Sports
No. 4 Duke, Syracuse both optimistic ahead of ACC clash
Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) reacts after scoring and being fouled during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images No. 4 Duke has plenty to be excited about entering the last few weeks of the regular season, and Syracuse might have some renewed hope heading into the final stretch.
The teams clash for the only time this regular season Monday night at Durham, N.C., in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Duke (23-2, 12-1 ACC) has won back-to-back games since its only conference loss, maintaining first place in the league. Saturday’s victory against No. 20 Clemson also means the Blue Devils have knocked off eight ranked teams.
“We don’t try to make statements to anybody else,” Duke swingman Isaiah Evans said. “I feel like we just look at every game as an opportunity to find out about ourselves.”
Syracuse (15-11, 6-7) is coming off a pair of riveting home victories. There was Wednesday night’s double-overtime conquest of California and Saturday’s 79-78 comeback triumph against SMU on Nate Kingz’s basket with 2.3 seconds remaining.
“The fight that these guys had these last two games,” Syracuse coach Adrian Autry said. “There’s no quit in this team. We have some dips here and there, but they continue to fight.”
The Orange will aim for their first three-game winning streak since their first three games in January. This will be a sizable challenge.
“It’s Duke, obviously, playing at their homecourt,” Autry said.
He added: “We’ll get to work, and we’ll put together a game (plan) and go down there and execute it.”
The Blue Devils are embracing the quick turnaround for Monday’s matchup.
“It’s pretty much how the (NCAA) Tournament is,” Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer said. “It’s really just about moving on from this (Clemson) game, whether you have good feelings or bad feelings, washing them all away and getting prepared for Monday.”
Boozer has led all players in points, rebounds and assists in six games this season, breaking a tie with Tim Duncan for the most for an ACC player over the last 30 seasons.
Yet the 67-54 victory against Clemson was defined in large part by defense. That was fine with the Blue Devils.
“I think we needed a game like this, an elite defensive performance, a lot of effort,” Boozer said.
Syracuse matched its season-high for 3-point baskets with 11 on Saturday. All five starters scored in the first five minutes against SMU.
Syracuse freshman Kiyan Anthony, who had been benched for a game recently, came through with 13 points Saturday, matching his high mark in ACC play.
“He made some big shots, finished plays and he played with the intensity you need to play with,” Autry said. “Another example of this team, and one particular player, just still fighting, staying ready. … The one thing about Kiyan is that he’s resilient.”
With key contributors coming off the Syracuse bench, it meant guard J.J. Starling played only 19 minutes. He scored four points.
“This is one game, JJ will be ready on Monday,” Autry said. “He’s the leader of this team.”
Duke, which will be bidding for its 30th consecutive home victory, has outrebounded 21 of its 25 opponents. Blue Devils reserve Maliq Brown will be playing against his former team.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Arizona F Koa Peat nursing lower leg injury
Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) looks for a pass against Kansas Jayhawks during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 9, 2026. Freshman forward Koa Peat sat out the second half of top-ranked Arizona’s 78-75 loss to No. 16 Texas Tech with a lower-body injury on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.
“We’re gonna figure it out. It’s a lower leg deal,” Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd said of Peat’s injury. “I know (trainer Justin Kokoskie) and the doctors are on it and I’m sure they’ll do some testing and we’ll figure out where it’s at. But I don’t have anything other than that.”
Peat, who is a projected first-round NBA draft pick, finished with two points and a rebound in 11 minutes of action on Saturday.
He is averaging 13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 25 games for Arizona (23-2, 10-2 Big 12), which has lost two in a row following a 23-game winning streak to start the season.
The Wildcats return to action on Wednesday against BYU (19-6, 7-5).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Twisted Minds show grit in winning OWCS Pre-Season Bootcamp
A custom gaming keyboard backlit with red LED lights waits for tactile input before Manual took on Boone County in a Rocket League match, which was streamed on YouTube on Thursday, March 5, 2020. Twisted Minds overcame a two-map deficit in the semifinals before coasting to a 4-1 victory over Crazy Raccoon in the grand final of the Overwatch Champions Series Pre-Season Bootcamp on Sunday in Seoul.
