Sports
No. 22 Memphis, FAU look to shake off loss to same foe
Feb 9, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Tigers guard PJ Haggerty (4) looks on against the Temple Owls during the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images Despite their impressive record and first-place standing in the American Athletic Conference, the Memphis Tigers find their NCAA Tournament resume weakening in the eyes of many prognosticators.
The 22nd-ranked Tigers will try to get back on track when they host Florida Atlantic on Sunday in Memphis.
The Tigers (21-5, 11-2 AAC) had an eight-game winning streak snapped in an 84-79 overtime loss at Wichita State on Feb. 16.
Coincidentally, Florida Atlantic (15-11, 8-5) also is coming off a loss to the Shockers in its most recent game, on Thursday.
Memphis, although still projected to make the NCAA Tournament, has seen its projected seeding slip a few spots in multiple brackets. The Tigers will need to avoid additional damaging losses to solidify their postseason status over the final two weeks of the regular season and the AAC tournament.
However, Memphis’ tough nonconference slate, against which it went 10-3, and the fact that the Tigers have a 6-2 record in Quad 1 games lead coach Penny Hardaway to believe his side is undervalued.
“I feel like we could be 26-0 and still be a No. 6 seed,” Hardaway said on Friday. “It’s almost deflating to the guys probably, because they’re going, ‘Man, how does this work?’
“We did all that work in the nonconference, and we’ve only lost two games in conference. I love our conference. It’s harder than people give it credit for, but the nation and the voters won’t let you get past a certain point.”
The Tigers have five regular-season games left to play, starting with their second clash against Florida Atlantic. Memphis routed the Owls 90-62 on Jan. 2 in Boca Raton, Fla.
Tyrese Hunter had 20 points in that game and the Tigers went a staggering 10 of 18 from 3-point range. Memphis shot 55.9 percent from the field overall while holding the Owls to just 32.4 percent field-goal shooting and 5 of 31 (16.1 percent) from long distance.
PJ Haggerty, who had 19 points in that contest, leads Memphis with averages of 21.2 points and 3.8 assists per game. Haggerty and Hunter are each shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range.
As with Memphis, the Owls were playing well until they ran into surging Wichita State.
Florida Atlantic had won five in a row, but its problems with perimeter defense resurfaced as the Shockers shot 6 of 10 from 3-point range.
The Owls cannot afford to experience another letdown against Memphis.
“I thought there was some frustrated shots taken by us, which is pretty disappointing,” Florida Atlantic coach John Jakus said after the defeat. “We had 12 assists on 25 (field goals). That’s not even 50 percent of assist ratio, which is disappointing because we’ve been hovering between 60 and 70 while we’ve been winning.”
The Owls possess a balanced-scoring offense, led by Kelb Glenn at 12.9 points per game, Tre Carroll at 12.2 ppg and Baba Miller at 10.7 ppg. Florida Atlantic has three more players averaging nine-plus points per contest.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rangers place 3B Josh Jung (calf) on 10-day IL
Jul 21, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) follows through on his single against the Chicago White Sox during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images The American League West-leading Texas Rangers placed starting third baseman Josh Jung on the 10-day injured list on Saturday — retroactive to Wednesday — with a left calf strain.
In a corresponding move, the Rangers recalled infielder Josh Smith from Triple-A Round Rock before Saturday’s home game against the second-place Seattle Mariners.
Jung, 28, exited Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox after three innings with a left calf issue and has not played since. In 92 games this season, the 2023 All-Star is hitting .294 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. He is eligible to return to the active roster on Aug. 1.
Texas’ first-round pick (No. 8 overall) in the 2019 MLB Draft, Jung has hit .264 with 58 home runs and 196 RBIs in 417 games with the Rangers.
Smith, 28, is in his third stint with the Rangers this season, batting .230 with one run and eight RBIs in 40 games. The versatile five-year veteran has played five positions in 2026, mainly seeing time at second base (34 games/30 starts).
In 496 games with Texas since being acquired from the New York Yankees in 2021, Smith has hit .236 with 32 homers and 136 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros put RHP Spencer Arrighetti (foot) on 15-day IL
Jul 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti (41) throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images In the thick of the American League West and AL wild-card races, the Houston Astros placed right-handed starter Spencer Arrighetti on the 15-day injured list Saturday with nerve irritation in his foot.
Arrighetti, 26, left Friday’s start against the Chicago White Sox after one inning and 33 pitches due to the foot issue.
In a corresponding move, Houston recalled left-handed reliever Bryan King from Triple-A Sugar Land.
In 17 starts this season, Arrighetti is 7-5 with a 4.60 ERA, allowing six or more earned runs in three of his final four starts before the All-Star break. The 2021 sixth-round pick, who debuted with Houston in 2024, is 15-23 with a 4.66 ERA in 53 games (52 starts).
The 29-year-old King has made 42 relief appearances with the Astros in 2026, posting a 2-3 record with a 3.40 ERA. Across his three MLB seasons, all with Houston, he is 8-7 with a 2.91 ERA in 138 relief outings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Athletics activate star Nick Kurtz (thumb) from IL
![Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) takes first base as Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) misses a catch during the first inning] at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.](https://dailyfacthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/29355296.jpg)
Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) takes first base as Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) misses a catch during the first inning] at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The Athletics activated All-Star first baseman Nick Kurtz from the 10-day injured list prior to Saturday’s road game against the Minnesota Twins.
Kurtz sustained a right thumb capsule sprain and was placed on the IL on July 10 and the injury forced him to miss the All-Star Game. He had been elevated to American League starter when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (back) of the Toronto Blue Jays backed out.
Kurtz is batting second and serving as the designated hitter on Saturday.
Kurtz exited a 6-1 loss at Detroit on July 8 after 1 1/2 innings after he appeared to hurt the hand while trying to field a throw in the bottom of the first. The following day, he was the designated hitter and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 4-1 loss to the Tigers.
Kurtz, 23, is batting .266 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 92 games. He was the unanimous 2025 AL Rookie of the Year with a .290 batting average, 36 home runs and 86 RBIs in just 117 games.
Third baseman Max Muncy was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. He was recalled by the A’s earlier this week and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in two games.
Muncy, 23, is batting .223 with five homers and 20 RBIs over 48 games. He has a .218 average in 111 big league games over the past two campaigns.
–Field Level Media
Rangers place 3B Josh Jung (calf) on 10-day IL
Astros put RHP Spencer Arrighetti (foot) on 15-day IL
