Three Texas Players Enter Transfer Portal

Following a Final Four defeat to UCLA, Texas Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer announced that forward Aaliyah Moore, forward Justice Carlton, and guard Aaliyah Crump have entered the NCAA transfer portal. Moore’s departure ends an injury‑plagued stint, while Carlton and Crump’s exits leave significant gaps in the program. The losses come amid the arrival of the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in 2026, which may limit playing time for the remaining roster.

Rory McIlroy will get the defence of his Masters title under way at 15:31 BST on Thursday, 9 April when the 90th edition of the first major of the year begins.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy will, as tradition dictates, play in a group with US Amateur champion Mason Howell and last month's Players winner Cameron Young.

That trio are on the early-late half of the draw and will be the penultimate group to start round two on Friday, at 18:44.

World number one Scottie Scheffler starts his quest for a third Green Jacket on the late-early side of the draw. The 2022 and 2024 champion heads out on Thursday at 18:44 alongside Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and former US Open champion Gary Woodland.

In one of several other marquee groups, England's 2022 US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick will tee-off with American major winners Bryson DeChambeau and Xander Schauffele at 15:07 in round one, while Tommy Fleetwood is out at 14:55.

Three-time Augusta runner-up Justin Rose, including last year to McIlroy, starts his 21st Masters at 18:20 alongside 2015 champion Jordan Spieth and five-time major champion Brooks Koepka.

Record six-time Masters winner Jack Nicklaus, 86, will be joined by 90-year-old three-time champion Gary Player and two-time winner Tom Watson, 76, to hit ceremonial tee shots at 12:25 as honorary starters.

Round one: Thursday, 9 April (all times BST)

12:40 John Keefer (US), Haotong Li (Chn)

12:50 Naoyuki Kataoka (Jpn), Max Homa (US), Carlos Ortiz (Mex)

13:02 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Den), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)

13:14 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Sami Valimaki (Fin), Jackson Herrington (US*)

13:26 Charl Schwartzel (SA), Max Greyserman (US), Ryan Fox (NZ)

13:38 Vijay Singh (Fij), Matt McCarty (US), Rasmus Hojgaard (Den)

13:50 Kurt Kitayama (US), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)

14:02 Bubba Watson (US), Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Brandon Holtz (US*)

14:19 Cameron Smith (Aus), Sam Burns (US), Jake Knapp (US)

14:31 Keegan Bradley (US), Ryan Gerard (US), Nick Taylor (Can)

14:43 Dustin Johnson (US), Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)

14:55 Patrick Reed (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia (US)

15:07 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele (US)

15:19 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Collin Morikawa (US), Russell Henley (US)

15:31 Rory McIlroy (NI), Cameron Young (US), Mason Howell (US*)

15:43 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Patrick Cantlay (US), Alex Noren (Swe)

16:03 Samuel Stevens (US), Sung-jae Im (Kor)

16:15 Andrew Novak (US), Tom McKibbin (NI), Brian Campbell (US)

16:27 Mike Weir (Can), Wyndham Clark (US), Mateo Pulcini (Arg*)

16:39 Zach Johnson (US), Michael Kim (US), Nicolai Hojgaard (Den)

16:51 Danny Willett (Eng), Davis Riley (US), Ethan Fang (US*)

17:03 Adam Scott (Aus), Daniel Berger (US), Brian Harman (US)

17:15 Fred Couples (US), Min Woo Lee (Aus), Fifa Laopakdee (Tha*)

17:27 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Aaron Rai (Eng), Jacob Bridgeman (US)

17:44 Harry Hall (Eng), Corey Conners (Can), Michael Brennan (US)

17:56 JJ Spaun (US), Maverick McNealy (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)

18:08 Jon Rahm (Spa), Chris Gotterup (US), Ludvig Aberg (Swe)

18:20 Jordan Spieth (US), Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka (US)

18:32 Sepp Straka (Aut), Ben Griffin (US), Justin Thomas (US)

18:44 Scottie Scheffler (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland (US)

18:56 Harris English (US), Marco Penge (Eng), Si Woo Kim (Kor)

* denotes amateur

Round two: Friday, 10 April

12:40 Samuel Stevens (US), Sung-jae Im (Kor)

12:50 Andrew Novak (US), Tom McKibbin (NI), Brian Campbell (US)

