Sports
No. 3 Florida, No. 12 Texas A&M trying to shake off losses
Feb 25, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Florida Gators guard Will Richard (5) is stripped of the ball by Georgia Bulldogs guard Tyrin Lawrence (7) during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images For No. 3 Florida and No. 12 Texas A&M, it’s not whether the Southeastern Conference foes will make the NCAA Tournament, it’s more about where they will be seeded.
When the Gators (24-4, 11-4 SEC) take on the Aggies (20-8, 9-6) on Saturday in Gainesville, Fla., both teams will have a chance to enhance their resumes, which were damaged this week with losses to unranked teams.
While Florida is smarting from an 88-83 defeat Tuesday at Georgia, Texas A&M is reeling after its third straight loss, 86-84 at home to Vanderbilt on Wednesday.
“We have to figure out ways to improve because if you’re not improving this time of the year, it’s not status quo, you’re getting worse because other teams are improving,” Aggies coach Buzz Williams said.
The last three losses for Texas A&M have borne the same earmarks.
In each of the games, including a 77-69 loss at home to then-No. 6 Tennessee and a 70-54 defeat at then-No. 21 Mississippi State, the Aggies won the battle of the boards by at least seven. But in each of the games, they also committed more turnovers and shot worse than their foes.
The most telling difference has been in 3-point shooting. While the Aggies have hit 20 of 75 (26.7 percent) from deep during the skid, they have surrendered 32 of 76 (42.1 percent) shooting from long range.
“We have to finish at the rim better,” Williams said.
He can’t blame 6-foot-9 Minnesota transfer Pharrel Payne, who has made 13 of 18 shots during the losing streak, scoring 34 points and collecting 18 rebounds.
The Aggies need better work from their top two scorers. Wade Taylor IV missed all nine of his 3-point tries against Tennessee and Zhuric Phelps has made just 2 of 13 (15.4 percent) from deep and totaled twice as many turnovers (12) as assists (six) during the streak.
Texas A&M now faces a daunting task, playing two of the top three teams in the rankings. After Florida, the Aggies take on No. 1 Auburn on Tuesday.
The Gators were caught in a buzzsaw at Georgia as the hosts made 67.9 percent of their shots in the first half, including 7 of 9 from distance, as they built a 26-point lead.
Florida fought all the way back behind Will Richard, who scored 30 points. The Gators took the lead in the closing minutes but couldn’t sustain the momentum.
“We got caught up in the moment early, probably didn’t play with enough poise offensively,” Florida coach Todd Golden said.
It was the first rivalry win in seven attempts for former Florida coach Mike White since he took over at Georgia in 2022.
One positive note was the return of 6-foot-11 Alex Condon after he had missed two weeks with an ankle injury. He scored nine points off the bench.
There was little warning of a Gators’ letdown. The loss came after they had captured six straight, with all the wins coming by at least nine points. The streak included wins at No. 1 Auburn and then-No. 22 Mississippi State.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer's contract extended through 2032-33 season
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on before the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Alabama and coach Kalen DeBoer have reached agreement on a two-year contract extension through the 2032-33 season, the school announced Wednesday.
The deal will reportedly increase DeBoer’s earnings to $87.5 million over the next seven seasons.
The University of Alabama’s System Board of Trustees Compensation Committee formally approved the deal Wednesday.
DeBoer is 20-8 in two seasons with the Crimson Tide after taking over for legendary Nick Saban, who retired after the 2023 season.
“We are excited about the opportunity to continue our time in Tuscaloosa with this contract extension,” DeBoer said in a news release. “This University has become a special place to us, and I look forward to working to ensure that Alabama football remains at the forefront of college football.
“This program has a long history of success and an unmatched tradition that I was eager to be a part of two years ago, and I cannot wait to keep coaching our guys and bring more championships to Alabama.”
DeBoer’s contract reportedly includes a $10 million buyout through January that drops to $8 million for the following 12 months before dipping again to $6 million.
Alabama went 9-4 in DeBoer’s first season in 2024 and missed the College Football Playoff. It went 11-4 last season, defeating Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP before being annihilated 38-3 by eventual champion Indiana.
“We are pleased to extend Coach DeBoer and are proud to have him leading the Crimson Tide football program,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said in the news release. “He is an excellent coach and has done a commendable job developing our student-athletes.”
DeBoer, 51, is 57-17 over the last six seasons, including going 12-6 at Fresno State from 2020-21 and 25-3 at Washington in 2022-23. He guided the Huskies to the 2023 CFP title game before falling to Michigan.
