Month: April 2024

Texas A&M softball enters the top ten during their conference bye week

The Aggies move up in the rankings overall on their day off

Texas A&M (39-9, 15-6 SEC) made a few moves after two very convincing midweek wins and a conference bye week. The Aggies run-ruled both Houston and Sam Houston before getting their first real break of the season. They then face No. 11 Florida in their final SEC series of the season.

Now, as a consensus Top 10 team coming off a bye week, they can solidify a home regional with a strong finish to the season. The crazy thing is, they can still get a little better.

Following their big midweek victories, all major softball polls have moved the Aggies up a few spots in the newest polls.

The 2024 USA Today / NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll is voted on by 32 NCAA Division I head coaches, with one representing each of the NCAA’s Division I Conferences. Records reflect games played through April 28. The poll is released on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. ET during the regular season.

RANKINGS

Rank Team Record Points Previous
1 Texas (30) 42-6 798 1
2 Oklahoma (2) 45-2 770 2
3 Tennessee 37-9 720 3
4 Oklahoma State 42-8 696 4
5 Duke 44-6 658 5
6 Stanford 39-11 621 7
7 UCLA 30-10 574 9
8 Texas A&M 39-9 546 10
9 Washington 31-10 545 8
10 LSU 36-13 535 6
11 Florida 39-12 452 12
12 Florida State 40-10 430 16
13 Missouri 37-13 424 14
14 Georgia 37-13 404 11
15 Arkansas 34-13 15
16 Virginia Tech 38-11-1 333 13
17 Alabama 32-14 244 17
18 Arizona 32-15-1 202 19
19 California 33-15 194 20
20 Mississippi State 30-16 167 18
21 Louisiana 38-14 147 25
22 Boston University 45-4-1 136 23
23 Clemson 33-16 111 22
24 Kentucky 30-18 90 21
25 Oregon 27-16 65 24

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:

Northwestern (62), South Carolina (33), Miami (22), Texas State (16), Grand Canyon (6), Virginia (3), Baylor (2)

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

Lakers ‘could be split’ on whether to pursue Trae Young

The Lakers organization may not be unified in its desire to land Trae Young via trade this summer.

For the Los Angeles Lakers, this offseason will likely determine whether they will have a real shot at competing for the NBA championship next season or go years or perhaps even decades without doing so.

The big rumor, which has been talked about across the league for months, is that they will try to trade for a third star this summer. It is a questionable approach for multiple reasons, one of which is the challenge of landing the right third star and making him fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

It has been reported that Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young will be one of L.A.’s top trade targets. However, according to Shams Charania, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick, some within the organization may not be on board with going after Young.

Via The Athletic:

“The Lakers are expected to be aggressive in the market, with Atlanta’s Trae Young one of the more intriguing names out there. The Lakers’ room could be split on him as they try to make the most of this precious time in which James and Davis are still playing at an elite level. He’ll be one of many names that is expected to be discussed.

“The team needs backcourt help, particularly after (D’Angelo) Russell’s up-and-down play against the (Denver) Nuggets for a second consecutive season.”

Young averaged 25.7 points and 10.8 assists a game this season for a Hawks team that didn’t make the playoffs. However, he shot just 43% from the field and turned the ball over a whopping 4.4 times a contest. At 6-foot-1 and 164 pounds, he’s also considered a defensive liability.

He will also make about $43 million next season, which would make him a very expensive option for a Lakers team that will already owe Davis over $43 million next season and could bring back James for over $50 million per year.

The beekeeper who saved Dodgers-Diamondbacks from a colony of bees got to throw out the first pitch

Three cheers for the beekeeper!

After a colony of bees delayed the start to Tuesday night’s Arizona Diamondbacks game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, beekeeper Matt Hilton of Blue Sky Pest Control swarmed to the rescue.

Hilton safety removed the bees to relocate them to a safer destination so the game could get underway, which was a relief to both teams and all the fans at Chase Field.

The way Hilton went about removing the bees from the protective netting behind home plate was absolutely fascinating and involved spraying the bees with something before sucking them into a vacuum.

Seriously, you’ve got to watch how he did this. It’s a must-watch.

As a really cool gesture of gratitude, the Diamondbacks let Hilton throw out the first pitch for the game. As with the bee removal, he did not disappoint.

Funny enough, Hilton said he was at his son’s tee ball game when he got the call to action.

While we’re sure it was annoying for the game to be delayed by a colony of bees, Hilton proved that anybody can … bee … a hero when called upon.

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Sixers’ Joel Embiid responds to chants from Knicks fans after Game 5

Joel Embiid addresses the hostile chants he ahs received from the New York Knicks fans after a Game 5 win.

NEW YORK — Philadelphia 76ers superstar big man Joel Embiid is currently public enemy No. 1 in New York City. The fans of the New York Knicks have turned their ire toward him after a flagrant-1 foul on Mitchell Robinson in Philadelphia’s Game 3 win.

On Tuesday as the series shifted back to New York, Embiid drew a lot of hatred from the Madison Square Garden crowd. A lot of “(Expletive) Embiid” chants and a lot of hostility was thrown his way.

After a wild 112-106 overtime win to keep their season alive, Embiid addressed the chants he has received.

“It’s not hostile, I love New York,” said Embiid. “New York is one of my favorite cities in the world. I have a place here for the past five years. I just love New York. The fans, when you play against a team, you know they are always going to pick that guy and they seemed to have picked it’s fine. I love it. If I got to be the punching bag and you hear a lot of ‘F Embiid’ that’s OK, I love it.”

With that being said, one has to figure Embiid feeds off that to try and perform to the best of his ability. Anything for motivation at this stage of the game.

“It usually gets me going in those situations because you want to push yourself in those situations and kind of shut them up,” Embiid added. “I think as long as you keep it basketball–they be doing a great job just supporting the team. They are being amazing. That’s why they are the Knicks, they get hype about everything and they’ve been doing a fantastic job.”

The Sixers will now look to force a Game 7 back in New York when they host the Knicks in Game 6 on Thursday.

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Jerod Mayo maintains decision-making process has been collaborative

Jerod Mayo pushed back on the notion of ownership involvement in personnel decisions

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo is not buying into the report leading up to the NFL draft that Jonathan Kraft was “heavily involved” in the team’s decision-making.

That led to a general consensus amongst fans that Jonathan and his father, owner Robert Kraft, would be making many football decisions, including who New England would choose in the draft.

The organization ended up selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick.

When meeting with reporters, Mayo pushed back on the idea that ownership would have control over personnel decisions. The coach insisted that the effort was collaborative and that ownership let the football minds do their thing, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Gayle Troiani.

“It’s been very collaborative, and I’ll say this, ownership has given us the freedom to really use our expertise,” Mayo said. “That’s being football coaches. That’s being football scouts. I think the entire organization down here has done a really good job coming together and making a decision all together, instead of just one man having to make the final call. It’s been a great process.”

From Mayo’s comments, it’s clear ownership did not have as big of a say in things as many thought they would. That could certainly be viewed as a positive sign for the future.

Monterrey vs. Columbus Crew odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Wednesday’s Monterrey vs. Columbus Crew odds and lines, with expert soccer picks, predictions and best bets.

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Monterrey welcomes Columbus Crew to Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico, Wednesday. Kickoff in the 2nd leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals is set for 10:15 p.m. ET. Below, we preview FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Monterrey vs. Columbus Crew odds, and make our best expert soccer picks and predictions.

The Crew won the 1st of the 2-leg series 2-1 at home April 24. They ended with 2 more shots and 2 more shots on target, concluding with 55% of the possession as well. Columbus won the MLS Cup last season and sits 5th in the Eastern Conference this season, having totaled 15 points in 10 matches. F Cucho leads the way for the road side, having tallied 4 goals in 8 league games.

Monterrey took down Inter Miami a combined 5-2 in the quarterfinal and FC Cincinnati 3-1 in the Round of 16 to get to this point. Inter and FCC sit 1st and 2nd in the Eastern Conference, so Monterrey has beaten some of the top MLS sides. It has struggled as of late though, going 1-1-3 in its last 5 league matches. Monterrey added FC Cincinnati F Brandon Vazquez, who has netted 6 goals in 15 matches within his first few months with the team.

World class soccer coverage all in one place: Get ESPN+

Monterrey vs. Columbus Crew odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 11:47 p.m. ET.

  • Moneyline: Monterrey -210 (bet $210 to win $100) | Columbus Crew +450 (bet $100 to win $450) | Draw +340
  • Over/Under: 2.5 (O: -142 | U: +102)

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Monterrey vs. Columbus Crew picks and predictions

Prediction

Columbus Crew 1, Monterrey 1

Moneyline (ML)

SPRINKLE DRAW (+340).

