Georgia picked up a trio of transfers Sunday, including one of the top linebackers available in the spring transfer portal window.

Army outside linebacker Elo Modozie, Illinois running back Josh McCray and Miami defensive lineman Josh Horton have signed with the Bulldogs, sources told ESPN.

Modozie, the No. 8 player in ESPN's spring transfer rankings, enjoyed a breakout year during the Black Knights' 12-win season in 2024, producing a team-high 6.5 sacks and earning third-team All-AAC honors.

McCray was Illinois' leading rusher last season with 609 yards on 5.2 yards per carry and 11 total touchdowns.

The Bulldogs were seeking an experienced back to complement rising sophomore Nate Frazier and secured their top target in the spring window. Georgia backup running back Branson Robinson, a former top-50 recruit, entered the portal Thursday after three seasons with the program.

Horton (6-foot-4, 295 pounds) played a total of 58 snaps over eight games during his two seasons at Miami and will provide added depth and size for the Bulldogs' defensive front.

The defending SEC champions are looking to reload after a first-round exit in last season's College Football Playoff and brought in six transfers during the winter transfer portal window, highlighted by wide receivers Zachariah Branch (USC) and Noah Thomas (Texas A&M).

Monday's Serie A fixtures have been postponed following the death of Pope Francis, the Italian league has announced.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church and a lifelong football fan has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday. He was 88.

"Following the passing of His Holiness, Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A can confirm that today's league games in Serie A and Primavera 1 have been postponed," the league said in a statement.

"The date of the rearranged fixtures will be announced in due course."

Torino were set to host Udinese, Cagliari were due to face off against Fiorentina, while Lazio -- fresh from their Europa League quarterfinal disappointment in midweek -- were meant to travel to Genoa and Parma were scheduled to play Juventus.

LAS VEGAS -- NHL linesman Bryan Pancich left Sunday night's Minnesota-Vegas playoff game 3:37 into the second period after a collision with Golden Knights forward Brett Howden.

Backup official Frederick L'Ecuyer took Pancich's place in the opening game of the first-round Western Conference series.

Howden was trying to bat down a puck in the offensive zone when he appeared to make contact with Pancich's head with both by the boards. Howden briefly kneeled down to check on the official before joining his team as the Wild went on an offensive rush.

The Golden Knights beat the Wild 4-2.

HOUSTON -- Silence enveloped the Houston locker room shortly after the Rockets fell 95-85 to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series Sunday night.

Down the hall in front of the assembled media, Rockets coach Ime Udoka discussed how his team "guarded well enough to win."

"[If] you hold someone to 95 [points], you'd expect to win if you have a decent offensive night," Udoka said after Houston scored its fewest points of the season, and its fewest in a playoff game since Game 3 of the 2018 Western Conference finals, also against the Warriors.

"Some guys did struggle offensively -- you're not going to overreact to one game," Udoka said when asked if he might change the starting lineup.

"But if guys do play better, we have a chance there. Ten-point loss and like I said, holding somebody to 95; it was an offensively poor showing. The defense was good enough. But I'm not going to overreact to that game. It's some of those guys' first times and we had our chances."

Five players (Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr.) in Houston's eight-man rotation made their playoff debuts.

"It's my first [playoff] game," Green said. "I'm not too worried about it. I got a taste of what it was, and I've just got to answer back. I've got to take my time, make the right reads, get the pacing I want and just hunt the shots that I need to get. I feel like I've already seen what they're doing out there throughout 82 games. Just got to be better. We're doing our job defensively. We've just got to score the ball, and we can't leave [Sengun] out there by himself just to score the ball."

The Warriors employed an aggressive defensive game plan that featured plenty of physicality while sending two defenders to the ball handler in pick-and-rolls. In addition to jamming the passing lanes and the paint, Golden State defended Sengun one-on-one for much of the night. He finished with a team-high 26 points. Dillon Brooks and Smith contributed 11 points apiece as Houston's second-highest scorers.

Golden State forced Houston to settle for dreadful shots. Fred VanVleet and Green became the third starting backcourt since 2000 to each shoot 25% or worse (minimum 15 attempts) in the same playoff game, joining the Milwaukee duo of Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton (2019 against Toronto) and Chicago's Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler (2015 against the Bucks).

Entering Sunday night, Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was 0-10 in road playoff games in which his team failed to score 100 points. Houston helped Curry, who scored a game-high 31 points, secure his first win under those conditions.

"We just didn't execute," VanVleet said. "Maybe the physicality was an issue. But I thought we matched that for the most part. They definitely heat the ball up, but they didn't do anything differently tonight than they've done all season. They heat the ball up. They crowd the paint. They obviously tried to take Jalen out."

They succeeded, too, limiting Green to seven points on 3-of-15 shooting, the worst field goal percentage (20%) by a Rocket with at least 15 field goal attempts since 2019, when James Harden shot 15% in Game 3 of the opening round of the playoffs against the Utah Jazz.

