Category Uncategorized

It was Mehidy’s first five-for at home in nearly two-and-a-half years

Mohammad Isam21-Apr-2025Zimbabwe nosed ahead of Bangladesh after the second day’s play of the first Test in Sylhet with half-centuries from Brian Bennett and Sean Williams. Their lower order and tail also resisted to add 80 runs for the last four wickets that got them a lead of 82. They finished the day by breaking Bangladesh’s opening stand, and the hosts are still 25 runs behind.Bangladesh’s solace came in the form of Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s first five-wicket haul at home in nearly two-and-a-half years. He finished with 5 for 52 after speedster Nahid Rana picked up three wickets, including those of the openers. Zimbabwe strung together small partnerships after the opening stand of 69, often dominating periods of play.Bangladesh lost Shadman Islam in the evening for 4 in the fourth over, when a superb Blessing Muzarabani delivery had him edging to second slip. His opening partner Mahmudul Hasan Joy got a reprieve on 6 in the following over when wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo dropped a regulation chance to his right.Mahmudul finished the day unbeaten on 28, while Mominul Haque was on 15 when play was called off at 5.33pm.Rana earlier gave Bangladesh their first breakthrough when he banged in a bouncer towards Ben Curran’s chest. The left-hand opener only managed to tap it to short leg where Mominul completed the catch diving forward. It ended Zimbabwe’s impressive opening stand that lasted 16.5 overs.Rana then bowled a fuller delivery to get rid of Bennett, the other opener. Bennett was piercing the off-side field regularly, hitting eight of his ten boundaries in the range between backward point and cover. But when he looked to cut another ball square, it led to his downfall as he edged one behind on 57.Mehidy Hasan Miraz returned 5 for 52 but Zimbabwe still managed an 82-run lead•AFP/Getty Images

Hasan Mahmud joined in the act with a peach of an inswinger against No. 3 Nick Welch, who was bowled through the gate for 2. Captain Craig Ervine and Williams, Zimbabwe’s most experienced pair, steadied things for the next hour. They added 41 runs in 15 overs, before Rana had Ervine caught behind for 8.It was another short ball that reared up high on Ervine, who couldn’t get his bat out of the way. The ball brushed the face of his bat and he was caught behind by Jaker Ali. Williams forged another promising stand, this time with Wessly Madhevere, in the course of which Williams reached his fourth Test fifty. He did that in style too, sweeping Taijul Islam for a six and a four to reach the landmark.The 48-run partnership however ended when Madhevere played on to a Khaled Ahmed delivery, on 24. Williams too couldn’t kick on, mistiming a straight hit against Mehidy, caught by a tumbling Mahmudul running back from mid-off. Williams bent down in disbelief as he looked very well set, having scored 59 off 108 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.Despite all their frontline batters back in the pavilion, Zimbabwe continued to fight. Mayavo made an enterprising 35 off 54 balls, including five fours, but he fell shortly after tea when Mehidy trapped him lbw. Wellington Masakadza played out 42 balls for his 6, and became Mehidy’s third victim, caught at cover.The tall pair of Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava then took on the Bangladesh bowlers in a 36-run ninth-wicket stand. Muzarabani struck two fours and a massive six, over long-on, during his 17 off 16. Ngarava was unbeaten on 28 off 44 balls, including a lovely straight hit for a six off Mehidy. The offspinner finished things off when he had Muzarabani stumped and Victor Nyauchi caught in the covers, to complete his five-for.

Manchester United’s incoming manager Erik ten Hag has placed Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries at the top of his transfer list.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, who claim that the new Red Devils manager has “put the Inter player at the top of his preferences.”

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-man-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more-nunez-ten-hag-nkunku-richarlison” title=”Read the latest Man United news!”]

The Italian newspaper explain that the 26-year-old, who was signed from PSV Eindhoven for €15m (£12.8m), is now “worth at least €20m (£17m) more” and is “the most requested player in recent weeks.”

Wan Bissaka who?

The latest report comes as good news for Manchester United fans and gives us a taste of how ten Hag wants to use his full-backs.

The potential £29.8m signing of Dumfries, who has been dubbed a “freight train” by Jonathan Pearce, would essentially spell the end for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, something that should be seen as a masterclass by the new United boss.

HE would most certainly provide an attacking upgrade, with the Dutchman clearly looking to make use of his full-backs to provide support in possession.