13:02 Mike Weir (Can), Wyndham Clark (US), Mateo Pulcini (Arg*)

13:14 Zach Johnson (US), Michael Kim (US), Nicolai Hojgaard (Den)

13:26 Danny Willett (Eng), Davis Riley (US), Ethan Fang (US*)

13:38 Adam Scott (Aus), Daniel Berger (US), Brian Harman (US)

13:50 Fred Couples (US), Min Woo Lee (Aus), Fifa Laopakdee (Tha*)

14:02 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Aaron Rai (Eng), Jacob Bridgeman (US)

14:19 Harry Hall (Eng), Corey Conners (Can), Michael Brennan (US)

14:31 JJ Spaun (US), Maverick McNealy (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)

14:43 Jon Rahm (Spa), Chris Gotterup (US), Ludvig Aberg (Swe)

14:55 Jordan Spieth (US), Justin Rose (Eng), Brooks Koepka (US)

15:07 Sepp Straka (Aut), Ben Griffin (US), Justin Thomas (US)

15:19 Scottie Scheffler (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Gary Woodland (US)

15:31 Harris English (US), Marco Penge (Eng), Si Woo Kim (Kor)

15:51 John Keefer (US), Haotong Li (Chn)

16:03 Naoyuki Kataoka (Jpn), Max Homa (US), Carlos Ortiz (Mex)

16:15 Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Den), Aldrich Potgieter (SA)

16:27 Angel Cabrera (Arg), Sami Valimaki (Fin), Jackson Herrington (US*)

16:39 Charl Schwartzel (SA), Max Greyserman (US), Ryan Fox (NZ)

16:51 Vijay Singh (Fij), Matt McCarty (US), Rasmus Hojgaard (Den)

17:03 Kurt Kitayama (US), Kristoffer Reitan (Nor), Casey Jarvis (SA)

17:15 Bubba Watson (US), Nicolas Echavarria (Col), Brandon Holtz (US*)

17:32 Cameron Smith (Aus), Sam Burns (US), Jake Knapp (US)

17:44 Keegan Bradley (US), Ryan Gerard (US), Nick Taylor (Can)

17:56 Dustin Johnson (US), Shane Lowry (Ire), Jason Day (Aus)

18:08 Patrick Reed (US), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Akshay Bhatia (US)

18:20 Bryson DeChambeau (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Xander Schauffele (US)

18:32 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Collin Morikawa (US), Russell Henley (US)

18:44 Rory McIlroy (NI), Cameron Young (US), Mason Howell (US*)

18:56 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Patrick Cantlay (US), Alex Noren (Swe)

* denotes amateur

I’m going to do something that I almost never do: link to a talkSPORT article. I know, I feel gross about it too, feel free to not click the link. But it’s also interesting — apparently noted worm-muncher and former Burnley, Everton and Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche was never approached by Tottenham Hotspur to become their next manager, and even if they had approached him, he would’ve turned them down.

Dyche was a popular potential managerial candidate amongst a certain segment of Spurs fan after Igor Tudor’s tenure was mutually terminated, for a variety of reasons — he’s a well known figure amongst Premier League players, he plays a style of football that while not exactly glamorous has been known to keep struggling Premier League clubs afloat, and also he was available. I don’t think most Spurs fans wanted Dyche because they thought he would be a good long-term manager for Tottenham Hotspur (his style of football is pretty far from the “Audere est facere” style Spurs fans are clamoring for), but there was a vocal segment that thought he could do enough to keep Spurs from the drop.

But Dyche, speaking on talkSPORT’s White and Jordan show, said that while he didn’t laugh off the links to Tottenham when they emerged, he was never going to take the job.

“I didn’t laugh it off by the way, I told a true story. I spend a lot of time in London, not working but socially and I just happened to be here at the same time the Tottenham job opened. Once you’re in the city, people put two and two together and it was never about getting drawn into the rumours.

“I’m telling the truth, there was a lot of speculation and talk and I was playing it down correctly so. It’s no disrespect to anyone, it’s a brilliant club and I’ve said that but it’s nonsense to pre-suppose an outcome just because you’re in the same city.

…

“Obviously in the career I have, it does pay well but I wouldn’t go in there looking for money. They could offer me a massive amount of money, I’m sure they’re capable of it and allegedly they’ve offered [Roberto] De Zerbi a massive amount of money.

“It would have been about what are [Spurs] going to help me gain as a human being. What would I gain? Let’s say you go in there and get the job done, then next season if you’re not in the top four and the football’s not what they want, then you’re rubbish and they want you out.

“So you’re not going to gain a lot there, are you? And that’s if you get the job done, because it’s not easy. If you don’t get the job done, then somehow it’s on my neck that I took Tottenham down. That ain’t good for me as a human, this isn’t even about football at this point. Then you get some money and I go, I’m not thirsty for that. I’ve got some money.”

He’s not wrong, and that sentiment is probably a wall that Spurs ran into with any number of candidates. It doesn’t make a lot of sense for him to take the job. At best he keeps Spurs up and then ends up being a terrible fit for the style of football they want to play. At worst he fails, Spurs get relegated, and then he’s castigated for failing and is likely out of a job anyway. It’s the definition of a poisoned chalice.

It’s probably why they decided to throw a bunch of money at someone like Roberto De Zerbi, whom, ethical considerations aside, is a talented manager and clearly decided the money was worth sticking around Spurs even if they do get relegated. We’ve said what we want to say about De Zerbi’s sexual assault apologia and his non-apology for defending Mason Greenwood (and no, I won’t be shutting up about it), but in some ways De Zerbi makes more sense than hiring someone like Dyche, the very definition of a short-term appointment for a club like Tottenham.

Liverpool Boost as Alexander Isak Returns Ahead of PSG Clash

Liverpool head into a defining week in Europe with renewed optimism, and not a moment too soon. The return of Alexander Isak, their £125 million summer signing, offers Arne Slot a timely option as the Reds prepare to face PSG in the Champions League quarter finals.

Isak Return Lifts Liverpool Options

After months on the sidelines, Alexander Isak is back in the Liverpool squad, travelling with the team to Paris. The Swedish forward has not featured since December after fracturing his leg against Tottenham, a setback that disrupted both his rhythm and Liverpool’s attacking plans.

His recovery has been gradual, carefully managed, and deliberate. Slot and his staff have resisted the temptation to rush him, mindful of the demands at this stage of the season. Now, with PSG looming, the timing could hardly be more significant.

Speaking recently, Slot said: “I was hoping the same [that Isak would be among the substitutes on Saturday], but you always do these things in co-operation with medical staff, performance staff and the player himself.

“We came to the conclusion that it was better for him to have a few more sessions than only one or two and then immediately jump into a game like this, where if you bring him in there might be extra-time.

“The situation is now that I hope, again I hope, that he will be available for Wednesday, but today came too early for him.”

Photo: IMAGO

PSG Challenge Comes at Crucial Moment

Liverpool’s clash with PSG represents more than just another European tie. It arrives at a point where their season is delicately poised. Domestically, the defence of their Premier League crown has not gone to plan, with the Reds currently sitting fifth and chasing momentum.

In Europe, however, there remains an opportunity to reshape the narrative. Facing PSG in Paris is rarely forgiving, yet Liverpool’s experience on this stage, combined with the return of key players like Isak, offers a degree of belief.

The forward’s presence alone changes the dynamic. Even if he does not start, his availability provides tactical flexibility and a different dimension in attack, something Liverpool have lacked in recent weeks.

Injury Concerns Still Affect Squad Depth

While the return of Alexander Isak is a boost, Liverpool are not out of the woods when it comes to injuries. Alisson Becker remains sidelined, though there is hope he could return later this month.

Elsewhere, Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni are all dealing with long term issues, leaving Slot with limited options in certain areas of the pitch. Squad management will be critical, especially with the possibility of extra time against PSG.

Season Pressure Mounts on Liverpool

There is a broader context here. Liverpool’s campaign under Arne Slot, despite the high of last season’s Premier League triumph, has been inconsistent. Results have dipped at key moments, and the margin for error is now slim.

That is why the return of Alexander Isak carries added weight. Signed for a British record fee, expectations have been high, yet his tally of three goals in 16 appearances before injury reflects a slow adaptation.

Now, with PSG on the horizon, Liverpool will hope that his comeback marks a turning point. In matches of this magnitude, fine margins decide outcomes, and having a player of Isak’s calibre available could prove decisive.