The Las Vegas Aces didn’t just win Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, they cut the heart and soul out of the Phoenix Mercury’s title hopes.

Whatever chance the Mercury had of winning the 2025 championship, or at least keeping the Aces honest, evaporated after the first quarter, Sunday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Phoenix couldn’t capitalize on its big leads – first seven points and then eight – letting Las Vegas back in each time. Then the Aces stars started cooking, and the Mercury had no answer.

That second quarter, when A’ja Wilson single-handedly outscored Phoenix? That third, when Jackie Young popped off for 21? That’s how titles are won. When you get an edge on your opponent, you jam your foot on the gas and you don’t take it off.

“That’s the goal, to not let up,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said after her team took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series with their 91-78 dismantling of Phoenix.

“You just don’t want to have a satisfied locker room because we’re not there yet,” Hammon said. “We did what we’re supposed to do.”

But it’s the way Las Vegas did it that will give Phoenix sleepless nights in the offseason.

No on-the-job training in Finals

The Finals are a different beast, even from other playoff series. The Aces know that intimately, the core of their teams that won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 still here. They know you can’t give the other team openings, or you might never recover. They know, too, that if you get one of those openings, you have to take advantage of it.

And then some.

After the Mercury dominated the opening minutes of the game, Las Vegas’ defense started clicking. A defensive rebound became a layup for Wilson. A steal became a stepback jumper. An offensive rebound became a putback. Within a few possessions, the game had gone sideways for Phoenix, and they were never able to get it back.

“I thought we were pretty stagnant offensively,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said. “We tried to force it a little bit ourselves and tried to go get it. That’s part of us just trying to figure it out as a group.”

There isn’t time for that in the Finals. You have to find an answer in the moment or you’re going to be roadkill.

That’s what Las Vegas did in Game 1. Young had, as Hammon said, “no legs, no lift” Friday night. Wilson had 21 points, but seven came at the free throw line. So how did the Aces win that one? They got monster efforts from Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd.

You figure it out. You get other people involved. You change up your schemes. You do whatever you have to or this window will be gone.

“Even our whole year, the process is always equipping you for what’s coming next. I think they really embraced that,” Hammon said. “It takes a special group to embrace hard.”

But the Aces know what the reward is when they do.

Hard work pays off

Wilson, Young and Chelsea Gray might not have a monster collective effort like this in Game 3. Young had 32 points and eight rebounds Sunday, while Wilson had a double-double with 28 and 14. Gray had 10 assists, eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks to go with her 10 points.

If they don’t, though, the Aces know how to adjust. They know how to weather storms. They know how to go to Plan B. They know how to respond.

They know how to win at this time of year.

“We just have to play the game that’s in front of us,” Wilson said. “We don’t look at the series as just the numbers. We look it at as, ‘This is another opportunity for us to play basketball the right way.’ Going into Phoenix, that’s the same mindset we’re going to have.’

“We’ve been through a lot,” she added. “We can’t stop here. We can’t be satisfied.”

It is not easy to win a championship. It takes a relentlessness and a commitment like no other time, be it in the regular season or even the playoffs. The Aces know this. The Mercury are learning it the hard way.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces are two wins away from their third WNBA title in four years.

The No. 2 seed Aces took a commanding 2-0 lead over the No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury in the best-of-seven 2025 WNBA Finals with a 91-78 Game 2 win on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

Aces guard Jackie Young finished with a game-high 32 points, shooting 12-of-20 from the field and 3-of-7 from the 3-point line, while A’ja Wilson added 28 points and 14 rebounds.

The Aces duo of Young and Wilson are among the winners of Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, while Mercury forward Satou Sabally rounds up the list of losers after suffering an apparent ankle injury in the loss.

WNBA FINALS, GAME 2: Aces take commanding 2-0 lead in WNBA Finals with Game 2 rout of Mercury

Winners

Jackie Young

Jackie Young was in street clothes during the Aces’ practice on Saturday, with head coach Becky Hammon admitting that Young’s “legs were heavy” due to fatigue. But Young looked fresh for Game 2 on Sunday and dropped 32 points, tying her playoff career high. Young scored 21 of her 32 points in the third quarter, the most scored in a single quarter in WNBA Finals history. “Last game, (Young) had no legs. No lift. Apparently she went and found some legs because she was cooking today… She’s a bad, bad girl,” Hammon said.

A’ja Wilson

A’ja Wilson scored 20 of her 28 points in the first half, becoming the third player in WNBA Finals history to score 20 or more points in the first half. Wilson also recorded 14 rebounds, three assists and one steal. She finished just shy of her ninth 30-plus point playoff game. If Wilson scored 30 points, Wilson and Young would’ve become the first duo to each score 30-plus points in a WNBA Finals Game. ‘I dropped the ball on that one. Sorry, Jack,’ Wilson joked after the game.

Aces Big 3

Las Vegas’ superstar trio of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray were borderline unstoppable on Sunday. Wilson (28 points, 13 rebounds), Young (32 points, eight rebounds) and Chelsea Gray (10 points and 10 assists) combined for 70 of the Aces 91 points and the Mercury had no answer. ‘They’re studs… That is why the expectation is so high, because of those three,’ Hammon said. Meanwhile, Phoenix’s Big 3 of Alyssa Thomas (10 points, six rebounds, five assists), Satou Sabally (22 points, nine rebounds) and Kahleah Copper (23 points, three rebounds) combined for 55 of the Mercury’s 78 points.

Alyssa Thomas sets assist record

Not much went right for the Mercury, but Alyssa Thomas passed Courtney Vandersloot to become the all-time leader in assists in WNBA postseason history with 391 (and counting). Thomas finished with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals in the Game 2 loss. A small consolation prize in the loss. 

Losers

Satou Sabally’s possible ankle injury

The Mercury could be in trouble if Satou Sabally’s ankle injury, which she suffered in the 3:57 mark of the fourth quarter, lingers. The Phoenix star had a collision with Aces forward A’ja Wilson that was ruled just a common foul. However, Sabally did not return to play after the incident and was limping as she walked to the bench. Postgame, Tibbetts mentioned that he pulled Sabally because the team was “being smart with going forward.” When asked personally how she was doing after her injury, Sabally simply responded, “Fine.”

Mercury 3-point shooting 

Kahleah Copper got the Mercury on the board with a 3-point shot, but Phoenix was ice cold beyond the arc the rest of the game. The Mercury missed 15 consecutive 3-point attempts at one point and finished shooting a dismal 17.9% (5-of-28) from the 3-point line, marking their second-worst 3-point performance this postseason. The 3-point shot was crucial to the Mercury’s two double-digit comeback wins over the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals, but as the Mercury’s deficit stretched to as many as 22 points on Sunday, they couldn’t get it going from 3 and ‘tried to force it a little,” Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said, adding ‘we were pretty stagnant offensively.’ The Mercury are 2-1 in the playoffs when they score 10 or more 3-pointers. 

Nate Tibbetts’ coaching decisions

Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts’ inexperience in the WNBA Finals showed mightily in Game 2. Tibbetts didn’t go deeper into his bench, opting to use an eight-person rotation until the lead ballooned to nearly twenty. The bench players he did play early with his starters (DeWanna Bonner, Sami Whitcomb and Kathryn Westbeld) only scored eight total points for the entire game. What’s more, Tibbetts shockingly did not call a timeout as the Aces continued stacking sequences during a brutal 30-point third quarter.

Mercury’s depth 

Tibbetts emptied his bench with 3:58 remaining in the fourth quarter as the Mercury trailed the Aces 90-73, essentially waving the white flag. The Mercury entered the postseason with the league’s highest scoring bench, but it’s been virtually nonexistent in the WNBA Finals so far. The Mercury’s bench was outscored 41-16 in Game 1 and 16-8 in Game 2. DeWanna Bonner was held to four points in 23 minutes in Game 2, shooting 1-of-5 from the field and 0-of-2 from the 3-point line, while Sami Whitcomb was scoreless (0-of-3 FG, 0-of-2 3PT) in 14 minutes. The Mercury have struggled to find offensive production outside of their Big 3 so far.

WNBA referees

It’s going to sound like a broken record at this point, but the league’s officials made and missed several calls on Sunday that either infuriated players, like Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas, or the crowd at Michaelob Ultra Arena. Like Game 1, chants of “Refs, you suck” rang out from the stands as fans displayed their displeasure with the officiating. Thomas also gave the refs an earful multiple times over what she felt like were missed fouls.

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Shane van Gisbergen continued to prove, without a doubt, that he is the best road-course racer in the NASCAR Cup Series after winning the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. But while van Gisbergen was winning his series-high fifth race of the season – all on road or street courses – battles were taking place throughout the rest of the field in Sunday’s elimination race to end the second round of the playoffs.

Playoff drivers Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell tried their best to knock off the Trackhouse Racing star from New Zealand, but in the end, neither could overtake van Gisbergen even with fresher tires. Van Gisbergen led a race-high 57 laps to Larson’s 27 on the part oval-part road course circuit at Charlotte and prevailed by 15.160 seconds after Larson opted for new tires to finish the 109-lap race.

But, the more intense drama was taking place further back in the field as playoff drivers battled for position in the final race of the Round of 12, hoping to avoid elimination and be among the eight drivers to advance to the next round.

SUNDAY’S RESULTS: Full finishing order from Charlotte Roval race

Entering Sunday’s race, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott had already secured their spots in the Round of 8 by virtue of their victories the past two weeks at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, respectively. That left six additional spots up for grabs, though Larson and Bell advanced even before Sunday’s race concluded, having compiled enough points in the three second-round races to guarantee their berths in the third round.

As the Roval race entered the final stage, four Round of 8 playoff berths remained, with some drivers like Denny Hamlin and William Byron knowing they likely only needed clean finishes to advance, while others – including 23XI Racing drivers Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain and Team Penske’s Joey Logano – were racing in must-win situations.

With the laps winding down, the final berth came down to a battle between Logano, the three-time and reigning series champion, and Chastain, who finished runner-up to Logano in 2022. Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske crew elected to bring their driver down pit road for fresher tires in the closing laps of the stage, putting him at a deficit to Chastain, whose team kept him out on the track.

It appeared Chastain would have just enough tires left to keep his miniscule cushion over Logano, but after Hamlin passed Chastain on the final lap, zero points separated the Trackhouse Racing driver and the Team Penske star. With no recourse left, Chastain floored his No. 1 Chevrolet to get side-by-side with Hamlin, hoping to steal the position back, but the move and resulting contact turned both cars around, leaving Chastain to cross the finish line in reverse. Unfortunately for Chastain, the maneuver allowed a few drivers, including Logano, to edge past him.

Logano became the final driver to advance to the third round, joining Blaney, Elliott, Larson, Bell, Hamlin, Byron and Chase Briscoe. Chastain was eliminated along with Reddick, Wallace and Team Penske driver Austin Cindric.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads West next weekend to open the three-race Round of 8 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Talladega Superspeedway follows before the final elimination race at Martinsville Speedway.

NASCAR playoffs Round of 8 is set after Charlotte Roval race

Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, William Byron, Chase Briscoe and Joey Logano advanced to the third round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, joining Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott. Blaney and Elliott secured their positions by winning the first two races of the Round of 12, while the other six drivers advanced on points.

Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing put three drivers apiece into the Round of 8, with Ellliott, Larson and Byron representing HMS, and Bell, Hamlin and Briscoe representing JGR. Team Penske has two drivers remaining in the championship chase, with Blaney and Logano.

Four drivers eliminated from NASCAR playoffs

In a frantic battle to advance to the Round of 8 of the NASCAR playoffs, reigning series champion Joey Logano edged Ross Chastain for the final spot in the third round as the two traded positions just above and below the cut line in the final stage of the Bank of America Roval 400. Chastain was eliminated along with 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace and Team Penske driver Austin Cindric.

Ross Chastain crosses Charlotte Roval finish line in reverse

Ross Chastain did everything he could to clinch the final spot in the Round of 8 of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs – even after making contact with Denny Hamlin for position on the final lap. Chastain spun in his No. 1 Chevrolet and then crossed the finish line in reverse, hoping to keep a miniscule point lead over reigning series champion Joey Logano, but to no avail.

Shane van Gisbergen wins NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte

Shane van Gisbergen outclassed the field of the Bank of America 400 on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval to earn his series-leading fifth race of the season. Van Gisbergen dominated on road courses this season, winning five straight on non-oval circuits, adding the Roval to Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma and Watkins Glen.

Kyle Larson finished second, 15.160 seconds behind van Gisbergen. Christopher Bell finished third, Chris Buescher fourth and Michael McDowell fifth.

Shane van Gisbergen retakes lead in NASCAR Charlotte playoff race

Shane van Gisbergen passed Kyle Larson with 23 laps remaining in the Bank of America 400 to retake the lead. Drivers are in the middle of green flag pit stops – and could pit an additional time – so leads are likely to flip multiple times before the race ends.

Kyle Larson passes Shane van Gisbergen for lead

Kyle Larson passed Shane Gisbergen on Lap 63 to take the lead at the Bank of America Roval 400 following restart. Christopher Bell also passed van Gisbergen to move up to second. AJ Allmendinger runs fourth and Michael McDowell fifth.

Caution flag flies in Bank of America Roval 400

Austin Dillon brings out the yellow flag on Lap 58 of 109 of the Bank of America Roval 400 after crashing into the tire barrier. This is the first race caution of the day. Shane van Gisbergen leads Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger and Chris Buescher.

Playoff drivers William Bryon and Bubba Wallace came down pit road for tires under caution. Byron is in strong position to advance on points, while Wallace needs to win the race to advance.

Christopher Bell clinches berth in Round 3 of NASCAR playoffs

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell has clinched enough points through three races of the second round to guarantee a spot in the Round 8 of the NASCAR playoffs. Bell joins Ryan Blaney, who won two weeks ago at New Hampshire, Chase Elliott, who won last week at Kansas, and Kyle Larson, who also clinched a spot in the third round on points.

Ryan Blaney wins Stage 2 of Charlotte Roval playoff race

Shane van Gisbergen elected to pit with two laps remaining in the second segment for new tires, giving up the lead and the stage win. Ryan Blaney, who already clinched a berth in the third round of the playoffs, took the checkered flag in Stage 2, his ninth stage win of the season, tying Kyle Larson for most in the 2025 season.

Tyler Reddick, who most likely needs a win to make the Round of 8, finished second, followed by Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain and van Gisbergen. Chastain entered the race below the eight-driver cut line but has collected a number of points to give himself an oppurtinity to advance.

Kyle Larson finished sixth, followed by Christopher Bell, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez and Cole Custer.

Kyle Larson clinches berth in third round of playoffs

Kyle Larson collected enough points in the three-race second round to clinch a spot in the Round of 8 along with Ryan Blaney, who won at New Hampshire, and Chase Elliott, who won last week at Kansas. Hendrick Motorsports has a chance to add a third driver to the Round of 8, with William Byron hoping to join Larson and Elliott.

AJ Allmendinger leads field to green to start Stage 2

AJ Allmendinger elected to stay on track at the end of Stage 2 and took the lead on the restart to start the second segment. Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez and Tyler Reddick also stayed on track and run in the top 5. Shane van Gisbergen, who won the opening stage, took new tires and moved up to sixth place immediately.

Kyle Larson, who also took new tires to start the stage, runs in seventh.

Shane van Gisbergen wins Stage 1 of NASCAR Roval playoff race

Shane van Gisbergen retook the lead with six laps remaining in the opening stage of the Bank of America Roval 400 and cruised to the Stage 1 win over Kyle Larson. Van Gisbergen led 17 of 25 laps, beating Larson by nearly 8 seconds. Ty Gibbs finished third, Christopher Bell fourth and Ross Chastain fifth. Michael McDowell, Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Ty Dillon rounded out the top 10.

With tire falloff a big issue on the part oval-part road course circuit, the majority of drivers elected to change tires during the middle of the stage. There were a few exceptions, however, including 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace and Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric, electing to pit with three laps remaining in order to stay out on track at the end of the stage.

NASCAR Roval playoff race goes green

Playoff driver Tyler Reddick won the pole Saturday and leads the field to start the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Road course ace Shane van Gisbergen starts second.

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte start?

The Bank of America Roval 400 is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

What TV channel is the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte on?

The Bank of America Roval 400 will be broadcast on USA Network, the home for the Round of 12 part of the Cup Series playoffs. Pre-race coverage will start at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte?

Yes, the Bank of America Roval 400 will be streamed on Peacock, HBO Max, Sling TV and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte?

The Bank of America Roval 400 is 109 laps around the 2.32-mile track for a total of 252.9 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 25 laps; Stage 2: 25 laps; Stage 3: 59 laps.

NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings

Here’s how things look after the playoff round in Kansas with the gap to the leader in parentheses. The bottom four drivers will be eliminated after Charlotte as the playoffs move on to the Round of 8.

Kyle Larson
Denny Hamlin (+6)
Christopher Bell (+10)
William Byron (+14)
Chase Elliott (+20)
Ryan Blaney (+25)
Chase Briscoe (+33)
Joey Logano (+41)
Ross Chastain (+54)
Bubba Wallace (+67)
Tyler Reddick (+70)
Austin Cindric (+89)

Who won the NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte last year?

Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson took his second playoff win of 2024 with a comfortable victory over Christopher Bell in last year’s playoff race at Charlotte. Larson led the most laps – including most of the Stage 3 running – to take the win at the final road course event of the season. Bell, William Byron, Austin Cindric and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five runners. One of the biggest stories from the race was Alex Bowman’s disqualification after he failed post-race weight inspection.

NASCAR playoff race at Charlotte starting lineup

Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing Ford
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske Ford
Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Justin Haley, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing Ford
Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing Toyota
Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 HYAK Motorsports Chevrolet
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing Ford
Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Josh Bilicki, No. 66 Garage 66 Ford
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club Toyota

The man who stabbed Fox NFL analyst Mark Sanchez said he feared for his life, according to new details revealed in an affidavit for probable cause.

Sanchez, 38, was hospitalized in Indianapolis early Saturday morning with a stab wound. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department announced Saturday afternoon that it arrested the former New York Jets quarterback and charged him with ‘battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication, all which are misdemeanors.’

According to an affidavit obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Sanchez allegedly approached a box truck in a loading dock outside of the Westin hotel and confronted the driver. The ensuing interaction led the driver to think, ‘this guy is trying to kill me,’ according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Sanchez allegedly opened the door to the truck and told the driver, who was exchanging frying oil for the hotel, that he wasn’t allowed to be at the loading dock.

After the driver exited the truck cab, Sanchez then allegedly entered it, according to the affidavit, before the driver told him he was not allowed there. According to the affidavit, the Fox NFL analyst allegedly got out from the cab, then allegedly prevented the driver from re-entering to get his phone to call the hotel manager.

At one point, the affidavit says, Sanchez allegedly shoved the driver, leading the driver to use his pepper spray on Sanchez. In a statement included in the affidavit, the driver said he feared for his life when Sanchez continued to approach him after he had used the pepper spray, leading him to pull out his knife before he ‘struck [Sanchez] two or three times.’

According to a security video cited in the affidavit, Sanchez allegedly threw the driver toward the wall of the hotel then threw him on the ground. The driver eventually regained his feet, the affidavit says, and ‘stabbed Sanchez the last time.’

According to the affidavit, that is when Sanchez fled the scene, ‘running northbound.’

As of Saturday, Sanchez was reported to be in stable condition after the stabbing.

Sanchez was in Indianapolis to announce the Indianapolis Colts game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that former NFL player and current Fox analyst Brady Quinn will replace Sanchez on the broadcast.

Sanchez was the No. 5 overall pick by the Jets in the 2009 NFL Draft after playing his collegiate career at Southern California. He retired in 2019 after stints with five other teams and joined Fox as an NFL analyst in 2021.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hammered the baseball, then struck a pose for all of Canada.

The Toronto Blue Jays’ franchise player continued his two-game tear in the American League Division Series – and possibly administered a kill shot to the New York Yankees’ hopes of defending their pennant – with a fourth-inning grand slam off reliever Will Warren in Game 2 on Sunday, Oct. 5.

That turned a 5-0 game into 9-0 and by the end of the inning – when Daulton Varsho registered his third hit in four innings with a two-run home run – it was 11-0. George Springer’s homer in the fifth made it an even dozen runs.

Guerrero, who shook off three previous lackluster playoff appearances by hitting a first-inning home run to launch Toronto’s Game 1 win, now has six hits in seven at-bats and six RBIs against Yankee pitching.

And the moment he took Warren’s 2-1 fastball and parked it into the second level at Rogers Centre will likely be replayed for years from Mississauga to Victoria.

It keyed a six-run inning that saw the Blue Jays chase Yankees ace Max Fried, who gave up eight hits, seven runs and the go-ahead two-run homer to Ernie Clement.

Warren, the long man in this series, only poured accelerant on the raging flames. He gave up three homers to the first 11 batters he faced: Guerrero, Varsho and then George Springer in the fifth.

NFL RedZone promises every touchdown from every game.

On Sunday in Week 5, that promise was broken – at least for a little bit. At the end of the early window, the famous whip-around show, which features live look-ins from every game, went out. In the midst of a potential game-winning drive from the Philadelphia Eagles, the feed began to freeze – eventually leaving nothing but silence and a black screen.

The issue sent users on social media into a frenzy while the last-minute drive played out, ending with a prayer that went unanswered from Jalen Hurts.

It appeared to be exclusively an issue for Fubo users, but still left fans angry.

Service for NFL RedZone was restored by the final kickoff of the late window at around 4:30 p.m. ET.

The top five teams, including Oregon and Miami (Fla.), are unchanged from the previous week.
Texas and Penn State dropped significantly in the rankings following unexpected losses.
Virginia and Memphis are new additions to the Top 25 poll this week.

As we’ve said numerous times, there’s no such thing as a slow week in college football. Several unexpected outcomes sent considerable shockwaves through the US LBM Coaches Poll.

The top five remain unchanged, however, led by No. 1 Ohio State. The Buckeyes rolled past Minnesota and received 59 of 66 first-place votes this week. No. 2 Oregon, which had the weekend off, was picked first by three voters. No. 3 Miami (Fla.) also earned three No. 1 nods after staving off archrival Florida State. Mississippi, also coming off an open date, and Texas A&M, a home winner against Mississippi State, continue to round out the top five, with the Aggies claiming the last No. 1 vote.

The changes begin at No. 6, thanks to Penn State and Texas taking major tumbles. Oklahoma inherits the sixth spot on the eve of its Red River showdown with the Longhorns, who fall 12 places to No. 19 after the loss at Florida. Indiana gains a couple of positions to check in at No. 7 with its trip to Oregon on deck. Alabama, after avenging last season’s loss to Vanderbilt, is back in the top 10 at No. 8, followed by Georgia and Texas Tech.

Penn State, stunned by previously winless UCLA, stays ranked for now at No. 22.

Virginia, which posted its second overtime win in as many weeks, joins the poll at No. 24. Memphis, the first team to reach six wins to become bowl eligible, also moves in at No. 25, pushing out Utah, which held the last spot in the rankings in the previous poll. Florida State is the week’s other dropout.

This story has been updated to change a video.

Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado appeared to have a 72-yard touchdown in his team’s Week 5 game against the Tennessee Titans.

Instead, the third-year pro made an unfathomable mistake near the goal-line that negated the score.

After breaking free from the defense, Demercado slowed down as he approached the end-zone. He then appeared to reach the ball forward just ahead of the goal-line.

In the process, Demercado lost control of the ball just before it crossed the goal-line. It bounced through the back of the end-zone – as the Titans’ trailing defender, L’Jarius Sneed, was quicky to point out – resulting in a turnover and a touchback.

Below is a look at the play:

The Cardinals would have extended their lead to 27-6, and three possessions, had Demercado scored. Instead, the Titans went on to score a touchdown on the possession following Demercado’s fumble and cut Arizona’s lead to nine. The Titans went on to rally for a 22-21 win.

Demercado’s gaffe came just a week after Indianapolis Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell made a similar mistake against the Los Angeles Rams. Mitchell nearly logged a 76-yard touchdown before dropping the ball at the 1-yard line.

Mitchell’s miscue was rewarded by receiving a reduced role in the Colts’ Week 5 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

As for Demercado, the Cardinals gave him just one more touch during the remainder of their game against the Titans. The 26-year-old was already operating as the team’s third-string running back behind Michael Carter and Zonovan ‘Bam’ Knight, and his 71-yard carry was just his second carry of the game.

How Emari Demercado, teammates reacted to fumble

Meanwhile, Demercado acknowledged after the game he thought often about his fumble during the remainder of the contest despite his best efforts to flush it.

‘You just have to,’ Demercado said of moving on from the mistake, per Cardinals team reporter Zach Gershman. ‘Can’t get it back. Nothing I can do about it, so why keep holding on to it?’

Meanwhile, quarterback Kyler Murray offered support for Demercado, praising the running back’s football IQ and calling him a close friend.

‘Never in a million years – I wouldn’t think that Emari would do that,’ Murray told reporters during his postgame news conference. ‘But obviously, we all make mistakes. He’s gonna take that on the chin. He understands that.’

‘At the end of the day, we all gotta be better,’ Murray added. ‘He owns up to that, and we talk about that all the time. But yeah, I’m sure he’s frustrated.’

Deandre Ayton and the Los Angeles Lakers will look to bounce back from losing their preseason opener when they take on the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center on Sunday, Oct. 5. 

With LeBron James and Luka Doncic not expected to play, Reaves is expected to serve as a featured player in the lineup. Neither James nor Doncic played in the Lakers’ preseason opener on Friday.

Austin Reaves had a 20-point performance in the 103-81 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Reaves also had three rebounds and two assists in his 21 minutes of play. Dalton Knecht had six points and six rebounds in 26 minutes of play.

It will be the preseason opener for the Warriors.

Warriors take lead in first quarter

Jimmy Butler makes the free-throw to even the game at 11 with 8:33 left in the first quarter.

Draymond misses a layup attempt on the Warriors’ next possession but manages to tip the ball in immediately for the second chance points. The Warriors lead 13-11 in the middle of the first quarter.

Al Horford checks in for Warriors

Al Horford checked in for the Warriors with 8:38 left in the first quarter.

Lakers, Warriors keep it close early

The Lakers start fast and build an early 7-2 lead with several of Golden State’s star players in the lineup. The Warriors respond well to close the game with Moses Moody hitting a three-point shot to make it a one-point game.

What time is Lakers vs. Warriors?

The Los Angeles Lakers will travel to play the Golden State Warriors in a preseason game at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. The game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.

How to watch Warriors vs. Lakers

Time:  8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT
Location: Chase Center(San Francisco, California)
TV: ESPN
Stream: Fubo, WatchESPN

Lakers starting lineup vs. Warriors

The Lakers’ starting lineup will feature Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Gabe Vincent.

Warriors starting lineup vs. Lakers

The Warriors will have a star-studded lineup to start the preseason with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green expected to play. Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski will round out the starting lineup for Golden State.

Lakers star players ruled out

Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart are among the players ruled out for tonight’s game. While LeBron did not play, he was at the game and on the bench.

LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces’ bench won Game 1 of the WNBA Finals over the Phoenix Mercury, but a big performance from the Aces’ Big 3 secured a Game 2 win. 

The No. 2 seed Aces routed the No. 4 seed Mercury 91-78 on Sunday, Oct. 5, to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series as the WNBA Finals now shifts to Phoenix for Game 3 on Wednesday. 

The Aces are now two wins away from their third WNBA title in four years. 

Las Vegas’ superstar trio of A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray were borderline unstoppable on Sunday. Wilson (28 points, 14 rebounds), Young (32 points, eight rebounds) and Gray (10 points and 10 assists) combined for 70 of the Aces’ 91 points. Gray is the fifth player in WNBA Finals history to record back-to-back games with 10 or more assists.

Adding injury to insult, Mercury forward Satou Sabally went down with 3:57 remaining in the fourth quarter after apparently tweaking her right ankle when she was fouled by Wilson.

Here are highlights and a full recap from Game 2 on Sunday:

End of Q3: Aces 76, Mercury 61

While the second quarter belonged to Aces center A’ja Wilson, the third quarter belonged to guard Jackie Young, who scored 21 of her 30 points in the period to extend the Aces’ lead to 15 points. 

Wilson already has a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Chelsea Gray is on double-double watch with 10 points and nine assists. 

Kahleah Cooper has a team-high 21 points for the Mercury, while Alyssa Thomas has added 10 points, six points and four assists. It’s worth noting that Thomas picked up her fourth foul with 7:19 remaining in the third quarter. Satou Sabally has 12 points and five rebounds. 

Halftime: Aces 46, Mercury 37

Back and forth we go. The first half of Game 2 of the WNBA Finals featured five lead changes and four ties, but the Aces outscored the Mercury 22-10 in the second quarter to create some separation and take a nine-point lead into halftime, the largest by either team so far.

The second quarter belonged to Aces center A’ja Wilson, who scored 13 of her 20 points in the frame, adding eight rebounds (three offensive) and one assist to her stat line. Chelsea Young contributed nine points, seven assists and three steals, while Jackie Young is up to nine points and four rebounds. 

Each of the Mercury’s starters has scored so far, led by 15 points from Kahleah Copper. Alyssa Thomas has eight points and five rebounds, but found herself in foul trouble with three. The Mercury were outrebounded 14-6 in the second quarter and are shooting a dismal 3-of-15 from beyond the 3-point line.

End of Q1: Mercury 27, Aces 24

The Mercury led by as many as eight points in the first quarter, but the Aces went on a 10-0 run to take their first lead of the game with 3:17 remaining in the quarter. There were four ties and four lead changes in the first quarter alone.

Phoenix has a three-point advantage heading into the second quarter.

Kahleah Copper leads the Mercury with 11 points and two rebounds. Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and Monique Akoa Makani each added four points. 

A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young each have seven points for the Aces. 

The Mercury are controlling the boards early on, with 11 rebounds (five offensive), compared to eight (2 offensive) for the Aces. The Mercury also have a slight edge over the Aces in the paint, 12-8.

What time is Mercury vs. Aces Game 2?

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals between the No. 2 seed Las Vegas Aces and No. 4 seed Phoenix Mercury is scheduled to tip off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

How to watch Mercury vs. Aces in WNBA Finals: TV, streaming for Game 2

Date: Sunday, Oct. 5
Time: 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT)
Location: Michelob Ultra Arena (Las Vegas)
TV: ABC
Stream: Fubo, ESPN Unlimited

Stream Aces-Mercury series on Fubo (free trial)

Game 2 tips off; Mercury take early lead

Game 2 of the WNBA Finals is underway at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

Mercury guard Kahleah Copper opened Game 2 of the WNBA Finals with a 3-pointer to get the Mercury on the board first and Phoenix quickly jumped to a 12-5 lead, but the Aces went on a 7-4 run to come within four points with 4:45 remaining in the first quarter. 

Copper dropped 19 points in the first half of Game 1 and is already up to six points for the Mercury. Chelsea Gray has five points for the Aces, while A’ja Wilson has four points.

WNBA starting lineups

Las Vegas Aces starting lineup

Head coach: Becky Hammon

0 Jackie Young | G 6′ 0′ – Notre Dame
1 Kierstan Bell | F 6′ 1′ – Florida Gulf Coast
3 NaLyssa Smith | F 6′ 4′ – Baylor
12 Chelsea Gray | G 5′ 11′ – Duke
22 A’ja Wilson | C 6′ 5′ – South Carolina

Phoenix Mercury starting lineup

Head coach: Nate Tibbetts

0 Satou Sabally | F 6′ 4′ – Oregon
2 Kahleah Copper | G 6′ 1′ – Rutgers
4 Natasha Mack | C 6′ 4′ – Oklahoma State
8 Monique Akoa Makani | G 5′ 11′ – Cameroon
25 Alyssa Thomas | F 6′ 2′ – Maryland

2025 WNBA Finals schedule

How many games in the WNBA Finals?

The league expanded the 2025 WNBA Finals from a best-of-five series to best-of-seven as the popularity and appetite for women’s basketball continues to skyrocket. ‘The incredible demand for WNBA basketball makes this the ideal time,’ WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said at the announcement in 2024.

‘It’s exciting to be part of the first one,’ Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas said on Thursday. ‘We talk about how a best-of-five is a tough series. … We don’t know what a best-of-seven brings, but nothing changes. We still approach it the same way.’

Las Vegas Aces roster

WNBA MVP: A’ja Wilson wins for record fourth time

A’ja Wilson was named the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season. She is the first four-time MVP, besting three-time winners Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson. 

Wilson received 51 of 72 first-place votes and 21 second-place votes (657 points) from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The Las Vegas Aces center won the award over finalists Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (534),  Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (391), Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (180) and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (93).

Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson stats

Wilson averaged a league-leading 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists (ties her career-high), a league-leading 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals in 40 games this season. Wilson averaged 29.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the Aces’ first-round playoff series against the Seattle Storm, including a 38-point performance in Game 3, tying her playoff career high. Wilson averaged 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals in the Aces’ five-game semifinal series against the Indiana Fever, including a 35-point performance in the Aces’ decisive Game 5 overtime win.

Phoenix Mercury roster

Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally stats

Sabally averaged 16.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in 39 games this season, shooting 40.5% from the field and 32.1% from the 3-point line.

WNBA Finals Game 1:  Winners, losers include Aces bench and Mercury meltdown

LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces rallied in the fourth quarter to pull off an 89-86 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Friday at Michelob Ultra Arena.

Dana Evans scored 21 points including five 3-pointers and Jewell Loyd 18 points off the bench to spark the Aces. MVP A’ja Wilson added 21 points and 10 rebounds.

‘It was just a really great time for our bench to come up and have a big game,’ Aces coach Becky Hammon said. ‘I think you saw a little fatigue. That’s what makes us a difficult team because we do have potential for someone else to come up and get 20. Read USA TODAY Sports’ full list of winners and losers here.

WNBA champions by year

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