Head coach Ben McCollum and senior guard Bennett Stirtz have led Iowa to their first Elite Eight appearance since 1980 following a dramatic comeback victory over Nebraska.

The Hawkeyes recovered from an early 10-point deficit in their Sweet 16 clash to continue an unlikely postseason journey.

The crucial turnaround was sparked by an explosive mid-game tirade from their demonstrative manager.

Fire and ice partnership

Stirtz watched unfazed as his coach smashed a whiteboard and shattered a marker pen on the hardwood floor.

“That’s what he likes to do,” Stirtz said following the victory.
“He’s the negative guy, and then our assistant coaches are the positive people. He was just telling us we sucked and we were soft.”

McCollum offered a much lighter interpretation of the pivotal huddle.

“We called the team into the huddle and just said very nicely, ‘I would like you to play harder, guys,'” the coach joked.

From Division II to the grand stage

The contrasting duo are currently at their third school together after previous stints at Northwest Missouri State and Drake.

Despite an underwhelming 10-10 record in the Big Ten conference, the team are now on the brink of a historic Final Four berth.

This marks the fourth consecutive year the manager and player have advanced together in an elimination tournament.

Their journey began in Division II, suffering a second-round exit in 2023 before losing to the eventual national champions in the 2024 Sweet 16.

Stepping up when it matters

Following their jump to Division I with Drake last season, the perpetually cool playmaker carried his former team to a first-round upset over Missouri.

The transition to Iowa has proved equally seamless for the former MVC Player of the Year.

Stirtz earned second-team All-Big Ten honours after averaging 19.7 points per game during the regular season.

The prolific scorer delivered once again against the Cornhuskers, sinking a crucial three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining to secure Iowa’s first lead of the contest.

The Hawkeyes will now face Illinois on Saturday with a coveted Final Four spot on the line.

Gary Woodland holds a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Houston Open as Nicolai Hojgaard chases him down in a bid to secure qualification for The Masters.

The American shot a superb seven-under-par 63 to reach 13 under ahead of the weekend at Memorial Park.

Hojgaard sits tied for second alongside Jackson Suber after matching the round of the day with an eight-under 62.

Hojgaard focuses on Augusta return

The 25-year-old Dane must remain inside the top 50 of the world rankings after this week’s tournament to receive an invitation to Augusta National.

He is currently ranked 47th globally and strengthened his position with a stellar Friday round featuring an eagle and seven birdies.

Four of those birdies came in consecutive holes to close out his round, leaving the former Ryder Cup star in prime position.

“It’s so easy to say The Masters is not on my mind and good golf will take care of it,” said Hojgaard.
“It’s on my mind 100 per cent, we all want to be there.”

The lightning-fast start in Texas is a welcome boost for the European, who missed the cut on his Masters debut last year.

Woodland feeding off crowd support

Tournament leader Woodland is also playing for a prestigious spot at the first major of the year, which he will secure if he claims the title in Houston.

The 41-year-old is pursuing his first victory on the PGA Tour since winning the US Open at Pebble Beach in 2019.

His resurgence comes after undergoing brain surgery in 2023, following which he has spoken openly about battling post-traumatic stress disorder.

“This as much as any week, I feel like I’ve had a lot of support,” Woodland told reporters.
“The fans have been amazing. I kind of need that energy to help me through the day, that definitely helps.”

Injury heartbreak for Coody

Elsewhere, Pierceson Coody faces an anxious wait to see if he will qualify for Augusta after withdrawing from the event with a back injury.

The grandson of 1971 Masters champion Charles Coody is projected to fall right on the cut-off mark in 50th place.

Meanwhile, world number 56 Michael Thorbjornsen remains firmly in contention for a Masters spot after moving to eight under par.

Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz scored twice and provided two assists as Germany began their World Cup preparations with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Switzerland in Basel.

The 22-year-old has endured a challenging debut campaign at Anfield since his £116m transfer from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

However, the playmaker cut a revitalised figure on international duty for Julian Nagelsmann’s side.

He was instrumental in all four German goals during an entertaining encounter against the Swiss.

Stunning strikes mask defensive flaws

After setting up two first-half goals before the break, the former Leverkusen star took complete control of the match.

He curled a stunning strike from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner to give his nation the lead in the 61st minute.

