Category: Sports

The college basketball season has just a few weeks left, and NCAA Tournament positioning matters now more than ever. With that, let’s take a look at the odds for the biggest games on the schedule this week (at DraftKings Sportsbook as of March 1), as well as what to know about each matchup. And check back throughout the week, as the games draw nearer and the odds update. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. MONDAY, FEB. 23 No. 24 Louisville 74, No. 18 UNC 77 Spread: Louisville -3.5 (UNC covers)O/U: 162.5 (Under hits) No. 5 Houston 56, No. 14 Kansas 69 Spread: Houston -1.5 (Kansas covers)O/U: 138.5 (Under hits) TUESDAY, FEB. 24 USC 62, UCLA 81 Spread: UCLA -7.5 (UCLA covers)O/U: 150.5 (Under hits) WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25 No. 15 St. John’s 40, No. 6 UConn 72 Spread: UConn -5.5 (UConn covers)O/U: 145.5 (Under hits) THURSDAY, FEB. 26 No. 13 Michigan State 76, No. 8 Purdue 74 Spread: Purdue -7.5 (MSU covers)O/U: 142.5 (Over hits) What to know: Purdue has lost five of its last 10 and is 5-10 ATS as home favorites. FRIDAY, FEB. 27 No. 3 Michigan 84, No. 10 Illinois 70 Spread: Michigan -2.5 (Michigan covers)O/U: 160.5 (Under hits) SATURDAY, FEB. 28 No. 11 Virginia 51, No. 1 Duke 77 Spread: Duke -9.5 (Duke covers)O/U: 141.5 (Under hits) No. 14 Kansas 61, No. 2 Arizona 84 Spread: Arizona -10.5 (Arizona covers)O/U: 151.5 (Under hits) No. 16 Texas Tech 82, No. 4 Iowa State 73 Spread: ISU -10.5 (TTU covers)O/U: 144.5 (Over hits) No. 20 Arkansas 77, No. 7 Florida 111 Spread: Florida -10.5 (Florida covers)O/U: 170.5 (Over hits) No. 9 Gonzaga 59, Saint Mary’s 70 Spread: Gonzaga -2.5 (St. Mary’s covers)O/U: 143.5 (Under hits)

Lamine Yamal has revealed he will gift his first ever match ball to his mother after the Barcelona superstar scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory over Villarreal. The winger put the visitors to the sword with a sensational performance before a late Robert Lewandowski goal capped off a routine win for the Blaugrana, who moved four points clear of Real Madrid. Yamal runs riot Barcelona dominated Villarreal at Camp Nou and Yamal was at the heart of all the action. The youngster was superb and ran the away side ragged, scoring a hat-trick of left-footed efforts into the far corner as he continued to perfect his trademark finish. The home side started a little shaky, but when Fermin Lopez robbed Pape Gueye of possession in the middle of the park and slipped Yamal through, there was only going to be one outcome. The winger opened his body and slotted below the onrushing goalkeeper to hand Hansi Flick’s side the lead in under half an hour. The second Yamal goal was the pick of the bunch as he chased down a loose Lopez pass on the right touchline. He drove inside, using fancy footwork and step-overs to toy with Sergi Cardona and beat his man. Alberto Moleiro then came across to try and block his path, but the clever and stumbling Yamal chopped the ball over the outstretched foot of Moleiro and into space. The ball bounced up nicely for the Barcelona man who wrapped a scorching effort into the top left corner. In the second half, Villarreal snatched a goal back from a corner, but Yamal would soon put the game beyond doubt. Played through by Pedri, the Spanish forward had just the goalkeeper to beat and made no mistake with a curled finish into the bottom corner. He was then replaced for Roony Bardghji and given a standing ovation by the adoring crowd. Winger gives match ball to mother After the game and scoring the first hat-trick of his career, Yamal collected the match ball. He made his way over to the friends and family section and was embraced by those closest to him. He explained: “My mum will get the hat-trick ball, definitely!” Yamal is happy again Speaking after the game, he reflected on a return to form after a difficult period. He told Movistar+, via BeIN Sports: “It was a mix of everything. I wasn’t feeling well myself, plus the pubalgia. I wasn’t happy playing, and you could see it. For about a week now, I feel much better. I feel like smiling while playing again, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Now I’m happy playing. “People expect me to score 100 goals per season since I was 16, but that’s difficult.” The path to Champions League glory Barcelona have found themselves on the favourable side of the Champions League draw — avoiding the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea. The Catalan giants have been pitted against Newcastle United, a side they already dispatched of earlier in the season. Should they see off the tricky trip to St James’ Park, Barcelona will take on one of Atletico Madrid or Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals. Then a potential semi-final with Premier League leaders Arsenal could lay in waiting – but the Gunners will first have to overcome Bayer Leverkusen and then one of Bodo/Glimt or Sporting CP. Yamal will be determined to help his club return to the pinaccle of European football and will know performances like his own against Villarreal could go a long way to ensuring the Blaugrana get there. His minutes and expectations will have to be managed though.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Fight night is heating up as Emanuel Navarrete takes on Eduardo Nunez in a high-stakes showdown that promises power, pace, and nonstop action. New users at BetMGM can use bonus code ‘FOXSPORTS’ to claim up to $1,500 in bonus bets when wagering on this marquee matchup. Whether you’re betting the moneyline, method of victory, total rounds, or building multi-fight parlays, the promotion provides extra leverage on a packed combat sports slate. Activate code ‘FOXSPORTS’, place your qualifying wager, and if it doesn’t hit, you’ll receive bonus bets up to $1,500 — giving you the chance to stay aggressive while following every knockdown, submission attempt, and highlight-reel finish. BetMGM How to Sign Up and Claim the BetMGM Sportsbook Bonus Code Navarrete vs. Nunez Moneyline Fight Outcome To Go the Distance

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Fight fans have a loaded night ahead with championship-caliber boxing and high-stakes MMA action sharing the spotlight. In the boxing ring, Emanuel Navarrete puts his power and relentless pace on display against Eduardo Nunez in a matchup built on aggression and finishing ability. Add in a stacked UFC Fight Night card, and there’s no shortage of angles for bettors to attack. New users at bet365 can use bonus code ‘FOX365’ to claim $150 in bonus bets when placing a qualifying wager on the action. Whether you’re targeting the moneyline, method of victory, total rounds, or building a multi-fight parlay for UFC Fight Night, the offer gives you added leverage on a massive combat sports slate. Activate code ‘FOX365’, lock in your bet on Navarrete vs Nunez or the UFC card, and secure $150 in bonus bets to amplify every knockdown, submission attempt, and championship-round exchange. bet365 How to claim bet365 Promo with Bonus Code ‘FOX365’. Main card (8 p.m. ET, DAZN) Navarrete vs. Nunez Moneyline Fight Outcome UFC Fight Night Ultimate Fighting Championship – Main Card Moreno vs. Kavanagh Odds

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. A primetime Western Conference showdown takes the spotlight as the Los Angeles Lakers square off against the Golden State Warriors. New users at bet365 can use bonus code ‘FOX365’ to claim $150 in bonus bets when placing a qualifying wager on this highly anticipated clash. Whether you’re targeting the spread, total, alternate lines, or Luka Doncic’s points, this primetime battle offers plenty of angles to attack. Use code ‘FOX365’, lock in your bet on Lakers vs Warriors, and secure $150 in bonus bets to elevate the stakes for one of the biggest games on the NBA slate. bet365 How to claim bet365 Promo with Bonus Code ‘FOX365’. Lakers vs. Warriors Betting Insights Lakers Recent Trends Lakers Recent Stats Lakers Leaders Lakers Player Props Warriors Recent Trends Warriors Recent Stats Warriors Leaders Warriors Player Props

