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
Braves put closer Raisel Iglesias on IL, Robert Suarez to close
Apr 15, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Raisel Iglesias (26) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the ninth inning at Truist Park. All players are wearing number 42 today in honor of Jackie Robinson. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The Atlanta Braves placed closer Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with discomfort in his right (throwing) shoulder.
Iglesias has said he’s felt the discomfort since sleeping on his shoulder wrong Friday night. But the Braves conducted an MRI that found no structural damage.
“There’s some inflammation there,” Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters. “We feel like we’re getting out in front of this thing a little bit.”
Iglesias, 36, has amassed a 42-55 record, 258 saves and a 2.86 ERA in his 12 major league seasons, including four-plus years in Atlanta. He was off to a perfect start to the season, with five saves and no runs allowed over eight games (8 2/3 innings). He’s tossed 11 strikeouts to only one walk.
While Iglesias is sidelined, Robert Suarez will take over closing duties. Suarez led the National League with 40 saves while serving as the San Diego Padres’ closer last season; then he signed a three-year, $45 million deal to join the Braves and their bullpen.
The right-handed Suarez has gone 2-0 with one save and an 0.93 ERA for Atlanta in 10 appearances, used mostly as a setup man. He was an All-Star in 2024 and 2025 for the Padres.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orlando City want attack to catch up to defense vs. Charlotte
Mar 14, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando City midfielder Martin Ojeda (10) shoots on goal during the second half against the CF Montreal at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Orlando City will be hoping for a much-needed attacking breakthrough on Wednesday night when they host a Charlotte FC side in search of a second consecutive away victory.
Orlando (1-6-1, 4 points) has been one of Major League Soccer’s most disappointing teams this season, costing former manager Oscar Pareja his job last month.
But there is some evidence that maybe the Lions have at least righted the ship defensively. After conceding 23 times in their first six games, interim manager Martin Perelman’s group has allowed only two goals in the last three fixtures across all competitions.
“I think we organize the team. It never is enough, always (important) to improve things,” Perelman said. “We are in that part. Last details. But yes, the structure is there. In the offensive side as well, we are working. Hopefully we can get the shape we want, that we are used to. Because in this club we have been scoring a lot for the last two years.”
So far, though, the attacking end remains pretty dire. After Martin Ojeda and Marco Pasalic combined for 28 MLS goals a season ago, they only have two apiece for a team with six goals total.
Pasalic also missed last week’s 1-0 home loss to Houston on Saturday night with a leg injury.
Charlotte (4-2-2, 14 points) makes the journey south following a 2-1 victory at New York City FC on Saturday, one that came despite holding a season-low 36% possession.
Defender Tim Ream exited that match at halftime and will miss roughly a week with an adductor strain, Charlotte manager Dean Smith said.
Idan Toklomati scored early in the second half and Kerwin Vargas added a goal late before NYCFC pulled one back in second-half stoppage time. And Charlotte created a similar number of chances to NYCFC despite having less of the ball.
Smith hopes the performance sets the tone for upcoming travels, with Charlotte to play its next three league games away after five of its first eight came at home.
“There’s not plenty of away games we’ve played so far, such is the fixture list,” Smith said. “We didn’t start on the road well, but we showed loads of characteristics that I liked on Saturday. And we need to continue to do that in the next three away games as well.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Union bring challenged offense north to face streaking Toronto FC
Apr 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto FC midfielder Malik Henry (78) attempts to control the ball against Austin FC during the second half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images Toronto FC will aim to extend their unbeaten streak to seven matches when the Philadelphia Union visit on Wednesday.
Toronto (3-2-3, 12 points) is 3-0-3 in its last six outings. Wednesday marks the sixth date of Toronto FC’s nine-match homestand, and the club is unbeaten (4-0-8) in its last 12 home matches dating back to last season.
Despite the good results, midfielder Malik Henry felt his team left victories on the table.
“Some of the draws we’ve had, we feel like we definitely could have won those games, which makes it a bit more disappointing,” Henry told TFC Republic. “We just have to take the points and then continue to move forward with it.”
Walker Zimmerman is expected to be available Wednesday, in a boost to an injury-depleted back line. Zimmerman missed Toronto’s last two matches with a calf injury.
Toronto FC’s offense has been both varied and efficient. Eight Toronto players have at least one goal this season, and the team’s 51.5% accurate shooting percentage is the best in MLS.
The Union are at the other end of the attacking spectrum, with a 27.1% AS percentage that ranks second-last in the league.
Philadelphia (1-6-1, 4 points) has recorded only six goals in eight regular-season matches, ahead of only four-goal D.C. United in MLS.
The lack of offense contributed to the Union’s season-opening six-game losing streak, and goals remain at a premium even as Philadelphia has gone 1-0-1 in its last two matches. The Union outshot D.C. United 17-6 on Saturday and held D.C. without a shot on target, yet still had to settle for a 0-0 draw.
Philadelphia coach Bradley Carnell felt that returning to the striker pairing of Bruno Damiani and Ezekiel Alladoh can help unlock the Union’s offense.
“We have tried a lot of different combinations (at forward) and now we go back-to-back with the same,” Carnell said. “Every day we get together with Eze and Bruno working together, it’s … one day more advanced and developed.”
–Field Level Media