Twisted Minds found themselves on the brink of elimination to Team Liquid in the semifinals after dropping a 2-1 setback on Lijiang Tower and 134.14m-85.66m decision on Esperanca. Twisted Minds, however, reversed course by posting a 3-0 win on Eichenwalde, a 3-1 victory on Havana and a 139.62m-45.31m triumph on Colosseo.
Twisted Minds had a much easier time of it versus Crazy Raccoon. They bolted out to a fast start, courtesy of a 2-1 win on Busan, 3-2 victory on Blizzard World and 139.62m-39.81m triumph on Colosseo. Crazy Raccoon briefly halted the momentum with a 2-1 win on Shambali Monastery, however Twisted Minds ended the match with a 138.31m-52.44m victory on Esperanca.
OWCS PRE-SEASON BOOTCAMP CHAMPIONS ????
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— Twisted Minds ?? (@TwisMinds) February 15, 2026
Crazy Raccoon advanced to the grand final with a 3-2 triumph over Team Falcons. Crazy Raccoon won the first two maps and Team Falcons countered with two victories of their own before the latter rebounded with a 2-0 victory on Lijiang Tower.
Twelve teams took part in the $25,000 event that kicked off the 2026 Overwatch Champions Series. Teams from North America, the EMEA region, China, Japan and elsewhere in Asia were invited.
The single-elimination bracket saw teams seeded by regional and 2025 World Finals performance. Sunday’s grand final was a first-to-four-wins competition.
Overwatch Champions Series 2026 Pre-Season Bootcamp prize pool
1. $15,000 — Twisted Minds
2. $5,000 — Crazy Raccoon
3-4. $2,500 — Team Falcons, Team Liquid
5-8. No money — Team Peps, Weibo Gaming, T1, Virtus.pro
9-12. No money — Disguised, VARREL, Dallas Fuel, All Gamers
–Field Level Media
Sports
Leylah Fernandez comes from set down to win in Dubai
Jan 20, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Leylah Fernandez of Canada in action against Janice Tjen of Indonesia in the first round of the women’s singles at the Australian Open at ANZ Arena in Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images Leylah Fernandez of Canada rallied to upset No. 13 Liudmila Samsonova 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in the opening round of the Dubai Duty Free Championship in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday.
With her loss in the two-hour, 52-minute match, Samsonova dropped to 0-5 in three-set matches in 2026.
Samsonova and Fernandez played a tough first set, punctuated by 11 deuce points spread over three games. It wasn’t until the 11th game of the set, with Fernandez serving at 5-5, that Samsonova was able to forge ahead with a break to take the lead, then serve for the win.
The second set was nearly a carbon copy with another late break. Samsonova was serving down 6-5 to stay in the set, but Fernandez broke serve to take the set.
In the third, Samsonova fell behind by two break points at 5-0 before Fernandez forged ahead for the win in the WTA 1000 event.
The only other seeded player in action Sunday was Czech Linda Noskova, a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 winner over Ann Li. Noskova withstood 13 aces from the American, also helped by winning points on 73% of her first serves.
Surviving another three-set match was Magda Linette of Poland, a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 winner over Lulu Su of New Zealand.
With the top two women’s players in the world, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Iga Swiatek of Poland, pulling out of the Dubai tournament, Elena Rybakina of Ukraine is the top seed. She had a bye to the second round, and she will meet Kimberly Birrell of Australia, who topped Tatjana Maria of Germany. 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
Also advancing to the second round were Janice Tjen of Indonesia, American Peyton Stearns, Elise Mertens of Belgium, Czech Barbora Krejcikova, Ella Seidel of Germany and Russia’s Diana Shnaider.
A trio of Americans — No. 2 seed Amanda Anisimova, No. 3 Coco Gauff and No. 4 Jessica Pegula — all have a first-round bye and will make their tournament debuts in the second round on either Monday or Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
Arizona F Koa Peat nursing lower leg injury
Twisted Minds show grit in winning OWCS Pre-Season Bootcamp
