Michigan established a 10-1 advantage and created a 26-10 gap in under ten minutes into the game. In the second half, the Wolverines increased its lead to 30 points and decisively defeated Arizona, 91-73.

The Wolverines will take on UConn, which defeated Illinois 71-62, on Monday night for a chance to secure the title.

Michigan held a 30-point lead with 10:31 left in the game. The Wolverines excelled in the paint, scoring 36 points and successfully making 12 three-pointers.

Aday Mara scored 26 points and collected nine rebounds, guiding Michigan. Trey McKenney added 16 points, and Elliot Cadeau contributed 13 points along with 10 assists.

All-American forward Yaxel Lendeborg suffered a left ankle and knee injury during the first half but returned in the second half, scoring 11 points. He rolled his ankle and twisted his knee when he landed on Arizona’s center Motiejus Krivas’s foot while penetrating towards the rim.

Arizona encountered difficulties as it struggled to navigate through the larger Wolverines.

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UConn shot 35.5% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range, contrasting with last week’s 21.7% from beyond the arc in its victory against Duke. Despite a better shooting performance against the Blue Devils, the Huskies converted 15-of-17 free throws, and their defensive prowess was evident, leading to a 71-62 win over Illinois that propelled them into the championship game on Monday.

Tardis Reed Jr. led UConn with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Braylon Mullins scored 15 points, and Solo Ball contributed 13 points.

The combination of three-point shooting and solid defense enabled the Huskies to establish a 14-point lead, 57-43, with 9:43 remaining in the second half. Illinois, however, continued to battle.

On a different note, the Fighting Illini struggled from the field, shooting 33.9%, and were limited on the offensive boards, 41-36.

Keaton Wagler poured in 20 points for Illinois, and Tomislav Ivisic added 16.

Illinois narrowed the gap to four points, 57-53, with 1:38 remaining in the second half; however, Connecticut responded by converting free throws down the stretch.

Last week, Illinois knocked off Iowa, 71-59, to earn a berth in the final four, yet it lacked the firepower to get past the experienced Huskies, who are playing in their third final four in the last four years.

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Victor Lopez knows a lot about track and field. Though retired, the longtime Rice Owls coach remains a respected figure in the university’s athletics community.

The Victor Lopez Classic, which began in 1983 and is now in its 43rd edition, is one of the nation’s premier track and field meets, drawing top college and high school athletes from across the country to Rice University.

Anthony Roberts, who became a member of the Rice staff in 2022 as the assistant director of communications, shared his insights regarding this season’s classic.

The quartet of Christian Greyling, Colin Hayden, Elton Martin, and Brady Meredith recorded the nation’s fastest time in the 4×800 Meter Relay (7:46.88), propelling the Woodlands to victory. St. Thomas and Kingwood followed in second and third place, respectively, with times of (7:56.59) and (8:00.84).

In the 4×100-meter relay, the Woodlands achieved a time of 41.00, securing third place behind Summer Creek and Katy, which clocked in at 40.92 and 40.96, respectively.

As Saturday approaches, the meet is set to conclude, with most finals commencing in the evening.

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Photo by Undre/ossports

Mia and her twin sister, Mariah Maxwell, beamed with joy after completing the 100-meters, achieving two of the fastest times in the nation this season.

The soft-spoken twins participated in the Invite Men’s 100-meters / Mixed Gender 100-meters, which featured four men in the six-tandem event. As expected, the men finished ahead of the twins, but improving as the season progresses is the goal for the twins.

Although the conclusion did not reach Mia’s top time of 11.04, Mariah recorded the second-best time in Texas history, 11.16. Her previous best was 11.28. Mia achieved a time of 11.18.

“It means a lot. It’s my season opener”, said Mariah of APXP. A big PR from 11.2 to 11.1. It’s crazy. It makes me excited for the season. It’s really fun coming out here competing against these boys, giving everyone a show (speaking of the four guys who competed in the 100 Meter dash)

Despite not matching Mia’s top time of 11.04 seconds, Mariah ran 11.16 seconds, the second-fastest in Texas history. Her previous personal best was 11.28 seconds, while Mia finished with a time of 11.18 seconds.

The annual event saw participation from 40 colleges, high schools, middle schools, and unattached athletes, showcasing a diverse range of talent and competition.

