SoccerVibes

Author: Naandiyak Solomon

  • Texas keeps NCAA Tournament hopes alive with dramatic double-OT win over Texas A&M

    Texas keeps NCAA Tournament hopes alive with dramatic double-OT win over Texas A&M

    Against an old rival on Thursday, the Texas Longhorns may have saved their season—and in spectacular manner.

    The Longhorns defeated No. 14 Texas A&M 94-89 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, and Tre Johnson scored the game-winning 3-pointer with 2:08 remaining in the second overtime.

    Mike DeCourcy, the bracket forecaster for FOX Sports, predicted that the Longhorns will be among the first four teams eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, making them a bubble team going into this intrastate matchup.

    Texas finished 13th in a difficult conference with a meager regular season record of 17-14 (6-12 in the SEC).

    However, the Longhorns have a good chance of making the field of 68 after winning two straight games in the SEC Tournament, including a 79-72 victory against Vanderbilt on Wednesday.

    San Diego State, Wake Forest, Xavier, and Indiana were among the other bubble teams that suffered losses on Thursday.

    Texas, at 19-14, will play Tennessee, the fourth seed and eighth-ranked team, on Friday.

    Johnson scored 20 points in the end. For Texas, Jordan Pope had 13, Kadin Shedrick contributed 14, and Tramon Mark had 15.

    Just before the buzzer, Mark’s short jumper went off the rim, forcing overtime and an exciting ending.

    With 29 points and a 17-for-18 shooting percentage from the free-throw line, Wade Taylor IV led the Aggies (22-10) and took the lead in SEC career tournament scoring. Before fouling out, Manny Obaseki had 17 points.

    Henry Coleman III finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds, while Andersson Garcia contributed 13.

    Texas: Trying to stay on the bubble of the tournament and perhaps needing victories to keep coach Rodney Terry in his job, the Longhorns had lost four of their previous five games going into Nashville.

    Now that they have won two of their previous three games, this should assist.

    Texas A&M: The Aggies have advanced to the 2022 and 2023 championships and are an SEC-best 7-3 in their last three SEC tournaments.

    Last year, they were defeated in the semifinals.

    Five Aggies, including Hayden Hefner in his fifth season, have participated in nine or more SEC Tournament games.

    Texas had to play for five more minutes after Shedrick’s dunk with 4.6 seconds remaining in the first OT.

     

  • Nottingham Forest complete signing of Manchester City winger on loan deal

    Joel Ndala, a highly regarded winger, will join Manchester City on loan after the two teams have confirmed their deal. Along with other young players, the 18-year-old made his senior debut for the team when he traveled to the United States for a preseason tour with Pep Guardiola’s first team last summer. But because of […]

    Nottingham Forest complete signing of Manchester City winger on loan deal

  • Lewis Hamilton obtains a hefty wage boost at Ferrari, and the 2025 salaries of all Formula One drivers are announced.

    The 2025 Formula One season will begin in Melbourne in just three weeks, and fans are anxious to find out as much as they can before the season’s first race lights up. Many drivers signed new contracts for 2025 as a result of veterans like Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jr. making significant moves to […]

    Lewis Hamilton obtains a hefty wage boost at Ferrari, and the 2025 salaries of all Formula One drivers are announced.
  • Due to referee criticism, Nottingham Forest loses its appeal of the ÂŁ750,000 fine.

    Due to referee criticism, Nottingham Forest loses its appeal of the ÂŁ750,000 fine.

    Nottingham Forest’s appeal against a ÂŁ750,000 ($968,000) fine for insulting Premier League match official Stuart Attwell on social media last season was unsuccessful.

    Following a 2-0 loss to Everton in the Premier League, where the team believed they had been denied three obvious penalties, Forest published the post in April of last year.

    “Our patience has been tested multiple times,” the club said, adding that they had “warned” the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body that oversees referees, that Attwell, the match’s video assistant referee, was a supporter of their relegation rivals Luton.

    When a ÂŁ750,000 fine was imposed by a regulatory authority in October, Forest promptly declared their intention to appeal, claiming the penalty was excessive.

    The article, according to the Football Association, was a “egregious, direct, and public attack” on Attwell and a “unprecedented scale” attack on referees in general.

    On Monday, the FA said that an appeal board had upheld the initial sentence and mandated the removal of the post.

    On Monday, the link to the post on X was broken, but the club did not immediately clarify if it had been taken down.

    “The (original) commission was entitled and right to give very considerable weight to the need for deterrence and the fact that NFFC had no mitigation,” the appeal board wrote in its reasoning.

    The absence of mitigation was very noticeable.

    Forest averted relegation previous season, although Luton were demoted to the Championship.

    Forest is vying for a Champions League spot this season and currently sits third in the Premier League standings.

     

  • Polzin: Wisconsin men’s basketball is trending in the wrong direction entering postseason

    Polzin: Wisconsin men’s basketball is trending in the wrong direction entering postseason

    As a disappointed University of Wisconsin’ men’s basketball team was leaving the court Saturday afternoon — and an equally frustrated crowd was filing to the exits as well — public-address announcer Mike Mahnke delivered some announcements.

    Mahnke thanked fans for packing the Kohl Center this season, ending that thought with a dose of optimism. “We have a lot of season left,” Mahnke said.

    Mahnke is a jovial man who was just doing his job.

    There’s no reason to scrap the plan of letting people know that tickets are still available for the upcoming Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis.

    But pardon any skeptical ears in the house following the No. 12 Badgers’ 86-75 loss to Penn State.

    After that performance, it was fair to question whether Wisconsin actually does have a lot of season remaining in front of it.

    Even Badgers coach Greg Gard admitted as much following a stunning defeat that sticks out like a blemish on an otherwise glowing resume for his team.

    “Like I told them, we’re lucky. We get to play again,” Gard said.

    “But from here on out, if you play like this, you won’t play long.”

    The season for Penn State may be over. Coach Mike Rhoades was more focused on enjoying his team’s season-best victory than wondering if Penn State would be invited to one of the lower-tier postseason tournaments later this month.

    The Nittany Lions (16-15, 6-14) will not be able to make it to the Big Ten tournament.

     

     

  • With a triple-double of 30-20-20 in the Nuggets’ overtime victory over the Suns, Nikola Jokic creates NBA history.

    With a triple-double of 30-20-20 in the Nuggets’ overtime victory over the Suns, Nikola Jokic creates NBA history.

    DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic sat in front of his locker, calmly scrolling through his phone, seemingly unimpressed that 30 minutes earlier he made NBA history.

    The three-time NBA MVP scored the league’s first 30-20-20 triple-double in the Denver Nuggets’ 149-141 overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.

    Jokic recorded 31 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 22 assists. “It’s not supposed go that way,” Jokic added.

    “That was a quiet 30 points,” said Aaron Gordon to me while we were conversing. It appeared that everyone was in sync, and I didn’t do anything particularly noteworthy.

    Jokic’s 29th triple-double of the season, which he achieved just 1:20 into the second half with his 10th rebound, tied his franchise record.

    With ten points, six assists, and six rebounds at the end of the first quarter and thirteen, nine, and eight at the half, he was on the verge of achieving the triple-double.

    With 19 games remaining in the season, the 30-year-old Serbian is averaging a triple-double.

    He is in the top three in the NBA with 28.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game. Denver coach Michael Malone remarked, “Don’t ask me to describe him; I can’t.”

    “The man is simply a tremendous player, and it says a lot when you are one of a kind in this league with its amazing history.

    Although this league has many talented players, Nikola is, in my opinion, in a class by himself.

    After blowing a 21-point lead, the Nuggets were buoyed by his quick start in overtime.

    In the extra period, he played almost 45 minutes and finished with five points, five assists, and three rebounds.

    In 13 seconds, he helped Christian Braun slam and layup, hit a 4-foot turnaround to start overtime, then fed Jamal Murray for two buckets.

    “He is truly unique,” Braun remarked. “This is unlike anything you will ever see again. No athlete ever performs the same actions night in and night out as he does.

    Jokic’s previous assist total of 19 came against Indiana on February 24. With 1:18 remaining, he outscored that on a dunk by Michael Porter Jr. that put Denver ahead 139-130. For the seventh time this season, Jokic recorded at least 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists on Friday. He has 149 triple-doubles in his career.

    In a single season, that equaled Oscar Robertson for the most. Although he is well shy of Scott Skiles’ NBA record of 30, which he isn’t worried about, his 22 assists are the most by a center in a game. “At the moment, I’m dealing with other issues,” he stated.

     

  • chances for Saturday night’s basketball game between the Florida Panthers and the Ole Miss Rebels

    chances for Saturday night’s basketball game between the Florida Panthers and the Ole Miss Rebels

    As part of the program’s Senior Night celebrations, Florida basketball will play the Ole Miss Rebels inside the O’Connell Center on Saturday night, marking the end of the regular-season schedule.

    You’ve come to the right spot if you’re seeking for betting odds with tipoff still a few hours away.

    The Gators enter the game with a 26-4 overall record and a 13-4 record versus other schools in the SEC.

    In addition to being among the top five teams in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25, Todd Golden’s team is currently seeded first in all of the major bracketologies.

    The Rebels enter the game with a 10-7 SEC record and a 21-9 overall record.

    Ole Miss finished in the middle of the pack in terms of NCAA Tournament forecasts and garnered votes in both major polls, though not nearly enough to place in the top 25.

    There won’t be a “tune-up” effort before the SEC Tournament, but the Gators will be at their best.

    Golden’s squad should start strong and give the Rebs the same level of play they had against any other team, which will result in a final score that is heavily in favor of the home club.

    On Saturday, March 8, Florida vs. Ole Miss will be televised nationwide on the SEC Network. Inside the O’Connell Center, Richard Hendrix and John Schriffen will call the game from the sidelines.

    One alternative for streaming the game is FUBO, which gives new users a free trial.

     

  • The Mavericks give Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively, and Anthony Davis injury updates.

    The Mavericks give Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively, and Anthony Davis injury updates.

    The Dallas Mavericks delivered an update on their trio of injured big men on Friday, most notably All-Star forward Anthony Davis.

    Following a recent re-evaluation, the Mavericks reported that Davis, who has missed the last ten games due to a left adductor injury, is getting better every day and is now cleared to make more dynamic on-court moves.

    Sophomore center Dereck Lively II is progressing in his rehabilitation and is able to participate in individual court workouts.

    He was sidelined for the last 23 games because of a right ankle stress fracture. No timelines were given for either Davis or Lively, who will be evaluated weekly.

    The update for Mavericks backup center Daniel Gafford, who has missed the last nine games with a right knee sprain, was vague.

    The team says he’s showing progress and will be evaluated in two weeks.

    It is unknown if the Mavericks’ will get any of their big guys back before the end of the regular season in five weeks.

    Dallas (32-31) has 19 games remaining before the regular season finale on April 13 against the Memphis Grizzlies, who visit American Airlines Center on Friday night.

     

  • Dodgers Insider Says Yankees May Be Favorites for Next Japanese Superstar Free Agent

    Dodgers Insider Says Yankees May Be Favorites for Next Japanese Superstar Free Agent

    The next Japanese-born superstar free agent who intends to join the Major Leagues has already been revealed, and the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes has been concluded.

    After the 2025 season, Munetaka Murakami, one of Nippon Professional Baseball’s finest sluggers, is expected to become available.

    Which MLB team will sign the two-time Central League Most Valuable Player is the big question.

    More news: Dodgers ‘Don’t Know’ When Shohei Ohtani Will Pitch This Season, Says Manager

     

    “If I had to pick right now, I think the Yankees would be the favorite to land him,” Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain said on Dodgers Dougout Live.

    “I think that would be the No. 1 team for him right nowAdditional news: Manager Says Dodgers “Don’t Know” When Shohei Ohtani Will Pitch This Season On Dodgers Dougout Live, Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation stated, “If I had to choose right now, I think the Yankees would be the favorite to land him.

    ” “I believe that would be the best team for him at the moment.”.”

    The Los Angeles Dodgers have made themselves into contenders for any Japanese-born talent that beco I’m mes available with the addition of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. But McKain hinted that Murakami would not necessarily end up in Los Angeles.

    He would undoubtedly prefer to play on the West Coast, according to some Japanese NPB experts I spoke with, but it will only be West Coast teams against the Yankees, an East Coast team, McKain stated.

    “He would definitely be willing to sign with the New York Yankees, but he would prefer to be on the West Coast.”

    According to reports, Murakami stated that he would like to challenge Ohtani, the unanimous 2024 NL Most Valuable Player winner.

    Murakami’s choice of where to sign would be greatly influenced by whether he wants to compete with Ohtani as a comrade or as a rival.

    Murakami has hit at least 28 home runs each season since 2019 and has led the Central League in home runs twice (2021 and 2022). In 2022, he blasted 56 home runs and enjoyed a career-high.711 slugging percentage.

    At the plate, the 25-year-old first baseman and third baseman could be able to challenge Ohtani. However, Murakami’s base-stealing is lower than Ohtani’s; he hasn’t stolen more than 12 bases in a season since 2018, whereas Ohtani has stolen 59 this season.

    The Yankees would be a solid choice if Murakami wants to develop a rivalry with Ohtani, even though he would rather sign with a West Coast team.

     

     

     

  • Where is the top-paid player from ten years ago at Ipswich Town now?

    Where is the top-paid player from ten years ago at Ipswich Town now?

    Perhaps the most well-known accomplishment of Ipswich Town in the modern era is their incredible achievement of earning consecutive promotions to guarantee their place in the Premier League.

    But before their spectacular exploits under Kieran McKenna’s leadership, the Tractor Boys were true Championship mainstays, and in 2019 they were relegated to League One.

    One of the Tractor Boys’ most famous second-tier seasons occurred in 2014–15, before McKenna joined the team. Under the leadership of former manager Mick McCarthy, the Suffolk team secured a play-off position.

    Football League World examines the current whereabouts of Ipswich’s highest-paid player from that campaign:

    Defenders Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra were the Tractor Boys’ joint-highest paid players ten seasons ago, based on Capology estimations.

    Both players contributed equally to the success of the 2014–15 season, earning an estimated £10,000 each week, or £520,000 annually.

    Goal differential ultimately proved to be a crucial component, as McCarthy’s team finished tied with Wolverhampton Wanderers in seventh place on the points.

    Chambers and Berra, two former Tractor Boys defenders who are 39 and 40 years old, respectively, have also hung up their boots.

    After initially joining Ipswich from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2012, Chambers will always be known as a veteran who played for the team for an incredible nine seasons.

    After joining Colchester United before the 2021–2022 season, he played for the League Two team for two seasons before declaring his retirement in August 2023 at the age of 37.

    Chambers will be most remembered for his time with the Tractor Boys, when he made an amazing 396 appearances over an unprecedented nine-season spell, even though he also played for teams like Northampton Town, Forest, and Colchester.

    In appreciation of his accomplishments while playing in the Championship, League One, and League Two, Chambers received the Sir Tom Finney Award at the 2024 EFL Awards.

    The 39-year-old now joins former Sheffield Wednesday striker Clinton Morrison as a commentator on Sky Sports Football’s EFL coverage.

    After playing for Hearts and Raith Rovers in his home country of Scotland, Berra, who played for the Tractor Boys for four seasons from 2013–14–2016–17, retired from competition in 2022.

    The former center-half joined Rovers as a coach right away after retiring, and by January 2023, he was hired as Livingston’s first team coach to work with David Martindale.

    However, he left the then-Scottish Premiership team at the end of the 2022–2023 season before spending some time as the interim coach of Huntsville City, an Alabama-based MLS Next Pro team.