For the first time in really the entire CONCACAF Champions Cup, Monterrey was outplayed, and the Crew have a strong team with a solid formation that can break into the middle of the Monterrey lineup. M Diego Rossi and Cucho are very good at possessing and should be able to keep the dynamic Monterrey attack at bay.

Columbus has more corners, more possession and more shots. The Crew showed last season that, when the lights are the brightest, they play their best soccer, and that should continue Wednesday. With Monterrey struggling in league play and having been outplayed, also at the end of its season and potentially with tired legs, avoid Monterrey as a favorite.

Back DRAW (+340).

Over/Under (O/U)

BET UNDER 2.5 (+102).

Both teams defend at a high level.

Monterey has allowed just 1 goal per game this season, while the Crew are allowing 0.9. The Crew have held 2 of their last 3 MLS opponents scoreless, and both of their quarterfinal matchups against Tigres went Under this total. All 4 of their Round of 16 or quarterfinal matchups went Under this total.

Monterrey is 3-1 O/U in its 4 Round of 16 or quarterfinal matchups, but the Crew, who should possess better than either of those sides, should be able to slow the Monterrey attack. Take UNDER 2.5 (+102).

Check out Pro Soccer Wire: For the American soccer fan, USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s website provides a fresh look at the beautiful game.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow @nathanbeighle_ on Twitter/X. Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

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Club America comes up short as youthful Pachuca wins Champions Cup semifinal

No one told Pachuca that this Champions Cup run was supposed to end Tuesday night

A young Pachuca team was supposed to be building towards its long-term future, but is instead just one win away from Concacaf Champions Cup glory.

Los Tuzos put on a counter-attacking display to thwart Club AmĂ©rica in the Champions Cup semifinals, winning Tuesday’s intense second leg 2-1 to claim a 3-2 aggregate win.

Emilio RodrĂ­guez and Nelson Deossa struck in the first half, and though Henry MartĂ­n pulled one back quickly, AmĂ©rica never found a consistent avenue through manager Guillermo Almada’s walls of blue shirts.

The omens were there from the start. América center back Sebastiån Cåceres would last just over two minutes before, under no contact, tumbling to the pitch clutching his knee.

Amid the slipping and sliding early on, Pachuca would claim the lead in strange fashion.

Nearly 30 yards from goal, SalomĂłn RondĂłn hammered a shot towards Luis MalagĂłn’s goal, only for the effort to end up snuffed out almost as soon as the Venezuelan struck it.

However, a strange bit of backspin saw the rebound fall right into RodrĂ­guez’s path, and the 21-year-old pounced on the gift. Estadio Hidalgo was roaring, and Pachuca had a 12th minute lead.

If AmĂ©rica wasn’t stunned by that slice of bad luck, the giants from Mexico City certainly were when the scoreline got worse within two minutes.

Rondón was involved again, playing a pivotal pass from inside the Pachuca half to send Rodríguez in behind. The winger found Érick Sánchez only for Malagón to provide a strong stop, but las Águilas could do nothing as Deossa powered the rebound through traffic and in.

AmĂ©rica may have been on the ropes, but by the 22nd minute the momentum had swung back towards pressure on Pachuca. A simple diagonal picked out Alex Zendejas, and the U.S. men’s national team winger found Henry MartĂ­n somehow completely unmarked for a point-blank header.

Just like that, América was one goal away from advancing on away goals.

That goal nearly came before halftime. Amid waves of Águilas attacks, Martín scooped a golden opportunity in the 39th minute over the bar, while attacker Juliån Quiñones saw his goal called back for offside.

With the visitors increasingly taking big risks, Pachuca saw multiple chances to turn the screw, creating a wide range of chances on the break only to be denied time and again by MalagĂłn.

Finally, with time winding down, Pachuca got the last little bit of a boost needed to claim the win. It wouldn’t come via a decisive goal, but rather from referee Drew Fischer’s pocket.

Deossa’s storming run up the middle broke through two tackles, and appeared set to become a breakaway after the Pachuca playmaker somehow kept his feet amid a collision with Igor Lichnovsky and Israel Reyes (by now the fourth AmĂ©rica player to put in time at center back on the night).

With a Pachuca goal effectively game over for las Águilas, Reyes tripped Deossa and hoped for the best. Once he got to his feet, Fischer sent the veteran off, leaving América with 10 men for second-half stoppage time.

Even with MalagĂłn coming forward for a last-gasp corner, Pachuca saw the result out without further drama, stunning the Liga MX leaders to claim a place in June’s Champions Cup final.

