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Tag: Basketball

  • Alabama basketball player, 2nd man charged with murder

    Alabama basketball player, 2nd man charged with murder

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    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama basketball player Darius Miles and another man have been charged with capital murder after a fatal shooting near campus.

    Tuscaloosa Police Capt. Jack Kennedy said that the shooting occurred early Sunday morning in the Strip off University Blvd. near campus. He said Jamea Harris, 23, of the Birmingham area was shot and killed.

    Miles, 21, a junior reserve forward from Washington, D.C., and Michael Lynn Davis, 20, of Charles County, Maryland, were both charged with capital murder. The capital murder charge arose because the death involved shots fired into a vehicle, Kennedy said.

    “At this time, it appears that the only motive was a minor altercation that these individuals had with the victim as they were out on The Strip,” Kennedy said in a news conference Sunday evening. They didn’t have a previous relationship, he said.

    He said the driver of another vehicle, in which Harris was a passenger, approached campus police near Bryant-Denny Stadium at about 1:45 a.m. saying that someone had shot into the vehicle, and he fired back. One of the suspects was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital, and Kennedy declined to disclose who fired the gun or who was hurt.

    An emotional Miles spoke to someone as he was being ushered into a law enforcement vehicle: “I swear I love you more than you can imagine.”

    Miles was a reserve on the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide team. Alabama had announced before Saturday’s game against LSU that he was out for the season with an ankle injury. His bio has been removed from the athletic department website and the university said that he “has been removed from campus” and is no longer on the team.

    “The University of Alabama’s utmost priority is the safety and well-being of the campus community,” a university statement said. “We are grieved by the incident that occurred near campus last night and extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends.”

    Neither the driver of the other vehicle nor Harris nor Davis appeared to be affiliated with the university, Kennedy said.

    ___

    AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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  • Alabama basketball player, 2nd man charged with murder

    Alabama basketball player, 2nd man charged with murder

    [ad_1]

    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama basketball player Darius Miles and another man have been charged with capital murder after a fatal shooting near campus.

    Tuscaloosa Police Capt. Jack Kennedy said that the shooting occurred early Sunday morning in the Strip off University Blvd. near campus. He said Jamea Harris, 23, of the Birmingham area was shot and killed.

    Miles, 21, a junior reserve forward from Washington, D.C., and Michael Lynn Davis, 20, of Charles County, Maryland, were both charged with capital murder. The capital murder charge arose because the death involved shots fired into a vehicle, Kennedy said.

    “At this time, it appears that the only motive was a minor altercation that these individuals had with the victim as they were out on The Strip,” Kennedy said in a news conference Sunday evening. They didn’t have a previous relationship, he said.

    He said the driver of another vehicle, in which Harris was a passenger, approached campus police near Bryant-Denny Stadium at about 1:45 a.m. saying that someone had shot into the vehicle, and he fired back. One of the suspects was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital, and Kennedy declined to disclose who fired the gun or who was hurt.

    An emotional Miles spoke to someone as he was being ushered into a law enforcement vehicle: “I swear I love you more than you can imagine.”

    Miles was a reserve on the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide team. Alabama had announced before Saturday’s game against LSU that he was out for the season with an ankle injury. His bio has been removed from the athletic department website and the university said that he “has been removed from campus” and is no longer on the team.

    “The University of Alabama’s utmost priority is the safety and well-being of the campus community,” a university statement said. “We are grieved by the incident that occurred near campus last night and extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends.”

    Neither the driver of the other vehicle nor Harris nor Davis appeared to be affiliated with the university, Kennedy said.

    ___

    AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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  • Must Read: Moda Operandi Launches Beauty, Defining Nonbinary Work Attire

    Must Read: Moda Operandi Launches Beauty, Defining Nonbinary Work Attire

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    These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Tuesday.

    Moda Operandi launches beauty category
    The fashion e-retailer known for its trunk-show model is aiming to be the “industry authority on luxury beauty.” It now offers a range of 55 skin-care, fragrance, makeup, haircare and body-care brands. “There are so many beautiful products in the world—and as a former magazine editor, I have seen, tried, and written about thousands of them. But now […] I have the privilege of handpicking only the very best,” said Jessica Matlin, Moda Operandi’s beauty director. You can shop the new category at ModaOperandi.com. {Fashionista inbox}

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    Brooke Frischer

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  • 5 basketball players for Concordia University Chicago hospitalized after

    5 basketball players for Concordia University Chicago hospitalized after

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    A suburban Chicago college postponed two men’s basketball games after five players went to a hospital following a rigorous workout.

    Concordia University Chicago in River Forest also has temporarily removed coach Steve Kollar, school spokesman Eric Matanyi said.

    The last player was released from a hospital Saturday, he said. CBS Chicago identified that player as Jacob Collicott.

    “It’s been a long few days,” Jacob’s father, Ryan Collicott, told CBS Chicago Saturday. “He was, I guess, dehydrated. Plus, the muscles were breaking down and getting into his bloodstream, I guess.”

    Matanyi told The Associated Press that “the length of the hospital stays varied from several hours to several days.”

    Athletic director Pete Gnan sent a letter to parents Thursday, explaining what happened after a late December trip to California, where the team played two games. He said the team was put through a “particularly high-intensity, collegiate-level circuit training” on Dec. 31.

    Circuit training generally refers to moving through exercise stations with little time for breaks.

    Five players were admitted to a hospital between Monday and Wednesday, Gnan said.

    He told parents that he learned that several players missed a night curfew during the California trip.

    “It has been alleged by some that the intensity and difficulty of Saturday’s practice was a direct consequence of the broken curfew earlier in the week … The university continues to look into the matter and is also working to determine all factors that contributed to the student hospitalizations,” Gnan said.

    A person familiar with the situation told CBS Chicago that players may have suffered from conditions such as lactic acidosis and rhabdomyolysis, the latter of which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said can be caused by “physical exertion or overuse.”

    Rhabdomyolysis, which can damage the heart and kidneys, occurs when damaged muscle tissue releases proteins and electrolytes into the blood, according to the CDC.

    “Usually, you see this sort of stuff in the marathon runners, the soccer players, sort of the endurance athletes,” Dr. Christopher Hicks with Northwestern Medicine told CBS Chicago.

    Gnan said Concordia has “zero tolerance for harassment or retaliatory actions of any kind.”

    The Division III Cougars, who are 8-2, postponed games that were scheduled for Saturday and last Tuesday.

    All this comes after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered an on-field cardiac arrest during a football game Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin was administered CPR on the field by medical personnel before being loaded into an ambulance and rushed to the intensive care unit of a Cincinnati hospital, where he was sedated for several days. The Bills on Friday said he has shown significant improvement. A breathing tube was removed and he is now able to breath on his own and talk. 

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  • Antetokounmpo has career-high 55 points, Bucks beat Wizards

    Antetokounmpo has career-high 55 points, Bucks beat Wizards

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    MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he wants to produce with so much consistency that it causes boredom.

    That’s the only respect in which the two-time MVP has fallen shortly lately.

    Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 55 points with a series of thrilling dunks and drives as the Milwaukee Bucks beat Washington 123-113 on Tuesday night, snapping the Wizards’ five-game winning streak. The spectacular forward also had 10 rebounds and seven assists to continue arguably the best stretch of his career.

    “I want to get in a position … that my game is boring,” Antetokounmpo said. “I just do what I do and people don’t talk about it because it becomes boring — I do it every single night. That’s what I want to do. I want other people to feel like my game is boring. But I don’t get bored. The greats — the best players — never get bored. They go out there and they always give their best any given night.”

    Antetokounmpo has at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in each of the last three games he’s played. He sat out a 118-95 loss to the Wizards on Sunday because of a sore left knee.

    The only other players in NBA history to have three straight performances of 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists are Elgin Baylor in 1961 and 1963, Wilt Chamberlain in 1963 and Russell Westbrook in 2016. The only other Bucks players to score at least 40 points in three straight appearances are Flynn Robinson in February 1969 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in February 1972.

    “He’s been kind of playing with this kind of determination, this kind of just willing us in games,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Tonight we were able to win it. He’s just been phenomenal.”

    Bucks center Brook Lopez is in his fifth season of playing alongside Antetokoumpo. The 7-footer couldn’t recall a regular-season stretch in which Antetokounmpo has played better than this.

    “He’s just constantly improving,” said Lopez, who had 21 points and 12 rebounds. “When you think where else can he go and how else can he improve, he just improves again. We’re going to have to expand the English language in some way to come up with words (to describe him). I don’t know if I’ve said that before, but I’m sure he’s going to improve again. Who knows what he’s going to do next. He’s just so otherworldly.”

    Antetokounmpo’s previous career high was a 52-point effort against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2019. He just missed the single-game franchise scoring record owned by Michael Redd, who scored 57 points against the Utah Jazz in November 2006.

    Bradley Beal returned for Washington after missing three games with a sore left hamstring, but he played just 13 minutes. Beal scored eight points before the hamstring issue prevented him from playing at all in the second half.

    “Same area,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “We just have to get it evaluated.

    Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 points for the Wizards, and Kyle Kuzma added 20.

    Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis had 17 points and 13 rebounds.

    Jrue Holiday returned to action for the Bucks after missing three games with a non-COVID illness and scored six points in 19 minutes. Khris Middleton missed an eighth straight game with a sore right knee and also won’t play Wednesday at Toronto.

    TIP-INS

    Wizards: Taj Gibson missed a third consecutive game with a sore left groin. … Gaford had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. … Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert had 12 points each.

