Cincinnati Bearcats (8-13, 3-6 Big 12) at Houston Cougars (6-14, 0-9 Big 12)
Houston; Sunday, 3 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Houston aims to break its nine-game slide when the Cougars take on Cincinnati.
The Cougars have gone 4-6 at home. Houston has a 4-12 record against teams over .500.
The Bearcats are 3-6 in Big 12 play. Cincinnati has a 4-6 record in games decided by 10 points or more.
Houston is shooting 37.5% from the field this season, 4.5 percentage points lower than the 42.0% Cincinnati allows to opponents. Cincinnati averages 5.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 fewer made shots on average than the 6.4 per game Houston allows.
The matchup Sunday is the first meeting of the season for the two teams in conference play.
TOP PERFORMERS: TK Pitts is scoring 9.4 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Cougars. Kyndall Hunter is averaging 1.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Caliyah DeVillasee is averaging 15.4 points and 4.5 assists for the Bearcats. Mya Perry is averaging 16.1 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cougars: 1-9, averaging 59.7 points, 30.0 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 7.8 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 37.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.1 points per game.
Bearcats: 3-7, averaging 65.1 points, 34.6 rebounds, 10.6 assists, 7.0 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 40.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 74.9 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
He vehemently disagreed with JT Orr’s officiating on inbounds plays, and described Orr’s decision to give Green a technical foul with 8:44 left in the second quarter as insulting for reasons that went beyond basketball.
“I find it very ironic that I got a technical foul for telling a Caucasian referee not to put his hand in my face,” Green said. “As a Black man in America, don’t put your hand in my face. I said “Hey, don’t put your hand in my face” and I got a tech, so I thought that was the most interesting part of the night.”
Green and Orr had engaged in a minutes-long dialogue throughout the quarter, and Green continued the conversation even as Orr went to the scorers’ table to begin a replay review on a missed Pistons foul on Green.
“Draymond, this is your chance to stop talking to me,” is what Green recalled Orr telling him, with Green responding, “Bro, don’t put your hand in my face.”
The NBA did not respond immediately to a request for comment by the Bay Area News Group.
“Everybody wants to talk about holding the line of respect, but that line needs to be held both ways,” Green said. “If the line won’t be held both ways, it won’t be held from my way, because we’re all men and we can all make decisions and choices. So let that be the last time that happens.”
One point of contention between Green and Orr was how the official allowed Piston Ausar Thompson to handle the ball after made Detroit baskets.
“He told me that Ausar Thompson can hold the ball, and look to see who to give the ball to after a made basket, and he said that’s not a delay of game,” Green claimed, noting that the decision allowed Detroit to slow down Golden State’s ability to get the ball inbounds quickly.
Green also said that Steph Curry, who left the game in th third quarter with a sore knee, was called for a delay of game for doing exactly what Thompson did.
When Green brought up the difference in how the same situation was officiated, he said Orr had a sheepish response.
“Same referee though, JT Orr. then, he’s like ‘Oh maybe you have a point,’” Green said. “No (expletive), you can’t change the rules in the middle of the game.”
The Warriors will play their next game at home on Tuesday against Philadelphia.
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves matched a season high with 22 3-pointers in a 123-111 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.
Jaden McDaniels scored 21 points including 5 of 5 from 3-point range for the Timberwolves. Naz Reid added 18 points off the bench for Minnesota and connected four times from behind the arc.
Minnesota’s 22 3-pointers equaled the second-most surrendered by the Thunder this season. The Wolves shot 46.8% (22 of 47) from deep.
Minnesota has won three straight after snapping its season-long five-game losing streak. Oklahoma City has lost three of its last four games.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a game-high 30 points for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren added 15 points, while center Isaiah Hartenstein scored 11 points in his return to action after missing 16 games with a calf injury.
Despite getting leading rebounder Hartenstein back, the Thunder were outrebounded 46-36.
Minnesota was without veteran point guard Mike Conley. Bones Hyland saw extended playing time with Conley out, scoring nine points in 23 minutes.
A handful of careless turnovers by Minnesota allowed the Thunder to get back to within 13 points at 105-92. Donte DiVincenzo’s 3-pointer stopped the run, and both teams eventually emptied their benches.
The Timberwolves turned 16 Thunder turnovers into 30 points. Minnesota turned the ball over 20 times.
Minnesota found a rhythm from deep in the first quarter. The Wolves connected on 8 of 15 shots from 3-point range to take a 14-point lead after one. Edwards scored 12 of his 26 points in the first quarter.
Timberwolves players wore black T-shirts reading “STAND FOR MINNESOTA” during the pregame warmups in response to the fatal shootings by federal agents that have occurred in Minneapolis in recent weeks.
DALLAS (AP) — As Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg set the NBA record for points by a teenager with 49 on Thursday night in a 123-121 loss to Charlotte, he broke the franchise rookie scoring record he shared with Mark Aguirre — whose jersey was retired at halftime.
“Mark Aguirre is special. Such a special night for him and the whole organization,” said Flagg, who turned 19 in December. “I just feel blessed. It’s a pretty cool thing.”
“You saw history,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We saw history at halftime, and we got to see a young man play the game at a very high level. To have Mark in the building and break his record was pretty special.”
Also special for the No. 1 draft pick last summer from Duke was playing his first NBA game against Kon Knueppel, his roommate as Blue Devils freshmen last season. Knueppel, drafted fourth, set his own career record with 34 points and hit the two winning free throws with 4.1 seconds left after being fouled at the rim by Flagg.
“Cooper, he played like the best player we’ve played all season,” said Knueppel, who set a franchise rookie record hitting eight 3-pointers. “He had a heck of a game, he’s a heck of a player, and he’s going to have a heck of a career.”
Flagg referred to Knueppel as his “brother for life.”
Cliff Robinson set the previous NBA teen record of 45 at age 19 for New Jersey in a game against Detroit on March 9, 1980. Flagg’s previous high of 42 points also came in a defeat — 140-133 at Utah on Dec. 15. As did Aguirre’s, in a 118-112 loss to Golden State on Nov. 14, 1981.
It didn’t start out looking like a historic night for Flagg. He shot 1 for 4 in the first quarter as the Mavericks fell behind by 15 points. He caught fire in the second period, hitting 8 of 9 including 2 of 3 from downtown plus 5 for 5 at the free-throw line. His 23 points in the period and 25 at halftime were both Dallas individual highs this season.
Knueppel conversely came out hot. He hit his first three shots from behind the arc, 4 for 5 in the first period and added another in the second quarter.
“When he sees some easy ones go in to start the game, it’s never a good thing (for an opponent),” Flagg said of Knueppel, who turned 20 in August. “That’s how it is for a lot of great shooters.”
“Chirping back and forth,” Flagg said. “Just having fun.”
The two leading candidates for Rookie of the Year finished the night with Flagg averaging 19.5 points per game, Knueppel 18.9. They’ll meet again on March 3 in Charlotte.
It will be difficult to match their collective effort on Thursday night.
“We’ll both be looking back on this night and this whole year in general the rest of our lives,” Flagg said.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Rong Niu’s pink sequined dress shimmered under the arena lights at a recent Miami men’s basketball game.
The popular halftime performer known as “Red Panda” finished her signature seven-minute set, looked up at a crowd of fans chanting her name and flashed a smile before dismounting.
Cameras rose instantly. A Hurricanes band member shouted “I love you, Red Panda!” A security guard shook his head in disbelief as a nearby fan asked aloud, “How does she do that?” Members of the Hurricanes’ dance team lined up for photos with her before she made her exit.
