Sports
Michigan reaffirms No. 1 ranking by dispatching No. 7 Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Michigan’s week started with the Wolverines moving to No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time since the 2012-13 season. With games at Purdue and versus Duke in a five-day span this week, however, there was some concern their time on top could be short-lived.
But they looked every bit the best team in the country Tuesday at Mackey Arena, comprehensively dispatching No. 7 Purdue 91-80. Michigan led for the final 33 minutes, and its lead expanded to as many as 20 points late in the first half.
“We needed to deliver a lot of punches, whether it was the first or second,” coach Dusty May said. “We knew this was going to go all 10 [rounds]. If we took a shot, we knew we had to respond and our guys did that over the course of the game. That was impressive the way they answered those runs with really sound play.”
After Purdue scored the first two baskets of the game and led after seven minutes, Michigan took the lead on a pair of L.J. Cason free throws with 12:50 to go in the first half and never trailed the rest of the way. Cason’s foul shots jump-started a 16-0 run that put Purdue on the back foot and quieted what had been a raucous Purdue crowd.
“They set the tone,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “That, to me, is the game right there. The way they set the tone.”
Michigan’s differentiator this season has been its size, and 7-foot-3 Aday Mara was the game changer in the paint in the first half before foul trouble forced him to the bench for much of the second period. There was a sequence midway through the first half that epitomized his impact at both ends of the floor. He began by forcing Oscar Cluff into a missed shot at the rim, followed it up with an assist to Roddy Gayle Jr. for a layup, then altered Braden Smith‘s attempt at the rim, and capped the stretch by tipping out an offensive rebound that resulted in a Cason 3.
Mara finished the first half with 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks in just 13 minutes.
“We wanted to stay one-on-one with our 5s and Mara made a couple of really nice plays,” Painter said. “We had to try to win that battle one-on-one because his passing is so good. So if you want to sit there and help and try to squeeze him a little bit, people will cut right off of it. He’s great at making those passes, getting guys 3s, getting guys layups, getting people in the bonus, getting to the free throw line a lot. So for us, we had to be better in that scenario.”
In most of Michigan’s biggest wins this season, the Wolverines have combined that size advantage with high-level shooting from the perimeter. They made 38 shots from beyond the arc in three games back at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas and made 10 in a road win at Ohio State earlier this month.
On Tuesday, Michigan had its second-best 3-point shooting performance of the season, going 13-for-23 from the perimeter. The Wolverines missed their first four 3s before hitting eight of their next 12 to end the first half.
“I thought our guys did a really nice job of getting the advantage and keeping it,” May said. “We know how we’re built so certain games are going to dictate us doing certain things. And I thought when they put two on the ball, Elliot [Cadeau] made really, really good plays to just get us in closeouts and I thought we drove the ball, we drove it to kick it.”
In a game featuring All-American Braden Smith, who entered the season as the favorite for Player of the Year, it was Cadeau who played like the best guard on the floor. He outdueled Smith, who was held scoreless in the first half. The former North Carolina transfer opened the second half with 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting in eight minutes, consistently making big plays when it looked like Purdue might generate momentum. He finished with 17 points and seven assists.
“There was a lot of openings, I felt like, in the ball screen there was a lot of openings,” Cadeau said. “I feel like I just have really talented teammates that, if I get them the ball in the right place, they’ll make the shot.”
“I felt like I was being aggressive in the first half,” he added. “The shots weren’t just falling. They started to fall in the second half.”
It wasn’t just Cadeau making plays in the backcourt for Michigan. Cason came off the bench and scored 13 points, playing alongside Cadeau for long stretches. Freshman Trey McKenney, who has emerged as a consistent offensive threat over the past few weeks, also had 13 points, making three big 3s.
Michigan totaled 34 bench points to Purdue’s 15.
“When you sit there and your fourth or fifth option can carry the weight or someone like L.J. Cason can come in the game and control a game at the end of the game,” Painter said. “Even though he didn’t control the game today, so to speak, he made a lot of good plays. Just look at their bench and when you can go to them and get consistent, get 3s from all of them. They make their free throws, their bench doesn’t turn the ball over.
“They’re the No.1 team in the country for a reason. A lot of times people have a solid five and then they make a dip when they sub. These guys don’t make a dip.”
Test No. 1 for Michigan in one of the most difficult two-game stretches of the college basketball season is now finished, and now awaits a date with No. 3 Duke in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. It’s a chance for the Wolverines to get out of the grind and monotony of Big Ten play and an opportunity to play a high-level game against another potential Final Four team.
For May, winning that game just to be No. 1 in the AP poll for a second straight week isn’t the primary goal.
“This is great for our fans, it’s great for recruiting, it’s great for the attention that it puts on our program and our prestigious university,” he said. “But as far as, do we care? Absolutely not.
“April 7th, if we’re No. 1. That’s what we’re ultimately concerned with.”
Multan Sultans have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Rawalpindiz in the 14th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday.
This will be the first time both Sultans and Pindiz face each other in the PSL.
Playing XIs
Multan Sultans: Steven Smith, Sahibzada Farhan, Josh Philippe (wk), Shan Masood, Ashton Turner (c), Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Nawaz, Peter Siddle, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Ismail and Faisal Akram.
RawalPindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Yasir Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings, Abdullah Fazal, Dian Forrester, Rishad Hossain, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Amir Khan and Asif Afridi.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.
Sports
BYU women’s basketball star explains religious reason why team didn’t practice before tourney win
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The BYU Cougars women’s basketball team was on the outside looking into the NCAA Tournament this season despite going 26-12 under head coach Lee Cummard.
The Cougars played well enough to earn an invitation to the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament, where the team was able to knock out the Kansas Jayhawks last week before losing to the Columbia Lions on Wednesday.
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BYU Cougars guard Delaney Gibb brings the ball upcourt against the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., on March 6, 2026. (Nick Tre Smith/Imagn Images)
BYU drew attention for an interesting and faith-based, decision ahead of their 70-67 win over Kansas. The team didn’t practice because it was a Sunday.
Delaney Gibb, who led the team in scoring, explained it was for religious reasons that the team doesn’t practice on Sundays.
“When you look at it from a perspective of our team and our culture we’ve built and the faith that we have it’s a day that we get to have a different perspective on life,” Gibb said, via the school’s website. “There’s things that are bigger than basketball and Jesus Christ and having faith in Him is something that’s bigger than basketball.”
BYU’s Delaney Gibb speaks to media during Big 12 Women’s Basketball Media Day at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., on Oct. 21, 2025. (Sophia Scheller/Imagn Images)
SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM POSTS ‘JESUS IS KING’ MESSAGE AS WNBA NEGOTIATIONS HEAT UP AHEAD OF CBA DEADLINE
Gibb scored 12 points in the three-point victory. Sydney Benally added 15.
The sophomore’s remarks went viral during the week.
Unfortunately, for the Cougars, BYU lost to the Lions in their next game.
Gibb is likely to return for her junior season. She was named to the All-Big 12 Conference First Team after being named the 2025 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year.
BYU guard Delaney Gibb drives the ball against the TCU Horned Frogs during the second half at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., on March 6, 2026. (Nick Tre Smith/Imagn Images)
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During the 2025-26 season, Gibb averaged a team-leading 18.3 points per game. She also averaged 5.1 rebounds.
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Some of Europe’s top clubs have been sounded out about a deal for Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. this summer, while Madrid are increasingly confident of sealing a move for Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s winter grades | Women’s grades
TRENDING RUMORS
– Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have been contacted by intermediaries regarding a possible move for Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. this summer, according to TEAMtalk. Some of Europe’s top clubs have been sounded out about a deal as the winger enters the final year of his contract, while the Saudi Pro League is also ready to move if any opportunity arises. Contract talks with the 25-year Brazil international have stalled for the past few months and sources recently told ESPN that negotiations may not resume until after the 2026 World Cup, though the player has reiterated that he wants to stay.
– Real Madrid are increasingly confident of sealing a move for Manchester City midfielder Rodri this summer, claims TEAMtalk. Rodri, 29, has reportedly held discussions with City about the possible terms for an exit this summer and, while he continues to be linked with a move to the Bernabeu, Real Madrid won’t “pay over the odds” to bring the Spain international to the club. An offer of €60 million will reportedly be enough to do a deal.
