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  • Sunday Olympics TV schedule: Lindsey Vonn’s return, curling, and speed skating

    Sunday Olympics TV schedule: Lindsey Vonn’s return, curling, and speed skating

    Update: Lindsey Vonn crashed during the women’s downhill skiing event Sunday and had to be airlifted out.

    Lindsey Vonn’s comeback story continues Sunday, where the 2010 gold medalist will hit the slopes in the women’s downhill skiing event, her first competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

    Women’s alpine skiing is scheduled to begin at 5:30 a.m. Philly time on USA Network, but will re-air on NBC around 9:20 a.m.

    Vonn, 41, underwent a partial knee replacement in April 2024, which rekindled hope of an Olympic return after retiring in 2019. She suffered another setback last month, when she ruptured her ACL skiing at the Alpine Ski World Cup in Switzerland.

    Skiing on one good knee didn’t seem to slow her down much Friday, where she successfully completed a 100-second training run without any issues … and posting the third-best time.

    In other Olympic action, U.S. mixed doubles curlers Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin will take on Estonia at 8:35 p.m. on USA Network. They’ll also face Sweden at 1:05 p.m., which will stream exclusively on Peacock (CNBC will re-air the match at 9 p.m.)

    There’s also speed skating, with American Casey Dawson expected to compete in the men’s 5,000 meter beginning at 10 a.m. on NBC. Dawson is coming off a World Cup win in Calgary, but he’ll face stiff competition in Norway’s Sander Eitrem, who set a new world record at the Speed Skating World Cup in Inzell, Germany, becoming the first skater to finish the 5,000 meter in under six minutes (5:58.52).

    Other competitions to watch Sunday include the men’s skiathlon at 6:45 a.m. on USA Network and NBC, the biathlon mixed relay at 8:45 a.m. on NBC, and the final run of the men’s luge at noon on USA Network.

    How to watch the Olympics on TV and stream online

    NBC’s TV coverage will have live events from noon to 5 p.m. Philadelphia time on weekdays and starting in the mornings on the weekends. There’s a six-hour time difference from Italy and here. The traditional prime-time coverage will have highlights of the day and storytelling features.

    As far as the TV channels, the Olympics are airing on NBC, USA, CNBC, and NBCSN. Spanish coverage can be found on Telemundo and Universo.

    NBCSN is carrying the Gold Zone whip-around show that was so popular during the Summer Olympics in 2024, with hosts including Scott Hanson of NFL RedZone. It used to be just on Peacock, NBC’s online streaming service, but now is on TV, too.

    Every event is available to stream live on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. You’ll have to log in with your pay-TV provider, whether cable, satellite, or streaming platforms including YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV.

    On Peacock, the events are on the platform’s premium subscription tier, which starts at $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.

    Here is the full event schedule for the entire Olympics, and here are live scores and results.

    Sunday’s Olympic TV schedule

    U.S. speedskater Casey Dawson will hit the ice Sunday in the men’s 5,000 meter event.

    As a general rule, our schedules include all live broadcasts on TV, but not tape-delayed broadcasts on cable channels. We’ll let you know what’s on NBC’s broadcasts, whether they’re live or not.

    NBC
    • 7 a.m.: Cross-country skiing — men’s 10 kilometer skiathlon
    • 7:30 a.m.: Snowboarding — men’s and women’s parallel giant slalom, finals
    • 8:45 a.m.: Biathlon — mixed 4×6 relay
    • 9:20 a.m.: Alpine skiing — women’s downhill
    • 10:15 a.m.: Speed skating — men’s 5,000 meter
    • 10:45 p.m.: Primetime Olympics coverage
    USA Network
    • 5:30 a.m.: Alpine skiing — Women’s downhill
    • 8:30 a.m.: Curling — United States vs. Estonia, mixed doubles
    • 11 a.m.: Luge — men’s singles, run 3
    • 12:30 p.m.: Luge — men’s singles, final run
    • 1:30 p.m.: Figure skating — team pairs free skate
    • 2:45 p.m.: Figure skating — women’s free skate
    • 3:55 p.m.: Figure skating — men’s free skate
    • 5 p.m.: Hockey — Czechia vs Finland, women
  • Regardless of Daryl Morey’s comments, the Sixers used the NBA trade deadline to duck luxury tax

    Regardless of Daryl Morey’s comments, the Sixers used the NBA trade deadline to duck luxury tax

    Daryl Morey tried his best during Friday’s 28-minute press conference to convince people that trading Jared McCain was good for the 76ers.

    But the Sixers president of basketball operations could have spoken for 28 days, and it wouldn’t have changed folks’ minds that this deal was made to save money.

    No matter how much Morey and the organization preach positivity, the Sixers did not get better by trading the second-year guard to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2026 first-round pick and three second-rounders. They may have actually gotten fleeced by Sam Presti, the Thunder executive vice president and general manager.

    Daryl Morey likes the Sixers’ chances in the East, but he understands skepticism around the Jared McCain trade

    Based on their tendency to win deals, Presti and Utah Jazz CEO Danny Ainge are the two executives you don’t want to trade with. And the fact that Presti surrendered a first-rounder — something he hasn’t done since 2015 — reveals that he sees something special in McCain.

    This trade has the potential to be one that the Sixers will regret in a few seasons.

    The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder received a standing ovation while checking into the game during his Thunder debut on Saturday in Oklahoma City. He finished with five points, two rebounds, and one assist while a plus-12 in 13 minutes, 56 seconds during the 112-106 loss to the Houston Rockets at Paycom Center.

    These are reasons why Sixers fans are up in arms over this move, and see it for what it is: a way to get under the luxury tax threshold for a fourth consecutive season.

    But give Morey credit for trying to sell the trade to the media and Sixers fans.

    The team will receive the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick, which is expected to be a late first-rounder. One of the second-rounders is the most favorable 2027 pick from the Thunder, Rockets, Indiana Pacers, and the Miami Heat. The other second-rounders are 2028 picks that previously belonged to the Milwaukee Bucks and Thunder.

