Sports
UCF, Nebraska aim to go out winners in Crown final
Mar 11, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; UCF Knights guard Darius Johnson (3) shoots the ball during the second half against the Utah Utes at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images Darius Johnson has been on a mission, and his next task is helping UCF win a championship.
Johnson has scored 73 total points over the past two contests. He’s aiming to deliver another high-octane outing when the Knights (20-16) face Nebraska (20-14) on Sunday in the College Basketball Crown championship game at Las Vegas.
Johnson poured in a career-best 42 points in Saturday’s 104-98 overtime victory over Villanova in the semifinals. Two days earlier, he had 31 points in an 88-80 quarterfinal victory over Cincinnati.
Overall, the senior guard is averaging 29.3 points in UCF’s three wins during the tournament. But he’ll trade each and every one of those for a banner.
“We’re playing for a championship,” Johnson said. “… I want to go out the right way. We want to do something special before we all go our separate ways.”
Johnson was a big-time spark in the win over Villanova. He knocked down the tying 3-point basket with 7.6 seconds left in regulation and then scored 10 points in overtime.
There was zero chance of Johnson passing the ball late in regulation before hitting the big basket.
“I was wide open for the stepback three, which is one of my go-to shots,” Johnson said, “so I was able to capitalize on that.”
Nebraska reached the title game with a solid 79-69 victory over Boise State on Saturday.
The Cornhuskers made a season-high 12 3-pointers while shooting a season-best 63.2 percent from 3-point range.
Juwan Gary was 4-for-4 from 3-point range — tying his career high for makes — while producing 21 points and nine rebounds.
“Just found my rhythm,” Gary explained. “I’m trying not to force anything. I’m a senior and this is my last opportunity to play with these guys. Just got to go out there and play as hard as I can.”
Nebraska lost its final five regular-season games so being in the Crown tournament has allowed it to end the campaign on a good note.
The Cornhuskers beat Arizona State in the first round and Georgetown in the quarterfinals before dispatching Boise State.
“We might not be in March Madness but we’re still playing,” Gary said. “We want to go out there and leave our stamp out there. You can’t get a better feeling than to win a championship on Sunday.”
Brice Williams had 14 points against Boise State but is averaging 24 for the tournament. He scored 30 and 28 the first two games.
The winner of the title game receives $300,000 in NIL money. The runner-up receives $100,000.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brazil's Raphinha (leg) departs match vs. Haiti
June 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.; Brazil’s Raphinha in action with Haiti’s Martin Experience. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images PHILADELPHIA — Brazil attacker Raphinha departed in the 40th minute of Friday night’s World Cup Group C clash against Haiti in Philadelphia with an apparent leg injury.
The 29-year-old FC Barcelona winger was making his second start of the tournament for manager Carlo Ancelotti after going the full 90 in a 1-1 draw against Morocco last Saturday.
He was a critical part of Brazil’s most recent qualifying effort, scoring five of the Selecao’s 24 goals while appearing in 13 of their 18 matches.
It was unclear what caused him to drop to his haunches shortly before halftime and eventually exit in favor of Rayan. He departed with his side leading 2-0 through Matheus Cunha’s brace, before Vinicius Junior added a third in first-half stoppage time.
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
Sports
UFC Freedom 250 Falls Short of Super Bowl Hype but Delivers Massive Win
UFC Freedom 250 was an unquestionable hit, but the biggest event in combat sports didn’t quite touch Super Bowl number.
Paramount+ said viewership for UFC Freedom 250 reached 17 million across the U.S. and Latin America, citing Nielsen in a press release on Thursday. The previous record was five million viewers for the first UFC card on Paramount+ in January.
How did UFC Freedom 250 compare to Super Bowl?
UFC boss Dana White was “expecting Super Bowl-type numbers” for the fight on the White House lawn. The 2026 Super Bowl was watched by an estimated 125 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
The UFC and Donald Trump promoted this event diligently. Even though they didn’t even come close to touching Super Bowl viewership numbers, this event was a massive success for the UFC.
Politics aside – the production quality of UFC Freedom 250 was awesome. Fighters walking out of the White House from all angles, surrounded by military heroes. The live band was great. The backdrops of Washington, D.C. completely trumped the visuals at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
But more importantly, the fights exceeded expectations. All seven bouts ended before decisions. Judges weren’t needed.
For the health of the sport, that’s a good thing. Casual fans love knockouts and finishes. For an event that hauled in well over 10 million more viewers than the average UFC fight, that feels like a massive win. The UFC has a few upcoming weekends of Fight Nights before UFC 329, where Conor McGregor is expected to make his long-awaited return against Max Holloway.