    Bucks: George Hill missed a third straight game due to a non-COVID illness. … Portis has four consecutive double-doubles. … Grayson Allen shot 1 of 9 overall and 1 of 7 from 3-point range to continue his slump. Allen is 9 of 37 on 3-point attempts over his last four games. … Antetokounmpo was 15 of 16 on free throws.

    UP NEXT

    Wizards: At Oklahoma City on Friday night.

    Bucks: At Toronto on Wednesday night.

    ———

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • De’Aaron Fox scores 37 points, lifts Kings beat Jazz 117-115

    De’Aaron Fox scores 37 points, lifts Kings beat Jazz 117-115

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    SALT LAKE CITY — De’Aaron Fox made a driving layup with 0.4 seconds left and scored 22 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter to help the Sacramento Kings beat the Utah Jazz 117-115 on Tuesday night.

    Utah’s Lauri Markannen made a long jumper at the final buzzer that was initially ruled good, but reversed upon replay.

    Time and again, Sacramento worked Fox into situations where he could use his quickness to get to the basket or hit mid-range jumpers against sagging defenders.

    “If there was a matchup that I felt like we can exploit, go to that. I mean, that’s when it gets to in the fourth quarter in a lot of NBA games. It’s real basic,” Fox said, explaining that he often changed the called plays to something he thought worked better.

    Fox’s big fourth quarter included an emphatic dunk and an 18-foot pullup with 23.1 seconds remaining to put the Kings up 115-112.

    “I was getting in a zone. A lot of that was just picking where I wanted to get to, and then getting there and shooting the shoots you work on every day,” said Fox, whose fourth quarter was a career best of any quarter.

    Markkanen made all three free throws on a foul behind the arc, but Fox got switched onto the Finnish 7-footer and drove by him for an acrobatic layup to clinch the win.

    The Kings then held their breath until Markannen’s shot was disallowed after a short review.

    “I thought I had it off in time,” Markannen said. “Right from the moment it left my hand, it felt good. … It’s tough. Obviously, everyone remembers the ending but there’s a lot of things that we did early, we fix and win this ball game.”

    Markannen had 28 points, including a 15-for-15 performance from the line, and Jordan Clarkson added 24. The Jazz dropped their fifth straight game, with the five losses by a combined 17 points.

    Domantas Sabonis, playing with a broken right thumb, had 21 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists to help the Kings win for the third time in four games.

    “My main job was to get Fox open,” Sabonis said. “He’s so fast and you saw it on that layup for the game winner.”

    Coupled with a 126-125 victory over the Jazz last week, Sacramento has moved three games ahead of Utah in the Western Conference standings.

    “We haven’t really been in this position before. We’re all learning and we’re all growing together and Fox is at the forefront of it,” Sacramento coach Mike Brown beamed.

    Harrison Barnes had 19 for the Kings, and Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter both added 16 each.

    But it was Fox’s night.

    “I thought he made a lot of shots over defenders in that middle area of the court, which with a player like Fox that’s what you’re trying to make him do. He’s a really talented scorer and you can’t press up too far into him or else he’s going right by you, as we saw on the last play,” Hardy said.

    TIP-INS

    Kings: Sabonis made 17 straight field goals over the last two games against the Jazz until finally missing a shot in the second quarter. … Sacramento’s 18 turnovers led to 27 Utah points. … The Kings shot 53.5 percent from the field.

    Jazz: Collin Sexton missed the game to manage his recurring right hamstring injury. … Clarkson reached 10,000 career points with a basket in the first quarter. … Mike Conley scored a season-high 18 points.

    UP NEXT

    Kings: Host Atlanta on Wednesday night to start a five-game homestand.

    Jazz: At Houston on Thursday night.

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • ‘One of the greatest performances in the history of the game.’ Donovan Mitchell scores record 71 points for Cavs to join elite NBA group | CNN

    ‘One of the greatest performances in the history of the game.’ Donovan Mitchell scores record 71 points for Cavs to join elite NBA group | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    It was a high-scoring night in the NBA on Monday as both Donovan Mitchell and LeBron James set points records.

    Mitchell scored 71 points – the highest single-game points total since Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant scored 81 against Toronto in 2006 – as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime.

    His career-high total is a franchise record and, according to the NBA, Mitchell is the seventh player to score 70-plus points in a game.

    Wilt Chamberlain owns the NBA record with 100 points for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962.

    “To be there in the record book with guys like Wilt is truly humbling,” said Mitchell, per ESPN. “I always believed I could be one of the best players in the league. I’m speechless and blessed to be in the company of that greatness.”

    Mitchell was soaked with water by his teammates at the end of the game, while his coach J.B. Bickerstaff described his performance as “one of the greatest performances in the history of the game.”

    “Every single play that he made was a play that was necessary,” said Bickerstaff, according to ESPN. “Donovan has never put himself above the team, so how can you not root for a guy like that? I told everyone else to get out of the way.”

    Mitchell (45) shoots against Chicago Bulls forward Derrick Jones Jr. (5).