Whether he looks to set his full-backs up via an asymmetrical shape or inverted method remains to be seen, but having performed in both ways for Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands side, Dumfries is very well-versed at both.

The 26-year-old is the ultimate modern full-back.

His spell at Inter Milan thus far has only improved his end product ability, as he has primarily functioned as a right midfielder or wing-back for Simone Inzaghi’s side.

In what is his first season in the Serie A, he has registered the highest number of returns of his career so far, having notched up five goals and five assists in 30 appearances for the Nerazzurri.

With Inter Milan boasting the most solid defence in the Italian top-flight, conceding just 29 goals with an average goals conceded per match total of 0.8, Dumfries’ efforts defensively have also demonstrated his competency.

Inzaghi’s Inter look to win the ball back high up the pitch, rather than letting the opposition progress into their half.

Dumfries is an expert in winning the ball back in the attacking third, with the Netherlands international averaging 0.47 tackles in the attacking third per 90 and registering 3.80 pressures in the attacking third.

Ten Hag’s Ajax side also look to win the ball back high up, so the signing of Dumfries would enable the 52-year-old to implement that same style in England’s top flight. A masterclass all round.

In other news: Man Utd submit bid to sign “extraordinary” £68m monster, he’s the dream Pogba upgrade

MatériaMais Notícias

da pinnacle： A CBF confirmou as datas e horários dos confrontos do Campeonato Brasileiro entre a 21ª e 25ª rodada. No período, o São Paulo enfrenta Atlético-GO, Atlético-MG e Santos, no Morumbi. O time só terá dois jogos fora de casa, contra a Chapecoense e o Cuiabá, respectivamente.

RelacionadasSão PauloFormiga comenta reestreia no São Paulo: ‘Feliz e realizada’São Paulo02/09/2021São PauloConversa com Crespo e exames: o primeiro dia de Calleri no São PauloSão Paulo02/09/2021São PauloCalleri chega ao Brasil; veja programação dele no São PauloSão Paulo02/09/2021

da wazamba： O São Paulo está em período de treinamentos por conta da Data-Fifa, já que o time teve jogadores convocados para as Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2022. O próximo jogo será somente contra o Fluminense, no dia 12 de setembro, fora de casa.

Vale ressaltar que o Tricolor pode ter novidades nessas partidas, com as chegadas do atacante Jonathan Calleri e do volante Gabriel Neves. A equipe está na 12ª colocação do Campeonato Brasileiro, com 22 pontos.

>> Confira a tabela do Brasileirão e simule os próximos jogos

VEJA AS PARTIDAS DO SÃO PAULO DETALHADAS PELA CBF
21ª rodada
São Paulo x Atlético-GO – 19/09, às 16h – Morumbi
22ª rodada
São Paulo x Atlético-MG – 25/09, às 21h – Morumbi
23ª rodada
Chapecoense x São Paulo – 03/10, às 16h – Arena Condá
24ª rodada
São Paulo x Santos – 07/10, às 19h – Morumbi
25ª rodada
Cuiabá x São Paulo – 10/10, às 20h30 – Arena Pantanal

Chelsea’s summer spending spree is showing no sign of slowing down.

So far, the Blues have made eight new signings this summer, including bringing in Liam Delap, João Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Estêvão Willian and others.

However, they’ve still got plenty to do in the transfer market.

Right now, by our count, the Blues have 46 senior players on their books, but one could be on the way out, making way for another exciting young talent to arrive in West London.

Chelsea set to bolster their attacking options

As already alluded to, Chelsea are seeking to offload at least a dozen high-profile players in the next month or so, with Mike McGrath of the Telegraph reporting that Raheem Sterling could be on his way to Fulham.

One player who is closer to the exit door is João Félix who, according to David Ornstein and Simon Johnson of the Athletic, is set to join Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr for around £26.2m, amid interest from boyhood club Benfica.

The Portuguese only joined Chelsea permanently from Atlético Madrid for £45m a year ago, but has scored just 11 goals in 40 appearances for the Blues across his two spells, spending the second half of last season on loan at AC Milan, thereby very much not in Enzo Maresca’s plans.

So, with Félix on his way out, Chelsea are on the cusp of bringing in a replacement, with journalist Ben Jacobs noting that they are “advancing talks” to sign Xavi Simons, with “terms now broadly in place” to bring him to England. Club-to-club talks are ongoing to find a full agreement over a fee.

