Sports
Unbeaten No. 15 Wisconsin takes on winless Chicago State
Nov 15, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA;Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) fouls Wisconsin guard John Tonje (9) during the second half of their game Friday, November 15, 2024 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images Wisconsin looks to build on its best start in a decade when the 15th-ranked Badgers host winless Chicago State on Saturday afternoon in Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin (7-0) hasn’t played since Sunday’s 81-75 victory over Pittsburgh in the Greenbrier Tip-Off tournament. The Badgers are off to their best start since 2014-15, a season in which they reached the NCAA Tournament final.
Chicago State (0-8) lost to Drexel 83-71 in Tuesday’s third-place game at the Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The Badgers returned just two starters — Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit — after leading scorer AJ Storr transferred to Kansas and three-year starter Chucky Hepburn departed to Louisville.
Graduate transfer John Tonje, limited to eight games last season at Missouri due to medical issues, has come on to average a team-best 23.0 points per game, including a career-high 41 in a Nov. 15 win over Arizona. He is shooting 95.2 percent from the free-throw line, tops in the country among players with 30 or more attempts.
Tonje was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday for the second consecutive week. He scored 25 of his team-high 33 points in the second half in the comeback win over Pitt, finishing a perfect 10 of 10 from the line.
“It’s like he’s been here four years,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said of Tonje. “He’s fit in perfectly within the culture, because he’s a really good person. He cares about his team, he cares about winning.”
John Blackwell and Nolan Winter moved into the starting lineup this season. Blackwell is second in scoring at 16.0 per game, including a career-high 30 vs. UT-Rio Grande Valley. Winter adds 9.3 points and a team-high 5.6 boards.
Wisconsin, long known for its defensive style, has scored at least 79 points in each of its first seven games — the longest such streak in school history. The Badgers are averaging 86.9 points per game, while allowing 71.6.
Wisconsin entered the week leading the nation in free-throw percentage at 86.5 percent. The Badgers have made more free throws (147) than their opponents have attempted (131).
Chicago State, which joined the Northeast Conference this season, averages just 59.1 points per game, allowing 84.4. The Cougars’ point differential of minus-25.3 ranks 351st out of 355 teams in scoring margin.
First-year coach Scott Spinelli’s squad has struggled offensively, shooting just 34.4 percent overall and 29.7 percent from 3-point range. They are shooting 65.0 percent from the free-throw line, averaging 11.1 attempts per game to 17.4 for opponents.
Jalen Forrest averages a team-high 9.5 points, and Quincy Allen is the leading rebounder at 4.3.
Spinelli knew his team, which finished 13-19 last season, would face challenges in his first year.
“We’ve got kind of a new bunch here of players, a lot of new faces,” Spinelli said at the Northeast Conference media day before the season. “We lost 75 percent of our scoring from last year. Really kind of a work in progress.”
Wisconsin has swept the last three matchups with Chicago State, all in Madison, including an 80-53 victory last December.
–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
