Sport

The decision by Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to enter the transfer portal shocked and angered the Huskies because only days earlier the sophomore breakout star had signed a lucrative name, image and likeness deal to remain in Seattle.

Legal action by Washington would be no surprise two weeks after similar events prompted an exchange of lawsuits involving Damon Wilson II, an edge rusher who transferred from Georgia to Missouri in January 2025, days after signing an NIL contract.

With recruiting strategy reduced to shoveling stacks of NIL dollars at players who jump through the transfer portal seemingly at will, it’s no wonder loyalty and etiquette have given way to opportunity and greed.

And it should surprise no one that the implementation of rules might be done by judges, not NCAA officials or conference commissioners.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Washington is “prepared to pursue all legal avenues to enforce Williams’ signed contract,” and the quarterback’s situation has also “drawn the attention of the Big Ten.” Already, Washington has declined to enter Williams’ name into the portal, citing language in the NIL contract that states the school is not obligated to do so.

It appears Washington wants to play hardball, much the way Georgia is attempting to do with Wilson, whose countersuit against the Bulldogs claims he was one of several players pressured into signing his NIL contract on Dec. 21, 2024. Georgia is seeking $390,000 in damages, pointing to a liquidated damage fee clause in the NIL contract that may or may not hold up in court.

Washington officials suspect that another school contacted Williams after he had signed his Huskies deal, and submitted evidence of tampering to the Big Ten. Tony Petitti, the conference commissioner, happened to be in Seattle on Tuesday for a Celebration of Life service for Washington goalkeeper Mia Hamant, who died on Nov. 6 from an rare form of kidney cancer.

Many Huskies football players and coaches also were in attendance when Williams posted his official announcement about entering the transfer portal on Instagram.

“To post his decision to enter the portal during the service was, at best, the result of horrible advice from his PR team, and at worst, a stunning lack of self-awareness,” wrote Matt Calkins in the Seattle Times.

Williams’ NIL deal with Washington for 2026 was estimated at $4 million, a reasonable number for a quarterback who was among the top 15 nationally in passing efficiency, passing yards and yards per attempt. He attempted to enter the portal with a “do not contact” tag, an indication he has a destination in mind.

A chronology of top quarterback movement in recent days provides circumstantial evidence that Louisiana State and Williams have mutual interest. LSU, of course, has a new coach in Lane Kiffin, and a need at quarterback. Turns out Williams and Kiffin aren’t strangers.

Kiffin’s first target was Brendan Sorsby, who had left Cincinnati, but he committed to Texas Tech. Sam Leavitt of Arizona State is considered the best quarterback left in the portal, and he visited Baton Rouge this week before heading to Tennessee for another visit.

However, Kiffin easily could shift his attention to Williams, a dual-threat signal-caller who while in high school committed to Ole Miss when Kiffin was coach. He eventually signed with Arizona, and when coach Jedd Fisch took the job at Washington, Williams followed him.

Williams blossomed as a sophomore in 2025, passing for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns with eight interceptions while adding 611 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

In his lengthy Instagram post, Williams thanked everyone associated with Washington before revealing the news: “I have to do what is best for me and my future. After much thought and prayer, I will be entering the transfer portal.”

He’s not there yet.

Prep Rally is devoted to the SoCal high school sports experience, bringing you scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.

Agree & Continue

Wolves are open to selling striker Jorgen Strand Larsen this month, amid interest from Nottingham Forest.

The Premier League’s bottom side recognise allowing the 25-year-old to leave may be best for all parties, if the right deal could be found.

That would include a switch to the City Ground, despite Forest being one of the teams also fighting against the drop from the Premier League.

Forest – missing last season’s 20-goal top scorer Chris Wood – are one of several clubs to have looked at Strand Larsen as an option.

Wood, who has been out with a knee injury since October, had surgery just before Christmas, with a comeback date yet to be determined.

West Ham‘s interest in Strand Larsen has cooled after being asked for £40m, and they have bought Valentin Castellanos and Pablo Felipe instead. Newcastle‘s priorities are now elsewhere after they failed with a £55m bid in the summer and signed Nick Woltemade.

Sean Dyche’s Forest are seven points clear of the relegation zone – and 15 above Wolves – after Tuesday’s 2-1 win at West Ham.

Arnaud Kalimuendo, Forest’s £26m summer signing from Rennes, joined Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt on loan with an option to buy on Wednesday, leaving Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi as the club’s only strikers.

Strand Larsen has been targeted by unhappy Wolves fans this season, having scored just one Premier League goal.

It is part of the reason why Wolves are willing to allow the Norway international to leave, even though he only made his initial loan move from Celta Vigo permanent last July for £23m.

Yet, Strand Larsen is well-respected behind the scenes, where he is seen as a leader. He earned internal credit for the professional way he handled Newcastle‘s interest and bids.

He was rewarded with a five-year contract in September after a promising debut season, scoring 14 goals and helping Wolves finish 16th.

Wolves‘ likely relegation is a factor in Strand Larsen’s future – they only secured their first Premier League win of the season last Saturday, at the 20th attempt, as they beat West Ham 3-0.

Strand Larsen would not be expected to remain at Molineux in the Championship and selling him in January would generate a higher fee than the summer.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Reliever Kirby Yates finalized a $5-million, one-year deal with the Angels on Tuesday.

A 38-year-old right-hander, Yates flopped last season with the Dodgers. He did not pitch after Sept. 20 after straining his right hamstring, an injury that also sidelined him between May 17 and June 8.

Yates is technically making a return the Angels, who employed him for one major league appearance in 2017 after claiming him off waivers from the Yankees. Yates subsequently joined the San Diego Padres and enjoyed the longest sustained success of his career before bouncing to Atlanta, Texas and the Dodgers over the past three seasons.

The veteran is rejoining Mike Maddux, the pitching coach who oversaw Yates’ All-Star performance in 2024 while both were with the Rangers. Yates went 7-2 with a 1.17 ERA, an 0.83 WHIP and 85 strikeouts in 61 innings for Texas.

Yates still earned a World Series ring last season after agreeing to a $13-million, one-year deal with the Dodgers, but he spent three stints on the injured list and had a 5.23 ERA before failing to get on the postseason roster as part of the Dodgers’ struggling bullpen.

Yates is 30-24 with a 3.36 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and 98 saves in 472 relief appearances over 11 major league seasons with Tampa Bay (2014-15), the Yankees (2016), the Angels, San Diego (2017-20), Atlanta (2022-23), Texas (2024) and the Dodgers. He led the major leagues with 41 saves in 2019.

He had Tommy John surgery twice, in 2006 while in college and after getting hurt during spring training in 2021 with Toronto.

He is the latest addition to the Angels’ overhauled pitching staff, joining new relievers Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz. The Angels also took low-cost fliers on Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah, two once-promising starters whose careers were derailed in recent years.

Former England striker and manager Kevin Keegan has been diagnosed with cancer.

Keegan had an illustrious playing career which included spells at Liverpool, Hamburg and Newcastle United, while he twice won the European Footballer of the Year award.

He moved into management after ending his playing career and had stints in charge of Newcastle United, Fulham, England and Manchester City.

“Kevin was recently admitted to hospital for further evaluation of ongoing abdominal symptoms,” the 74-year-old’s family said in a statement.

“These investigations have revealed a diagnosis of cancer, for which Kevin will undergo treatment.

“Kevin is grateful to the medical team for their intervention and ongoing care.

“During this difficult time, the family are requesting privacy, and will be making no further comment.”

More to follow.

To win a championship in soccer a reliable goalkeeper is a must, and Palos Verdes has one of the Southland’s best in Greyson Porth.

The 6-foot-1 junior is one of many reasons the Sea Kings began the week ranked No. 1 in California and No. 14 in the country, and his skill was on display Tuesday night in the Sea Kings’ tense Bay League opener at Mira Costa — a match that featured Tucker Malinofsky’s equalizing goal in stoppage time before fellow co-captain LT Armijo netted the winner in double overtime.

“He’s very strong and when the ball’s in the air he calls for it and gets there first,” Armijo said of Porth. “We trust him.”

Porth has nine shutouts with 73 saves in 15 starts this winter and did not allow a goal for 340 minutes of action — a scoreless streak lasting four and a half games — before Noah Szeder snapped it on a rebound off a corner kick in the 70th minute Tuesday to give Mira Costa a short-lived 1-0 lead Tuesday. It was only the seventh shot to get behind Porth all season.

“It’s a great feeling because they’re our rivals and I hadn’t beaten them before — none of us had,” Porth said while savoring the Sea Kings’ first win at Mira Costa since 2017. “Shutouts are up there but as long as we win, I’m happy. Our defense is awesome — LT, Nathan Dorfman, Aiden Cruz and Dayton Chontos — our whole back line.”

Porth went nearly five full games without being scored on during the South Tournament, finally giving up a goal in the second half of the championship match versus another league rival Redondo Union. Palos Verdes prevailed 2-1 in overtime.

One save that comes to mind for head coach Derek Larkins was on a penalty kick with 15 minutes left in a nonleague contest Dec. 30 at Sultana that kept it scoreless. The Sea Kings scored shortly thereafter to avenge a 3-0 defeat in the Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals last year.

“It’s one of the hardest places for a visiting team to win but Greyson came up huge that day,” said Larkins, who is trying to lead PV to its first CIF title since back-to-back crowns in 2006 (Division 4) and 2007 (Division 2). “We haven’t forgotten that loss because it ended our season and he helped us exorcise that demon.”

Porth was the backup last season to then senior Ben Forte, whom he called a “good mentor.”

“I didn’t get to play much last year, maybe five or six games, but I learned a lot from Ben,” said Porth, who started his soccer career in fourth grade as a midfielder but switched to goalie when he was 11. “I sort of got forced into the position because I was the tallest player on my AYSO Extra team so they needed me there. It’s nerve-racking at times but I take pride in knowing that I’m the last line of defense. So I can make or break the game.”

Larkins attributes the 17-year-old’s growth to hard work in the offseason and credits goalie coach Matthew McNab with helping Porth reach his potential.

“He’s receptive to learning and he’s taken responsibility for his game and the way he practices,” said McNab, a 2009 PV soccer alum who went on to play at Westmont College. “He’s taken up the leadership role. Being a goalkeeper requires a great deal of mental toughness but he’s taken to that, too.”

The two have formed a tight bond.

“Matt listens to me,” said Porth, who even made a slide tackle from midfield to thwart a potential breakaway earlier this season. “I tell him what I need to work on and he drills me. I’ve improved everything from last year…. angles, positioning, my shot blocking and my kicking. I can be aggressive or rely on my reflexes. I use my instincts to know what to do in certain situations.”

Mira Costa has won five consecutive league championships and is trying to equal PV’s string of six in a row from 2011-16. The teams square off again January 23.

“Something we emphasized heading into the season is how are we going to defend the box and set pieces,” Larkins said. “We gave up five goals off of throw-ins and two on free kicks in our three losses to them last year. We’ve stressed the importance of that.”

Larkins, who is also an English teacher, believes sports is a metaphor for life and likes quoting athletes, philosophers and musicians to motivate his players. This season’s mantra is “be yourself, be legendary” — a lyric from the hip-hop group Coast Contra’s “Breathe and Stop Freestyle.”

“This is the best team we’ve had since 2014,” said Larkins, who is in his 15th season. “We have seven guys who are three-year varsity players. A lot of them went to middle school together so it’s an older, more experienced team. We’ve got a lot of grit, we can play different styles depending on the opponent and we have the talent.”

Palos Verdes (14-2) has won 10 straight since back-to-back one-goal road losses to Santa Monica and Servite. Senior co-captain Willie Knotek has a team-best eight goals, forward Ian Alonzo has a team-high 20 points (six goals, eight assists and Malinofsky has six goals and five assists.

Motherwell right-back and Scotland cap Stephen O’Donnell recently said it was incumbent on all Scottish players to give national manager Steve Clarke “a headache” in the run-up to the World Cup.

Findlay and Halkett are two such players but Findlay has the advantage of having worked with Clarke at Kilmarnock.

He is also one cap better off than his club-mate, having made his sole international appearance in a 6-0 win over San Marino in 2019 under Clarke.

The national team head coach is fiercely loyal to players who have served him well and Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna, Souttar and Kieran Tierney would all appear to be ahead of Findlay in the queue.

“There’s a few lads maybe on the outside of that just looking in at the minute,” McInnes added. “Going into big tournaments, there’s always maybe one or two casualties for injury and you just never know.

