Lionel Messi is approaching a hat trick with Inter Miami on the road against the New England Revolution on Wednesday, July 9.

Messi has already scored two goals (27′ and 38′) to fuel a 2-0 lead for Inter Miami, as play resumes in the second game.

Messi has already made MLS history during this match: He became the first player to score multiple goals in four consecutive league matches. He scored two goals in each of his last four matches, including this New England match.

Stay tuned here for live updates from the New England vs. Inter Miami match:

Inter Miami 2, New England 0: Messi scores second goal (38’)

Two goals in 11 minutes for Lionel Messi, who finished a stellar pass from Sergio Busquets with a stellar goal.

Messi has four braces (scored twice) in each of his last four MLS games.

Inter Miami 1, New England 0: Lionel Messi scores goal (27′)

Lionel Messi pounced on a poor clearance by New England, finding the back of the net with a goal in the 27th minute.

How to watch New England Revolution vs. Inter Miami match live stream?

The match will be available to live stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

When is the New England Revolution vs. Inter Miami match?

The match begins at 7:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Argentina).

Is Messi playing tonight?

Yes, Messi is in the Inter Miami announces its starting lineup.

“In Leo’s case, if Leo is fine and doesn’t have any problems, obviously my idea is always to let him play, because we know that if there’s anyone who knows how to manage himself on the pitch and knows his body, it’s him,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said a day before the New England match.

New England Revolution vs. Inter Miami betting odds

Here are the betting odds, according to BETMGM.

New England Revolution: +185
Draw: +280
Inter Miami: +115
Over/under: 3.5 goals

Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule in July

July 9: New England vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
July 12: Inter Miami vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m. ET
July 16: FC Cincinnati vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
July 19: New York Red Bulls vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
July 26: Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati, 7 p.m. ET
July 30: Inter Miami vs. Atlas, 7:30 p.m. ET (Leagues Cup)

Will Messi leave MLS? Breaking down rumors surrounding soccer’s GOAT

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are in continued negotiations to keep the Argentine World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner in Miami, according to a person familiar with the talks.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity due to the ongoing nature of contract negotiations.

Livvy Dunne is going through the same pain so many New York City apartment hunters have experienced, as the social media sensation says her bid to buy an apartment that was once owned by Babe Ruth was rejected by the building’s co-op board.

The former LSU gymnast took to TikTok to discuss how she fell for a three-bedroom Upper West Side apartment that the New York Yankees legend lived in for several years. Per Fox Business, the apartment sold for $1.58 million in 2016 and went back on the market in March.

However, as she explained in a post on Tuesday, her best-laid plans didn’t quite work out.

‘Guys, I’m so upset,’ started Dunne, setting up how she had decided to make her first foray into property ownership after finding an apartment in Manhattan.

‘The gag was, it was Babe Ruth’s apartment,’ said Dunne. ‘I was going to buy it, and I was going to pay with cash. Like, I wanted this apartment bad… It was just iconic. Like, it was so cool that it was Babe Ruth’s apartment!’

Dunne began preparing for the move, hiring an interior designer and showing the place to her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes. However, while Dunne’s confidence that she was going to be living it up in Ruth’s former residence, the building’s co-op board had other ideas.

‘The week that I’m supposed to get my keys to my brand new apartment, I get a call: the co-op board denied me,’ explained Dunne. ‘So pretty much, the people in the building voted to not have me live there.’

Dunne shrugged off the rejection, joking that perhaps the board was comprised entirely of Alabama fans before speculating that ‘maybe they didn’t want a public figure living there.’

For Dunne, the apartment hunt continues, but the 22-year-old says she’s taking one lesson from the incident.

‘Long story short, don’t try to live in a co-op. You might get denied, and you won’t get Babe Ruth’s apartment.’

Livvy Dunne: Babe Ruth apartment purchase denied by co-op board

Former U.S. Olympic wrestler and UFC fighter Ben Askren shared an emotional update Wednesday, for the first time since undergoing double lung transplant surgery.

Askren developed pneumonia, followed by a staph infection, and has been hospitalized in Wisconsin.

He said in an Instagram video that he remembers very little of what happened between May 28 and July 2. Askren said he was brought up to speed on everything the family had experienced after reading a journal kept by his wife, Amy.

“No recollection, zero idea, no idea what happened,’ Askren said in the video. “We’ll kind of go through it all. I just read through my wife’s journal. It’s like a movie. It’s ridiculous. I only died four times, where the ticker stopped for about 20 seconds.”

Askren said he had also lost 50 pounds in 45 days. He currently weighs 147 and has started to regain his strength. He also thanked everyone for all the support.

‘The thing that was most impeccable to me was all the love I felt from everybody,’ Askren said. ‘It was almost like I got to have my own funeral. … The outpouring of love from the wrestling community was just amazing. It felt so good.”

Who is Ben Askren?

Askren started his MMA career in 2009 and had his last fight in 2019. His MMA record is 19-2 with six wins coming by knockout and six by submission. The other seven victories were by decision.

He’s won welterweight titles in the Bellator and ONE Championship promotions during his career.

Before he began his MMA career, Askren won two NCAA Division I national championships and three Big 12 Conference championships while attending the University of Missouri.

Askren won back-to-back Dan Hodge Trophies in 2006 and 2007. The honor is the wrestling equivalent of college football’s Heisman Trophy. He became the second wrestler to win the trophy twice.

He competed as a member of the United States’ wrestling team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He defeated István Veréb of Hungary in the first round by pinfall before losing to Cuba’s Iván Fundora on points in the tournament’s quarterfinals.

In April 2021, Askren was knocked out during a boxing match with Jake Paul. The event was held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

What’s next for Ben Askren?

Askren plans on being involved in the fight community again.

“I’m more motivated than ever to get back and do what I can to help out the best I can,” Askren said. “I love you guys. I appreciate you guys. This has been tough, not only for me, but for my whole family and close community as well. 

“… Hope you guys appreciate the update. Like I said, somewhere down the road, maybe Amy and I can detail everything a little more.’

NBA teams now know which opponents they will face in the 2025 NBA Cup.

The league announced the results of the group stage draw on Wednesday, July 9, setting three groups per conference, with five teams in each group. The drawing was made at random, based on win-loss record.

Formerly known as the in-season tournament, the NBA Cup will begin Friday, Oct. 31, 10 days after the start of the 2025-26 regular season.

The NBA made the announcement in a video with former NBA player and Amazon analyst Blake Griffin and Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren; Amazon Prime will air 66 games next season, including all from the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.

Here’s everything you need to know about the NBA Cup’s group stage.

NBA Cup groups

East A

Atlanta Hawks
Cleveland Cavaliers
Indiana Pacers
Toronto Raptors
Washington Wizards

East B

Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
Detroit Pistons
Orlando Magic
Philadelphia 76ers

East C

Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Miami Heat
New York Knicks
Milwaukee Bucks (defending NBA Cup champions)

West A

Minnesota Timberwolves
Oklahoma City Thunder
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings
Utah Jazz

West B

Dallas Mavericks
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Pelicans

West C

Denver Nuggets
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Portland Trail Blazers
San Antonio Spurs

How does the group stage in the NBA Cup work?

Group stage games will take place on designated NBA Cup nights from Oct. 31 through Nov. 28.

Each squad will play one game against each of the opponents in its group. The six group stage winners will advance, as will a wild card team from each conference; wild card teams are set based on winning percentage and certain tiebreakers.

From there, the teams will play in single-elimination knockout rounds.

The semifinals and finals will take place Saturday, Dec. 13 and Tuesday, Dec. 16, in Las Vegas.

Easiest group in the NBA Cup

It’s between West A and East A, but because West A has both teams that made conference final appearances, the nod goes to East A.

The Cavaliers are a formidable threat for an NBA title after winning 64 games last season, best in the conference. The Hawks are much improved after a stellar offseason, though they are still largely unproven.

The Wizards are in a full rebuild. The Raptors could surprise with full health, but are still likely a few pieces away from contention. The Pacers will be without star guard Tyrese Haliburton and former center Myles Turner, who signed with the Bucks.

Hardest group in the NBA Cup

West C is stacked.

The Nuggets, Warriors and Rockets were each playoff teams, but Houston retooled and added Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade as it gears up for championship contention. Denver also improved with its trade for Cameron Johnson, while the Warriors are going to try to make another run at a title with a full season of Jimmy Butler in the Bay Area.

The San Antonio Spurs won just 34 games last season, but they faced injury issues and are a potential breakout team, with Victor Wembanyama entering his third season. The Trail Blazers are the weakest team in the group, though they improved as the 2024-25 regular season progressed.

Past NBA Cup champions

2024: Milwaukee Bucks2023: Los Angeles Lakers

Former NBA player Ben McLemore has been sentenced to 100 months (eight years, four months) in Oregon state prison after being found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman at a house party in Lake Oswego on Oct. 3, 2021.

The ruling from the jury came on Thursday, July 3 after an 11-day trial. Sentencing was Wednesday, July 9.

McLemore, 32, was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and second-degree sexual abuse. McLemore had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

What brought the charges?

Prosecutors say the assault occurred at Robert Covington’s Lake Oswego house in October 2021. Covington and McLemore were teammates on the Portland Trail Blazers at the time.

Did Ben McLemore make a statement after the sentencing?

He did not.

McLemore’s attorney told ESPN: ‘We hope the Oregon Legislature will adopt a ‘second look’ process that would evaluate whether he should serve the entire 100 month sentence or whether, beyond the short alcohol-influenced encounter that led to this conviction, he is a considerate and humble person who has lived an honorable, community-focused life.’

What did the victim say?

“This has been the longest almost four years of my life. I never imagined that reporting this back in 2021 would lead to such an incredibly difficult and long journey,” she said in a press release. “These last few years have often felt like a weight that I’ve had to drag behind me, a constant reminder of the trauma that I haven’t been able to fully work through because there was no ending in sight.

“At the time of the assault, I had no idea who Mr. McLemore was. When I found out … I questioned whether I should really move forward and report what had happened, especially given his status.

“I came forward to hold him accountable for the harm he caused, to ensure that what happened to me never happens to anyone else.

“No one is above the law, no matter who they are or what position they hold.’

Who is Ben McLemore?

McLemore last played in the NBA in 2022. He was drafted seventh overall in 2013 and played for five teams over nine seasons. Most recently, he played professional basketball internationally in China and Europe.

This story has been updated with new information.

If you have a spare $223 lying around, you might be able get in the building for Cooper Flagg’s summer league debut against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers — but you’ll have to move quickly.

According to ticket marketplace Vivid Seats, that’s the average price for the Thursday night’s Dallas Mavericks-Los Angeles Lakers summer league game in Las Vegas, as of Wednesday afternoon. It’s a hefty price for an exhibition and the most expensive summer league ticket in two years.

It trails the average cost ($297) of the summer league debut of Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama which took place Friday, July 7, 2023.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the cheapest get-in ticket, including fees, is listed at $66.89 for general admission. The most expensive ticket is $3,072.30 for a courtside deck seat below one of the baskets. There’s another ticket in the same section for $2,373.72.

According to Vivid Seats, there are fewer than 1% of tickets left.

Flagg, the No. 1 overall selection in the NBA draft, will be making his NBA debut, while James is expected to play in his third summer league game, after he played a pair of California Classic contests over the past week.

Summer league tickets are sold by the day, as opposed to an individual game, meaning that a ticket provides access to other games taking place.

Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. ET at the Thomas & Mack Center.

If the price is a little too steep, and if you don’t happen to be in Vegas, you could always catch it for much cheaper on your couch: ESPN will broadcast the game.

FRISCO, Texas − Colorado football coach Deion Sanders is finally back, looking svelte in a gray suit and acting just as flamboyant as ever.

He returned to the spotlight for the first time since April, but declined to reveal the health issue that kept him away.

“God is good,” Sanders said after taking the main stage here Wednesday, July 9 at the annual Big 12 Conference preseason media days event at The Star north of Dallas.

He was accompanied to the event by longtime friend Michael Irvin, the former Dallas Cowboys receiver. Sanders deflected when asked about his health.

“I’m not here to talk about my health,” Sanders said. “I’m here to talk about my team.”

He said fellow Big 12 coaches had been checking in on him and praised them but said he wanted to beat all of them. He also made a plea of sorts. He wants to add some coaches to his staff: former NFL quarterback Byron Leftwich and former NFL head coach Mike Zimmer. But he indicated they haven’t been hired yet. Sanders said he’s “praying” they are hired and added to his staff.

He also expressed gratitude in general.

‘First of all, I trust God with all my mind, all my soul and with everything I have, ‘Sanders said. ‘I never waver. I never say, `Why me?’ regardless of what’s ahead of me or what I see. Like Lord, just use me. If you could use anything, you could use me. So I’m truly thankful. I’m truly a go-getter. I want to win at all costs. I want to win the right way. I want to set the right standards, and I want to prepare these young men for life, not just football.’

What happened with Deion Sanders this summer?

Sanders, 57, has been away from his day job since April as he tried to recuperate at his estate in Canton, Texas, about 80 miles away from where Big 12 media days are being held this week north of Dallas. He didn’t miss much on campus, since it’s usually a low-key time of year for college football coaches. But he did miss CU’s annual youth and high school football camps in June, even though operating such camps is listed as one of the official duties in his employment contract. He also cancelled a public speaking appearance in Florida June 8 and was unable to attend the wedding of his former player, Travis Hunter, on May 24.

He instead made occasional appearances on social media but never revealed the specific nature of his health issue, instead saying he was OK and would provide an update at a later date.

Asked what an average day on his ranch in Texas looked like, Sanders responded, ‘Average day, I’m looking good. I’m living lovely. God has truly blessed me. Not a care in the world, not a want or desire in the world.’

He has a history of blood clots in his legs, which previously led to the amputation of two of his toes. In 2023, he also canceled his appearance at a Pac-12 Conference preseason media event because of another blood-clot surgery. But it’s not clear if that’s related to his recent health situation.

Unlike other Big 12 coaches, Sanders left the event Wednesday without attending another group interview that was scheduled for him in the afternoon.

FOLLOW ALONG: Live updates from Big 12 media days

What did Deion Sanders say about his team this year?

This time he dealt with health concerns without his two youngest sons at his side – quarterback Shedeur and safety Shilo. His eldest son Deion Jr. stayed with him, but the other two brothers are now pursuing NFL careers in Cleveland and Tampa after playing for him the previous two seasons at Colorado.

What kind of coach will Sanders be without those sons and Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner last year?

That’s a big question this season in Year 3 under Sanders in Boulder.

“We want to win,” Sanders said.  “We want to win at all costs.”

Two quarterbacks appear poised to replace Shedeur Sanders at quarterback: freshman Julian Lewis or Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter. Both came with Sanders to the Big 12 event along with offensive lineman Jordan Seaton, defensive back DJ McKinney and kicker Alejandro Mata.

Sanders told a story about how Seaton called him recently to ask about where to get his hair braided in the Dallas area.

‘The moral of the story is I’m happy that my players can call me about getting their hair braided,’ Sanders said.

Colorado opens the season at home against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29. The Buffaloes finished 9-4 last year after posting a 4-8 record in Sanders’ first season in Boulder in 2023.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a civil lawsuit against the California Department of Education, alleging that the state is violating anti-discrimination laws by allowing transgender athletes to compete in school sports.

The complaint, filed July 9 in federal court in Los Angeles, alleges that California’s current policies ‘eviscerate equal athletic opportunities for girls’ by forcing them to ‘compete against boys’ in state athletic events. 

A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state is following a 2013 law and that no court has accepted the legal theory cited by the Trump administration in the suit.

In May, President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funds to the state if it did not comply with an executive order he signed Feb. 5. The California Interscholastic Federation sought to strike a compromise at the state high school track and field championships by enacting a rule change that allowed athletes assigned female at birth to receive medals based on where they would have finished if a transgender athlete had not competed.

That resulted in the awarding of two titles in the girls’ high jump and long jump — events in which transgender athlete AB Hernandez finished first.

The Trump administration filed a similar lawsuit in May against the state of Maine, alleging similar Title IX violations.

More than half the states have passed laws preventing transgender athletes from competing on female school sports teams, saying they are trying to prevent competitive advantages. However, the laws don’t take into account someone’s athletic ability or how far they are in transitioning to another gender.

Last week, the University of Pennsylvania agreed to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports and strip the record of former swimmer Lia Thomas as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will weigh in on the issue. The court plans to review Idaho’s and West Virginia’s bans on transgender athletes joining female sports teams this fall, with a ruling likely coming next year.