Niu has grown somewhat accustomed to the fanfare over decades performing at NBA, WNBA and college basketball games — her first halftime show was a Los Angeles Clippers game in 1993. Still, even after sports fans rallied around her following a frightening fall during a WNBA game last July, she can hardly put words to what the support means to her.
“I feel so much support,” Niu said after performing at Miami’s home game against Stanford on Wednesday. “It’s beyond support — I don’t know. I don’t have a better word to describe that feeling. That was beyond appreciation.”
Niu comes from a family of performing acrobats. She’s been doing it since age 7, when her father first discovered her talent by helping her balance bowls and bricks on her head at their home in China’s Shanxi province.
Her act is composed of her riding a custom-built unicycle, which stretches about 8 feet above the court, and balancing custom-made bowls on her lower leg before flipping them atop her head.
During intermission of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final between the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx, Niu fell off her unicycle and crashed to the court a minute into her performance. She remained down for several minutes, was eventually helped off by wheelchair and later diagnosed with a broken left wrist.
“I now realize I was disoriented. It was not just pain right here,” Niu said Wednesday, pointing to her left wrist, which she recalled being swollen and in immense pain. “I wasn’t very clear because of the impact. They said, ‘Can you walk?’ I said, ‘Yes,’ and then I tried to stand up and walk. And then, I think I was passing out.”
She spent 11 hours in a Minneapolis hospital, with a pair of Lynx staffers there with her the entire time. As she lay in the hospital bed, she wondered what could have gone wrong during the act she’d performed so many times.
“I’m not saying I’m that good or anything,” she said. “I generally don’t fall. Bowls fall, because the bowls are going into the air and sometimes I’m not able to control (them). But riding the unicycle … it shouldn’t be out of control.”
Niu returned to the arena after being released from the hospital. Her unicycle was in the same place she’d left it in her dressing room.
She began to inspect it, checking the rotation of the wheel, looking at the handle. Then she noticed one of her pedals was slightly bent. She typically wraps her equipment very carefully when she travels, but it had somehow been damaged in transit; whether during security checks or on the airplane, she’s not sure.
“Normally I would set up the unicycle. I will test it. I test like this,” she said, turning her wheel as she demonstrated her process of checking the equipment. “I test it. But I didn’t test (the pedal).”
Niu still shudders at the memory of the fall, which required surgery and about four months of recovery, but she received an outpouring of support on social media, including from Fever star Caitlin Clark, as well as cards and gifts.
She returned to action on Oct. 23 for an Amazon Prime event, then back to the NBA court on Nov. 1 for a game between Chicago and Philadelphia.
Returning to the court hasn’t been easy.
“I still have the thoughts,” she said. “I still have the thoughts when I start pedaling.”
But as fans chant her name, foregoing halftime trips to concession stands and restrooms to watch her perform, Niu is filled with both gratitude and motivation.
“I want to show that I can do this,” she said. “But (when) I couldn’t do it, they still chanted for me. I feel I owe them something. I feel very appreciative. I don’t have the best words to describe that feeling, but it’s a lot of support. It goes in my heart.”
John Kilgo (right) interviews Davidson head coach Bob McKillop in 2015. Kilgo was the voice of the Wildcats basketball team from 2000-2018. During his 60-year media career, Kilgo also co-wrote Dean Smith’s autobiography, reported for The Charlotte News and called radio play-by-play for the Charlotte 49ers when they reached the Final Four in 1977.
Tim Cowie
Courtesy of Tim Cowie Photography
DAVIDSON
Unless you are of a certain age, you may not know who John Kilgo is.
Let’s change that today. The man just celebrated his 90th birthday and was a North Carolina sports multimedia legend in his time. Like a smarter, blunter Forrest Gump, Kilgo had an uncanny knack during a 60-year media career for being around the right college basketball team at the right time.
The Charlotte 49ers’ run to the Final Four in 1977?
Kilgo was on the mic as the team’s radio announcer.
Davidson’s run to the Elite Eight in 2008 with a baby-faced Stephen Curry leading the way?
Kilgo called it every step of the way, as the radio voice of the Wildcats.
The co-host for UNC basketball coach Dean Smith’s radio and TV shows for decades?
The guy who Bonnie Cone — the founder of UNC Charlotte — had to talk into going to college because he hated high school?
Kilgo.
The guy who was hired straight out of college in 1957 by The Charlotte News at $75 a week to become a general-assignment newspaper reporter?
Kilgo, who still proclaims that gig was “the best job I ever had.”
The guy hired by Davidson’s president as the school’s sports information director in the 1960s, primarily to rein in fiery Wildcat head coach Lefty Driesell?
Kilgo — or “Killer,” as Driesell would nickname him, due to Kilgo’s penchant for mixing it up in the coaches’ daily games of no-blood, no-foul pickup basketball. The nickname has stuck for the past 60 years.
“John is a feisty guy,” said Bob McKillop, who coached Davidson’s basketball team for all of the years that Kilgo called the games and many more. “He never let his personal opinions get in the way of the radio broadcast. And he has a lot of personal opinions.”
I’d been wondering about Kilgo lately, and so I called him up recently and asked to visit with him at his home in Davidson. He said to come on. So I went, and Kilgo sat in his favorite green recliner and told me stories.
John Kilgo, whose media career in North Carolina spanned 60 years, retired in 2018. On Jan. 23, 2026, Kilgo posed for this photo in his Davidson home. Scott Fowler sfowler@charlotteobserver.com
Kilgo’s mind remains sharp, but his heart is hurting. His wife of 69 years, Patsy, died on July 17, 2025, at age 89. He’s not felt much like getting out since.
“That was tough,” Kilgo said. “It still is. Patsy was the most popular person in my family, by far… She did so much, for everyone. It’s a major adjustment.”
Now Kilgo technically lives alone, although his four children often stop by.
His dog, a 13-year-old pug named Coach, is always around, too. The dog also has his own favorite chair. Killer and Coach: it sounds like the name of a true-crime podcast.
What coach is Coach named for?
“Oh, all of them, I guess,” Kilgo said. “I’ve been around some great ones.”
Early days in Charlotte
Kilgo and Patsy met in college at UNC Charlotte (then called Charlotte College) and started that 69-year marriage by secretly eloping. Where’d they go to get married?
“York, South Carolina,” Kilgo said. “It was sort of like Las Vegas at the time.”
When they finally told John’s mother they were married, she wasn’t pleased. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” she told the young couple. “You won’t finish school, and the marriage won’t last six months.”
John Kilgo (left) with his wife Patsy in a family photo from the 1970s. The two were married for 69 years. Patsy Kilgo died in July 2025. Courtesy of the Kilgo family
That was in 1956. Patsy would eventually win over Kilgo’s mother, and Kilgo would eventually transfer to the University of North Carolina.
Kilgo’s college roommate in Chapel Hill was Pete Brennan, who was a starter on the 1957 UNC basketball team that won the national championship.
Kilgo was a college contemporary with a number of men in Chapel Hill at the time who would make national marks. Future banking superstar Hugh McColl was a friendly rival in pickup basketball games at Woollen Gym (“pesky and a trash-talker on the court, but a real go-getter”). Fellow Charlottean Jim Beatty was in the process of becoming a track star and would eventually become the first man to run a four-minute indoor mile.
In the meantime, Kilgo found his passion in journalism. The Charlotte News (the city’s afternoon newspaper, now defunct) and The Charlotte Observer both offered him jobs when he graduated, each for $75 a week. But Kilgo found The Observer’s interview process and editors to be too tedious and self-important (“They put you through all this psychological crap.”)
So Kilgo took the position with The News instead. He treated the News-Observer newspaper rivalry like it was UNC-Duke. Whenever the topic of The Observer comes up, even 60-plus years later, Kilgo likes to note that he and his former employer beat my current employer on a whole bunch of stories.
