Sports
Cal, Syracuse try to regroup after double-digit losses
Feb 7, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears guard Dai Dai Ames (7) loses control of his dribble as he tries to drive around Clemson Tigers guard Jestin Porter (1) during the second half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images Looking to boost their chances of making the NCAA Tournament, California travels to Syracuse on Wednesday in an Atlantic Coast Conference game.
The Golden Bears (17-7, 5-6 ACC) had their two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday at home against No. 20 Clemson, 77-55. The 22-point margin was their second-largest defeat of the season — trailing only their 24-point loss Jan. 7 at Virginia — and left the team searching for answers.
“Our goal is to dominate every single game on both sides of the ball,” Cal head coach Mark Madsen said. “To have a dominating defensive performance and a dominating offensive performance. That’s always the goal and the standard.”
Despite that Clemson loss, the Golden Bears have climbed from 72nd to 58th in the NET rankings that have a large influence on NCAA Tournament at-large selections.
As Cal tries to climb into better position, it will ask leading scorer Dai Dai Ames (17.0 ppg) to lead the way. He ranks 10th among ACC scorers and has hit double figures in six consecutive games.
Justin Pippen (15.2 ppg) has scored in double figures in 11 consecutive games and tied for the team lead with five rebounds against Clemson trying to make up for the absence of Lee Dort. Cal’s leading rebounder (7.7 rpg) has missed the last four games with a thigh injury.
The Orange (13-11, 4-7 ACC) lost 72-59 on Saturday at No. 20 Virginia. It was the team’s sixth loss in the past seven games and frustration is starting to build.
“These losses are difficult and everyone’s frustrated,” Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry said after the game. “Tomorrow, we gotta reset and get ready for our next opponent. That’s the schedule. We still have games left on the schedule, so they have to reset. This is a resilient group, a tough group, and I’m sure that we’ll respond.”
That starts with Donnie Freeman. He leads the team in scoring at 17.7 points per game on 48.9% shooting from the field, but he scored a season-low five points against Virginia on 2-of-11 shooting.
William Kyle, 11th in the ACC in rebounding at 7.4 per game and first in blocks at 2.7 per game, will try to help Syracuse overcome its rebounding struggles and take advantage of Cal’s weaknesses in that area. Both teams get outrebounded by 1.7 per game, which ranks third-worst in the league.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NFL draft order finalized after Seahawks' Super Bowl victory
Feb 6, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; The 2026 NFL Draft logo at the Super Bowl LX Experience at the Moscone Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The order for the 2026 NFL Draft has been finalized, two days after the Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX.
The Seahawks will pick 32nd and last in the first round of the draft due to their solid 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots in last Sunday’s big game.
New England has the No. 31 draft selection.
The first 18 selections were locked in prior to the postseason. The Las Vegas Raiders own the first pick and might have their eyes on Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza of Indiana.
The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants round out the top five.
The Kansas City Chiefs struggled with a 6-11 record but gain a draft pick (No. 9) earlier than usual.
Among playoff teams, the AFC runner-up Denver Broncos have the 30th pick. Denver lost to the Patriots. The Los Angeles Rams, who lost to Seattle in the NFC title game, are No. 29.
DRAFT ORDER
1. Las Vegas Raiders: 3-14 (.538 strength of schedule)
2. New York Jets: 3-14 (.552)
3. Arizona Cardinals: 3-14 (.571)
4. Tennessee Titans: 3-14 (.574)
5. New York Giants: 4-13 (.524)
6. Cleveland Browns: 5-12 (.486)
7. Washington Commanders: 5-12 (.507)
8. New Orleans Saints: 6-11 (.495)
9. Kansas City Chiefs: 6-11 (.514)
10. Cincinnati Bengals: 6-11 (.521)
11. Miami Dolphins: 7-10 (.488)
12. Dallas Cowboys: 7-9-1 (.438)
13. Los Angeles Rams, via Atlanta Falcons: 8-9 (.495)
14. Baltimore Ravens: 8-9 (.507)
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9 (.529)
16. New York Jets, via Indianapolis Colts: 8-9 (.540)
17. Detroit Lions: 9-8 (.490)
18. Minnesota Vikings: 9-8 (.514)
19. Carolina Panthers: 8-9 (.522)
20. Dallas Cowboys, via Green Bay Packers: 9-7-1 (.483)
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7 (.503)
22. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-6 (.458)
23. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6 (.476)
24. Cleveland Browns, via Jacksonville Jaguars: 13-4 (.478)
25. Chicago Bears: 11-6 (.458)
26. Buffalo Bills: 12-5 (.471)
27. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5 (.498)
28. Houston Texans: 12-5 (.522)
29. Los Angeles Rams: 12-5 (.526)
30. Denver Broncos: 14-3 (.422)
31. New England Patriots: 14-3 (.391)
32. Seattle Seahawks: 14-3 (.498)
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ohio State, USC battle for better spot on bubble
Feb 8, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) reacts after the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images The Big Ten regular season runs through March 8, but it gets late early for bubble teams eyeing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Games between bubble teams are particularly crucial, so plenty will be on the line when Southern California (18-6, 7-6 Big Ten) plays Ohio State (15-8, 7-6) on Wednesday in Columbus.
For the Buckeyes, it’s an opportunity to bounce back from a humbling 82-61 loss to No. 2 Michigan on Sunday. It’s no disgrace to lose to the once-beaten Wolverines, who during an eight-game winning streak have seven double-digit wins, but the Buckeyes were outhustled and outmuscled in front of their largest home crowd of the season.
The Buckeyes, who have split their past 10 games, awoke Tuesday morning to being No. 39 in the NET rankings. Considering they were No. 41 on Selection Sunday last year and missed the NCAA Tournament for the third straight March, the pressure could be mounting on the Bucks and second-year coach Jake Diebler.
“This is a team that is resilient. This is a team that has responded all year long and so I have great confidence in what our response will be moving forward,” Diebler said. “(Michigan) was a first where we didn’t handle the in-game adversity as well as we’ve handled it most of the year. That’s on us. We’ll be better at that. We’ll be better next game for that.”
Ohio State veteran Bruce Thornton (team-high 19.2 points per game) led the Buckeyes’ effort against their rivals with 16 points and six rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Trojans (No. 48 in the NET on Tuesday) are on the upswing with three straight wins and have been bolstered by recent additions.
Freshman Alijah Arenas, who missed the first 18 games with a knee injury, scored a game-high 24 points and hit the winning basket with 0.7 seconds left in a 77-75 victory Sunday at Penn State.
The son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas debuted on Jan. 21, one month after graduate transfer guard Kam Woods signed with the Trojans and made his first appearance for his sixth school (counting junior college) in six seasons.
Woods had 13 points, nine assists, five rebounds and four steals against Penn State.
“(He) leads our team in steals, and he joined us just a couple of weeks ago,” Trojans coach Eric Musselman said. “We were severely lacking in creating extra possessions through defensive creativity on steals, and Kam Woods has changed our entire season since he came.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bucks vow to match Magic's physicality in rematch
Feb 9, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. (7) goes to the basket during the second half against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Bucks will be seeking to exact immediate revenge on Wednesday when they face the Magic in Orlando for the second time in three days.
The Magic’s 118-99 victory on Monday was their third straight, while also ending Milwaukee’s own winning streak at three.
Preparation and motivation won’t be issues for the Bucks, as far as coach Doc Rivers is concerned.
“It’s easy — you’re playing the same team,” Rivers said. “I love these in some ways; in some ways I don’t. I do like that the second game is spirited, more competitive. Guys bump into each other during the game, then they see each other in (two) days.”
With one eye on the bench-clearing brawl that marred the Detroit Pistons’ win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, Rivers wanted to see more scrap from his team on the same night.
“I wish we had gotten into a fight (Monday),” he said, partly in jest. “Not literally a fight. I just thought they (Magic) were the more physical team.”
Orlando trampled Milwaukee 67-45 after halftime, including a particularly one-sided 36-20 third quarter.
The Magic ratcheted up their defensive hostility during those 12 minutes, scoring 10 of their points off five Bucks turnovers.
“They were very physical,” said Kevin Porter Jr., who scored 28 points. “We’ve got to match their physicality. First quarter I felt like we were bumping a little bit, but as the game went on, they continued to bump and we kind of let off. It turned into fouls for them.
“The more aggressive team usually gets those calls. We’ve just got to match their physicality next game.”
Porter is promising a tougher, more ready Milwaukee outfit for the return bout, even if the Bucks remain without their marquee superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf).
“We’re going to be way more prepared come Wednesday,” he said. “We don’t want to lose to any team twice, so we need that one Wednesday.”
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley likes the way his team’s defense is progressing, but stopped short of comparing it to the gold-embossed levels of the NFL’s newly crowned Super Bowl champions.
“It’s getting there,” he said. “It’s definitely getting there. It’s not necessarily the ‘Dark Side’ like the Seattle Seahawks’ defense, but we’re getting there.”
Mosley’s 172nd victory at the helm saw him move into third place for most victories by a coach in Magic history, surpassing Rivers (171).
Mosley trails only Brian Hill (267) and Stan Van Gundy (259).
Anthony Black posted 26 points against Milwaukee, Desmond Bane added 25 and the Wagner brothers — Franz and Moritz — combined for 28 off the bench.
“I feel good — I feel as I should at this point,” said wing Franz Wagner, who paired 14 points with five assists inside 17 minutes in his return from a nine-game absence with a left ankle sprain.
“Still working my way back, and obviously got to find a rhythm out there. But pleased with how I played and hopefully helped with the win.”
Orlando is chasing its third consecutive success against the Bucks, after Milwaukee had taken 19 of the previous 21 encounters.
–Field Level Media
NFL draft order finalized after Seahawks' Super Bowl victory
Ohio State, USC battle for better spot on bubble
