Sports
Ohio State clicking, follows Bruce Thornton into Iowa rematch
Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) reacts to a made shot and foul call during the second half of the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Value City Arena on Jan. 27, 2025. Ohio State won 82-65. Not himself recently, Iowa is banking on Bennett Stirtz to find his March magic.
Stirtz scored 17 points with eight assists and six rebounds for the Hawkeyes on Wednesday, including 13 points in the second half, to send Iowa (21-11) to a third-round Big Ten tournament matchup with eighth-seeded Ohio State (20-11) on Thursday in Chicago.
The Big Ten’s third-leading scorer in the regular season (20.2 points per game), Stirtz caught fire against Maryland after freshman Cooper Koch ignited the perimeter shooting for the Hawkeyes. Koch has at least five 3-pointers in three of his last four games.
Stirtz had 22 points in Iowa’s 74-57 win over Ohio State three weeks ago, but Iowa finished a rung beneath the Buckeyes in the conference standings. The Hawkeyes are the No. 9 seed and had a 10-10 record in the Big Ten entering the tournament; Ohio State was 12-8.
“It’s going to be a fight. They’re playing for their postseason, so are we,” Iowa coach Ben McCollum said Wednesday afternoon.
McCollum and Stirtz got their first Big Ten tournament win on Wednesday. But the March mission is nothing new to the tandem, which arrived from Drake on the heels of a 31-win season. Before that, they were together at banner-heavy Northwest Missouri State. They won consecutive Division II national titles before the move to Drake.
Ohio State coach Jake Diebler believes the Buckeyes are hitting their stride at the right time.
“There’s a lot that’s going on that’s helped us play the way we are lately,” Diebler said. “A lot of that is getting healthy. That’s helped. What also has been probably the most important ingredient is the chemistry this team has. They have each other’s back. It’s a really close group.
“We’re peaking at the right time.”
The loss to Iowa in February appeared to be an awakening for Ohio State. The Buckeyes are 3-0 since that game with an upset of then-No. 8 Purdue.
The Hawkeyes, who missed the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons, aren’t taking anything for granted after the win. Iowa ended Ohio State’s season with a 77-70 win in the conference tournament last season, albeit with a vastly different roster and head coach.
This is the fourth consecutive year the teams are paired in the Big Ten tournament. Ohio State won in 2023 and 2024.
Three-time All-Big Ten pick Bruce Thornton became the Buckeyes’ all-time leading scorer on Senior Night.
“He and I have had a lot of conversations about this season,” Diebler said of Thornton, who covets the March stage. “He was committed to having great joy this season. He has embraced the moment. He hasn’t made it about himself. And a lot of people would. I wish you guys could follow him around and see what he does. Because he’s earned this.
“I want it for him. I’ve wanted this for him in the worst way.”
Thornton leads Ohio State in scoring this season at 20.1 points per game along with averages of 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. John Mobley Jr. averages 15.9 points and leads the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (42.9).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Why Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Game Isn’t the Same as Kobe Bryant's Historic Night
On Tuesday night, Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards.
Adebayo’s big game dethroned Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game as the second-best individual performance in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game. By dropping 83 points, Adebayo also became the highest-scoring living NBA player.
It’s a moment that deserves celebration. Clearly, it meant something to Adebayo, who was hunting baskets on a random Tuesday in March against one of the worst teams in the NBA.
But that last part is exactly why Adebayo won’t get all of the flowers for this feat. Because partially, his 83-point game is what’s wrong with the NBA.
The Wizards deserve to be relegated.
Seriously.
Of course, the NBA has evolved over the years. There are plenty of players in the league capable of scoring 50, 60, 70, and clearly 80+ points on a given night. But on the list of players capable of surpassing Bryant’s 81 points? Adebayo’s name is pretty far down on that list.
A 31-point first quarter gave this feat hope on Tuesday evening. But it just goes to show that the Wizards aren’t even trying to win games at this point in the season.
With the defeat, Washington devolved to 16-48. They’re two losses away from their 50th loss of the season. Unfortunately for the NBA, the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings have already claimed their 50th loss.
For casual NBA fans, there was no reason to tune into Tuesday night’s game against the lowly Wizards and Heat. Miami is the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, but there’s no reason to believe they’ll do anything of substance in the postseason.
Did Adebayo’s 83-point game really change anyone’s belief about the Heat this season? No.
Adebayo shot 43 free throws against the Wizards. He’s a great player who proved capable of an incredible feat. But beyond that? The Wizards are actively trying to lose games and had no intentions on stopping him even before the opening tip.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver is likely to step in at some point this offseason to try and fix tanking in the NBA. It’s a difficult issue. But teams like the Wizards, who have been bad for seemingly forever, need to find a way to get themselves off the mat.
Adebayo deserves his moment in the limelight for what he accomplished on Tuesday night.
But let’s not pretend this feat is anywhere near what Bryant did when he scored 81.
Sports
Golf Glance: Elite field for The Players' $25M purse; LIV returns to Singapore
Scottie Scheffler tees off on the 17th hole during the second round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach on Friday March 14, 2025. Scheffler is the only back-to-back winner of The Players. The smallest field in the history of The Players Championship tackles the iconic TPC Sawgrass with the PGA Tour’s largest purse at stake, while Jon Rahm looks to keep his red-hot LIV Golf streak going in Singapore.
PGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: The Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., March 12-15
Course: TPC Sawgrass (Par 72, 7,352 Yards)
Purse: $25M (Winner: $4.5M)
Defending Champion: Rory McIlroy
FedEx Cup Leader: Collin Morikawa
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 1-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday: 2-7 p.m. (NBC); Sunday: 1-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. ET; Saturday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @ThePlayers
NOTES: Each of the past six winners of The Players entered the week inside the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking, and this week’s field includes 46 of the top 50 players. … This is the first of five events this season that offer 750 FedExCup points to the winner, and the winner earns a five-year PGA Tour exemption. … Seven of the first nine events have been won by players in their 20s. … Five of the past six Players were decided by no more than one shot. … Joel Dahmen, Taylor Moore, Seamus Power and Andrew Putnam qualified for the field through their FedExCup ranking through the Cognizant Classic. … Only three players have converted the 54-hole lead/co-lead into a victory at The Players since 2016: Jason Day (2016), Webb Simpson (2018) and Scottie Scheffler (2023). … Brooks Koepka is in the field as part of his return to the PGA Tour via the Returning Member Program. To round out threesomes, the field was expanded to 123 with the addition of Patton Kizzire and Seamus Power. It still marks the smallest field in tournament history. … 2021 Players champion Justin Thomas will make his second start in his return from November back surgery. … Fourteen players are making their tournament debut, including seven tour rookies… Greg Norman holds the tournament scoring record of 264 set in 1994.
BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+435 at DraftKings) won at TPC Sawgrass in 2023-24 and seeks to join Jack Nicklaus as the only three-time winners of The Players. … Rory McIlroy (+1475) is also a two-time winner of The Players, but did not arrive at TPC Sawgrass until Wednesday after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer due to back spasms. … Collin Morikawa (+2050) leads the FedExCup standings following his T-7 at the Genesis and solo fifth at the Arnold Palmer in addition to his win at Pebble Beach. … Ludvig Aberg (+2900) is coming off a T3 at Bay Hill and finished solo eighth here in 2024 before missing the cut last year. … Chris Gotterup (+4700) offers intriguing odds for the only two-time winner on tour so far this season. … Sepp Straka (+5600) provides longshot odds despite entering the week ranked ninth in the world. He had a T-2 at Pebble Beach and finished T-13 last week.
Last Tournament: Arnold Palmer Invitational (Akshay Bhatia)
Next Tournament: Valspar Championship, Palm Harbor, Fla. (March 19-22)
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
THIS WEEK: LIV Golf Singapore, March 12-15
Course: Sentosa Golf Club (Par 71, 7,406 Yards)
Purses: Individual: $30M (Winner: $4M); Team: $10M (Winners: $3M)
Defending Champions: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Fireballs GC
2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC
HOW TO WATCH
TV: Wednesday: 9-11 p.m. ET (Fox Sports app), 11 p.m.-2 a.m. (FS1); Thursday: 9-11:30 p.m. (Fox Sports app), 11:30 p.m.-2 a.m. (FS1); Friday: 9:30-10:30 p.m. (FS2), 10:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. (FS); Saturday: 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (FS1)
X: @livgolf_league
NOTES: This is the fourth of 14 events this season as LIV Golf returns to Singapore for the fourth consecutive year. … Rahm has four runner-ups and a win in his past five LIV events. … HyFlyers GC captain Phil Mickelson will miss his fourth consecutive event due to an undisclosed family matter and will be replaced by Wade Ormsby. … The daily shotgun start includes 13 teams and 57 total players, including five wild cards. … Thomas Detry (No. 61) and Elvis Smylie (No. 73) have two events remaining to climb into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking and earn a spot into the Masters.
Last Event: LIV Golf Hong Kong (Individual: Rahm; Team: 4Aces GC)
Next Event: LIV Golf South Africa, Steyn City, March 19-22
LPGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: OFF.
Race to CME Globe Leader: Jeeno Thitikul
Last Tournament: Blue Bay LPGA (Mi Hyang Lee)
Next Tournament: Fortinet Founders Cup, Menlo Park, Calif., March 19-22
DP WORLD TOUR
THIS WEEK: OFF.
Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed
Last Tournament: Joburg Open (Dan Bradbury)
Next Tournament: Hainan Classic, Hainan Island, China, March 19-22
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
THIS WEEK: OFF.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink
Last Tournament: James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational (Zach Johnson)
Next Tournament: Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 20-22
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Oregon State to tab Michigan assistant Justin Joyner as coach
Michigan forward Will Tschetter (42) talks to assistant coach Justin Joyner during the second half against Washington at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. Oregon State is expected to hire Michigan assistant Justin Joyner as its next head coach, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday.
Joyner effectively will replace head coach Wayne Tinkle. The university announced on Feb. 26 that it planned to part ways with Tinkle at the end of the 2025-26 season.
The Beavers (17-16, 9-9 West Coast Conference) saw their season come to an end with a 65-56 setback to Gonzaga on Monday in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
Joyner, 38, is no stranger to the West Coast, having spent seven seasons at Saint Mary’s before working as an assistant with Dusty May in Michigan. Joyner’s wife, Tracy, is the women’s soccer coach at Oregon.
Tinkle completed his 12th season leading the Beavers, over which he has amassed a 177-206 record. He led Oregon State to just two NCAA Tournament appearances but made a famous run in one of them, taking the Beavers to the first Pac-12 tournament championship in program history and their first Elite Eight appearance since 1982 during the 2020-21 season.
Tinkle, 60, previously was the head coach at Montana, his alma mater, from 2006-14, leading the Grizzlies to NCAA Tournament appearances as the Big Sky Conference champion in 2010, 2012 and 2013.
–Field Level Media
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Why Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Game Isn’t the Same as Kobe Bryant's Historic Night
