Strong second half by Jestin Porter powers Clemson past No. 24 Louisville

Powered by Jestin Porter's 16 points, Clemson came away with an 80-75 win over visiting Louisville on Saturday afternoon in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

The win ended Clemson's losing streak at four and gave the Tigers (21-8, 11-5 ACC) their second victory against a ranked opponent this season.

Porter scored all of his points after halftime and made four three-pointers.

Ace Buckner collected a season-high eight rebounds off the Tigers bench. RJ Godfrey scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Tigers.

For the Cardinals (20-9, 9-7), Ryan Conwell extended his double-digit scoring streak to 22 games as he scored 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting.

Louisville's leading scorer on the season, Mikel Brown Jr., came off the bench for the second time this season due to a back injury. He scored a season-low five points on 2-of-10 shooting from the field and a season-worst 0-for-6 from three-point range.

After a driving layup in the second half, Brown grimaced coming up the court. He left the game at the 16:12 mark and returned to action at the 13:12 mark. However, he played only five more minutes after that and exited the game for good at the 8:40 mark.

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Adrian Wooley started the game for Brown and scored 17 points for Louisville with three three-pointers, tying a season-high in conference play.

To begin the second half, Clemson went on a 10-4 run to build its lead to nine points.

Louisville had held Clemson scoreless for two and a half minutes, but a Porter layup followed by an immediate steal led to a three-pointer that ended the drought and increased Clemson's lead to 11 points as the Littlejohn Coliseum fans in attendance rose to their feet.

Coming into the game, Louisville was second in the ACC in free-throw percentage at 77.8%. They shot a season-low 58% from the foul line Saturday.

The Cardinals were fifth in three-point percentage at 36.1% and first in three pointers made per game going into Saturday's matchup, when they went 10-for-36 from three-point range and missed 24 out of their final 28 three-point attempts after starting the game 4-for-6 from three.

In the final minute of the game, Louisville went on a quick 16-4 run to get the Clemson lead from a game-high 15 points all the way down to four. Wooley scored 11 of his 17 points during that time frame.

However, Buckner made four free throws in the final 15 seconds to keep Louisville at bay long enough for the clock to hit zero.

--Field Level Media

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

February 28, 2026

Strong second half by Jestin Porter powers Clemson past No. 24 Louisville

Powered by Jestin Porter's 16 points, Clemson came away with an 80-75 win over visiting Louisville on Saturday aft...

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Adebayo scores 24, Larsson adds 20 and Heat hold off Rockets, 115-105

MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Pelle Larsson scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat beat the Houston Rockets 115-105 on Saturday.

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Tyler Herro scored 18, Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 14 and Kel'el Ware had a 13-point, 15-rebound game for the Heat. Andrew Wiggins — who needed eight stitches to close a laceration inside his mouth — had 12 points for Miami.

Kevin Durant finished with 32 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Rockets, who got 20 points from Amen Thompson and 14 from Reed Sheppard.

Both teams had double-digit leads early; the Rockets ran out to a quick 14-4 edge, the Heat answered with a 37-14 run to take a 41-28 lead. And then things settled down, with the sides staying relatively close the rest of the way.

Neither team had a double-digit lead in the second half until Larsson hit a pair of free throws with 1:52 left for a 113-103 lead.

The Rockets played without Jabari Smith Jr., sidelined with a sprained right ankle. He isn't expected to play in Washington on Monday either.

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"We'll target when we return home," said Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who put Sheppard into the starting lineup in Smith's place.

Meanwhile, Miami was without Norman Powell — who'll miss at least one week with a right groin strain, sustained Thursday in a Heat loss at Philadelphia. Herro, who has been working his way back from injury as well, got the start in Powell's spot.

"I feel for Norm because he wants to be out there for all the games, especially these moments right now," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We'll treat him and we'll see where he is after the week."

Up next

Rockets: Visit Washington on Monday.

