On Saturday night, Dick Vitale made his long-awaited return to the ESPN airwaves when he served as the color commentator for No. 2 Duke’s game at No. 21 Clemson.

The crowd gathered behind him made sure to let him know how much he was missed.

After battling through several different forms of cancer and going nearly two full years without calling a game, Vitale received warm welcomes and loud ovations from inside Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum in the lead-up to the Tigers’ much-anticipated matchup against Cooper Flagg and the Blue Devils.

The 45-year ESPN veteran, who has become one of the faces of college basketball over the course of his distinguished broadcasting career, was understandably emotional when addressing the audience for the first time.

‘The reception here has been really off the charts,’ Vitale said. ‘I’m sorry for being so emotional, but I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here. I was telling (fellow ESPN analyst) Cory (Alexander) before, this is like my Super Bowl, being able to sit courtside and do a game. It beats the hell out of chemotherapy and radiation.’

Over the past four years, since being treated for melanoma in 2021, Vitale, 85, has been diagnosed with and treated for lymphoma, pre-cancerous dysplasia, ulcerous lesions, a lymph node on his neck and cancer that was discovered on his vocal cords.

Prior to Saturday, the most recent game he worked was UConn’s victory over San Diego State in the championship game of the 2023 NCAA tournament. Even after being declared cancer-free after chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Vitale had been advised by doctors to rest the vocal cords that have made him such a cherished figure in the sport.

He described sitting courtside for Clemson and Duke as ‘heaven.’

Over his prolonged medical fight, Vitale has raised funds and attention for cancer research. In 2022, he was honored at the ESPYs as the recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, named in honor of championship-winning NC State men’s basketball coach Jim Valvano, a good friend of Vitale’s who died in 1993 of cancer at 47 years old.

Vitale saved part of his pregame message for those still dealing with the debilitating effects of cancer.

‘I want to say to all cancer patients out there … please, listen to me: Think positive and have faith and keep fighting and fighting and fighting,’ he said. ‘I know what you’re going through and it’s not fun. But to be here, this is my Super Bowl. It is my championship, no matter what happens.’

Anthony Davis played his first game as a member of the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday afternoon.

The big man was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to Dallas last week in a shocking trade that sent Luka Doncic out west.

Davis’ Mavericks debut did not quite have the outcome many would have wanted, especially after a vocal portion of the fan base was already unhappy about the trade.

Here’s what you need to know.

All things Mavs: Latest Dallas Mavericks news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Anthony Davis suffers injury in Mavericks debut

Davis appeared to suffer an injury in the third quarter as he was shuffling toward the basket to defend against Rockets center Alperen Şengün. 

He stopped short and placed his arm near his waist as Şengün blew right past him for a dunk. Davis immediately fell to his knees.

Davis was listed as doubtful for the rest of the game due to a lower-body injury, according to the Mavericks. Davis told reporters after the game that he felt tightness in his “groin/quad area” but it was ‘not serious,’ according to ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon.

How did Anthony Davis do in his Mavericks debut?

Despite not playing in the fourth quarter, Davis produced a team-high 26 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in 31 minutes of play. The Mavericks defeated the Houston Rockets 116-105 at the American Airlines Center in their first home game since the trade.

Davis finished the first half with 24 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

Any last-minute hopes that Canelo Alvarez and Jake Paul will fight in May are over.

Alvarez, who had been in negotiations for a megafight with Paul until he abruptly pulled out of the talks Thursday night, will fight William Scull on May 3 in Saudi Arabia for the undisputed super middleweight championship.

Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority who signed Alvarez to a four-fight deal, made the announcement Saturday on X, formerly Twitter.

Scull is 23-0 with nine knockouts and is the IBF super middleweight champion. Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) would have made far more money fighting Paul, Alalshikh indicated in the interview with ESPN.

“It was big offer for him,’’ Alalshikh said. “And I don’t match this offer, to be honest. But, (Alvarez) know inside him, this match is not … right for his legacy.’’

Since Alvarez pulled out of negotiations with Paul Thursday night, the YouTuber has lashed out and mocked Canelo on X, formerly Twitter. Alvarez eventually responded.

“Hey guys, don’t pay attention … to this (expletive) YouTuber,’’ Alvarez said in a video posted on X Friday. “I just fight real fighters.’’

But not until Saturday afternoon did Paul write he was “done with” Alvarez and added, “Working on finalizing the next fight.’’

Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) is looking for his first opponent since beating Mike Tyson by unanimous decision Nov. 15.