The Maxwell twins were not the only highlights, as Texas Southern men’s and women’s teams showcased its strength, securing multiple top-three finishes.

Competing away from home proved advantageous for the Tigers, who began its outdoor season at Turner Stadium during the 74th TSU Relays, necessitated by the resurfacing of Dudley Stadium at Texas Southern University.

Texas Southern took matters into its own hands, keeping itself in contention in most events.

Texas Southern’s Alyvia Brown had an impressive evening, securing victories in both the 800-meter run with a time of 2:17.56 and the 1,500-meter run, 4:45.68. She achieved a commendable second-place finish in the triple jump, recording a distance of 36-11. The Tigers followed up with two other finishers, including Katherine Canchola, who also performed well, finishing second in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 5:05.82 and second in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 19:34.19. Stacy Guerrero trailed closely behind, taking third in the 5,000-meter with a time of 19:39.29.

In the 400-meter hurdles, Desirae Roberts and Tyler Moore finished first and second, clocking 1:05.04 and 1:10.71, respectively. Its convincing performance contributed significantly to the team’s overall success during the event.

Kennedy Haynes excelled in the discus throw, winning with a distance of 126-8, while also earning a bronze medal in the shot put with a throw of 36-9. Bria Lawson and Mikayla Ball followed closely behind in the discus, finishing second and third with throws of 118-6 and 118-3, respectively. Ball later added to her achievements by winning gold in the hammer throw with a mark of 134-8.

Other victors comprised Calle Fisher, who achieved victory in the Long Jump with a distance of 17-1.5 feet. Destinee Payne secured the second position with a jump of 16-11.5. Ryann Richards also attained a second-place finish in the pole vault, clearing a height of 6-6.25.

The Tiger men’s track and field team demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving nine first-place finishes. Jalen Walker excelled in both the Hammer Throw and Shot Put, recording distances of 187-5. Ahmad Muhammad triumphed in the Triple Jump with a leap of 47-8.

Additional winners included Joshua Brown in the 100-meter with a time of 10.43, Michael Strange Jr. in the 400-meters with a time of 48.09, Manual Garza, who was a double winner in the 1,500-meters with a time of 4:14.87 and the 5,000-meters with a time of 16:09.10, Te’Drick Robinson took the 110-meter Hurdles with a time of 14.66, Tyler Johnson in the High Jump with a height of 6-6, and Xavier Bellard won the long jump with a distance of 22-2.5.

“It feels good to knock the rust off”, Tigers 110-meter Hurdler Te’Drick Robbinson elaborated. “We had a pretty long break. We had a little wind out here today. But it was good to go one, two, speaking of teammate, Donyea Jarmon, who finished second in a time of 14.73.

“It was hard getting loose after the long break”, Jarmon said. “We’ve been working hard at practice.”

Harvard University’s men’s and women’s track teams excelled in the 4×100-meter relays, finishing first with impressive times of 39.72 and 44.42 seconds, respectively.

“Going into this meet, we know we have some strong guys in the run. Our angle leg, he’s been running good. He did well indoors. Timmy just ran a school record, and Jonus has run the same time. We have high expectations for ourselves, and we are constantly pushing for something more.

“I’m new to the mix”, Amari Turner Crimson’s 4th leg on the 4×100-meter Relay spoke. “We are working on continuity, getting timing, handoffs, and rhythm down. We change up the lineup to stay consistent and try to get a national or regional qualifying mark. We came out and did pretty good.”

“Spring break brings us here, and many alumni are willing to host us”, Crimson’s first leg of the 4×100-meter Relay, LeRoy Horton explained. We are thankful for that and the warm weather; we are stuck in the cold weather up in Boston. This is nice warm weather to practice in. We’ve been working here for a week. We leave here tonight

“It means great, it’s just the beginning”, says Saige Forbes. I’m a senior on this team, these are our younger members, and they really pushed us every day to come out and do the best we can, and we pushed each other.” Mfoniso Andrew, who grew up in Missouri City, where she attended Elkins High School.

“I’m from Texas, Mfoniso Andrew, Harvard’s 4×100-meter Relay first leg.” “I definitely know what this stadium means. A lot of fast times are run on this track.”