Earlier in his career, DeBoer went 67-3 at Sioux Falls over five seasons, winning NAIA national championships in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Inaugural Bill Walton Classic set for Nov. 7 with heavy San Diego flavor
Bill Walton with sons Luke (left) a player with Arizona and Chris, a player with San Diego State, before a game at Cox Arena on Dec. 7, 2002. The inaugural Bill Walton Classic will be played on Nov. 7 in San Diego, the Hall of Famer’s longstanding residence until his death due to cancer on May 27, 2024, at age 71.
San Diego State will play a to-be-determined opponent in the men’s half of a doubleheader. Walton was a fixture at games on the SDSU campus when his son, Chris, played for the Aztecs from 2000-05.
Walton was born in suburban La Mesa, minutes from the San Diego State campus. The doubleheader will be played at Pechanga Arena, which was known as the San Diego Sports Arena when Walton played games there as a member of the NBA’s San Diego Clippers in the early 1980s.
“This is long overdue,” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said at a press conference at Helix High in La Mesa. “Bill Walton was a treasure and anything we can do to put his name out there, we’re all for it.”
Walton first came into national prominence when he starred at Helix High before attending UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden. Walton led the Bruins to two national titles, highlighted by his 21-of-22 shooting performance while scoring 44 points in an 87-66 rout of Memphis State in the 1973 title game.
The Portland Trail Blazers selected “the Big Red Head” with the No. 1 pick in the 1974 NBA draft. Three years later, Walton led the Blazers to their lone NBA title. After suffering through years of foot injuries, he earned another ring with the Boston Celtics in 1986 to cap his 468-game NBA career. He was league MVP in the 1977-78 season for Portland.
Walton was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. He continued to be a popular figure in his post-basketball life as a television commentator who would say off-the-cuff things and talk about this favorite band, the Grateful Dead.
“I’d love to wear something tie-dyed for that game,” Dutcher told reporters, referencing Walton’s love for such clothing.
The other Bill Walton Classic contest will be a women’s game between two local institutions: the University of San Diego and UC San Diego.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Who's No. 2? Books shifting from Arvell Reese to David Bailey for Jets
Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas Tech defensive lineman David Bailey (DL31) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images The New York Jets continue to hold their cards close to the vest when it comes to the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.
But the most popular online sportsbooks think they see a tell: Texas A&M pass rusher David Bailey has passed Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese as the favorite to be selected immediately after Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza hears his name called first by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Twenty-four hours ago, BetMGM listed Reese at -400 as the favorite to go No. 2 while Bailey could be secured at +200. At that time, Bailey had been backed by the most total bets at 21.2% and Reese by the most money at 37.2%. But by Wednesday night, Bailey moved into the favorite’s role at -145 while Reese has plummeted to +110.
DraftKings, meanwhile, listed Bailey as -150 to go No. 2 with Reese at +115 and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love a distant third at +8000.
This seismic surge occurred despite Bailey having his “top 30” visit to Jets headquarters canceled by the team. Jets coach Aaron Glenn downplayed not bringing Bailey in for a pre-draft visit, then Bailey supported that view Wednesday by saying he has spent plenty of time with the team’s brass and recently caught up with them on FaceTime.
Yet another question: Will the Jets hold on to that second overall pick?
New York owns five of the top 103 selections in the draft and could opt to move down or stay put at No. 2 and/or No. 16 on Thursday night. The Jets also have a pair of second-round picks on Friday night.
If the team stays put at No. 2, the question between Bailey and Reese has been one of the more interesting pre-draft debates.
The 6-foot-4, 243-pound Reese ranks the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2026 draft by Field Level Media, followed immediately by the 6-3, 247-pound Bailey.
Bailey tied for the NCAA lead with 14.5 sacks last season and is a weight-room warrior who explodes off the ball. He has been compared to Denver Broncos pass rusher Nik Bonitto, who faced similar questions about his potential as a run defender coming out of Oklahoma prior to the 2022 draft.
Reese could be a reliable edge setter in a 3-4 or a thumping presence in the middle of a 4-3. He also can stick with tight ends in coverage, and provides a tantalizing combination of tools and versatility. A comp to retired pass rusher Barkevious Mingo, who by all accounts failed to live up to pre-draft expectations, might have many NFL personnel in the Jets’ shoes favoring Bailey.
–Field Level Media
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer's contract extended through 2032-33 season
Inaugural Bill Walton Classic set for Nov. 7 with heavy San Diego flavor