Houston shot 39.1% from the field and was 6-of-29 from 3-point range Sunday. The Rockets committed 17 turnovers that Golden State turned into 25 points.

Despite the Warriors taking a 23-point lead in the third quarter, the Rockets gradually whittled it down to four points with 2:38 left on VanVleet's 3-pointer off an assist from Thompson.

Houston finished with an offensive rebounding percentage of 46.6%, the highest percentage in a postseason loss since Game 6 of the 2014 opening-round playoff series between the Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers. Houston lost in six games on a series-ending buzzer-beater.

The Rockets also squandered numerous fast-break opportunities. Golden State outscored Houston 16-4 in fast-break points, but the Rockets went just 2-of-7 in those opportunities after ranking seventh during the regular season in fast-break scoring (17.0).

"They are not a typical modern NBA team in terms of spreading you out, playing fast, shooting a million 3s," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "They're kind of old-school. In many ways, they're in the image of their coach. Ime, he was grimy as a player. He was tough, physical and that's what Houston is. It felt like 1997 out there to me, [a] completely different NBA game than what we're used to, and we've got to be ready for that. This is what this series is going to be."

HOUSTON -- Jimmy Butler sized up Alperen Sengun, milked the shot clock down and hit a turning 19-foot stepback jumper over the Houston Rockets big man with 1:03 left to play.

After Butler's shot sealed Golden State's 95-85 win over Houston in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series, the Warriors star nodded with confidence in a gesture that let his teammates, including Stephen Curry, know they have another star closer.

In his first playoff game with the Warriors, Butler delivered 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals to give the seventh-seeded Warriors a 1-0 lead over the second-seeded Rockets. Butler scored six of his points in the final 1:43 to put the game away.

"There were several moments where they cut the lead," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "... [But each time we] did a great job of getting Jimmy the ball. It always just settles the offense down. Even that last one, he hit over Sengun. That's what we want. And I think we got to do the better job of making sure we're getting him the ball.

"But overall, he's such a huge calm force for us. Just calms everything down, get us to our spots and get us a good look."

Butler is the first player to have 25 points and 5 steals in a playoff debut with a franchise since steals became official in 1973-74. He also tied Allen Iverson for the third-most playoff games with 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.

In game in which the Warriors trailed by eight early after a furious Houston start that was punctuated by an early Sengun poster dunk on Green -- and then built a 66-43 lead midway through the third quarter, only to see Houston slice that deficit to three in the fourth -- Butler helped Curry and the Warriors when they needed it the most by making a play to stabilize things on the floor.

"He has that impact every game," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who secured his 100th playoff coaching victory. "He calms things down. He's very confident, he's very poised. He always believes we're going to win.

"Jimmy is, he's one of the best players in the league, and that's what the best players in the league do. It's not just about scoring or stats. It's about settling the game down, having the presence and the nature to compete and win games like this."

The first game of the Rockets and Warriors series might be a preview of things to come. It was physical, low-scoring and defensive-minded. Kerr likened it to a game out of "1997."

In other words, it was a game that Butler was suited for.

"They're an incredible team," Butler said. "Definitely a physical one. But I would like to think that we don't back down from any challenge anyways and we met brute force with brute force. Maybe a little bit of finesse in there as well. I think we handled their pressure incredibly well knowing that coming out the next game is probably going to be two to three times even more physical."

The Warriors know they will have to find a way to keep Houston off the offensive glass. The Rockets had 22 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points.

They also know Houston will throw more at Curry. Much of the talk entering the series was how Houston can smother Curry with long and athletic wing defenders. The Warriors star point guard was able to overcome the physical defense by hitting 12 of 19 shots, including five 3-pointers, for 31 points. It was his seventh career 30-point game against the Rockets in his postseason career, tied for his most against a single opponent, according to ESPN Research.

When Houston loaded up on Curry, the point guard knew the ball would find Butler. The Warriors are 25-8 since Butler made his debut in Chicago on Feb. 8. They also had the top-ranked defense during that span as well.

In their first playoff game together, Curry got to watch "Playoff Jimmy" work.

"Just a continuation of what it's been like since he's been on our team from February," Curry said of what he saw in Butler in their first playoff game together. "He has a knack for big moments, even if it's not him finishing the play, he had a big shot at the elbow, but just the guy that is composed with the ball, his poised out there, his presence and if they're going to swarm and try to take me out of plays in the half quarter times, you have a guy that can create a lot of looks and defensively as well.

"He plays way bigger than the size. So just it's obviously a great addition and it has been since February and we want to continue that."

CLEVELAND -- When the Cleveland Cavaliers first assembled for this season there was a collective shock at the trash talk coming from Ty Jerome, a career role player who played just 15 total minutes last year because of a bad ankle injury.

