Former Navy QB Keenan Reynolds catches 68-yard TD pass for Seattle Dragons

Keenan Reynolds of the Seattle Dragons was an offensive force at Navy. The former Baltimore Ravens draft pick showed he can catch as well as run and pass Saturday against the Tampa Vipers. After Seattle scored on a Pick Six, Brandon Silvers found …

Keenan Reynolds of the Seattle Dragons was an offensive force at Navy. The former Baltimore Ravens draft pick showed he can catch as well as run and pass Saturday against the Tampa Vipers.

After Seattle scored on a Pick Six, Brandon Silvers found Reynolds with a 68-yard touchdown pass.

Reynolds finished his college career with an NCAA Division I record 88 career touchdowns and an FBS record 4,559 rushing yards by a quarterback.

WATCH! Tampa Bay Vipers’ Tarvarus McFadden returns pick 78 yards for TD

Tavarus McFadden returned a pick 78 yards for a touchdown for the XFL Tampa Bay Vipers.

The Tampa Bay Vipers’ defense was on point for the first half Saturday in Seattle, allowing 41 yards. Then, the Vipers’ Tavarus McFadden made a huge play in the third quarter, picking off Brandon Silvers, getting up and returning it 78 yards to make it 9-0.

McFadden played college football at Florida State, and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2018. On Aug. 4, 2019, McFadden was signed by the Detroit Lions. He was waived/injured two days later and placed on injured reserve. He was released on Aug. 10.

“They don’t score, they don’t win,” McFadden told FOX Sports from the sidelines after the play.

 

Sixers All-Star break report: Furkan Korkmaz has flourished in new role

We now review what Furkan Korkmaz has done for the Philadelphia 76ers.

This is the continuation of a new series by Sixers Wire to pass the time for everybody for the All-Star break. We’re going to take a look back at the 3 goals series from the offseason and see how each player has done in achieving those goals as well as give them a rating on how their season has gone. The rating will be based on a scale of 10 with 10 being how their season has gone based on the goals.

Saturday’s new edition takes a look at what Furkan Korkmaz has done in his third season in the NBA. Korkmaz has been given new life in the league to keep his once dying career going and he has taken advantage of it.

We now review his season based on the 3 goals we gave him in the offseason:

Seizing new opportunity

This was it for Korkmaz. The Sixers needed a shooter. They lost some key players on the wing in the offseason and this was an opportunity for Korkmaz to step up and fill a void and that is what he has done. He is shooting 39.2% from deep on the season, he’s averaging 9.3 points, and he is growing into the 3-point “bomber” that coach Brett Brown has been wanting to grow off his bench.

To even further the point, he is shooting 42.1% from deep over the final 13 games heading into the All-Star break. He even capped that off with back-to-back 30+ point games during the homestand. He has been exactly what the team needs off the bench.

Getting defensive

Korkmaz has a defensive rating of 110 on the season, which is the same as the 2018-19 season, but Brown says he sees improvement in his game defensively. He has started 12 games so far as he becomes a guy who has earned the trust of Brown so he must see something in him on the other end of the floor to continue to trust him. Even his teammates have expressed trust in him with Ben Simmons being the loudest supporter of him.

Adding to his offensive game

Korkmaz has shown off some new wrinkles to his game this season. He has been able to show an off the dribble game that has made him a little more dangerous on offense. He has been using his 6-foot-7 frame the right way all season as he has been able to draw defenders in with his shooting and then explode past them to get to the rim. He has had a few poster dunks recently that shows his growth.

He still is averaging only 1.0 assists per game so that could improve, but given his role on the team, he is not counted on to provide assists like that. He is relied on to spread the floor and give offense off the bench which is what he has done. He has had a terrific season thus far.

Rating: 9/10 [lawrence-related id=25839,25796,25805]

Alabama basketball defeats No. 25 LSU, 88-82

On Saturday, the  Crimson Tide defeated the No. 25 LSU Tigers 88-82 in a much needed home win for Alabama.

On Saturday, the  Crimson Tide defeated the No. 25 LSU Tigers 88-82 in a much needed home win for Alabama.

The Crimson Tide attempted a total of 66 shots and made 28 of them for a field goal percentage of 42.4 percent. Alabama also made 19/26 free throws for 73.1 percent percentage.

The highest scorer was Kira Lewis Junior who finished the game with 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. Jaden Shackelford also had an impressive game while putting up 26 points. As for other scorers on the night, Smith had 10 points, while both Petty and Reese both had 8 and Jones had 6. Jones also had quite a night with recording 17 rebounds, and 3 assists.

Alabama held LSU to a 43.3 percent field goal average as they only made 29 of their 67 shots. The Tigers did beat Alabama in free throw percentage as they were able to made 13 of 17 for 76.5 percent.

Alabama basketball also took a moment today to honor former legendary basketball player Wendell Hudson as they retired his uniform. Hudson was the first African American to receive a scholarship at the University of Alabama.

Alabama moves on to 14-11 (6-6 in the SEC) while LSU drops to 18-7 (9-3 in the SEC).

Alabama will be hosting the Texas A&M Aggies on Wednesday at 6:00 PM CT on SEC Network.

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Three Takeaways From Loss To Iowa State

The Texas Longhorns basketball season continued to get worse on Saturday. Three takeaways from their fourth-straight loss.

The Texas Longhorns traveled to Iowa State in hopes of keeping their dream of going dancing in the NCAA Tournament alive. The team led by head coach Shaka Smart walked away with more questions than answers. The team was playing without Jericho Sims inside who will likely miss the rest of the season, dark times in Austin right now.

Injury Bug

The Longhorns are dealing with the injury bug with Jericho Sims out the team had zero inside presence. Michael Jacobson and Soloman Young were able to take advantage in the paint. The duo combined for 38 points on 12-14 shooting. Jacobson came into the game averaging just over six points per game and finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Young averages 9.1 points and finished with 17.

Royce Hamm Jr was inserted into the starting lineup but early foul trouble sent him to the bench early on. He provided just one point and two rebounds in 18 minutes. Febres wasn’t able to go in the game but Kai Jones did return giving just three points off the bench. The Longhorns depth was exposed in this game. Matt Coleman played 20 minutes but was hobbling throughout the game. Courtney Ramey finished with a game-high 21 points to lead Texas.

Shaka Smart’s seat is red hot

The worst part about the game is that Smart’s future with the team is in serious jeopardy. The former VCU coach looked like a great hire before he came to Texas as the replacement for Rick Barnes. He led VCU to a Final Four appearance and with the resources at Texas, it seemed like he could get similar results in Austin.

The Longhorns are projected to miss the tournament for the third time in four seasons. The lone appearance in that stretch was a quick first round exit. In fact with Smart leading the team, Texas hasn’t gotten out of the first round. With this latest loss, Smart’s seat is as hot as liquid hot magma. This season likely ends the Shaka experiment and sends Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte back to the drawing board.

Another Poor Shooting Performance

Texas shot under 30 percent once again from the field and just 25 percent from three. At the same time they allowed Iowa State to shoot 57.1/40 in those same areas. A big reason for a 29-point loss to the Cyclones. Texas could defend and couldn’t shoot either. When those two things occur, it doesn’t matter who you play, you aren’t winning.

Texas now will host the TCU Horned Frogs up next. At this point it is increasingly difficult to watch this team to play basketball. As the seasons comes to an end in a few weeks, the Shaka Smart watch becomes the focus moving forward.

The question is just who will take over?

Arizona Cardinals GM speaks on Kenyan Drake’s free agency

After being drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2016, following an impressive career at Alabama, running back Kenyan Drake struggled to find his groove and be a nationally recognized offensive weapon. That is until he was traded to the Arizona …

After being drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2016, following an impressive career at Alabama, running back Kenyan Drake struggled to find his groove and be a nationally recognized offensive weapon.

That is until he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, a contract year for the Crimson Tide product.

Having only played eight games with Arizona, he put up numbers that had the Cardinals fanbase rallied around him.

He managed to tally up 643 yards off of 123 carries for eight touchdowns on the ground. Drake was also able to help in the passing game by reeling in 28 receptions for 171 yards.

As previously mentioned, Drake is set to be a free agent heading into the 2020 NFL regular season, and he has proven that he can be an effective lead back for a franchise, if given the right opportunities.

Drake took over the Cardinals starting running back position from David Johnson, who at one point took the league by storm. However, due to injuries, Johnson has not seen much of the field.

Arizona’s General Manager, Steve Keim, spoke on Drake’s free agency and the role he would have should he sign with his team.

“The guy who is under contract, and the guy who earns it,” Keim said during an extended interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

Keim is stating that whoever is on the team will have to earn the spot, nothing is guaranteed or promised to neither Johnson nor Drake.

Johnson is set to earn $10 million from the team in 2020 alone, some have speculated that the Cardinals will cut him in order to save some money and just stick with Drake in the backfield.

“Cutting him is not an option,” Keim said. “Not only the cap hit, but you’re still paying him the cash as well, and it wouldn’t be responsible for me or the organization for me to do that.”

It seems universally accepted that if Drake signs back with the Cardinals for 2020 he will be the starter, which Keim hinted towards when speaking on Johnson’s role if that is the case:
“If David Johnson isn’t the starter, he still has a significant role,” Keim said.
There are now rumors of the team being open to trading their once-star David Johnson, as Keim declined to comment on the possibility.
Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on all things ‘Bama in the NFL’ and any free-agency signings with former Alabama stars.
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Michigan State Basketball vs. Maryland: Where to watch, listen, stream

MSU is hosting Maryland for College GameDay. Here is everything you need to know to follow along.

Michigan State is hosting Maryland today in a huge Big Ten match-up. Here is everything you need to know to watch, listen, or stream the game.

Game time: 6 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Feb. 11

Where: Breslin Center in East Lansing, MI

TV channel: ESPN

ESPN broadcasters are expected to be Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Jay Bilas (analyst) and Holly Rowe (reporter and play-by-play).

On DirecTV, ESPN is channel 206. On Dish, ESPN is channel 140.

Major TV service provider channel list.

Online live stream:  Watch ESPN 

Online radio broadcast: Spartan Sports Network and TuneIn 

Radio: Complete list of Michigan State radio affiliates. 

Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Matt Kuchar set up Sunday shootout at Genesis Invitational

Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy and Matt Kuchar share the top spot at Riviera Country Club at 10 under.

Just a few miles from Hollywood, it would be hard to imagine a more star-studded leaderboard than the one that came together in the final moments of Saturday’s third round of the Genesis Invitational.

Unless, of course, Tiger Woods also had a share of the 54-hole lead.

As it stands, fans will have to settle for Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy and Matt Kuchar. The three men – all ranked inside the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking – share the top spot at Riviera Country Club at 10 under.

The three men got there in different ways. Scott birdied his final hole at Riviera to finish off a third-round 67. He did the bulk of his climbing on the strength of a second-round 64.

GENESIS: Best photos | Leaderboard | Updates

Similarly, McIlroy had a 68 that included a front-nine 32.

Kuchar, meanwhile, gave up some ground to his pursuers. After starting the day with a two-shot cushion, Kuchar cruised through the front nine but had a bumpy back. He made three bogeys in a four-hole stretch from Nos. 13-16, but got one back when he birdied the par-5 17th.

Behind the leaders, Russell Henley and Harold Varner III are tied for fourth at 9 under.

In a loaded field, there’s one more big name lurking. Dustin Johnson, No. 5 in the world, fired a third-round 67 that pulled him 15 shots up the leaderboard.

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3 takeaways from Wisconsin’s second win over Nebraska in 2020

Wisconsin-Nebraska

Wisconsin shook its slump on the road and was able to shoot the ball well against Nebraska once again. The score was 39-38 Wisconsin at halftime, exactly as it was back on January 21, but another big second half allowed the Badgers to pull away for another double-digit victory over Nebraska.

The win is the first road win for UW since January 11 when it beat Penn State in Happy Valley. Six days after sweeping Ohio State this past Sunday, the Badgers took a second season series, but this time over Nebraska. What did we learn from the win ?

1. Guard tandem of Trice and Davison, have a day!

D’Mitrik Trice and Brad Davison are two of the most experienced players on the 2019-2020 Wisconsin squad, and they both showed up in a big way against Nebraska.

Davison shot himself out of a slump Saturday afternoon and put up one of the best shooting performances not only of his career, but in school history. Coming into the matchup with the Cornhuskers, the junior had put up a combined 30 points in his last five games, but he shook it off with a 30-point outing. The 30 points matched a career high he set way back in his freshman year against Michigan State, when he tried to single-handedly will the Badgers to an upset of the (then-) second-ranked Spartans. 

Against Nebraska on Saturday, Davison had the hot had from long distance. He finished the game with eight threes, which ties a school record set by Bronson Koenig in the 2017 NCAA Tournament against Virginia Tech. Koenig needed six more shots to hit the same mark.

Davison’s display ended a rough stretch of games. He had hit a combined eight threes in his last seven games. The junior seems to like playing Nebraska. This now makes five games in double digits against the Cornhuskers in six meetings. The last time he hit double figures this season came on January 21 against Nebraska. 

For junior D’Mitrik Trice, the matchup with Nebraska continued a brilliant stretch for the point guard. Over the last four games before the reunion with Nebraska, the guard was averaging 12.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game. He has also scored nine or more points in six of the last seven games. Along with the uptick in scoring, he has also had at least four assists in each contest of the last seven contests. 

Much like his partner in the backcourt, Trice found his stroke beyond the arc. Trice finished 5-6 from three, which ties his season high of five threes, which he set back on December 21 against UW-Milwaukee. 

2. Badgers finally shoot well on the road 

It has been a trend throughout the Big Ten for teams to struggle on the road, so Wisconsin’s road struggles are not anything out of the ordinary, but the Badgers shoot extremely poorly away from the Kohl Center.

The splits for UW are eye opening. The field goal percentage drops from 46% to 38% on the road, while the percentage from deep falls from 40% to 26.6%. Wisconsin took a huge first step in fixing the issue Saturday afternoon. 

Trice and Davison created an efficient 48% clip from three for the Badgers, while the team shot 49% from the field. Within the context of this season, the 15 made threes this afternoon are second only to the school-record 18 threes they connected on in their last meeting with Nebraska. 

UW may have finally figured out how to carry over its shooting on the road, but it may have come too late with four of the last six games for the Badgers in the Kohl Center. Yet, that certainly is not a bad thing with Wisconsin holding an 11-1 record at home. 

3. Nate Reuvers and Micah Potter provide balance for the Badgers 

Earlier in the year when Potter had a hot start to his Badger career, fans were clamoring for him to get more time and for him to play alongside Reuvers. We are starting to see how great the tandem of Reuvers and Potter can be. The duo combined for 28 points on 12-18 shooting against Nebraska. 

Earlier in the season, Potter struggled to stay on the court late in games due to his inability to pick up defensive concepts, but he now has the trust of the coaching staff as shown by his start against Ohio State on Feb. 9. 

Against Nebraska, the two bigs complemented one another beautifully. Both are the same mold of a stretch five: bigs who are comfortable posting up but can often hit jumpers. 

When Reuvers picked up two early fouls, Potter stepped in seamlessly and poured in 11 points and four rebounds in the first half. Reuvers then stepped in to start the second half and score six points in the first 3:34. 

Potter started against Ohio State to match up with the Buckeyes’ bigs, but Brevin Pritzl stepped in against Nebraska to combat the Huskers’ smaller lineup. Nonetheless, Potter has taken steps with the Badgers and has become a key contributor. He has formed a strong connection with point guard D’Mitrik Trice on the court, as he continues to be the beneficiary of dimes from Trice. 

The matchup with Nebraska showed just how much of an advantage the Badgers have with their bigs, and how much of a problem they can present to opponents.