Deadspin | No. 2 Michigan, on a ‘heater’, poses tall order for Penn State

Deadspin | No. 2 Michigan, on a ‘heater’, poses tall order for Penn State

Jan 2, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) passes to forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the first half against the Southern California Trojans at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Michigan has been streaking with an epic roll that contains 10 victories by 25 or more points already this season.

The No. 2 Wolverines look to add Penn State to the list of blowout victims when they face the Nittany Lions on Tuesday night in Big Ten play at University Park, Pa.

Michigan (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten) is one of six undefeated teams nationally and has topped 100 points seven times, including in six of their past eight games.

Friday’s 96-66 home victory over No. 24 Southern California marked the ninth time in the past 10 games that the Wolverines won by at least 25. Five of the wins during the stretch are by 40 or more, including a 52-point rout of La Salle on Dec. 21.

Overall, the Wolverines have six wins by 40 or more points.

“This is a heater,” Michigan coach Dusty May said of his team’s torrid play.

And May has no interest in taking his foot off the pedal.

“We’ve got to be excited for the preparation that’s going to go into giving us an opportunity to win that game,” May said of facing Penn State. “But as far as looking in the rear view, no. If we’re not learning from something specific or a past lesson, we’re not (doing that).”

Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-best 29 points on 10-of-12 shooting against USC. It was his second straight game 20-point effort as he tallied 24 in a 112-71 rout of McNeese on Dec. 29 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Johnson didn’t want to get caught up in his individual numbers.

“We’ve got to stay locked in and get better every day because we know we have an end goal at the end of the year,” Johnson said.

Johnson ranks second on the Wolverines in scoring (14.8), just behind Yaxel Lendeborg (15.1). Trey McKenney (10.8), Roddy Gayle Jr. (10.5) and Aday Mara (10.5) also average in double digits. Mara has a team-best 8.1 rebounding average.

Penn State (9-5, 0-3) has dropped four of its last five games and it follows the Michigan contest with a road game at No. 5 Purdue on Saturday.

The Nittany Lions never led in last Saturday’s 73-65 loss to Illinois in a contest played in Philadelphia at The Palestra.

Penn State trailed 13-3 right off the bat and was down by as many as 15 during a tough night.

“I wish we would have played better to start the game — that got us in a hole,” Nittany Lions coach Mike Rhoades said. “Illinois is a very good team. I thought our guys battled … We battled, but still not good enough; we’ve got work to do.”

Penn State struggled from 3-point range by going 8-for-38 and made 14 fewer free throws (23 to nine) than the Illini.

Kayden Mingo recorded 16 points, five assists and four steals and Eli Rice added 11 points for the Nittany Lions.

Rice, a redshirt sophomore guard, has scored in double digits in consecutive games and five times overall this season.

“I’m just trying to get better every game,” Rice said. “I think coaches are doing a good job helping me find shots and stuff. So really, just trying to get on that.”

Mingo, a freshman guard, leads Penn State with a 14.9 scoring average. Freddie Dilione V chips in 14.1 per game and Melih Tunca is third at 10.6.

Not a single Nittany Lion is averaging 4.0 rebounds per game.

Michigan registered a 76-72 home win over Penn State in last season’s lone meeting to snap a three-game skid in the series.