(This story has been updated to add new information).

The SEC is in the midst of a potentially historic men’s basketball season, with seven of its teams ranked in the top 25 of the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and 14 of its 16 members still in the hunt for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Of that large, illustrious bunch, Florida may very well be the best squad. The Gators certainly showed as much Saturday in one of their biggest games of the season.

Behind a team-high 19 points and nine assists from all-American candidate Walter Clayton Jr., No. 6 Florida went on the road and knocked off No. 1 Auburn, 90-81.

It was the Gators’ second win against a top-ranked team this season. They previously walloped then-No. 1 Tennessee 73-43 on Jan. 7. According to the ESPN broadcast, it was the program’s first-ever road win against a No. 1 team.

Florida’s triumph snapped Auburn’s 14-game win streak, which was the second-longest in Division I. It was also the Tigers’ first loss this season at Neville Arena, which has one of the best home-court advantages in the sport. Coach Bruce Pearl’s team had won three of its four SEC home games this season by at least 15 points.

With the loss, Auburn is at risk of falling from the No. 1 spot, particularly if No. 2 Duke wins on the road Saturday night against No. 21 Clemson. Prior to Saturday, the Blue Devils had been the only team to beat the Tigers this season, earning an 84-78 victory on Dec. 4 at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

It was Clayton’s first game back since returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him for his team’s 86-75 victory against Vanderbilt on Tuesday.

The Gators have won five of their past six games to improve to 20-3 on the season.

Alex Condon finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for Florida, which shot 48.4% from the field and 39.4% from 3-point range against an Auburn team that came into the matchup ranked 12th nationally in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. Thomas Haugh added 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks off the bench.

Auburn star forward Johni Broome, one of the two front-runners for national player of the year (along with Duke’s Cooper Flagg), finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while making only eight of his 19 shots from the field.

The win continued a stellar-but-eventful season for the Gators. 

Third-year Florida coach Todd Golden was the subject of a four-month-long investigation from the university’s Title IX department that looked into allegations of sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, stalking and cyberstalking from multiple women, including students. The school closed its investigation in late January after finding “no evidence” that Golden violated Title IX.

Florida-Auburn basketball box score

Here’s a look at the top performers from both Florida and Auburn in the Gators’ victory Saturday:

Florida

G Walter Clayton Jr.: 19 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds
F Alex Condon: 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists
F Thomas Haugh: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks

Auburn

F Johni Broome: 18 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks
G Miles Kelly: 22 points, 3 rebounds

NEW ORLEANS – Super Bowl 57 is a hazy memory for Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat. However, Sweat has acute recollection of what he felt when time expired as red and yellow confetti rained down from State Farm Stadium.

“It’s a blur to me right now. I can’t even know most of it, honestly,” Sweat said of the Eagles’ 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs two years ago. “But it was tough for sure.”

The Eagles earned their second trip to the Super Bowl in three seasons to face the same opponent that administered a “tough” loss. It’s just the second Super Bowl rematch to take place within a three-year window.

Philadelphia has 12 starters from Super Bowl 57 who are expected to start in Super Bowl 59. Sweat is the only defensive line starter from Super Bowl 57 who is projected to start again Sunday.

The most obvious difference from the Super Bowl 57 team and this year’s squad is NFL Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley. The seventh-year running back, who signed with the Eagles during the 2024 free agency period, rushed for a franchise record and NFL-high 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had the eighth-most rushing yards ever in a single season and helped the Eagles finish with a single-season club record of 3,048 rushing yards.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Barkley could help the Eagles preserve a lead this time around. The Eagles had a 10-point halftime lead in Super Bowl 57, but the Chiefs scored on all four of their drives in the second half, including a game-winning 27-yard field goal.

“You have to find a way to finish. Coming into these opportunities and these games, everything is about finishing,’ Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said. ‘You want to have the right focus in that, and that comes with the preparation and the work that you put in. But ultimately, it’s about finishing.’

Hurts said this week that he’s grown as a player since the team’s Super Bowl 57 defeat. His passing yards (2,903) and touchdown passes (18) were down this year, but he did have the lowest number of interceptions since his rookie year (5) and a career-high 103.7 passer rating during the regular season.

“I’ve evolved as a player (and) as a leader. I’ve been able to grow and learn from different things,’ Hurts said. ‘But ultimately, the flame has been ignited even more in terms of the desire of wanting to win and working to win. You can’t just bank on hoping for results to come without the work.’