    Daryl Morey speaks at the team’s NBA training facility on Friday.

    “Sort of the whole tell with people who don’t like the deal is they’ll leave off the return, minimize this draft, which we think is good, and things like that …,” Morey said. “That return is for a starter-quality player on a good team. It’s actually above that.”

    Morey added that the Sixers tried to trade those draft picks for an impactful addition at the deadline. He also thinks they could use them as tradable assets to move around in the draft.

    Morey did say that McCain has the potential to be a great player. He even noted that the Sixers wish the 21-year-old good luck. Morey added that they feel the returns for McCain put them in a better position for the future.

    But what if they can’t swap those picks for the standout player Morey envisions?

    Will people think back to when the Sixers traded Matisse Thybulle as part of a four-team trade on Feb. 9, 2023, that helped them get under the luxury tax?

    Daryl Morey’s message to Joel Embiid and Sixers fans: Trust the Process

    The team acquired Jalen McDaniels from the Charlotte Hornets in that deal.

    “A big theme of our season this year was to prepare for the playoffs, and win a championship as you guys know,” Morey said then. “We wanted to make sure we gave [coach Doc Rivers] as many two-way players as possible.

    “And we think Jalen is one of the up-and-coming solid defenders, somebody that’s a little easier to keep on the floor in a lot of matchups.”

    The problem is that McDaniels gradually found himself out of the rotation during the Sixers’ second-round playoff series loss to the Boston Celtics.

    The 6-9 small forward signed with the Toronto Raptors on July 6, 2023, after the Sixers only offered him a minimum-salary contract to remain with the team in free agency.

    Unable to find his footing with several other teams, McDaniels is out of the league.

    The Sixers traded guard Jared McCain for a first-round pick and three second-rounders to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

    There’s also some uncertainty surrounding the type of players the Sixers could get with the picks acquired from OKC, assuming they keep them.

    While there are some exceptions, with Sixers two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey (21st pick in 2020) being one of them, late first-rounders and second-rounders often have brief NBA careers. And very few of those players become stars, and even fewer become value rotation players.

    Yet, McCain, whom the Sixers selected 16th in the 2024 draft, averaged 10 points and made 38.1% of his three-pointers in 60 career games with the Sixers.

    He was the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year front-runner before suffering a season-ending torn meniscus in his left knee in December 2024.

    Despite playing in just 23 games last season, McCain finished tied for seventh in the Rookie of the Year voting. He was awarded a third-place vote from the media panel of 100 voters.

    Sixers takeaways: Matching physicality, Tyrese Maxey is hard to guard, and more from the win against Suns

    That’s because McCain put the league on notice by averaging 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists last season. He also shot 46% from the field, including 38.3% from three. The California native joined Hall of Famer Allen Iverson as the only Sixers rookies to average at least 15 points and two made three-pointers.

    In addition to last season being cut short, the start of this season was delayed after he suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb in September.

    While returning from the injuries, McCain struggled with consistency this season, leaving him out of the rotation at times. He averaged just 6.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 37.8% on three-pointers in 37 games this season.

    But once a player returns from a major knee injury, it can take up to an additional five or six months to regain his old form.

    Daryl Morey said “time will tell” if it was the right move to trade McCain for picks.

    With that, the expectation was that we would start seeing flashes of the old McCain at the end of this season. Even if they felt strongly about trading him, one would have thought his value would have been higher this summer when he’d be back to his old self.

    Morey didn’t see it that way.

    “I’m quite confident we were selling high,” he said. “Obviously, time will tell. We weren’t looking to sell. I’ll be frank. Teams came to us with aggressive offers for him. You could say, ‘Yeah, that’s because he’s a good player.’ I agree with that. We thought this return was above, for the future value of our franchise, what we could get. The only higher point would’ve been during his run last season. Otherwise, we feel like we did time this well.”

    The Sixers trading Jared McCain will either be a head-scratcher or an embarrassment

    Perhaps.

    The thing is, however, the Sixers will have a tough time convincing people that trading McCain isn’t a move to duck the luxury tax for the fourth consecutive season.

  • Villanova honors alumni and coach Harry Perretta during its win over Georgetown

    Villanova honors alumni and coach Harry Perretta during its win over Georgetown

    While 70 of the Villanova women’s basketball alumni attending Saturday’s game vs. Georgetown spanned decades of program history, most of them had a common experience: playing for former coach Harry Perretta.

    Perretta, who led the Wildcats for 42 years, stood in front of a long line of alumni during the halftime ceremony. It was a moving moment, Perretta said.

    “It’s great to come back on alumni day because you realize how many people [who] you’ve met over 42 years,” Perretta added. “That’s what made it even more special to me. Any honor that I get is always associated with my former players and my assistant coaches, because they’re the ones [who] really did it. I just happen to be the common thread.”

    Surrounded by his family and former women’s player Maddy Siegrist (left), former Villanova women’s coach Harry Perretta waves to the crowd during a halftime ceremony in his honor.

    Former players walked onto the court in the order of their graduating class. Perretta was there on double duty, and he also announced the game for ESPN+, leaving the broadcast booth to receive an honor set to become a display inside the Finneran Pavilion.

    Ryanne Allen continues to provide a spark off the bench for Villanova

    “The turnout here is a testament to the type of coach [Perretta] was and the way he treated players,” said Laura Kurz, a 2009 graduate and former assistant coach to Perretta. “So much of that has to do with Harry, his legacy, and this sisterhood that he created here. Looking back, I learned so much from him. There were definitely tough times, but in the end, it was all a very rewarding experience.”

    Following the ceremony, the alumni watched Villanova finish a 67-55 victory over Georgetown.

    Bridging generations

    Perretta, who coached the Wildcats from 1978 to 2020, took the team to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. He is the winningest coach in Villanova men’s and women’s basketball history with 726 victories.

    Kathy Razler, a 1985 graduate, has maintained her longtime connection to the program as a season-ticket holder. Razler has stayed in touch with Perretta and former teammates since their run to the Final Four in the 1982 AIAW Tournament, the predecessor to the women’s NCAA Tournament.

    Former Villanova coach Harry Perretta led the team for 42 years.

    “It’s so great to see the number of people that continue to come back, and everybody knows that’s because of Harry,” Razler said. “Harry was the connector between all of us. Harry wasn’t always easy, but we all knew that we were going to benefit in the long run from what he requested us to do, and the hard work we put in.”

    Past to present

    Villanova coach Denise Dillon, who played for Perretta from 1992 to 1996, credited her former coach for influencing her coaching style. Dillon replaced Perretta following his retirement in 2020.

    Acaden Lewis scores career-high 26 points as Villanova beats Georgetown

    “I think you always teach what you were taught, how you learned the game,” Dillon said. “That’s why I’m in coaching. I had great coaches all the way up the line, and the best in Harry through my college career. It was so intentional how he taught us team basketball and individual development, and most importantly, just about life. … I’ve definitely taken that [coaching philosophy] and passed that along to every player that comes through the program.”

    Villanova guard Jasmine Bascoe drives to the basket against Georgetown’s Khia Miller during the second half of their game on Saturday.

    For Michele Eberz, a 1995 graduate, attending alumni day was essential, as Villanova basketball runs in the family. Her husband, Eric, is a 1996 alumnus of the men’s program.

    Recently, their daughter, Alexis, a senior at Archbishop Carroll, signed to play for the Wildcats next season.

    “From when I played to now, there’s just been enormous attention on women’s basketball and women’s sports in general,” Michele Eberz said. “They’re filling seats like never before. I’m just so proud of my daughter to have the opportunity to not only get a tremendous education here [at Villanova], but to also play under the roof of the Finneran Pavilion.”

    Villanova’s Kennedy Henry passes the ball around Georgetown forward Brianna Scott during the first half on Saturday.

    Up next

    With the win over Georgetown, Villanova (19-5, 12-3 Big East) remains in second place in the Big East. On Wednesday, the Wildcats will visit Xavier (6:30 p.m., ESPN+).

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Villanova athletics right here!
  • Sixers takeaways: Matching physicality, Tyrese Maxey is hard to guard, and more from the win against Suns

    Sixers takeaways: Matching physicality, Tyrese Maxey is hard to guard, and more from the win against Suns

    The 76ers need to keep playing a heady brand of basketball.

    Tyrese Maxey is unguardable when in his bag of tricks.

    And so far, Paul George’s absence hasn’t had a major impact on the outcomes of games.

    These things stood out in Saturday’s 109-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center.

    With the win, the Sixers improved to 30-22 and evened the two-game season series against the Suns (31-22). They’re also 3-1 in the first four games of their five-game West Coast road trip, which concludes on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center.

    Solid brand of basketball

    The Sixers had effective ball movement against the Suns. They also attacked the basket, crashed the boards, and played at a much faster pace than in recent games.

    In addition to doing those things, they didn’t back down from Phoenix’s physicality or Dillon Brooks’ antics. Kelly Oubre Jr. got in the face of his former roommate and high school teammate at Findlay Prep (Nevada) after Brooks flopped on a play.

    Before that, Joel Embiid and Devin Booker exchanged words at the conclusion of the first half. And there were other heated exchanges.

    Joel Embiid (21), who led with a game-high 33-point effort, gets fouled by Suns guard Jordan Goodwin in the first half of Saturday’s game.

    The Sixers didn’t match the physicality of the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this season. So seeing them fight back and play with an edge against the Suns was a great sign.

    “We stayed professional,” Maxey said to the media. “We didn’t let all the rah rah stuff affect us. We got physical back, and that’s good. That happens, and we can take that.”

    Maxey said he could anticipate the Suns’ antics. With the Sixers up 16 points in the second quarter, he knew Phoenix would resort to something.

    “Any good team or any team that’s playing for something, they’re not going to let you steamroll them. They’re not going to lay down. They are going to go out there and try to put up a fight. And sometimes that’s what has to come with it. You have to get more physical, and you have to sustain that lead. And we did a good job of that.”

    Daryl Morey likes the Sixers’ chances in the East, but he understands skepticism around the Jared McCain trade

    The Sixers had a 50-40 rebounding advantage. They scored 34 points in the paint and held the Suns to 23.9% three-point shooting.

    Embiid finished with 33 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and one block. Maxey finished with 29 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and one steal, while Oubre added 18 points, six rebounds, and two steals.

    Marvelous Maxey

    Maxey had a slow start, missing his first three shot attempts. But after that, the two-time All-Star was close to unstoppable.

    Unable to keep him in front of them, the Suns’ defenders were helpless. The point guard drained a couple of his three-pointers. He scored on a post-up. And Maxey played through contact on his way to the rim. Fourteen of his points came in the first half.

    “We just played fast that group that I was in there with,” Maxey said regarding the first half. “Got rebounds, got stops, and got out and ran, trying to make sure everybody touched the ball, everybody involved, and it was good.”

    Maxey missed his first three shots in the second half. But after settling down, the Suns, once again, had a tough time guarding him.

    Making 8 of 9 foul shots, the sixth-year player scored 13 of his points in the fourth quarter. His last two with 11.8 seconds remaining gave the Sixers their six-point cushion.

    No George, no problem?

    Let’s not get it twisted.

    The Sixers are a better team with George on the floor. The nine-time All-Star is a solid facilitator and one of their best defenders. As a result, there was a thought that the team would struggle while he serves a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug Program.

    So far, that hasn’t been the case.

    The Sixers are 4-1 in the first five games without the 6-8 forward. Their lone loss was Thursday’s 119-115 setback to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.