Heat: Host Brooklyn on Tuesday.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

February 28, 2026

Adebayo scores 24, Larsson adds 20 and Heat hold off Rockets, 115-105

MIAMI (AP) — Bam Adebayo had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Pelle Larsson scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter an...

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Jerry Jones plans to 'bust the budget' in free agency to help Cowboys defensively

As his 30-year quest for another Super Bowl continues, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he plans to "spend more money in free agency than we have" in order to win another title.

Speaking to reporters at theNFL scouting combine this week in Indianapolis, the 83-year-old Jones said he feels he's let Cowboys fans down by not constructing a roster worthy of another championship.

How desperate is Jones to be back on top? He said he would "hitchhike back to Dallas to win a Super Bowl."

The Cowboys missed the playoffs for the second straight season in 2025 with a 7-9-1 record. The franchise has won five playoff games since winning Super Bowl XXX in the 1995 season, which is also the last time they advanced out of the second round.

After the NFL announced this week the2026 salary cap will be $301.2 million, that left the Cowboys $56.1 million over the ceiling,per OverTheCap.com. According toESPN's Todd Archer, the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and guard Tyler Smith will be restructured in order to make $66 million of cap room.

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It's thesecond straight yearPrescott's deal will be reworked.

Kenny Clark, Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa will also see their contracts adjusted, Jones said, as the three defensive tackles combine for $63 million against the salary cap.

Pro Bowlwide receiver George Pickenswas given anon-exclusive franchise tag Friday, meaning he can negotiate a deal elsewhere but it puts the Cowboys in command of the negotiations considering the price tag required for a prospective team.

"I look at where we are with Dak and I look at where he is in his career. And I look at some of the pluses that we have on our front and what we think we can do there. And what we can do with [George] Pickens and Lamb and what we can do with our running back that we just signed [Javonte Williams]," Jones said. "And so all of those things I want to do everything we possibly can to stop somebody and to basically win some third downs more than we did last year. And so I think that would be the area that you would see me bust the budget. Where you would see me do that is what we're doing defensively.

"And I would expect anybody that's a Cowboy fan or a critic of the Cowboys to say, 'Duh, that's not hard to see, Jerry, to do.' But I guess what I'm doing is saying, yes, I intend to do that if given the opportunity."

Defensive help will be atop Jones' free agency wish-list. Last season, theCowboys were last in the NFL in defensive third-down success(47.3%).

There's a newdefensive coordinator in town in Christian Parker, whom Jones believes will be a plus for returning defensive players "because the situation has changed."

The Cowboys will have money to spend in free agency as Jones wants, and they'll also have two first-round pick in April's NFL Draft to help continue to build toward the owner's only goal.

"It's every bit the prize of anything I have, with the exception of family and your love for family," Jones said. "I guess what I would say is make no mistake about it, I don't have a higher priority than to go and win a Super Bowl."

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

February 28, 2026

Jerry Jones plans to 'bust the budget' in free agency to help Cowboys defensively

As his 30-year quest for another Super Bowl continues, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says he plans to "spend m...

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Kane scores 2 more as Bayern beats Dortmund in Klassiker to open 11-point gap in Bundesliga

BERLIN (AP) — Harry Kane scored twice again and Bayern Munich opened an 11-point lead in the Bundesliga with a 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker on Saturday.

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Joshua Kimmich let fly with his left boot to score the winner with a volley in the 87th minute, just four minutes after Daniel Svensson equalized for Dortmund with a brilliant volley inside the left post.

Nico Schlotterbeck put Dortmund 1-0 up at the break, but Serge Gnabry set up Kane's response and the England star got his second from the penalty spot — after a foul by Schlotterbeck on Josip Stanišić — to take his league tally to 30 goals this season.

Kane has scored two goals or more for the fourth successive game and is threatening Robert Lewandowski's season record of 41.

Dortmund disappointed

It's the second painful defeat for Dortmund in as many games after its Champions League exit to Atalanta on Wednesday despite going into their playoff second leg with a 2-0 advantage.