James Olley of ESPN claims that the Blues are willing to spend around £50m, with Leipzig holding out for closer to £60m.

So, will he soon become the 15th Dutchman to call Stamford Bridge home, following in the footsteps of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ruud Gullit, Arjen Robben and others?

How Xavi Simons will improve Chelsea

Simons is certainly a highly-rated player, with Sultan Babajide of Breaking the Lines asserting that he is ‘destined for the top’, noting how he is ‘brilliant between the lines’.

Meantime, Bart Vlietstra of the Guardian believes there has always been ‘something irresistible’ about a player he labels a ‘precocious’ talent, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout agrees, describing him as a ‘fascinating player’.

Simons’ career breakthrough came at PSV Eindhoven, scoring 22 goals and registering 11 assists in just 48 outings for the Dutch giants, while he has also racked up 21 goals and 23 assists in 76 appearances since making the move to RB Leipzig.

So how does he compare to the player he’s set to replace in the Chelsea squad Félix? Let’s find out.

Appearances

33

41

Goals

11

10

Assists

8

3

Appearances

43

44

Goals

10

10

Assists

15

6

Appearances

48

40

Goals

22

9

Assists

11

3

As the table outlines, ever since Simons became a regular first-team player at PSV, his statistics have been more impressive than those of Félix.

The Portuguese international’s £113m move to Atlético Madrid back in 2019, making him the fourth-most expensive player of all-time, has turned out to be one of football’s great what if moves, with Jack Lang of the Athletic noting that he is widely-regarded as having ‘wasted his talent’, never able to fit into the playing style or system at any of the clubs he’s featured for since Benfica.

Simons, in contrast, is a player on the way up, likely to get even better, so he could have an enormous impact at Chelsea, potentially elevating them to a level where they’re fighting for the Premier League title and Champions League supremacy once again.

Better signing than Simons: Chelsea could see bid accepted for £34m star

Chelsea will need to improve their defence this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 27, 2025

Coach Gary Stead hopeful the pacer would return to the side before the end of the season

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Dec-2020

New Zealand are hopeful injured pacer Lockie Ferguson, who has been ruled out of the Pakistan series at home, will return to the side before the end of the season. Ferguson has been diagnosed with a partial stress fracture to his lumbar spine and will require four to six weeks of rest before returning to training, according to a media release.After his IPL stint in Dubai, Ferguson played in the three-match T20I series against West Indies – where he picked up seven wickets – when an injury to the left side of his back surfaced and subsequent scans confirmed the partial fracture. While he will not need surgery, he will need to undergo a period of rest and rehabilitation before considering return to play. He is also unlikely to turn up for Auckland for the entire Super Smash season which runs from late December through to the final on February 14, the release said.”We’re all really feeling for Lockie,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. “Injuries are certainly part of our sport, but to get something like this when you’re at the very top of your game is especially disappointing. The pace and skill he’s been able to consistently produce has made him one of the very best white-ball bowlers in the world and a huge asset for the Blackcaps.”Lockie has a great attitude and I know he’s up for the fight so he’ll get stuck into the rehab and we’re still hopeful he may get back on the park at the back end of summer.”As thrilling as it is to be an express fast bowler, Ferguson has already felt the strain it puts on his body. He endured a rough first stint in whites during his Test debut against Australia in Perth last year, a calf problem curtailed his bowling output to just 11 first-innings overs and ruled him out of the rest of the tour as well as the subsequent home Tests against India. He was also not part of the squad for the recently-concluded Tests against West Indies.New Zealand’s home season includes a five-match T20I tour by Australia in February, before concluding with Bangladesh’s visit in March.

