No Matter How You Spin It

Oklahoma Evens the WCWS at 1-1 After Breaking Single-Season HR Record

The Women’s College World Series is going to Game 3! The 1-seed Oklahoma Sooners evened the best-of-3 series at one game apiece on Wednesday night with a 6-2 win over #10 Florida State. OU’s Jocelyn Alo hit the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning — her 31st of the season — to spark the Oklahoma comeback and keep hope alive for the program’s fifth national championship.

Sooners Send ‘Em

Alo’s homer gave Oklahoma the NCAA Division I single-season home run record with 159.

Game 3: Winner-Take-All

Oklahoma and Florida State will meet this afternoon for a winner-take-all Game 3 (3:00 pm ET, ESPN).

Watch: Oklahoma Beats FSU (6-2) to Force Winner-Take-All Game 3

Additional Storylines

NCAA: Jocelyn Alo Breaks OU Single-Season HR Record (Video)

NBA PLAYOFFS 

Suns Stomp Nuggets for 2-0 Series Lead

Gm 2: Suns def. Nuggets (123-98)

A 25-point win without a 20-point scorer? The Phoenix Suns’ brand of team basketball has them eyeing the NBA Finals after another all-around effort in Game 2 on Wednesday. The Suns whooped the Nuggets as Chris Paul, Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton all had double-doubles.  The newly crowned MVP in Denver, Nikola Jokic, had 24-13-6 but it wasn’t enough to avoid a 2-0 hole. PHX Leads Series (2-0)

Tonight’s Schedule

Gm 3: Nets at Bucks (7:30 pm ET)

BKN Leads Series (2-0)

Gm 2: Clippers at Jazz (10:00 pm ET)

UTA Leads Series (1-0)

Additional Storylines

NBA: Jazz Center Rudy Gobert Wins 3rd Defensive Player of the Year Award in 4 Years

CBS Sports: Chris Paul Helps Suns Dominate Nuggets in Game 2

NHL PLAYOFFS 

Islanders Skate Past Bruins to Reach Semis

Gm 6: Islanders def. Bruins (6-2)

The Islanders and Bruins were tied 1-1 after the first period of Game 6 before Brock Nelson lit the lamp twice and sent the Islanders into celebration mode. The Islanders haven’t reached the Stanley Cup Finals since the 1980s when they won four straight (1980-83). Only the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning stand in their way. New York is the second 4-seed (lowest in division) to reach the semifinals, joining the Montreal Canadiens. NYI Wins Series (4-2)

Tonight’s Schedule

Gm 6: Avalanche at Golden Knights (9:00 pm ET)

VGK Leads Series (3-2)

Additional Storylines

NHL: Commissioner Gary Bettman Tours Islanders’ New Rink, Calls It ‘Breathtaking’

Denver Post: Another Year, Another Must-Win 2nd-Round Game 6 for Avalanche

 OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

️ MLB: An Unlikely Hero in Philly

Welcome to the big leagues, Luke Williams! The Phillies youngster made his first start on Wednesday and hit his first career home run — one he’ll never forget. He smashed a 2-run walk-off blast over the left-field wall. The heroic moment came in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs on 0-1 pitch, and the Phillies beat the Braves (2-1).

️ SOCCER: USMNT’s ‘B Team’ Beats Costa Rica

The future continues to look bright for the U.S. Men’s National Team. Just three days after an epic win against Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League final, a lineup consisting largely of backup squad players shut out Costa Rica (4-0) in a Wednesday night friendly. The USMNT is 6-1-1 in their last eight matches.

THE STORYLINES

 College Football Playoff Expansion is Coming

There’s no such thing as too much football, right? At least not according to the College Football Playoff committee, which could be on the verge of a monumental change to the sport’s playoff format. (FOX Sports)

️ How Euro 2020 Was Saved

Pulling off a tournament with games in 11 countries was always going to be difficult. Then the pandemic struck, and the job got even harder. Europe’s epic summer slate, after a 1-year delay, finally kicks off tomorrow. (NY Times, Paywall+)

 Joel Embiid Has His Eyes on a Different Prize

Nikola Jokic took home MVP, but the Sixers center is angling for a bigger piece of hardware this postseason. More performances like his one against the Hawks in Game 2 just might get him there. (The Ringer)