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Cal, Syracuse try to regroup after double-digit losses

NCAA Basketball: Clemson at CaliforniaFeb 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

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Dodgers re-sign RHP Evan Phillips to one-year deal

MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Texas RangersApr 20, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips (59) pitches during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers re-signed right-handed reliever Evan Phillips to a one-year, $6.5 million contract Tuesday.

To make room on the 40-man roster, catcher Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment by the Dodgers for the second time this offseason in order to accommodate a roster addition.

Phillips, 31, was limited to seven appearances and one save last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery. In a Los Angeles bullpen that did not have a set closer in 2023 and 2024, Phillips took advantage of the situation to record 42 total saves in two seasons.

Over eight major league seasons, Phillips is 16-12 with a 3.36 ERA and 46 saves for the Atlanta Braves (2018), Baltimore Orioles (2018-20), Tampa Bay Rays (2021) and Dodgers.

–Field Level Media

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Italy's national mint to repair broken Olympic medals

Olympics: Alpine Skiing-Womens DownhillFeb 8, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Breezy Johnson of the United States celebrates on the podium with her gold medal in the women’s downhill alpine skiing race during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images

After multiple athletes reported issues with damaged medals, Milan Cortina Olympic organizers confirmed Italy’s national mint will repair any faulty medal fixings for athletes at the 2026 Games.

Olympic organizing committee spokesman Luca Casassa said a “targeted intervention” was agreed to with the producer of the medals, Rome’s Zecca dello Stato (state mint), to resolve the problems, which reportedly involve ribbons and clasps, not the medal designs themselves.

“Athletes who have medals with problems are invited to give them back through the appropriate channels so that they can be immediately repaired,” Casassa said.

American skier Breezy Johnson displayed a cracked and chipped gold medal after her win in the women’s downhill Sunday. “I was jumping up and down in excitement, then it just fell off,” Johnson told reporters Sunday. “Don’t jump in them. … I’m sure somebody will fix it. It’s not crazy broken, but a little broken.”

German biathlete Justus Strelow also had his medal fall off his neck as he was celebrating a mixed relay bronze win with his teammates. Swedish cross-country skier Ebba Andersson also reportedly saw damage on her silver medal from the women’s skiathlon.

Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer for the Milan Cortina organizing committee, had responded to the damaged medal reports Monday promising a swift resolution.

“… Obviously we are paying maximum attention to this matter, as the medal is the dream of the athletes, so we want that obviously in the moment they are given it that everything is absolutely perfect, because we really consider it to be the most important moment,” Francisi said Monday.

–Field Level Media

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Elizabeth Lemley wins gold, Jaelin Kauf nets silver in women's moguls

Syndication: USA TODAYFeb 11, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Gold medalist Elizabeth Lemley of the United States celebrates during the freestyle skiing women’s moguls final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

LIVIGNO, Italy — American freestyle skier Elizabeth Lemley won a surprise gold medal in moguls with two neat and quick runs at the Winter Games on Wednesday.

Her victory put an end to 2022 champion Jakara Anthony’s bid to become the first Australian to successfully defend a title at a Winter Games.

Anthony, who has dominated the discipline for the last four years, led from silver medalist American Jaelin Kauf after the first run but wobbled out of line on her second to finish eighth and last.

Kauf, who also finished second in Beijing four years ago, won her second silver with a score of 80.77, and Pyeongchang 2018 champion France’s Perrine Laffont clinched bronze with 78 points.

In her first run of the finals, under a bright and sunny afternoon sky in the narrow valley of Livigno, Lemley was in firm control of her skis, always pinned one to the other, and landed well after two big jumps.

In the second run — also known as the superfinal — the skier pushed on the speed, keeping her skis tight together and showing off great technique around the moguls and with a big grab on the bottom jump.

“I was trying to focus on trusting myself. I’ve been working on that this whole season … and right when I pushed out of the gate, I said to myself, ‘Let’s go!'” Lemley told a press conference after the medal ceremony.

Like other athletes at the Winter Games, Lemley’s medal fell apart as she was celebrating on the top of the podium just after she received it from Australian Olympic Committee President Ian Chesterman, who would have been hoping for a different outcome.

Anthony had a first fast, clean run for the finals, with smooth turns and a big grab on the bottom jump, but in the second she lost control in the middle section of the moguls, leaving her fall line, the straightest path down the hill.

Her 83.96 score on the first run would have been enough for gold had she reproduced it in the second, but only the final score counts and Lemley’s 82.30 secured the American her first global title.

Kauf, who got through to the final only hours before in the second qualifying round, delivered a fast first run down the hill, with tidy skiing through the moguls and strong jumps.

In the superfinal she was strong and quick, with a big top jump, crushing through the moguls and performing a grab in the bottom air.

“I definitely didn’t take the easy route into the finals… but I think everything happens for a reason,” Kauf said.

Despite scraping through to the second final round with a stylish technique but not so clean jumps, Laffont set a very high bar in the second run, showing off great precision and performing two big jumps with grabs.

Japan’s Hinako Tomitaka also scored 78 but Laffont took the bronze as she was awarded a better score — 42.6 to 42 — for her turns in the final run.

Asked what went through her mind when she saw her score was the same as Tomitaka’s, Laffont said: “Today was a real roller coaster. It is pretty hard to remember what I was thinking.”

Anthony was disappointed but was already looking ahead.

“I’m pretty bummed, to be honest,” Anthony said. “I definitely had what it took, but it is just not my day today sadly. Maybe in another four years’ time.”

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media

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