Raine’s unbeaten 75 lifts hosts from 81 for 7 as Brydon Carse adds 47 not out

David Hopps10-Jun-2019

Ben Raine is the sort of cricketer who can make Durham feel Ben Stokes’ perpetual absence with England a little less intensely. To call him a ready-made replacement would be asking too much because there are few players in the world with Stokes’ prodigious ability. But at his best he has the same combative, dog-with-a-bone qualities and against Northants he began to prove as much.Raine once left Durham because Stokes’ brawny frame was blocking his progress. He felt like an excellent signing when he returned to the north-east from Leicestershire during the close season, a player who is combative with bat, ball and in the field. But Durham are bottom of Division Two and he went into the match against the side one place above them with a batting average of 15, suggesting one component of his game was yet to fire: an unbeaten 75 has begun to put that right.Durham were 81 for 6 when Raine came in to bat and a ball later they were 81 for 7. Heavy rain over the weekend had left the pitch responsive to any seam bowler worth his mettle and Northants were in total command. But after 45 overs conditions were beginning to ease, Raine and Brydon Carse buckled down to the task with great deliberation and by the close their eighth-wicket stand had swollen to 128 in 52 overs.Raine’s reward was a career-best in first-class cricket, achieved in the penultimate over of the day when he cut Nathan Buck to the rope. He only has one county hundred – one of the fastest of all time, when he took Birmingham for 113 from 46 balls in the Blast at Edgbaston last season with eight fours and ten sixes. If he was to add a Championship hundred on the second day he would have discovered something very different within himself.Neither Raine nor Carse had not lived up to their potential with the bat in the Championship this season, but their seriousness of intent showed as they laboured 142 deliveries to take their stand past 50. It was as grim-grey gravelly in its nature as the area behind the stand on the non-members’ side of the ground which thankfully is getting a bit of a resurfacing in time for the World Cup.”Sometimes I sound like gravel and sometimes I sound like coffee and cream,” Nina Simone once said. If it was good enough for Simone’s singing, it is good enough for Raine’s batting.Durham pessimists had been dwelling upon their most demoralising batting moments when they subsided to 18 for 4 within 11.2 overs -such as the time last season when they were bowled out twice in two sessions by Leicestershire at Grace Road for 66 and 61. It was Mohammad Abbas, with 10 wickets in the match who played the main hand in that; Raine was not even playing.Ben Sanderson, one of the canniest operators around on a bowler’s pitch, moving it both ways from a tight line, had been the main cause of such pessimism, hitting the stumps three times in a new-ball spell of 3 for 18. Michael Jones was bowled off stump for nought as he left the first ball he received and, remarkably, Durham’s Australian captain Cameron Bancroft offered up a replica for the benefit of late arrivals. At least Bancroft could plead that he was partly undone by lack of bounce. Alex Lees had carried his bat against Derbyshire last week to record his first Durham hundred in similarly exacting conditions, but Sanderson bowled him through the gate.By the time the seventh wicket fell soon after lunch, Matt Coles and Buck had also struck twice. The old roisterer Coles is on a month’s loan from Essex, with Northants’ assistant coach Phil Rowe calling him “a big character and a big personality”.Big is the word. He found enough movement in the pitch to remove Gareth Harte and Ned Eckersley and looked in reasonable order considering his lack of 1st XI cricket, quite an achievement because his natural shape would have been very much in vogue when Northants won back-to-back T20 titles with a side not exactly short of poundage.Arguably the best ball was reserved for Jack Burnham, who did little wrong technically when Buck snaked one back to bowl him. Burnham had a woeful time in league cricket last season during his one-year ban for positive cocaine tests and it is good to see him slowly progressing. Cricket is right to take a tough line on drug abuse, not just because of somewhat dubious performance-enhancing qualities but also sport’s general commitment to health and fitness, but in fairness to Burnham no matter how much he took he didn’t follow it up by condemning such behaviour and standing for the leadership of the Conservative party.

Mark Wood believes his maiden five-wicket haul against West Indies in the third Test has allowed him to finally show he is an England player.The 29-year-old fast bowler admitted the dark times were “really bad” as he battled ankle injuries but his 5 for 41 to ruin West Indies’ chances of overhauling England’s first-innings total of 277 was a welcome reward for him and perhaps a message to the doubters.”I’ve had some horrible dark days with injuries and things like confidence and self-belief,” Wood said. “I thought in my own mind I was an England player but I hadn’t shown it. I felt like today I’ve showed I am an England player.”It’s nice to show some people who’ve probably doubted me in the past, I’ve even doubted myself that I can do it, but I wouldn’t say I’m out of the woods yet.”A longer run-up and an impressive trip to UAE with England Lions – he took 4 for 67 and 1 for 56 in a four-day game against Pakistan in November – had Wood believing in his body once more. His blistering pace against West Indies in his 13th Test and first since last May was further proof.”[There were] times where I had no confidence slamming my front foot down … there were times when I was desperate to do well, trying my hardest, but it just wasn’t quite happening for us but luckily today is a day when it’s clicked,” Wood said.”I just don’t feel like I have to force it as much,” he said of his extended run-up, which has dispensed with his sprinter-like initial burst of speed. “I’m still hitting the floor … but with more momentum, more rhythm. Before, I had to get up to speed quick and to get up high pace, I had to muscle it a little bit whereas now I feel in more rhythm, and I can get in the spin of things and today it just clicked.”His rediscovered self-belief came to fruition on the second day in St Lucia, but he had had to wait for the opportunity after being a late call-up to the England squad in the Caribbean when Olly Stone returned home with a back injury before the first Test.”I felt I was actually here on merit,” Wood said. “I felt because I’d done well there [in UAE] it merited my spot being here and this time I wasn’t picked on potential, I deserved it.”And should the self-doubt creep in at any stage again, Wood can call on his latest performance to help him through.”It’s a day I’ll never forget so any time it’s not going quite right I can look back on this game and have fond memories,” he said.

