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Deadspin | Deep-shooting Alabama overwhelms Texas Tech, moves on to Sweet 16

Deadspin | Deep-shooting Alabama overwhelms Texas Tech, moves on to Sweet 16

Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Houston Mallette (95) celebrates after a play against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Latrell Wrightsell scored 24 points and fourth-seeded Alabama unleashed a relentless 3-point attack in blowing out No. 5 Texas Tech 90-65 in the NCAA Tournament’s second round Sunday night in Tampa, Fla.

Houston Mallette scored all 15 of his points on 3s, Amari Allen had 12 points despite missing his four 3-point attempts and Aiden Sherrell had 10 points. Labaron Philon Jr. contributed nine points and a career-high 12 assists.

Alabama (25-9) meets top-seeded Michigan in the Sweet 16 on Friday night in the Midwest Region at Chicago.

LeJuan Watts’ 16 points and seven rebounds led Texas Tech (23-11), while Donovan Atwell provided 12 points and Leon Horner had 10. The Red Raiders lost four of their final five games, with a once-promising season veering off track after the loss of star JT Toppin to a season-ending injury.

The Crimson Tide led 90-56 with 4:41 remaining and didn’t score again. Substitutes helped finish the job for Alabama in a game that concluded after midnight.

Led by Wrightsell’s six 3-pointers on nine attempts, Alabama made 19 of 42 shots from 3-point spots (45.2%) compared to Texas Tech’s 4-for-25 shooting from long range (16%).

The Crimson Tide also controlled the boards to the tune of 47-35.

In two tournament games, Alabama didn’t look bothered by playing without suspended guard Aden Holloway, the team’s second-leading scorer. The Crimson Tide reached the 90-point level in both games, speeding past Hofstra on Friday.

Alabama, fueled by a 13-2 spurt, held a 49-25 halftime lead with seven different players hitting at least one 3-pointer. The Crimson Tide were 6-for-12 on two-point attempts as they relied almost exclusively on perimeter shooting.

The 49 points were the most scored in the first half in any NCAA Tournament second-round game this weekend.

Alabama made 11 shots from 3-point range in the first half, while Texas Tech shot 2-for-13 on first-half 3-point attempts

–Field Level Media

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Deadspin | Hunter Haight’s first NHL goal sparks Wild in win over Ducks  Apr 14, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) is pushed out of the crease by Minnesota Wild defenseman Jeff Petry (2) in the first period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images   Hunter Haight scored his first NHL goal and the Minnesota Wild held on for a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night in Saint Paul, Minn.  Danila Yurov and Robby Fabbri also scored one goal apiece for Minnesota (46-24-12, 104 points), which wrapped up its regular season. The Wild will face the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.  Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves on 36 shots.  Mason McTavish scored two goals to lead Anaheim (42-33-6, 90 points), which also is headed to the postseason. The Ducks learned Monday night that they clinched a Western Conference playoff berth for the first time in eight years, but the Tuesday loss cost them any chance of winning the Pacific Division.  Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal allowed three goals on 20 shots. Anaheim closes the regular season Thursday against the Nashville Predators before opening the postseason against either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Edmonton Oilers.  The Ducks opened the scoring with a power-play goal 10:27 into the first period. McTavish handled the puck in the middle of the left circle and unleashed a wrist shot through traffic that beat Wallstedt.   Minnesota evened the score at 1-all with 3:18 remaining in the first period. After the Ducks committed a turnover in their defensive zone, Yurov got the puck in the right circle and took advantage by scoring on a wrist shot.  Haight put the Wild on top 2-1 midway through the second period. Nick Foligno handled the puck behind the net and passed it toward the slot for Haight, who fired a shot just inside the right post and into the net.  Haight, 22, grinned wide as teammates celebrated with him along the boards after his first goal, which came in the ninth game of his rookie campaign. The Wild selected Haight in the second round (No. 47 overall) of the 2022 draft.  Minnesota made it 3-1 with 6:57 remaining in the third period. Fabbri spotted a loose puck near the front of the crease and tapped it across the goal line.  Anaheim cut the deficit to 3-2 with 46 seconds to go. McTavish deflected a shot by Mikael Granlund for his second goal of the game and his 17th of the season.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Hunter #Haights #NHL #goal #sparks #Wild #win #DucksApr 14, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) is pushed out of the crease by Minnesota Wild defenseman Jeff Petry (2) in the first period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Hunter Haight scored his first NHL goal and the Minnesota Wild held on for a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

Danila Yurov and Robby Fabbri also scored one goal apiece for Minnesota (46-24-12, 104 points), which wrapped up its regular season. The Wild will face the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves on 36 shots.

Mason McTavish scored two goals to lead Anaheim (42-33-6, 90 points), which also is headed to the postseason. The Ducks learned Monday night that they clinched a Western Conference playoff berth for the first time in eight years, but the Tuesday loss cost them any chance of winning the Pacific Division.

Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal allowed three goals on 20 shots. Anaheim closes the regular season Thursday against the Nashville Predators before opening the postseason against either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Edmonton Oilers.


The Ducks opened the scoring with a power-play goal 10:27 into the first period. McTavish handled the puck in the middle of the left circle and unleashed a wrist shot through traffic that beat Wallstedt.

Minnesota evened the score at 1-all with 3:18 remaining in the first period. After the Ducks committed a turnover in their defensive zone, Yurov got the puck in the right circle and took advantage by scoring on a wrist shot.

Haight put the Wild on top 2-1 midway through the second period. Nick Foligno handled the puck behind the net and passed it toward the slot for Haight, who fired a shot just inside the right post and into the net.