    Mitchell broke James’ previous Cavaliers record of 57 points in a game. James had jointly owned that record with Kyrie Irving, though the NBA great also put his name in the history books on Monday.

    In scoring 43 points as the Lakers beat the Charlotte Hornets 121-115, James became only the second player aged 35 or older to record back-to-back 40-plus point games. The other being Michael Jordan.

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  • Wizards cruise past short-handed Bucks 118-95

    Wizards cruise past short-handed Bucks 118-95

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    MILWAUKEE — Rui Hachimura had 26 points, Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 and the Washington Wizards defeated the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks 118-95 on Sunday night for their season-best fifth consecutive victory.

    The scuffling Bucks played without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out due to left knee soreness. Antetokounmpo is averaging 38 points and 14.6 rebounds over his last six games, which included a 43-point, 20-rebound performance in Friday night’s win over Minnesota that snapped Milwaukee’s four-game losing streak.

    Jrue Holiday also missed the game with an illness, and Khris Middleton sat out for the eighth consecutive game due to right knee soreness.

    “Your objective is to dominate whoever is in front of you,” Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma said. “If guys aren’t playing, you’re supposed to beat those teams.”

    Daniel Gafford had 17 points for the Wizards (17-21), who weren’t at full strength, either. They played without leading scorer Bradley Beal, who is dealing with left hamstring soreness.

    Bobby Portis led Milwaukee with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jevon Carter had 14 points and Grayson Allen added 13 points and eight assists.

    Washington led 34-17 after the first quarter, paced by Gafford’s 13 points, as the Wizards exploited a two-center lineup with Bucks big man Brook Lopez on the bench early with foul trouble.

    “I was sticking with the flow of the game, having confidence and going up with the shots that I was taking,” Gafford said. “I felt comfortable taking those shots.”

    Milwaukee shot 26% overall and just 3 of 14 from long range in the period, while the Wizards connected on half their shots.

    “We took advantage whenever we had the chance,” Gafford said of the size advantage. “Whoever went to the basket, we got a bucket. They didn’t have too many shot blockers out there so we just attacked the basket.”

    Washington had 72 points in the paint.

    “That’s a little bit unusual, not the norm,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We usually protect the rim and protect the paint well.”

    Two quick first-quarter fouls on Lopez caused problems for the Bucks.

    “I think his early foul trouble threw us off a little bit,” Budenholzer said.

    Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. said his team’s effort on defense set the tone.

    “We got the defense into the game early and that helped us get out to that lead,” he said.

    The Wizards led by 26 in the second quarter and held a 68-50 advantage at halftime. Washington shot 57.4% in the first half, while Milwaukee connected on just 34.6% of its shots.

    Washington remained easily in control throughout the second half as the cold-shooting Bucks failed to mount any sustained runs.

    TIP-INS

    Wizards: F Taj Gibson sat out a second consecutive game with left groin soreness. “We don’t want to push it to the point where this could be something that would last much longer than it should,” Unseld said. … Gafford, who came in averaging 7.1 points per game, scored Washington’s first eight points.

    Bucks: G George Hill also missed the game due to illness. … Joe Ingles was assessed a first-quarter technical foul after exchanging words with Porzingis, who also received a technical. … Milwaukee lost for just the fourth time in 19 home games this season.

    DISTANT MEMORY

    With five consecutive wins, the Wizards have been able to get past a 10-game losing streak that started in November and stretched to mid-December. “By not overreacting, now we’re back and we’re putting some wins together,” Porzingis said. “We have some pretty good rhythm.”

    UP NEXT

    The teams face each other again Tuesday night in Milwaukee.

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • McCollum makes 11 3s, scores 42, Pelicans beat 76ers 127-116

    McCollum makes 11 3s, scores 42, Pelicans beat 76ers 127-116

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    NEW ORLEANS — CJ McCollum scored 42 points, making a franchise-record and career-high 11 3-pointers, and Zion Williamson added 36 to power the New Orleans Pelicans to a 127-116 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.

    McCollum nailed 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions in a 42-second span of the second quarter, giving the Pelicans a 56-40 lead. McCollum finished the half 7 of 11 from long range and 11 of 16 for the game.

    McCollum surpassed Peja Stojakovic’s franchise record of 10 3s in a game, set against the Lakers in 2007.

    “It’s just a credit to working hard and believing in yourself and really, really taking the game seriously,” McCollum said. “Peja is obviously a legend who shot the ball extremely well. These types of nights come with preparation.”

    The Pelicans were 10 of 17 from distance in taking a 67-60 halftime lead and finished the game 15 of 31 behind the arc.

    Williamson, who scored 43 on Wednesday, had 12 in the fourth quarter as New Orleans pushed a 99-91 lead to 119-107 with 5:03 left.

    “I love to see it,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “What makes Z special is that physically he can take all the bumps and all the hits and he keeps coming at you. I wouldn’t want to guard him.”