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Steelers owner has Ravens’ fan seating moved at Pittsburgh draft  Apr 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A general overall aerial view of Acrisure Stadium, the site of the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Brotherly love is not in the air in Pittsburgh, where Steelers owner Art Rooney II ceases to give the franchise rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens a day off.   Rooney surveyed the stage and draft layout ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in his home city and was surprised to find the chart called for Ravens fans to be seated in front of the hometown Steelers fans positioned outside of Acrisure Stadium.  He asked the NFL to do something about it.  “On the normal seating chart, I noticed that the Ravens fans were sitting in front of the Steeler fans in one section of the draft theater,” Rooney said in a radio interview with WDVE 102.5 FM. “So I asked (the NFL) to make that change — and they agreed to make that.”   The Steelers and Ravens both changed head coaches in the offseason but the rivalry remains intense.   Baltimore lost a virtual division championship game in the stadium where the draft is held starting Thursday and will pick 14th overall. The Ravens attempted to trade that pick and more to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby, but general manager Eric DeCosta backed out of the deal for what he claimed were concerns with Crosby’s physical.   Pittsburgh has pick No. 21 in the first round Thursday but will be readily apparent Friday during a stretch in the second and third rounds in which the Steelers hold four picks between selections Nos. 53 and 99.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Steelers #owner #Ravens #fan #seating #moved #Pittsburgh #draftApr 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A general overall aerial view of Acrisure Stadium, the site of the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Brotherly love is not in the air in Pittsburgh, where Steelers owner Art Rooney II ceases to give the franchise rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens a day off.

Rooney surveyed the stage and draft layout ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in his home city and was surprised to find the chart called for Ravens fans to be seated in front of the hometown Steelers fans positioned outside of Acrisure Stadium.

He asked the NFL to do something about it.


“On the normal seating chart, I noticed that the Ravens fans were sitting in front of the Steeler fans in one section of the draft theater,” Rooney said in a radio interview with WDVE 102.5 FM. “So I asked (the NFL) to make that change — and they agreed to make that.”

The Steelers and Ravens both changed head coaches in the offseason but the rivalry remains intense.

Baltimore lost a virtual division championship game in the stadium where the draft is held starting Thursday and will pick 14th overall. The Ravens attempted to trade that pick and more to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby, but general manager Eric DeCosta backed out of the deal for what he claimed were concerns with Crosby’s physical.

Pittsburgh has pick No. 21 in the first round Thursday but will be readily apparent Friday during a stretch in the second and third rounds in which the Steelers hold four picks between selections Nos. 53 and 99.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Steelers #owner #Ravens #fan #seating #moved #Pittsburgh #draft">Deadspin | Steelers owner has Ravens’ fan seating moved at Pittsburgh draft  Apr 21, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A general overall aerial view of Acrisure Stadium, the site of the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Brotherly love is not in the air in Pittsburgh, where Steelers owner Art Rooney II ceases to give the franchise rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens a day off.   Rooney surveyed the stage and draft layout ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in his home city and was surprised to find the chart called for Ravens fans to be seated in front of the hometown Steelers fans positioned outside of Acrisure Stadium.  He asked the NFL to do something about it.  “On the normal seating chart, I noticed that the Ravens fans were sitting in front of the Steeler fans in one section of the draft theater,” Rooney said in a radio interview with WDVE 102.5 FM. “So I asked (the NFL) to make that change — and they agreed to make that.”   The Steelers and Ravens both changed head coaches in the offseason but the rivalry remains intense.   Baltimore lost a virtual division championship game in the stadium where the draft is held starting Thursday and will pick 14th overall. The Ravens attempted to trade that pick and more to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby, but general manager Eric DeCosta backed out of the deal for what he claimed were concerns with Crosby’s physical.   Pittsburgh has pick No. 21 in the first round Thursday but will be readily apparent Friday during a stretch in the second and third rounds in which the Steelers hold four picks between selections Nos. 53 and 99.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Steelers #owner #Ravens #fan #seating #moved #Pittsburgh #draft