STATE FARM CENTER (Champaign, Ill.) — It had been five years since Michigan won the outright Big Ten regular-season title. It had been 20 years since Michigan and Illinois matched up as top-10 teams. And, most importantly for Dusty May’s squad, it had been 2,605 days since Michigan had beaten Illinois. On Friday night on FOX, the Wolverines played like they wouldn’t stand for that for one minute longer. Michigan blitzed the Fighting Illini, 84-70, winning its 23rd game by 10 or more points this season and setting a school record with its 17th conference win. In addition to all of that, the game also featured the first meeting of two conference player of the year candidates, Michigan senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg and Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler, and the return of forward Morez Johnson Jr. to his home state to play his former team. Let’s take a look back at a drama-filled night in Champaign in photos. Reminiscent of a scene from a sci-fi movie, Fighting Illini fans lined up outside the flying-saucer-shaped State Farm Center hours before tipoff. Unseasonably warm weather, with the temperature reaching the mid-60s in Central Illinois, brought out thousands. Inside the arena, Illini fans didn’t hold back their feelings toward ex-patriot Johnson, though the message was delivered with a Midwestern smile. The former Illinois Mr. Basketball verbally committed to the Illini early in his high school career and, as a freshman, averaged 7.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in 30 games. Then, a week after the season, he transferred to Michigan. Apparently, the signs weren’t quite enough for Illini fans to get their angst off their chest. So, 10 members of the Orange Krush student section decided to spell it out. When the paint dried, the message read: “Mirk > Morez,” referring to Illinois freshman forward David Mirkovic, who replaced Johnson in the lineup. Johnson was booed continuously from the moment he stepped onto the court, but, backed by his new teammates, he still had reason to smile pregame. In Johnson’s absence, the spotlight has certainly found Wagler, who in a matter of months has ascended from the No. 261 overall recruit, according to 247Sports, to a potential top-10 NBA Draft pick. The 6-foot-6 guard from Shawnee, Kansas, had only two high-major offers. Now, he’s the primary ball handler and playmaker for an offense that leads the nation in efficiency. After Wagler broke out nationally by setting the scoring record at Mackey Arena with 46 points against Purdue on Jan. 24, opponents have been focusing on him, surrounding him and bullying him. That continued on Friday, when Michigan held Wagler to eight first-half points. After an early Illinois lead, Johnson took over, scoring 13 points in the first half, including this thunderous dunk. “I thought Morez was, in the first half, the best player on the court,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. With Illinois down by seven at the half, the Illini turned to their rallying cry, the air raid siren, to get fans back on their feet. The Illinois band also did its best to pump up the crowd. That included 9-year-old Milo Neal, who plays along at all the big games. He’s such a superfan that a band member made him a miniature uniform just like the one the Marching Illini wear at football games. Lendeborg has called this year’s Michigan squad “the best team ever assembled.” Time will tell, but Michigan does have some impressive blowout wins this season. In addition to their 23 victories by 10 or more points, the Wolverines also have 13 wins by 20-plus points, 10 by 30-plus, seven by 40-plus and one by 50-plus. Their biggest lead on Friday was 21 points with about seven minutes remaining. Illinois is the tallest team in the nation, but on Friday, it was the Wolverines’ height and physicality that won the night. Aday Mara, Michigan’s 7-foot-3, 255-pound center, stuffed the stat sheet: 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks, including this one on 6-foot-7 Illinois guard Andrej Stojakovic. Johnson finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double, leading the charge to deliver his former team’s largest loss of the season. Afterward, with teammate Lendeborg mugging it up right next to him, Johnson remained stone-faced while telling FOX Sports’ Bill Raftery that he was just happy to clinch the Big Ten title. But for Johnson and the Wolverines, this was a statement game. As Illinois coach Brad Underwood said post-game: “They took the belt off and beat our behinds with it.”