    McCollum’s 11th 3-pointer with 2:26 left gave New Orleans a 124-110 lead and broke Stojakovic’s franchise mark.

    “When he plays with that type of force and that pace — his slow-to-fast was just really good, and he just got it going,” Green said. “The basket got bigger as the game progressed. That’s how he has to play. He may not have 40 every game, but he’ll have a major impact.

    Joel Embiid finished with 37 points on 14-for-22 shooting. He scored 15 of Philadelphia’s first 24 points and had 20 first-half points on 8-of-9 shooting.

    James Harden added 20 points.

    76ers coach Doc Rivers said his team surrendering 30 points off 19 turnovers was key to the loss, but he acknowledged McCollum’s marksmanship.

    “McCollum was great tonight,” Rivers said. “He got a lot of those in transition. (But) I really thought that with the turnovers, we never could get a rhythm. It would be great if it was just one stretch, but it just never stopped.”

    The Pelicans forced 13 turnovers in the first half and turned those into 25 points.

    TIP-INS

    76ers: G Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers’ second-leading scorer (22.9), returned after missing 18 games with a left foot fracture, scoring nine points in 19 minutes. “I always think ball-handling is the toughest part of coming back,” Rivers said. “You just can’t practice the speed that you play with. We just want him to be aggressive and just not overthink the game.” … Philadelphia has lost two straight after winning eight consecutive games. … The Sixers entered the game second in the NBA in scoring defense (108.0).

    Pelicans: F Brandon Ingram (averaging 20.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15 games) missed his 16th consecutive game with a left toe injury. He said Thursday his recovery has been up and down. “Whenever I feel 100%, I’ll give it a go,” Ingram said. “But it’s hard to say right now.” … F Larry Nance sat out with neck spasms. … The Pelicans have gone 12-4 in the last month, sandwiching a four-game losing streak with separate winning streaks of seven and five games. … New Orleans has lost just twice at home in the last 48 days.

    UP NEXT

    76ers: Close a four-game road trip on Saturday at Oklahoma City.

    Pelicans: At Memphis on Saturday.

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  • Three players ejected after Pistons-Magic scuffle

    Three players ejected after Pistons-Magic scuffle

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    DETROIT — Three players were ejected after a fight between the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons late in the first half of Wednesday’s game.

    Orlando’s Franz Wagner was ejected for a flagrant foul, while Detroit’s Killian Hayes and Hamadou Diallo were ejected for their actions during the ensuing scuffle in front of the Pistons bench.

    Wagner and Hayes were chasing an errant Magic pass in the backcourt, with Wagner knowing Orlando would be called for a backcourt violation as soon as he touched it. As he slowed up to let it go out of bounds, Hayes tried to cut past him along the sideline.

    Wagner hip-checked Hayes into the Detroit bench. starting a scuffle that involved every player on both teams.

    Hayes got back up and appeared to strike Wagner in the back of the head.

    Numerous Magic players could be facing suspension for leaving the bench area. Moritz Wagner, Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr, Gary Harris, Mo Bamba, R.J. Hampton, Terrence Ross and Admiral Schofield were the players out of the game as the Orlando bench emptied.

    The incident happened with 34 seconds left in the first half. The Pistons led 66-47 at the half.

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  • ‘I’m tired as hell,’ says Luka Dončić after making NBA history with record-breaking triple-double in the Dallas Mavericks’ win over the New York Knicks | CNN

    ‘I’m tired as hell,’ says Luka Dončić after making NBA history with record-breaking triple-double in the Dallas Mavericks’ win over the New York Knicks | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Luka Dončić put up a historic triple-double in the Dallas Mavericks’ thrilling 126-121 overtime win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday.

    The 23-year-old recorded a career-high 60 points and a career-high 21 rebounds to go with 10 assists, helping the Mavericks come from nine points down with just 33 seconds of regulation time remaining.

    It is the first time in NBA history that a player has reached that stat line.

    “I’m tired as hell,” Dončić said after the game. “I need a recovery beer.”

    In the past 20 seasons, all 13,884 NBA teams that have trailed by at least nine points with 35 seconds or fewer remaining have gone on to lose the game, according to ESPN.

    However, in a dramatic final play, Dončić intentionally missed a free throw and then secured the rebound, before scoring the putback to tie the game and force overtime.

    The Slovenian star scored 10 points in the final minute of regulation time and added seven more in overtime to pull off the most improbable of wins.

    Dončić also joins James Harden as the only other player in NBA history to score a 60-point triple-double, and also becomes just the sixth player to record six or more 40-point triple-doubles after Oscar Robertson, Harden, Russell Westbrook, Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James.

    “We just saw it on the screen right now,” Dončić said of his scoring feat. “We were watching NBA TV. I mean, it’s just incredible to be in those comparisons and just to be with those guys, at any stage. It’s amazing for me.”