Deadspin | Led by CJ McCollum, Hawks look to seize series lead vs. Knicks  Apr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) and New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) are separated by referee Zach Zarba (15) during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images   CJ McCollum is filling the exact role the Atlanta Hawks had in mind when they acquired him in January. The veteran is not only scoring plenty of points, but he’s also providing an experienced presence for a young team.  McCollum scored 32 points on Tuesday to spark Atlanta’s fourth-quarter comeback and 107-106 road win against the New York Knicks. The best-of-seven first-round series is tied 1-1 and shifts to Atlanta on Thursday for Game 3.  “I really liked CJ’s leadership as much as the shot making,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “CJ’s leadership was really good with the ball in his hands.”  The Knicks had been 40-1 in the postseason since the advent of the shot clock in 1954-55 when leading by 12 or more points after three quarters. The only loss was when Reggie Miller scored 25 points in the fourth for Indiana in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.  “It’s something that we’ve talked about over the course of the last couple of months,” Snyder said. “It’s a different type of leadership in my mind than he’s had at other times, because he’s got to find a balance of communicating and talking to the guys but still not losing his aggressiveness scoring the basketball.”  The mild-mannered McCollum also stepped into an unfamiliar role as villain. The crowd at Madison Square Garden, turned their vitriol — formerly directed at ex-Hawk Trae Young — toward McCollum. He just shrugged it off.  “I ain’t no villain, I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife,” McCollum said. “I think it’s admiration. Great passionate fans in a really hostile environment. It’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs.”   The Knicks lost the game despite 29 points from Jalen Brunson. He scored 10 of the team’s 15 fourth-quarter points when New York shot just 5-for-22 from the floor.  “We got the ball in the right people’s hands down the stretch and we didn’t convert,” New York coach Mike Brown said.  Brunson has been outstanding in both games. He scored 28 in the series opener. But Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 in the first game, scored only 18 — and none in the fourth quarter in Game 2. Brown blamed 14 turnovers, which led to 18 Atlanta points, and shooting 63 percent (17-for-27) at the line.  “At the end of the day we’ve got to lock in at the free-throw line, and we’ve got to take care of the ball,” Brown said. “And in that fourth quarter you could tell they were playing with a level of desperation. They got three of four 50-50 balls in the fourth quarter, which is what we use to measure the level of aggression in a game. In that fourth quarter their aggression stepped up.”  The competition between the teams has been close all season. New York won the first playoff game 113-102, the most lopsided score this year. The Knicks won two of the three regular-season games by three points, while Atlanta had a two-point win.  “Atlanta did what they wanted to do. They came in here and took one from us at home,” Brown said. “In my opinion, you’ve got to be able to win on the road if you expect to get where you want to do. So, for us, we’ve got to go win on the road.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Led #McCollum #Hawks #seize #series #lead #KnicksApr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) and New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) are separated by referee Zach Zarba (15) during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

CJ McCollum is filling the exact role the Atlanta Hawks had in mind when they acquired him in January. The veteran is not only scoring plenty of points, but he’s also providing an experienced presence for a young team.

McCollum scored 32 points on Tuesday to spark Atlanta’s fourth-quarter comeback and 107-106 road win against the New York Knicks. The best-of-seven first-round series is tied 1-1 and shifts to Atlanta on Thursday for Game 3.

“I really liked CJ’s leadership as much as the shot making,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “CJ’s leadership was really good with the ball in his hands.”

The Knicks had been 40-1 in the postseason since the advent of the shot clock in 1954-55 when leading by 12 or more points after three quarters. The only loss was when Reggie Miller scored 25 points in the fourth for Indiana in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.

“It’s something that we’ve talked about over the course of the last couple of months,” Snyder said. “It’s a different type of leadership in my mind than he’s had at other times, because he’s got to find a balance of communicating and talking to the guys but still not losing his aggressiveness scoring the basketball.”

The mild-mannered McCollum also stepped into an unfamiliar role as villain. The crowd at Madison Square Garden, turned their vitriol — formerly directed at ex-Hawk Trae Young — toward McCollum. He just shrugged it off.


“I ain’t no villain, I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife,” McCollum said. “I think it’s admiration. Great passionate fans in a really hostile environment. It’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs.”

The Knicks lost the game despite 29 points from Jalen Brunson. He scored 10 of the team’s 15 fourth-quarter points when New York shot just 5-for-22 from the floor.

“We got the ball in the right people’s hands down the stretch and we didn’t convert,” New York coach Mike Brown said.