Hurts is confident all the players from the loss in Glendale, Arizona, learned from the game.

“Everyone just matured. Everyone has been able to grow and learn from those things,” he said.

Is this Eagles team, though, better equipped to take down Kansas City?

The Eagles enter Super Bowl 59 with the NFL’s No. 1 total defense and the league’s rushing champion. They are a motivated squad with a good blend of players from Super Bowl 57 and new members to help stop the Chiefs’ goal of a three-peat.

“Enjoy the experience,” Eagles veteran tackle Lane Johnson said. “But realize that it’s a business trip…We got to be focused leading to this game.”

There has likely been no bigger star during the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season than Cooper Flagg.

The Duke freshman forward had no shortage of hype before he ever stepped on a college court and, at this relatively late juncture in the season, has largely lived up to it. 

With his Blue Devils entering Saturday on a Division I-best 16-game win streak, Flagg was averaging a team-high 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.3 blocks per game while emerging as one of the two front-runners for national player of the year honors, along with Auburn’s Johni Broome.

Flagg’s widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick in a 2025 NBA draft that’s not lacking in star-power at the top, but for now, he has other goals and objectives in mind — namely, leading Duke to its first Final Four under coach Jon Scheyer and its first national championship since 2015.

Though the No. 2 Blue Devils fell to No. 21 Clemson 77-71 Saturday night in one of their toughest remaining challenges of the regular season, Flagg still put up respectable numbers, albeit in a high-volume outing vs. the Tigers.

Here’s a look at Flagg’s full stats against Clemson:

Cooper Flagg points today

Flagg finished with 18 points in the defeat, though he struggled for portions of the night offensively against one of the ACC’s best defensive teams, missing seven of his first nine shots.

The 18 points were his fewest since scoring 11 in Duke’s 83-54 win vs. Syracuse on Wednesday. Duke led by six at halftime, but was outscored 42-30 in the second half in the loss.

Here’s Flagg’s full stat line from Saturday’s win at Clemson:

Points: 18 points
Shooting: 6 of 17 (35.2%)
3-point shooting: 3 of 6 (50%)
Rebounds: 5
Assists: 1
Steals: 3
Blocks: 1
Turnovers: 2

Cooper Flagg stats

Here are Flagg’s season averages ahead of Saturday’s win over Clemson:

Points: 19.5
Rebounds: 7.8
Assists: 4.1
Blocks: 1.5
Steals: 1.3
Shooting: 48.6%
3-point shooting: 35.4%

Lionel Messi scored a goal and had two assists as Inter Miami beat Honduran giants Club Olimpia Deportivo 5-0 during a preseason match in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on Saturday night.

Messi scored in the 27th minute of the match for his second goal of Inter Miami’s preseason, while his two assists came during a three-minute stretch before halftime.

It was a vintage performance by Messi, the reigning MLS MVP who will help Inter Miami begin the MLS season and compete in the Concacaf Champions Cup later this month.

The game was played despite a 7.6 magnitude earthquake striking in the Caribbean Sea less than two hours before kickoff, north of Honduras and southwest of the Cayman Islands, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Inter Miami will return to South Florida after the game, and Messi could possibly attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday.

Messi found Federico Redondo (44’) and Noah Allen (45’+2) for his assists to help Inter Miami take a 3-0 lead heading into the second half.

Luis Suarez, who assisted Messi’s goal, scored his first goal this preseason in the 54th minute on a pass from U.S. men’s national team member Benjamin Cremaschi.

Ryan Sailor also scored for Inter Miami with an assist from Leo Afonso in 79th minute.

Messi left the game as a substitute in the 62nd minute, as the club turns its attention to the next four games, separated by four days or less, it will play the rest of February.

Inter Miami’s preseason concludes next Friday, when the club meets MLS rival Orlando City at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Inter Miami will play the first leg of its Concacaf Champions Cup first-round matchup on the road against Sporting Kansas City on Feb. 18. The second leg is set for Feb. 25 at home.

Inter Miami will play it MLS season opener at home against New York City FC on Feb. 22.

Inter Miami has won all four of its preseason games under new coach, and former Messi teammate, Javier Mascherano.

Messi scored a header and played 66 minutes in the preseason opener against Mexican champions Club America in Las Vegas on Jan. 18. He played 72 minutes against Universitario in Peru on Jan. 29. Inter Miami won both games on penalty kicks.

Messi was also the catalyst behind two goals while playing 76 minutes in a 3-1 win against San Miguelito in Panama City last Sunday.