Kilgo wasn’t in the sports department then. He was a news reporter, taking a job that opened when Charles Kuralt left The Charlotte News for future fame at CBS. Kilgo interviewed President Richard Nixon and death-row inmates, covered the state legislature and wrote whatever general assignment stories needed writing that day. It turned out he was very good at it.
Pat Stith, an investigative reporter who would win a Pulitzer Prize for The News & Observer in 1996, saw Kilgo in action early at The Charlotte News. Stith wrote once on his blog that Kilgo was “by far, the most dominant breaking news reporter in Charlotte and, it turns out, the best breaking news reporter I ever worked with or against in a 42-year career.”
Getting to know Dean Smith
A notes column Kilgo penned during that time included a couple of paragraphs about a young basketball coach at UNC named Dean Smith, who was having some struggles in the early 1960s and once was hanged in effigy on campus.
Former UNC basketball coach Dean Smith (left) chats with former Davidson and Maryland head coach Lefty Driesell before the two were honored at an ACC tournament game in Charlotte on March 14, 2008. Both men played important roles in John Kilgo’s life. File photo The News & Observer
As Kilgo puts it now: “These Carolina idiots — rich donors — decided that Dean Smith couldn’t succeed Frank McGuire, that Frank McGuire (who had won the national title in 1957) was too sophisticated and too uptown, for this country boy from Kansas to succeed at Carolina. So they were giving him hell.
“And I wrote a piece that basically said, ‘If you leave him alone, he’s going to become one of the greatest basketball coaches ever. But if you run him off because you’re dumb — well, it was a pretty mean piece.’ And so Coach Smith wrote me a letter after that and said, ‘Next time, you’re in Chapel Hill, let’s have lunch.’”
A friendship developed. To get to know Smith so early in the coach’s career, Kilgo said, turned out to be one of the most fortuitous moments of his life. Not only did he find a great friend — “Next to my wife, he was the best person I knew” — but Smith also would combine with Kilgo for all sorts of media opportunities: radio, TV and that autobiography.
But Smith didn’t want Kilgo’s protection in print. “I appreciate your support,” he told Kilgo early, “but you don’t have to take up for me. I’m fully willing to go back to high school, where I can coach basketball and teach math.”
John Kilgo keeps a framed letter from former UNC basketball coach Dean Smith in his Davidson home. Smith wrote the letter to Kilgo in April 1997; the coach would retire a few months later. Kilgo co-wrote two books with Smith and hosted the coach’s radio and TV shows for years. Smith always preferred the radio show, Kilgo said, because he could give longer and more complete answers. Scott Fowler sfowler@charlotteobserver.com
The UNC basketball TV highlight shows that ran each week around the state? Smith was lukewarm about them, Kilgo said. The coach got more satisfaction out of the radio shows because he could explain his answers more fully. And Smith liked when radio callers disagreed with him.
“He loved the contrarians,” Kilgo said. “He didn’t want anyone calling up and saying, ‘Coach, we’re so lucky to have you.’ He’d be signaling me to cut those. But he’d get mad if a guy was arguing with him and I cut the call off. ‘Let him talk,’ Coach Smith would say. He enjoyed that.”
7 years with Charlotte 49ers
The radio and TV was only a part-time gig for Kilgo, whose main jobs were always in Charlotte. While Patsy was raising the children, he was constantly commuting the 140 miles to Chapel Hill. After The Charlotte News, he worked in the news department of several radio stations and also dabbled in basketball play-by-play. He called Charlotte 49er basketball games for seven years in the 1970s, coinciding with the team led by coach Lee Rose and star player Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell that made the Final Four in 1977.
John Kilgo (left) and Charlotte 49ers head basketball coach Lee Rose in 1977. The 49ers made their lone appearance in the Final Four that season. File photo Charlotte Observer
“Lee Rose is, by far, the best coach they’ve ever had,” Kilgo said.
As for Bonnie Cone, who convinced Kilgo to attend college at Charlotte: “I can’t think of a more important person in the history of this city.”
Davidson for $100 a game
In 2000, after Smith had retired and his UNC duties had wound down, Davidson approached Kilgo about calling its basketball games. He was about retirement age by then. And while it sounded interesting to Kilgo and he was a big fan of Davidson coach Bob McKillop, he sure wasn’t going to get rich doing it.
“I got paid $100 a game for the first year,” he chortled. “The second year they paid me $200 a game, so they gave me a big raise.”
I asked McKillop if Kilgo really only got paid $100 a game.
“Oh yeah, that’s probably true,” McKillop said. “Then again, I was only getting paid $125.”
McKillop was joking about his own salary, but not about Kilgo’s. Yet Kilgo grew to love the job, and the Davidson program.
While McKillop always called Kilgo “John,” his assistant coaches called him “Killer.”
“It was a term of respect, the way they used it,” McKillop said. “Almost like a title, like you’d call somebody chancellor or president.”
John Kilgo (right) interviews Davidson head coach Bob McKillop on the radio in 2015. Kilgo was the voice of the Davidson basketball team from 2000-18. Tim Cowie Courtesy of Tim Cowie Photography
Once, McKillop remembered, the coach was furious after a game.
“I felt this other team, in our conference, had used some tactics that bordered on being very dirty,” McKillop recalled, “and before I went on the radio show, I said, ‘John, I’m going to bring this up.’”
“Don’t you dare,” Kilgo said, advising McKillop to take a few deep breaths and sleep on it before going public with the accusation.
“He counseled me,” McKillop said. “And I’d been at Davidson 15 or 20 years by then. I’m not an inexperienced guy. But it was incredibly powerful advice, and I took it.”
Kilgo wasn’t always so serious. Once, on a long bus ride home after a Davidson road game, the bus televisions showed the comedy “Tommy Boy,” with Chris Farley and David Spade.
In the front of the bus, Kilgo first started chuckling softly. Then, as the movie went on:
“He was laughing out loud, absolutely hysterical,” McKillop said. “Players who are doing their homework are looking up, wondering what’s going on — John has this loud, attention-grabbing kind of laugh, too. It’s a good thing we had won that game, or it might have gotten a little awkward.”
‘I get antsy quick’
Why did Kilgo take all those long bus rides? He was going to places like Cullowhee and Statesboro, Ga., traveling with a bunch of guys who mostly could be his grandsons.
“I guess I’m always the kind of person who’s got to be doing something,” Kilgo said. “I get antsy quick.”
Lefty Driesell, coaching at Davidson in 1969. Driesell gave Kilgo the nickname “Killer.” File photo Charlotte Observer
That, in fact, was the problem with the first time he worked for Davidson. In the 1960s, when Driesell was the coach, Kilgo tired of the long periods of “nothing much to do.”
“Grier Martin (Sr., then Davidson’s president) hired me because Lefty was hollering and screaming and cussing at people,” Kilgo laughed. “He wanted me to calm him down some.”
Kilgo and Driesell eventually became close friends. But Kilgo had been used to the rat-a-tat-tat of constant newspaper deadlines. Now he was just sitting there, watching Driesell and trying to figure out what the next crisis was going to be before it happened.
John Kilgo (far right) interviews LeBron James (center) halftime of a Davidson game in 2008 on Davidson’s radio network. James became a fan of Steph Curry that season and made it a point to attend one of Curry’s NCAA tournament games. Tim Cowie Courtesy of Tim Cowie Photography
But 35 years later, Kilgo decided to give Davidson another go. He did the radio job for 18 years, calling all of the Steph Curry era. He once interviewed LeBron James on the Davidson radio network; LeBron had shown up at one of Curry’s NCAA tournament games and came over at halftime.
“They told us we could get LeBron for five minutes,” Kilgo recalled. “But I guess he was enjoying himself. Somebody started nudging me at five minutes, but LeBron was in the middle of answering a question, and I just kept going. He ended up staying for pretty much all of halftime.”
In 2018, at age 82, Kilgo retired. He and Patsy enjoyed their church and their four children, 13 grandchildren and a passel of great-grandchildren. Retirement was an adjustment. Patsy’s death has been a bigger one. Kilgo now mostly stays at his home, other than trips to the grocery store or the doctor. He watches college sports, although he bemoans the mess that NIL money and unlimited transfers have made of it.
His legacy?
“I never in my life have even thought about that,” Kilgo said, rocking slightly forward. “But I guess it would be that I tried to be fair. And the friends I had — I was loyal to them, and they were loyal to me. I guess I get that from Coach Smith a little bit. Loyalty was one of the most important things in his life. And it’s one of the most important things in mine.”
Columnist Scott Fowler has written for The Charlotte Observer since 1994. He has earned 24 national APSE sportswriting awards and hosted The Observer’s podcast “Carruth,” which Sports Illustrated once named “Podcast of the Year.” Fowler hosts the online series and podcast “Sports Legends of the Carolinas,” which features 1-on-1 interviews with NC and SC sports icons. He also writes occasionally about non-sports subjects, such as the 5-part series “9/11/74,” which chronicled the plane crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 in Charlotte in 1974. Support my work with a digital subscription
Darrion Williams ran toward the N.C. State pep band and courtside fans midway through the second half, waving his arms to pump up the crowd, after Syracuse called timeout.
N.C. State men’s basketball has found success on the road in ACC play, picking up four wins away from Raleigh. Home has been a little less kind.
Behind Williams’ leadership, the Wolfpack adjusted course and picked up an 88-68 win over Syracuse on Tuesday night for its first home victory of 2026 and the Orange’s (12-9, 3-5 ACC) fourth straight loss.
The Wolfpack (15-6, 6-2) is off to its best start in ACC play since 2005-06, when it started 8-2.
“We should be 7-1, not 6-2. I mean, I guess it’s good. I guess that’s something you guys can write about, but I’m not very pleased with where we are,” N.C. State coach Will Wade said. “I think we should be better than we are. 6-2 beats 5-3, but the Georgia Tech game just still makes me pretty upset.”
Williams got the offense started for the Wolfpack from tipoff. Ven-Allen Lubin controlled the tip and knocked the ball to an open Williams. The senior scored the easy layup to put N.C. State on the board. The team used that momentum and took a quick 10-2 lead.
N.C. State’s Darrion Williams reacts after knocking down a basket during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 88-68 win over Syracuse on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
Williams made three shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, before missing a shot and reached double figures 11 minutes into play.
By halftime, Williams had scored 12 points to lead the Wolfpack. He finished with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists.
“I had a phone call with a family friend yesterday, and they just told me I was playing really soft this whole season,” Williams said. “I just tried to play harder and be more physical with other guys without letting guys bump me off my spot.”
Williams’ impact extended beyond his scoring, rebounding or ball distribution.
The senior showed leadership as a floor general, directing his teammates on where to go. Williams, for example, told freshman Matt Able to move to the opposite corner, while he dribbled along the baseline — under pressure — and found Musa Sagnia for an easy layup.
N.C. State ended the game with four players in double figures. Quadir Copeland contributed 19 points and nine assists.
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland reacts after drawing a foul during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 88-68 win over Syracuse on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
Lubin had 18 points, 12 in the second half, on a perfect 8 of 8 shooting. He entered the game leading the ACC in field goal percentage , a number that will rise after his performance.
Syracuse forward Donnie Freeman entered the game on a hot streak and he lived up to the billing as the Orange’s top scorer.
N.C. State’s defense couldn’t contain Freeman, who scored 16 first-half points on 6 of 12 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds. He ended the game with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Freeman entered the game as the Orange’s leading scorer, racking up 18.7 points per game in 11 appearances. In his last six games, he averaged 22.5 points per game. The forward has now scored double figures in every game played and recorded at least 20 points in six games.
JJ Starling, one of Copeland’s former Syracuse teammates, finished with 17 points.
Defense comes alive
Syracuse remained within arm’s reach for roughly three quarters of the game, never fully allowing N.C. State to break things open.
The Wolfpack defense, however, increased its intensity down the stretch. It forced four consecutive missed shots in the span of a minute and a half. In the span of roughly five minutes, Syracuse missed six straight shots.
Syracuse started the game knocking down 5 of 12 (41.7%) shots from 3-point range, which allowed the visitors to stay close.
In the second half, N.C. State held the Orange to 2 for 11 (18.2%) from 3-point distance.
N.C. State’s Darrion Williams pressures Syracuse’s Nate Kingz during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 88-68 win on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
That allowed N.C. State’s offense to get into transition and break the game open. After leading by no more than single digits early in the second half, the Wolfpack’s aggressive effort — both in the press and half court — allowed N.C. State to take a 20-point lead.
Additionally, the Wolfpack won the rebounding battle after trailing by two at halftime. It outrebounded the Orange 29-15 after the break and finished with a 45-33 margin. Of its 45 rebounds, 30 were on the defensive end. The team is now 11-0 when winning the battle on the glass.
“[Wade] yelled at us at halftime to get us back going,” Copeland said. “He got on our butts. That’s what wee needed; that push or we’ll continue to play lazy. That push got us back on track.”
The Moose is loose
From the beginning of the season, Sagnia has been one of the Wolfpack’s underrated contributors and expected X-factors. He played a key role for N.C. State, on both ends of the floor, for his best performance of the season.
Sagnia scored a career-high 10 points. The rookie’s shots most often came after Williams or Copeland, under double or triple teams, dumped the ball to him for an open layup.
The forward added three offensive rebounds. He remains one of N.C. State’s best bodies off the offensive glass.
“He’s just getting more confident, more comfortable,” Williams said. “He’s in there every day with Coach [Adam] Howard, putting work in. We worked out together this morning. He’s constantly in the gym, and I think as his confidence grows, it’ll help us out a lot as a team.”
When Sagnia was not scoring or rebounding, he provided a major boost as a defensive disruptor and offensive threat. His minutes allowed Lubin to rest, something the senior hasn’t always gotten to do this year.
“Our metrics say we’ve got to play him more, and so we’ve been trying to do that,” Wade said.
Pack cleans up turnovers
N.C. State knows rebounding is not its strength, so the team typically makes up for that by taking care of the ball and forcing steals.
“We value the ball for the most part, and we don’t give up possession,” Wade said this week during the ACC coaches call. “This is what you have to do if you’re not a great rebounding team, which we’re not on the offensive glass, and we weren’t on the defensive glass at Pittsburgh. That’s the only way we can continue to get shots and continue to give ourselves a chance offensively, to not turn it over. I do think that’s been very helpful for us.”
The Wolfpack, however, did not play up to its standard in that respect against the Orange. N.C. State committed six first-half turnovers — five were steals — which Syracuse turned into six points.
The second half featured far fewer miscues and tougher ball handling from the Wolfpack, who finished with 11 turnovers.
N.C. State, however, snapped its streak of five straight games with 10 turnovers or fewer.
N.C. State’s Ven-Allen Lubin reacts after slamming in two during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 88-68 win over Syracuse on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
This story was originally published January 27, 2026 at 9:09 PM.
An Academy of Holy Angels senior hit a basketball career milestone earlier this month. It was a moment Blake Nixon will never forget, hitting his 1,000th career point at the free-throw line.
“It was actually kind of nerve-wracking. I was like, ‘I can’t miss this, can’t miss this,” said Nixon.
