Sports
Eyeing top-4 slot in ACC, UNC out to sweep NC State
Jan 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Ian Jackson (11) shoots as Boston College Eagles forward Jayden Hastings (22) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images The in-state Atlantic Coast Conference rivalry returns Wednesday, and it comes at a crucial time for both NC State and North Carolina.
As the Wolfpack (10-15, 3-11 ACC) make the short trip to Chapel Hill, they do so with some urgency. Six games remain in the regular season, and NC State sits as the first team out of the ACC tournament as the No. 16 seed.
North Carolina (15-11, 8-6), meanwhile, has a chance to sneak into the top four and earn a two-round bye.
The Wolfpack come off Saturday’s win against Boston College, snapping a nine-game skid that was capped by their worst loss of the season, a 25-point home defeat against Louisville.
“I challenged them a little bit,” Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said after the Boston College win. “I just wanted to see what type of guys I’ve had in my locker room. … Sometimes when you lose a game, it wakes you up a little bit.”
Jayden Taylor went for 19 points in the Boston College victory, his most since the team’s third game of the season. Taylor (11.8 ppg) and Marcus Hill (12.6) — who put up 20 points in NC State’s 63-61 home loss against UNC on Jan. 11 — look to lift the Wolfpack’s offense that has averaged just 66.1 points in conference play — the second lowest among ACC teams.
In that January matchup, UNC blew a nine-point lead but stood tall as Jalen Washington’s dunk with 24 seconds left and ensuing block at the buzzer sealed the win.
North Carolina has won two of its last three, including Saturday’s 88-82 win at Syracuse. Jae’Lyn Withers emerged with a season-high 19 points in what UNC coach Hubert Davis labeled as Withers’ best game in two seasons with the Tar Heels.
Notably, Ian Jackson had 23 points for the Heels after enduring a seven-game stretch of averaging just 7.4 points on 30.5 percent shooting from the field.
“I told the whole group I wanted them to play fast and free but not cool and casual,” said Davis, whose team has won seven of nine against NC State and each of the last six in Chapel Hill.
“Ian and I met every day this week and we talked about the adjustments that teams have made against him defensively, and now it’s time for him to make an adjustment. … I challenged him to make winning plays in other areas, not just in scoring.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Caitlin Clark Shines After Barack Obama's Message Before WNBA All-Star Game
As portions of a WNBA All-Star record crowd booed her introduction Saturday night, Caitlin Clark maintained her smile and focus.
“Don’t lose that joy,” a former sitting U.S. President had reminded her one day earlier.
Clearly, Clark listened.
Of course, Barack Obama might not have approached Clark individually if she weren’t already tough enough to be transcendent. With the ball in her hands – and then quickly spinning through the air at the United Center in Chicago – Clark embraced and seized a moment she aims to experience regularly.
“You’re kind of just like a young kid running around out there and having fun and shooting whatever shots and being creative and playing with flow, and I really enjoy that about the game of basketball,” she said. “So, it was really fun for me to get back out there.”
Clark was an All-Star months after the Indiana Fever selected her with the top pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft. Still, she reflected Saturday that the format influenced the feeling of that game seeming less like a usual midseason showcase.
The U.S. Women’s National Team faced a team of league All-Stars including Clark in a leadup to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.
Two years later, a WNBA All-Star Game-record 19,783 fans packed an NBA venue to watch teams that were drafted by Hall of Famers and league pioneers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon as the “W” hailed its 30th anniversary.
Clark was one of eight Team Spoon players to finish in double figures in a 129-122 victory. She scored 11 of the team’s first 13 points on the way to a 17-point, four-rebound, five-assist effort.
She delivered a trio of deep 3-pointers in the first 2:23, connecting from a few feet inside the half-court line with the final trey of that sequence.
Grinning and occasionally sticking her tongue out as she jogged back down the floor in a familiar gesture, Clark channeled the jubilation of the moment plus some on reserve.
An injury kept her from the 2025 All-Star Game hosted by the Fever. The rival Chicago Sky last summer also shifted two regular-season games against Indiana from Wintrust Arena to United Center, but Clark was sidelined for those, too.
“Obviously, last year really stunk in it being in our home city. Like, you never want to miss that for the fans,” Clark said. “So, you know, I love to show up and get to compete and play.”
Clark’s popularity after a stellar collegiate career at Iowa has helped drive a surge in WNBA interest. Chicago also hosted the 2022 All-Star Game but kept it at Wintrust, where 9,572 fans showed up.
With fame comes what Obama called “immersion in nonsense” in a candid conversation with Clark that an observer shared to social media. The former president surprised All-Stars on Friday during practice at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Obama also playfully attempted to defend New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, later the All-Star MVP.