Dortmund top scorer Serhou Guirassy and defender Ramy Bensebaini started as substitutes with coach Niko Kovač explaining that Ramadan fasting was impacting the Muslim players' fitness.

"It takes a lot of energy if you can't eat and drink all day," Kovač said. "That's why I couldn't bring the guys on today. We have the data. You can see that if the players can't eat and drink it has an impact on performance."

Schlotterbeck headed the opener from a free kick against the run of play in the 26th.

The Dortmund defender was somewhat fortunate to be on the field after escaping with a yellow card for a bad challenge on Stanišić just minutes before.

Dortmund captain Emre Can had to go off before the break with a suspected left knee injury.

Dayot Upamecano almost equalized after the break when he crashed against the post after just missing Gnabry's cross, and Kane finally got Bayern's reply in the 54th with an easy finish to Gnabry's cross.

Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel got his left hand to the ball but couldn't stop the penalty flying in under the crossbar for Kane's 30th goal of the season.

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Kovač made three changes in the 75th, including sending on 17-year-old Italian forward Samuele Inacio for his Bundesliga debut.

Svensson celebrated with a somersault after drawing Dortmund level, but Bayern wasn't finished.

Ten rounds remain and only an improbable collapse will stop Bayern from making it 13 Bundesliga titles in the 14 years since Dortmund won it back-to-back in 2012.

Bremen ends winless streak

Werder Bremen finally ended its 13-game run without a win by beating relegation rival Heidenheim 2-0 in their bottom-of-the-table scrap.

Bremen missed a host of chances before Jovan Milošević scored from Romano Schmid's cross in the 57th minute, and an own goal from Hennes Behrens in stoppage time confirmed Bremen's first win after three defeats under new coach Daniel Thioune.

It was enough to lift Bremen above Wolfsburg into the relegation playoff place. Wolfsburg, which hasn't won its last six games, visits Stuttgart on Sunday.

Heidenheim remained last, nine points from safety after St. Pauli held on for a 1-0 win at high-flying Hoffenheim.

Mathias Pereira Lage scored for St. Pauli before the break, lifting the Hamburg-based club out of the relegation zone after its third win from four games.

Kevin Diks scored a stoppage-time penalty for Borussia Mönchengladbach to beat Union Berlin 1-0 and end the Foals' seven-game winless run.

Jarell Quansah scored late for Bayer Leverkusen to salvage a 1-1 draw with Mainz, canceling Sheraldo Becker's second-half volley for Mainz.

But the draw is a blow to Leverkusen's hopes of reaching fourth place in the race for Champions League qualification. Leverkusen remained sixth, and both Stuttgart and Leipzig could pull further away. Leipzig visits Hamburger SV on Sunday.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

February 28, 2026

Kane scores 2 more as Bayern beats Dortmund in Klassiker to open 11-point gap in Bundesliga

BERLIN (AP) — Harry Kane scored twice again and Bayern Munich opened an 11-point lead in the Bundesliga with a 3-2 win at...

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Jackson Jobe injury: Tigers prospect plots 'important innings' after Tommy John surgery

LAKELAND, FL –Detroit Tigersright-handed pitcher Jackson Jobe offered an encouraging update on his rehab from Tommy John surgery.

Jobe is going through a long-toss rehab program, progressively throwing longer distances – he is up to 105 feet, three times a week. And he said could start throwing bullpens off a mound in about six weeks.

"I think it's like, starting in mid-April, is when I'll be on the mound," Jobe told reporters on Saturday, Feb. 28.

ON THE MOUND:Jackson Jobe injury update: Detroit Tigers expect MLB return in 2026

After he completes the long-toss program, he will start throwing bullpens.

"Then it'll be a few lives and rehab outings," Jobe said. "I think it'll just depend on how sharp I'm feeling, how quickly I can get my feel back. But as it stands right now, I feel pretty normal, which is kind of weird, but guess I'll take it."

