Connect with us

Sports

No. 6 Alabama visits No.5 Tennessee in SEC heavyweight matchup

NCAA Basketball: Mississippi State at AlabamaFeb 25, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide forward Grant Nelson (4) shoots against Mississippi State Bulldogs forward KeShawn Murphy (3) during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Following perhaps their most dominating performance of the season, No. 6 Alabama will attempt to duplicate that Saturday afternoon when they meet No. 5 Tennessee in a Southeastern Conference heavyweight matchup in Knoxville, Tenn.

After Tuesday night’s 111-73 mauling of No. 24 Mississippi State, Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats still somehow found a complaint: his club’s intensity and identity in the defensive end.

“We’ve got to have a disposition to get stops and really try to get a defensive mindset no matter what the score is,” said Oats after the massive blowout in which Alabama led the Bulldogs by 26 points at halftime. “A little unhappy with our defense, but it’s hard to be unhappy when you get a win like this.”

Seemingly, it would be hard for him to have much to be upset about regarding Alabama (23-5, 12-3), which has won nine of 11 contests and two straight.

Even the pair of setbacks in that stretch were not stunners: to No. 1 Auburn at home and at then-No. 15 Missouri in consecutive contests.

Muscle Shoals, Ala., native Mark Sears grips the steering wheel guiding the nation’s best offense — 91.5 points per game — which set a season high in the 111-point explosion.

The senior guard is averaging 19 points and five assists per game, but Oats praises his defensive play as much as anything.

“I’ve been telling you guys, he’s been playing the best basketball of his career on both sides,” Oats said. “For him to have a positive defensive leverage, that hasn’t always been the case.”

Aden Holloway and Grant Nelson each average 12 points, with the latter leading the team with 7.9 rebounds per game and 36 total blocks.

The Volunteers (23-5, 10-5) go about their business a little differently by relying on one of the top scoring defenses, allowing just 60.8 points per outing.

However, while the defense has carried the team, the club’s shooting has been critical: When Tennessee puts the ball in the bucket on an average basis, the Volunteers win.

When it does not, the numbers are generally similar to the atrocious shooting evident in a 73-43 blowout loss at then-No. 8 Florida, the Vols’ worst loss this season as they made just 12 baskets and were 4 of 29 from distance.

However, the long-range shooting has been strong during the Volunteers’ current three-game winning streak. Led by Chaz Lanier’s career-best 8 of 13 showing in last Saturday’s win over No. 12 Texas A&M, coach Rick Barnes’ squad has made 40 percent (28 of 70).

Lanier averages a team-best 17.8 points after his season-high 30-point outing. Zakai Zeigler scores 13.6 and leads in assists with 7.3. Igor Milicic Jr. leads with 7.6 boards and Felix Okpara grabs 6.4.

“We’ve had different guys have to slide into different roles like most teams. We won a game without Zakai one night when he couldn’t play,” Barnes said after winning 65-59 at LSU Tuesday. “Whatever, like (Jordan) Gainey was sick tonight.”

The focus from player-to-player at Tennessee is ultimately on defense, though.

“I’d argue Zeigler and (Jahmai) Mashack are two of the five best individual defenders in the country,” said LSU coach Matt McMahon. “We just weren’t able to create enough good looks there.”

The Vols have claimed the last three meetings in the series and are 49-24 at home all-time, but Alabama leads overall at 82-73.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Orioles do all their damage in the eighth, stun Guardians 6-4

MLB: Baltimore Orioles at Cleveland GuardiansApr 17, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jeremiah Jackson (82) hits a three-run home run in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

Jeremiah Jackson hit a three-run homer off Connor Brogdon as part of a six-run eighth inning, rallying the visiting Baltimore Orioles to a 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Friday night.

Jackson’s fifth home run of the season came with two outs, capping a wild turn of events that saw the Orioles score six times off relievers Shawn Armstrong, Erik Sabrowski and Brogdon on two hits, three walks and a hit by pitch.

Cleveland had taken a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh on Daniel Schneemann’s second career grand slam, a towering 407-foot drive to right off Anthony Nunez, before Baltimore stormed back to snap its three-game losing streak.

Rico Garcia (2-0) was awarded the win for working a clean eighth inning, while Ryan Helsley earned his sixth save in six opportunities. Sabrowski (0-1) allowed two runs and recorded two outs for the loss.

Baltimore pulled within 4-3 on a sacrifice fly from Johnathan Rodriguez and a two-run double by fellow pinch hitter Weston Wilson before Brogdon entered to face Jackson. Sabrowski came in after Armstrong put three aboard without getting an out.

