The Indiana Pacers are hosting the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday, and many stars are in attendance, including WNBA player Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever.

The Fever guard was in the crowd to witness what she has described as the ‘greatest comeback team’ she has seen. Her admiration for the Pacers’ relentless spirit was evident as they rallied four times to come back and win in this year’s playoffs.

Clark has expressed how it feels to be in Indianapolis as a WNBA player and during the Pacers’ NBA playoff run, saying it is fun to be a part of it.

‘It’s great being in Indianapolis right now,’ Clark told ESPN. ‘People are loving basketball. It’s always been a basketball state. It’s just fun to be a part of.’

Clark was seated alongside teammates Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull.

When do Caitlin Clark and the Fever play next?

The Fever will host the Washington Mystics on Tuesday, June 3, at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on NBA TV, WNBA League Pass, MeTV (Indianapolis), Monumental Sports Network (Washington)

Indiana lost to the Connecticut Sun on Friday in Indianapolis. Clark did not play due to a left quad strain.

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The Eastern Conference finals shifted back to Indianapolis for Game 6 on Saturday after the New York Knicks staved off elimination and defeated the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 at home. However, the Knicks were unable to avoid elimination in Game 6, despite the many famous faces in the crowd attempting to will New York to a Game 7.

The Pacers defeated the Knicks, 125-108, in Game 6 to clinch the Eastern Conference finals series, 4-2. Indiana advances to its first NBA Finals since 2000, and will face the Oklahoma City Thunder for the league championship.

A contingent of Knicks superfans also made the journey from New York to Indiana for Game 4, when the Pacers took a 3-1 series lead over the New York on Tuesday. To add insult to injury, Knicks fans Timothée Chalamet, Spike Lee and Ben Stiller received a less than warm welcome at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. ESPN personality and former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee gave the trio an expletive-filled lashing and encouraged Indiana fans to boo the stars. Hall of Fame singer-songwriter John Mellencamp was not a fan. (More on that below).

Did Lee, Stiller and Chalamet travel to Indiana again? Did Caitlin Clark show up at Gainbridge Fieldhouse? We got you covered. USA TODAY Sports tracked all the celebrities at Game 6 in Indianapolis:

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Celebrities at Pacers game tonight

Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals brought out a variety of celebrities, ranging from former Knicks and Pacers players (Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier and Jalen Rose) to comedians (Mike Epps), actors (Timothée Chalamet) and world-class athletes (Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, Anthony Richardson and Reggie Wayne).

Caitlin Clark celebrates Haliburton 3

Tyrese Haliburton took a page out of Caitlin Clark’s playbook. As the Pacers led 36-33 with 7:48 remaining in the first half, a wide-open Haliburton pulled up from beyond the arc without hesitation and nailed a 28-foot three pointer to take a six-point lead over the Knicks. No one was more excited than Clark, who pulled out Jalen Brunson’s signature three-point celebration in response to the stellar play.

‘Supporting the squad’: Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston courtside

Indiana Fever teammates Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Lexie Hull are in the building. Fresh off the Fever’s 95-93 loss to the Connecticut Sun on Friday, Clark, Boston and Hull returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to cheer on their NBA counterparts for Game 6. The Fever are simply returning the favor. Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers attended the Fever’s opening night win over the Chicago Sky on May 17. The Fever are home for the weekend ahead of Tuesday’s matchup against the Washington Mystics. Clark is nursing a left quad strain and will not play on Tuesday as she’s expected to be sidelined for at least two weeks.

Timothée Chalamet returns to Indiana with Kylie Jenner

Chalamet is not going to let a little heckling from Pat McAfee chase him away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The longtime Knicks fan returned to Indianapolis on Saturday and the Oscar nominated actor was accompanied by girlfriend Kylie Jenner for Game 6. The A-list couple have attended several NBA playoff games together this year, including Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday and Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Knicks and Boston Celtics.

Reggie Miller gets standing ovation

The Pacers fans gave Hall of Famer Reggie Miller his flowers during Game 6. The Pacers legend, who serves as the TV analyst for TNT’s broadcast, got a standing ovation during a break from game play. The five-time NBA All-Star played his entire 18 year career in Indiana and led the Pacers to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals and the 2000 NBA Finals.

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson in the house

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is enjoying the NFL offseason. He was shown on the arena’s Jumbotron proudly repping a Haliburton jersey and helped hype up the crowd during a timeout. Richardson was drafted out of Florida by Indianapolis with the fourth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. He completed 126 of 264 passes for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 11 games (all starts) last season.

Pat McAfee wears ‘overrate that’ shirt for Game 6

ESPN personality and former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee is back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to cheer on his home team. McAfee opted for a suite for Game 6, compared to his courtside appearance that ruffled some feathers in Game 4. McAfee donned a t-shirt that read, ‘Overrate that,’ referring to Tyrese Haliburton being voted the most overrated player in the league in an anonymous player poll by The Athletic last month.

McAfee is not the only former Colts player in the building. Super Bowl champion Reggie Wayne, who played for the Colts from 2001–2014, posed for a photo at halftime with Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose.

Jalen Rose gets round of applause from Pacers fans

Jalen Rose got a warm welcome at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Rose played for the Pacers from 1996–2002 and led Indiana to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals and the 2000 NBA Finals alongside Reggie Miller.

Comedian Mike Epps spotted

Comedian Mike Epps is repping for the Pacers courtside. Epps was born and raised in Indianapolis.

What time is Pacers vs. Knicks today?

The Indiana Pacers will host the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

How to watch Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks

Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
TV: TNT, truTV
Stream: Sling TV, Max

Watch Knicks vs. Pacers Game 6 on Sling

John Mellencamp not happy with Pat McAfee

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer-songwriter and Indiana native John Mellencamp was not a fan of McAfee’s rant.

“I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don’t know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team,’ Mellencamp wrote on X (formerly Twitter). ‘The audience booed these people. I’d say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it’s poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I’ve lived here my entire life.’

Knicks legend Clyde Fraizer in the building

The champ is here. Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier, who led the Knicks to two titles in 1970 and 1973, the franchise’s only NBA titles to date, is in attendance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The 80-year-old Hall of Famer serves as the Knicks’ television analyst on MSG Networks, alongside Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Mike Breen.

“I’ve been relishing and living vicariously through these guys,’ Fraizer said ahead of the game.

What celebrities attended Knicks-Pacers Game 5?

Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals brought out a variety of celebrities to Madison Square Garden, ranging from Knicks legends (Patrick Ewing, Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier and Bill Bradley) to comedians (Tracy Morgan), actors (Timothée Chalamet, Susie Essman, Ben Stiller, Mariska Hargitay and Spike Lee), musicians (Shaboozey, Idina Menzel and Joey Badass) and world-class athletes (Michael Strahan, Kevin Love and Henrik Lundqvist).

Check out the full star-studded Game 5 lineup here.

Obi Toppin gets assist from young fan

Obi Toppin is getting loose ahead of Game 6. He did so with an assist from a young fan.

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LOS ANGELES — While the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are embracing the euphoria of their World reunion at Dodger Stadium, limping out of the Dodgers’ clubhouse wearing socks and sandals was one of the game’s biggest stars not named Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge.

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts — the MVP, eight-time All-Star, six-time Gold Glove winner and three-time World Series champion — will be missing all of the festivities, thanks to a freak injury.

Betts was at home in Los Angeles on Wednesday night after the Dodgers returned home from Cleveland, and sometime during the night while walking in his bathroom, he badly stubbed the fourth toe on his left foot when he bumped into a piece of furniture.

The toe turned out to be broken.

The Dodgers don’t anticipate that Betts will need to go on the injured list, but ruled him out for the Dodgers’ weekend series against the Yankees. They hope he can return to the lineup Tuesday when they finish their homestand with a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians followed by the Boston Red Sox, Betts’ former team.

“It’s a fracture at the tip of the toe,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “so it’s basically kind of what he can tolerate. And the last couple of days, it’s been hard for him to even put on a shoe.

“But I still don’t believe it’s going to be an IL stint. I think day-to-day is fair right now.’’

The Dodgers started Miguel Rojas and Hyeseong Kim in his place the first two games of the series, and when Betts returns, they don’t believe he can make the injury worse by playing on it.

Betts, 32, has gotten off to a slow start in 2025, hitting .254 with a .743 OPS and eight homers, but the Dodgers have been pleased with his defense and plans to keep him at shortstop the rest of the season.

Shohei Ohtani making progress toward pitching return

Meanwhile, on the pitching front where the Dodgers have 14 pitchers on the injured list, they are encouraged by the progress made by Ohtani. Before Saturday’s game, he pitched to hitters for the second time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023.

Ohtani, facing minor-league hitters and rookie catcher Dalton Rushing, threw 29 pitches over two innings, and had no setbacks. His control wasn’t as sharp as last week, but everything is on track for Ohtani to pitch again in late July or early August.

He will continue to DH for the Dodgers, where he has hit a major-league leading 22 homers, and won’t make any minor-league rehab starts. He instead will continue to build his arm strength simply through simulated games, and won’t be ready for major-league action until he reaches at least six innings.

“I think the thing that’s most impressive is his ability to compartmentalize,’ Roberts said. ‘I mean, he’s essentially doing the work of two players. And to still go out there and perform on the offensive side, it’s pretty remarkable.”

Follow Bob Nightengale on X @BNightengale.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — It’s been two weeks since Lionel Messi vowed Inter Miami would ‘be a real team, and get through’ their most difficult stretch together since he joined the Major League Soccer club.

Five goals and three matches later, Messi has helped Inter Miami turn the tide on its season just before participating in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Messi scored two goals and delivered assists to Luis Suarez, Tadeo Allende and Fafa Picault as Inter Miami beat Columbus Crew, 5-1, on Saturday night at Chase Stadium in their final match before they play in the tournament in June.

Messi scored a brace for his second straight game, helping Inter Miami win consecutive matches for the first time since it won seven straight matches from Feb. 25 to March 29 earlier this season. With the victories, Inter Miami moved into a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference.

Inter Miami will play in the FIFA Club World Cup opener against Egyptian side Al Ahly on June 14 at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, the first of three group stage matches in the tournament with 32 of the best soccer clubs in the world.

Before then, he will re-join the Argentine national team for World Cup qualifiers against Chile on June 5 and Colombia on June 10.

Inter Miami is surely content about being back on track before Messi’s quick trip with the national team before the Club World Cup.

“Winning in this way gives us confidence. It shows us that if we are brave, if we are calm, if we dare to play, we can play like any team, especially in the MLS,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said.

“The Club World Cup is another story. The opponents are clearly on another level, so it’s realistic to say that. Even Al Ahly, who everyone thinks is a minor opponent. I can tell you that they are not a minor opponent — far from it. But we’re going to compete, to try to be ourselves. And that’s what it’s all about.’

On May 18, Messi stood on Inter Miami’s pitch, following a 3-0 loss to Orlando City on ‘Sunday Night Soccer,’ insisting the club would improve. Inter Miami had won just once in seven matches, were trounced by Vancouver in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup tournament, and fell to sixth place in the standings after being outscored 20-12 during the stretch.  

“It’s a difficult time, but we’re going to come through this together,” Messi said then. “Now we’ll really see if we’re a team in difficult times because when everything is going well, it’s very easy. But when difficult times come, like now, that’s when we have to be more united than ever, be a real team and get through it.”

Inter Miami has two wins and a draw in their last three matches. They’ve outscored their opponents 12-6 during the span. And Messi has scored five goals, leading the way.

It was also the second straight match Messi and Suarez have scored goals – they both had a brace on Wednesday in a 4-2 win against CF Montreal.

Messi scored in the 15th and 24th minutes of the match, giving Inter Miami a 3-0 lead after Allende opened the scoring in the 13th minute. Suarez scored in the 64th minute, while Picault scored in the 89th minute after replacing Suarez in the lineup. Columbus’ Cesar Ruvalcaba scored following a corner kick in the 58th minute.

Messi has 49 career goals with Inter Miami in 59 matches across all competitions since joining the club in July 2023. The Argentine World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was already Inter Miami’s franchise leader in goals, but passed fellow Argentine Gonzalo Higuaín for most goals scored in MLS games on Saturday against Columbus.

As Inter Miami turns its attention to the Club World Cup, getting healthy is the highest priority for the club. On Saturday against the Crew, Inter Miami played without star leftback Jordi Alba (hamstring), defender Gonzalo Lugan (hamstring), midfielder Yannick Bright (hamstring), while defender Toto Aviles was available as a substitute despite an ankle injury. Starting goalie Oscar Ustari also was pulled from the Columbus match to avoid injury, Mascherano said.

Mascherano said his players have realized having a positive reaction to their miscues instead of worrying about the mistakes they make can play a difference in their performance. “I think in these last few games the guys have understood that, they’ve taken a weight off their shoulders, but we have to keep going,” Mascherano said.

Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew highlights

Fafa Picault scores goal: Inter Miami 5, Columbus 1

Luis Suarez scores goal: Inter Miami 4, Columbus 1

Inter Miami has this game secured, but it isn’t stopping them from attacking. Luis Suarez has scored in the 64th minute, on an assist from Telasco Segovia. Messi had the second assist on the goal – marking two goals and two assists in the Columbus match.

Cesar Ruvalcaba goal: Inter Miami 3, Columbus 1

Columbus’ Cesar Ruvalcaba has scored following a corner kick in the 58th minute. Inter Miami is still in search of its first shutout since April 19, when they kept Columbus scoreless.

Lionel Messi scores second goal: Inter Miami 3, Columbus 0

Messi ran past the Columbus defenders with a head of steam, and scored his second goal of the match in the 24th minute. Messi took a pass from his former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets, and lofted it over Columbus goalie Nicholas Hagen for his second brace in as many matches.

Lionel Messi scores goal: Inter Miami 2, Columbus 0

Lionel Messi is on the board as well, intercepting a pass from Columbus goalie Nicholas Hagen, and striking his legendary left boot from outside the box past Hagen for the goal in the 15th minute.

Tadeo Allende scores goal: Inter Miami 1, Columbus 0

Inter Miami is on the board early after Tadeo Allende’s score in the 13th minute on an assist by Lionel Messi. The play was created after Sergio Busquets was fouled from behind around midfield, setting up a free kick into play by Messi, and Allende sent it home.

Tadeo Allende nearly scores goal: Inter Miami 0, Columbus 0

Inter Miami nearly took an early 1-0 lead, but Tadeo Allende didn’t have enough juice on his kick to get into the net. It was saved by Columbus Crew defender Malte Amundsen in the fourth minute. Allende was also ruled offside after the sequence.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew match?

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

Is Messi playing tonight?

Yes, Inter Miami has announced Messi as a starter for the Columbus match. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs:

When is the Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew match?

The match begins Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Argentina) inside Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew prediction

Inter Miami 2, Columbus 2: This match has the makings of a draw based on how both teams have struggled to score and defend during their recent stretches. It may come down to Messi needing to score a late goal to help Inter Miami salvage a draw. – Safid Deen

Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew betting odds

Inter Miami is the favorite to win at home (+105), while Columbus Crew is an underdog on the road (+195), and a draw has longer odds (+290) than an outright victory. The over/under is set at 3.5 goals, according to BETMGM.

Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew recent history

Inter Miami has won three of its last four matches against Columbus Crew.

April 19, 2025: Benjamin Cremaschi scored the only goal in Inter Miami’s 1-0 victory in Cleveland.
Oct. 2, 2024: Messi scored two goals, and Luis Suarez added another as Inter Miami beat host Columbus 3-2 to clinch the MLS Supporters’ Shield title.
Aug. 13, 2024: Columbus stormed back from a 2-0 deficit at home to beat Inter Miami 3-2 in the Leagues Cup Round of 16. Messi did not play in the match due to his Copa America ankle injury.
June 19, 2024: Inter Miami beat Columbus 2-1 at home while Messi was playing with Argentina during Copa America.

Messi’s upcoming schedule with Argentina, Inter Miami

The match is an unofficial start to another busy summer for Messi – the Argentine World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner – in the twilight of his legendary career in the United States.

Here’s what’s next for Messi after the Columbus match:

June 5: Chile vs. Argentina, 9 p.m. ET (World Cup qualifying)
June 10: Argentina vs. Colombia, 8 p.m. ET (World Cup qualifying)
June 14: Inter Miami vs. Al Ahly, 8 p.m. ET (Club World Cup in Miami)
June 19: Inter Miami vs FC Porto, 3 p.m. ET (Club World Cup in Atlanta)
June 23: Inter Miami vs. Palmerias, 9 p.m. ET (Club World Cup in Miami)

So much for the prospective showdown between Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo.

Armando Resendiz likely derailed that with a shocking split-decision victory over Plant Saturday night in their 12-round fight for the WBA interim super middleweight title.

The judges scored it 116-112, 113-115 and 116-112 in favor of Resendiz, who entered the night as a decisive underdog.

Charlo had won earlier in the night to set up the possible showdown with Plant, who failed to do his part in the main event.

“He caught me with one overhand right that was pretty good,’’  Plant said during an in-ring interview. “But other than that, nothing really hurt me or stopped me. Disappointed, obviously.’’

Resendiz spoke in Spanish, but his beaming smile was easy enough to understand in any language. He was the new champ, albeit with an interim tag.

Highlights from Saturday’s fight card:

Armando Resendiz def. Caleb Plant by split decision

The official outcome was a split decision, but boxers’ faces told a different story. Resendiz’s face look virtually unscathed. Plant’s face looked, well, like a mess.

Resendiz, a 26-year-old from Mexico, improved to 16-2. Plant, 32, fell to 23-3.

Caleb Plant vs. Armando Resendiz, super middleweight

Round 1: Armando Resendiz opens by whipping his left jab. “Mexico, Mexico,’’ fans chant. Caleb Plant looks unperturbed. He misses with a right, but swings with it again. Plant connects with a nice left hook, then follows up with a combo. Resendiz’s activity flattening before he fires a couple of jabs. Plant answers with a jab and combo. Plant 10, Resendiz 9.

Round 2: They joust with jabs. Still waiting on some power. They’re circling at the center of the ring. Resendiz lands a couple of body shots. Plant fighting back with his jabs. Dig on into Resendiz’s body. Plant punching, but not clear what’s landing. Plant 20, Resendiz 18.

Round 3: Plant emerges aggressive behind the jab. But Resendiz isn’t backing away. Plant lands a left hook to the body and the fighters get tangled before a square-dancing move separates them. (Well, my version of square dancing, anyway.) Resendiz connects with a hard left, drawing blood from Plant. Then he tags Plant with another right. Plant drills the body of Resendiz, who nonetheless looks in control. Plant 29, Resendiz 28.

Round 4: Plant opens with a flurry, including a hard left. Resendiz looks undeterred. But he’s waiting for the moment rather than creating it. Takes another left from Plant, but it’s Plant whose face is bleeding. A nice exchange of punches toward the end of that round. Plant 39, Resendiz 37.

Round 5: Resendiz looks very poised as he stalks Plant. Plant landing punches, but Resendiz absorbs then as he moves forward and lands his own punches. Resendiz attacking the body. The left side of Plant’s body is bright red, the result of Resendiz’s pounding. Plant 48, Resendiz 47.

Round 6: Resendiz looks totally unscathed. Plant, no such luck. Resendiz exuding confidence as he fires a jab and targets the body. Plant bobbing on his feet, but not quick enough to avoid Resendiz’s body shots. Plant landing jabs as Resendiz digs in with body shots. Resendiz unloading on Plant! A brutal right hook rocked Plant! But he survives the round. Plant 57, Resendiz 57.