Sruthi Ravindranath in Wayanad06-Feb-2019Playing franchise T20 cricket has helped young batsmen to “hit the ball”, a skill that can be transferred to all other formats, according to England Lions coach Andy Flower.Flower’s views come in a week in which the senior team’s coach, Trevor Bayliss, blamed England players’ “ODI mindset” for their dismal performance in the opening two Tests against West Indies.While the senior side was receiving a thrashing at the hands of Jason Holder’s men in Barbados and Antigua, the second-string England side in Thiruvananthapuram were subjected to similar treatment against India A in the five-match ODI series, which the hosts won 4-1.Ahead of their first four-day unofficial Test in Wayanad, Flower called the shorter formats “fun” for youngsters, and also praised the ECB’s newly proposed format, The Hundred.”I think one positive aspect that comes from playing franchise cricket is that the young players are learning to pick the bat up and hit the ball,” Flower said. “And the bowlers are learning different skills. And those are transferrable skills in the all three formats.”There’s soon to be a fourth format in England. I think it’s actually a positive thing. It’s lovely seeing batsmen pick up the bat and hit the ball to the boundary. Certainly, for youngsters, it’s a fun way to play. I think it can help one develop in all formats of the game.”Flower’s opinions could not have been more encouraging for Lions’ captain Sam Billings. Billings, who has played in 15 ODIs and 18 T20Is, had chosen to prioritise the IPL over England’s first-class competition in the last few years and is yet to establish himself as a red-ball player.In a bid to prove his Test credentials, he played eight matches for Kent in Division Two last season, making 370 runs at 30.83 and captaining the side to promotion.But Billings has admitted that he would continue playing in the IPL despite being questioned for his abilities as a red-ball player, saying he would absorb the lessons from the tournament and seek to transfer them to the longer format.”In the last few years of my career I’ve played white-ball cricket, just somehow I’ve played a lot of it,” Billings said. “I’ve been a part of the ODI team for the last three years or so, but obviously haven’t found myself in the team consistently anyway. And obviously the IPL cuts into the four-day championship at home. I’ve made a decision to play in the IPL. It is opportunity I can turn down, but I stand by that decision to play again this year.”But the way the opportunity is working now, I’m getting to play more red-ball cricket. As long as my attitude and the things I control and my work ethic towards the game is right, I have no doubt I can translate these into performances in the longer format. I’m a bit immature in the terms of my development in the long format so I’m looking forward to try and progress in that.”While Flower backed Billings’ decision, he pointed out that playing county cricket would still be good enough for an overall understanding of the game.”In Sam’s case, he’s played a lot of IPL in the last few years. So that means he misses on about two months of playing first-class in England. And those two months in itself is a lovely learning experience. But like most things in life I suppose you get different benefits from various experiences.”Flower, who was appointed as Lions’ coach in 2014, has played a key role in supplying a number of players to the national side. More recently, four players – Keaton Jennings, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran and Jack Leach – who gained experience of playing in Sri Lankan conditions during Lions’ tour of 2016-17, impressed during England’s 3-0 win in the island in November.However, Flower feels the Lions set-up does not match the standards of the India A side, referring to the change-up in their programme since Rahul Dravid took over as coach in 2015.”It’s quite a contrast from how the India A team is set up,” Flower said. “It looks to me that since Dravid’s introduction to the development area, investment in terms of money and in terms of commitment has increased, be it like triangular series where you’ve sometimes have two Indian teams playing.”That is mirrored in their Under-19s as well. I think that sort of increased investment is a very positive thing. In England, we’ve moved the other way. We’ve decreased investment in this area. So it’s quite an interesting contrast.”There are always budgetary pressures. I guess the decision makers always have to decide based on priority.”