It was a goal he had been visualizing since his freshman year.
“I had a Google document right at the start of the year, ‘Road to 1,000 Points,’ so I was keeping track the whole time,” said Nixon.
The moment happened on Jan. 13 in a win against Robbinsdale-Cooper High School. Then, later that week while playing pick-up basketball, his season came crashing down.
“I knew exactly when I heard the knee pop what it was,” said Nixon
He tore his meniscus, ending his senior season. This was an all too familiar feeling for him, as this was the second time he had torn this cartilage, but in his other knee.
“I was just thinking to myself, ‘Why me, why again?” Said Nixon.
The injury isn’t the end for Nixon, who is determined to keep playing in college. He says he’s motivated by two things to get himself back on the court.
“Number one, the little kid, that this is his dream, out in the cold in the winter with his coat on, shooting, but also the support system around me,” said Nixon.
Part of that support system is former Minnesota Mr. Basketball, Wisconsin alum and recently retired pro player Jordan Taylor.
“[Jordan] had a lot of surgeries in the prime of his career, too, so he can relate really well with me,” said Nixon. “He always tells me, ‘Take a couple days to feel sorry for yourself, and then let’s make something happen.”
A little over 24 hours after a federal immigration agent shot and killed Alex Pretti amid protests a few miles away from Target Center, causing the postponement of Saturday’s game between the visiting Warriors and the Wolves, the longtime Golden State coach gave his first public statements on the situation.
“I love the city of Minneapolis, and people here are wonderful. And it’s very sad, what’s happening, and I feel for the city,” Kerr said. “There’s a pall that has been cast over the city. You can feel it, and a lot of people are suffering. Obviously, loss of life is the No. 1 concern. Those families will never get their family members back. And you know, when all the unrest settles down, whenever that is, those family members won’t be returning home, and that’s devastating.”
Kerr said Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy alerted him Saturday morning that the league was considering postponing the game.
He also received calls from both Wolves coach Chris Finch and veteran forward Joe Ingles, who let Kerr know that the Wolves players were “feeling really uneasy” about the situation.
“I told Chris and Joe, ‘We trust you guys. We trust the league, whatever makes the most sense,’” Kerr said. “So ultimately, obviously, the game was postponed. I totally agree with the decision. Everything should be about safety and concern for not only the players and the fans, but everybody here in Minneapolis with what’s going on.”
BCA officers stand near the scene of a fatal shooting that took place yesterday, in Minneapolis, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
Ultimately, the NBA postponed the game just under three hours before tipoff. Kerr’s teams have previously gone through sudden postponements.
The Warriors coach was just a rookie on the Phoenix Suns when his team had its game cancelled in Miami during the riots of 1989. Over three decades later, the Warriors’ games against the Jazz and Mavericks were postponed after the sudden death of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević.
The Warriors arrived in Minneapolis on Friday afternoon and watched as tens of thousands of people marched down the streets to protest the protracted presence of federal immigration officers in the city.
Though protests did not break out near the arena on Saturday, they were in full force a few hours before tipoff on Sunday afternoon. Hundreds held signs expressing displeasure at Immigration and Customs Enforcement being in the city, and chants rang through the crowded streets.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters on Saturday that a 37-year-old man was killed on Saturday morning but did not identify him, citing limited information about what led up to the shooting. The man was identified by his parents as Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrate after Conley scores during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The protests continued inside the arena.
During a moment of silence held in honor of Pretti, several fans could be heard yelling “(expletive) ICE,” although no physical signs or written messages in opposition to immigration personnel were seen in the lower bowl.
During a break in the action with about five minutes left in the first half, chants of “ICE out” were heard while De’Anthony Melton was shooting free throws. In the third quarter, several members of the Target Center’s dunk crew entertainment team were seen wearing “ICE OUT” shirts.
When the game was being played, neither team was very sharp. The Timberwolves, understandably, appeared to lack focus during the first half, turning the ball over 16 times in the first 24 minutes.
The Warriors led 47-46 at halftime as both sides seemed to just go through the motions, and Golden State pulled away in the third quarter after outscoring the home team 38-17. The Warriors (26-21) snapped a two-game skid, which was the same number of games the team had played without Jimmy Butler, who was lost for the season on Monday with a torn ACL.
Steph Curry scored 26 points, passing John Havlicek and tying with another Celtic great, Paul Pierce (26,397), for 19th on the all-time scoring list.
Teammate Moses Moody scored 19, while Brandin Podziemski put in 12 points. Anthony Edwards poured in 30 points for the Timberwolves, while former Warrior Donte DiVincenzo scored 22.
The teams will play again here on Monday at 6:30 PT.
Kerr decried the death of Good when it occurred several weeks ago, blasting the federal government during an impassioned monologue.
But on Sunday, Kerr struck a message of unity, asking his fellow Americans to respect one another.
“It’s hard to decipher what’s real and what’s not, what’s true and what’s not true,” Kerr said. “People arguing over the exact same video and saying, ‘This happened. No, that happened.’ It is a confusing time to be alive and to be an American, and so what I would appeal to everyone is to remember what our constitution stands for, what our values are, and what that means to how we treat each other and our fellow citizens.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Rick Pitino has rarely considered number of victories when it comes to milestones. For him, it has always been about championships.
The Hall of Fame coach though did admit becoming the fourth Division I men’s basketball coach to reach 900 victories was one to savor.
“My son it doesn’t matter,” said Pitino about the win coming against his son. “The great thing is I could spend time with him and the grand kids.”
The 73-year-old Pitino is 900-316 overall in 38 seasons as a head coach in college. It began with six games as an interim at Hawaii in 1976.
He is the only coach to win an NCAA title at two schools (Kentucky and Louisville) and the first to take three schools to the Final Four (Providence, Kentucky and Louisville).
He’s also the only coach to direct six schools to the NCAA Tournament, including Boston University, Iona and St. John’s.
Pitino also coached at Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville and Iona. He also has 10 years in the pros, including with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, along with Greek team Panathinaikos.
“But 900 means that I’ve had longevity. I spent 10 years in the pros. And so 900 with 10 years in the pros is really something I’m very thankful to all my players and assistant coaches for helping me get there,” he said.
One of those assistants was Richard, who was on his dad’s staff for three seasons at Louisville.
“I’m happy for him that he won 900. I think he’s the best coach to ever coach college basketball. He’d have a lot more if he had stayed at Kentucky,” Richard Pitino said. “When your dad is 73, you just want him to be happy and healthy. We all are reminded way too much at how short life is.
“To see him doing great, being celebrated at St. John’s, that’s all I care about. It keeps him young. I hope he continues to coach. He’s a phenomenal coach but I’m really, really lucky to have him as a father.”
The younger Pitino surprised his father by wearing a suit on the sidelines for the first time this season. Rick Pitino said it was a nice compliment and was appreciative because he knows his 43-year old son hates wearing suits.
When asked where the suit came from, Rick Pitino smiled and said “It’s probably my suit.”
It was the second straight game the Red Storm rallied from at least 15 down to win. Tuesday’s win against Seton Hall was at home though. Saturday’s victory came in front of a sold out and raucous crowd at Xavier.
“It was a lot of fun. Definitely just the atmosphere and coach going up against his son. It was a tough win but a good win,” said forward Dillon Mitchell, who had 17 points and seven rebounds.
St. John’s players donned T-shirts on the court and in the locker room marking the milestone. They also doused Pitino with water and Gatorade in the visitors’ locker room at Cintas Center.
Pitino took off his trademark suit and was in St. John’s workout gear when he talked with reporters after drying off.
“I’ve said this all along how enjoyable this team is, but tonight was the icing on the cake because a lot of teams would break down 12, down 10, and they never broke,” Pitino said.