    Dončić’s 60 points also set a new franchise scoring record for Dallas, overtaking the 53 points scored by Dirk Nowitzki against Houston in 2004.

    “Just with age, he has a birthday coming up here in the new year, I think he’s seen it all at the age of 23,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Dončić becoming a leader. “But just his competitiveness to win is at a very high level – and you saw that displayed tonight.

    “Things weren’t going well. Give the Knicks credit, they were making a lot of threes that we didn’t think were possible. They were playing harder. We were down 10. We’ve been in this position earlier in the season, when you talk about giving up a lead or giving up a game like this.

    “Just to be able to stay together and trust, Luka had a big part in that. He never was discouraged that the game was over. As you can see, he’s picking up full-court, we had a big jump ball. There’s a lot of things we’ve learned from our losses in close games like this.”

    The Mavericks improve to 19-16 on the season and climb to sixth in the Western Conference, while the Knicks have now lost four straight to sit sixth in the East.

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  • No. 1 South Carolina women reach milestone in AP Top 25

    No. 1 South Carolina women reach milestone in AP Top 25

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    South Carolina maintained its hold on top of The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll Monday, reaching a milestone in the process.

    The Gamecocks have held the No. 1 spot for 27 consecutive weeks, which is the fifth longest run all-time. UConn has three of the top four streaks, including the record 51-week run from Feb. 18, 2008-Dec. 10, 2010. Louisiana Tech has the second longest streak of 36 weeks. The Huskies also had 34-and 30-week runs at No. 1.

    South Carolina started last season at No. 1 and hasn’t relinquished the ranking since, including a week a year ago when they lost a game, but remained the top team.

    The Gamecocks have now passed Texas’ 26-week run to move into fifth all-time. They’ve gone 17-0 against Top 25 teams over the past two years, including a 3-0 mark this season.

    The top five teams in the poll remained unchanged as Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame stayed behind the Gamecocks, who garnered all 28 votes from a national media panel. South Carolina (12-0) hosts Texas A&M on Thursday.

    While every team had a light week because of the holidays, conference play picks up now. The Buckeyes face rival No. 14 Michigan on Saturday after playing Northwestern on Wednesday. The Wolverines made the biggest jump, moving up five spots after beating then-No. 6 North Carolina in the Jumpman Invitational. The Tar Heels fell to 13th.

    North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, UConn, LSU and UCLA round out the top 10.

    LSU will face its first ranked opponent of the season when the Tigers visit No. 24 Arkansas on Thursday. The Razorbacks fell seven spots in the poll after losing to both Oregon and South Florida last week. It was the first two losses of the season for coach Mike Neighbors’ team.

    ELITE COMPANY

    Iowa star guard Caitlin Clark matched Elena Delle Donne as the fastest player to reach 2,000 points in her career, according to the school. Both players did it in their 75th game. Clark made the 242nd 3-pointer of her career to get to the milestone. Kelsey Plum holds the NCAA record with 3,527 points in her career.

    “Elena Delle Donne, she’s a person I idolized growing up. I have her shoes in my locker, I wear them,” Clark said after the game. “She actually just sent me a pair shoes that are dedicated to Lyme disease. Elena Delle Donne has battled Lyme disease in her career. She’s an awesome human.”

    AILING AURIEMMA

    UConn hopes to have coach Geno Auriemma back when the eight-ranked Huskies visit No. 21 Creighton on Wednesday.

    Auriemma missed the last two games, both UConn wins. The school said he began experiencing flu-like symptoms after shootaround on Dec. 18 before the Huskies faced Florida State. Auriemma’s 91-year-old mother died on Dec. 8.

    “There’s been a lot going on in the last couple weeks, and I think it caught up to me physically,” the 68-year-old Hall of Famer said in a statement. “I’ve been feeling under the weather for about 10 days now, and my doctor recommended I take a few days off to fully recover. CD (longtime associate head coach Chris Dailey) and the coaching staff will continue to do a phenomenal job in my absence, and I look forward to returning to the team in a few days.”

    Dailey has gone 15-0 in games that Auriemma has missed.

    ___

    AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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  • Nurkic rallies Blazers past Hornets on Lillard’s big night

    Nurkic rallies Blazers past Hornets on Lillard’s big night

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    PORTLAND, Ore. — Jusuf Nurkic scored 27 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, to go with 14 rebounds and six assists as the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Charlotte Hornets 124-113 on Monday night.

    Jerami Grant led all scorers with 32 points for Portland. Damian Lillard had 17 points and nine assists on a night when he was honored for becoming the leading scorer in Trail Blazers history.

    “I don’t know how to describe it. It made me feel old a little bit,” Lillard said. “Just the appreciation from my teammates. I don’t big bro them even though a lot of them are much younger than me and probably grew up watching me in the NBA when they were in high school. But tonight to hear them say congratulations, it was almost admiration in their voice and respect. I knew it was there but tonight I felt it even more.”

