Red Raiders win on the road at Upperman

Virginia secured a pair of pieces out of the transfer portal on Monday, with San Diego State forward Elijah Saunders and Duke forward TJ Power announcing their commitment to the Cavaliers. Saunders started 21 of his 37 games for San Diego State last season in his sophomore campaign. He averaged 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in just 20.2 minutes per game. Over 53 games (21 starts) in two seasons with the Aztecs, the 6-foot-8 Saunders had career averages of 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds. Power, meanwhile, was a top recruit as a high schooler in the Class of 2023 but played sparingly as a freshman at Duke. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 2.1 points and 0.7 rebounds per game, playing just 7.0 minutes per contest over 26 appearances off the bench. Saunders and Power join guard Jalen Warley in Virginia's incoming transfer class. Warley, like Power, joins Virginia from an ACC rival: He averaged 6.0 points, 2.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals across 96 games (58 starts) in three years at Florida State. He put up a career-best 7.5 points per game last season. --Field Level Media

Bengals QB Joe Burrow resumes throwing at offseason workouts

Joe Burrow threw to Cincinnati Bengals receivers Monday for the first time since undergoing wrist surgery in November. Bengals coach Zac Taylor had said in March that Burrow was "right on schedule" with his rehab and they expected him to participate in the team's offseason program. That's exactly what the former Pro Bowl quarterback did at the team's facility Monday. Practice was closed to the media as Phase 2 of the team's offseason training began, but according to the team's website, Burrow played catch with teammates after spending some of his recovery throwing by himself. "He looked like he did last year. He looked smooth," wideout Trenton Irwin said. "I didn't see anything different." Brad Kragthorpe, who was promoted from assistant quarterbacks coach to quarterbacks coach this offseason and has been with the Bengals since 2019, also gave a positive review. "I think he looked as quick and as athletic as I've seen him look," Kragthorpe said. "He looked like the Joe Burrow we're used to seeing. I didn't see any difference. I thought the ball came out of his hand well. Confidently. I'm happy where he's at." Burrow suffered an injury to his right (throwing) wrist in mid-November and underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament. In his four NFL seasons, Burrow has completed 68 percent of his passes for 14,083 yards and 97 touchdowns in 52 games. He led Cincinnati to a Super Bowl appearance after the 2021 season, when he led the league with a 70.4 percent completion rate. In September, Burrow signed a five-year contract extension worth $275 million. He is the highest-paid player in NFL history on an annual basis, making $55 million per year. --Field Level Media

The New England Patriots waived Nathan Rourke on Monday, trimming the number of quarterbacks on their roster to four. The Patriots drafted Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and also have veteran Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe and 2024 sixth-round selection Joe Milton in the QB room. A 25-year-old Canadian, Rourke was claimed by New England off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars in December and re-signed with the Pats in March. Rourke has not appeared in an NFL regular season game. He played in college at the University of Ohio (2017-19) and appeared in 23 games for the Canadian Football League's BC Lions from 2021-22, throwing for 4,103 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. --Field Level Media

Reports: Former Kentucky F Adou Thiero transferring to Arkansas

Forward Adou Thiero will be the second former Kentucky player to follow coach John Calipari to Arkansas through the transfer portal, after he confirmed the move with multiple media outlets Monday. Thiero, who made an official visit to Fayetteville, Ark., last Wednesday, considered staying at Kentucky as well as transferring to North Carolina, Indiana and Pittsburgh, near his hometown of Leetsdale, Pa. "I started with Coach Cal and want to see it through with him," Thiero told ESPN. "Very excited to join the family and ready to get to work." Former Wildcat Zvonimir Ivisic announced last month that he's transferring to Arkansas. Former Kentucky commitments and five-star incoming freshmen Karter Knox, Billy Richmond and Boogie Fland also followed Calipari to the Razorbacks. Thiero started 19 of 25 games for the Wildcats this past season and averaged 7.2 points with 5.0 rebounds and 27 total blocked shots. He missed eight games due to a back injury. In two seasons at Kentucky, Thiero averaged 5.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in 45 games (19 starts). He shot 46.6 percent from the field with 33 blocked shots. The 6-foot-8 Thiero is projected as a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft. "(Calapari is) known for putting guys in the NBA that also stay in the NBA and coach Kenny Payne, who is now with him again, was also there for some of those years," Thiero said. "After already playing for him and developing after two years, I feel that he knows my game and will put me in the right position to succeed and achieve my goals." Arkansas also brought in transfer guard Johnell Davis from Florida Atlantic and center Jonas Aidoo from Tennessee. --Field Level Media

Two-time Super Bowl champion Marquez Valdes-Scantling is visiting the Los Angeles Chargers, per multiple reports. The free agent wide receiver won his second straight ring with Kansas City last season, catching a touchdown pass in the 25-22 overtime win against San Francisco in Super Bowl LVIII. Valdes-Scantling, 29, caught 63 passes for 1,002 yards and three touchdowns in 33 regular season games (21 starts) with the Chiefs from 2022-23. The 2018 fifth-round pick played his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, hauling in 123 catches for 2,153 yards and 13 scores in 59 games (39 starts). --Field Level Media

North Carolina transfer Deja Kelly announced her commitment to Oregon on Monday. The 5-foot-8 guard was a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection in four seasons as a starter with the Tar Heels. "New Throne," Kelly posted on X with an image of her sitting on a throne wearing a crown and a Ducks uniform. Kelly averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 33 starts in 2023-24. Over 121 games (120 starts) at UNC, the Texas native averaged 15.4 points, 3.5 boards, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals. Ducks coach Kelly Graves has been active in the transfer portal, also landing Amina Muhammad (Texas), Salimatou Kourouma (Arizona), Ari Long (Washington), Nani Falatea (BYU), Alex Whitfield (UC Santa Barbara) and Elisa Mevius (Siena). --Field Level Media

The Las Vegas Raiders signed free agent wide receiver Jalen Guyton on Monday. Terms were not disclosed. Guyton, 26, is the second wideout signed by the Raiders since last week's draft, joining Michael Gallup, who figures to start alongside Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. Guyton follows new Raiders general manager Tom Telesco from the Los Angeles Chargers. Guyton has 71 catches for 1,112 yards and seven touchdowns in 46 career games (14 starts) with the Chargers, who first signed him to their practice squad in October 2019. Guyton was undrafted out of North Texas. --Field Level Media

Former Pitt forward Liatu King will remain in the Atlantic Coast Conference, transferring to Notre Dame for her final season of eligibility in 2024-25. She was voted the ACC's Most Improved Player in 2023-24 after averaging 18.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 32 starts for the Panthers. In a pair of losses against Notre Dame last season, King posted a combined 52 points, 27 rebounds and five blocked shots. King compiled career averages of 10.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in 107 games (70 starts) over four seasons in Pittsburgh. --Field Level Media