Several high school athletes celebrated outstanding finishes, particularly Worthing’s remarkable Avonte Earl, who won both the 110-meter Hurdles with a time of 13.52 seconds and the 300-meter Hurdles with a time of 37.67 seconds. Harold Clewis from Churchill Fulshear also excelled, winning the 400-meters in 48.51 seconds.

West Fork’s Jailen Jones won a head-to-head battle in the 100-meter Dash against Keaton Bookman of Churchill Fulshear with times of 10.33 and 10.34.

“I’m not satisfied with my time”, Jones explained. “I believe I can always do more and better. I felt loose when he said set (referring to the starter). I relaxed, took a deep breath, and ran.”

Summer Creek’s Brook Lloyd and Phoenix Phillips both claimed first place in their respective events. Lloyd excelled in the girls’ 400-meters with a time of 52.84 seconds, while Phillips finished first in his event with a time of 14.03 seconds.

In middle school competitions, West Lake from Atascocita, Texas, set a record in the Boys 4×200-meter Relay, posting a time of 1:35.69, which elevated the team to second nationally. The Irons Junior High Boys from Conroe, Texas, finished first in the 4×100-meter relay with a time of 44.80 seconds.

“We are trying to improve our time in every race, West Lake Middle School first leg of the 4×100-meter Relay team, Niles Stoneham explained. “Our best time is 44.24 in the 4×100-meter relay”, said Adaris Baldwin, who runs the third leg on the 4×100-meter relay. We’ve run better than this before. “I think we could have done better on the exchange of the last leg. The fourth leg took off too fast, which obviously took off a little time. I feel honored to be here. A lot of colleges and high schools are here. U of H is one of my favorite colleges.”

M.D. Jones Middle School girls took part in two 4×100 and two 4×200-meter relays, clinching first and second place in times of (54.04) and (54.42), along with (1:53.29) and (1:54.93), respectively.

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Coach Kiara Marshall took great pride in the commitment of teamwork, having achieved consecutive titles in her initial two seasons.

“We knew coming into this year that we had some kids that could play, Coach Marshall explained. “Our biggest thing this year was trying to stay together.”

The Bulldogs successfully broke away from a difficult first quarter, ultimately winning its second straight Class 6A Division 1 title by defeating Flower Mound 55-45 on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

“The experience of knowing if you put in the work, if you put in team time, you could potentially become a champion, Coach Marshall replied. “They really bought into that process. Being here and being experienced, it truly helped us.

After connecting on 1-of-11, Summer Creek (34-4) led, 13-7, propelled by two three-pointers.

The Jaguars (29-9) demonstrated that an unranked team could be a formidable opponent as Lorelei Ebert made a jumper and subsequently hit a three-pointer, giving Flower Mound a 19-17 advantage in the second quarter.

“We know basketball games is a game of runs, says Marshall. “They’re going to go on a run, we’re going to go on a run. We just have to make sure to stay the course and get stops. I think all our kids did a good job on their individual stops to pull this game off.”

Later in the quarter, circumstances shifted as the Bulldogs went into halftime leading 21-19.

“Walking into the building didn’t feel as new as last year,” said Marshall. “These girls they fight and regardless they were going to work hard to get this done.”

Erin Newsom recorded 15 points along with nine rebounds, earning the MVP distinction. Nevertheless, Tyasia Young led the Bulldogs with an impressive 17 points, proving to be a formidable force, and Addison Martin poured in 14 points.

Maci Pringle led the Jaguars with 21 points, along with eight rebounds and five assists.

Despite finishing fourth in its district while facing various challenges, Flower Mound triumphed over No. 2 ranked North Crowley, 49-37 in late February.

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It’s been 46 years since Team USA men achieved a gold medal in hockey.

In 1980, Team USA won its last gold medal by surging past Finland 4-2. Prior to that, the USA narrowly edged out the gold favorite, the Soviet Union, with a score of 4-3 in the medal round.

Canada, the top-seeded team, entered the competition with a vigorous assault, launching numerous shots at the US goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who made an impressive 41 saves during the gold medal match.

Still, it required additional effort before the United States could claim gold. A swift feed from Zack Werenski observed Jack Hughes successfully execute a 12-foot shot past goaltender Jordan Binnington, ultimately leading Team USA to a 2-1 overtime victory on Sunday in Milano Cortina.

It all shifted when Zack Werenski, and Hughes initiated a break towards Canada’s net. After engaging with Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon, Werenski gained possession of the puck and delivered it to Hughes, who promptly returned the pass as Werenski positioned himself on the right side to facilitate the decisive assist to Hughes on the left. Jack then fired from 12 feet out, slipping the puck between goaltender Binnington’s legs, propelling the US to victory as the team erupted in celebration.

Jack, who lost a tooth during regulation, remained unfazed as he navigated through overtime.

Canada’s frustrations escalated, as it was the favorite to win the gold medal. The opportunity presented itself, yet it failed to materialize partly while Hellebuyck played a crucial role in blocking strike efforts from the talented Canadian squad.

For the USA, it was a dual success as the women’s team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime as well.

Photo by Bruce Bennett, Getty Imgaes

In a manner akin to the Team USA men, Team USA women also overcame Canada 2-1 in overtime at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Thursday evening.

The success signified the third instance of Team USA women executing a gold medal.

Megan Keller scored the pivotal point, enabling Team USA to claim the gold medal.

Goalkeeper Aerin Frankel delivered an impressive performance, thwarting the Canadians early in the first period and later blocking a goal attempt during the match.

Canada took the lead when Kristin O’Neill scored just under a minute into the second period. But that would be all it could muster.

In conclusion, Team USA attained success in its winter Olympic venture

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Andre Odums

Expectations are soaring at Grand Oaks, who finished Class 6A District 14 (25-5, 15-1) with the title at its helm.

The Grizzles distinguished themselves with an 8-1 run in the initial quarter of a Bi-district contest against Spring(17-16, 11-3). They subsequently established a 15-5 lead, thanks to a few three-pointers, prompting Spring to adjust its lineup.

Following halftime, Spring implemented a full-court press, achieving a few defensive stops. The Lions managed to sink a couple of three-pointers, narrowing the gap to, 34-33 in the fourth quarter. However, Grand Oaks senior guard Ty’Tiar Price responded by stroking a trey from the baseline to extend the Grizzlies lead, 37-33 as Grand Oaks eventually advanced with a 46-37 win.

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Seattle’s defense didn’t just show up Sunday night — it took over the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks delivered a dominant, suffocating performance on the game’s biggest stage, overwhelming the New England Patriots from the opening drive and cruising to a 29–13 victory in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Seattle’s defense set the tone early, forcing five punts, recording three sacks, and limiting the Patriots to just 51 total yards in the first half. The pressure never eased. By night’s end, the Seahawks had logged six sacks, forced multiple turnovers, and produced game-defining field goals.

Five of New England’s first six drives stalled against a relentless Seahawks front seven led by Derrick Hall, Byron Murphy, and defensive back Devon Witherspoon. Hall recorded the game’s first sack, chasing down rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who spent much of the night under siege.

Witherspoon and rookie Rylie Mills added sacks before halftime. Mills’ takedown stood out, as he powered through the heart of the Patriots’ offensive line to bring Maye down.

Seattle’s offense complemented the effort with steady production. Kicker Jason Myers scored 15 points on five field goals — of 33, 39, two from 41, and 26 yards — setting a Super Bowl record. While running back Kenneth Walker III earned Super Bowl MVP honors, Myers’ accuracy ensured the Seahawks would maintain control.

Walker powered Seattle’s ground game, finishing with 135 yards on 27 carries while repeatedly breaking tackles and extending drives. Quarterback Sam Darnold, the fourth starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl after playing for five or more teams, completed 19 of 38 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown.

Darnold’s lone scoring pass — a strike to tight end AJ Barner — extended Seattle’s lead to 19-0 and effectively put the game out of reach.

Maye finished 27-of-43 for 295 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, but those numbers masked his struggles. He consistently missed targets under pressure and was rarely comfortable in the pocket.

The determining point came when Witherspoon delivered a strip-sack late in the game. Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu scooped up the loose ball and raced 46 yards for a touchdown, putting an exclamation point on Seattle’s defensive dominance.

New England briefly found life in the fourth quarter. Maye connected with Mack Hollins on a 24-yard gain before hitting him again for a 35-yard touchdown. Andy Borregales’ extra point kick cut the deficit to 19–7 with 12:27 remaining.

Any hopes of a comeback fell short. Safety Julian Love intercepted Maye and returned the ball 36 yards to the New England 38, setting up another Myers’ field goal that increased the lead, 22–7. Moments later, Witherspoon struck again with his strip-sack, and Nwosu’s fumble return sealed the outcome.

The Patriots added a late touchdown with 2:20 left when Maye found running back Rhamondre Stevenson on a seven-yard scoring pass.

On a night built for stars, it was Seattle’s defense that shone brightest — fast, physical, and relentless from kickoff to confetti.

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Houston ISD Yates High School Boys Basketball Coach Greg Wise celebrates his one thousandth victory at Burnet Field House, overwhelming Kashmere, 92-55.

Following a two-year hiatus during which he observed his son Nick Wise compete in college basketball, Wise has been an integral part of the Yates Lions community since 2008. He led the Lions to secure two championships and a national title in 2010.

Esteemed as one of the leading coaches in the Houston area and across the state, Wise is committed to his defensive approach, which focuses on stifling offenses through a pressing and trapping style which aims to force turnovers that lead to points.

This year’s team is looking to extend its playoff journey after last season’s regional finals loss to Wheatley, 90-84.

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For the Panthers, the outcome brought an emotional ending—not what they envisioned. Everything had gone well throughout the playoffs until this night, echoing a previous moment when they fell to North Shore 42-27 with the district championship on the line. 

Everything worked for the Panthers (13-3) during its playoff run. They craved a storybook ending. Instead, an empty feeling spread as the clock ticked down.

Every moment brimmed with hope and anxiety. The realization sank in: for this unforgettable season, the last game would end in triumph or heartbreak.

C.E. King embarked on a unique season. The school gained newfound pride, igniting powerful emotions throughout the community. 

With heavy hearts, the Panthers saw its dreams vanish Saturday night. The Panthers fell to the DeSoto Eagles 55-27 in the UIL Class 6A Division II Finals at AT&T Stadium.

Despite the sting after an inspiring journey, its a season of new but not satisfaction.

Struggling to get out of its own way and facing big play after big play from a well-prepared DeSoto team meant doom. Nerves, penalties, mistakes, and poor tackling took its toll. Not to mention DeSoto’s defense disrupted C.E. King’s explosive offense.

The Eagles proved to be too much, overcoming its own bumpy road this season. 

Trailing 27-0 in the first quarter, the offense finally moved the ball. Quarterback Timothy Potts, who accounted for 45 touchdowns this season, tossed a six-yard touchdown pass to junior Darnell Bradley. Sophomore kicker Chris Hernandez added the bonus kick to make the score 27-7.

C.E. King has its share of star power, but the defense needed to stop the Eagles’ stud tailback, SaRod Baker. He piled up over 1,500 yards in five playoff games. His six-game total accumulated over 1,600 yards and 21 touchdowns.

C.E. King struggled to gain the momentum before DeSoto’s Virginia Tech quarterback commit Kelden Ryan hit SMU receiver commit Daylon Singleton with a quick pass. Singleton turned it into a 70-yard run to the end zone, increasing the Eagles’ lead to 34-7.

The seesaw began when the Panthers took over and executed a 59-yard drive, finishing in three plays. Dionne Sims sprinted 27 yards to score as C.E. King trimmed the deficit 34-14 with 7:24 left in the second quarter.

Soon after, facing fourth and two, trailing 41-21, C.E. King’s Damien Broussard stopped Baker at the line of scrimmage to force a turnover on downs at the Eagles 38 with 2:24 left in the second quarter. But C.E. King’s possession eventually fizzled out.

Photo by Andre Odums/ossports

Though the season ended in tears, coaches and players found moments of gratitude after the last game. They recognized the heart and growth shown over the last 12 months. The Panthers’ journey—marked by a 5-5 record last season, including 3-4 in district—showed its spirit.

For the first time, C.E. King reached the 6A Division II Finals. This historic run energized the community, reshaped the program, and inspired lives. Beating last season’s champion Vandergrift, 58-41 in the 6A Division II semifinals, electrified Panther fans and galvanized the community. 

The Panthers hope to build on this incredible season next fall. 

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