Sports
Top 25 roundup: No. 5 Alabama routs South Dakota State
Dec 29, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Aden Holloway (2) passes the ball against South Dakota State Jackrabbits guard Isaac Lindsey (2) during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images Aden Holloway established career highs of 26 points and eight 3-pointers to help No. 5 Alabama roll to a 105-82 nonconference victory over South Dakota State on Sunday at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Freshman Labaron Philon had the best game of his young career with 21 points and six assists for the Crimson Tide (11-2). Mark Sears had 20 points, including 6-for-14 3-point shooting. Grant Nelson added 17 points and eight rebounds and scored the game’s first eight points.
Alabama did connect on a season-best 19 3-point shots but also attempted 55 long-range shots (34.5 percent). The Tide also saw South Dakota State put up 49 points in the second half to keep the score relatively competitive.
South Dakota State (9-6) was led by Washington State transfer Oscar Cluff, who had 21 points and 15 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. The Jackrabbits connected on 11 of 26 3-point shots (42.3 percent).
No. 6 Florida 85, Stetson 45
Alijah Martin scored 18 points and Will Richard added 17 on 8-of-11 shooting as the Gators crushed the visiting Hatters in Gainesville, Fla.
Walter Clayton Jr. paired 12 points with seven assists for Florida (13-0), which begins Southeastern Conference play with three straight matchups against currently ranked opponents. Florida shot 50.7 percent overall and held a 34-2 advantage in fast-break points.
Mehki Ellison scored 15 points to lead the Hatters (2-11), who finished 26.5 percent from the floor and fell to 0-3 this season against SEC foes.
No. 9 Oregon 89, Weber State 49
The Ducks led for all but the first 1:11 of the game, shooting 55 percent from the field in a victory over the Wildcats in the final nonconference game for both teams in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon (12-1) has won three consecutive games since losing at home to UCLA in a Big Ten game three weeks ago. The Ducks had five scorers in double figures, led by Jackson Shelstad, who had 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field.
Blaise Threatt was Weber State’s lone scorer in double figures with 15 points. The Wildcats (6-8) head into Big Sky play having lost four of their past six games.
No. 12 Oklahoma 89, Prairie View A&M 67
Jalon Moore led the host Sooners with 22 points as they finally put away the pesky Panthers in Norman, Okla.
Jeremiah Fears scored 19 points and Duke Miles added 17 for the Sooners, who are 13-0 for the fourth time in program history and the first time since the 1987-88 season.
Tanahj Pettway led PVAMU with 22 points, while Marcel Bryant added 14. Braelon Bush and Jordan Tillmon each chipped in 11 points for PVAMU (1-12) which played without leading scorer Nick Anderson (18.9 points per game).
No. 21 Purdue 83, Toledo 64
Braden Smith set career highs with 34 points and six 3-pointers as the Boilermakers pulled away from the Rockets for a victory in a nonconference matchup in West Lafayette, Ind.
Smith went 12 of 22 from the floor and added 12 assists and three steals for Purdue (9-4). Trey Kaufman-Renn added 23 points on 11-of-14 shooting, and Fletcher Loyer chipped in 17 points.
Sam Lewis collected 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Sonny Wilson also scored 13 points to lead Toledo (6-6).
No. 24 Illinois 117, Chicago State 64
Tomislav Ivisic scored a career-high 23 points to lead six players in double figures as the Fighting Illini raced past the visiting Cougars in Champaign, Ill.
Kylan Boswell also starred for the Fighting Illini (9-3) with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Gabe Spinelli scored 20 points for the winless Cougars (0-15) and Noble Crawford added 15. Illinois outshot Chicago State 62.1 percent (41 of 66) to 37.3 percent (25 of 67) from the field and outrebounded the visitors 47-23.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cards extend manager Oliver Marmol through '28 season
Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) looks on from inside the dugout against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol received a two-year contract extension through the 2028 season, the team announced Sunday.
Financial terms were not disclosed by the team, which holds an option for the 2029 season.
“As I’ve gotten to know Oli, I’ve seen someone who cares about this organization and knows what has made the Cardinals special over time — and who understands that for us to get where we need to go, we must compete relentlessly to set new standards in everything that we do,” president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said.
“He is invested in the progress of our young core and is unafraid to challenge himself and to help those around him grow. I am energized to continue working with him towards the on-field success that we expect and that our fans deserve.”
Marmol, 39, has guided the Cardinals to a 325-323 record during his four seasons as the skipper. He led St. Louis to the National League Central title in 2022 before the team fell in the wild-card series to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Last season, the Cardinals posted a 78-84 record to finish in fourth place in the NL Central.
Marmol was a coach with St. Louis from 2017-21 under previous managers Mike Shildt and Mike Matheny.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tyler Reif treated for heat exhaustion after Trucks race
Oct 31, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Truck Series driver Tyler Reif (41) during the NASCAR Truck Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rookie Tyler Reif was treated for heat exhaustion after Saturday night’s street race in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Reif, 18, was transported to an area medical facility after finishing 16th in the race in the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet. He was later released.
“Tyler and his family would like to express their gratitude to the NASCAR officials, track medical workers and the local medical facility staff for their care,” Niece Motorsports said in a release.
Reif made his debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series in 2025. Saturday’s race was just his third on the circuit, including a 17th-place finish at Atlanta on Feb. 21.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Lions running back David Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons, ESPN reported on Sunday.
Montgomery, however, immediately appeared to refute the report on X, posting: “Damn, Dmo told you that?”
The ESPN report claims the Lions would want “a decent Day 3 pick (possibly a fifth-rounder)” in the 2026 NFL Draft in return for Montgomery, who turns 29 in June and is owed $6 million next season.
The report follows general manager Brad Holmes’ remarks after the season about Montgomery being unhappy with his playing time in 2025. Sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs, Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games (no starts).
“Those are conversations that we’re going to have to have because I’ve got a lot of respect for that player,” Holmes said of Montgomery in January. “He deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized, and so yeah would love for it to be here, but if it can’t be here then you’d just love to see where could work out best for him.”
At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Holmes said the situation with Montgomery is “fluid.” He signed a two-year extension during the 2024 season that runs through the end of the 2027 campaign.
“Yeah, I have been in touch with David’s agent, and his representation,” Holmes revealed. “Obviously, we love David, he’s a great player, we love to have him, you know, kind of want to put last year in the rear view, and just move forward. But, obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. The conversations are still fluid, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Montgomery has rushed for 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns in 45 games (28 starts) in three seasons with Detroit (2023-25). He has 76 catches for 650 yards in that span.
He began his career with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the third round in 2019. Montgomery rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 scores in 60 games (51 starts) with the Bears (2019-22).
–Field Level Media
Cards extend manager Oliver Marmol through '28 season
Tyler Reif treated for heat exhaustion after Trucks race