Schneemann’s slam caused the first inherited runs by the Orioles’ bullpen in their 20th game. Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter and Jose Ramirez reached against Grant Wolfram, including Kwan on an error by second baseman Jackson that made three of the runs unearned.

Tanner Bibee tossed a season-high six innings for the Guardians, striking out five in his initial scoreless appearance of 2026. The right-hander allowed four hits and three walks, but remained winless in five outings.

Orioles starter Chris Bassitt threw 100 pitches over five scoreless innings, giving up four hits and four walks with two strikeouts. The righty, who is still seeking his first win, stranded seven runners in his longest outing of the year.

There was a delay in the fifth when Baltimore right fielder Colton Cowser collided with the wall while catching a foul ball by DeLauter. He remained in the game after having his knees checked out by a trainer.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Bubba Chandler shines as Pirates snap Rays' six-game streak

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at Pittsburgh PiratesApr 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler (36) delivers a pitch to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

Bubba Chandler allowed one run over six innings and the host Pittsburgh Pirates totaled 11 hits to secure a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.

Chandler (1-1) struck out three, allowed three hits and walked one while throwing 90 pitches in his first career start against the Rays, who had a six-game winning streak snapped.

Marcell Ozuna, Spencer Horwitz and Brandon Lowe each had three hits to lead the Pirates. Lowe had two doubles and two RBIs against his former team. Ozuna continued to break out of a slump with his eighth hit in his past 20 at-bats after starting the season with a 2-for-39 stretch.

After Chandler limited Tampa Bay to one hit over his first 5 2/3 innings, Junior Caminero drove in the Rays’ lone run in the top of the sixth with a game-tying, two-out single.

Oneil Cruz broke the tie with two outs in the bottom of that inning when he smacked a two-run home run off Rays reliever Griffin Jax over the right field fence.

Horwitz’s second-inning double scored Ozuna to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead.

Chandler retired 10 in a row until Chandler Simpson’s two-out single on a high chopper that went off Chandler’s glove and allowed him to beat the throw to first. Simpson reached second on a wild pitch and then scored on Caminero’s single.

Rays starter Nick Martinez (0-1) threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts. He was lifted in the sixth after allowing a leadoff single to Horwitz and inducing a fielder’s choice from Konnor Griffin. After stealing second, Griffin advanced to third on a wild pitch by Jax. Cruz then delivered his sixth homer of the season.

The Rays had two runners on base in the ninth after a double by Yandy Diaz and after Ben Williamson drew a walk from Pirates closer Dennis Santana. But Santana induced a game-ending popup in foul ground by Cedric Mullins.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Ramos powers Giants past host Nationals

MLB: San Francisco Giants at Washington NationalsApr 17, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants infielder Luis Arraez (L) and Giants center fielder Drew Gilbert (R) walk back to the dugout after scoring runs on a two run single by Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (not pictured) against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Heliot Ramos hit a three-run home run, Drew Gilbert and Casey Schmitt added solo shots and the San Francisco Giants beat the Nationals 10-5 in Washington on Friday night.

Matt Chapman had three hits and drove in three runs for the Giants, who have won two in row.

Logan Webb (2-2) went six innings for the win, allowing four runs on seven hits.

After scoring three runs or less in five straight games, the Giants jumped in front with a six-run second inning.

James Wood and Daylen Lile homered, and Jose Tena had three hits for the Nationals.

Washington’s Zack Littell (0-2) gave up eight runs on 11 hits over four innings.

Schmitt and Jung Hoo Lee opened the second inning with singles and Ramos followed with his first homer of the season, a three-run shot to center, to make it 3-0.

After Daniel Susac singled and was thrown out attempting to steal, Gilbert walked and Willy Adames singled. Littell retired Luis Arraez on a groundout as both runners advanced, and Champman lined a single to left center to make it 5-0. Rafael Devers doubled over the head of Wood in right and the lead was 6-0.

The Nationals got one back in the third. Tena singled and went to third on a single by Keibert Ruiz. Wood struck out, but Brady House grounded into a fielder’s choice and Tena scored.

Gilbert homered leading off the fourth to make it 7-1. Adames doubled and went to third on a ground out. With the infield in, Chapman singled between short and third to increase the lead to 8-1.

Joey Wiemer singled leading off the bottom half and Lile homered to center to pull Washington within 8-3.

Lile walked with one out in the sixth and scored on a two-out single by Tena.

Schmitt homered in the seventh to make it 9-4, but Wood answered in the bottom half to make it 9-5.

Ramos walked with the bases loaded in the ninth to push the lead to 10-5.

Luis Arraez had two singles and has hit safely in each of his 12 career games at Nationals Park.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading