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Oklahoma State, Utah look inward for more respectable defense

NCAA Basketball: Utah at Brigham YoungJan 24, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Utah Utes head coach Alex Jensen speaks to Utah Utes guard Obomate Abbey (21) forward Keanu Dawes (8) during the first half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Both Oklahoma State and Utah have had a full week to consider what they need to improve to save their seasons.

The answer, in both cases, ought to come down to defense.

The two most porous scoring defenses in the Big 12 Conference will try to plug their holes when the Cowboys visit the Utes on Saturday night in Salt Lake City.

Utah (9-11, 1-6 Big 12) is third-to-last in the conference standings and dead last in scoring defense at 81.5 points per game allowed. Oklahoma State (14-6, 2-5) ranks second-to-last in the category at 80.4 ppg allowed.

The Utes were sent packing by No. 13 BYU as their rivals won 91-78 last Saturday to sweep the season series. Star freshman AJ Dybantsa dropped 43 points on Utah by making 15 of 24 shots overall and 4 of 5 from the arc.

It was Utah’s third time allowing a team to score at least 90 points this season, which offset the offense’s season-best 13 3-pointers on 21 attempts.

“We shoot 60 percent from 3 and we still get beat pretty good,” Utah coach Alex Jensen said. “The problem is, I think as individuals in a group, you got to take pride in guarding the guy you have; regardless of what scheme we are in, you have to take pride in defense.”

The Cowboys also had to deal with a highly ranked opponent in their last game. No. 9 Iowa State ran roughshod over Oklahoma State to take a 51-21 lead into halftime in Stillwater last weekend. The Cowboys made the final margin a more respectable 84-71, marking their fourth loss in five games.

“The team showed in the second half what we can be,” Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz said. “But it’s a 40-minute game. You’ve got to be able to do that from the opening tip.

“… If you can do that to the No. 9 team in the country, why can’t you do that consistently throughout?”

Oklahoma State’s leading scorer, Anthony Roy (17 ppg), was held to seven by Iowa State on 2-of-10 shooting. Kanye Clary and Jaylen Curry each had 19 points.

For Utah, Keanu Dawes scored 23 points and Terrence Brown supplied 22 in the loss at BYU. Brown ranks third in the Big 12 at 22.2 points per game. Dawes averages 12.4 points and 8.9 rebounds, the latter fifth among Big 12 players.

–Field Level Media

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Jose Ramirez hits 3 doubles to guide Guardians over Yankees

May 31, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrates after scoring during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesMay 31, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) celebrates after scoring during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Jose Ramirez hit a tiebreaking double with one out in the fifth inning and the visiting Cleveland Guardians earned a 9-4 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday.

Ramirez had three doubles for the fifth time in his storied career, and the first since Aug. 26, 2024 against Kansas City.

He doubled in three straight at-bats in the fourth, fifth and seventh, producing his third three-hit game this season.

Ramirez’s second double snapped a 4-4 tie. After the Guardians loaded the bases when Brayan Rocchio was plunked by New York’s Cam Schlittler (7-3), rookie Travis Bazzana lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

Ramirez followed by ripping a 2-2 curveball over first baseman Ben Rice and to the right field corner as Patrick Bailey easily scored. Ramirez added an insurance run with a double to left field in the seventh off Tim Hill to put Cleveland ahead 6-4.

Bazzana padded the lead with a bases-clearing double in the eighth off Camilo Doval as the Guardians collected 12 hits, marking the fourth time in five games they totaled double-digit hits.

Paul Goldschmidt drove in all four runs for the Yankees, who lost for the second time in eight games. Goldschmidt gave New York a 2-1 lead with a two-run homer off Joey Cantillo in the third and added a two-run single in the fourth for a 4-3 advantage.

Schlittler endured his shortest outing this season and allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out three and walked none.

Kyle Manzardo hit a two-run homer off Schlittler’s first-pitch cutter that landed in the right-center field seats to give Cleveland a 3-2 lead in the fourth.

Cantillo allowed four runs on six hits in four innings. The left-hander struck out four and walked three.

Five relievers followed Cantillo and allowed two hits the rest of the way. Colin Holderman (4-1) stranded a runner in the fifth and Matt Festa finished with a 1-2-3 ninth.

–Field Level Media

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Reds rally late, walk off with 10-inning win over Royals

inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The Reds won 4-3 on a walkoff hit by Blake Dunn, scoring Spencer Steer from second base in the 10th inning.inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The Reds won 4-3 on a walkoff hit by Blake Dunn, scoring Spencer Steer from second base in the 10th inning.

Blake Dunn’s RBI single in the 10th inning completed a comeback and gave the host Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 walk-off win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Spencer Steer hit two home runs and scored the winning run as the automatic runner for the Reds, who won for the second time in the last six games.

Will Benson’s pinch-hit home run to right field off Royals closer Lucas Erceg leading off the bottom of the ninth tied the game at 3-all.

Dunn’s game-winning hit, off John Schreiber (0-3), was the only Reds’ hit that was not a home run.

Brock Burke (2-2) earned the win with a scoreless 10th.

The loss spoiled a gem by Royals starter Noah Cameron, who retired 20 of the 21 batters he faced. Kansas City has lost seven of its last eight.

Cameron only allowed Steer’s first homer, did not walk a batter and struck out eight.

Steer’s second home run of the game, a drive to right-center leading off the eighth, pulled Cincinnati to within 3-2. His ninth homer was an opposite field drive into the stands in right-center.

Reds starter Andrew Abbott gave up three runs on five hits in six innings with four walks and five strikeouts.

Steer’s first home run of the game, a shot to left-center, came with one out in the fifth after Cameron had retired the first 13 Cincinnati batters.

The Royals took a 3-0 lead in the fourth on a fielder’s choice groundout with the bases loaded by Jac Caglianone and a bases-loaded, two-run, two-out single by Michael Massey.

Cameron made an outstanding defensive play for the first out of the third on Dunn’s attempt for a bunt single. Dunn bunted the ball between the mound and first, and Cameron, in one motion, picked up the ball with a backhand swipe and flipped it out of his glove first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino.

Reds center fielder Dane Myers made a leaping catch at the wall on Starling Marte’s long drive for the second out of the fifth.

–Field Level Media

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Twins prevail over White Sox; halt Davis Martin's 6-game win streak

Jun 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Brooks Lee (22) hits a single during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn ImagesJun 2, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Brooks Lee (22) hits a single during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images

Tristan Gray went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, and the Minnesota Twins held on for a 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

Luke Keaschall added a pair of hits and drove in two runs for Minnesota, which secured a series victory. Alex Jackson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Miguel Vargas went 1-for-4 with two RBIs to lead Chicago at the plate. The White Sox have dropped back-to-back games after winning their previous five in a row.

Twins left-hander Connor Prielipp (2-3) allowed four runs on six hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

White Sox right-hander Davis Martin (8-2) endured his shortest outing of the season. Martin gave up six runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak and he suffered his first setback since April 10.

Twins right-hander Yoendrys Gomez got the final four outs to record his fourth save.

The White Sox opened the scoring with three runs in the top of the third.

Luisangel Acuna started the action when he drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and scored on a throwing error by Jackson. The White Sox had runners on second and third with one out later in the inning, and Vargas delivered with a two-run single to left to make it 3-0.

The hit gave Vargas six RBIs in the first two games of the series.

The Twins got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Brooks Lee hit a sacrifice fly to left, plating Gray.

Minnesota added four runs in the fourth to seize a 5-3 lead.

Keaschall started the scoring with an RBI single to left. Gray followed with a two-run single to left, and Jackson capped the outburst with an RBI single to right.

Gray, who hit a grand slam and drove in five runs in the series opener, has 11 RBIs in his past five games.

The Twins increased their lead to 6-3 on another RBI single by Keaschall in the fifth.

Chase Meidroth notched an RBI infield single in the seventh to cut Chicago’s deficit to 6-4. But he fanned to end the eighth with two runners on base.

–Field Level Media

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