Sports
NC State looks to keep rolling against Virginia Tech
NC State Wolfpack head coach Will Wade yells down court Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Clemson Tigers at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina. North Carolina State has been building a solid resume, and the Wolfpack don’t want to see that diminished as they navigate a potentially difficult portion of the schedule.
Virginia Tech will arrive looking to boost its stock when the teams meet Saturday afternoon at Raleigh, N.C.
“I think Virginia Tech is way better than their record in league,” NC State coach Will Wade said. “And so we’ve got to get ready for a really good Tech squad.”
NC State (17-6, 8-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) has dropped a pair of ACC home games since Jan. 3, while Virginia Tech (16-7, 5-5) has won two road games all season.
With a five-game winning streak, NC State is hovering just outside the top 25 in NET rankings. The Wolfpack battled back from a 13-point hole to win 84-83 at SMU on Tuesday night. Quadir Copeland supplied 16 assists without a turnover.
“We’re a different team when he’s not out there,” Wade said, pointing out the importance of Copeland dodging potential foul trouble. “Obviously 16 assists, but he wouldn’t have gotten those assists if he couldn’t have had some discipline defensively and done everything he needed to do not to foul.”
NC State’s Darrion Williams has connected on three or more 3-pointers in three straight games after hitting six of those shots on his way to 25 points in the SMU game. That was his highest point total in 2 1/2 months.
Virginia Tech has been off for a week after last Saturday’s 72-58 home loss to Duke, which leads the ACC.
“We need a break,” Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said. “We need to get healthy and improve some things.”
Virginia Tech had a player with 20 or more points in six consecutive games, with four players — Jailen Bedford, Tobi Lawal, Ben Hammond and Amani Hansberry — on that list.
Guard Tyler Johnson, who hasn’t played since before Christmas because of an injury, was expected to return against the Wolfpack, but Young told Tech Talk Live on Thursday Johnson is “doing very well” but will miss Saturday’s game.
“He’s just not ready. When you consider wearing that boot as long as he did, he’s making progress, but he’s not ready yet,” Young said of Johnson, who averages 9.5 points per game.
With or without Johnson, it’s a matter of the Hokies making more shots. They’ve shot less than 42% from the field in the past three games.
“You got to step to the plate and got to get a big one down,” Young said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Max Verstappen says he is considering F1 retirement
Nov 21, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) celebrates his victory of the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Max Verstappen said his current unhappiness has left all options on the table, including retirement once the current Formula 1 season ends.
A winner of 71 career F1 races, which trails only Lewis Hamilton (105) and Michael Schumacher (91) all time, Verstappen finished eighth at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.
The four-time F1 drivers’ champion from 2021 to 2024 for Red Bull relinquished his seat at the top of the sport when McLaren’s Lando Norris won the title last season.
Verstappen, 29, has bemoaned recent technical changes to F1 cars and reiterated his disappointment Sunday, according to the BBC. New F1 engines now have a 50-50 split between electrical power and fuel combustion.
On the record as critical of the changes, the Dutch driver was asked if there was a chance he would walk away from his Red Bull contract that runs through the 2028 season.
“That’s what I’m saying,” said Verstappen, who finished sixth in the season-opening race at Australia, did not finish at China and had his worst finish of the season Sunday.
With races at Bahrain and Saudi Arabia canceled this season because of conflict in the Middle East, the F1 schedule now heads into a one-month pause and will return May 3 at Miami. It is widely believed that Verstappen will weigh his future before racing resumes, while expecting to finish out the season regardless of what he decides.
“Privately I’m very happy,” Verstappen said, according to the BBC. “You also wait for 24 races. This (season) it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”
Verstappen is not only struggling in races, he failed to emerge from the second stage of pole qualifying Saturday when only the best 10 lap times move on to the third and final stage.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Max Verstappen says he is considering F1 retirement
Nov 21, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) celebrates his victory of the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Max Verstappen said his current unhappiness has left all options on the table, including retirement once the current Formula 1 season ends.
A winner of 71 career F1 races, which trails only Lewis Hamilton (105) and Michael Schumacher (91) all time, Verstappen finished eighth at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.
The four-time F1 drivers’ champion from 2021 to 2024 for Red Bull relinquished his seat at the top of the sport when McLaren’s Lando Norris won the title last season.
Verstappen, 29, has bemoaned recent technical changes to F1 cars and reiterated his disappointment Sunday, according to the BBC. New F1 engines now have a 50-50 split between electrical power and fuel combustion.
On the record as critical of the changes, the Dutch driver was asked if there was a chance he would walk away from his Red Bull contract that runs through the 2028 season.
“That’s what I’m saying,” said Verstappen, who finished sixth in the season-opening race at Australia, did not finish at China and had his worst finish of the season Sunday.
With races at Bahrain and Saudi Arabia canceled this season because of conflict in the Middle East, the F1 schedule now heads into a one-month pause and will return May 3 at Miami. It is widely believed that Verstappen will weigh his future before racing resumes, while expecting to finish out the season regardless of what he decides.
“Privately I’m very happy,” Verstappen said, according to the BBC. “You also wait for 24 races. This (season) it’s 22. But normally 24. And then you just think about is it worth it? Or do I enjoy being more at home with my family? Seeing my friends more when you’re not enjoying your sport?”
Verstappen is not only struggling in races, he failed to emerge from the second stage of pole qualifying Saturday when only the best 10 lap times move on to the third and final stage.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Team Vitality sweep Natus Vincere, win BLAST Open Spring
A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
Team Vitality recorded a 3-0 victory over Natus Vincere on Sunday in the best-of-five grand final of the BLAST Open Spring at Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Vitality posted a 13-7 win on Inferno and 13-10 triumphs on both Anubis and Dust II to pocket the first-place prize of $150,000 and three BLAST Frequent Flyer tokens.
Robin ‘ropz’ Kool of Estonia had 65 kills for Team Vitality, while Drin ‘makazze’ Shaqiri of Kosovo led Natus Vincere with 48.
We came, we saw, we conquered without dropping a single map.
Your BLAST Rotterdam Champions ?? pic.twitter.com/xAOdztlp7S
— Team Vitality CS (@TeamVitalityCS) March 29, 2026
The 16 teams in the $400,000 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive event were split into two groups of eight that contested double-elimination brackets in Copenhagen, Denmark. The top three finishers in each bracket advanced to the six-team playoffs in Rotterdam.
BLAST Open Spring prize pool (cash prize, BLAST Frequent Flyer tokens)
1. $150,000, 3 — Team Vitality
2. $60,000, 1 — Natus Vincere
3-4. $40,000, 1 — PARIVISION, Aurora Gaming
5-6. $20,000, 1 — Team Falcons, The MongolZ
7-8. $10,000 — FURIA, Team Spirit
9-12. $7,500 — TYLOO, NRG, 9z Team, Team Liquid
13-16. $5,000 — FaZe Clan, B8, MOUZ, Ninjas in Pyjamas
–Field Level Media
Max Verstappen says he is considering F1 retirement
Max Verstappen says he is considering F1 retirement
