Sports
No. 3 Houston, No. 5 Iowa State both begin series of Big 12 clashes
Iowa State Cyclones forward Milan Momcilovic (22) celebrates after winning 74-56 over Kansas in the Big-12 conference basketball showdown on Feb. 14, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum, in Ames, Iowa. Expect the fur to fly and defense to be front and center when No. 3 Houston and No. 5 Iowa State square off Monday in the latest of a series of titanic Big 12 Conference clashes in Ames, Iowa.
Monday’s game is the second of three contests in a row against ranked teams for Iowa State, and the first of a three-game stretch versus opponents ranked in the top 25 for the Cougars over an eight-day period.
The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3 Big 12) bounced back from a mid-week road loss to TCU with a dominating 74-56 win at home over No. 9 Kansas on Saturday. The 18-point margin in the victory was Iowa State’s largest in a win over the Jayhawks since 1973, and the win avenged a 21-point loss to Kansas on Jan. 13 that handed the Cyclones their first setback of the season.
Milan Momcilovic poured in 18 points for Iowa State in the win while hitting four 3-pointers. Joshua Jefferson, Tamin Lipsey, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Batemon added 11 points each for the Cyclones, who held Kansas to 37.3% shooting from the floor and won for the sixth time in their past seven games.
“Our guys were really locked in,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “I thought it was at a very high level in terms of how we pressured the ball, how physical we were, how we were ahead of plays in the first half to turn them. Our defensive intensity was at a very high level.”
Iowa State is a perfect 14-0 at home this year and 47-2 on its home court over the past three seasons. That streak will be tested — in a big way — by Houston’s visit.
“We have tremendous respect for their program,” Otzelberger said about the Cougars. “We know how good they are and the things that they can do, the problems they can pose. It’s always balancing the necessary amount of get rest and get your body to bounce back, come to practice with great mental focus and intent and get prepared to play a really good team.”
Houston (23-2, 11-1 Big 12) heads north after riding its defense to a 78-64 win at home over Kansas State on Saturday afternoon. Emanuel Sharp scored 23 points to pace the Cougars, who overcame a ragged first half in which they made just two of their first 15 shots before finding their stride. Houston held Kansas State scoreless over the final 5:24 of the first half, during which it turned a one-point lead into a 14-point advantage.
“Basketball is not a very complicated game — when you make shots, you look pretty, and when you miss them it’s ugly,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “I think we lead the world in ugly wins, but we are still 23-2, 11-1, so that’s pretty good.”
Milos Uzan and Kingston Flemings added 12 points each for Houston, which won its sixth straight game despite committing a season-high 15 turnovers.
“I won’t spend one minute tonight worrying about this game — not one minute,” Sampson said after Saturday’s win. “We’ll see if we can go and shock the world because that’s what it would be. Iowa State doesn’t lose at home. Neither do we. Neither does Kansas. Neither does Arizona.”
After Monday’s contest, Houston hosts No. 1 Arizona on Saturday and then travels to No. 9 Kansas on Feb. 23.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros sign Cavan Biggio to minor-league deal
May 23, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Cavan Biggio (18) celebrates his double against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images Cavan Biggio is following in his father’s footsteps.
The son of Astros legend Craig Biggio signed a minor league deal with Houston on Sunday.
The contract includes an invitation to spring training as a non-roster player.
Biggio spent 2025 with the Kansas City Royals, though he only played in 37 games and made just 83 plate appearances. His best season came during his rookie year with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019, when he recorded 16 home runs and 48 RBIs over 100 games.
The 30-year-old Biggio has a career average of .223 to go along with 52 homers and 190 RBIs across seven seasons with the Royals, Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.
Biggio’s main asset during his big-league career has been his defensive versatility. He’s played at every position except pitcher and catcher, including 219 starts at second base and 104 combined starts at all three outfield positions.
Craig Biggio, 60, spent 20 years with the Astros during his Hall of Fame career.
The Astros will play their first spring training game Feb. 21 against the Washington Nationals.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Lindsey Vonn out of hospital, returning to U.S.
Feb 6, 2026; Cortina d’Ampezzo, ITALY; Lindsey Vonn of the United States in women’s downhill training during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images Lindsey Vonn was discharged from a hospital in Italy on Sunday morning and headed to the airport to return to the United States, Reuters reported.
Vonn was admitted to Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso after a devastating crash in the women’s downhill at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Feb. 8. The 41-year-old had come out of retirement to race in the Winter Games.
She has had four surgeries on her injured left leg since the crash. It occurred when her arm hooked around a gate, sending her flying into the snow and causing a complex tibia fracture just 13 seconds into the race.
Vonn was competing through a torn ACL in her left knee sustained nine days prior to her event in the final tune-up race at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, the latest hurdle in an injury-plagued career that saw her win three Olympic medals (one gold) and more than 80 World Cup races before initially retiring in 2019. Vonn appeared to still be in medal contention, finishing with the third-best time in the final training run.
She had been striving to become the oldest Alpine skiing medalist in Winter Olympics history. She won two downhill races on the World Cup circuit this season and finished on the podium in three others.
It is unclear if she will need to be hospitalized in the United States or whether she will face additional surgeries.
In an Instagram post on Saturday, Vonn said she welcomed being able to return home but was reflective about the race that put her in the hospital. And she vowed to return to the slopes.
“I have been reading a lot of messages and comments saying that what has happened to me makes them sad. Please, don’t be sad. Empathy, love and support I welcome with an open heart, but please not sadness or sympathy. I hope instead it gives you strength to keep fighting, because that is what I am doing and that is what I will continue to do. Always,” she said in her lengthy message.
“When I think back on my crash, I didn’t stand in the starting gate unaware of the potential consequences. I knew what I was doing. I chose to take a risk. Every skier in that starting gate took the same risk. Because even if you are the strongest person in the world, the mountain always holds the cards.
“… So please, don’t feel sad. The ride was worth the fall. When I close my eyes at night I don’t have regrets and the love I have for skiing remains. I am still looking forward to the moment when I can stand on the top of the mountain once more. And I will.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Netherlands' Femke Kok takes speed skating 500m gold; Erin Jackson 5th
Femke Kok of the Netherlands in action with Erin Jackson of the United States during the women’s 500m at the Winter Games in Milan on Sunday. Kok won the gold medal.
MILAN — World record holder Femke Kok asserted her dominance in the women’s 500 meters to win Winter Olympics gold and deliver the Netherlands a second speed skating title at the Milan Cortina Games on Sunday.
Kok finished second behind Jutta Leerdam in the 1,000m on Monday but swapped places with her compatriot on the podium in the 500m.
Miho Takagi, Japan’s most decorated female Olympian, won the bronze to take her medal tally to nine over four Games.
Floridian Erin Jackson, who made history four years ago as the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold in an individual sport, finished fifth-fastest.
Winner of the last three world championship golds in the 500m, Kok tore through the distance in an Olympic record time of 36.49 seconds, finishing 0.66 seconds clear of Leerdam.
It was the 25-year-old sprint specialist’s first Olympic gold medal in her second Games.
All eyes were on the 15th and final pairing where Kok, in the outside lane, was pitched against defending champion Jackson.
Jackson initially gained a slight edge that forced Kok to chase but the Dutchwoman unleashed a ferocious final surge as a sea of orange-clad supporters in the stands roared her home.
The Dutch now have eight medals in speed skating at Milan Cortina: two golds, five silvers and a bronze.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
Astros sign Cavan Biggio to minor-league deal
Report: Lindsey Vonn out of hospital, returning to U.S.