Round 7: They open by firing jabs, but that’s not going to last long. Resendiz smells blood. Resendiz stalking Plant, who tries to hold off Resendiz with his jab. Resendiz finds room to open up. Plant firing but the punches seem to have little effect. Resendiz 67, Plant 66.

Round 8: Resendiz connects early, and Plant looks shaky. Resendiz is warned for a second time about a potential head butt. They’re wrapping each other up, with Plant looking to minimize the damage. Resendiz shakes loose and batters Plant. Plant looks in real trouble. Resendiz 77, Plant 75.

Round 9: Resendiz is under scrutiny for use of the head. The referee has warned him three times, so we’ll see if that has any effect on his approach as the round opens. Plant connects with a body shot. Plant landed a left, and Resendiz answers with a flurry of shots. Plant looks gritty, Resendiz looks fresh. He tags Plant with a hard right. Plant firing what look like rubber bullets. Nothing slowing Resendiz, who’s on the attack. Resendiz 87, Plant 84. 

Round 10: Plant fighting on his back foot. Resendiz’s punches clearly have taken their toll. Plant lands a hard right, but Resendiz looks unshakable. Plant pot shotting, evidence that he’ll do whatever he can do avoid Resendiz’s fists. But Resendiz catches up with him and lands more body shots and array of punches. Resendiz 97, Plant 93. 

Round 11: Plant refusing to open up despite the need for something spectacular. Resendiz looks in control. Now Plant bleeding badly from the right eye. Resendiz delivers a body punch that audibly thuds against Plant’s reddened body. Plant lands a solid right late, but waaay too late to matter. Resendiz 107, Plant 102.

Round 12: Plant needs a knockout at a minimum, but it’s Resendiz who comes out the aggressor. He continues to punish Plant – to the body and the head. Blood trickling from Plant’s beaten face. Resendiz unloading heavy punches and Plant has little in response. Duck might be his best strategy. Resendiz 117, Plant 111.

Jermall Charlo def. Thomas LaManna by TKO

Charlo knocked LaManna down three times before the referee halted the super middleweight fight.

LaManna hit the canvas in the third, fourth and fifth rounds. After the fifth round, the ringside doctor examined LaManna’s battered face and recommended the fight be stopped.

The referee obliged – officially, one second into the sixth round.

“I’m back,’’ Charlo said. “I’m back.’’

The snapping jab. The powerful right. Combination.

Charlo hit LaManna with it all and he looked as formidable as ever.

Charlo, 35, improved to 34-0 and indicated he would welcome a fight with Caleb Plant. LaManna, 33, fell to 39-6-1.

Jermall Charlo vs. Thomas LaManna, super middleweight

Round 1: During the introductions, pink letters across Thomas LaManna’s white T-shirt read, “Shock the World.” And it definitely would be a shock to see LaManna upset Charlo, the former middleweight champ. Doesn’t look like LaManna has been doing any weightlifting in recent months, or years. But he throws a crisp jab and an overhand right as the action gets underway. Charlo answers with jab that draws blood from LaManna’s nose. Boy, those Charlo jabs look solid and quick. Charlo looks very serious. LaManna looks a little nervous with blood on his face as the round ends. Charlo 10, LaManna 9.

Round 2: Charlo comes out firing that jab, and LaManna does the same. Charlo attacks the body, then lands another solid jab and LaManna’s right eye is starting to swell and the blood continues to dribble. Charlo lands a right. LaManna in cover-up mode. LaManna shakes his head, as if to say he’s not hurt. Anyone believe it? Charlo 20, LaManna 18.

Round 3: LaManna comes out swinging, which seems to energize Charlo. Charlo lands a right and follows with a couple of lefts. Charlo lands a combo and down goes LaManna! LaManna beats the 8 count with blood trickling from his left eye. Charlo lands another hard right and LaManna is taunting Charlo. LOL. Boy, LaManna’s left eye is a bloody mess as the round ends. Charlo 30, LaManna 26.

Round 4: LaManna lurches around, seeming unsure if he wants to punch or cover up. Charlo leaning on that jab. More herky-jerky movement from LaManna, who takes a shot from Charlo. Charlo delivers stiff lefts, and LaManna nearly hits the deck before collecting himself. It’s ruled a knockdown after review, according to the broadcast. Charlo 40, LaManna 34.

Round 5: Charlo tattooing LaManna’s with those lighting quick jabs. Follows up with a hard right and down goes LaManna again! He beats the count and moves toward Charlo, Later shakes his head. Charlo smiles, then misses with a big right. LaManna taunts him. Really! Taunts him. But LaManna lands a huge right! Charlo absorbs it without trouble. Charlo 50, LaManna 42. 

Update: Fight is stopped by doctor’s recommendation. Charlo wins by stoppage.

Yoenli Hernandez def. Kyrone Davis by unanimous

Hernandez knocked Davis down in the second round and dominated the 10-round middleweight fight start to finish.

All three judges scored the bout 100-89 for Hernandez, the savvy Cuban who won two world championship amateur championships before turning pro.

Somehow Davis finished the fight on his feet – Hernandez’s first pro opponent to do so.

Hernandez, 27, improved his record to 8-0. Davis, 30, dropped to 19-4-1.

Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez vs. Kyrone Davis, middleweight

Round 1: Yoenli Hernandez heads out against Kyrone Davis looking for his eighth consecutive KO victory. Hernandez, looking considerably bigger than his opponent, fires hard early – jabs and rights. Davis hits the canvas because Hernandez tosses him there. “We’re not wrestling,’’ says the referee. Hernandez lands two big rights and Davis probably wishes they were wrestling instead of boxing. Davis responds with a couple of jabs but Hernandez dominates the round. Hernandez 10, Davis 9.

Round 2: Hernandez backpedals before scoring with a left and then a right. Yet Davis still marching forward. Hernandez showing some caution, leaning on his jab. Now Hernandez opening up again, and down goes Davis! Clobbered with a left. Davis beats the count and the fight resumes with about 30 seconds left in the count. Hernandez slugging away, but Davis survives the round. Hernandez 20, Davis 17.

Round 3: Davis comes out stalking, oddly enough. Wasn’t this guy just on the canvas? Indeed, he was. Hernandez punishes Davis with a couple of lefts and now Davis is backpedaling. Hernandez lands another hard right and Davis bounces off the ropes. Davis lands a right, but Hernandez keeps moving forward and closes with a flurry. Hernandez 30, Davis 26.

Round 4: Davis stalks, and he pays the price. But the referee warns Hernandez for a shoulder strike. He seems to only need his fists. Hernandez now tagging Davis with jabs, then attacks Davis’ body. Hernandez 40, Davis 35. 