Clark was set to travel back to Indiana after the game with the team flying to Seattle on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s second-half opener.
With Indiana on a 5-1 tear entering the break, the joy figures to follow. Clark became the first player in league history to notch a 45-point, 10-assist game on July 17.
She and the Fever are set to return to the United Center when they face the Sky on Aug. 8.
“The reality is that that young lady brought so many people and so many eyes,” said Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell, who scored 28 points for Team Coop, “but I think the transformation for us and the Indiana Fever was that we brought culture back. We brought a sense of purpose and the game.”
Sports
Drew Rasmussen, Rays blank Guardians to complete series sweep
Jul 26, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) throws a pitch against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit over seven shutout innings while Chandler Simpson manufactured the game’s lone run as the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians with a 1-0 win Sunday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rasmussen (9-5) walked one and struck out nine. Garrett Cleavinger pitched a scoreless eighth inning before Bryan Baker worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his 28th save.
Simpson had two hits for Tampa Bay, which won for the sixth time in its last seven games and has the American League’s best record at 62-43.
Cleveland was held to one hit and lost its fifth straight game. The Guardians were shutout for the second consecutive game and eighth time this season.
Parker Messick (8-6) was a hard-luck loser after giving up one run on six hits over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out six with zero walks.
The Guardians went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and have scored a total of four runs in their last four games.
Tampa Bay broke the scoreless tie with a run in the fifth inning. Simpson hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and then to third on Ben Williamson’s groundout before scoring on Cedric Mullins’ bunt single.
Rasmussen settled in quickly after yielding Steven Kwan’s double to begin the game. He struck out four of the next six batters and retired the last 12 batters he faced.
Cleavinger replaced Rasmussen to begin the eighth inning and recorded three outs with a strikeout on 11 pitches.
Messick retired the first seven batters he faced before Nick Fortes doubled with one out in the third inning. Fortes moved to third on Richie Palacios’ groundout, but he was stranded when Yandy Diaz lined out to first.
Tampa Bay put two runners on with one out in the seventh inning, but Messick struck out Mullins and Fortes to escape unscathed.
Baker completed the Rays’ eighth shutout of the season in the ninth by striking out Brayan Rocchio with a runner at first for his second save in as many days.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lucas Herbert wins LIV Golf United Kingdom with record-setting score
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Lucas Herbert lines up a putt on the 18th green during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Lucas Herbert wasn’t about to be denied the LIV Golf United Kingdom championship on Sunday.
Entering the final round at 20-under with a three-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau, the Australian holed 10 birdies for a final-round 62 and a 30-under-par 258 for the four-day event. That gave him a six-stroke victory over England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who turned in a 63.
DeChambeau closed with a 68 to finish 21-under par and in third place at JCB Golf & Country Club in Rocester, England.
Herbert’s dominance this week — his 62 was preceded by rounds of 61, 66 and 69 — led Rippers GC to a 52-under finish, four strokes ahead of captain Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII.
The 30-under finish by Herbert marked the lowest in LIV history. This was his second individual victory of the season — he also won LIV Golf Virginia in May — and he also set the league record for most birdies in a tournament with 30. His combination of 32 birdies and eagles in a tournament also broke a LIV record.
Herbert said confidence in his game grew after his strong finish at the Open Championship last week at Royal Birkdale, where he finished four shots behind winner Ryan Fox and tied for sixth.
“Just wanted to really carry that into this week the best I could,” Herbert said. “I think I got out of my own way the first two rounds and I started thinking about it yesterday. It was just good to play like that today when I was being pushed by two of the best players in the world.”
Hatton pushed as hard as he could with nine birdies, but it wasn’t enough given Herbert’s unprecedented four rounds.
“Obviously Lucas played amazing today, Hatton said. “I wanted to get off to a fast start, which is what I did, but unfortunately Lucas did as well. Yeah, I’m very proud of how I played. It would have been amazing to win in front of home fans, but I tried my best. But actually Lucas was incredible this week.”
Herbert said he did a good job at something else — hiding his nerves.
“I was definitely feeling it out there. I can only do what I can do,” Herbert said. “I was able to take care of what I needed to do today pretty well to get me over the line. I knew it wasn’t going to be a day where even par, 1-under, was going to get it done for me. I knew I had to go out there and get it. Just kept pushing myself the whole way, and here we are.”
Australian Cameron Smith shot a 69 on Sunday to finish in fourth at 17-under. Mexico’s Abraham Ancer (71) and Caleb Surratt (67) shared fifth at 14-under.
–Field Level Media
Caitlin Clark Shines After Barack Obama's Message Before WNBA All-Star Game
Drew Rasmussen, Rays blank Guardians to complete series sweep