Gloucestershire wrapped up a nine-wicket victory inside eight overs, chasing just 35 runs to win on the final day and hand Glamorgan a sixth consecutive defeat

ECB Reporters Network13-Sep-2018
ScorecardGlamorgan suffered a sixth consecutive defeat in Division Two of the Specsavers County Championship as Gloucestershire wrapped up a nine-wicket victory inside eight overs, chasing just 35 runs to win on the final day.Despite their position rooted to the bottom of the table, Glamorgan’s head coach Robert Croft said a young squad had to remain positive about their ability to improve results.”These boys are working their butts off, they honestly are,” Croft said. “We’ve got to continue doing that. Two games left to put massive technical changes in would be a big challenge. We’re continually examining them and working with them on how they’re playing and quite clearly, we haven’t quite got the hang of it as far as performances on the field.”A disappointing performance, but we are continually working hard. There’s some players who have been asked a hell of a lot of this season. Every player on our staff, at some stage or another, has been in our first team through injuries and form, etc. What we’ve got to do is keep talking about the belief, about when they have played well and reinforcing that because it’s very easy to slip into that negative mindset.”At 150 for 8 in their second innings, it was a match which Glamorgan should have lost on the third day, only for Timm van der Gugten and Kieran Bull to help them into a slender lead. They began the final day 18 runs ahead, with van der Gugten on a career-best 58 not out.The Australian-born Dutchman looked on as his captain Michael Hogan showed attacking intent from the outset, doubling his tally of runs in the first over of the day as he dispatched Matt Taylor for two well-struck boundaries. However, he was eventually bowled by the left-arm seamer, who claimed his fifth wicket of the innings and his seventh of the match as Glamorgan were dismissed for 251.Exchanging bat for ball, van der Gugten’s resistance continued in the first over of the visitors’ second innings when he trapped Miles Hammond lbw for nought to claim his fifth wicket of the match.However, Gloucestershire’s chase got going when skipper Chris Dent guided a Hogan delivery down to the third man boundary and then in the following over, drove van der Gugten through backward point for four before James Bracey flicked off his pads to add a boundary of his own. Victory came when Dent struck Hogan back over his head.”It’s pretty hard to sugarcoat it, to be honest with you,” Hogan said. “I think the second innings, eight, nine, ten showed the top order what can be done if you invest some time and effort into your innings. To say the least, very disappointed.”I think it’s a confidence issue at the moment. We’ve played a lot of second eleven cricket against that exact Gloucestershire attack and there’s six or seven boys in there that scored hundreds against them on tough wickets. Whether it’s the case of playing in the first team and putting pressure on themselves, I don’t know. They’ve done it as individuals before in tougher conditions.”We’ve been crying out for a decent wicket like that, finally got one and still couldn’t put a decent score on the board.”

The 2021 men's NCAA tournament first round is complete, and we are down to 32 teams left in Indianapolis. Those teams include a whopping eight double-digit seeds, from No. 10 Rutgers and Maryland to No. 15 Oral Roberts, and one team. No. 7 Oregon, which advanced without playing due to VCU's COVID-19 forfeit.

On Sunday, the second round kicked off with eight games, with another eight scheduled for Monday. Who will earn a coveted spot in the Sweet 16? will keep you updated throughout the day with scores and brief recaps, from Illinois vs. Loyola Chicago to Oklahoma State vs. Oregon State. Sunday's full schedule is below.

No. 8 Loyola Chicago 71, No. 1 Illinois 58

The second round started with a bang on Sunday afternoon, as Porter Moser's Ramblers channeled their March magic again to knock off top-seeded Illinois in the Midwest Region and reach the Sweet 16. Loyola put on a clinic to lead the Illini from wire-to-wire, holding star Ayo Dosunmu to nine points on 10 shots and generally stymieing the Illinois offense while dicing up its defense every time the Ramblers needed a bucket. Senior big man Cameron Krutwig played a hell of a game for Loyola, totaling 19 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals and holding his own against Kofi Cockburn. Illinois is the first No. 1 seed to fall in this men's NCAA tournament, though three more await their games in the Round of 32. —

