Sports
UCLA faces Rutgers after disappointing home loss
Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin on the bench during the second overtime period against the Indiana Hoosiers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images After a heartbreaking loss in the middle of what was thought to be a momentum-building stretch, UCLA will try to pick up the pieces Tuesday in Los Angeles with a Big Ten Conference visit from Rutgers.
The Bruins (15-7, 7-4 Big Ten) went two overtimes at home Saturday before falling 98-97 against Indiana. UCLA rallied from a 10-point deficit with less than two minutes remaining in regulation before Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau fouled out in extra time.
With Skyy Clark (hamstring) out for the eighth consecutive game, Trent Perry stepped in and scored 25 points with seven rebounds for the Bruins. Dent had 24 points with 11 assists and Bilodeau scored 18 points with 11 rebounds.
UCLA, which entered the week at No. 44 in the NET ranking, is in a mellow portion of the schedule with games against Northwestern, Oregon, Indiana, Rutgers and Washington. Starting Feb. 14, they face four top-10 teams over their last seven games, as well as two games against rival Southern California.
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin showed Saturday just how much pressure is mounting.
“We went through a stretch where we were pouting and letting one shot affect the next shot,” Cronin said. “We couldn’t score for a long time. That’s how we got down 10, (by) missing wide-open shot after wide-open shot because we act like somebody stole our favorite toy and we’re a 3-year-old.”
Rutgers (9-13, 2-9) is on a five-game losing streak after a 78-75 loss to USC on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights trailed 74-57 with 4:34 remaining and nearly pulled off the comeback by preventing the Trojans from scoring a field goal the remainder of the game.
Tariq Francis made his last four shots and finished with 26 points as he continues to thrive coming off the bench, but he turned the ball over at midcourt in the closing seconds. Dylan Grant added 14 points with 10 rebounds.
Francis’ late turnover was just the eighth for the Scarlet Knights, their second-lowest in a road game this season.
“We have emphasized turnovers as much as any team in the country since (the staff) has been here,” Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell said. “They have to run at the end of practice for turnovers. We spend a lot of time rebounding too.”
The Scarlet Knights were competitive in an 88-79 overtime home loss to then-No. 7 Michigan State last Tuesday, but are on their first five-game losing streak since 2020-21.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hawks could gain reinforcements as they prepare for Jazz
Dec 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shown before the start of the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The Atlanta Hawks may get a lineup boost Thursday, but it isn’t likely to come from a last-minute trade.
The Hawks, who host the Utah Jazz on Thursday, could get veteran Kristaps Porzingis back in the lineup. The veteran center, the team’s big offseason acquisition, has missed the last 13 games with left Achilles tendinitis but had his status upgraded to questionable Tuesday and could return for limited minutes.
Porzingis hasn’t played since Jan. 7. He has participated in only 17 of the team’s 52 games because of injuries and management of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, an incurable condition that causes increased heart rate, dizziness and fatigue.
Porzingis has played well when in the lineup, averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. His return would be especially welcome since Onyeka Okongwu is day-to-day after dental surgery following a nasty elbow in the mouth against Boston. The Hawks have been living with Mouhamed Gueye and Christian Koloko at center.
Atlanta ended a two-game losing streak Tuesday with an impressive 127-115 road win against Miami.
Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson is coming off his ninth triple-double of the season. Johnson, who was named to the NBA All-Star team, had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against the Heat.
“Jalen just continues to find, within the rhythm of the game, opportunities to get off the ball to be the open guy, and when he needs to be more aggressive and go to the basket. I just love that he’s not hesitating with the catch-and-shoot threes. I think that gives him space to play. Some of our other guys are getting more connected with him, too.”
Utah ended a six-game skid Tuesday by defeating the Indiana Pacers 131-122. The Jazz had only seven available players, and each scored in double figures. Utah played Tuesday without Keyonte George (ankle), Kevin Love (illness), Walker Kessler (shoulder) and Jusuf Nurkic (illness).
“Games like this are odd, playing with seven people and the lineups we had out there,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “But I thought the team had great energy, great camaraderie.”
Isaiah Collier played all 48 minutes and had a career-high 22 assists in the win, the most in the NBA this season and the most by a Jazz player since John Stockton on Dec. 18, 1992. The last player in the league with 22 assists was Denver’s Nilola Jokic last March 7.
“Isaiah, with 22 assists and only two turnovers, is a testament to him, it’s a testament to his teammates,” Hardy said. “Overall, he showed a lot of poise and maturity as a point guard.”