The last time the NFL welcomed in 10 new head coaches was 2022, and four short years later, eight of those 10 have already been fired. So at least this year’s group of 10 can’t possibly be worse, right? Time will tell, of course. But for now, here’s the FOX Sports ranking of the 10 new head coaches hired in the 2026 cycle, complete with a very early grade for each. 10. Mike LaFleur, Arizona Cardinals Did the Cardinals accidentally pick the wrong coordinator off of Sean McVay’s staff? The NFL world was buzzing at the start of this cycle about the potential for Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula to be the next great coach off the McVay tree. Instead, the 38-year-old LaFleur leapfrogged him. Maybe the Cardinals saw something others didn’t in his two unremarkable years as the Jets offensive coordinator directing eventual draft bust Zach Wilson? Or maybe they just loved the Rams’ offense so much they were willing to overlook the fact that McVay, not LaFleur, called the plays? None of that is to say LaFleur can’t be a good head coach. He spent seven years working for Kyle Shanahan in various stops and three years at the side of McVay, so some of their genius could have rubbed off. Still, it’s a curious choice, especially considering some of the candidates the Cardinals chose not to hire. Grade: D- 9. Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills Terry Pegula insisted he made the decision to fire Sean McDermott after seeing the scene in the postgame locker room in Denver. He felt he had a team capable of reaching a Super Bowl, and he needed a leader who could put them over the top. That made sense … until he put his supposed title-ready team in the hands of a 36-year-old, first-time head coach who was on the staff he felt just failed the franchise. I guess Brady, in his two-plus years as the Bills’ offensive coordinator, had nothing to do with their playoff failures? He was a favorite of quarterback Josh Allen, who clearly wanted the offensive system to remain the same. That’s why so many thought the Bills were going to hire ex-Giants coach Brian Daboll, who was the offensive coordinator in Buffalo that helped turn Allen into a star. Instead, the Bills conducted a sham of a search and anointed Brady who, to be fair, is well-respected around the league and has had a lot of head coaching interviews over the past three offseasons. It’s still a risk, though, for a franchise that could have benefited from bringing in an external candidate — which is what it sounded like Pegula initially intended to do. Grade: D 8. Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins The Dolphins tried the offensive whiz kid route with Mike McDaniel, and the results were just OK. But it too often appeared that leadership was lacking in that locker room. It’s why they needed to pivot to a “CEO” type of coach. And that fits Hafley, who has experience running a program from his four years as the head coach at Boston College. Unfortunately, he had a pretty mediocre run there, with an overall record of 22-26 and one trip to a minor bowl. College coaches also don’t often translate well to the pros, either, though Hafley has spent nine years as an NFL assistant. He did his best work the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator in Green Bay, where he helped turn the Packers’ defense into a championship-caliber unit. But it’s his leadership that will likely define his tenure in Miami, not his defensive scheme. Grade: C 7. Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans The 46-year-old Saleh doesn’t deserve all the blame for what happened during his time as head coach of the New York Jets, but he can’t disavow all of that 20-36 record. It’s true he was saddled with a bad quarterback (Zach Wilson), but he made plenty of bad decisions that helped ruin his tenure, too. Maybe he’s learned from them. That’s what the Titans are counting on. And there are plenty of examples of coaches who thrived when they got a second chance. But sometimes a failure just proves that a coach can’t handle the big job. We’ll see if that’s true. If nothing else, Saleh is an impressive presence and everyone who has played for him lauds his leadership. He’ll bring a new attitude to the Titans, for sure. He’s also a brilliant defensive mind, so there likely won’t be many issues on that side of the ball. Oddly, he hired another failed New York coach to run his offense — ex-Giants coach Brian Daboll, who had a Saleh-like record of 20-40-1. He’s well-respected, too, and will be a big help for promising young quarterback Cam Ward. Perhaps this will be a great redemption story for both exiled New Yorkers, though the odds feel long. Grade: C+ 6. Todd Monken, Cleveland Browns It takes someone with a strong stomach to be the head coach of the Browns, but it also probably takes someone with more experience than Monken. At least Monken brings a strong track record for developing quarterbacks, though, which is what the Browns need right now more than anything. They have a tremendous defense. They’ve even got some promising talent at running back and receiver. But if they can’t develop a quarterback — whether it’s Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, or someone else — none of it matters. And Monken has had a string of success, running a top-10 offense in Tampa (2016-18) with Jameis Winston, helping turn Lamar Jackson back into an MVP in Baltimore (2023-25), and even developing a prolific offense behind Stetson Bennett at the University of Georgia. The downside is the Browns’ messy search might have cost them respected defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. And Monken, at age 59, hasn’t been a head coach in the NFL before. But if he can fix the quarterback mess, at least the Browns will take the most important first step. Grade: C+ 5. Klint Kubiak, Las Vegas Raiders He is the hot offensive assistant this year after his masterful work with the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Sam