led by Kwame Evans Jr.’s 18 points and 16 from Takai Simpkins.
Oregon (8-14, 1-10) lost its eighth straight game. Barring a season-ending winning streak and a good run through the Big Ten tournament, the Ducks are all but assured of their worst record in 16 seasons under head coach Dana Altman. Altman’s teams have won at least 20 games in the first 15 seasons of his tenure with the Ducks.
Altman is in the final season of his latest contract.
An 17-4 Iowa run in the first half turned a two-point deficit into a 32-21 lead for the Hawkeyes, and they were never seriously threatened after that. The Hawkeyes led 35-26 at halftime.
Oregon could only get the deficit down to five points in the second half, as Stirtz scored 15 points in the first nine minutes of the half.
Iowa took its largest lead at 79-59 with a 7-0 run late in the game, comprised of a Hausen 3-pointer and layups from Isaia Howard and Stirtz.
The Hawkeyes improved to 16-1 against unranked opponents this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
San Diego FC dispatch Pumas, to face Toluca in Champions Cup
Feb 3, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego FC manager Mikey Varas interacts with fans after the team’s win over Pumas UNAM at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images With the MLS season on the horizon, San Diego FC continue to show they’re no ordinary second-year soccer club.
The latest example came Tuesday when San Diego disposed of Liga MX stalwart Pumas in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The MLS squad lost the match at Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City 1-0 but easily advanced on aggregate after winning the first leg 4-1 in San Diego on Feb. 3.
San Diego head coach Mikey Varas told reporters earlier this week that he wasn’t going to tell his team to play conservatively and protect the lead.
“We will never turn away from our convictions for the style of play that we have,” Varas said. “What you will see is San Diego FC going after the game, trying to score goals, trying to score the next goal, trying to be a protagonist.”
But it was Pumas who was the aggressor from the start. The three-time Champions Cup winner took 26 shots to San Diego’s five. They also made more than 250 more passes than their MLS opponent, had 21 crosses to San Diego’s two, and put nine shots on target.
But goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega was more than up to the challenge of keeping Pumas from making things interesting in the high altitude of the Mexican capital.
After a scoreless first half, Pedro Vite (who was transferred from the Vancouver Whitecaps last July) beat Sisniega with a free kick in the 47th minute, sending the ball from just outside the front-left of the 18-yard box over everyone in front of the net and seeming to catch Sisniega off-guard. The goalkeeper reacted too late as the ball skipped in under his right foot.
But Sisniega saved the other shots that went his way and the San Diego defense stood tall in front of him, making 23 clearances.
Up next for San Diego is reigning Liga MX champion Toluca in the round of 16. First legs begin March 10-12.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spurs guard Stephon Castle exits game with pelvis injury
Feb 10, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) controls the ball against San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle was ruled out of Tuesday’s road game against the Los Angeles Lakers following a second-quarter pelvis injury.
Castle fell on his tailbone after blocking the Lakers’ Rui Hachimura on a fast-break dunk attempt with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. He went to the locker room after the play and was ruled out after halftime.
According to the Spurs, X-rays were negative and Castle was diagnosed with a pelvis contusion.
Castle, 21, had two points with seven assists in 12 minutes as the Spurs roared out to an 84-55 halftime lead against the short-handed Lakers.
Last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year has averaged 17.1 points with 7.0 assists in 42 games (41 starts) this season. In his two NBA seasons, he has averaged 15.5 points with 5.1 assists in 123 games (88 starts).
–Field Level Media
Sports
NCAA approves Montana LB Solomon Tuliaupupu for 9th season
Nov 22, 2025; Missoula, MT, USA; Montana State Bobcats running back Julius Davis (32) is tackled by Montana Grizzlies linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu (58) and linebacker Peyton Wing (32) during the first half at Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Thomas Shroyer-Imagn Images College football is set to have its second nine-year player after the NCAA granted Montana linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu another season of eligibility.
Tuliaupupu is set to join tight end Cam McCormick in the nine-year club. McCormick spent 2016-22 at Oregon before playing for Miami in 2023 and ’24. He is mow a scouting assistant for the New England Patriots.
Tuliaupupu first arrived in college at Southern California out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., in 2018 but missed that season and the following one due to a foot injury. A knee injury sustained in the summer of 2020 kept him out that year, and he didn’t play for the Trojans the following year after missing spring practice.
He finally saw action in 2022, making 10 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, in 14 games.
Another training camp injury cost Tuliaupupu the entire 2023 season, but he returned to play nine games for USC in 2024, registering 13 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.
Tuliaupupu transferred to Montana for the 2025 season, and he played in 14 games, producing 43 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles. The Grizzlies finished 13-2, reaching the FCS semifinals.
Montana also announced that offensive lineman Dylan Jemtegaard was cleared by the NCAA to play a sixth season of college ball in 2026.
–Field Level Media
San Diego FC dispatch Pumas, to face Toluca in Champions Cup
Spurs guard Stephon Castle exits game with pelvis injury