The NCAA recognizes Pitino with only 777 wins after stripping him of 123 because of infractions at Louisville. Bob Knight had 899 victories, but is credited with 902 by the NCAA because three losses were later ruled forfeits as punishment for program violations by Indiana opponents.
Mike Krzyzewski leads the way with 1,202 wins, followed by Jim Boeheim (1,116) and Roy Williams (903).
The elder Pitino has won four of five meetings against his son, who previously coached at Florida International, Minnesota and New Mexico.
It is also the 20th time in 23 Division I matchups the father has defeated the son.
“He didn’t say it, but we all know he really wanted it against his son and happy to pull it through,” said guard Dylan Darling, who hit the go-ahead basket.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
LUBBOCK, Texas — JT Toppin had 31 points and 12 rebounds for his 44th career double-double and Donovan Atwell hit consecutive 3-pointers late to put No. 12 Texas Tech ahead to stay in a 90-86 win over No. 6 Houston on Saturday, ending the Cougars’ 11-game winning streak.
True freshman Kingston Flemings had a season-high 42 points with six assists for the Cougars (17-2, 5-1 Big 12), who had won their past 16 true road games — all conference games — since a loss at No. 8 Kansas two years ago. That was a school record and the nation’s longest active streak.
Texas Tech (16-4, 6-1) had 10 made 3s in the first half when scoring 55 points against a Houston team that coming in ranked second nationally allowing only 60.1 points. The Red Raiders made only two from beyond the arc after halftime, Atwell hitting the go-ahead 3 with 5:55 left and adding another 34 seconds later.
There were eight lead changes and eight ties in the game that Houston led for 18 minutes, 41 seconds, and Tech led 18:12.
Tech is 11-0 at home this season and has won five games in a row overall, and nine of 10 — the loss in that span being 69-65 at Houston on Jan. 6. Tech was the only Big 12 team to beat the Cougars last season, when they were conference champs and national runner-up.
Atwell, who finished with five 3s, and Jaylen Petty both had 18 points. Christian Anderson had 12 points with nine assists.
Emmanuel Sharp had 20 points for Houston.
Toppin’s 44 career double-doubles are the second most for active players behind Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg (48). Toppin has 32 in 52 games with Tech since transferring from New Mexico after his freshman season.
Houston at TCU on Wednesday.
Texas Tech has a break before going to UCF next Saturday.
OLEAN, N.Y. — Ishan Sharma scored 29 points and No. 24 Saint Louis routed St. Bonaventure 97-62 on Friday.
The Billikens (19-1, 7-0 Atlantic 10) tied their best start 20-game start in the program’s 110-year history, joining the 1993-94 team. They took control of the game early, dominating from 3-point range, and had a 58-26 lead to end the first half.
Trey Green had 15 points for Saint Louis and Amari McCottry added 12.
The Billikens opened on a 10-2 run and started 6 for 7 from 3-point range. They were 13 for 18 (72.2%) behind the arc in the first half and finished 19 of 33.
Saint Louis shot 64.7% in the first half (22 of 34) compared with just 33.3% for the Bonnies (10 of 30). Sharma had 18 points in the first half and was 6 of 7 from 3-point range.
The struggles continued for the Bonnies (12-8, 1-6), who have lost six of their last seven games. St. Bonaventure was just 1 for 8 (12.5%) on 3s in the first half. Davonte Bowen had 17 points for the Bonnies. Darryl Simmons II had 12.
Georgetown Hoyas (9-10, 1-7 Big East) at Providence Friars (9-10, 2-6 Big East)
Providence, Rhode Island; Saturday, 12:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Providence plays Georgetown after Jaylin Sellers scored 27 points in Providence’s 105-104 overtime loss to the Marquette Golden Eagles.
The Friars are 7-3 on their home court. Providence scores 89.7 points and has outscored opponents by 3.4 points per game.
The Hoyas are 1-7 in conference play. Georgetown ranks fifth in the Big East with 34.0 rebounds per game led by Caleb Williams averaging 5.5.
Providence averages 9.4 made 3-pointers per game, 1.5 more made shots than the 7.9 per game Georgetown allows. Georgetown averages 6.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.9 fewer made shots on average than the 10.3 per game Providence allows.
The Friars and Hoyas face off Saturday for the first time in Big East play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Oswin Erhunmwunse is averaging 7.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks for the Friars. Stefan Vaaks is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
KJ Lewis is scoring 14.7 points per game with 5.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists for the Hoyas. Malik Mack is averaging 12.2 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 33.6% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Friars: 4-6, averaging 89.1 points, 35.7 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 5.5 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 88.7 points per game.
Hoyas: 3-7, averaging 72.4 points, 34.5 rebounds, 13.8 assists, 6.0 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 42.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 72.7 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Coby White scored 22 points, Josh Giddey added 21 off the bench, and Jalen Smith converted two clutch free throws late to lift the Chicago Bulls to a 120-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.
Chicago overcame a 14-point, first-half deficit and also withstood a 13-0 run from Minnesota in the fourth quarter. White hit a clutch 3-pointer from the corner to keep it a one-point game with 1:06 to play.
After White’s corner 3-pointer, Minnesota committed a pair of costly turnovers in the final minute. Jaden McDaniels lost the ball out of bounds for Minnesota, and Chicago’s Tre Jones made a layup at the other end with 31.1 seconds to play. Smith then converted at the line with 11 seconds remaining, and Minnesota failed to hit a shot in its next possession.
Julius Randle, who was on the injury report with left foot soreness, had a team-high 30 points for Minnesota, but also committed a late turnover. Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid each added 20 points, and McDaniels scored 16 in the loss.
After White was whistled for a travel with 2:08 to play, both teams traded baskets in the ensuing possessions. Edwards hit a shot in the lane and Smith responded with a dunk. McDaniels then converted a corner 3-pointer to put Minnesota up 115-111. But that ended up being the last points scored by the Timberwolves. Chicago went on a 9-0 run in the final 1:06.
The loss was a season-high fourth in a row for Minnesota. Chicago has won three straight.
Fouls were an issue for Minnesota. Edwards got into early foul trouble and finished with five fouls. The Bulls shot 33 free throws — hitting 27 — compared to 15 attempts at the line for the Wolves.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Aaliyah Chavez could barely hit anything.
Chavez’s overtime point total was a school record, and the clutch performance helped the Sooners match the highest-ranked opponent they have beaten in school history.
Chavez scored three points in the first half on 1-for-7 shooting and had nine points going into the fourth quarter. She made just 4 of 14 field goals in regulation before making all five of her shots, including four 3-pointers, in overtime.
Her overall performance earned South Carolina coach Dawn Staley’s respect.
“She was great,” Staley said. “She ran her team, hit big shots, handled the ball. Everything that you want a point guard to do.”
Chavez said even when she was missing shots, teammates Raegan Beers and Sahara Williams hyped her up.
“My teammates kept on telling me to keep on shooting,” she said. “Sahara and Raegan looking and they were like, ‘That’s a great shot. I’ll take that shot a million times with you.’ So just knowing that they trust me on taking the shots that I was taking, it just brought my confidence up.”
Chavez entered the game as Oklahoma’s leading scorer with 18.8 points per game, but she approached this game looking to create. She had seven assists in regulation.
“You can see like, I wasn’t forcing my shots,” she said. “I was trying to make sure that it was the best play for Oklahoma.”
Once overtime hit, Chavez was aggressive, but still didn’t force shots.
“I thought Aaliyah, especially in that overtime, I thought she was just like, ’OK, let’s go. Not, ‘I gotta do anything. I need to make sure I’m doing this,’” Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk said. “She got the ball where it needed to go, and she just played.”