Check out these highlights from Inter Miami’s win in Honduras:

Ryan Sailor goal: Inter Miami 5, Olimpia 0

Messi substituted out in 62’: Inter Miami 4, Olimpia 0

Lionel Messi’s night has come to an end with a substitution in the 62nd minute. He leaves after scoring a goal and assisting two others. 

Luis Suarez goal: Inter Miami 4, Olimpia 0

Inter Miami is in full control, and Luis Suarez has scored has first goal of the year in the 54th minute. Suarez took a soft pass from Benjamin Cremaschi, and sent a left boot right under the goalie’s defense. Suarez assisted Messi’s goal earlier in the match. 

Noah Allen goal: Inter Miami 3, Olimpia 0

Lionel Messi has picked up his second assist in stoppage time during the first half. Messi received an outlet pass from Luis Suarez, and pulled the goalie away from the net before finding Noah Allen in front of the net just before halftime (45’+2). 

Federico Redondo goal: Inter Miami 2, Olimpia 0

Lionel Messi assisted on Federico Redondo’s goal in the 44th minute, to help Inter Miami take a 2-0 lead over Olimpia. Messi delivered a soft pass to Redondo, who fired it into the net just before halftime. 

Lionel Messi goal: Inter Miami 1, Olimpia 0 

Lionel Messi has found the back of the net in Honduras, as Luis Suarez found the reigning MLS MVP trailing to his left side in the 27th minute. Inter Miami leads 1-0. 

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Olimpia live stream?

The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. Honduras, 9 p.m. in Argentina). It will be played at Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Here’s how you can watch it:

U.S. and Canada: InterMiamiCF.com
Honduras Local Broadcast: TELEVICENTRO
Rest of World: https://intermiamicf.co/OneFootball
Inter Miami’s YouTube page.

Inter Miami wants to monitor Messi’s playing time

“He has been playing more minutes each game, and has finished the three games well,” Mascherano said of Messi.

Messi scored a header and played 66 minutes in the preseason opener against Mexican champions Club America in Las Vegas on Jan. 18. He played 72 minutes against Universitario in Peru on Jan. 29. He was the catalyst behind two goals in 76 minutes against San Miguelito in Panama City last Sunday.

Mascherano added “we must pay attention” to Messi’s playing time due to the upcoming schedule.

Inter Miami’s last preseason game is Feb. 14 against MLS rival Orlando City at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Inter Miami will play the first leg of its Concacaf Champions Cup first-round matchup on the road against Sporting Kansas City on Feb. 18.
Inter Miami will play it MLS season opener at home against New York City FC on Feb. 22.
And the second leg of Inter Miami’s Concacaf Champions Cup first round matchup on Feb. 25.

“We know he feels good on the field, it is where he wants to be,” Mascherano said of Messi. “So, we will do everything we can to let him play without taking any risks.”

Team USA defenseman Quinn Hughes and Canadian center Sidney Crosby are missing their NHL teams’ final games Saturday before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

That puts their availability for next week’s best-on-best tournament up in the air, though nothing official has been announced.

Hughes is sitting out for a fourth game with the Vancouver Canucks because of a lower-body injury. He’s the top-scoring defenseman on Team USA with 59 points in 47 games.

‘I honestly at this moment don’t know,’ Canucks coach Rick Tocchet told reporters about Hughes’ status for the international tournament.

Tocchet said Hughes skated hard on Saturday, but the team and player would have to talk in the next 12 to 24 hours about his participation for the USA. Hughes would join his brother, New Jersey Devils forward Jack, at the tournament if he goes.

‘We have to figure this out,’ Tocchet said. ‘The U.S. is going to have to name a (replacement) if he doesn’t play.’

The tournament – featuring the USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden – opens Wednesday in Montreal. The USA’s first game is Thursday.

Meanwhile, Crosby (upper body) is missing his second consecutive game with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He left Tuesday’s game after a collision but returned to the game. After missing practice Wednesday, he has been skating the past three days.

Canada still has to replace Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who will stay home to rest an injury.

In other 4 Nations injury news, Carolina Hurricanes forward Mikko Rantanen (Finland) sat out Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury.

4 Nations Face-Off schedule, TV

(Times p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Feb. 12:  Canada vs. Sweden at Montreal, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA vs. Finland at Montreal, 8, ESPN
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden at Montreal, 1, ABC
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada at Montreal, 8, ABC
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 1, TNT
Monday, Feb. 17: Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN