suffers

A season of frustratingly unfortunate events for USC had led here, to this nightmarish crescendo at the one-minute mark Saturday, in a must-win matchup.

Through a roller-coaster afternoon, the Trojans had navigated one wave after another, riding several hot streaks and surviving the cold ones, knowing full well that their NCAA tournament hopes hinged on a win over Oregon, one of the Big Ten’s worst teams.

All that stress seemed to subside as USC took a six-point lead with 70 seconds remaining. Any rational onlooker would assume that the Trojans had held on for good, dispatching of the Ducks.

But then Oregon scored on a layup. It stole the ball back. And it hit a three-pointer.

USC coach Eric Musselman reacts after a play during the Trojans’ loss to Oregon Saturday at the Galen Center.

(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

USC clung to a one-point lead as freshman Alijah Arenas stepped back for a jumper that clanged away. Kam Woods missed a tip. Then, Oregon got the ball back and drew a foul.

Two free throws from Oregon’s Nate Bittle dealt USC one final, unbelievable blow to their Saturday — and perhaps their season — handing the Trojans a devastating 71-70 loss.

Their hopes of making the NCAA tournament aren’t necessarily dead as of Saturday. Four games still remain for the Trojans to build their case before the Big Ten tournament. But two of those come against UCLA and another against Nebraska, one of the best teams in the Big Ten this season.

USC had hoped Chad Baker-Mazara‘s return from injury would help lift them to a victory Saturday. Baker-Mazara led all scorers with 21, but he also fouled out late, during that final possession.

Arenas struggled most of the afternoon, before scoring 11 in the second half. But it was his turnover in the final seconds that ultimately handed Oregon the win

Baker-Mazara hadn’t played since the beginning of February, and in back-to-back losses to Illinois and Ohio State, the Trojans undoubtedly missed his spark. If not for a late game winner in State College from Arenas, they would’ve dropped all three games played without Baker-Mazara.

The circumstances ultimately left USC in a must-win scenario Saturday, if it hoped to continue clinging to the edge of the NCAA tournament bubble. Oregon had, on the other hand, spent most of the season in the Big Ten cellar. It entered Saturday’s matinee with losses in 11 of its last 12 games.

There was no such urgency in Baker-Mazara upon his return. The sixth-year senior sang and danced his way through warm-ups, before opening the game on a stationary bike in the corner of the arena.

But upon checking in, he jolted the Trojans offense to life with 13 straight points.

The boost Baker-Mazara provided eventually ran out of gas. USC hit just three of its final 14 shots before halftime, and Oregon stormed out in front.

The Ducks did the same in the second half, albeit in much more devastating fashion, leaving USC with a much harder road ahead.

SHAKIRA suffered a nasty fall during a live stage performance over the weekend, with the singer twisting her ankle in the middle of her concert.

The Columbian star, 49, was performing in San Salvador on Saturday when she left fans worried during a mid-song tumble.

Singing her hit song Si Te Vas during the night, Shakira was walking across the stage when her right ankle suddenly twisted.

She then completely toppled to her side, falling onto her elbow as she brought her microphone stand down with her.

During the moment, Shakira stopped singing as gasps could be heard amongst the audience.

But ever the professional, she quickly got herself back up and managed to continue the song – with the star’s band continuing as her guitarist cheered her on.

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Seeing the funny side of the accident, Shakira later took to her Instagram Stories to share the clip as she wrote in Spanish: “Don’t worry, I’m made of rubber hahah”.

The performance was part of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour – translated as Women No Longer Cry  – with the show marking her first performance in San Salvador.

She will wrap up in the city this Sunday, before heading to Mexico and finally finishing the tour in Abu Dhabi on 4 April.

The tour kicked off last year and was confirmed as the biggest female tour of 2025, by both box office takings and ticket sales.

It came a year after her album of the same name was released, with a “diss track” to her ex Gerard Pique on its setlist.

Shakira split with the former Barcelona star, whom she shares two children with, in 2022 after 11 years together.

It followed allegations he had cheated.

But appearing to mark positivity for Shakira fans, she said the split inspired her to get stuck back into work again – hence the mighty world tour.

She said on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2024: “I’ve been putting out music here and there but it was really hard for me to put together a body of work.

“I didn’t have time because of the husband factor.

“Now I’m husbandless. Yeah, the husband was dragging me down. Now I’m free. Now I can actually work.”

Referencing the name of her album, she giggled: “It’s men’s turn now.

“For too long we have been sent to cry with a script in our hands and without an end just because we are women.

Liverpool signing Jeremy Jacquet faces a spell on the sidelines after suffering a shoulder injury playing for Rennes.

The 20-year-old French defender, who agreed a £60m move to Anfield last week, is set to join at the end of the season.

He fell awkwardly in the second half of Rennes’ 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat at Lens on Saturday, when defender Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal also suffered a muscular injury.

Rennes manager Habib Beye said: “It’s definitely quite serious for both of them.”

Northampton Saints wing Edoardo Todaro is facing a long lay-off after suffering a serious knee injury at a training camp with Italy.

The Italian Rugby Federation website say diagnostic tests had confirmed a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee.

“The player will return to his club where he will continue his recovery and rehabilitation process, supported by the Northampton medical staff in collaboration with the men’s national team medical staff,” a statement added.

Todaro, 19, has been a revelation for Saints, scoring 10 tries in 13 appearances –despite serving a two-match ban for an aerial tackle – after signing his first professional contract before the start of the season.