Following a swift equaliser from the hosts, the versatile attacker delivered the decisive blow with a superb finish just five minutes from time.

His match-winning performance successfully papered over a mistake-riddled defensive showing from the visitors.

Media praise for ‘magical’ playmaker

The German press were quick to laud the young talent for his dominant display.

National newspaper Bild awarded him a perfect rating of one and labelled him their “linchpin in attack”.

Die Welt noted the stark contrast between his international form and his recent domestic struggles in the Premier League.

“At least Wirtz, who had long seemed out of sorts in Liverpool, displayed a joy for the game, setting up the first two goals and crowning his performance with two stunning goals.”

Sky Sports Germany described the forward as an “outstanding magician” who has raised hopes for future tournament success.

Ghana test awaits

Nagelsmann will be hoping his key man can replicate this spectacular form as preparations intensify.

The national team resume their schedule on Monday when they host Ghana in Stuttgart.

A similarly dominant showing will be expected from the Premier League midfielder to cement his status as the squad’s most pivotal player.

Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya faces a crucial test for his career survival when he takes on rising American contender Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle this weekend.

The 36-year-old enters the octagon on a concerning three-fight losing streak.

A defeat in Washington state could genuinely spell the end of the Nigerian-born New Zealander’s illustrious tenure in the promotion.

He last competed in February, suffering a devastating technical knockout defeat at the hands of Nassourdine Imavov.

A dangerous rising star

Standing across the cage is an opponent operating at the opposite end of his career trajectory.

The 29-year-old boasts an impressive 6-1 record since joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is currently riding a three-fight winning streak.

The powerful American has built a fearsome reputation, securing 13 of his 15 professional victories via stoppage.

That recent run included a notable decision victory over former title challenger Kelvin Gastelum.

The former kickboxing king must rely on his trademark slick movement to avoid joining that stoppage list.

Schedule and broadcast details

The preliminary bouts are scheduled to begin at 21:00 GMT on Saturday evening.

Fans in the UK can watch the main card action unfold from midnight on Sunday via TNT Sports.

US audiences will be able to stream the entire event live on Paramount+.

Main Card Line-up

The scheduled main card for the Seattle event features several high-profile match-ups alongside the headline attraction.

Max Verstappen has labelled his Red Bull “completely undriveable” after suffering a shock Q2 elimination during qualifying for the Japanese Grand Prix.

The four-time world champion will start Sunday’s race at Suzuka from 11th on the grid following another difficult session in the 2026 season.

It continues a dismal start to the campaign for the 28-year-old, who has accumulated just eight championship points across the opening two rounds.

Despite safely navigating the first phase, the Dutchman failed to crack the top 10 shootout.

He was ultimately outpaced by far less experienced drivers, including team-mate Isack Hadjar and rookie Arvid Lindblad.

‘Beyond frustrated’ by ongoing struggles

The defending champion vented his anger over the team radio immediately after his elimination was confirmed.

“I think there is something wrong with the car. It’s completely undriveable suddenly in this qualifying.”

His latest setback follows a Q1 crash in Australia and finishes outside the top 10 in both the sprint and feature races in China.

Suzuka has traditionally been a stronghold for the Red Bull talisman, raising hopes of a return to form this weekend.

However, ongoing mechanical mysteries appear to be severely hampering his confidence behind the wheel.

Setup tweaks fail to yield results

Speaking to the media post-session, the seasoned racer admitted he was stuck and unable to push the limits of his machinery.

“We made changes all weekend, but at the same time we also have some problems in the car that we’re trying to fix, and I guess it was worse again in qualifying.”

He noted that the handling became unpredictable whenever he attempted to attack the high-speed corners.

“As soon as you really tried to push, for me it was just all over the place. Really not good, and also really doesn’t give you confidence.”

The former title dominator believes an unidentified issue has developed since the opening round in Melbourne.

“I’m not even frustrated anymore, you know, I’m beyond that.”

England captain Ben Stokes will miss the first month of the county cricket season as he continues his recovery from a broken cheekbone sustained during a training accident.

The 32-year-old suffered severe facial injuries, including cuts and bruising, after being struck by a ball in the nets at Chester-le-Street last month.

Although the all-rounder declared his subsequent surgery a success, the required rehabilitation period has forced a delay to his scheduled return to domestic action.