"He was talking his s---," Cavs All-Star Darius Garland remembered. "[I was like] 'slow down buddy'."

"[The players] laughed at him because first he was this bit player and he still doing the swag stuff," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "And they're kind of like 'who's this guy think he is?'"

Sunday evening the Miami Heat felt that side of Jerome, who ran his mouth and flexed on them as he scored 28 points in just 26 minutes off the bench for a masterpiece in his first-ever playoff game. He was at his best in the fourth quarter, scoring or assisting on 24 consecutive Cavs points to turn a close game into a 121-100 victory to stake the Cavs to a 1-0 series lead.

It was the cornerstone of a dominating performance by the Cavs' guards. Donovan Mitchell and Garland both looked fresh after a week off, attacking the Heat's interior as part of a clear game plan -- get inside looking to score or open up kick-outs to teammates. Mitchell scored 30 points, going 9-of-10 on 2-point shots as part of an elite interior scoring display. Garland put in 27 points, drilling five 3-pointers and handing out five assists.

Jerome made 5-of-8 3-pointers himself and knocked down three in the fourth quarter run that broke what had been an effective stretch of zone defense from the Heat. Jerome, Garland and Mitchell are just the fourth guard trio in NBA playoff history to each score 25 or more points.

It was part of a memorable day for Jerome, who was named a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year earlier in the evening.

"It's definitely special after last year, not being able to play the whole year, not being able to play the playoffs, just watching," Jerome said. "It speaks to the time my teammates have empowered me and how my coaching staff empowered me since day one for sure."

The Cavs appeared to target Heat guard Tyler Herro on offense, repeatedly looking to create matchups to get him in isolation and then attacking. Jerome, who made 10-of-15 shots, several times flexed after scoring on Herro.

"This is who Ty is. This is not a shock," said Mitchell, who first played with Jerome on an AAU team when they were eight years old. "I know everybody's going to react like this is a shock that he'd been doing this for us all year."

Herro was coming off two brilliant games as the Heat became the first-ever 10-seed to win the play-in tournament, scoring 38 points in a win in Chicago and 30 in Atlanta. He scored 17 points in the first half Sunday but the Cavs swarmed him in the second half, aggressively denying him the ball and trying to make sure he couldn't shake open when the Heat attempted to swing him the ball on the weakside. He finished with 21 points on just 7-of-18 shooting.

Bam Adebayo led the Heat with 24 points and nine rebounds. Heat guard Davion Mitchell, who also had a strong performance in the play-in games, had 18 points off the bench but the Heat's guards lost the backcourt battle in Game 1 overall.

"We've got three guys who are very talented with the basketball," Mitchell said. "So it's like you kind of have to pick your poison in that regard. Tonight was just an example of it, but we got to do it again [in Game 2]."

The first possession of Alperen Sengun's NBA playoff career began with an offensive foul drawn by Draymond Green on Sunday in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.

Two possessions later, the Houston Rockets center got revenge, slamming home a dunk over the Golden State Warriors forward.

Rockets guard Jalen Green found a driving Sengun, who gathered, then levitated over Green for a poster jam. The highlight-reel play came less than two minutes into the game.

ALPEREN SENGUN CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF

RIM-ROCKING POSTER SLAM EARLY IN GAME 1!!!

Warriors/Rockets underway on TNT. pic.twitter.com/mi9EmtKMvM

NBA (@NBA) April 21, 2025

The two have history dating back to a recent game. Green was hit with a flagrant foul 1 after he elbowed Sengun when the two teams matched up on April 6.

Sengun averaged 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds during the regular season, earning All-Star honors for the first time in his career. Houston is playing in its first playoff series since 2020.

The New Jersey Devils' injury woes are reaching alarming new heights.

Defenseman Brenden Dillon and forward Cody Glass exited during the second and third periods, respectively, in Game 1 of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, a 4-1 loss for New Jersey. The Devils were also briefly without defenseman Luke Hughes, who left in the third period but was able to return.

New Jersey entered the postseason already undermanned. Top forward Jack Hughes, Luke's brother, had season-ending shoulder surgery in March, and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler is also not expected to be available in the first round.

Coach Sheldon Keefe remained optimistic, though, about one of the team's latest injured bodies.

"[Dillon] was eager to get back out there," Keefe said by way of an update. Doctors ultimately held Dillon out for "precautionary reasons."

The veteran blueliner was taken to the ice by Carolina forward William Carrier while battling in front of the Devils' net. Dillon remained down for several minutes before being helped off by New Jersey's training staff.

It was a disastrous third-period sequence that shortened New Jersey's bench further. Hughes went flying into the Devils' net after tripping over Hurricanes' forward Andrei Svechnikov, and ran off the ice cradling his right arm. Then, Devils' goaltender Jacob Markstrom accidentally clipped Glass with his stick while appearing to aim for Svechnikov. Glass left and did not return, while Hughes finished the game.