    Different players stepped up to help Embiid and Maxey in each of their victories. On Saturday, it was Trendon Watford in addition to Oubre.

    “He’s become a little more important now [what] the roster is,” said Sixers coach Nick Nurse. “If one of those guys gets in foul trouble, he’s got to kind of be another ball handler. I thought he did a good job.

    “He’s starting to show a little bit of element of some toughness, kind of standing up to [the Suns with] some of his physicality out there.”

    Daryl Morey’s message to Joel Embiid and Sixers fans: Trust the Process

    Watford finished with six points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.

    While he didn’t score a lot of points, the reserve point forward displayed a lot of toughness and did a lot of intangible things. Being impactful, Watford played the entire fourth quarter. That’s when he had four points, four rebounds, and two blocks.

    “The big thing for us is he can handle the ball,” Maxey said of his close friend. “He’s a connector. We needed that for a long time. Nico [Batum during the 2023-24 season] was probably the last [point forward] we had. But he doesn’t handle the ball as much as TY does. So he does a good job of handling the ball. He can play pick-and-roll. He can post, get a bucket down there in the post. We just got to get him to play some defense, then we will be alright.”

  • Penn knocks off Ivy League rival Princeton, snapping a 14-game losing streak to the Tigers

    Penn knocks off Ivy League rival Princeton, snapping a 14-game losing streak to the Tigers

    For the first time since Feb. 6, 2018, Penn has defeated Princeton in a men’s basketball game.

    The Quakers entered the matchup sitting sixth in the Ivy League, one game behind Princeton, which beat them in their Ivy League opener in January. The longtime rivals have had a lopsided affair in recent years, with Princeton winning the last 14 matchups.

    On Saturday, the tide turned. The game came down to one final possession, and after Princeton’s Dalen Davis’s potential game-winning 9-foot jumper clanged off the rim, Penn’s bench stormed the court as streamers fell to celebrate its 61-60 victory at the Palestra. Now, Penn (11-10, 4-4 Ivy) has finally started a win streak of its own. Princeton fell to 8-15, 4-4.

    “I don’t concern myself with what happened in 2018,” Quakers coach Fran McCaffery said in reference to snapping the program’s skid against the Tigers. “This team, we’re going to prepare them to win the next game on the schedule. That next game happened to be against Princeton. Kids really fought hard today. I’m really proud of [them]”

    Star Power

    Fans should expect highlight performances from a player as talented as TJ Power, with the former Duke forward being the highest-ranked high school recruit to ever play for the Quakers. So far this season, he ranks 10th in the league in scoring (14.9 points per game) and third in rebounding (7.9).

    But for the Quaker faithful, none of that matters unless you show up against Princeton — and that’s exactly what he did.

    Power started the game 4-for-4 from the field, anchoring the offense while his teammates struggled. In the final two minutes with the lead at one following four straight points from Princeton’s Malik Abdullahi, Power would come through once again, lacing a corner three with 1 minute, 19 seconds left to give the Quakers a four-point lead that the Tigers couldn’t completely erase.

    Penn’s TJ Power (12) splits a pair of Princeton defenders in Saturday’s win for the Quakers that snapped an eight-year losing streak to the Tigers.

    “It’s kind of a blur when I think back on it,” Power said in reference to his winning shot. “We got some penetration. They kicked it out to AJ [Levine], and AJ had a good shot, and he made the unselfish play and passed it up for a great shot. And that shows what our team chemistry is like right there.”

    Power finished with a team-high 18 points as well as seven rebounds and three assists — one of which led to a highlight slam from center Augie Gerhardt with 4:33 left.

    The night before the game, Power recalled how the team spoke to alumni about the importance of the Princeton rivalry, which he said helped fuel the team.

    “That’s when I really got a sense for this rivalry and what it means to past players, students, and coaches,” Power said. “So that was really cool to get some background and context heading into the game. I think it motivated a lot of our guys.”

    Slumping stars

    Ethan Roberts and Michael Zanoni, the team’s No. 1 and 3 leading scorers, scored a collective five points against Princeton — with Roberts failing to notch a singular point for the first time in his Penn career.

    McCaffery hinted at a lack of foul calls being the cause of Roberts’ offensive struggles.

    “What’s happening to Michael and Ethan is disappointing,” McCaffery said. “A lot of physicality there. They should be shooting free throws.”

    Solidified starter

    At the start of the season, there were plenty of question marks regarding who would be the starting point guard for Penn. Now, following an injury to guard Dylan Williams, AJ Levine finds himself excelling in that role.

    The 6-foot sophomore guard has improved in conference play, going from 5.5 points per game against nonconference competition to 12 points per game against the Ivy opponents, which showed against the Tigers.

    Levine finished the game with 13 points, three assists, and three steals.

    Penn’s AJ Levine has been strong in-conference play and continued that against the Tigers behind a 13-point performance.

    “He got off got himself off to a good start in both halves today,” McCaffery said. “But it’s his decision-making that is just so much improved. He’s playing under control. He’s playing with great confidence, and that’s how we’re going to have to continue to play, because there’s going to be nights when guys are off.”

    It was Levine’s strong defensive play which led to Princeton’s missed final shot.

    “After he shot it,” Levine said. “All I thought in my head was I did everything I could in that moment, I put my entire effort out there all game. There was not a moment where I let up. I can’t really focus on the results of that. I put everything into that stop at the end. Once it missed, it was the biggest relief ever.”

    Up next

    The Quakers now look for back-to-back wins when they welcome Columbia (14-8, 3-5) to the Palestra on Friday (7 p.m., ESPN+).

  • St. Joe’s women fall in late comeback push against Dayton, drop second straight loss

    St. Joe’s women fall in late comeback push against Dayton, drop second straight loss

    St. Joseph’s trailed Dayton by as many as 11 points early in the fourth quarter after the Flyers shot 90% from the field in the third. But the Hawks didn’t fold, trimming the deficit and setting up a late push.

    Guards Gabby Casey and Jill Jekot pulled the Hawks within three points with four minutes to play, but Dayton answered back. Casey’s basket made it a two-point game with 25 seconds left, but St. Joe’s couldn’t get any closer.

    Dayton (13-11, 6-7 Atlantic 10) came up with a stop and made timely free throws in the final seconds to beat St. Joe’s (15-8, 6-6), 75-73, and hand the Hawks their second straight loss.

    St. Joe’s coach Cindy Griffin yells to her team against Dayton on Saturday.

    “I thought our defense really failed us today,” said St. Joe’s coach Cindy Griffin. “It’s no discredit to Dayton, I thought they came in and shot the ball really well. We put ourselves in a position where we gave up way too many threes to start the game and we were playing catch-up again. That’s kind of been our thing the last couple of games in our losses.”

    Statistical leaders

    Casey guided the Hawks with 29 points on 12-for-20 shooting, with 13 coming in the final 10 minutes. Forward Faith Stinson added 11 points.

    After its Big Three moved on, St. Joe’s women’s basketball leadership has a decidedly Philly flair

    Guards Nicole Stephens and Jayda Johnson led Dayton with 18 and 15 points, respectively. The Flyers’ offense shot 54.9% from the field and went 9-for-19 from deep.

    What we saw

    Dayton built an 18-12 lead near the end of the first quarter, but the Hawks pulled within one point at the start of the second. The Flyers held the lead for nearly the entire second half before St. Joe’s finally pulled even at 31 with a layup from Casey.

    Dayton took a 35-33 lead at the half after a jumper in the final seconds from guard Nayo Lear.

    The Flyers opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run to take a 45-35 lead before the Hawks trimmed the deficit to three.

    Dayton pushed its lead to 11 after two straight three-pointers and opened the third quarter by hitting its first six shots, taking a comfortable nine-point lead into the fourth.

    St. Joe’s made it a game again in the final five minutes behind six points from Casey, pulling within three several times before Dayton answered each push.

    “We showed a lot of resolve today. I think we competed and were right there at the end,” Griffin said. “But we’ve proven that we have to play from ahead. It’s tough for us to play from behind and we haven’t been overly successful in that area.”

    Clutch play

    With about two minutes left, St. Joe’s trailed, 69-66, and had momentum after holding a 10-3 edge on the offensive glass through three quarters. But Dayton came up with two key offensive rebounds late, including a putback by Flyers center Fatima Ibrahim off a Stephens miss that kept the Hawks from tying.

    St. Joe’s guard Gabby Casey gets her shot attempt blocked by Dayton center Fatima Ibrahim and forward Maliyah Johnson on Saturday.

    On the Flyers’ next possession, Stephens missed a three-pointer, but Ibrahim was there for the putback and the free throw to make it a two-possession game again. Her two offensive rebounds gave Dayton three second-chance points in the Flyers’ two-point win.

    “You look at it and they only had five offensive rebounds and we won the second chance points battle, but they got the timely ones,” Griffin said. “I think that was really a deal breaker.”

    Up next

    The Hawks will host George Washington (13-11, 5-6) on Wednesday (11 a.m., ESPN+).

  • Acaden Lewis scores career-high 26 points as Villanova beats Georgetown

    Acaden Lewis scores career-high 26 points as Villanova beats Georgetown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Acaden Lewis finished with a career-high 26 points to guide Villanova to an 80-73 road victory over Georgetown on Saturday.

    Lewis was the only Wildcat to score a field goal in the final ten minutes of the game, when he dropped back-to-back three-pointers to separate Villanova (18-5, 9-3 Big East) from Georgetown. It was his fifth 20-point outing this season. Lewis also contributed six assists and is now averaging 5.3 per game.

    Villanova shot 28-for-57 (49.1%) from the field, including 10-for-29 (34.5%) in three-pointers.

    Junior guard Tyler Perkins added 15 points, marking his seventh straight game with double digits. He is averaging 17.4 points over his last seven games.

    “I think [Lewis is] really growing up as the season progresses,” Villanova coach Kevin Willard said. “I have the utmost confidence in him. He’s progressing the way you want any freshman point guard to progress. And he had it going tonight, and he had been making great plays. He’s been getting everybody involved, which has been great. And then tonight, we need him to score.”

    Lewis also contributed six assists. He is now averaging 12.4 points and 5.3 assists per game.

    “I’ve actually seen it, like, my little freshman,” Villanova forward Duke Brennan said. “At the start of the year, seeing him in those big-time games, sometimes he wasn’t feeling it. And now we get out of here, and he’s ready to go, ready to score. I’ve been seeing his growth and stuff like that, but he’s always been capable of that.”

    Junior guard Tyler Perkins scored 15 points, marking his seventh consecutive game with double digits. He is averaging 17.4 points over his last seven games.

    Brennan continues to dominate

    Brennan posted his 10th double-double of the season, totaling 13 points and 13 rebounds (six offensive). It is the most double-doubles by a Villanova player since Jeremiah Robinson-Earl had nine during his freshman season in 2019-20.

    “Oh, goodness. I mean, I’m pretty banged up and bruised up,” Brennan said when asked about the physicality of the Big East. “Just keep on getting in and covering, and we know every single game coming up is going to be physical. So, knowing that, preparing for that, is allowing me to come out ready to go.”

    Kevin Willard wants to push Villanova into the future — without casting Jay Wright into the past

    He is now averaging a team-high 10.7 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the Big East. Brennan is fifth in the country and leads the Big East with 98 offensive rebounds.

    First-half paint defense

    In the first half, Villanova struggled to limit Georgetown’s paint scoring. At one point, Georgetown shot 63% from the field to make it competitive against a high-scoring Villanova offense.

    Georgetown had 16 first-half points in the paint. However, in the second half, Villanova limited Georgetown to four points in the paint through the first 14 minutes. The Hoyas finished with 10 paint points in the back half.

    Free throws

    Willard simply said “free throws” when asked about what the team can improve upon.

    Villanova had its worst performance from the line in recent years. On Saturday, the Wildcats shot a season-worst 14-for-28 from the charity stripe.

    Kevin Willard said Villanova needs to improve on its free-throw shooting.

    The free throw misses almost ended up being costly in the final four minutes of the game. Georgetown kept the margin within four points, and Villanova could not gain much separation.

    Historically, Villanova has been one of the best free-throw shooting teams in the country. The Wildcats led the league in free-throw percentage from 2021 to 2023.

    Up next

    Villanova returns to Finneran Pavilion on Tuesday to face Marquette (8-15, 3-9) for the second time this season (7:30 p.m., TNT/truTV).

    The Wildcats won the previous meeting in January, 76-73.

  • Saturday’s Olympics TV schedule features skiing, figure skating, and hockey

    Saturday’s Olympics TV schedule features skiing, figure skating, and hockey

    When it comes to the Winter Olympics’ traditional sports, there’s nothing quite like Alpine skiing’s downhill race.

    For decades, the sight of people flying down the slopes as fast as cars on a highway has been one of The Games’ signature spectacles. This year’s stage will make the show even more spectacular: the Stelvio ski course in Bormio, Italy, up in the Dolomite Mountains.

    Bormio has been a tourist attraction for over 2,000 years thanks to its thermal baths. But as the Wall Street Journal wrote on Friday, the Stelvio course is renowned for an icy surface and steep drops, earning the nickname “The Ribbon of Death.”

    That will add more unpredictability to an event with a long history of it. The Olympic men’s downhill has never had a repeat champion since starting in 1948. Even some of the most famous skiers of all time, like France’s Jean-Claude Killy, have only won it once, if at all.

    The last American to take the title was Tommy Moe in 1994. Will that wait end this year? It could, because Vermont native Ryan Cochran-Siegle is among the favorites. He’s challenging Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, the top name on the board, and Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni and Dominik Paris.

    Marco Odermatt flies down the Stevio course during a training run on Friday.

    You’ll have to wake up early to watch the event live, as it starts at 5:30 a.m. Philadelphia time on USA Network and Peacock. But you can also catch a rebroadcast during NBC’s prime-time show.

    NBC’s live coverage during the day includes women’s speed skating’s 3,000-meter race, which is likely to be dominated by the Netherlands on the ice and in the stands. The Dutch fans are a show on their own. There’s also figure skating’s team event, the women’s Skiathlon with American Jessie Diggins, and the first luge runs on the icy sliding track.

    After striking gold in Paris in 2024, can NBC do it again at the Winter Olympics in Milan?

    USA Network’s live coverage includes snowboarding, curling, freestyle skiing, and the U.S. women’s ice hockey team’s second group game against Finland. The Americans routed Czechia, 5-1, in their opener on Thursday.

    How to watch the Olympics on TV and stream online

    NBC’s TV coverage will have live events from noon to 5 p.m. Philadelphia time on weekdays and starting in the mornings on the weekends. There’s a six-hour time difference from Italy and here. The traditional prime-time coverage will have highlights of the day and storytelling features.

    Germany’s Timon Grancagnolo slides down the track during a luge training session on Friday.

    As far as the TV channels, the Olympics are airing on NBC, USA, CNBC, and NBCSN. Spanish coverage can be found on Telemundo and Universo.

    NBCSN is carrying the Gold Zone whip-around show that was so popular during the Summer Olympics in 2024, with hosts including Scott Hanson of NFL RedZone. It used to be just on Peacock, NBC’s online streaming service, but now is on TV, too.

    Every event is available to stream live on NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. You’ll have to log in with your pay-TV provider, whether cable, satellite, or streaming platforms, including YouTube TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV.

    A beginner’s guide to watching figure skating at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics

    On Peacock, the events are on the platform’s premium subscription tier, which starts at $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year.

    Here is the full event schedule for the entire Olympics, and here are live scores and results.

    Hilary Knight (left) watches her shot go in for the fourth goal in the U.S. women’s ice hockey team’s 5-1 rout of Czechia on Thursday.

    Saturday’s Olympics TV schedule

    As a general rule, our schedules include all live broadcasts on TV, but not tape-delayed broadcasts on cable channels. We’ll let you know what’s on NBC’s broadcasts, whether live or not.

    NBC

    7 a.m.: Cross-country skiing — Women’s Skiathlon

    8 a.m.: Freestyle skiing — Men’s slopestyle qualifying

    10:05 a.m.: Speed skating — Women’s 3000-meter

    11:30 a.m.: Freestyle skiing — women’s slopestyle qualifying (tape-delayed)

    12:30 p.m.: Luge — men’s singles, run 2

    1:45 p.m.: Figure skating — team event, men’s short program

    3:15 p.m.: Snowboarding — men’s big air final (delayed)

    4:05 p.m.: Figure skating — team event, free dance

    5 p.m.: Cross-Country Skiing — women’s Skiathlon (delayed)

    8 p.m.: Prime-time show replays, including figure skating, Alpine skiing, and snowboarding

    11:30 p.m.: Late night show replays, including men’s and women’s freestyle skiing

    Curling is back at the Olympics. What are the rules? Why do people love it? And how can I watch it?

    USA Network

    4:05 a.m.: Curling — Great Britain vs. Canada mixed doubles

    4:30 a.m.: Freestyle skiing — women’s slopestyle qualifying

    5:30 a.m.: Alpine skiing — men’s downhill

    9:30 a.m.: Curling — Great Britain vs. United States mixed doubles

    10:40 a.m.: Ice hockey — United States vs. Finland women

    1:30 p.m.: Snowboarding — men’s big air final

    3:10 p.m.: Ice hockey — Switzerland vs. Canada women

  • Rick Tocchet’s late parents emigrated from Italy. Now, he’ll go back there to coach Canada in the Olympics

    Rick Tocchet’s late parents emigrated from Italy. Now, he’ll go back there to coach Canada in the Olympics

    There are the visible strings.

    The ones that tie a skate or hold up hockey pants. And the ones that some jerseys have near the neck.

    But then there are the invisible ones that matter all the same — maybe even more. For Flyers coach Rick Tocchet, there’s an invisible string pulling him across the ocean.

    “My parents emigrated from Italy, and I’m really excited to go back there,” said Tocchet, who understands poco, or a little, Italian. “I love the food. … I’m excited to go over there and see a beautiful country.”

    Tocchet’s late parents, Norma and Fortunato ‘Nato’ Tocchet, immigrated to Canada from outside Venice. They settled in Scarborough, Ontario, bringing a blue-collar work ethic — Norma was a seamstress, and Nato a mechanic — that Tocchet carried with him across his 621 games with the Flyers and 1,144 in the NHL.

    The Flyers are in Rick Tocchet’s ‘blood.’ Now he’s tasked with returning the once-proud organization to prominence.

    A member of the Flyers Hall of Fame, he accumulated 232 goals,508 points, and a franchise-record 1,815 penalty minutes across two stints in Philly while being beloved and revered by the fans for his grit and in-your-face style.

    It is the same work ethic he has carried with him as a coach, including the first 56 games of his tenure behind the Flyers’ bench. And the same one he will carry 173 miles west of Venice, as an assistant coach for Canada’s men’s team at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

    “Yeah, an unbelievable moment. To be a part of that, to coach for your country, with the talent that we have, it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Tocchet told The Inquirer in Utah after a recent Flyers practice. “So it’s a great honor, and I’m really excited.”

    ‘Sense of pride’

    Across his 61 years, Tocchet has always watched the Olympics. He remembers Sidney Crosby’s golden goal at the 2010 Vancouver Games and captain Mario Lemieux leading Canada to its first gold in 50 years at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. And, for the dual citizen, he’ll pop on Miracle, about the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that stunned the Soviet Union before winning gold in Lake Placid, to get motivated.

    But the most impactful Canadian hockey moment for the Scarborough kid wasn’t on the Olympic stage. In the 1972 Summit Series, as the Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie would sing in Fireworks, Paul Henderson scored “a goal that everyone remembers.”

    In Game 8 of an eight-game series, pitting Canada’s best against the Soviets’ best, Henderson clinched the series. The Flyers’ Bobby Clarke — who infamously slashed Valeri Kharlamov during the series — was linemates with Henderson, but was not on the ice because Phil Esposito stayed on for an elongated shift.

    “So I was 8 or 9 years old and in school, and they actually brought a TV into our classroom to watch that; that’s how the whole country’s eyes were on that series,” Tocchet recalled.

    Rick Tocchet is renowned around the league for his one-on-one instruction with players.

    “But when he scored the goal, the sense of pride — the whole country went crazy, obviously. But what a series. … You go down the list of great players and it impacted my life, because I loved hockey even more when I saw that, and I started to train and wanted to be an NHL player.”

    Fast forward to the present, and on Thursday, like many of his players, including Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim, Tocchet will make his Olympic debut when Canada plays Dan Vladař and Czechia (10:40 a.m. ET, USA Network). But like all of his players, he has worn the maple leaf before. The forward played in a World Championship and two Canada Cups, winning gold each time.

    Flyers hit the Olympic break at a crossroads. Will they sell for the future or try to push for the playoffs?

    “It wasn’t about money. It wasn’t about status. It was about playing for your country,” he said. “To be part of that, I was very lucky as a young kid to play with Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Paul Coffey, guys that I idolized and learned a lot from.

    “And then playing in front of the Canada crowd, how loud it was. Just the sense of pride, it was incredible. Had nothing to do with anything, it wasn’t about individual goals, it was about playing for your country.”

    Tocc-eye

    Tocchet is no stranger to coaching for his country, either. Last February, he was part of Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper’s staff at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Canadians, which included Sanheim and Flyers forward Travis Konecny, won gold by beating the U.S. in overtime.

    At that tournament, Tocchet was a jack-of-all-trades, focusing on the structure, faceoff planning, and in-game adjustments. But what impressed Cooper the most was how he would often meet with players one-on-one or in small groups to watch videos — over a garbage can.

    As Tocchet explained, he would put his laptop on a garbage can and go over things, as he did when he was an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins and his Flyers’ assistant coaches do now.

    Jon Cooper on Rick Tocchet, Travis Sanheim and the Olympics

    “I couldn’t have surrounded myself with a better guy,” Cooper told The Inquirer in late November. “I will tell you this, because his eye for the game and what happens in real time, having that talent is a real thing. And Tocc has that. He sees it, he processes it, and then gives you the information.

    “And there were countless times at the 4 Nations that he made me think of things, or I saw things in a different light, or I missed something, and he caught it. And so many little adjustments we made in between periods, because of what Tocc did.”

    He’ll have the same role in Italy with Cooper rolling over the same staff in Tocchet, Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, former NHL coach Pete DeBoer, and former NHL assistant coach Misha Donskov.

    After winning last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, Canada enters this year’s Olympics as the favorites.

    Tocchet will assuredly have one eye on the Flyers, who get back to work on Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. in Voorhees, five days before the men’s gold medal game is scheduled. But he may not have his eyes on the Flyers, outside of Sanheim, in Milan. As Vladař said with a laugh, he’s blocking numbers right now.

    He’ll also be taking in other events like speedskating, Canada’s women’s hockey team, and figure skating, which includes South Jersey’s Isabeau Levito, who is co-coached by Slava Kuznetsov, the Flyers’ Russian translator.

    But, with it being 12 years since Canada last won gold in Sochi, Russia, Tocchet’s whole focus will be finishing with a string around his neck and a gold medal hanging from the end. After all, as the winningest country in men’s hockey at the Olympics with nine triumphs, it is the Canadian way: Gold or bust.

