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Iowa looks to reapply tread hosting No. 13 Purdue

NCAA Basketball: Purdue at NebraskaFeb 10, 2026; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) shoots a free throw against Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Braden Frager (5) and guard Sam Hoiberg (1) during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer had a pointed message for his team following a narrow win over struggling Oregon on Feb. 7.

“We just got to be better,” he said. “More energy.”

Although the No. 13 Boilermakers collected an 80-77 overtime victory Tuesday night at No. 7 Nebraska, Loyer’s comments from the previous game could almost serve as evergreen quotes ahead of their Saturday trip to Iowa.

Purdue (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten) blew a 22-point second-half lead and could have lost in regulation if Rienk Mast had converted a free throw for the lead in the last seconds. It missed six straight field goal attempts before Oscar Cluff converted with 5.2 seconds remaining for the lead, followed by two clinching foul shots from Gicarri Harris.

While the method the Boilermakers used wasn’t one most teams or coaches would prefer, they bagged their second road win over a top 10 team, a reminder of why this team was ranked No. 1 in the preseason.

“We stayed on an even keel, even when we weren’t making our shots,” said point guard Braden Smith of the wild ending at Nebraska. “Those things happen but the big thing for us was we erased that and won.”

Smith was part of the reason why, overcoming 5-of-15 shooting to come within two rebounds of a triple-double. He finished with 13 points and 10 assists, putting him 108 shy of tying Bobby Hurley’s all-time NCAA mark of 1,076.

For the season, Smith is averaging team highs of 15.1 points and 8.8 assists per game, while Loyer is adding 13.4 ppg.

While Purdue comes into this one off a dramatic win, the Hawkeyes (18-6, 8-5) saw their six-game winning streak end in unexpected fashion as Maryland earned just its third conference win with a 77-70 upset in College Park Wednesday night.

Despite 32 points from star guard Bennett Stirtz, Iowa ate a Quad 3 loss that won’t help its NCAA tournament seeding. It still looks good for an at-large berth but it could use a win over a ranked team, something it doesn’t own in four attempts this season.

Hawkeyes coach Ben McCollum could see the result coming, even as the team was stretching its winning streak.

“We didn’t guard the ball very well, didn’t defensive rebound or do the things that we typically do really well,” he said. “It’s been snowballing on us for a couple of games; we just kind of got away with it. We just have to do a better job.”

One emphasis for Iowa figures to be rebounding. Maryland earned a 34-25 advantage on the glass, which doesn’t bode well against the Boilermakers, who frankly have bigger and better players inside. The Hawkeyes’ average of 27 rebounds per game ranks 352nd of 361 Division I programs.

Stirtz is leading the Hawkeyes with 20.4 points and 4.9 assists per game but could use a bit more help. Tavion Banks is the team’s only other double-figure scorer at 11 ppg and he’s been slowed at times by injuries.

Purdue earned a 79-72 home win when the teams met on Jan. 14, getting 16 points and eight assists from Smith.

–Field Level Media

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NBA roundup: Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo hurt in T-wolves' win

NBA: Denver Nuggets at Minnesota TimberwolvesApr 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) position themselves for a rebound in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench to score a career-high 43 points on 13-for-17 shooting, and the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves pulled away for a 112-96 win over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of their Western Conference quarterfinals series on Saturday night in Minneapolis.

The victory, which gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, came at a cost to the Timberwolves, who lost two starters due to injury.

Anthony Edwards, a four-time All-Star and the team’s top scorer, left in the second quarter and did not return because of a left knee injury. Earlier in the first half, Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo injured his right leg on a non-contact play. Early reports indicated he might have ruptured his Achilles tendon.

Naz Reid added 17 points off the bench for Minnesota. Julius Randle finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, and Rudy Gobert grabbed a game-high-tying 15 rebounds to go along with four points.

Jamal Murray scored 30 points on 10-for-25 shooting to lead Denver. Nikola Jokic finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. However, he shot 8-for-22 from the field and missed all three of his 3-point attempts.

Thunder 121, Suns 109

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a playoff-career-high 42 points to lift Oklahoma City to a road win over Phoenix.

The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player finished 15 of 18 from the floor with eight assists to give the Thunder a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series. Oklahoma City has won 11 consecutive first-round games. Playing without Jalen Williams, who suffered a hamstring strain in Wednesday’s Game 2 victory, the Thunder leaned even more heavily on Gilgeous-Alexander.

Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 33 points while Jalen Green added 26 points. Devin Booker scored 16 points, but was held to 6-of-16 shooting from the floor.

Knicks 114, Hawks 98

Karl Anthony-Towns totaled 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his first career playoff triple-double as New York earned a victory over host Atlanta and evened their Eastern Conference first-round series at two games apiece.

Towns ensured Game 5 on Tuesday in New York will not be an elimination game for the Knicks and also ensured the series returns to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday. Towns posted his fifth career triple-double in any game. He also notched the seventh postseason triple-double in New York’s history. Anunoby led the Knicks with 22 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth career playoff double-double.

CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 17 points but was held to three points after halftime. Nickell Alexander-Walker added 15 and hit five 3s, but the Hawks were a dreadful 10 of 41 (24.4%) from behind the arc.

Magic 113, Pistons 105

Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane scored 25 points apiece as Orlando withstood a fourth-quarter rally to beat visiting Detroit in Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

Banchero had 12 rebounds and nine assists for the eighth-seeded Magic, who improved to 7-1 in their last eight home postseason games, including play-in tournament games. Bane was 7-for-9 from 3-point range.

Cunningham scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for the Pistons. Tobias Harris scored 23 points, Ausar Thompson had 17 and Duncan Robinson added 10.

–Field Level Media

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Sounders' strong start helps extend unbeaten streak vs. Dallas

MLS: FC Dallas at Seattle Sounders FCApr 25, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders defender Alex Roldan (16), left, and Dallas FC midfielder Ran Binyamin (6) battle for the ball during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Jordan Morris had a goal and an assist as the Seattle Sounders defeated visiting FC Dallas 2-1 Saturday night.

Jesus Ferreira also scored and goalkeeper Andrew Thomas made five saves for the Sounders (6-1-1, 19 points), who extended their unbeaten streak in league play to six matches (5-0-1).

Nolan Norris scored for Dallas (3-3-4, 13 points), which is winless in its past four (0-2-2). Goalie Michael Collodi made four saves, including one on a penalty kick.

Dallas is 1-13-4 all-time at Lumen Field, with the lone victory coming in 2011.

Dallas dominated possession in the opening 15 minutes, spending most of it in the Seattle end, but it was the Sounders who struck first.

Jackson Ragen sent a long ball down the right wing to Morris. With Danny Musovski charging toward the net, Morris passed to Ferreira, who was trailing the play just inside the top of the 18-yard box. The former Dallas standout took a shot that deflected off defender Lalas Abubakar and past Collodi.

The Sounders doubled their lead in the 30th minute. Hassani Dotson made a pass from his own side of midfield to Snyder Brunell, who took a couple of strides and sent a through ball to Morris for a breakaway. As Collodi charged toward him, Morris lifted a shot over the goalie with the outside of his right foot.

Dallas pulled within 2-1 in the 40th minute. Santiago Moreno’s corner kick from the left wing found Norris outside the near post and he flicked a header into the far side netting for his first MLS goal.

Ferreira had a chance for a brace on a penalty kick in the 54th minute, but Collodi made a diving save to his left. The penalty was awarded when Abubakar tripped Paul Rothrock near the end line on the left edge of the 18-yard box.

Dallas played without its top two scorers in Petar Musa, who leads MLS with nine goals, and Logan Farrington, who were both left out of the lineup due to lower-body injuries.

The Sounders were without midfielders Albert Rusnak (hamstring) and Cristian Roldan (concussion protocol).

–Field Level Media

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Whitecaps continue hot home streak, down Rapids

MLS: Colorado Rapids at Vancouver Whitecaps FCApr 25, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Zack Steffen (1) watches the shot from Vancouver Whitecaps FC forward Brian White (24) (not pictured)as it goes into the goal during the first half at BC Place. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images

Brian White scored a brace to lead the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 3-1 victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.

Cheikh Sabaly also scored a goal for Vancouver (8-1-0, 24 points), which won its fourth straight match, all at home. Yohei Takaoka made two saves for the Whitecaps, who remained three points behind the first-place San Jose Earthquakes, a 3-2 winner over St. Louis City earlier Saturday, in the Western Conference standings.

Rafael Navarro scored a goal and Zack Steffen finished with five saves for Colorado (4-5-1, 13 points).

Vancouver took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute when Sabaly drilled a right-footed shot from the middle of the box into the right corner. Thomas Muller notched an assist on the play with a one-touch pass from the left wing.

White made it 2-0 midway through the period, taking a long through pass from Andres Cubas outside the left side of the penalty box and then curling a right-footed shot around Steffen and into the far right corner of the net.

Colorado was coming in off a 0-0 draw at Los Angeles FC on Wednesday that saw the Rapids finish with 72.5% possession. They cut the lead to 2-1 in the 32nd minute when Navarro put in a left-footed rebound of his own shot from inside the 6-yard box.

Vancouver appeared to regain a two-goal lead in the 77th minute when Bruno Caicedo knocked in a rebound of his own shot near the middle edge of the 6-yard box. However, the goal was overturned after a lengthy VAR review for a handball when it was determined the ball hit Caicedo in the arm after his original shot was blocked by Lucas Herrington.

The Whitecaps then made it 3-1 eight minutes later when Caicedo fielded a long through pass from Sebastian Berhalter on the left wing and crossed a pass to White in the center of the box. White then smashed a left-footed shot into the left corner of the net for his eighth goal of the season.

–Field Level Media

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