Cleveland State Vikings and IU Indianapolis Jaguars play in Horizon L… — and more

IU Indianapolis Jaguars (7-24, 3-17 Horizon League) at Cleveland State Vikings (10-21, 6-14 Horizon League)

Cleveland; Monday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Cleveland State and IU Indianapolis meet in the Horizon League Tournament.

The Vikings have gone 6-14 against Horizon League opponents, with a 4-7 record in non-conference play. Cleveland State has a 3-2 record in one-possession games.

The Jaguars are 3-17 against Horizon League opponents. IU Indianapolis is 1-2 in games decided by less than 4 points.

Cleveland State scores 79.7 points per game, 8.2 fewer points than the 87.9 IU Indianapolis allows. IU Indianapolis averages 83.2 points per game, 2.4 fewer than the 85.6 Cleveland State allows to opponents.

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Jaguars won 82-74 in the last matchup on Feb. 7. Kyler D'Augustino led the Jaguars with 16 points, and Dayan Nessah led the Vikings with 24 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Nessah is scoring 15.5 points per game and averaging 6.3 rebounds for the Vikings. Jaidon Lipscomb is averaging 17.0 points and 3.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Maguire Mitchell is shooting 34.4% from beyond the arc with 2.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Jaguars, while averaging 11.5 points. D'Augustino is averaging 13.9 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Vikings: 3-7, averaging 80.4 points, 26.1 rebounds, 16.8 assists, 6.1 steals and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 87.9 points per game.

Jaguars: 2-8, averaging 79.4 points, 29.8 rebounds, 19.9 assists, 6.3 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 83.5 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Rangers and Celtic face off in a pivotal Old Firm encounter, desperate to close the gap on league leaders Hearts, who have opened up a seven-point lead.

The match is vital for both teams' title hopes, with a defeat proving costly in the tight race for the Scottish Premiership trophy.

Liverpool Interest in Dumfries Gains Momentum

There is a familiar hum around Liverpool whenever a summer window approaches: quiet conversations, careful scouting, and one or two names that refuse to fade. Dumfries is one of them. According to the Original source, an editorial on Tuttomercatoweb, Liverpool remain keen on the Inter defender, with interest described as “always strong” and a release clause of €25 million set to be active throughout July.

In modern football economics, that figure is a whisper compared with what full-backs often command. Clubs in England have paid double and triple for less proven options, which is why Liverpool’s interest carries a sense of inevitability. When a club that values value meets a clause that looks modest, deals tend to gather pace.

Liverpool’s recruitment team has long favoured athleticism and tactical flexibility, and Dumfries fits neatly into that mould. He offers width without surrendering defensive structure, and in a squad that has evolved under pressure from a relentless fixture list, that versatility matters. The Inter system has allowed him to surge forward, and Liverpool have noticed.

Photo: IMAGO

Release Clause Shapes Summer Plans

Transfer sagas are rarely romantic; they are about numbers and timing. The clause, active only in July, is the hinge upon which this story swings. As the Original source notes, the amount is “affordable and does not protect the club” from suitors. Liverpool know this. Inter know it too.

That brief window invites brinkmanship. Liverpool could move early, hoping to settle terms before rivals step in. Inter may attempt to renegotiate contracts or persuade their player to stay. Agents will test the market. All the usual choreography.

Liverpool’s interest is not new. There was a January enquiry that led nowhere, but persistence is a hallmark of the club’s transfer policy. Targets are tracked over seasons, not weeks. Data is weighed against character, injury record, tactical suitability. By the time Liverpool act, it often looks sudden. It rarely is.

Inter Balancing Squad Stability

Inter, meanwhile, face the delicate task of retaining core players while reshaping for the future. Italian clubs have mastered survival through ingenuity, but finances still bite. With contracts expiring and rivals circling, difficult decisions loom.

The Tuttomercatoweb piece hints at a club trying to “hold on to its strongest players” while also planning reinforcements. That tension defines modern football: ambition pulling one way, balance sheets another. If Liverpool trigger the clause, Inter’s choice may be limited.

For Liverpool, the question is less about admiration and more about fit. Does Dumfries elevate the squad immediately? Does he complement existing options? Liverpool have been ruthless in trimming sentiment from recruitment. If the numbers say yes, they will move.

Premier League Pull Hard to Resist

There is a reason English clubs dominate European spending. Television revenue, commercial reach, global appeal. Liverpool sit near the centre of that storm. When they call, agents listen.

Dumfries would not be the first player to swap Serie A for Anfield’s glare, nor will he be the last. The appeal is obvious: pace of play, scale of audience, chance to compete for honours in multiple competitions. Liverpool’s ambitions remain high, and strengthening wide defensive areas is part of that vision.

The Original source frames the move as a continuing storyline, not a sudden twist. That is how transfers often unfold: rumours, denial, renewed interest, then action. For Liverpool supporters, it is a familiar narrative. For Inter, it is a potential headache.

And so the July clause hangs over the story like a ticking clock. Liverpool watch. Inter prepare. Dumfries waits. In football’s long summer, that is how it usually begins.

The Asian Football Confederation confirmed full support for the squad amidst the crisis. Coach Marziyeh Jafari emphasized showing the "potential of Iranian women" rather than politics.

Skipper Zahra Ghanbari stated the team aims to qualify for the 2027 World Cup, seeking to secure a top-six finish in the tournament.

Northern Colorado Bears (21-9, 12-5 Big Sky) at Montana Lady Griz (8-20, 5-12 Big Sky)

Missoula, Montana; Monday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Montana hosts Northern Colorado after Avery Waddington scored 29 points in Montana's 55-53 win over the Portland State Vikings.

The Lady Griz have gone 3-9 at home. Montana is 5-9 when it wins the turnover battle and averages 13.6 turnovers per game.

The Bears are 12-5 in Big Sky play. Northern Colorado averages 69.2 points while outscoring opponents by 9.4 points per game.

Montana is shooting 38.4% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points lower than the 39.2% Northern Colorado allows to opponents. Northern Colorado's 41.9% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.2 percentage points lower than Montana has allowed to its opponents (44.1%).

The teams square off for the second time in conference play this season. Northern Colorado won the last meeting 77-58 on Jan. 3. Heather Baymon scored 29 points to help lead the Bears to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mack Konig is scoring 14.6 points per game with 2.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Lady Griz. Waddington is averaging 16.6 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 47.2% over the last 10 games.

Gabi Fields is averaging 7.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals for the Bears. Tatum West is averaging 11.8 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lady Griz: 3-7, averaging 63.3 points, 26.8 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 6.2 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 39.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.6 points per game.

Bears: 7-3, averaging 64.7 points, 31.3 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 10.3 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 40.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 58.2 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.