The victory snapped a three-game losing skid for Oklahoma, with losses to ranked opponents Ole Miss, Kentucky and LSU. Baranczyk said beating South Carolina was big, but the Sooners can’t celebrate for too long.
“This isn’t the end of our road,” she said. “You know, this isn’t a Super Bowl win, you know, because if it is, then you’re not ready for the next one in this league. You’ve got to be ready for everyone.”
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
During a timeout, the Warriors’ forward walked back to the locker room with team athletic trainer Drew Yoder with 3:52 left in the second quarter of the Warriors’ 123-115 loss to the host Mavericks on Thursday night.
At the 4:28 mark, Kuminga appeared to roll his left ankle and buckle his knee on a fastbreak layup that led to a foul on Brandon Williams. Kuminga briefly sat down in a courtside chair on the baseline before getting up and walking to the free throw line.
He shot two free throws, and then played the next three possessions before being subbed out. Kuminga then walked back to the locker room under his own power.
The Warriors later diagnosed Kuminga with left knee soreness, and said he would not return.
“I just talked to Jonathan, and he said he’ll get an MRI tomorrow,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It was both the knee and the ankle, and we’ll see how bad it is.”
The Warriors later said that Kuminga had not yet decided whether or not he would get an MRI.
Kuminga, 23, had requested a trade earlier in the month and was presumed to be out of the rotation entirely after not playing in 16 consecutive games.
He had begun the year as a starter, being a part of the first five during the team’s initial 12 games after signing a two-year deal and ending his restricted free agency. But a combination of poor play and middling team results led to Kerr removing Kuminga from the starting lineup.
Kuminga then saw a combination of injuries and uneven performances lead to lessened playing time before eventually falling out of the rotation altogether.
However, after Jimmy Butler tore his ACL against the Heat on Monday, Kuminga suddenly found himself back in the team’s immediate plans.
He responded by scoring 20 points in 21 minutes against Toronto on Tuesday’s loss to the Raptors.
Before exiting the Mavericks game, Kuminga had scored 10 points in nine minutes and made all three of his shot attempts and each of his four free throws, and was a stellar plus-18 in his short stint.
But after Kuminga went back to the locker room, he was not among the players who warmed up after the halftime break. The Warriors ruled him out shortly afterwards.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket as Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg (32), Dwight Powell, center left, and Max Christie (00) defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Missing their two best scoring wings, the burden fell on the guards to carry the offense. Fortunately for the Warriors, the team received a vintage Steph Curry performance to keep them in the game.
The soon-to-be 38-year old torched the Mavericks to the tune of 38 points, making 8 of 15 3-point field goals. De’Anthony Melton provided a more athletic complement to Curry’s long-range showmanship, scoring 22 in 23 minutes.
But with the team trailing just 102-101 with 6:49 left fourth quarter, Draymond Green was called for a flagrant foul when he elbowed Stanford alum Dwight Powell as the Maverick big man was cutting to the rim. A few seconds later, Green was reviewed for another flagrant after a hard foul on Max Christie, but it was ruled a normal foul.
“It wasn’t his night, and he’d be the first to tell you,” Kerr said.
The stoppages helped the Mavericks gain momentum, leading to a 11-0 run over the next two minutes to help Dallas pull away. Green fouled out with 3:50 left after contesting a shot by Williams. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 30 points, while Bay Area legend Klay Thompson scored six points.
The Mavericks outrebounded the Warriors 54-35.
The Warriors (25-21), now on a two-game losing streak, will travel to Minneapolis to play the first of a two-game baseball-style series with the Wolves on Saturday.
DALLAS, TEXAS – JANUARY 22: Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors calls to his team during the first quarter of the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on January 22, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket as Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg (32), Dwight Powell, center left, and Max Christie (00) defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) is fouled driving to the basket by Dallas Mavericks’ Dwight Powell, left, and Klay Thompson, Cooper Flagg (32) and Ryan Nembhard (9) look on in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
NEW YORK — Rick Pitino is on the cusp of another coaching milestone. And get this — his first shot at 900 wins comes against his own son.
In a family circle twist of fate, Pitino has 899 career victories on the college basketball court as he leads St. John’s into Saturday’s game at Xavier, where Richard Pitino is in his first season as Musketeers coach.
“What’s the chances of that happening?” the elder Pitino said this week. “So I think that’s a big treat for me, and the family. Either way we know we’re going to have a difficult game against them because of their style of play. He’s doing a fabulous job.”
Rick Pitino is 3-1 in coaching matchups versus Richard, including a Red Storm victory over New Mexico at Madison Square Garden last season. But their Big East contest Saturday marks the first time they’ll square off in conference play.
So what does the 73-year-old Hall of Famer think about the prospect of winning No. 900 at the expense of his boy?
“I think he will do everything humanly possible to stop it,” Rick Pitino said with a smile.
Sitting just outside the AP Top 25 this week and riding a five-game win streak, St. John’s (14-5) holds second place in the Big East standings at 7-1.
Xavier (11-8) is tied for sixth with two other teams at 3-5.
“It’s like any other game,” Richard Pitino, 43, said Wednesday night following an agonizing 94-93 loss at Creighton. “I know there’s the storyline of my dad and this and that. But for me it’s a home game versus one of the best teams in the country. I’ve got to do my very best to not make it about that and make it solely on trying to put my guys in position to beat a really good team.”
After capturing national championships at Kentucky (1996) and Louisville (2013), Rick Pitino is looking to join just a handful of coaches who have won 900 games in Division I men’s basketball. That legacy, however, is complicated.
Citing on-court accomplishments, St. John’s noted Pitino tied Bob Knight for fourth place at 899 career wins (most among active coaches) when the Red Storm rallied for a 65-60 victory Tuesday night over Seton Hall.
Knight, though, is credited with 902 victories by the NCAA because three Indiana losses on the court were later ruled forfeits by the Hoosiers’ opponents as punishment for program violations.
“I can’t spell Coach Knight. He’s one of the greats of all time. I probably just coached a lot longer than him,” a deferential Pitino said.
Next on the wins list is Roy Williams with 903. But the NCAA record book recognizes only 776 victories for Pitino after stripping him of 123 because of infractions at Louisville.
Regardless of all that, St. John’s plans to commemorate and celebrate the achievement whenever Pitino earns No. 900. He is 899-316 overall in 38 seasons as a college head coach, beginning with six games in an interim role at Hawaii in 1976.
Pitino also made stops at Boston University, Providence and Iona, sandwiched around NBA jobs with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, plus a stint with Greek team Panathinaikos.
Now in his third season with St. John’s, the reigning AP national co-coach of the year has been to seven Final Fours and is the lone coach to take six schools to the NCAA Tournament.
After five decades on the bench, Pitino said it’s “amazing” to him that his 900th win could come against his son, previously one of his assistants. Rick Pitino joked Tuesday night about pressing Xavier’s staff for a better walkthrough schedule this weekend, and how much Richard loves to needle his dad.
“He has a sense of humor like nobody else,” Rick Pitino said. “I’m really, really proud of Richard.”
But once their teams tip off on Saturday, it’s not about mom or milestones or any of that.
Just winning.
“This is going to be a lot of fun. Great game,” Rick Pitino said. “If we lose, I’ll leave my team in Cincinnati.”
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AP Sports Writer Eric Olson contributed to this report.