No. 1 Baylor 76, No. 9 Wisconsin 63

While the Badgers made it interesting at times, the Bears ensured they wouldn't be the second No. 1 seed to go down on Sunday by holding off Wisconsin to advance to the Sweet 16. Baylor navigated around four Jared Butler fouls to keep the Badgers at bay, getting a game-high 17 points from Matthew Mayer off the bench and 16 apiece by Butler and Davion Mitchell, the latter of whom provided a steadying presence down the stretch. The Bears' defense forced a normally sure-handed Wisconsin bunch into 14 turnovers, helping make the difference after both teams shot an identical 25 for 55 from the field. —

No. 11 Syracuse 75, No. 3 West Virginia 72

There’s just something about Syracuse in March. The Orange continued their dream run through the tournament with an upset win over No. 3 seed West Virginia, riding a hot-shooting offense and the patented 2–3 zone that confused WVU at times to advance to the Sweet 16. The Orange knocked down 14 threes in the game, including six more from Buddy Boeheim and four from sophomore Joseph Girard III. That was enough to get by the Mountaineers, who roared back after trailing by double figures in the first half to take the lead briefly in the second half. And while the Orange had issues dealing with West Virginia’s late-game pressure, Syracuse did just enough to advance. —

No. 3 Arkansas 68, No. 6 Texas Tech 66

A furious second-half rally by the Red Raiders ultimately fell short as Kyler Edwards missed a game-tying layup just before the buzzer sounded to send the Razorbacks to their first Sweet 16 since 1996. Arkansas survived a 4-for-17 showing from three with a gritty defensive performance, as Tech made just 12 of its 41 shots inside the arc. Justin Smith had his second straight big game in the tournament for the Hogs, finishing with 20 points and six rebounds, to lead four Razorbacks in double figures. —

No. 2 Houston 63, No. 10 Rutgers 60

For most of this one, it looked like Rutgers was about to extend its stay in Indianapolis for another week during its first trip to the NCAA tournament in 30 years. But the Cougars roared back late, rallying from nine down with under five minutes to play to steal a victory and advance. A critical moment late was a missed dunk by Myles Johnson that would have brought the lead to 10 with close to four minutes to go. On the ensuing Houston possession, DeJon Jarreau drained a three to cut the deficit to five. The Cougars never looked back. A huge and-one putback by Tramon Mark gave them their first lead since late in the first half, and after a pair of free throws for the Cougars, Ron Harper’s game-tying shot rolled off the rim. Houston advances to take on Syracuse. —

No. 15 Oral Roberts 81, No. 7 Florida 78

For just the second time ever, a No. 15 seed is going to the Sweet 16. After trailing for the first 17 minutes of the second half, ORU surged ahead with an offensive explosion late. The Golden Eagles scored 25 points in the game’s final 10 minutes to regain the lead, riding the star duo of Max Abmas (26 points, seven assists) and Kevin Obanor (28 points, 11 rebounds) to yet another upset victory. A huge three by DeShang Weaver gave ORU the lead at 80–78 with 2:10 to go, and the Golden Eagles found a way to secure several key stops down the stretch to extend their stay in the bubble. They’ll take on Arkansas in the Sweet 16. —

No. 5 Villanova 84, No. 13 North Texas 61

North Texas couldn’t recreate its magical first game and was blown away by No. 5 Villanova. UNT’s usually-stingy defense, which hadn’t conceded 80 points in a game since midway through the 2019–20 season, couldn’t control a Villanova offense that fired on all cylinders in this one. A balanced effort that saw four Wildcats score in double figures was the answer, with big man Jeremiah Robinson-Earl posting 18 points, six rebounds and six assists to lead the way. Robinson-Earl’s emergence into a distributor has been critical for the Wildcats, which continue to play without star point guard Collin Gillespie. Jay Wright’s club advances to take on No. 1 Baylor. —

No. 12 Oregon State 80, No. 4 Oklahoma State 70

Another trendy Final Four pick goes down to close out Sunday night, with the surging Oregon State Beavers taking down Cade Cunningham and the Cowboys. Oregon State rode a big night from Ethan Thompson (26 points, seven rebounds, 15 free throws) into the program's first Sweet 16 since 1982, capping a perfect opening three days for the surprising Pac-12. Cunningham, in what's almost certainly his final college game, finished with 24, but overall, Oklahoma State had a rough shooting night, going 27% from both the field and from three. —