The game marks a homecoming for Utah rookie Ace Bailey, who grew up in the Atlanta suburbs and was Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2024. He is averaging 11.3 points and 3.6 rebounds and scored 19 on Tuesday.
This is the final meeting between the teams this season. The Hawks, who have won three straight against the Jazz, took the first game 132-122 on Nov. 13 in Salt Lake City. Johnson had a triple-double (31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists) and Okongwu had a career-high 32 points with eight 3-pointers.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller steer Mammoth past Red Wings
Dec 17, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Utah Mammoth wing Sean Durzi (50) skates with the puck defended by Detroit Red Wings center Michael Rasmussen (27) in the third period at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Nick Schmaltz scored his fourth goal in two games and added an assist as the Utah Mammoth beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Wednesday in Salt Lake City.
Clayton Keller also had a goal and an assist for Utah, which has won two straight after losing two in a row. Sean Durzi and Dylan Guenther also scored, and Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves.
Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings, who have lost four of their past five games (1-3-1) while scoring just seven goals. John Gibson turned aside 21 shots.
Utah finished 1-for-3 on the power play. Detroit went 1-for-4.
Both teams were playing their final game before the Olympic break.
The Mammoth took a 1-0 lead 57 seconds into the first period. Durzi collected a turnover along the right wall and fired the puck past Gibson before the goaltender was able to react.
Schmaltz increased the lead to 2-0 during a 5-on-3 power play at 8:11 of the opening period. Keller passed to Barrett Hayton along the goal line, and he centered to Schmaltz, who scored from the slot.
Vejmelka made 11 of his saves in the second period, including a diving glove save to rob Lucas Raymond during a Detroit power play.
Guenther made it 3-0 when he scored his team-leading 25th goal of the season at 4:40 of the third period. He won a puck battle along boards, got behind the defense and skated through the right circle before beating Gibson with a wrist shot.
Larkin pulled the Red Wings within 3-1 at 15:58. With Detroit on a power play and Gibson pulled for an extra skater, Larkin knocked in a loose puck during a scramble in front.
Detroit stayed with the extra attacker, and Keller found the empty net at 17:42, taking a pass from Schmaltz on a 2-on-1 and scoring from just outside the blue line.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Super Bowl LX: Seahawks S Nick Emmanwori hurt
Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) celebrates after an interception against the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Seattle Seahawks opened Super Bowl week Wednesday with their first and only padded practice of the week before the game. The Seahawks players took the practice field at San Jose State for 1 hour and 50 minutes, starting at 2:15 p.m. under a sunny and cloudless sky. It was 73-degrees.
“We had an opportunity to work at a different practice window,” head coach Mike Macdonald said after practice. “Which I thought was great with our guys’ cadence. Lot of spirit. Guys did a great job. We had a great practice.”
Safety Nick Emmanwori was limited in practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury that he suffered during practice.
The rookie safety injured his ankle while defending a pass late in practice. He walked off the field on his own shortly before 4 p.m. Several players and coaches went over to comfort him before he left.
“He had an ankle today, we brought him in to look at it, and we’ll kind of go from here and figure out what are the next steps?” Macdonald said.
Seattle practiced in pads for about an hour before taking them off for the second half of practice.
Macdonald said he reached out to coaches he’d worked with in the past to design the structure for last week and this week of practice. He said the team started installing their game plan last week.
“We’re going to be evolving. We didn’t put the whole thing in last week. We’re just gonna keep building it, stay on cadence this week and do what we need to do to feel like we get to a sweet spot by end of the week.”
Five Seahawks were limited in practice on Wednesday. Left tackle Charles Cross (foot), left tackle Josh Jones (ankle, knee), quarterback Sam Darnold (oblique), fullback Robbie Ouzts (neck) and safety Emmanwori (ankle).
Darnold has been limited in all eight practices since he injured his oblique on Jan. 15.
“Sam’s right on schedule,” Macdonald said. “So we’ve had this plan here over the last X amount of weeks, and it varies every day. And today he had a great day, so we’re right on schedule.”
Six other Seahawks players are on the injury report but practiced in full Wednesday: Tight end Eric Saubert (hamstring), receiver Jake Bobo (hand), fullback Brady Russell (hand), linebacker Ernest Jones IV (chest), safety Julian Love (shoulder), linebacker Drake Thomas (shoulder).
Three players were limited in practice for non-injury rest: linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence, receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and defensive tackle Leonard Williams.
Seattle will practice again Thursday at 2:15 p.m. local time.
–Pro Football Writers of America
