Sports
Jordan Burks' clutch plays enable UCF to edge Arizona State
Jan 6, 2026; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; UCF Knights forward Jordan Burks (99) shoots a free throw during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images Jordan Burks hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and forced a turnover in the final 34 seconds as UCF rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to pull off a 79-76 Big 12 win over Arizona State on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla.
Riley Kugel paced the Knights (16-4, 4-3 Big 12) with 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Burks added 15 points and three steals while Jamichael Stillwell posted 14 points.
Maurice Odum produced 18 points and six assists for the Sun Devils (11-10, 2-6), who never trailed in the second half until 1:11 to go. Anthony Johnson added 12 points and Bryce Ford had 11.
UCF took its first lead of the second half on Carmelo Pacheco’s 3-pointer with 1:11 to go. Odum answered with a pair of free throws to regain a 1-point edge.
Burks then took a diagonal feed from Kugel and canned the wide-open 3-pointer for a 78-76 lead. After Burks swiped an Odum pass, Themus Fulks tacked on a free throw. Ford’s deep ball at the buzzer was errant to give the Knights the comeback victory.
UCF shot 45% from the floor and held a 40-28 advantage in rebounding. The Sun Devils hit 47% from the field and made 10 of 23 (43%) from deep.
UCF sprinted to a 9-2 lead behind Bol’s layup and dunk, but the Sun Devils battled back and grabbed a 12-11 lead on Johnson’s 27-footer three minutes later.
Nearing the 10-minute mark, Kugel faked a defender, drove to his right and threw down a vicious dunk for a 16-14 lead to bring the UCF crowd to life as part of a 7-0 run.
Allen Mukeba’s tomahawk dunk on a 3-point play put the Sun Devils up 24-22 at the 6:13 mark. Odom’s deep ball at 5:34 gave the visitors their largest lead at 27-22 on the way to a 39-35 lead at the break.
The second half was played tightly over the first eight minutes, with the Sun Devils holding a slim lead that extended to five, 52-47, on Andrija Grbovic’s trey at 11:22.
Grbovic stroked another 3-pointer and Noah Meeusen converted three free throws. Odum’s 3-pointer with 8:26 capped a 9-0 run that pushed the lead to 61-51.
With 6:09 remaining, the lead grew to 70-58 on Massamba Diop’s two freebies — Arizona State’s largest advantage — but the Knights mounted a charge and tied it with 2:39 left on Fulks’ pair of free throws that wrapped an 11-0 run.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: LHP Jordan Montgomery agrees to reunion with Rangers
Sep 22, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (52) pitches in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Left-hander Jordan Montgomery agreed to a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday.
Per the Dallas Morning News, the deal is worth $1.25 million.
Montgomery, 33, is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery of his career. He also had the procedure in 2018.
He was 8-7 with a 6.23 ERA in 25 games (21 starts) in his first season with Arizona in 2024.
A World Series champion with Texas in 2023, Montgomery is 46-41 with a 4.03 ERA in 166 career games (161 starts) with the New York Yankees (2017-22), St. Louis Cardinals (2022-23), Rangers (2023) and Diamondbacks.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orioles' Jackson Holliday (hand) likely out weeks after Opening Day
Sep 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday will miss Opening Day due to a broken hamate bone in his right hand, general manager Mike Elias announced on Wednesday morning.
Holliday, who sustained the injury during live batting practice last Friday, will undergo a procedure to address the issue on Thursday. His timeline for recovery likely will be measured in weeks, per Elias.
Holliday, 22, batted just .242 with 17 homers and 55 RBIs in 149 games last season.
He is the top overall pick of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft and the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday.
New acquisition Blaze Alexander likely will take the younger Holliday’s place in the field.
Also on Wednesday, Elias announced third baseman Jordan Westburg is nursing a right oblique injury. The injury, however, is not expected to prevent Westburg from playing at the start of the regular season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Giants hire Brian Callahan as QBs coach
Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan exits the field after the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan is being added to John Harbaugh’s coaching staff as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator for the New York Giants, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Callahan, 41, was fired by the Titans last October after a 1-5 start. Tennessee posted a 4-19 record under Callahan, who was hired by the Titans after five seasons as the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive coordinator that included a three-point loss in Super Bowl LVI.
ESPN reported Callahan also interviewed with the Giants for the offensive coordinator position, which ultimately went to Matt Nagy. The latter was a former offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs and head coach of the Chicago Bears.
Callahan, who will be coaching former first-round pick Jaxson Dart in his second season in the league, has extensive experience developing quarterbacks. He was the offensive coordinator for four seasons for Joe Burrow with the Bengals, was the quarterbacks coach in 2018 for Derek Carr with the Las Vegas Raiders and for two seasons for Matthew Stafford with the Detroit Lions.
In addition to Dart, Callahan will be working with veteran quarterback Jameis Winston.
Callahan and Nagy are part of an offensive staff that also includes former Rice University head coach Mike Bloomgren as offensive line coach and former offensive coordinators Greg Roman as senior offensive assistant and Tim Kelly as tight ends coach.
–Field Level Media
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