    Most of the crowd stuck around for the postgame ceremony, as well.

    “Even from the crowd, them sticking around and clapping every 10 words. These are the people that have cheered me on all along,” Lillard said. “They’ve seen my first preseason game all the way up to this point. I was just sitting there thinking about it. I was just like, I’ve gone from a 21-year-old to a 32-year-old right in front of these peoples’ eyes.”

    LaMelo Ball paced the Hornets with 25 points.

    Portland trailed by 14 in the second quarter but Nurkic sparked the turnaround, finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four assists after halftime.

    “He had 20-10 in the second half,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “It was impressive. Obviously, he had the 3-ball going, but he got every rebound in his area. Defensively he was good. He had a night.”

    Nurkic hit his career-best fourth 3 with 8:55 left to give the Trail Blazers a 108-99 lead that Portland pushed as high as 15 before it was over.

    “Nurk Fever,” Lillard said.

    Grant’s dunk with 1:42 remaining in the second quarter ignited the Blazers and their crowd, helping them close the first half on an 8-2 spurt.

    Charlotte led 67-61 at halftime.

    A 3-pointer by Nurkic tied it at 67, the first tie since the first quarter. A layup by Josh Hart put Portland up 72-70, prompting a Hornets timeout early in the third period.

    “They played all zone,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said of Portland’s second-half surge. “It was one of the differences. We scored 28 (third-quarter points) but we couldn’t stop them. They kept running. They ran out of their zone and they changed the game.”

    Portland led by 13 in the third, but a pair of 3s by Ball to close the quarter cut it to 101-95 heading into the fourth.

    LILLARD HONORED

    It was Portland’s first home game since Lillard surpassed Clyde Drexler as the leading scorer in team history. Lillard was saluted with a standing ovation in the first quarter, as well as video messages from former teammates, coaches and current NBA players, including Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. The Trail Blazers held a ceremony for Lillard on the court after the game.

    TIP-INS

    Hornets: A replay challenge by Clifford took two points off the board for Portland with 3:36 left. … Charlotte took advantage of eight Blazers turnovers in the first quarter to build a 34-30 lead. … Reserve big man Nick Richards missed his first game of the season. While the Hornets are without a key piece, they’re thankful he’s not out for longer. “Right after the game, it looked like it could be longer,” Clifford said. “I think actually they feel good about that. I don’t know day to day, but I do think he’s making good progress.” … Clifford also said guard Dennis Smith Jr. has been practicing with contact, but added he didn’t know an exact date for his return.

    Trail Blazers: Nurkic also had two steals and two blocks. … Justise Winslow will be sidelined for two weeks with an ankle sprain. Winslow was injured last week in a loss to Oklahoma City. “He does so much for us on both sides of the floor,” Billups said. “It (stinks) to lose him for that amount of time. I think we all feel a little relieved because it could have been worse.”

    UP NEXT

    Hornets: Host the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.

    Trail Blazers: Visit the Warriors on Friday night.

    ———

    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • At least 27 injured when stands collapse during basketball game in Egypt

    At least 27 injured when stands collapse during basketball game in Egypt

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    At least 27 people were injured when stands partly collapsed Saturday during a basketball game in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, health authorities said.

    Officials said part of the seats fell on spectators at the Super Cup match between Cairo’s Al-Ahly and Ittihad of Alexandria following a stampede in the stands.

    The game at the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in Cairo’s 6th of October district was called off following the incident, according to local media.

    At least 27 injured when stands collapse during basketball game in Egypt
    A part of the stands collapse during the Egypt Basketball Super Cup match between Al Ittihad Alexandria and Al Ahli, at Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in Cairo, Egypt on Dec. 25, 2022. 

    Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images


    Health Ministry spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar said in a statement that most of the injured suffered broken bones. He said they were taken to hospitals and their injuries were not life threatening.

    Mohamed Fawzi, a spokesman for the Sports Ministry, told a local television channel that the stands collapsed because of a stampede by Ittihad supporters.

    Footage on social media showed a metal stands collapsed in the multi-purpose arena, which is named for Hassan Moustafa, head of the International Handball Federation. It opened three years ago ahead of the 2021 World Men’s Handball Championship, which Egypt hosted.

    Sports incidents are not uncommon in Egypt.

    A 2012 riot in the coastal city of Port Said caused more than 70 deaths in one of the world’s worst soccer-related incidents.

    In 2015, 22 fans were died during a stampede prompted by heavy tear gas fired by police outside a stadium in a Cairo suburb.


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  • Siakam and Anunoby score 26, Raptors beat Cavs 118-107

    Siakam and Anunoby score 26, Raptors beat Cavs 118-107

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    CLEVELAND — Pascal Siakam had 26 points and nine assists, O.G. Anunoby scored 26 points and the Toronto Raptors rolled to a 118-107 victory over the Cavaliers on Friday night, becoming the first East team to win in Cleveland this season.