New Jersey will have to wait and see who is available when it takes on Carolina in Game 2 on Tuesday. For now, Keefe won't let the Devils dwell on what they can't control.

"To a man, myself included," he said, "we're all going to have to be better."

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Logan Stankoven provided an immediate jolt in his first playoff game with the Carolina Hurricanes.

The 22-year-old forward scored twice in the second period Sunday to help the Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 in the opener of their first-round playoff series. It was part of a strong debut that included his work on the Hurricanes' top defensive forward line with captain Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook.

"I love playing in the big games and meaningful hockey. I'm motivated to try to contribute in any way possible," Stankoven said. "Yeah, it's always a nice feeling to get on the scoresheet."

Stankoven's play was part of a strong top-to-bottom start for the Hurricanes in their seventh straight trip to the playoffs. And it offered an example of why he was the primary return in a trade-deadline deal that allowed Carolina to pivot out of its big-swing January addition of scoring winger Mikko Rantanen.

"He's got a little more skill than me and Marty, and obviously he can put the puck in the net," Staal said. "He's a good little player obviously: finds holes, he's got good speed, and he can shoot the puck. So he's just getting warmed up."

The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Stankoven had five goals and four assists in 19 regular-season games with Carolina, with coach Rod Brind'Amour tinkering with the line groupings to find Stankoven's best fit. That eventually led to Stankoven playing alongside the 6-4, 220-pound Staal and the 6-1, 208-pound Martinook more as the Hurricanes closed the regular season, even as they lost seven of eight after clinching their playoff spot on April 3 while resting key guys with the goal of being healthy for the postseason.

"It worked tonight," Brind'Amour said. "But you're right, it's a safety net for players to play with two guys that do it the right way every shift -- or at least certainly try to. there's a lot of comfort there I think for any player that gets to play with guys like that."

Stankoven's first goal offered an example of the fit, coming when Martinook pushed up ice on the right side and tried to send a backhand feed across the ice back toward the crease. Devils center Nico Hischier knocked it down, but Martinook stayed on the forecheck and forced Hischier into a turnover behind the goal.

Martinook then slipped the puck to a trailing Stankoven, who sent the puck past Jacob Markstrom for a 2-0 lead. Stankoven slid to a stop as he bumped into Staal, the linemates facing each other as they raised both arms in victory before embracing with Martinook skating over to join them.

"I mean, I think they've got skill, too," Stankoven said with a smile of his linemates. "It's nice having a couple of big bodies on my line. They do such a good job of creating space for me, and I think we can thrive down low."

Minutes later, Stankoven provided a needed punch to a power play. Fellow new addition Taylor Hall whipped a cross-ice pass to the right side to Stankoven, who had a clean lane from the faceoff dot with Markstrom. Stankoven whipped a rising shot past Markstrom's right shoulder, the puck pinging off the inside of the left post and into the net for a 3-0 lead.

"I'm just trying to adapt to those players and be in the right spots to get pucks off," Stankoven said. "Like you said, it takes a bit of time at first, but I think I've been adjusting pretty well. The guys have done a good job of communicating with me and helping me out."

Ruben Amorim has insisted that Rasmus Højlund is not solely to blame for Manchester United's problems scoring while also urging the rest of the team to take responsibility in front of goal.

Højlund was guilty of missing a golden chance during the second half of Wolves 1-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday when he failed to convert Alejandro Garnacho's cross to the back post.

It's now just one goal in nearly 30 hours of football for the Denmark striker, who has only found the net three times in the Premier League all season.

"I think if you look at the games we have several players that miss big chances, not just Rasmus," Amorim said.

"Of course, Rasmus, the game is to score goals because he's a striker, but it's a team thing. I already said that. Our team should score more goals, it's not just Rasmus missing chances."

The pressure on Højlund has increased after Joshua Zirkzee was ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

Amorim was asked whether the 22-year-old needed to be taken out of the team to allow him to recover mentally from his poor run of form.

But the Portuguese coach hinted that he will keep picking Højlund in the hope that a goal might kick-start a run of confidence.

"The only way I know is to work on him and show him the videos," Amorim said.

"Like you said he needs to score a goal and he won't score if he is out [of the team] so I try to manage that during games. He needs to score, that's all, like a striker needs."

United are expected to try and solve their goalscoring problem by signing a new striker in the summer. They've been linked with Liam Delap, Victor Osimhen and Ollie Waktins among others. Amorim, though, believes the issue runs deeper.

"It's a team thing," he said.

"Of course, we have an idea of what this team needs but also the guys we play with, we play at least three guys in front to score goals and we have midfielders that can.

"All the team needs to score more goals and you have opportunities with the midfielders and the striker. We need to improve as a team because if you don't score goals in this league it's impossible to win games."