Round 5: Hernandez swarms almost from the sound of the bell. Just an incredible variety of punches – jabs, straights, uppercuts, body shots. You name it, he’s throwing it – and landing it. Hernandez leaning up against the ropes and defends with a high guard before pouncing. Connects with a hard right and another. Hernandez 50, Davis 44.

Round 6: Davis showing surprising bounce in his feet but can’t convert that energy into landed punches. Davis is the aggressor and has Hernandez on the ropes. Davis lands two hard rights. But Hernandez rallies with uppercuts and another hard right. Head snapping left. Hernandez 60, Davis 53.

Round 7: Davis talking trash midway through the round. What could he possibly be saying? “Why haven’t you knocked me out yet?’’ Davis then lets his left fist do the talking. It lands hard. But not as hard as Hernandez’s right now. Hernandez continues to dominate and looks in control. Hernandez 70, Davis 62.

Round 8: Davis still swinging, and kind of remarkable he’s still on his feet, much less throwing with some authority. Hernandez’s punches still look so crisp. Davis shows life, and Hernandez takes it away with an array of punches. Hernandez 80, Davis 71.

Round 9: Hernandez dancing and showboating. Hey, why not? It’s Vegas. Then he pummels Davis with a big right. Lands a big right uppercut. Davis fighting back and with some effectiveness. But the exchanges end with Hernandez doing the swinging and landing, and Davis is bleeding from the mouth. Hernandez 90, Davis 80.

Round 10: Davis clearly needs a knockout, but he’s in no hurry to throw the Hail Marys. Hernandez waves on Davis and unleashes big rights.  Davis accepts the invitation and meets Hernandez on the ropes. But Hernandez bounces away before whaling away with right hands. More showboating from Hernandez, who wants the knockout. Lands another vicious right, but Davis not going down. Hernandez 100, Davis 89.

Isaac Lucero def. Omar Valenzuela by TKO

Sporting unbeaten records, Lucero and Valenzuela came out swinging. But only one landed punches with ferocity in the super middleweight fight.

Lucero dropped Valenzuela with a thunderous right in the second round.

Valenzuela got back on his feet and the fight resumed, but Lucero quickly smothered him with a barrage of punches and the referee halted the super middleweight fight at 2:57 of the second round.

Lucero, the 26-year-old from Mexico, won by knockout for the sixth consecutive fight and improved to 17-0. Valenzuela, a 28-year-old from Mexico, dropped to 23-1.

Isaac Lucero vs. Omar Valenzuela, super welterweight

Round 1: Now underway, a battle of unbeatens, Isaac Lucero (16-0) vs. Omar Valenzuela (23-0). The fighters trade solid rights, throwing caution to the wind. Lucero lands another stiff right and seems to stun Valenzuela. Lucero lands more punches and Valenzuela goes down. But it’s no knockdown after the referee rules the punch hit Valenzuela in the back of the head. Lucero 10, Valenzuela 9.

Round 2: Both fighters come out swinging, with Valenzuela surprisingly active considering he was on the canvas at the end of Round 1. Valenzuela smothering Lucero. Lucero fights back, in particular with an uppercut. Valenzuela continues to attack Lucero’s body. Down goes Valenzuela! This time it’s legit, a rocket right hand. Facing a barrage of Lucero punches, Valenzuela is trying to survive. But it’s too late. The ref halts the right. Lucero wins by TKO!

Curmel Moton def. Renny Mastrapa by unanimous decision

Moton, the highly touted Floyd Mayweather protégé, beat Mastrapa by unanimous decision in the eight-round lightweight fight, according to The Ring.

Moton, 18-year-old from Las Vegas, improved to 8-0. It was only the second time in eight fights he has not won by stoppage.

Mastrapa, a 28-year-old from Cuba, fell to 4-2-1.

Cristian Cangelosi def. Samuel Figueroa by majority decision

Cangelosi preserved his unblemished record with a victory over Figueroa by majority decision in their eight-round super welterweight fight, according to BoxRec.

Cangelosi, a 27-year-old from Italy, improved to 11-0. Figueroa, a 34-year-old from Puerto Rico, fell to 13-3. 

John Easter def. Andres Martinez by unanimous decision

Easter stayed unbeaten with a victory over Martinez by unanimous decision in the six-round super middleweight bout, according to BoxRec.com.

Easter, a 22-year-old from Las Vegas, improved to 9-0. Martinez, a 30-year-old from Equatorial Guinea, fell to 5-4-1.

Caleb Plant vs. Armando Resendiz: Time, PPV, streaming for fight

The highly anticipated bout between Caleb Plant and Jose Armando Resendiz will take place on Saturday, May 31 and can be watched on Prime Video.

Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025
Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
Location: Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: N/A
Streaming: Prime Video

Stream Plant vs. Resendiz with Amazon Prime

The more we’ve heard this week from the leaders of college athletics about their urgent need to expand the College Football Playoff and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the less clear it becomes why they’re expanding in the first place. 

It would be one thing if there was an obvious business case why it’s necessary for March Madness to go from 68 to 72 or 74 teams, as NCAA president Charlie Baker suggested could be imminent Thursday in comments at the Big 12’s spring meetings. The same goes for the CFP, whose format was a major talking point every day at the SEC’s meetings, with a looming decision about whether to expand from 12 to 16. 

But after months of debate on both fronts, what’s become clear is that expansion is going to happen for no reason other than a vapid sense of inertia sprung from the bruised egos of sports executives – who subconsciously understand their own fundamental weakness and ineffectiveness are to blame for the spiral of chaos that college sports can’t seem to escape. At least when they push a button to expand a postseason, it feels like they’re doing something. 

That’s an explanation. It’s not a reason. 

When the NFL expanded its playoffs from 12 to 14 in 2020, changing its format for the first time in three decades, the obvious factor was an influx of money: Hundreds of millions of dollars, in fact, half of which gets split with players. When the NBA shook up its postseason and created the play-in tournament, the primary motivation was to keep more teams competitive late in the season and discourage tanking. 

Those are sensible reasons everyone can understand. 

But neither Baker nor one of the prominent conference commissioners like the SEC’s Greg Sankey or the Big Ten’s Tony Petitti have been able to articulate a clear and concise mission statement for what expansion of either tournament is supposed to accomplish.

They just want to do it.

Here’s how thin the rationale is regarding March Madness: Speaking with reporters in Orlando, Baker cited the committee snubbing Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Indiana State in 2024 despite a 32-7 record, suggesting an expansion would get the NCAA tournament closer to including the ‘best’ 68 teams.

Of course, the NCAA tournament has always worked this way. Excellent mid-major teams that lose in their conference tournament often don’t get in. And as the track record of the tournament clearly shows, the vast majority of bids in an expanded field would go to power conference teams with questionable records.