It’s probable that fight will pull in big ratings also, which should appease Paramount+ – as long as the streaming giant had more realistic expectations than Dana White’s Super Bowl prediction.
Over the last few years, many fans have griped that the UFC was running low on superstars. But Diego Lopes got a huge ovation from the American crowd after the first fight of the night. Bo Nickal got a much-needed victory to maintain relevance in the UFC.
More notably, Josh Hokit’s viral Michelle Obama comment got the heavyweight exactly what he wanted – attention. Even though the UFC publicly shamed these remarks, there’s no doubt that they understand his personality is polarizing and could cause fans to tune in. Similarly, Sean O’Malley earning big knockout finishes always feels good for those fans that tune in.
Sure, the point still stands that there aren’t a ton of intriguing names on the rise. But Hokit’s fights will be watched. Fans will always keep up with O’Malley. And there will be natural intrigue on what Justin Gaethje decides to do next after this win. Similarly, what will Ilia Topuria do following that first devastating defeat?
The White House card might’ve fallen hilariously short of Super Bowl expectations. Dana White loves to remind fight fans that he’s not competing with up and coming leagues like the PFL or Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. Instead, he insists that he’s competing with the NFL, NBA and MLB.
Sports
Jon Rahm goes from contender to missing cut at US Open
Jun 19, 2026; Southampton, New York, USA; Jon Rahm takes his shot on the 14th fairway during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images Jon Rahm recorded a double bogey and seven bogeys while making a precipitous fall in the second round of the U.S. Open with an 8-over-par 78 on Friday, and he missed the cut.
Rahm was tied for fifth after the opening round at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club at Southampton, N.Y., but that 2-under 68 was a distant memory on Friday. The Spaniard made a single birdie, at the par-5 fifth hole, and finished at 6-over 146 for the two rounds, two strokes over the cutline.
The 2021 U.S. Open champion had not missed the cut at this tournament since 2018, when it was last at Shinnecock. The only other time he didn’t make the weekend at a major since 2019 was the 2024 PGA Championship.
Bryson DeChambeau bogeyed the par-3 17th hole to drop to 5 over, then made par on No. 18 and missed the cut by one stroke after rounds of 70-75.
DeChambeau carded double bogeys on the par-4 Nos. 3 and 4 holes in the second round to descend from even par through two holes to 4 over.
The U.S. Open champion in 2020 and 2024, DeChambeau countered with a birdie at the par-5 No. 5 but bogeyed Nos. 6 and 8 for 38 on the front nine. Bogeys at Nos. 13, 15 and 17, surrounding a birdie on the par-5 16th hole, undermined his chances.
He also missed the cut at the Masters in April, the PGA Championship in May and at the U.S. Open in 2025.
Brooks Koepka, who captured the U.S. Open at Erin Hills in 2017 and at Shinnecock in 2018, will not play on the weekend at the tournament for the first time since his debut in 2012 (aside from 2020, when he didn’t enter).
Also a winner of the PGA Championship three times (2018, 2019, 2023), Koepka followed his opening round of 73 with a 7-over 77 on Friday to drop to 10 over. Koepka, playing the back nine first, made a lone birdie on the par-3 17th against eight bogeys.
Ricky Fowler (71-74), Patrick Reed (72-73) and Norway’s Viktor Hovland (76-69) also finished at 5 over. Ireland’s Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open Championship winner, posted consecutive rounds of 73 to move to 6 over with Patrick Cantlay (74-72), South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (77-69) and Rahm.
Australia’s Adam Scott (73-75) fell to 8 over, while defending champion J.J. Spaun (77-71) got to 8 over, and neither challenged the cutline.
Amateur Miles Russell, at 17 the youngest player in the field, is tied for 46th at 3 over after a 1-over 71 on Friday, and he survived the cut. Starting his round on the back nine, Russell birdied Nos. 12 and 15, then bogeyed Nos. 2, 4 and 7 without making a birdie on a more adventurous front nine.
“Yeah, it’s really special to get to play the weekend here, just in any tournament,” Russell said. “But making (it in) a major, my first one, it’s super special, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Bud Cauley, who earned his first PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the RBC Canadian Open, was on the cutline on Friday. The 36-year-old, who turned professional in 2011, shot consecutive rounds of 72 to sit at 4-over 144 and tie for 60th heading to the weekend.
England’s Aaron Rai, winner of the 2026 PGA Championship, followed his opening-round 74 with a 3-under 67 on Friday to tie for 22nd at 1 over. Rai had five birdies and two bogeys in the second round after recording two birdies and six bogeys in the first round.
–Field Level Media
Brazil's Raphinha (leg) departs match vs. Haiti
UFC Freedom 250 Falls Short of Super Bowl Hype but Delivers Massive Win