Brunson has been outstanding in both games. He scored 28 in the series opener. But Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 in the first game, scored only 18 — and none in the fourth quarter in Game 2. Brown blamed 14 turnovers, which led to 18 Atlanta points, and shooting 63 percent (17-for-27) at the line.

“At the end of the day we’ve got to lock in at the free-throw line, and we’ve got to take care of the ball,” Brown said. “And in that fourth quarter you could tell they were playing with a level of desperation. They got three of four 50-50 balls in the fourth quarter, which is what we use to measure the level of aggression in a game. In that fourth quarter their aggression stepped up.”

The competition between the teams has been close all season. New York won the first playoff game 113-102, the most lopsided score this year. The Knicks won two of the three regular-season games by three points, while Atlanta had a two-point win.

“Atlanta did what they wanted to do. They came in here and took one from us at home,” Brown said. “In my opinion, you’ve got to be able to win on the road if you expect to get where you want to do. So, for us, we’ve got to go win on the road.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Led #McCollum #Hawks #seize #series #lead #Knicks">Deadspin | Led by CJ McCollum, Hawks look to seize series lead vs. Knicks  Apr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) and New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) are separated by referee Zach Zarba (15) during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images   CJ McCollum is filling the exact role the Atlanta Hawks had in mind when they acquired him in January. The veteran is not only scoring plenty of points, but he’s also providing an experienced presence for a young team.  McCollum scored 32 points on Tuesday to spark Atlanta’s fourth-quarter comeback and 107-106 road win against the New York Knicks. The best-of-seven first-round series is tied 1-1 and shifts to Atlanta on Thursday for Game 3.  “I really liked CJ’s leadership as much as the shot making,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “CJ’s leadership was really good with the ball in his hands.”  The Knicks had been 40-1 in the postseason since the advent of the shot clock in 1954-55 when leading by 12 or more points after three quarters. The only loss was when Reggie Miller scored 25 points in the fourth for Indiana in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.  “It’s something that we’ve talked about over the course of the last couple of months,” Snyder said. “It’s a different type of leadership in my mind than he’s had at other times, because he’s got to find a balance of communicating and talking to the guys but still not losing his aggressiveness scoring the basketball.”  The mild-mannered McCollum also stepped into an unfamiliar role as villain. The crowd at Madison Square Garden, turned their vitriol — formerly directed at ex-Hawk Trae Young — toward McCollum. He just shrugged it off.  “I ain’t no villain, I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife,” McCollum said. “I think it’s admiration. Great passionate fans in a really hostile environment. It’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs.”   The Knicks lost the game despite 29 points from Jalen Brunson. He scored 10 of the team’s 15 fourth-quarter points when New York shot just 5-for-22 from the floor.  “We got the ball in the right people’s hands down the stretch and we didn’t convert,” New York coach Mike Brown said.  Brunson has been outstanding in both games. He scored 28 in the series opener. But Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 25 in the first game, scored only 18 — and none in the fourth quarter in Game 2. Brown blamed 14 turnovers, which led to 18 Atlanta points, and shooting 63 percent (17-for-27) at the line.  “At the end of the day we’ve got to lock in at the free-throw line, and we’ve got to take care of the ball,” Brown said. “And in that fourth quarter you could tell they were playing with a level of desperation. They got three of four 50-50 balls in the fourth quarter, which is what we use to measure the level of aggression in a game. In that fourth quarter their aggression stepped up.”  The competition between the teams has been close all season. New York won the first playoff game 113-102, the most lopsided score this year. The Knicks won two of the three regular-season games by three points, while Atlanta had a two-point win.  “Atlanta did what they wanted to do. They came in here and took one from us at home,” Brown said. “In my opinion, you’ve got to be able to win on the road if you expect to get where you want to do. So, for us, we’ve got to go win on the road.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Led #McCollum #Hawks #seize #series #lead #Knicks

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