×
Deadspin | No. 22 Michigan State pulls away late in big win over No. 14 Arkansas

Deadspin | No. 22 Michigan State pulls away late in big win over No. 14 Arkansas

Michigan State’s coach Tom Izzo, left, and Arkansas’ head coach John Calipari meet before the game on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

Freshman Cameron Ward had 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench as No. 22 Michigan State held off No. 14 Arkansas, 69-66, in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday night.

Coen Carr supplied 15 points and seven rebounds for Michigan State (2-0), while Jaxon Kohler added 10 points with seven rebounds.

Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas had 16 points apiece for the Razorbacks (1-1). D.J. Wagner tossed in 13 points.

Neither side led by more than six points in the first half. Acuff led Arkansas with 10 points as the Razorbacks reached the break with a 39-36 lead.

Thomas had nine first-half points, while Wagner and Billy Richmond III each contributed eight. Ward and Carr led the Spartans, who misfired on all seven of their 3-point attempts, with 12 points apiece. Michigan State lived in the paint, outscoring Arkansas 26-16 in that area.

A pair of inside buckets by Kohler during a 7-1 Michigan State spurt gave the Spartans a 45-42 lead with 16:28 to go.

Their lead continued to fluctuate between three and five points until Cooper converted an alley-oop pass from Jeremy Fears Jr. to make it 59-53. Carr nudged the lead to eight points with a pair of free throws.

Arkansas closed the gap on a Malique Ewin dunk off an Acuff feed and a Thomas 3-pointer. Thomas then fed Nick Pringle for a dunk with 2:43 remaining to pull the Razorbacks within one at 66-65.

Following a Michigan State turnover, Pringle split free throws to tie the game. Cooper then split free throws with 1:21 left to put the Spartans back on top.

Cooper blocked an Acuff shot on Arkansas’ next possession. Fears then made two free throws for a 69-66 Spartans lead. Thomas missed a pair of shots, forcing Pringle to foul Jordan Scott, who missed both free throws.

Acuff and Trevor Brazile misfired on 3-point attempts in the final five seconds.

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #Michigan #State #pulls #late #big #win #Arkansas

The Portland Fire’s roster doesn’t include many big-name WNBA players.

One of two expansion teams to join the league this season, their roster is headlined by strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carle Leite, and Emily Engslter, players who have never been primary options in the WNBA, and fought tooth and nail to make it.

But on Tuesday night in Portland, as streamers inundated the stands, the roster’s relative name recognition didn’t matter.

Thanks to a Sarah Ashlee-Barker game-winning putback layup, the Fire defeated the New York Liberty 98-96, toppling a veteran squad that boasts stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.

Important disclaimer: the Liberty have not been healthy to begin the season; two of their most important players — Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally — are both sidelined. Still, few would have predicted that the Fire, who fell to the Chicago Sky on opening night, would come away with their first win of the season on Tuesday against.

Bridget Carleton did everything she could to ensure it would happen. The 28-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in the expansion draft, and subsequently signed a 3-year, $3.75 million maximum contract.

Some scoffed at the size of that deal — she’d never before averaged double-figures, and while she was a strong role player for the Minnesota Lynx, she appeared to be just that: a role player.

But, in Tuesday’s win, the Fire’s Carleton vision came to fruition. The Canadian sharpshooter tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also racking up 4 steals. In her 33 minutes on the floor, the Fire outscored the Liberty by 12 points.

But the victory was far more than just Carleton’s doing.

The 22-year-old Carla Leite appears to be a rising star of her own. Leite showed flashes of potential in her rookie season on the Golden State Valkyries, but is already seeing more opportunities in Portland. She led the way with 21 points in the season opener, and followed that up with another 21-point performance on Tuesday, hitting 8 of 14 field goal attempts alongside 6 assists.

Leite’s most pivotal play came with just 27 seconds to spare, when she blew past Jonquel Jones for a clutch-time layup to tie up the ball game.

Then, it was Sarah Ashlee-Barker who quickly became a franchise hero; the second-year forward corralled Carleton’s missed three-point attempt, and beat the buzzer with the putback.

Immediately, Ashlee-Barker’s teammates piled on top of her in celebration, while the fans at Moda Center went berserk.

A Fire team that didn’t even have players just a few months ago had toppled one of the most talented squads in the WNBA.

And, the fire they played with on Tuesday night suggested it just might be the first of many big-time victories in their inaugural season.

#Portland #Fire #won #game #perfect">The Portland Fire just won their first game, and it was perfect  The Portland Fire’s roster doesn’t include many big-name WNBA players.One of two expansion teams to join the league this season, their roster is headlined by strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carle Leite, and Emily Engslter, players who have never been primary options in the WNBA, and fought tooth and nail to make it.But on Tuesday night in Portland, as streamers inundated the stands, the roster’s relative name recognition didn’t matter.Thanks to a Sarah Ashlee-Barker game-winning putback layup, the Fire defeated the New York Liberty 98-96, toppling a veteran squad that boasts stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.Important disclaimer: the Liberty have not been healthy to begin the season; two of their most important players — Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally — are both sidelined. Still, few would have predicted that the Fire, who fell to the Chicago Sky on opening night, would come away with their first win of the season on Tuesday against.Bridget Carleton did everything she could to ensure it would happen. The 28-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in the expansion draft, and subsequently signed a 3-year, .75 million maximum contract.Some scoffed at the size of that deal — she’d never before averaged double-figures, and while she was a strong role player for the Minnesota Lynx, she appeared to be just that: a role player.But, in Tuesday’s win, the Fire’s Carleton vision came to fruition. The Canadian sharpshooter tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also racking up 4 steals. In her 33 minutes on the floor, the Fire outscored the Liberty by 12 points.But the victory was far more than just Carleton’s doing.The 22-year-old Carla Leite appears to be a rising star of her own. Leite showed flashes of potential in her rookie season on the Golden State Valkyries, but is already seeing more opportunities in Portland. She led the way with 21 points in the season opener, and followed that up with another 21-point performance on Tuesday, hitting 8 of 14 field goal attempts alongside 6 assists.Leite’s most pivotal play came with just 27 seconds to spare, when she blew past Jonquel Jones for a clutch-time layup to tie up the ball game.Then, it was Sarah Ashlee-Barker who quickly became a franchise hero; the second-year forward corralled Carleton’s missed three-point attempt, and beat the buzzer with the putback.Immediately, Ashlee-Barker’s teammates piled on top of her in celebration, while the fans at Moda Center went berserk.A Fire team that didn’t even have players just a few months ago had toppled one of the most talented squads in the WNBA.And, the fire they played with on Tuesday night suggested it just might be the first of many big-time victories in their inaugural season.  #Portland #Fire #won #game #perfect

Post Comment