Haight, 22, grinned wide as teammates celebrated with him along the boards after his first goal, which came in the ninth game of his rookie campaign. The Wild selected Haight in the second round (No. 47 overall) of the 2022 draft.

Minnesota made it 3-1 with 6:57 remaining in the third period. Fabbri spotted a loose puck near the front of the crease and tapped it across the goal line.

Anaheim cut the deficit to 3-2 with 46 seconds to go. McTavish deflected a shot by Mikael Granlund for his second goal of the game and his 17th of the season.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hunter #Haights #NHL #goal #sparks #Wild #win #Ducks">Deadspin | Hunter Haight’s first NHL goal sparks Wild in win over Ducks  Apr 14, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) is pushed out of the crease by Minnesota Wild defenseman Jeff Petry (2) in the first period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images   Hunter Haight scored his first NHL goal and the Minnesota Wild held on for a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night in Saint Paul, Minn.  Danila Yurov and Robby Fabbri also scored one goal apiece for Minnesota (46-24-12, 104 points), which wrapped up its regular season. The Wild will face the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.  Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 34 saves on 36 shots.  Mason McTavish scored two goals to lead Anaheim (42-33-6, 90 points), which also is headed to the postseason. The Ducks learned Monday night that they clinched a Western Conference playoff berth for the first time in eight years, but the Tuesday loss cost them any chance of winning the Pacific Division.  Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal allowed three goals on 20 shots. Anaheim closes the regular season Thursday against the Nashville Predators before opening the postseason against either the Vegas Golden Knights or the Edmonton Oilers.  The Ducks opened the scoring with a power-play goal 10:27 into the first period. McTavish handled the puck in the middle of the left circle and unleashed a wrist shot through traffic that beat Wallstedt.   Minnesota evened the score at 1-all with 3:18 remaining in the first period. After the Ducks committed a turnover in their defensive zone, Yurov got the puck in the right circle and took advantage by scoring on a wrist shot.  Haight put the Wild on top 2-1 midway through the second period. Nick Foligno handled the puck behind the net and passed it toward the slot for Haight, who fired a shot just inside the right post and into the net.  Haight, 22, grinned wide as teammates celebrated with him along the boards after his first goal, which came in the ninth game of his rookie campaign. The Wild selected Haight in the second round (No. 47 overall) of the 2022 draft.  Minnesota made it 3-1 with 6:57 remaining in the third period. Fabbri spotted a loose puck near the front of the crease and tapped it across the goal line.  Anaheim cut the deficit to 3-2 with 46 seconds to go. McTavish deflected a shot by Mikael Granlund for his second goal of the game and his 17th of the season.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Hunter #Haights #NHL #goal #sparks #Wild #win #Ducks

As the WNBA races through a landmark free agency period, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is already looking beyond North America.

Speaking before Monday’s draft, Engelbert said the league is targeting its first game overseas in 2027, either as an exhibition or regular-season fixture. The WNBA expanded to Toronto this season, its first franchise outside the United States.

“We’re heavily looking at that,” Engelbert said. “Obviously this year we have the FIBA World Cup. Next year we expect that we’ll do something outside of North America as a true global game.”

The league welcomed its 2026 draft class days after a historic free agency window opened, featuring its first million-dollar contracts.

“I’m pretty emotional seeing 23 million-dollar contracts signed only two days into free agency,” Engelbert said. “Now these players can build real generational wealth.”

Engelbert brushed aside questions about her future.

“I do crack up, everyone’s focused on me and you should be focused on the hundreds and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself,” she said.

“I wonder if you would ask that of a man?”

She added she was “thrilled with the trajectory, growth and was really looking forward to the next few years.”

The Board of Governors is yet to approve the proposed sale of the Connecticut Sun to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. Engelbert said details around a potential move to Houston would be addressed later.

The league is also finalising its new collective bargaining agreement, estimated at 400-500 pages, featuring record salary increases, housing benefits, 401(k) contributions and support for former players.

A state-of-the-game task force has also been set up, including a focus on officiating.

“You’ll see some changes around physicality this year,” she said.

Training camps open Sunday, with the season tipping off May 8.

Published on Apr 15, 2026

#WNBA #eyes #overseas #game #free #agency #boom">WNBA eyes first overseas game in 2027 amid free agency boom  As the WNBA races through a landmark free agency period, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is already looking beyond North America.Speaking before Monday’s draft, Engelbert said the league is targeting its first game overseas in 2027, either as an exhibition or regular-season fixture. The WNBA expanded to Toronto this season, its first franchise outside the United States.“We’re heavily looking at that,” Engelbert said. “Obviously this year we have the FIBA World Cup. Next year we expect that we’ll do something outside of North America as a true global game.”The league welcomed its 2026 draft class days after a historic free agency window opened, featuring its first million-dollar contracts.“I’m pretty emotional seeing 23 million-dollar contracts signed only two days into free agency,” Engelbert said. “Now these players can build real generational wealth.”Engelbert brushed aside questions about her future.“I do crack up, everyone’s focused on me and you should be focused on the hundreds and thousands of women who run this league outside of myself,” she said.“I wonder if you would ask that of a man?”She added she was “thrilled with the trajectory, growth and was really looking forward to the next few years.”The Board of Governors is yet to approve the proposed sale of the Connecticut Sun to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. Engelbert said details around a potential move to Houston would be addressed later.The league is also finalising its new collective bargaining agreement, estimated at 400-500 pages, featuring record salary increases, housing benefits, 401(k) contributions and support for former players.A state-of-the-game task force has also been set up, including a focus on officiating.“You’ll see some changes around physicality this year,” she said.Training camps open Sunday, with the season tipping off May 8.Published on Apr 15, 2026  #WNBA #eyes #overseas #game #free #agency #boom

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