MLB spring training 2026: Sunshine, good vibes in Arizona and Florida

When a reporter asked if Jobe could be pitching for the Tigers sooner than September, Jobe said: "What we have drawn up is quicker than that, for sure."

But he offered no date.

"I obviously want to be smart about it," he said. "I guess I probably shouldn't say when we have in mind, just in case it doesn't happen. But I'm feeling pretty optimistic that I will be throwing some important innings this year."

Jobelast pitched for the Tigers on May 28; heunderwent surgery June 16to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

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The Tigers have been vague about when he might return, which is not surprising considering every rehab is different.

"We expect him to be back in 2026," president of baseball operationsScott Harrissaid Monday, Dec. 8, at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida. "It's hard to forecast the actual date, but we expect it to be a boost for our roster in the second half."

"Knock on wood – everything's been going as well as it could," Jobe said Saturday. "I'm just trying to keep it that way and not change a thing. The program that we have has been great."

Jobe – the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft – has a locker in the Tigers clubhouse in TigerTown. He has been encouraged by other pitchers who have been through Tommy John – and had success after the surgery. He also has been getting tips and advice from Justin Verlander, who is teaching him how to work hard, but also how to rest and recover.

Still, Jobe is bothered about missing the start of the season.

"It sucks that I'm not going to be there for the beginning," Jobe said. "Honestly, it really does suck, but I think we'll be doing something special towards the end of the year that I can hopefully be a part of and really add to."

Jobe said that he has not suffered any setbacks in his recovery.

"We're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel now," Jobe said.

"Seems like you are almost out of the tunnel," a reporter said.

"Fingers crossed," Jobe said, smiling.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press:Jackson Jobe injury report, Tigers top prospect back before September?

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

February 28, 2026

Jackson Jobe injury: Tigers prospect plots 'important innings' after Tommy John surgery

LAKELAND, FL –Detroit Tigersright-handed pitcher Jackson Jobe offered an encouraging update on his rehab from Tommy John ...

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USMNT's Noahkai Banks opens the door to Germany switch

U.S. men's national team defender Noahkai Banks has given a clear indication he is still very much open to representing Germany.

Banks has emerged as one of the USMNT's best defensive prospects in years, becoming an automatic starter for Augsburg in the Bundesliga this season despite only recently turning 19.

The defender was born in Hawaii to an American father and German-Spanish mother. After moving to Washington, D.C., Banks relocated to Germany when he was a young child.

Banks has only represented the U.S. at the youth international level and has received one senior call-up.

But speaking after he provided a key assist in Augsburg's 2-0 win over FC Köln on Friday, Feb. 27, Banks admitted that he was "torn" over whether to move forward with the U.S. or switch to Germany.

"It's a difficult decision regarding my nationality. I'm very torn," he said. "I'm in contact with both the USA and Germany and both national coaches," Banks said.

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"I hopefully have a long career ahead of me, so I want to think carefully and speak with my family. I don't want to make it dependent on a World Cup. I'm just happy to be in this position and to be able to make this decision. We'll see what happens."

5. Christian Pulisic - 32 (2016-present; through Nov. 18, 2024)

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USMNT all-time leading goal scorers

Banks' comments were markedly differentfrom only weeks agowhen he said that "there's not a thought of switching" to Germany.

The teenager was called in for the USMNT's September camp, but didn't see the field in friendlies against South Korea and Japan. He was not called in for matches in October and November.

The USMNT will face Belgium and Portugal in March friendlies, the team's final two matches before Mauricio Pochettino names his World Cup roster.

Earlier this month, USMNT legendLandon Donovan predicted that Bankswouldn't just make the World Cup squad, but would be starting in the tournament on home soil.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Noahkai Banks considering making USMNT switch to Germany

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

February 28, 2026

USMNT's Noahkai Banks opens the door to Germany switch

U.S. men's national team defender Noahkai Banks has given a clear indication he is still very much open to representi...

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