The New Orleans Pelicans head to Memphis on Friday night, looking to keep their momentum alive behind the red-hot play of CJ McCollum. With both teams riding winning streaks, this matchup could showcase two surging Western Conference contenders. CJ McCollum has been the heart of New Orleans’ midseason resurgence. On Monday, McCollum poured in 45 points to fuel the Pelicans’ largest comeback in franchise history, erasing a 25-point deficit in a 123-119 overtime win against the Utah Jazz. Pelicans coach Willie Green lauded McCollum’s leadership and preparation:“CJ was incredible. Once he got going, his teammates rallied around him. Without his effort, we don’t win that game.” In his 12th NBA season, McCollum remains a model of consistency, averaging 22.4 points

The Tampa Bay Lightning hit the ice in Chicago on Friday, determined to turn promising performances into results. After narrow losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, the Lightning (27-14-5) are eager to claim their first win of this four-game road trip. Despite setbacks, Lightning coach Jon Cooper is focused on the positives. Tampa Bay, with a strong goal differential of +36 (second in the Eastern Conference), has played competitive hockey, even if the final scores haven’t reflected their efforts. Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss to the Canadiens came down to the wire, with Jake Evans scoring the game-winner for Montreal late in the third period. Captain Victor Hedman emphasized the importance of staying resilient: “We’ve just got to

The Iowa Hawkeyes are in search of a turnaround as they welcome Penn State to Iowa City on Friday. After a tough stretch of games, both teams have something to prove in this Big Ten showdown. Iowa (12-7, 3-5 Big Ten) has seen its promising form falter with three consecutive losses, dropping from five wins in six games to a team struggling to find consistency. Defensive lapses during their California road trip resulted in back-to-back blowout losses to USC and UCLA, where the Hawkeyes gave up 99 and 94 points, respectively. Returning home didn’t provide the boost Iowa needed, as they fell 72-67 to Minnesota on Tuesday. A slow start, scoring just 28 points in the first half, and a

For first-year Washington coach Danny Sprinkle, January has been nothing short of grueling. The Huskies (10-9, 1-7 Big Ten) have endured five straight losses, all against ranked opponents, making their upcoming Friday matchup against the UCLA Bruins (13-6, 4-4) another daunting test. Calling January “a month from hell,” Sprinkle remains proud of his team’s resilience despite their struggles. After kicking off the month with a solid 75-69 win over Maryland, the Huskies have faced one powerhouse after another, including Michigan State, Purdue, and Oregon. “This program has never seen anything like this January schedule,” Sprinkle said. “It’s been brutal, but I’m proud of our guys for not making excuses. They’ve kept their heads up.” On Tuesday, Washington fought hard against