The push to expand March Madness precedes Baker’s tenure, which began in March 2023. In fact, you can trace the momentum back to March of 2022 when Texas A&M was left out despite a late-season surge to the championship game of the SEC tournament, converting Sankey into a public proponent of expansion.

But the idea that tournament spots are being filled by automatic qualifiers from mid-major conferences with less chance to do damage in the tournament than Texas A&M’s 2022 team, for instance, isn’t new. It’s part of the deal, and there’s no real demand to move the cut line other than from those who are inconvenienced by it. 

In fact, one of the big obstacles to March Madness expansion – and the reason it didn’t happen years ago – is that there’s not a huge pot of television money out there for a few more games between mediocre basketball teams on Tuesday and Wednesday of tournament week. 

Not only is expansion unlikely to boost profits in a significant way, it’s an open question whether the NCAA can expand the tournament without diluting the shares of its revenue distribution model, which are worth about $2 million per team per round. 

A similar dynamic is at play in the CFP debate. 

12-team CFP worked; trashing it makes no sense

There were clear incentives for the conference commissioners when they first floated expanding the football tournament from four to 12 teams back in 2021. Not only had TV ratings leveled off, perhaps due to many of the same programs populating the field year after year, but going to 12 would both guarantee access for all the power conference champions and set the table for a $1.3 billion per year contract with ABC/ESPN beginning in 2026 – nearly triple the original 12-year deal that established the CFP. 

But that’s where things get murky. 

Even before the first 12-team playoff last year, conference commissioners were *already* batting around a 14-team model for 2026. That has now morphed into a likely 16-team bracket. The financial terms of the TV deal, however, will not change in a significant way, whether they land at 12, 14 or 16.

So why do it? 

Not because it’s a great business proposition – in fact, there’s a legitimate concern about playoff oversaturation and potential second-order effects – but because the more you expand access, the more access everyone wants. 

That’s what we have seen over the last week, especially from the SEC meetings as Sankey and others in the league launched a breathtaking, shameless propaganda effort attempting to rewrite recent history. Getting a mere three teams into last year’s 12-team playoff while the Big Ten won its second straight title seems to have done a psychological number on those folks.

Rather than admit the truth – the SEC didn’t have an amazing year in 2024 and the playing field nationally has been leveled to some extent by NIL and the transfer portal – they are arguing to shape the next CFP format based on a level of conference strength that certainly existed in the past but hasn’t in the NIL/transfer portal era. 

One prominent athletics director, Florida’s Scott Stricklin, questioned whether the football bracket should be chosen by committee. Another unnamed administrator went so far as to muse that the SEC and Big Ten should think about just holding their own playoff, according to Yahoo! Sports. 

If you take a step back and look at what’s happening from a 30,000-foot view, it smacks of famed political scientist Francis Fukuyama’s “The End of History,” where he writes about how the triumph of Western liberalism and consumerism has unwittingly created this kind of regressive condition that shows up in so many facets of life and culture. 

“If men cannot struggle on behalf of a just cause because that just cause was victorious in an earlier generation,” he wrote, “then they will struggle against the just cause. They will struggle for the sake of struggle. They will struggle, in other words, out of a certain boredom: for they cannot imagine living in a world without struggle.”

That kind of feels like what’s going on here. Aside from a small adjustment in how it was seeded, nothing about the 12-team playoff seemed problematic. If anything, it was widely praised for delivering what the original expansion proponents wanted: Geographic diversity, representation for the four power conferences and the Group of Five, first-round playoff games in college venues and a lot of interesting games from the quarterfinals on. 

In other words, it worked. And there is no obvious reason – financial or otherwise – to have chucked it in the trash already while the four power conferences launch a war amongst themselves about how much access gets allocated to each conference, and by whom.

The angst is especially confusing from the SEC, which just got a record 14 bids to the men’s basketball tournament (including national champion Florida), has eight of the 16 national seeds for the baseball tournament and five of the eight teams in the Women’s College World Series. They’re doing just fine, and there is a long track record of being justly rewarded when their teams perform at the highest level. 

There’s little doubt that will happen again in football regardless of which playoff system gets implemented. It just didn’t happen last year because the SEC, for once, did not deserve it.

But the Big Ten and the SEC are, as Fukuyama wrote, struggling for the sake of struggle. The more power they have amassed by reshaping the landscape through realignment, the more they claim the system is broken.

Some believe their end game is a separation from the NCAA, creating a world where they don’t have to share a business partnership with conferences and schools they believe aren’t bringing as much value to the table. The reality, though, is that any such move would draw a level of scrutiny – legal and political – they are not currently prepared to handle, not to mention the arduous work of building out the infrastructure for all kinds of unglamorous stuff the NCAA already provides.

So instead, they wage war against problems that don’t really exist, reach for solutions that create actual problems and then fail to solve the problems right in front of their face. The push to expand the NCAA tournament and the CFP are merely symptoms of an affluenza swallowing the highest levels of college sports. 

Knowing they’ve failed miserably to execute on the important issues they truly need to solve to ensure the long-term health of their business, the likes of Sankey and Petitti and many others have elevated tedium to a crisis. So a crisis is what they shall have. 

It has been a year of change for both UCLA softball and NiJaree Canady, the former of which is wrapping up its first season in the Big Ten and the latter of whom is nearing the end of her first season at Texas Tech.

On Saturday, though, both got a dose of familiarity. And it came with a familiar result.

One year after defeating the Bruins in 3-1 in an elimination game in the Women’s College World Series while a star pitcher for Stanford, Canady pitched a complete game, allowing only one run and striking out seven batters to lead No. 12 Texas Tech to a 3-1 victory against No. 9 UCLA on May 31 in a winners’ bracket game at the 2025 WCWS at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

The Red Raiders’ offense came alive late, getting one run in each of the final three innings off of UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley. The game’s decisive play came in the top of the sixth inning, when freshman Hailey Toney hit a solo home run to right center field to break a 1-1 tie. Texas Tech padded that lead in the top of the seventh inning with an RBI single from Raegan Jennings.

The victory sends Texas Tech, which went 8-16 in Big 12 play last season before hiring coach Gerry Glasco and signing Canady to a million-dollar name, image and likeness deal, to the WCWS semifinals, where it will play Monday against the winner of a Sunday game between No. 16 Oregon and No. 2 Oklahoma, the latter of which is the four-time reigning national champion. The Red Raiders became just the third team since 2000 to start 2-0 in its WCWS debut.

UCLA, meanwhile, will face off against No. 7 Tennessee Sunday in an elimination game. The Bruins’ lone run of the day came on a solo home run from freshman Kaniya Bragg in the bottom of the fifth inning. They got runners on first and second with no outs against Canady in the bottom of the seventh inning, but were unable to do any more damage.