Darnold. But plucking the young, offensive star is often a boom-or-bust proposition, as not every great coordinator makes for a quality head coach. The Raiders can afford to take that chance, though, assuming they are patient with the 38-year-old. They are a few years away from contending and Kubiak’s primary job will likely be to develop quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the presumptive top pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. What Kubiak did in Seattle surely caught the Raiders’ attention, but don’t discount his coaching lineage. He’s worked under his father, Gary Kubiak, as well as Kevin Stefanski and Kyle Shanahan. A lot of offensive knowledge has been passed down to him. Whether he can handle the big job remains to be seen. But if he can develop the new quarterback, he’ll be off to a heck of a start. Grade: B- *The Raiders cannot officially announce the hire until after Super Bowl LX 4. Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers It’s hard to argue against hiring a coach with a résumé like the one McCarthy has. He is, quite simply, one of the NFL’s biggest recent winners. He went 125-77-2 during his 13 years in Green Bay. He had three 12-win seasons in five years in Dallas. He’s been to the playoffs 12 times in 18 years overall and won a Super Bowl. Who wouldn’t want that? The only problem here is the fit. McCarthy is 62 years old and has 18 years of experience and doesn’t seem to be the kind of coach who would want a rebuilding project. And while the Steelers don’t think they’re rebuilding, perhaps they should be. They have hovered around mediocrity for more than a decade and been searching for their next franchise quarterback since at least 2018 when they drafted Mason Rudolph. Hiring McCarthy makes it feel like they’re ready to run it back, perhaps with deteriorating 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Now, if they could somehow land a young franchise QB, McCarthy could be very good for him. Don’t discount his influence on Rodgers’ early career. But without that position resolved, this coaching hire could quickly prove to be too old and too stale. Grade: B 3. Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens At the beginning of this hiring cycle, no up-and-coming assistant was talked about as much as the 42-year-old Minter. He figured to be a top candidate for multiple teams, until the market suddenly became flooded with experienced coaches. Though it requires a bit of speculation, he deserves to be ranked near the top, especially since he probably inherits the best of the 10 openings. On a loaded roster with Lamar Jackson at quarterback, he’s got the best shot of winning right away. Can he? Well, his pedigree as an assistant is strong. He’s an apple off the Harbaugh tree, having worked with both John in Baltimore and Jim in Michigan and with the Los Angeles Chargers. He built college football’s best defense when Michigan won the national championship in 2023, and he turned a bad Chargers defense into a top-10 unit over the past two seasons. So he can coach. And many NFL executives think he’s ready for the big chair. Given the one he’s sitting in, it would be hard for him to screw this opportunity up, though the Ravens’ defense took a major step back in 2025. Grade: B+ 2. Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons The Falcons are a team loaded with offensive talent that seemed wasted and misused under Raheem Morris. It’s a big reason why, maybe more than any other club, they needed an offensive-minded head coach. And Stefanski is one of the best, despite what happened during his last two ugly seasons in Cleveland (8-26). He was undermined there by a series of disastrous quarterback decisions. Before that, he was a miracle worker. Consider that the Browns have been to the playoffs twice in the past 23 years — both times under Stefanski. He remarkably won 11 games twice in Cleveland — its only two 11-win seasons since Bill Belichick hit that mark there in 1994 — and was the NFL Coach of the Year both times. Stefanski helped develop Baker Mayfield into a viable NFL quarterback (they went to the playoffs in their first season together), and he had his other winning/playoff season in a year when he had to juggle five different starting quarterbacks. So don’t blame him for how the Browns fell apart. Look at what he did before the collapse. He’ll do the same in Atlanta with whomever his quarterback is. Grade: A 1. John Harbaugh, New York Giants He’s the home-run hire of the offseason and the Giants had to hit it given their miserable, embarrassing record over the past 14 years. They tried a line of promising, inexperienced coaches and it just didn’t work. They needed someone who had done it before, and would instantly restore credibility to their franchise. Harbaugh, of course, had a long and successful run in Baltimore, going 180-113 over 18 seasons, making the playoffs 12 times and winning a Super Bowl. But more than his coaching success, he boasts a presence and credibility the Giants have been missing since Tom Coughlin. He can stand in front of a team that is generally perceived as talented but underachieving, and the players know that what he says and does will work — because it has. He will immediately restore discipline and confidence, and he has a history of being great with young quarterbacks. He is the one coach who could make the Giants’ desired turnaround incredibly quick. Grade: A+