– AS reports that Real Madrid are open to a potential exit for Eduardo Camavinga, with PSG monitoring the midfielder’s situation. The 23-year-old has been with Los Blancos since 2021, but has struggled to make himself a regular starter since joining from Rennes. A switch back to Ligue 1 could reignite his career once again, though Madrid would want to make a profit on the €40 million they paid to sign him five years ago.
– Arsenal are soon expected to make a formal approach to sign Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane, according to Christian Falk. The Gunners have been linked with a €65 million move for the 19-year-old, with an offer expected in the coming weeks. The Cameroon international has made 40 appearances across all competitions this season, with seven goals and eight assists to his name, with Bayern Munich also reported be monitoring his progress.
– RB Leipzig are discussing a new contract with €80 million-rated winger Yan Diomande that could include a release clause, amid links with a move to the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, says Fabrizio Romano. Diomande, 19, has shot to prominence this season with some fine displays, but Leipzig are keen to let him develop even further.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Madrid correspondent Alex Kirkland explores the future for Vinicius Junior.
Vinicius Junior’s situation at Real Madrid has, in many ways, changed radically over the course of the season — but the bottom line is that his contract is still due to expire in 2027 and there’s been no progress on an extension.
The first half of 2025-26 was perhaps the most turbulent time of Vini’s career at Madrid, losing his place as a guaranteed starter under then coach Xabi Alonso, going three months without scoring, and becoming the public face of dressing room unrest with his reaction at being substituted early in October’s Clásico.
Since January, and the arrival of Álvaro Arbeloa, it’s been a very different story. Arbeloa has talked up Vinicius at every opportunity and he’s been rewarded on the pitch, with the forward nearing career-best form with back-to-back, decisive braces last month against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid.
But still, the clock is ticking on that contract extension. ESPN reported that a renewal was near impossible with Alonso in charge, but that is no longer an issue. Vinicius loves playing for Madrid and the club would like him to stay; the remaining issue is the gap between Vinicius’ wage demands and what the club are willing to offer.
Madrid would do anything to avoid losing him on a free transfer in 2027, so the situation has to be resolved, one way or the other, this summer. ESPN has reported that a move to Saudi Arabia would not appeal to Vinicius, leaving PSG or the Premier League as the only realistic remaining options.
But at this stage, given his improved form, and Madrid’s desire to keep him and avoid the nightmare scenario of a free transfer, the most likely scenario feels like the club going the extra mile to offer a deal structured with enough variables and bonuses to reach the kind of total package Vinicius and his camp would be happy with.
OTHER RUMORS
1:51
Hutchison doubtful about Arne Slot’s Liverpool future
Don Hutchison believes Arne Slot won’t be Liverpool manager at the start of next season following their FA Cup exit to Manchester City.
– Liverpool could sign Al Hilal forward Marcus Leonardo, 22, to replace Mohamed Salah this summer. (GMS)
– Manchester United are among the clubs keen to sign Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana, 24. (Football Insider)
– Spain forward Dani Olmo is not planning on leaving Barcelona this summer, amid links with a move to the Saudi Pro League. (Fabrizio Romano)
– AC Milan are pushing to sign midfielder Leon Goretzka as a free agent when he leaves Bayern Munich in the summer, ahead of Premier League competition. (Calciomercato)
– Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli is closing in on a contract renewal with Juventus until 2030. (Tuttosport)
– Liverpool are keen on Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba and Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon as part of a summer rebuild. (Ekrem Konur)
– Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are all showing interest in Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong, amid his lack of game time for the Blues. (Ekrem Konur)
– Harry Wilson is on Tottenham’s shortlist of transfer options this summer, as he looks set to become a free agent at the end of his contract at Fulham. (Ekrem Konur)
– Antonio Rudiger is progressing in talks to extend his contract at Real Madrid, as he nears the final 12 months of his deal with Los Blancos. (Nicolo Schira)
– Barcelona and PSG are both interested in 16-year-old Mali wonderkid Aboubacar Maiga, who plays for Academy Africa Foot, as an option for the future. (Sport)
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