Bam Adebayo scored 25 points, Norman Powell added 22 and the Miami Heat cruised to a 130-117 road win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.The Heat have won three of their last five and led by double digits the entire fourth quarter. Andrew Wiggins added 19 points, while Pelle Larsson had 16 points and a team-high nine assists.Simone Fontecchio scored 15 points off the bench on five 3-pointers. Miami shot 50% from 3-point range, hitting 21 of 42.Miami guard Tyler Herro (ribs) and center Kel’el Ware (hamstring) missed the game, leaving the Heat without two key rotation players. Ware — who is averaging a team-high 9.8 rebounds — missed his first game of the season.Sacramento has dropped two straight games after winning a season-high four in a row. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 23 points, while Russell Westbrook added 22 on 9-of 14 shooting.Malik Monk scored 18 points, while Dylan Cardwell added 12 rebounds.The Heat took a 77-64 lead at halftime on the strength of a 45-point second quarter that included nine 3-pointers. Miami made 15 of 24 shots (62.5%) from behind the arc before the break.Miami snapped a streak of four straight road losses that all came by at least 12 points.Up nextHeat: At Portland on Thursday.Kings: Host Toronto on Wednesday.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Bam Adebayo scored 25 points, Norman Powell added 22 and the Miami Heat cruised to a 130-117 road win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.
The Heat have won three of their last five and led by double digits the entire fourth quarter. Andrew Wiggins added 19 points, while Pelle Larsson had 16 points and a team-high nine assists.
Simone Fontecchio scored 15 points off the bench on five 3-pointers. Miami shot 50% from 3-point range, hitting 21 of 42.
Miami guard Tyler Herro (ribs) and center Kel’el Ware (hamstring) missed the game, leaving the Heat without two key rotation players. Ware — who is averaging a team-high 9.8 rebounds — missed his first game of the season.
Sacramento has dropped two straight games after winning a season-high four in a row. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 23 points, while Russell Westbrook added 22 on 9-of 14 shooting.
Malik Monk scored 18 points, while Dylan Cardwell added 12 rebounds.
The Heat took a 77-64 lead at halftime on the strength of a 45-point second quarter that included nine 3-pointers. Miami made 15 of 24 shots (62.5%) from behind the arc before the break.
Miami snapped a streak of four straight road losses that all came by at least 12 points.
John Mobley Jr. scored 26 points and made five 3-pointers, Bruce Thornton had 23 points, seven rebounds and four steals, and Ohio State beat Minnesota 82-74 in overtime on Tuesday night.
Devin Royal scored five of his 16 points in overtime and Christoph Tilly finished with 11 for Ohio State (13-5, 5-3 Big Ten), which improved to 15-2 all-time against Minnesota in the Schottenstein Center. Mobley, coming off a career-high 28 points and six 3-pointers against UCLA, was 9 of 19 from the field.
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson scored a career-high 26 points — his third straight game with 20-plus — for Minnesota (10-9, 3-5), which has lost four straight games. Cade Tyson, ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring at 20.8 points per game, finished with 15 points.
Crocker-Johnson was fouled while making a basket with 40.2 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 67-all, but missed the ensuing free throw. Mobley missed a long 3-pointer at the other end and Minnesota guard Langston Reynolds raced the other way for a layup that rolled off the rim. The Golden Gophers had another shot at a winner but Tyson’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer did not hit the rim.
Colin White’s steal and fast-break layup gave Ohio State a 76-71 lead in overtime. Thornton scored six points in the extra frame.
Last season, the Buckeyes edged Minnesota 89-88 in double overtime.
Up next
Minnesota: Returns home to play No. 7 Nebraska on Saturday.
Ohio State: Goes on the road to play No. 3 Michigan on Friday.
Janon Singh, center, welcomes West Charlotte Lions basketball team starters to the floor during introductions on Saturday, January 17, 2026. Singh, a junior is a top national recruit. West Charlotte hosted Hillside in a battle of traditionally black schools in the MLK Peace Basketball Showcase at West Charlotte High School in Charlotte, NC.
JEFF SINER
jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
The state’s top-ranked Class 8A high school boys’ basketball team is adding another talented player.
Janon Singh, a 6-foot-7, 195-pound junior, has enrolled at West Charlotte High and hopes to be playing as soon as Friday night. West Charlotte, the No. 1-ranked Class 8A team in the state rankings compiled by The Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News & Observer, improved to 12-2 Saturday with a 64-36 victory over visiting Durham Hillside.
Janon Singh, center, welcomes West Charlotte Lions basketball team starters to the floor during introductions on Jan. 17, 2026. Singh, a junior is a top national recruit. West Charlotte hosted Hillside in a battle of traditionally black schools in the MLK Peace Basketball Showcase at West Charlotte High School. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
“I want to be able to come here and compete at a high level,” said Singh, who is leaving Oak Hill Academy of Virginia to enroll at West Charlotte. “As far as me getting in school and getting my schedule, exams are going on right now, so as soon as exams are over, I’ll be able to play.”
Singh is rated a three-star prospect by ESPN and 247sports.com, with 247sports.com ranking him the No. 4 prospect in Virginia (with former Lincolnton High star L.J. Smith, now at Oak Hill Academy, at No. 1).
On April 15, Singh played with Team United’s Nike-sponsored travel team at Phenom Hoops’ travel basketball event in Rock Hill. Phenom Hoops’ recruiting analyst Chris Ewell, who also coaches at West Mecklenburg, came away impressed with the new Lions’ player.
“Long, athletic, and loaded with upside, Janon Singh impressed with his two-way potential,” Ewell wrote for the recruiting website. “He rebounded actively, ran the floor with purpose, and showed the ability to finish above the rim with bounce. Offensively, Singh is comfortable spotting up beyond the arc and has the speed to push the ball coast-to-coast. Defensively, he moved his feet well on the perimeter and showed flashes of being a versatile stopper. With three-level scoring upside and a high motor, Singh’s ceiling continues to rise.”
Janon Singh, left, walks to the West Charlotte Lions huddle during action against Hillside on Jan. 17, 2026. Singh, a junior is a top national recruit. West Charlotte hosted Hillside in a battle of traditionally black schools in the MLK Peace Basketball Showcase at West Charlotte High School. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
West Charlotte plays in the N.C. High School Athletic Association, which allows players 24 regular-season games total. If Singh starts playing Friday at Chambers, the Lions would have a total of nine regular-season games remaining.
It’s not clear how many games Singh played at Oak Hill, which according to its MaxPreps page is 13-6 so far this season. Singh did not play for the Warriors when they played at West Charlotte on Dec. 19, which according to its MaxPreps schedule was Oak Hill’s 14th game.
West Charlotte’s 10th-year head coach Jacoby Davis confirmed that Singh was enrolled at his school and said Lions athletic director Aljamon “AJ” Alexander is going through the “checks and balances” to determine when Singh would be eligible to play.
Singh, who departed Grayson High (in Loganville, GA) to attend Oak Hill, said he expected to be in action Friday. West Charlotte, currently 2-0 in the Meck Power Six 7A/8A Conference that features two-time defending state champion North Mecklenburg, returns to league action this week with road games at Butler on Tuesday and Chambers on Friday.
Janon Singh watches as members of the West Charlotte Lions basketball team warmup on Jan. 17, 2026. Singh, a junior is a top national recruit. West Charlotte hosted Hillside in a battle of traditionally black schools in the MLK Peace Basketball Showcase at West Charlotte High School. JEFF SINER jsiner@charlotteobserver.com
“He brings a lot,” Davis said of Singh. “He brings energy, plays hard and is a tough kid. He seems to be a good kid too.” West Charlotte has been led so far this season by three talented underclassmen.
Sophomores Chacho Womack (17.8 average) and Kaharri Coleman (17.5) and junior Amen “AC” Pressley (14.8) are the Lions’ top scorers.
Coleman is a top 60 recruit nationally among sophomores.
“It’s a great team, a young team and I want to come in as a leader and win a state championship,” Singh said of West Charlotte.