Here’s a look at the score, updates and highlights from Texas Tech’s win against UCLA in the 2025 WCWS:

Texas Tech vs UCLA softball live score

This section will be updated throughout the game

Texas Tech vs UCLA softball live updates

Final: Texas Tech 3, UCLA 1

Despite allowing runners on first and second with no outs, NiJaree Canady gets into a groove and records three straight outs to seal the win for Texas Tech, which is on its way to the semifinals of the Women’s College World Series in its first-ever appearance in the event.

Texas Tech pads lead to 3-1

As NiJaree Canady looks to finish off UCLA, she’ll have a little more wiggle room.

With a runner on second base and with two outs, sophomore Raegan Jennings hits a bloop single into center field to bring home a run and double Texas Tech’s lead to 3-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.

NiJaree Canady perfect inning shuts down UCLA

Texas Tech is now three outs away from another win in the Women’s College World Series.

NiJaree Canady faces three All-Americans in the UCLA lineup and gets all three of them out, retiring Savannah Pola, Jordan Woolery and Megan Grant in order in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Red Raiders take a 2-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning, with a chance to add on to their lead.

Hailey Toney homer allows Texas Tech to reclaim lead

Just as quickly as Texas Tech lost its lead, it gets it back.

Another freshman, this time Hailey Toney from the Red Raiders, hits a solo home run, with Toney’s shot to center field off UCLA’s Taylor Tinsley giving Texas Tech a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning.

It’s Toney’s seventh home run this season — three of which have come in the NCAA tournament.

Kaniya Bragg homer ties it up for UCLA

Against most teams, a one-run lead for Texas Tech would be insurmountable with NiJaree Canady in the circle. UCLA isn’t one of those teams.

Staring at a one-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning, freshman Kaniya Bragg ties it up with a single swing, belting a solo home run to right field to even the game at 1-1.

It’s Bragg’s 10th homer of the season and only the 10th home run Canady has allowed in 64 games this season.

Texas Tech steals home, takes lead

In a low-scoring game in which offense has been at a premium, Texas Tech has stolen a run — literally.

With runners on first and third with two outs, a setup made possible by a double earlier in the inning from NiJaree Canady, Red Raiders coach Gerry Glasco, who also serves as the team’s third-base coach, sent home pinch-runner Makayla Garcia after a pitch to Victoria Valdez. UCLA catcher Alexis Ramirez didn’t appear to notice Garcia running, instead throwing the ball back to pitcher Taylor Tinsley and allowing Garcia to score.

UCLA challenged the play, believing Garcia might have left third base before Tinsley’s pitch was thrown, but the call was upheld upon review.

It’s a 1-0 Red Raiders lead, which, given the way Canady has pitched so far, may be enough.

Three up, three down for UCLA

UCLA’s batters go down in order in the bottom of the fourth inning, with a strikeout and a pair of flyouts. There hasn’t been a runner on base from either team in three of the four innings so far. A fun duel between Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady and UCLA’s Taylor Tinsley

Texas Tech goes three up, three down

Is it an offensive struggle or a pitching masterclass? Regardless of how you may want to describe it, it’s still 0-0 between Texas Tech and UCLA heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Taylor Tinsley is still working on a no-hitter for the Bruins.

Texas Tech gets UCLA out in order

Three up and three down for UCLA against NiJaree Canady as the Bruins and Texas Tech remain locked in a scoreless tie.

UCLA with another perfect inning

UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley continues to largely have her way against the Texas Tech lineup, with a second three-up-and-three-down inning. While she has accidentally hit a batter with a pitch, Tinsley still hasn’t allowed a hit.

NiJaree Canady gets out of bases-loaded jam

This game is, improbably, still scoreless.

UCLA loaded the bases with one out against NiJaree Canady after a pair of walks and a bunt single. Just as there appeared to be trouble, with Texas Tech even getting a pitcher warm in the bullpen, the Red Raiders’ ace got out of it, striking out Taylor Stephens on a nasty changeup and getting a force out at home after a Kaitlyn Terry ground ball to third.

That could stand as a major missed opportunity for the Bruins against one of the sport’s best pitchers.

Base-running error costs Texas Tech

The Red Raiders get the game’s first base-runner after Lauren Allred was hit by a pitch, but Texas Tech doesn’t mount any kind of threat beyond that. NiJaree Canady popped out to second base and Allred, who was perhaps a little too aggressive on the basepaths, was thrown out at first base, unable to get back in time after beginning her sprint to second.

The double play ended the top of the second inning.

UCLA held scoreless

Through one inning, neither UCLA nor Texas Tech has produced a base-runner. NiJaree Canady gets a lead-off strikeout and forces the next two batters, including Bruins star Jordan Woolery, to ground out.

Texas Tech retired in order

Three up and three down for Texas Tech vs. UCLA starter Taylor Tinsley in its first time to the plate Saturday. Now, NiJaree Canady will aim to be similarly effective against UCLA.

Texas Tech softball lineup

Here’s the lineup the Red Raiders will trot out against UCLA Saturday in the Women’s College World Series:

UCLA softball lineup

Here’s the lineup the Bruins will roll out against Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series Saturday:

Texas Tech softball uniforms vs UCLA

The Red Raiders will be wearing their white jerseys and pants in their biggest game of the season to date, with the team’s official social media account revealing it Saturday.

What time does Texas Tech vs UCLA softball start?

Date: Saturday, May 31
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

First pitch for Texas Tech and UCLA’s softball game in the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set for 7 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

Watch Texas Tech vs UCLA softball in the WCWS live with ESPN+

What TV channel is Texas Tech vs UCLA softball on today?

TV channel: ESPN
Live stream: ESPN app | ESPN+

Saturday’s WCWS winner’s bracket game between Texas Tech and UCLA will air on ESPN. Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Amanda Scarborough (analyst) will be on the call while Taylor McGregor will serve as the sideline reporter.

Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app, which requires a valid cable login to access, and ESPN+ the latter of which serves as ESPN’s subscription streaming service.

Texas Tech vs UCLA softball predictions, picks, odds

Odds are courtesy of BetMGM

Moneyline: UCLA (-170) | Texas Tech (+130)

Prediction from the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech 3, UCLA 2

Texas Tech beat writer Nathan Giese says of the matchup:

The key for the Red Raiders will be to generate runs and get some fly balls, something they weren’t able to do against Ole Miss pitcher Aliyah Binford. Even if the UCLA offense does strike against Canady, the damage will likely be minimal, and the offense has shaken off the jitters of Game 1 and should be ready for whatever the Bruins throw their way.

Texas Tech softball schedule 2025

Here are Texas Tech’s past five results. To see the Red Raiders’ full 2025 schedule, click here.

Saturday, May 17: Texas Tech 10, Mississippi State 1 (6 innings)
Sunday, May 18: Texas Tech 9, Mississippi State 6
Thursday, May 22: Texas Tech 3, No. 5 Florida State 0
Friday, May 23: Texas Tech 2, No. 5 Florida State 1
Thursday, May 29: Texas Tech 1, Ole Miss 0

UCLA softball schedule 2025

Here are UCLA’s past five results. To see the Bruins’ full 2025 schedule, click here.

Sunday, May 18: UCLA 12, UC Santa Barbara 1 (5 innings)
Friday, May 23: No. 8 South Carolina 9, UCLA 2
Saturday, May 24: UCLA 5, No. 8 South Carolina 4
Sunday, May 25: UCLA 5, No. 8 South Carolina 0
Thursday, May 29: UCLA 4, No. 16 Oregon 2

WCWS schedule

Women’s College World Series: May 29-June 5/6
WCWS finals: June 4-5/6

The Women’s College World Series began May 29 and will run through either June 5 or June 6. The WCWS three-game championship series will begin on June 4 and end on June 5 or 6, depending on whether the series concludes in two or three games.

Teagan Kavan’s right arm was dominant Saturday in helping her Texas softball team earn its first-ever win against rival Oklahoma in the Women’s College World Series.

Her excellence inside the pitching circle, however, came with a heavy heart.

Kavan’s complete-game performance in the Longhorns’ 4-2 win against the four-time reigning NCAA champion Sooners came only hours after her grandmother died Saturday morning at 97 years old.

Kavan’s grandmother was an instrumental force not only in her life, but her softball career. 

The 6-foot sophomore from West Des Moines, Iowa wears No. 17 in honor of her grandmother, who was born on Nov. 17, 1928. Despite being hundreds of miles away from Texas’ campus, her grandmother watched every Longhorns game. When she’d get too nervous in a given moment to watch it live, she’d watch a replay of it later.

“My grandma, she’s got the best seat in the house,” Kavan said in a postgame interview with ESPN. “This is where she wants me. She’s rooting for us all the way. This is where she wants us.”

In Saturday’s win, Kavan kept one of college softball’s most potent lineups largely in check, giving up two runs, only one of which was earned, and striking out eight in seven innings of work.

In just her second college season, Kavan has been the ace of a Texas team that will be one of just two remaining unbeaten squads left in the WCWS by the end of the day on May 31. The win against the Sooners improved her record to 26-5 this season, and she leads all Longhorns pitchers with a 2.40 ERA and 221 strikeouts. She was named a second-team All-American this season by Softball America, D1Softball and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

On Saturday, she saved her best, and certainly guttiest, performance of the season for her team’s biggest game.

“Through her, my teammates, they all have my back,” Kavan said to ESPN. “All 21, 22 of us, they all have my back. … It was all for her. It was beyond me, honestly. Just relying on them, looking at them in the eyes and getting confidence from them.”

The final berth in the Club World Cup will be settled Saturday night, as LAFC and Club América meet in a playoff at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif.

As two of Concacaf’s top clubs, it is no real shock to see these sides pushing for a place in the Club World Cup. However, the path to this point was unusual: neither team won a berth in a traditional manner, with LAFC in this position thanks to a game it lost in 2023 while Club América was only nominated to participate in this playoff via club rankings.

A convoluted case of dual club ownership opened the door, with Club León disqualified by FIFA (a decision later upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport). Hence, this one-game playoff, all to earn the right for a place in Group D at an expanded Club World Cup that begins in just two weeks.

Follow along as Pro Soccer Wire provides live updates for the Club World Cup playoff between LAFC and Club América:

LAFC vs. Club América: Cáceres booked

Club América center back Sebastián Cáceres is booked after a late tackle sees his studs land on Mark Delgado’s foot.

Replays — once TBS’s extremely helpful ads for the Club World Cup are out of the way — show that this yellow card could have been a darker shade, but ultimately it looks like no further punishments are coming.

Delgado is good to continue after treatment, and the resulting dead ball ends with Nathan Ordaz scuffing a promising chance wide. He might have ended up being called for offside anyway, but that might be a miss to remember.

Club World Cup playoff: Club América pushing the tempo early

While there haven’t been any major chances, Club América — backed by a very vocal wall of yellow-clad supporters at one end of BMO Stadium — has had most of the ball. LAFC has been pinned back into their own end for the most part, with few chances to break out on the counter-attacks that manager Steve Cherundolo has made the team’s hallmark.

All of these first 10 minutes have been played with a fog of smoke from some pyrotechnics during the pre-game. That has finally cleared in the last few seconds, which is probably good news for LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

LAFC vs. Club América: Club World Cup playoff kicks off!

Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio blows his whistle, and we’re off and running in this Club World Cup playoff between LAFC and Club América.

LAFC vs. Club América Club World Cup playoff: Lineups, starting teams

LAFC vs. Club América Club World Cup playoff: Time, TV, and how to watch

Time: 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT
Location: BMO Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
TV: TBS (English), TUDN, UniMás (both Spanish)
Streaming: Fubo, Sling TV, DAZN USA (Watch NOW), TUDN app

Watch the Club World Cup playoff on Fubo (free trial for new subscribers)

Club World Cup playoff: Why are LAFC and Club América playing?

LAFC and Club América are playing due to a convoluted series of events that could only happen when you get Concacaf and FIFA together to sort out a new tournament format.

Initially, the last four winners of the Concacaf Champions Cup — Monterrey, the Seattle Sounders, Club León, and Pachuca — were set to take places in the Club World Cup. However, Club León and Pachuca share owners, something FIFA said cannot be permitted at the Club World Cup. FIFA eventually decided that León was disqualified, and announced a playoff between LAFC (the team León defeated in the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup) and Club América (the top-ranked Concacaf team in FIFA’s rankings for Club World Cup purposes).

León, Pachuca, and Costa Rican club Alajuelense all appealed, with Alajuelense arguing that as Central America’s top-ranked team, they should be admitted, but all were rejected. That leaves the final spot in Group D up for grabs, with Saturday’s winner claiming the place.

Club World Cup: How much money will playoff winner receive?

This LAFC-Club América playoff matters as far as Club World Cup glory, but it will also be a welcome financial boon for the winner. The minimum prize for any team from Concacaf qualifying for the Club World Cup is $9.55 million.

Club World Cup playoff: What group will playoff winner enter?

The winner between LAFC and Club América will go into Group D, where Club León was initially placed. That will mean matches against Flamengo, Esperance Sportive de Tunis, and Chelsea.