“If you’re playing for a team at the top of the league then there’s always significant players within that. But likes are Stuart and Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley, Harry Milne, these boys, you just never know.”

And Findlay added: “Every professional football player, until the day they retire, wants to play for their country. It’s the highest honour you can get in a game.

“I know the manager well and there’s no surprise to me how well he’s done. As a Scotland supporter, I trust him implicitly to pick the squad that he thinks is the best.

“For me, the biggest thing for me this season was doing well at Hearts. Of course, it’d be a massive bonus and it’d be great to be involved in.”

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

TUESDAY’S RESULTS

BOYS

CITY SECTION

Chatsworth 43, Los Angeles 28

Downtown Magnets 55, Wilmington Banning 47

East College Prep 45, Collins family 41

East Valley 52, San Fernando 48

East Valley 79, Sun Valley Magnet 28

Harbor Teacher 49, New Designs University Park 32

LA Roosevelt 65, Franklin 64

Lincoln 74, LA University 65

Locke 52, Animo Robinson 44

Panorama 54, Sun Valley Magnet 50

San Pedro 64, Granada Hills 51

Sherman Oaks CES 53, Verdugo Hills 48

View Park 69, Manual Arts 52

SOUTHERN SECTION

ACE 65, Lakeview Leadership Academy 49

Adelanto 58, Granite Hills 34

Aquinas 74, Woodrest Christian 52

Arlington 51, La Sierra 35

Arroyo Valley 50, San Jacinto 46

Beaumont 59, Redlands 48

Big Bear 81, Riverside Prep 35

Bolsa Grande 68, Santa Ana Valley 30

Brea Olinda 57, Troy 49

Buckley 66, de Toledo 34

Cajon 62, Yucaipa 58

Calabasas 63, Thousand Oaks 57

California City 74, Desert 36

California Lutheran 80, United Christian Academy 29

Camarillo 63, Royal 49

Carter 67, Bloomington 39

Century 44, Magnolia 25

Chaffey 63, Don Lugo 55

Chino 76, Ontario 65

Chino Hills 64, Upland 51

Corona Centennial 54, Fairmont Prep 51

Cerritos 77, Glenn 31

Crean Lutheran 80, Anaheim Canyon 54

Crossroads 69, Viewpoint 39

Cypress 64, La Habra 55

Damien 79, Rancho Cucamonga 46

Eisenhower 71, Riverside Notre Dame 69

El Dorado 59, Villa Park 57

El Modena 37, Garden Grove Pacifica 34

Estancia 58, Westminster La Quinta 47

Etiwanda 46, Los Osos 30

Godinez 50, Garden Grove 46

Grace 67, Pilgrim 35

Great Oak 69, Chaparral 53

HMSA 72, Animo Leadership 48

Irvine University 63, St. Margaret’s 48

Laguna Hills 90, Buena Park 69

Lancaster Baptist 49, Desert Christian 48

Los Amigos 64, Savanna 42

Mira Costa 67, Palos Verdes 50

Moorpark 57, Simi Valley 54

Newbury Park Adventist 64, Hillcrest Christian 60

Nordhoff 69, Hueneme 38

Northwood 62, Laguna Beach 59

North Torrance 46, South Torrance 44

NSLA 56, Cornerstone Christian 42

Oaks Christian 83, Newbury Park 36

Oakwood 61, YULA 48

Palmdale Aerospace Academy 67, Trinity Classical Academy 60

Pioneer 66, Artesia 52

Placentia Valencia 49, La Palma Kennedy 45

Portola 90, Sage Hill 51

Rancho Alamitos 54, Saddleback 47

Redlands East Valley 74, Citrus Valley 32

Redondo Union 72, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 35

Riverside North 58, Norco 42

Rosamond 77, Frazier Mountain 37

San Fernando Valley Academy 62, Highland Hall 37

San Jacinto Valley Academy 73, San Jacinto Leadership 47

Santa Clarita Christian 73, PACS 52

Santa Paula 70, Fillmore 47

Segerstrom 80, Santa Ana 60

Servite 62, St. Anthony 56

Sonora 70, Yorba Linda 64

South Hills 61, San Dimas 56

Summit 78, Jurupa Hills 44

Summit Leadership Academy 55, Victor Valley Christian 44

Tahquitz 73, Anza Hamiton 12

Temecula Prep 69, California Military Institute 29

Temecula Valley 83, Murrieta Mesa 78

Tustin 64, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 52

University Prep 70, Hesperia Christian 63

Victor Valley 73, Barstow 53

Village Christian 78, Heritage Christian 76

Western 49, Anaheim 42

West Ranch 61, Valencia 58

West Torrance 65, El Segundo 51

Whitney 69, Oxford Academy 50

INTERSECTIONAL

Brawley 54, Palo Verde Academy 52

Cleveland 88, St. Paul 74

GIRLS

CITY SECTION

Bernstein 51, LA Marshall 45

Birmingham 54, Granada Hills Kennedy 46

Bolsa Grande 50, Rancho Alamitos 43

Huntington Park 38, Marquez 35

LA Hamilton 61, Bell 11

Northridge Academy 48, MSCP 23

RFK Community 61, Chatsworth 53

SOUTHERN SECTION

Adelanto 67, Granite Hills 30

Alemany 82, Marymount 29

Aliso Niguel 50, Dana Hills 41

Anaheim 67, Westminster La Quinta 14

Anaheim Canyon 53, Crean Lutheran 49

Arroyo Valley 23, Eisenhower 18

Beaumont 56, Redlands 32

Bishop Amat 47, St. Mary’s Academy 23

Brentwood 83, Archer School for Girls 22

California Lutheran 45, United Christian Academy 20

Carter 60, Bloomington 19

California City 62, Desert 23

Calvary Baptist 69, Pomona 7

Camarillo 66, Royal 25

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 51, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 44

