Sports
Knicks look to limit SGA in rematch vs. Thunder
Mar 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) is guarded by New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The last time the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder squared off, Knicks coach Mike Brown had some things to say about Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after the game.
“SGA, he’s a tough cover, and he does a great job of convincing the referees — probably better than anyone in the league — that he’s getting hit,” Brown said after Oklahoma City’s 103-100 win March 4.
Sunday, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder take on the Knicks at home in a key game for both teams in the playoff race.
In that earlier meeting in New York, Brown was assessed a technical foul late in the first quarter after he felt Gilgeous-Alexander should’ve been called for a foul as Jalen Brunson defended him.
That would’ve been the third foul on Gilgeous-Alexander, who ultimately finished with 26 points and picked up just one more foul the rest of the way.
Sunday’s game is the second in a four-game road trip for the Knicks, who fell 114-103 in Charlotte on Thursday to snap a seven-game winning streak.
New York (48-26) comes into Sunday’s matchup 1.5 games behind Boston for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and two games ahead of Cleveland for the No. 3 spot.
Late in Thursday’s loss, Brown went with Mitchell Robinson on the floor instead of Karl-Anthony Towns.
“The guys are starting to trust me a lot more,” Robinson said. “They’re putting trust in me, so I’m telling them what I see and things that I think we can get better at. Being more vocal, it’s coming naturally.”
The Thunder (58-16) are coming off an 18-point win over Chicago on Friday, their 13th win in 14 games.
But Oklahoma City has needed to keep on a roll to try to hold off surging San Antonio for the No. 1 overall spot in the Western Conference.
Oklahoma City guard Jalen Williams has missed 45 games due to various injuries this season, but he is starting to find some sense of a rhythm three games after returning to the lineup from another extended absence.
Williams had 18 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in Friday’s win.
“That was nice getting back to how I usually play,” Williams said. “That was a good — a really big — step forward.”
As one of the primary ballhandlers alongside Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams’s progress affects the rest of the team offensively as well.
“They have to focus on him. When he’s being aggressive, getting downhill like that, it opens everything else up,” Isaiah Joe said.
Joe added: “He’s a hell of a player, and he’s getting his legs back, and he’s looking good.”
The Knicks have been without Landry Shamet for three games with a right knee injury, and though Shamet doesn’t appear close to returning, Miles McBride does appear to be nearing a return.
McBride hasn’t played since Jan. 27 due to a sports hernia but has recently returned to practice and could return as soon as Sunday.
Oklahoma City was without All-Star Chet Holmgren (right hip contusion) in Friday’s win.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Amaka Agugua-Hamilton no longer coach at Virginia
Feb 22, 2026; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton calls out instructions during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images Virginia parted ways with Amaka Agugua-Hamilton as its head women’s basketball coach after four seasons.
The university announced the news Saturday about Agugua-Hamilton, who helped the Cavaliers become the initial First Four team to advance to the Sweet 16 of the Women’s NCAA Tournament after defeating seventh-seeded Georgia 82-73 in overtime in the first round, then upsetting second-seeded Iowa 83-75 in double overtime in the second round.
Virginia’s season came to an end after dropping a 79-69 decision to third-seeded TCU on March 28.
The Cavaliers, who finished 20-12 this season, posted a 70-58 record with a 29-42 mark in ACC play under Agugua-Hamilton.
The university issued a brief statement on Saturday, saying only that she will not return to the role and that a national search will begin immediately.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kelly Morrone named women's basketball coach at Albany
Dec 10, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Merrimack Warriors head coach Kelly Morrone at the end of the first quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images Albany announced the hiring of Kelly Morrone as the next women’s basketball head coach.
Morrone spent the past six seasons as the head coach at Merrimack, a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. She was named 2026 MAAC Coach of the Year after the Warriors finished 19-13 (15-5 MAAC) and was selected to the women’s NIT. Merrimack lost to NJIT in the first round.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to accept the position of head women’s basketball coach at the University at Albany,” she said Saturday in a statement. “I’ve long admired the tradition and pride of the Great Danes, and I am deeply grateful to be entrusted with this important opportunity. It is a privilege to lead a program with such strong institutional support and a clear commitment to excellence.”
Her record at Merrimack was 74-92. During her tenure, Merrimack made the transition from Division II to Division I.
She also won 117 games at John Carroll, a Division III program in University Heights, Ohio.
Morrone played at South Carolina and was a three-year captain, her career ending with a second-round loss in the Women’s NCAA Tournament in 2003. She began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Buffalo (2005-08), followed by stops at Davidson (2008-10), Rhode Island (2010-12) and William & Mary (2012-13) before John Carroll.
At Albany, she replaces Colleen Mullen, who recently accepted the same job at Rhode Island. Mullen led the Great Danes to one NCAA Tournament berth in eight seasons, but before her arrival, Albany was a consistent winner in the America East.
The Great Danes appeared in the NCAA Tournament six consecutive seasons between 2012-17.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cubs place RHP Cade Horton (forearm) on 15-day IL
Mar 28, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton (22) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images The Chicago Cubs placed right-handed starter Cade Horton on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right forearm strain.
The move is retroactive to Saturday for Horton, who exited Friday’s start against the host Cleveland Guardians after one-plus inning and 17 pitches.
Horton retired the side in order in the first inning before walking Kyle Manzardo on five pitches to open the second. He left the game with the Cubs’ head trainer. The Guardians went on to win 4-1.
“I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,” Horton said on Friday. “I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.”
Horton lowered his ERA to 2.45 on Friday after he yielded two runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 10-2 win over the Washington Nationals on March 28. It is the 24-year-old’s second season in the major leagues.
He was 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in his rookie season.
Also on Sunday, the Cubs recalled left-hander Riley Martin from Triple-A Iowa and tabbed right-hander Ethan Roberts as the 27th man for Sunday’s doubleheader against the Guardians.
Martin, 28, has yet to pitch in a major league game. He is 24-13 with a 3.76 ERA in 174 career appearances (three starts) in the minors.
–Field Level Media
Amaka Agugua-Hamilton no longer coach at Virginia
Kelly Morrone named women's basketball coach at Albany
