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🏒 Good morning to all, however particularly to …
USA, CANADA AND HOCKEY FANS
Tighten up these chin straps — after which tighten them up some extra — as a result of USA vs. Canada within the 4 Nations Face-Off championship tonight will not be for the faint of coronary heart. The People and the Canadians fought three times in the first nine seconds of their round-robin assembly earlier than the Americans won, 3-1, final weekend and each side appear desirous to lay it all on the line once more.
The USA will be without Charlie McAvoy (shoulder), and another stars are banged up. Austin Nivison breaks down which Americans will shine.
- Nivison: “Auston Matthews — For the reason that begin of the 2023-24 season, nobody has scored extra targets than Matthews (89), and that elite scoring contact makes him an especially precious weapon. His depraved launch and pinpoint accuracy permit Matthews to attain from anyplace within the offensive zone, and that ought to turn out to be useful for testing Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington, who has appeared shaky at varied occasions all through the match.”
Actually, although, we’re all winners right here. In case you’re a hockey fan, nice. In case you’re not, tonight’s an excellent probability to turn out to be one. Pete Blackburn explains why this one is so important … and so enjoyable.
- Blackburn: “There continues to be a gentle stream of high-end expertise popping out of American packages, and plenty of are lastly getting their first alternative to signify their nation (and its development within the sport) on the prime stage with this match. And whereas the match might not be inherently ‘vital,’ it is clear that the chance to showcase how far the USA has come as a hockey nation holds significance. … USA’s Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Eichel each mentioned this week that Thursday’s remaining is likely to be an important recreation they’ve ever performed. Each have received a Stanley Cup in the previous few years.”
👍 Honorable mentions
👎 Not so honorable mentions
🏀 No. 15 Missouri beats No. 4 Alabama
USATSI
You already know No. 1 Auburn, with Nationwide Participant of the 12 months contender Johni Broome. You already know No. 2 Florida, which has already overwhelmed two top-ranked groups. You already know No. 4 Alabama, coming off its first Closing 4.
However have you learnt No. 15 Missouri? Properly, you need to. The Tigers beat the Crimson Tide, 110-98, for their third top-five win of the season, tying a program file.
The Tigers are the proper instance of what switch portal slam dunks can do. Mark Mitchell had 31 factors on 11 of 15 capturing, muscling by way of Alabama’s entrance line, and Caleb Grill had 25 factors and 10 rebounds.
Mitchell, a former five-star recruit who spent two years at Duke, is shining. Grill, who was on Iowa State earlier than transferring to Missouri two seasons in the past, has been wonderful after lacking practically all of final season with a wrist harm.
Talking of final season, Missouri went 0-18 in SEC play. It was terrible. However Dennis Gates stored plugging away, within the portal and with holdovers. Missouri is 20-6 (9-4 in SEC play) with a top-10 offense nationally that assaults the basket relentlessly — no staff has a better free throw price — and may actually shoot it (second in 3-point share in SEC play). The protection is among the many nation’s most disruptive, too.
Missouri is deep, skilled and proficient. March is simply over every week away, and the Tigers, seemingly out of nowhere, are able to pounce.
Elsewhere within the SEC, Auburn held off Arkansas, 67-60, a missed alternative for the Razorbacks, who’re right on the bubble. No. 17 Kentucky beat Vanderbilt, 82-61.
⚽ Kylian Mbappe hat trick leads Actual Madrid previous Manchester Metropolis; finish of an period for Residents?
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Be careful, world. Kylian Mbappe is starting to feel at home at Actual Madrid, which is as soon as once more wanting just like the UEFA Champions League pressure that has dominated the competitors for ages. Los Blancos rampant over Manchester Metropolis, 3-1 (6-3 on aggregate), behind Mbappe’s wonderful hat trick to achieve the spherical of 16.
Metropolis, without Erling Haaland (knee), appeared defeated as quickly because it gave up Mbappe’s first. The streak of 11 consecutive round of 16 appearances is over, and so, too, might be the era as a whole, James Benge writes.
- Benge: “The Metropolis staff you thought you knew is gone. … It isn’t as if the errors made tonight had been notably distinctive to this recreation. … The sport is turning into extra athletic, midfields outlined by the working energy and power of Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Joao Neves. Metropolis have that up prime in Haaland, however proper throughout this tie, they’ve appeared lighter, slower and weaker than Madrid.”
Elsewhere …
- PSG beat Brest, 7-0 (10-0 on combination).
- Borussia Dortmund drew Sporting CP 0-0 and superior 3-0 on combination.
- PSV surprised Juventus, 3-1 (4-3 on combination), concluding an awful two days of soccer for Italian clubs. Inter is the one Italian staff left within the Champions League.
The spherical of 16 draw is tomorrow.
🏈 Massive Ten, SEC leaders meet, focus on potential Faculty Soccer Playoff modifications
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Massive Ten and SEC leaders met Wednesday to discuss major changes to the College Football Playoff format. Listed below are the largest takeaways:
- Massive Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey need the seeding course of modified. Presently, the highest four-ranked convention champions (from the ACC, Massive 12, Massive Ten, SEC and Group of 5) get the highest 4 seeds and automated byes.
- That is how Massive 12-champion Arizona State acquired the No. 4 seed regardless of being the Twelfth-ranked staff, for instance, and Texas acquired the No. 5 seed regardless of being the third-ranked staff.
- The Massive Ten and SEC need 4 automated qualifiers every, with the ACC and Massive 12 getting two every, ought to the sector broaden to 14 beginning in 2026.
Principally, these two tremendous conferences — which have mixed for the previous six nationwide titles — need much more illustration and management. Dennis Dodd says some of the asks are outlandish and put the credibility of the sport at risk.
📺 What we’re watching Thursday
🏀 Celtics at 76ers, 7 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏒 Canada vs. USA, 8 p.m. on ESPN
⚽ USWNT vs. Colombia, 8 p.m. on TBS
🏀 Suns at Spurs, 9:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏀 No. 25 Illinois at No. 3 UCLA (W), 9:30 p.m. on BTN