Canyon Country Canyon 71, Golden Valley 27

Capistrano Valley Christian 42, Coastal Academy 30

Cerritos 84, Glenn 11

Chaffey 44, Don Lugo 28

Chaparral 62, Great Oak 36

Chino 55, Ontario 28

Chino Hills 50, Upland 41

Citrus Valley 40, Redlands East Valley 26

Colony 64, Alta Loma 51

Cypress 74, La Habra 26

Desert Christian 67, Lancaster Baptist 31

Diamond Ranch 36, Montclair 32

El Modena 46, Garden Grove Pacifica 10

El Toro 55, Mission Viejo 15

Etiwanda 69, Los Osos 33

Hesperia Christian 47, University Prep 38

Immaculate Heart 29, AGBU 28

Jurupa Hills 58, Rim of the World 29

Lakewood St. Joseph 69, Bishop Montgomery 46

La Salle 43, St. Anthony 40

Long Beach Jordan 59, Mayfair 30

Los Alamitos 28, Corona del Mar 20

Los Amigos 32, Savanna 31

Lucerne Valley 45, PAL Academy 2

Marina 54, Fountain Valley 40

Marlborough 52, Harvard-Westlake 47

Moorpark 57, Simi Valley 32

Murrieta Mesa 55, Temecula Valley 31

Notre Dame Academy 47, Flintridge Sacred Heart 29

Oaks Christian 63, Newbury Park 47

Orange Lutheran 58, Godinez 31

Pasadena Poly 69, Mayfield 8

Pioneer 61, Artesia 45

Rancho Cucamonga 90, St. Lucy’s 24

Redondo Union 68, West Torrance 53

Riverside Prep 45, Big Bear 24

Rosamond 72, Frazier Mountain 9

Rosary Academy 56, Portola 52

Sacred Heart of Jesus 50, St. Genevieve 45

Sage Hill 92, Laguna Beach 28

San Dimas 55, South Hills 36

San Jacinto 66, Linfield Christian 21

Santa Ana Valley 43, Saddleback 27

Santa Clarita Christian 49, PACS 28

Saugus 50, Hart 11

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 67, Louisville 38

Silver Valley 62, CIMSA 30

St. Bernard 33, Mary Star of the Sea 31

St. Bonaventure 74, Santa Clara 4

Summit 47, Fontana 35

Tahquitz 63, Anza Hamilton 31

Temecula Prep 37, California Military Institute 12

Thousand Oaks 69, Calabasas 20

Trabuco Hills 38, Tesoro 35

Troy 75, Brea Olinda 43

Valencia 82, West Ranch 29

Village Christian 54, Heritage Christian 31

Villa Park 68, El Dorado 25

Westlake 51, Agoura 34

Whitney 57, Oxford Academy 28

Whittier Christian 58, Maranatha 56

Windward 79, Campbell Hall 52

Wiseburn-Da Vinci 58, El Segundo 32

Yucaipa 71, Cajon 20

INTERSECTIONAL

Venice 61, St. Monica 51

Who: Arsenal vs Liverpool
What: English Premier League
Where: Emirates Stadium in London, United Kingdom
When: Thursday, January 8, at 8pm (20:00 GMT).
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

Table-topping Arsenal entertain defending champions Liverpool in a mouth-watering offering in the English Premier League on Thursday, with glory on offer for the former but pride heavily at stake for the latter.

The Gunners are searching for their first league title since 2003, while the Reds are licking their wounds from a season that has almost inexplicably imploded following their runaway success last term.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the match in which a home win is fully expected, but nothing can ever be taken for granted in the Premier League.

How have Arsenal fared in the Premier League this season?

The Gunners have stormed to top spot as manager Mikel Arteta looks to go one better than three consecutive second-placed finishes in the English top flight.

Only one defeat in 21 matches to begin the season – the loss coming at Liverpool – has marked Arsenal as the team to stop on all fronts. Free-scoring in front of the goal and miserly at the back, Arteta appears to have finally cracked the code.

How do things stand in the Premier League title race?

The gap with second-placed Manchester City is six points, ahead of Pep Guardiola’s side welcoming Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Aston Villa are level on points with City, and travel to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, but their 4-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal on December 30 was regarded as a serious dent to their title ambitions.

What has gone wrong for Liverpool in the Premier League this season?

The Reds enjoyed a stunning start to the new campaign, which made their demise this season all the more alarming. Slot’s side won their opening five league matches as part of a seven-game winning run in all competitions.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot insists his reigning champions can still do “special things” this season.

“It is nine games unbeaten but we have definitely had two draws too many,” Slot told a pre-match news conference on Wednesday.

A great deal of the focus for the Reds’ slide, which saw them lose the following four Premier League games on the bounce after their fine start, has focused on the fallout with their iconic forward Mohamed Salah.

Slot has insisted the club have moved on since Salah’s departure for international duty with Egypt at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, but questions remain across the park.

“We haven’t had the consistency but we’ve already beaten some very good teams, so that tells you the talent is definitely there but the consistency isn’t,” he said.

Only 41 goals were conceded by Liverpool last season, but 28 have already been let in during their 20 games so far this season.

The massive summer spending spree, which was headlined by Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz as marquee signings, has seemingly unsettled the balance of a side that stormed to the title last season.

The talent of both, and the rest brought in, is quite clear, but whether Slot can gel them into a side capable of salvaging this season and beyond remains to be seen.

The manager believes his side are still in the reckoning in the league.

“There’s a lot of importance on this match because we still have a lot to play for in the Premier League,” said Slot.

What happened the last time Arsenal played Liverpool?

Liverpool secured a 1-0 win against Arsenal in an early-season encounter between the sides in the Premier League on August 31 at Anfield.

Dominik Szoboszlai scored the only goal of the game with an explosive free-kick in the 83rd minute of an otherwise tight match.

What happened in the corresponding game between Arsenal and Liverpool last season?

The sides could not be separated in last season’s Premier League match at Emirates Stadium, although Liverpool had to twice come from behind – including a late Mohamed Salah leveller – to snare a 2-2 draw.

Bukayo Saka and Mikel Merino had given the Gunners the lead twice in the first half with Virgil van Dijk netting in between.

The Reds, however, had to nervously wait until the 81st minute for Salah to secure a point.

When did Arsenal last beat Liverpool?

Arsenal’s last win against Liverpool came three seasons ago, courtesy of a 3-1 victory at Emirates Stadium in February 2024.

A fiery match saw nine yellow cards shown and Reds defender Ibrahima Konate sent off in the 88th minute when his side were still searching for an equaliser.

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli scored in either half to twice give the Gunners the lead, either side of Gabriel Magalhaes’s own goal.

Leandro Trossard rounded off the scoring in the 90th minute.

Stat attack – Arsenal

The Gunners are on a seven-game winning streak, during which they have netted 13 goals and conceded only six – two of which came in the win against Brighton in their last game.

The north Londoners are the only team to retain an unbeaten home record in the Premier League at this stage, winning nine of their 10 matches at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have fired in 26 goals in front of their own fans in the league this season, and conceded only five.

Bukayo Saka, such a huge part of the Gunners’ form of recent seasons, is aiming to become the first Arsenal player to score in four straight league home games against Liverpool.

Stat attack – Liverpool

Liverpool are unbeaten in nine matches, winning five, but have drawn their last two – both in the league.

The Reds have kept only one clean sheet in their last seven league matches – a 2-0 home victory against Brighton and the 0-0 draw at Leeds two games ago.

Eight goals have been shipped in that time, with 12 scored.

Four of their six defeats this season have come on the road – where they have also won four and drawn two – with 18 goals conceded on their travels and only 17 scored.

Even bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers have not shipped so many goals away from home.

Arsenal vs Liverpool – stat attack

Liverpool are unbeaten in three matches against Arsenal, winning the last match and drawing twice.

That victory for the Reds, however, ended a six-match winless run in the league, during which the Gunners won twice.

The last victory for the Reds prior to that stretch was the last time the Merseysiders won at Emirates Stadium, back in March 2022, with goals from Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota.

The Gunners have won two of the three league meetings in London since then.

Head-to-head

This is the 246th meeting between the sides, with Liverpool winning 95 of the matches and Arsenal emerging victorious on 81 occasions.

Arsenal team news

Max Dowman and Cristhian Mosquera miss out, with both struggling with ankle problems, while Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt due to an unspecified injury.

Kai Havertz was rested from the squad that was named for the win at Bournemouth and may have to make do with a place on the bench at best as his recovery from a previous injury is managed.

Predicted Arsenal starting lineup

Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard

Liverpool team news

Salah remains at AFCON with Egypt, while Isak is a long-term absentee with a leg injury.

Fellow forward Hugo Ekitike missed the draw with Fulham due to a muscle problem and remains a doubt.

Florian Wirtz is nursing a hamstring problem but is expected to continue to play through the issue.

Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo remain longer-term absentees.

Predicted Liverpool starting lineup

Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Jones; Gakpo

Arsenal and Liverpool form guides

• Arsenal: W-W-W-W-W
• Liverpool: W-W-W-D-D

Two-time Grand Tour winner Simon Yates has announced his retirement from cycling with immediate effect.

The shock announcement comes just seven months after the 33-year-old Briton clinched a thrilling victory at the 2025 Giro d’Italia.

The Visma-Lease a Bike rider also claimed his third stage win at the Tour de France in July last year.

Yates, whose first Grand Tour title was the 2019 Vuelta a Espana, joined the Dutch team on a two-year contract before the 2025 season.

“This may come as a surprise to many, but it is not a decision I have made lightly,” said Yates.

“I have been thinking about it for a long time, and it now feels like the right moment to step away from the sport.”

Visma’s head of racing Grischa Niermann added: “[Winning the Giro d’Italia] was one of the major goals of the season, for us as a team and for Simon personally. The fact that he also went on to win a stage in the Tour de France underlines his class.

“It is a shame that he is stopping now, but he does so at an absolute high point.”

Ulster full-back Jacob Stockdale has been ruled out of Sunday’s Challenge Cup pool game against the Cheetahs (15:15 GMT) with a rib injury.

The Ireland back suffered the injury in last week’s United Rugby Championship win over Munster and was forced off early in the second half.

The 29-year-old joins Juarno Augustus (ankle), Charlie Irvine (calf), Michael Lowry (ankle), Rory McGuire (ankle), Ethan McIlroy (ribs), James McNabney (knee), Stewart Moore (hand) on Ulster’s injury list.

In more positive news, Ben Moxham is available for selection after recovering from a serious knee injury.

The 24-year-old winger has not played since tearing an anterior cruciate ligament during Ulster’s loss to Leinster in November 2024.

Ulster opened their Challenge Cup campaign with a resounding 61-7 win over Racing 92 but fell to a 29-26 loss to Cardiff.

Since then, Richie Murphy’s side lost to Leinster before beating Connacht and Munster in the festive inter-provincial derbies in the United Rugby Championship.

Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have emerged as the frontrunners to become Manchester United’s caretaker manager until the end of the season.

The former players, who have both previously managed United, are set for face-to-face talks with the club’s leadership.

It is not out of the question the pair could also work together because Carrick was a significant part of Solskjaer’s coaching team when he replaced Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford in 2018.

Darren Fletcher, United’s current Under-18s coach, who has also been spoken to about the job, will continue as interim manager until a caretaker is appointed. The former midfielder takes charge of his first match on Wednesday, when United visit Burnley (20:15 GMT) in the Premier League.

Ruud van Nistelrooy, the ex-United striker, is also believed to be a contender.

Amorim was sacked on Monday after a turbulent 14 months in charge.

United plan on naming a permanent successor for Amorim in the summer.

One player has told BBC Sport they felt it was possible the role could be shared by more than one of the contenders, or that Fletcher could even stay in the job until the end of the season if the next two matches are positive.

Solskjaer initially took charge in a similar fashion when United sacked Mourinho in 2018, and he subsequently became the full-time manager for three years before he was sacked in November 2021.

Carrick then had a three-game stint as temporary boss after Solskjaer’s dismissal before he left the club in December 2021.

The former England midfielder has been out of work since he was sacked by Championship club Middlesbrough last June after after two-and-a-half years in charge.

Solskjaer was sacked by Turkish club Besiktas in August.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and former Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi – now at Marseille – are understood to be early contenders for the full-time job.

Glasner, who won the FA Cup with the Eagles last season, was asked about the link during his news conference on Tuesday.

He said: “I am Crystal Palace manager and it makes no sense for you to ask me any more questions about it.”

Gary O’Neil has been appointed Strasbourg manager after Liam Rosenior left the French Ligue 1 side to join Chelsea earlier this week.

The 42-year-old, who has previously managed Premier League sides Bournemouth and Wolves, said he is “proud” to join a club with a “high-quality squad and clear, ambitious goals for the season”.

The former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and QPR midfielder added: “Racing has a unique history, extraordinary passion, great resilience, and of course, loyal fans who want to see this team play attractive football and succeed.

“My priority is to work hard with the team and give everything for the club’s success.”

Strasbourg, who sit seventh in Ligue 1, moved swiftly to appoint O’Neil after Rosenior joined Chelsea on a six-and-a-half-year deal on Tuesday.

The French side are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo multi-club ownership group which also controls Chelsea.

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.

“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen – as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”

BCB refutes reports saying ICC had issued an ultimatum over Bangladesh’s refusal to play its World Cup games in India.

Cricket authorities in Bangladesh have agreed to “work closely” with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to resolve security concerns regarding their team’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup in India.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will cooperate with the tournament’s organisers in order to ensure the country’s participation, it said in a statement on Wednesday, three days after saying its men’s team will not travel to the neighbouring country.

“The ICC has conveyed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns, and has assured that the board’s inputs will be welcomed and duly considered as part of the detailed security planning for the event,” the BCB’s statement said.

“The BCB will continue constructive engagement with the ICC and relevant event authorities in a cooperative and professional manner to arrive at an affable and practical solution that ensures the smooth and successful participation of the team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026,” the statement added.

The sport’s governing body and the BCB reportedly held a virtual meeting on Tuesday in response to Bangladesh’s request for a change of venue for its fixtures.

India and Sri Lanka are co-hosting the 20-team tournament from February 7, but all of Bangladesh’s group matches were allocated to Indian venues.

Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India stemmed from a recent controversy, when its star fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped by his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders at the directive of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

It led to an outcry from cricket fans and administrators in Bangladesh, urging the BCB to take reciprocal action. In turn, the BCB asked the ICC to relocate its games from India to Sri Lanka over security concerns, saying its team will not travel to India.

Following two days of silence, the ICC – led by former BCCI chief Jay Shah – and BCB held a call to discuss the issue, with the tournament’s and Bangladesh’s opening match just more than a month away.

According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, the ICC told the BCB during the meeting that Bangladesh will need to travel to India or risk forfeiting points.

However, the BCB refuted the report and termed its claims as “completely false”.

“The BCB has taken note of certain reports published in a section of the media suggesting that the board has been issued an ultimatum. Such claims are completely false, unfounded and do not reflect the nature or content of the communication received from the ICC,” it said.

Earlier, Bangladesh’s interim government also banned the broadcast ‍of the IPL, saying the unceremonious dumping of a “star player defied logic” and had “hurt people”.

It is the latest flashpoint in a growing dispute with neighbouring India, which has now extended to cricket ties between the two nations.

The ongoing tensions flared in recent weeks after a 25-year-old Hindu man was lynched and burned publicly in Bangladesh following allegations of blasphemy.

A few days later, Hindutva activists tried to storm the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi as they rallied against the neighbouring nation for failing to protect its Hindu minorities.

Diplomatic relations between the once-close allies have been sharply tested since August last year, when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi from Dhaka after an uprising against her rule.

Bangladesh blames India for a number of its troubles, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support for Hasina when she was in power.

England and Trailfinders Women back row Abi Burton has been chosen as chair of a landmark leadership group of PWR players.

Burton, who was part of the Red Roses squad that won the Womens’ Rugby World Cup in September, will lead the Women’s Rugby Board set up by elite players union The Rugby Players Association (RPA).

The 25-year-old’s Rugby World Cup triumph came three years after she had to be placed in a coma to treat a serious immune disease attacking her brain.

“I’m really proud to have been elected chair of the first Women’s Rugby Board,” said Burton.

“It’s an important opportunity to ensure players’ voices are heard, and I’m looking forward to working with the board and the RPA to represent players across the women’s game.”

The new separate women’s board will ensure women’s players are better represented and able to respond to “specific challenges and opportunities they face” say the RPA.

Bristol Bears and Wales full-back Jenny Hesketh has been elected as vice-chair with Emily Tuttosi, who started for Canada against England in last year’s World Cup final, chosen as Exeter Chiefs representative.

The Women’s Rugby Board representatives for the 2025–26 season

Bristol Bears: Jenny Hesketh (vice-chair)

Exeter Chiefs: Emily Tuttosi

Gloucester Hartpury: Sam Monaghan

Harlequins: Lagi Tuima

Leicester Tigers: Grace Deane

Loughborough Lightning: Elis Martin

Sale Sharks: Tysh Harper

Saracens: Ella Wyrwas

Trailfinders Women: Abi Burton (chair)

Bethell’s century, which took the tourists to 302-8 and a lead of 119, makes the 22-year-old the seventh youngest man to score a Test hundred for England against Australia.

Having come in during the first over, he strolled to the nineties but 29 balls passed with Bethell a hit away from a century.

Harry Brook, England’s vice-captain, wafted and waved at Mitchell Starc bouncers at the other end. Bethell’s dad, Graham, took deep breaths in the stands.

It was the man that mattered most who appeared the calmest of all.

Bethell had, of course, been here before.

In November 2024, he reached 96 against New Zealand in his second Test, only to nick behind off Tim Southee.

His response afterwards, that it would have been “flair” to “smack that through the covers” hinted at Bethell’s freer side – the one that had him pictured doing the YMCA during England’s ill-fated mid-Ashes trip to Noosa.

This hundred showed all of his maturity that is so highly regarded by England – and what persuaded them to make him their youngest captain on last year’s white-ball tour of Ireland.

“He played in a way that Test cricket has been played for many generations,” said former England captain Michael Vaughan on Test Match Special. “You respect the ball and have good technique.

“It was a technical masterclass. A masterclass in composure and calmness.

“The strokeplay, when he got a chance to score, he didn’t try to overhit it. We have seen a batting masterclass from someone who let the ball come.

“He didn’t hit the ball in the air that often. It was a throwback.”

Though the landmark came with a flick for four over mid-wicket off Beau Webster’s spin, Bethell’s first ton was moulded in a style from the old school.

While defending the danger area around his stumps, he timed back-foot punches rather than slashing cuts and clipped from his pads to keep the score moving.

A glorious on-drive off Michael Neser was the highlight and a dismissive pull off Cameron Green through mid-wicket a statement.

“I had two shots and a half,” said Cook, famed for his cuts, pulls and clips, on TNT Sports.

“Four shots would help anyone be world-class. He has guts and determination.

“There were some really tough balls but he has a nice solid technique down the ground.

“Clip, pull, drive and cut. A classic number three innings.”

NEW ORLEANS — LeBron James and Luka Doncic left the fans inside the Smoothie King Center in awe at their performances on Tuesday night.

The two of them led a Lakers’ smothering defense in the fourth quarter and an efficient offense.

James had a near triple-double of 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and Doncic had 30 points and 10 assists, the two of them leading the Lakers to a 111-103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

“I love what’s happening right now with Luka and LeBron and that partnership, whether it’s pick-and-roll with each other,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.

As he talked about James and Doncic and how dynamic those two are, Redick beamed at his two stars.

“There’s some real synergy happening right now and it’s fun to watch,” Redick said.

It was the second time in the last three games that James and Doncic have scored at least 30 points in a game. James had 31 against Memphis last Friday night and Doncic had 34.

Now, here James and Doncic were combining for 60 points on 21-for-41 shooting.

“It is gonna start with me and Luka, for sure, every time we hit the floor,” James said. “He has the ball in his hands. I’m gonna have the ball in my hands. We have to make sure we putting our guys in position offensively and then defensively. It has always been my voice to make sure I command with my voice and everybody knows what’s going on on the floor.”

As James talked, he shot down the theory that Doncic has to bend his game to James’ or to any of his teammates.

James simply noted that the Lakers (23-11) are Doncic’s team and the rest of them will follow his lead, including James.

“Luka don’t need to bend his game. Luka is our (26-year-old) franchise for this ball club,” James said. “He don’t need to bend this game. It’s up to us to bend our game around him and figure it out. We just try to be dynamic to work off of him. We know he is an unbelievable pick-and-roll player, unbelievable shot maker. He commands the defense. He had four eyes, sometimes six eyes on him. So it’s us…It’s up to us to put ourselves in the right position. So, it’s not a problem for me, it’s not an issue for me. To be able to do things that… I don’t know…I just don’t think people watch basketball.”

So when Doncic threw a two-handed lob pass from beyond the three-point line to a high-flying James on the baseline in the second quarter, it was another example of how Doncic controls the game and how James fits in.

The Lakers opened the fourth quarter with an intensity on defense.

They turned a deficit at the end of the third into a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter by opening the quarter with an 18-4 run to take a 97-90 lead.

Still, it took the Lakers playing hard until the end to close out the victory.

When Doncic lost control of the basketball late, it looked like it would be a 24-second clock violation as he stumbled.

Instead, he got the ball back with James and two Pelican defenders all close by and shot a wild floating three-pointer for a 105-96 Lakers lead with one minute and 59 seconds left.

Doncic looked at the Pelicans bench after the ball settled into the net and roared.

The Pelicans called a time out, leading James to bump Doncic on the back, put his head in Doncic’s chest and then slap him on the head, the two of them smiling at the magical moment.

“I told him (James), he set a great screen. If you don’t set that screen, I probably was not that open,” Doncic said, joking and smiling. “But, it was a great moment. He started the fourth quarter with two threes and then an assist. So he got us back into the game. We appreciate him.”

The defense the Lakers played in the fourth was tremendous.

They held the Pelicans to17 points and 33.3% shooting. The Lakers took three charges in the fourth, one a career-first by Dalton Knecht and one by Doncic.

Now the Lakers turn their attention to playing a back-to-back game Wednesday night in San Antonio and the question presented to James was about him playing.

The 41-year-old James said it was “TBD,” to be determined.

“You guys know that,” James said. “I’m 41 years old, of course, it’s always…Every back-to-back for the rest of the season is TBD. I am 41. I got the most minutes in NBA history. Bank it right now. What are we talking about? What are we talking about?”

Doncic had 16 points and six assists in the first half and James had 15 points and six rebounds.

But starting forward Jake LaRavia didn’t score in his 18 minutes of play in the first half.

The Lakers then went down by nine points in the third quarter, meaning they had to play catch-up the rest of the way.

The Lakers play a back-to-back game Wednesday night in San Antonio, leading to Redick being asked if the 41-year-old James would play against the Spurs.

“We have no plan for any of our players,” Redick said. “We’re gonna see what happens tonight.”

Etc.

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is on the two-game trip, but he was downgraded to out for the game against the Pelicans with a lumbar back strain. Vincent has missed the last nine games, but there is hope he’ll be available Wednesday against San Antonio. “We just downgraded Gabe,” Redick said. “He has not had a setback, but we’re hoping he gets to play tomorrow. But again, it’s all about how he feels tomorrow.”

EXPLAINER

From qualified teams to match schedule and top goalscorers – here’s what you need to know about the AFCON quarterfinals.

Defending champions Ivory Coast became the last of the eight continental giants to set up a mouthwatering quarterfinal tie as the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 nears its end in Morocco.

The action in the round of 16 had a bit of everything – from last-gasp winners, to a penalty shootout and one-sided goal fests – but the teams will now be more closely matched as the cream of African football rises to the top.

Here’s everything you need to know about the quarterfinals:

Which teams have qualified for the AFCON 2025 quarterfinals?

Eight of the top 10 African nations are through:

⚽ Senegal
⚽ Mali
⚽ Morocco
⚽ Cameroon
⚽ Egypt
⚽ Nigeria
⚽ Algeria
⚽ Ivory Coast

What’s the schedule of the AFCON 2025 quarterfinals?

Two matches each will be played on Friday and Saturday:

January 9

⚽ Mali vs Senegal at 5pm (16:00 GMT) – Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier

⚽ Cameroon vs Morocco at 8pm (19:00 GMT) – Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat

January 10

⚽ Algeria vs Nigeria at 5pm (16:00 GMT) – Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh

⚽ Egypt vs Ivory Coast at 8pm (19:00 GMT) – Adrar Stadium, Agadir

Which teams are favourites to win the AFCON 2025?

While holders Ivory Coast and Arab champions Morocco began the tournament as frontrunners for the title, Nigeria have jostled to the front with near-faultless performances in all their fixtures thus far.

Algeria have impressed by being the only team other than Nigeria to win all their matches, while Mohamed Salah-led Egypt have also lived up to their reputation of being a top-four African side.

Who are the top goal scorers at AFCON 2025?

At the end of the round of 16, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz leads the charts with four goals from as many games, while five other players have scored three each.

⚽ Brahim Diaz (Morocco): 4
⚽ Ademola Lookman (Nigeria): 3
⚽ Lassine Sinayoko (Mali): 3
⚽ Ayoub El Kaabi (Morocco): 3
⚽ Mohamed Salah (Egypt): 3
⚽ Riyad Mahrez (Algeria): 3
⚽ Victor Osimhen (Nigeria): 3

How can I watch and follow the AFCON 2025 quarterfinals?

Al Jazeera Sport will provide live scores, as well as a photo and text commentary stream of Cameroon vs Morocco, and Algeria vs Nigeria.

Regional broadcasters, including Channel 4, beIN Sport, SuperSport and Canal+ are broadcasting the tournament.

The shots had stopped falling. The tension had started rising. Fresh off its worst loss of the Lindsay Gottlieb era, USC had, for the better part of three quarters, looked well on its way to a get-right win Tuesday, the sort that might help ease the embarrassment from a 34-point loss to bitter rival UCLA.

But over the course of the fourth quarter, as Oregon clawed its way back, the Trojans tightened up. The offense looked out of sorts. The defense looked out of breath. No. 21 USC (10-5, 2-2 in the Big Ten) missed its first eight shots of the quarter, just as Oregon (14-3, 2-2) exploded on that end, its worst fears coming to life out of the loss.

Over four minutes and 46 painful seconds, the Trojans went scoreless, unable to do much of anything but watch as Oregon stole a 71-66 victory Tuesday.

The loss was USC’s second in a row, marking the first time since January 2024 that the Trojans suffered consecutive defeats.

Even as Oregon mounted a late run, USC had its chances to shoot its way back into the game. Londynn Jones hit a three-pointer, and freshman Jazzy Davidson made a jumper, her only bucket of the second half, to give the Trojans a nine-point lead with just under five minutes remaining.

But those were the last two buckets USC would score. Oregon’s Ari Long hit a three-pointer, then drained another on the next possession. The Galen Center crowd groaned, seemingly knowing what was coming next.

With 32 seconds remaining, Oregon called a timeout. The Ducks found Long again coming out of the break, and she sank a third three-pointer, this one costly.

Kara Dunn did what she could to keep USC afloat, scoring 21 points and adding nine rebounds. Davidson struggled to find her shooting stroke, but still filled the stat sheet with 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals to go with 14 points.

Jones even gave USC critical contributions throughout, as the Trojans were forced to play without sophomore Kennedy Smith, their best defender who has a leg injury, according to the team.

She was missed Tuesday, especially down the stretch, as Long torched the Trojans for nine of her 11 points in the final minutes.

Where USC goes from here remains to be seen, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier, with four more matchups against ranked teams before January is up.

It took nearly four minutes for USC to find the basket to start the game, its offense picking up right where it left off Saturday in its sluggish loss to UCLA. The Trojans missed nine of their first 10 shots, unable to find any semblance of a rhythm.

Then finally, Malia Samuels hit a corner three. Jones sank a three-pointer of her own. Then Dunn got in the party.

USC exhaled — and proceeded to finish the first quarter on a 16-0 run.

The defense did most of the heavy lifting from there, holding Oregon at arm’s length until the fourth quarter, when the Ducks flew out in front, dealing the Trojans another loss.

MADISON, Wis. — Can a team be in crisis just a handful of games into conference play?

UCLA is testing that possibility given what happened here Tuesday night as part of a larger downward trend.

Lacking one of their top players with guard Skyy Clark sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Bruins also were deficient in many other areas.

Defense. Heart. Toughness. Cohesion. Intelligence.

In a game that the Bruins needed to win to get their season back on track and have any realistic chance at an elite finish in the Big Ten, they fell flat once more.

Another terrible first half led to another failed comeback for UCLA during an 80-72 loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday night at the Kohl Center, leaving the Bruins in search of answers that seem elusive.

There was a dustup with 10 seconds left when UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr. pushed Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter after absorbing a hard foul, forcing a scrum of players to congregate along the baseline. Winter was assessed a flagrant-1 foul and Dailey a technical foul that was offset by a technical foul on Badgers guard Nick Boyd.

About the only thing to celebrate for the Bruins was not giving up.

Thanks to a flurry of baskets from Dailey and a three-pointer from Trent Perry that broke his team’s 0-for-14 start from long range, UCLA pulled to within 63-56 midway through the second half. Making the Bruins’ rally all the more improbable was that much of it came with leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau on the bench with four fouls.

But Wisconsin countered with five consecutive points and the Bruins (10-5 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) never mounted another threat on the way to a second consecutive loss.

Dailey scored 18 points but missed all five of his three-pointers, fitting for a team that made just one of 17 shots (5.9%) from long range. Bilodeau added 16 points and Perry had 15.

Boyd scored 20 points to lead the Badgers (10-5, 2-2), who won in large part by their volume of three-pointers, making 10 of 30 attempts (33.3%) from beyond the arc.

Unveiling a turnover-choked, defensively challenged performance, UCLA played as if it were trying to top its awful first-half showing against Iowa from three days earlier.

It didn’t help that the Bruins were shorthanded from tipoff.

With Clark unavailable, UCLA coach Mick Cronin turned to Perry and pivoted to a smaller lineup featuring forward Brandon Williams alongside Bilodeau as the big men.

For the opening 10 minutes, it felt like a repeat of Wisconsin’s blowout victory over UCLA during the Big Ten tournament last March. The Badgers made seven of 11 three-pointers on the way to building a 20-point lead midway through the first half as Cronin continually tinkered with his lineup, trying to find a winning combination.

It never came.

He tried backup center Steven Jamerson II for a little more than a minute before yanking him after Jamerson committed a foul. He put in backup guard Jamar Brown and took him out after Brown gave up a basket and fumbled a pass out of bounds for a turnover. Backup guard Eric Freeny got his chance as well and airballed a three-pointer.

Wisconsin surged ahead with an early 13-0 run and nearly matched it with a separate 11-0 push. The Bruins then lost Perry for the rest of the first half after he hit his chin while diving for a loose ball, pounding the court in frustration with a balled fist before holding a towel firmly against his injured chin during a timeout. (He returned in the second half with a heavy bandage.)

Just when it seemed as if things couldn’t get worse, they did. Williams limped off the court with cramps late in the first half and the Bruins failed to box out Wisconsin’s Andrew Rohde on two possessions, leading to a putback and two free throws after he was fouled on another putback attempt.

UCLA almost seemed fortunate to be down only 45-31 by the game’s midpoint, though being on pace to give up 90 points couldn’t have pleased a coach known for defense.

Another comeback that came up short didn’t make things any better.