  • Cannoli, Brick, and the Grizzly Bear: Meet some of the Philly fighters competing at KnuckleMania VI

    Cannoli, Brick, and the Grizzly Bear: Meet some of the Philly fighters competing at KnuckleMania VI

    Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is making its way back to Philly on Feb. 7 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena to host KnuckleMania VI. Over a year ago, the event took over the former Wells Fargo Center for KnuckleMania V — setting a local modern day combat sports record with 17,762 people in attendance.

    Last year’s headliner was former UFC champion and Kensington native Eddie Alvarez. There was also plenty of love for local Philly talent, highlighting six hometown fighters. However, only two of those six walked out victorious.

    In this year’s KnuckleMania card, they’re expecting a different outcome with five Pennsylvania fighters featured — including some who have already competed in South Philly.

    Here are three from the Philly area that you should know ahead of Saturday night’s event …

    Johnny “Cannoli” Garbarino is one of the featured fights on Saturday’s main KnuckleMania VI card.

    Johnny ‘Cannoli’ Garbarino

    Johnny Garbarino, a former chef at a Michelin-star restaurant, quickly became a fan favorite after last year’s performance at KnuckleMania V at the then Wells Fargo Center. After the South Philly native knocked out his opponent, Apostle Spencer, in the first round, he proposed to his girlfriend Gianna Scavetti in front of the hometown crowd.

    The Italian fighter earned his “Cannoli” nickname by throwing the dessert at Spencer during the weigh-in. Since then, he’s been riding high — picking up two more wins at the 2300 Arena. Now, he’ll have a chance to return to the big stage on Feb. 7.

    “I’m looking forward to all of it,” Garbarino said. “Philadelphia brings it the hardest. And I’m only saying that because I see what the Eagles fans do nationwide and they travel everywhere. They’re built different, they have crazy energy. I think a lot of people from Philadelphia are violent and I feel like I’m actually allowed to go in here and catch a body and not go to jail. So, I’m excited.”

    Garbarino (3-0) will compete against Kaine Tomlinson Jr. (2-2), who defeated another Philly native — and close friend of Garbarino’s — Pat Sullivan at last year’s KnuckleMania. Heading into this year’s matchup, Garbarino is looking to avenge that loss for the city.

    “The question of the day is, ‘Is it personal to fight this guy?’ I definitely feel like it’s personal,” Garbarino said. “But I feel like every fight is personal. This one is just a little bit different because he knocked a dear friend of mine out.

    “Anybody from Philadelphia that fights another guy from a different city, I have to step up for them, as long as it’s in my weight class. It’s going to be an honor to put this guy down. And I’m going to raise my hand up and hopefully when Pat’s done his fight, I’ll raise his hand up too and we’ll get the win back together.”

    Sullivan (1-1) will also be featured on the card, competing against Charles Bennett (0-3).

    Heavyweight fighter Patrick Brady faces Bear Hill on the main card Saturday night.

    Patrick ‘The Brick’ Brady

    Although Patrick “The Brick” Brady currently resides in South Jersey, the 41-year-old grew up in Delaware County and claims Philly as home. He’s been training at The Forge, owned and operated by Philly UFC fighters Chris and Kyle Daukaus.

    To Brady, bare knuckle fighting is just something he does in his spare time. His full-time job is managing his own renovations company called Renovations By Brady.

    “This is my crazy, wild hobby, if you would say, that most people do full-time,” Brady said. “My wife hates it. She’s not a fan. Especially when I crossed over to bare knuckle.

    “I come from [mixed martial arts], I was 5-1 in MMA and my only loss was when I hurt my knee, and that’s when I made the switch. It’s been a point of contention for my wife just because her position is [that] I don’t have to [do it]. But I love competing. I love elite level competition and this is what I’m doing.”

    Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship hopes to continue to grow in Philly with the arrival of KnuckleMania VI

    Brady (2-0) is coming off two straight knockouts — including a quick knockout over Zach Calmus at last year’s KnuckleMania. Heading into this year’s fight with Bear Hill (2-0), he doesn’t plan on playing it safe.

    “I fought here last January,” Brady said. “I fought a worthy opponent who was on a four-fight win streak and got him out of there fast in under a minute, and it was a good night. Hopefully the night goes the same way. I’m looking for a knockout. There’s no decisions. I don’t plan on backing up. I plan on coming forward and putting on a show.”

    Cruiserweight Lex Ludlow will face Calmus on Saturday, a year after Brady knocked him out.

    Lex ‘The Grizzly Bear’ Ludlow

    This will be Lex “The Grizzly Bear” Ludlow’s (2-0) first time competing at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. And as the Levittown native prepares for his fight with Zach Calmus (5-4), the cruiserweight is already focused on his post-fight speech.

    “This is going to be the craziest post-fight speech ever,” Ludlow said. “I’m really known for it. I’m way better than [UFC fighter] Colby Covington in post-fight speeches. The only person, in my opinion, better in post-fight speeches than me is the guy that I grew up watching do it, Chael Sonnen. He’s somebody that I’ve been trying to get the eye from, to look at me and one day walk down to the ring with me. Just trying to impress Chael, that’s all it is.”

    His passion for the promo comes from his love for pro wrestling, growing up studying the words of popular heels (or villains) like “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, and “Ravishing” Rick Rude.

    “I was a pro wrestling fan since I was five years old,” Ludlow said. “Weirdly enough, I used to practice doing promos. I would stand up in a mirror and I would practice how I would talk, how I present myself, everything.”

    Now, the 32 year old is ready to play both the heel and the face (or hero) when it comes to fighting in Philly.

    “I’m definitely going to play to the crowd,” Ludlow said. “Because I’m the most hated man in combat sports — but everybody loves me. So, I guess I have to play the face a little bit.”