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Gators getting nation’s No. 2 TE on campus after offer

Florida is joining the recruiting race for one of the elite tight ends in the class of 2026, Bowdon High’s Kaiden Prothro.

The Florida Gators have officially joined the recruiting race for the second-ranked tight end in the class of 2026, Bowdon’s (Georgia) Kaiden Prothro.

The 6-foot-6, 210-pounds pass catcher has the frame to some serious damage in the SEC, but it’s also drawn a lot of attention to him at a young age. Florida is a bit late to this race — Prothro has over 30 offers and counting —but he maintains that “nobody is too late,” according to Gators Online.

Admittedly a bit blind to what Florida is all about, Prothro knows that the Gators have a recent history of producing elite players at his position.

“I plan on going up there,” he said. “(Tight ends coach Russ Callaway) talked to me and was telling me he likes me and how he’s trying to get me up there. Seeing what Kyle Pitts did at Florida, that just showed me there’s a good opportunity to go there, show my skills and be a first-rounder.”

So what’s Prothro looking for from the Gators?

“I’m going to be looking for a place that shows me that I can express my talents on the field and just be who I am with the potential for me to make it to the league.”

Recruiting Summary

Prothro is a consensus four-star recruit who has yet to receive a grade from ESPN (the 2026 ESPN300 is not out yet). The On3 industry ranking, which considers all four major services, has him at No. 33 overall and No. 2 among tight ends in his class. The 247Sports composite puts him even higher at Nos. 23 and 3, respectively.

Ole Miss is on top of his On3 recruiting prediction machine with 25.9% odds to lands him. Georgia Tech (15.4%), Auburn (13.2%) and Georgia (11.0%) round out that list.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Nick Nurse singles out Tobias Harris after Sixers beat Knicks in Game 5

Nick Nurse singles out Tobias Harris after the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the New York Knicks in Game 5 to stay alive.

NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers received one phenomenal performance out of Tyrese Maxey as he came alive for a career playoff-high 46 points, but the Sixers got some big plays out of Tobias Harris down the stretch to earn a 112-106 overtime win over the New York Knicks in Game 5.

Harris pumped in 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting and knocked down three triples to help the Sixers get the job done. Obviously, Maxey was the hero on Tuesday and he is going to get all the headlines and the flowers, but Harris was terrific.

“He was really good,” said coach Nick Nurse. “I thought he made the shot of the night to be honest with you. We were down five and spinning out of control and he came down and made a super tough, 17-foot turnaround to cut it back to three after the momentum, the place was going crazy, and that to me was the second-best shot of the night.”

Nurse isn’t wrong about Harris. The Knicks went up 82-77 on an OG Anunoby jumper with 5:45 left and Madison Square Garden was going crazy. Harris calmly hit a 17-footer and Philadelphia really needed it.

When Harris is going like he was on Tuesday, he changes things.

“It’s huge,” Joel Embiid added. “When Tobias plays well, I think we have a high chance to win any game. Like I’ve been saying all season long, for us to win, we have to be perfect. Everybody has to somehow play well and we all have to play well at the same time.”

As the Sixers head back to Philadelphia down 3-2, they will need more from Harris. He is going to be the big X-Factor for this group. If he plays well, Philadelphia will have a great chance to get it done.

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Gators baseball takes down FAU Owls in midweek clash

Florida had to battle a bit more than its used to during the midweek, but the Gators came out on top Tuesday night against the FAU Owls.

Florida and FAU traded runs all night, but the Gators emerged victorious Tuesday over the Owls, 10-8.

Four Gators put together multi-hit games, including right fielder Ty Evans who drove in a team-high three runs. Second baseman Cade Kurland also homered, his ninth of the year.

Florida had FAU’s arms figured out, walking seven times to five strikeouts on the nights.

Ryan Slater earned the win in relief of Cade Fisher, who went 1 1/3 innings in his start. It wasn’t a banner night for the pitching staff, as walks and hits came in bunches for FAU.

Frank Menendez, Jake Clemente and Fisher Jameson each three 1 2/3 innings. Clemente was the only one to deny the Owls a run; although, one of the two runs that scored off Menendez was unearned.

Freshman outfielder Hayden Yost reached base safely four times, scoring three of the Gators 10 runs. Head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said that Yost would be getting plenty of opportunities down the stretch, and games like tonight help explain that decision.

Florida is back at home on Thursday to open a three-game series with the Tennessee Volunteers. First pitch is at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.