Delayed comeback for the national skipper

The influential left-hander has not featured competitively since the final match of a bruising 4-1 Ashes defeat to Australia in January.

He had originally intended to make his comeback for Durham against Kent in the opening round of the County Championship next week.

Medical specialists have instead ruled him out of the first four matches of the English summer.

A return is now pencilled in for May, where he is expected to face Worcestershire and Kent in preparation for the upcoming New Zealand Test series.

Cheekbone impact prevented catastrophic injury

Durham head coach Ryan Campbell revealed the training strike from academy prospect Robbie Bowman was incredibly powerful and could have caused permanent damage.

“The initial whack was bad and if it hits him in the eye, it could have been horrific.”

Ryan Campbell

The Australian coach noted that his star player’s cheekbone successfully absorbed the impact, caving in to protect the rest of his face.

Campbell admitted the traumatic incident has understandably left the veteran cricketer slightly flinching at high-speed deliveries during recent net sessions.

Ashes disappointment driving recovery

When the talismanic leader eventually returns to the crease, Durham expect him to use the disappointing winter campaign in Australia as powerful motivation.

“He has a lot to prove and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know the Ashes didn’t go so well.”

Ryan Campbell

The coach described the national captain as a deeply proud competitor who is utterly determined to ensure England remain a dominant force in world cricket.

“He is going to train his arse off and is going to come back as the best all-rounder in the world that we know he can be,” Campbell concluded.

Liverpool have held internal discussions over a summer move for 19-year-old Tottenham Hotspur defender Luka Vuskovic.

The highly-rated Croatian is currently spending the season on loan at German side Hamburg.

Several elite European clubs are monitoring his impressive debut campaign in the Bundesliga.

The teenager is reportedly reluctant to return to north London next season amid the looming threat of Premier League relegation for Spurs.

Real Madrid and Barcelona join the race

European heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid are also seriously considering a move for the young centre-back.

Former Croatian international Ivan Rakitic has personally recommended the imposing defender to the Catalan giants.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid view the 1.93m ball-playing talent as a potential alternative to current Anfield favourite Ibrahima Konate.

If the French international departs Merseyside upon the expiry of his contract, the Reds have identified the Spurs youngster as his ideal replacement.

Anfield prepares for major summer overhaul

A potential defensive reshuffle comes during a period of significant transition for the six-time European champions.

Mohamed Salah recently confirmed his departure at the end of the current campaign via an emotional farewell video.

The club’s hierarchy are already exploring attacking successors, with RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise on their radar.

This upcoming rebuild follows an unprecedented £415m spending spree in 2025, which included a club-record £125m acquisition of striker Alexander Isak.

Further changes are expected in the dugout, with a 44-year-old manager reportedly ready to replace departing head coach Arne Slot.

Why is the teenager in high demand?

Modern top-flight clubs prioritise several elite traits that make the former Hajduk Split prospect an outstanding target.

Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto has announced her retirement after winning a fourth women’s individual title at the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague.

The 25-year-old triumphed with a personal best score of 238.38 to sign off from the sport in spectacular fashion.

Her dominant victory makes her the first woman to secure four individual world titles since American great Michelle Kwan achieved her fifth in 2003.

A perfect farewell on the ice

There are no regrets at all. I can say goodbye with this performance. I gave it all I have.

Kaori Sakamoto

The newly crowned world champion arrived in the Czech Republic having won an Olympic silver medal just last month.

She capitalised brilliantly on the absence of Olympic gold medallist Alysa Liu, who opted not to compete at the season-ending event.

Podium finishes and American struggles

Compatriot Mone Chiba, who narrowly missed out on a medal with a fourth-place finish at the Winter Games, took silver with a score of 228.47.

Belgium’s Nina Pinzarrone completed the podium by claiming the bronze medal after recording a final score of 215.20.

It was a difficult session for American contender Amber Glenn, who slipped dramatically from third to sixth place during the free skate.

British duo chasing ice dance medals

In the separate ice dance event, Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson sit in third place following the rhythm dance.

The British pair scored 85.09 to stay firmly in contention for a podium finish ahead of Saturday’s decisive free dance.

Olympic champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron currently lead the discipline’s standings on 92.74 points.

The leaders hold a commanding advantage over Canada’s Olympic bronze medallists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, who sit second with 86.45.