Sports
Big East fines UConn's Dan Hurley $25K for conduct in loss at Marquette
UConn head coach Dan Hurley is shown during the second half of their game Saturday, March 7, 2026 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Marquette beat UConn 68-62. UConn coach Dan Hurley received two technical fouls and was ejected in the final second of an upset loss at Marquette on Saturday. Hours later, he was fined $25,000 by the Big East Conference for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The fourth-ranked Huskies (27-4, 17-3 Big East) fell 68-62 to the Golden Eagles (12-19, 7-13) in Milwaukee, with Hurley leaving the court after protesting what he felt was a missed foul call.
Marquette was leading 64-62 when UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. attempted a contested jumper in the paint by defender Ben Gold. When no foul was called, Hurley went up to official John Gaffney and yelled at him that Demary was fouled.
There was speculation during the game broadcast that Hurley had made contact with Gaffney, contributing to the ejection. Hurley later disputed that, and the conference said later in a statement that “a review by the conference office of the officials’ game report and available game footage could not confirm physical contact.”
“You could screenshot whatever you want to screenshot,” Hurley said. “I don’t feel like I made any contact with John. I don’t believe I did.”
The league’s statement did say that Hurley “failed to leave the court in a timely manner” after his ejection.
“We hold our coaches to high standards of sportsmanlike conduct during game competition, and inappropriate interactions with our officials will not be tolerated,” Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman said in a statement on Saturday night.
The Golden Eagles’ Chase Ross, who rebounded Demary’s miss and was fouled, went to the line with 1 second left and made four of six free-throw attempts (including four for two technicals) for the 68-62 final.
UConn, in losing on Saturday, failed to earn a share of the Big East regular-season title with No. 18 St. John’s (25-6, 18-2). The Red Storm already had clinched the top seed in the conference tournament, which starts Wednesday in New York.
The Huskies, as the No. 2 seed, face the winner of seventh-seeded Marquette and 10th-seeded Xavier in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews injured vs. Ducks
Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) looks at an injured Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) after he delivered a knee on knee hit during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews was helped off the ice and to the dressing room at 15:47 of the second period after taking a knee-on-knee hit from the Anaheim Ducks’ Radko Gudas Thursday evening.
The Maple Leafs later said Matthews will not return because of a lower-body injury.
The Ducks led 3-2 at the time of the incident. Gudas was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
Matthews, a two-time All-Star, ended a 12-game drought without a goal when he scored earlier in the period.
For the season, Matthews has 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Eagles sign CB Jonathan Jones to 1-year deal
Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devonta Smith (6) makes a catch as Washington Commanders cornerback Jonathan Jones (31) defends during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Eagles are bringing in veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones on a one-year deal, NFL Network reported Thursday.
Jones, 32, shifts from the NFC East rival Washington Commanders to the Eagles, one day after Philadelphia signed former Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen from the Seattle Seahawks.
Jones spent one year with Washington after nine seasons with the New England Patriots, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He had five pass breakups, one sack and 41 tackles in 12 appearances (seven starts) for the Commanders.
Through 144 career games (78 starts), Jones has 11 interceptions — though none since a four-interception campaign in 2022 — as well as 477 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 62 pass breakups and 10 forced fumbles.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Which NFL Teams Improved the Most in Free Agency? Four Stand Out
The official 2026 calendar just started and the NFL still has that new-league-year smell.
Depending on what your favorite team did since player negotiations began on Monday and free agency opened on Wednesday, there’s a great chance it will end up smelling like either fresh roses or rotten eggs 11 months from now after the confetti settles on Super Bowl LXI.
Last March, the Seattle Seahawks signed quarterback Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100 million contract and went on to win the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens mostly window shopped, missed the playoffs and ultimately said farewell to John Harbaugh, the most successful coach in franchise history
In March 2024, the Philadelphia Eagles locked up running back Saquon Barkley on a three-year, $37.75 million deal and then rode his historic 2,000-yard season to a Super Bowl championship. The Dallas Cowboys were the last team to sign anyone, kept their purse strings knotted and showed coach Mike McCarthy the door after a 7-10 season.
Who made the largest “Lombardi leaps” this week, keeping in mind that neither the 2025 Seahawks (10-7 during the previous season) nor 2024 Eagles (11-6 in 2023) needed massive makeovers? Who plugged the decisive pieces into their championship puzzles?
Four teams fit the mold. Two made playoff runs last season and two slipped from perennial AFC contenders to 6-11 records: the defending NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams and the NFC North champion Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs.
The Rams fell short of the Big Game when they allowed Darnold to throw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 31-27 victory in the NFC Championship.
General manager Les Snead attacked the situation head-on this month, shelling out a combined $176 million to add ex-Chiefs cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson (who both own two Super Bowl rings) and also re-signing safety Kam Curl to a three-year, $36 million deal.
The Bears were 4-5 during the 2025 regular season when opponents averaged at least 6.0 yards per play (7-1 when foes were under that mark).
Seeking speed for Dennis Allen’s defense, Chicago GM Ryan Poles signed former Seahawks safety Coby Bryant and replaced Tremaine Edmunds with former Browns linebacker Devin Bush. The Bears also solidified the defensive line with tackles Neville Gallimore and Kentavius Street.
The Bengals surrendered a franchise-record 492 points last season and finished 31st in total defense, including three games with more than 500 yards allowed.
Offsetting the departure of 31-year-old pass rusher Trey Hendrickson to the Ravens, Cincinnati got better by making former Chief Bryan Cook (another two-time champ) the highest-paid safety in franchise history and making former Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe the franchise’s first $20 million per year free agent.
The Chiefs’ 10-year playoff streak ended last winter but the dynasty isn’t dead as long as Patrick Mahomes has two healthy legs to stand on. If he returns early enough from a torn ACL, you can’t count them out.
Sure, Kansas City lost a few key players, but GM Brett Veach signed reigning Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III, veteran safety Alohi Gilman, defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga — a solid backup for 31-year-old Chris Jones — and wideout Tyquan Thornton. Tight end Travis Kelce also committed to another season, with the encouragement of Taylor Swift.
As for the rest, don’t start burning jerseys if your team didn’t make the cut here. There will be plenty more signings and trades before next month’s draft. At the time of writing, A.J. Brown is still an Eagle, Kyler Murray is still on the market and Maxx Crosby is still not a Raven.
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