This is the most interesting men’s college basketball season I can remember in the past 15 years. This freshmen class is incredible. NIL means that talent is staying put and the quality of play I’m watching is fantastic. What’s more, the race for the top-4 seed lines of the NCAA tournament has never been more compelling. Here’s the latest edition of my men’s college basketball rankings, as of Feb. 1. *Note: Miami (Ohio) is 22-0, but its strength of schedule is 332nd in the country. The RedHawks are a great story, but I’m not sure that I’ll rank them at all this year. Being undefeated is cool and all, but you have to put it into context. Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillian is pushing all the right buttons with this team. The Aggies sit atop the SEC with a 7-1 record and are averaging 91.0 points in their past three games. Still, there are big challenges ahead. Arkansas lost an emotional affair with Kentucky on Saturday. The Razorbacks have six losses, but none of them are bad losses. They can’t find a rhythm, though, as their longest win streak of the season is just four games. St. John’s has won seven games in a row and beat Butler by 22 points on Wednesday. Guard Ian Jackson had 18 points and is starting to figure out his scoring role. Kentucky is turning its season around. The Wildcats beat Arkansas, led by their former coach John Calipari, on Saturday in an emotional game. Guard Otega Oweh has scored 20 or more points in seven of his past nine games. Clemson boasts one of the 15 best defenses in the country, and the Tigers used it to suffocate Pitt on Saturday; the Panthers could only muster 52 points. Clemson is now 8-1 in the ACC with its only loss in overtime to NC State. Tennessee is on a three-game win streak, beating Alabama, Georgia and Auburn. The Vols have a top-15 defense (again). St. Louis is now 21-1 after crushing Dayton by 31 points on Saturday, with its only loss coming on a miracle shot against Stanford back in November. North Carolina picked up another road win at Georgia Tech on Saturday. I enjoy watching the frontcourt duo of forward Caleb Wilson and center Henri Veesaar. The pair combined for 42 points and 18 rebounds. Virginia has the 17th best offense in the land and got two road wins this week, despite going 14-for-52 from behind the arc combined. That’s a good sign that this team is legit and can find ways to win. Three losses in a row for Purdue seemed unfathomable when it started the preseason as the top-ranked team. This team can score against anyone, but the Boilermakers struggle to guard elite, athletic teams like Iowa State and Illinois. Understandably, BYU went 0-2 this week against Arizona and Kansas. Cougars star forward AJ Dybantsa was only outscored by one point (17 to 18) by Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson, but it felt like more than that. Guard Richie Saunders had 33 points and greatly improved his NBA Draft stock in front of the throng of scouts that were in attendance. I was a bit surprised that Texas Tech lost at UCF after shooting above 50% as a team, but the Red Raiders couldn’t get stops in an 88-80 shootout. Texas Tech star forward JT Toppin continued his stellar season with 27 points on Saturday. I still think the Red Raiders can beat any team — anywhere. Vanderbilt smashed a good Kentucky team earlier this week and is back to its winning ways — three straight wins, in fact. Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner is only 6-foot, but his game is massive. I was so jacked up for the matchup between Dybantsa and Peterson — until the ball was tipped, and Peterson completely took over with 18 points in 17 minutes in the first half. Of course, he only played three minutes in the second half (cramping?), but his Kansas teammates kept it going, shooting 57% overall. Kansas is hitting its stride. Florida made a statement with its thrashing of Alabama at home. Alex Condon had his best game of the season with 25 points and six assists at the center position. Florida ranks sixth in KenPom and is 7-2 in the SEC. [Men’s College Hoops Spotlight: Villanova Eyes NCAA Tournament Berth] Michigan State squeaked out an overtime win at Rutgers early in the week, and the Spartans couldn’t recover fast enough for their top-10 showdown against Michigan on FOX on Friday night, losing 83-71 (the game wasn’t as close as the final score). Spartans star Jeremy Fears Jr. did his part with 31 points, but nobody else really showed up. Graham Ike returned from injury this week, and he scored 30 points in Gonzaga’s win over Saint Mary’s on Saturday night. The Zags’ only loss of the season was a 40-point beatdown at the hands of Michigan in November. Count me as one of the people who was more impressed with Nebraska in defeat (at Michigan) than any other game I’ve seen the Huskers play. Their loss on Sunday to a surging Illinois team doesn’t change their potential, but it does bring them (and their fan base) back to Earth a bit. Illinois owns the No. 1 offense in the sport and used it to avenge its loss to Nebraska. Outside of Arizona, is anyone playing better in the sport right now? Illinois has won 11 consecutive games. Besides those back-to-back road losses a few weeks ago to Kansas and Cincinnati, Iowa State looks every bit like a No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. [NCAA Bracket Projections: Michigan Reclaims No. 1 seed, ACC Rising] Houston freshman guard Kingston Flemings only had seven points on Saturday against Cincinnati, but fellow freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. had 13 and senior guard Milos Uzan closed things out with 16. The Bearcats had no shot in that game. On Saturday, Duke star forward Cameron Boozer posted 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a road win at Virginia Tech. That is a career-best day for most players, but it’s just another day at the office for the best player in the sport. After narrowly escaping most of their Big East opponents, UConn demolished Creighton on the road by 27 points. The Huskies broke out of a slump by hitting 16 of their 31 3-pointers. Michigan followed up its come-from-behind win over Nebraska by controlling most of the game at Michigan State. Wolverines star forward Yaxel Lendeborg finally had a breakout game in conference play with 28 points and 12 rebounds. Arizona is the most physical team in the country and continued to impress, getting road wins at BYU and Arizona State. It seems likely the Wildcats will win the Big 12 by multiple games.

Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau directed traffic and stayed composed in the raucous Breslin Center, leading the third-ranked Wolverines to a victory over in-state rival No. 7 Michigan State on Friday night. Cadeau’s poise in the Wolverines’ 83-71 win caught the attention of FOX Sports play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson, and earned him a spot on Johnson’s weekly “GOT IT” team. “What a game, Elliott,” Johnson said. “You ended with 17 points, six assists. You hit three 3s. But it’s not the numbers. It’s the timely baskets when the game is on the line.” Cadeau pulled up for a right-wing 3 to give Michigan a 69-63 lead with 3:08 remaining. He hit two free throws to extend the lead to double digits with 44 seconds to play. He made three 3-pointers for the fourth time this season. His perimeter shot has been his greatest point of improvement in his junior year. Cadeau spent two seasons at North Carolina before transferring to Michigan. He shot 18.9% as a freshman with the Tar Heels and 33.7% last season. His efficiency has skyrocketed to 42% on 4.2 attempts per game. Not every player can increase their effectiveness at a greater volume, but Cadeau has. Having elite surrounding talent leading to more open shots doesn’t hurt. While Cadeau’s 3 has been a pleasant surprise for Michigan and Dusty May, the Wolverines’ head coach brought him to Ann Arbor because he could unleash that surrounding talent with his facilitation abilities. “Not only did you hit big shots,” Johnson said to Cadeau. “You got your teammates involved. You knew where to hit them on their sweet spots tonight.” “That just comes with practicing every day, building chemistry on and off the court,” Cadeau replied. Cadeau created an easy layup for Morez Johnson Jr. in the final moments. He ended Friday’s game with six assists. More importantly, he kept his team calm in a hostile environment, leading Michigan to its first win in the Breslin Center since Jan. 13, 2018.

Keaton Wagler scored 28 points and No. 9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, beating No. 5 Nebraska on Sunday, 78-69, in the first matchup of top-10 teams the Cornhuskers have hosted. The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven’t lost since falling 83-80 at home to Nebraska on Dec. 13, held the Huskers to four field goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half. Nebraska (20-2, 9-2) lost its second straight. The Huskers were beaten on the road Tuesday by another top-10 opponent, No. 3 Michigan, ending their 24-game win streak dating to last season. Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and David Mirkovic had 10. Braden Frager returned for Nebraska after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury and scored 20 points. Pryce Sandfort added 14 points, Sam Hoiberg had 13 and Jamarques Lawrence scored 10. Nebraska hit 11 of 20 3-pointers before halftime to lead 39-33 at the break. But the Huskers made only four 3s in the second half against a tightened Illinois defense. The Illini outscored Nebraska 18-8 to open the second half. A 3-pointer by Wagler with 13:05 left put Illinois ahead 49-47, a lead it did not relinquish. Wagler hit another 3 with 6:45 remaining to cap a 10-0 run that made it 63-52. The Huskers trailed by at least seven points the rest of the way. While Illinois made nine 3-pointers to 15 for Nebraska, the Illini dominated at the free-throw line, outscoring the Huskers 21-4. Illinois also had a 10-point edge in the paint and a 40-27 advantage in rebounds. Next, Illinois hosts Northwestern on Wednesday, and Nebraska visits Rutgers on Saturday. Reporting by The Associated Press.