    Scottie Barnes scored 25 points and Fred VanVleet added 18, helping Toronto beat the Cavaliers for the third time in three games this season. The Raptors made a season-high 19 3-pointers, with Anunoby tying his career best with six.

    “We just wanted to play with speed and be aggressive from the start, make them take tough shots and go out and gang rebound,” Anunoby said. “If we play with energy and play with force, good things will happen.”

    Siakam, who scored a career-high 52 points Wednesday at New York, also had seven assists. Barnes grabbed 10 rebounds, Anunoby had nine and VanVleet added eight.

    VanVleet’s third 3 of the third quarter gave Toronto an 83-57 lead three minutes in, prompting Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff to pull his entire starting lineup. Donovan Mitchell had four points at the time and finished with 12 on 4-of-16 shooting.

    “They weren’t holding up their end of the bargain and they knew it,” Bickerstaff said. “If you get complacent in the NBA, someone will kick you in the face — and Toronto is a team that can do it.”

    The Cavaliers fell to 16-3 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, including 11-1 against the East. Minnesota and Sacramento are the other teams to win in Cleveland.

    Darius Garland had 17 points and eight assists, and Isaac Okoro scored 15 points for the Cavaliers, who are 4-1 on their season-high, six-game homestand. Cedi Osman and Kevin Love each scored 13 points off the bench.

    “This game is part of our growth and we have to keep that in mind,” Bickerstaff said. “Donovan is the oldest dude in our lineup and he’s only 26. We’re still a very young team that’s learning how to win in this league.”

    The Raptors, who entered shooting an NBA-low 32.2% on 3-pointers, made 12 of 21 in the first half and wound up shooting 51.4% beyond the arc.

    Toronto won for the second time in eight games and is 4-9 since beating the Cavaliers on Nov. 28.

    “Pascal kept saying, ‘Don’t get bored with the lead, keep getting stops,’” Barnes said. “So we came out in that third quarter really strong. Fred make some shots, Pascal made some shots. We just came out ready to play.”

    The Cavaliers announced a sellout crowd of 19,432, but the arena was less than two-thirds full as a result of sub-zero temperatures and poor road conditions in Northeast Ohio.

    TIP-INS

    Raptors: C Khem Birch (non-COVID illness) missed his second straight game, but coach Nick Nurse said he was improving. … F Precious Achiuwa (right ankle sprain) last played on Nov. 9 and F Otto Porter Jr. (dislocated left toe) has been out since Nov. 16. … Toronto has the third-lowest field goal percentage in the NBA at .449. “At some point, we’ve got to make those shots, right?” Nurse said. “And I think we will.”

    Cavaliers: F Evan Mobley is one of four players averaging more than 14.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 blocks, along with Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Lakers’ Anthony Davis. … F Lamar Stevens (right knee soreness) returned from a three-game absence. … Love leads the NBA with 14 charges drawn and is third among bench players with 7.0 rebounds per game.

    UP NEXT

    Raptors: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night.

    Cavaliers: Host Brooklyn on Monday night.

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Kaufman-Renn leads No. 1 Purdue past New Orleans 74-53

    Kaufman-Renn leads No. 1 Purdue past New Orleans 74-53

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    WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn took advantage of his opportunity with leading scorer Zach Edey out with illness.

    Kaufman-Renn came off the bench to score a season-best 24 points to lead No. 1 Purdue past New Orleans 74-53 on Wednesday night.

    ’It feels good just to play basketball again,” said Kaufman-Renn, who sat out last season as a freshman. “Obviously, if you are on a really good team and winning games that helps, too. It’s been fun.”

    The 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman whose previous high was 13 points hit 8 of 10 shots and 8 of 10 free throws for the Boilermakers (12-0).

    “He has great footwork,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said of Kaufman-Renn. “He has the spin cycle there and does that reverse. He’s pretty nimble. For him, it’s comfort level. He just has to get into a game and get comfortable quick and that’s a hard thing to do coming off the bench.”

    The only other Boilermaker in double figures was Mason Gillis with 11 points. Edey is averaging team highs of 22.6 points and 13.9 rebounds.

    “We preach next man up all the time, so if anyone gets injured, sick or COVID we dealt with two years ago, we’ve learned it’s next man up and you’ve got to do your job,” Gillis said. “It’s understanding what you need to do to help the team get a win.”

    Painter said it was good to see what the team could do without Edey.

    Jordan Johnson scored 17 points to lead the Privateers (3-8), who have lost five of their last six games. Tyson Jackson had 14 for New Orleans.

    The Boilermakers started slowly but regrouped to shoot 59% en route to a 41-21 lead. New Orleans was held to 35% shooting in the first half.

    Purdue shot nearly 56% overall while holding New Orleans to 46.3%.

    New Orleans committed 16 turnovers, eight more than Purdue.

    Trailing 19-17, Purdue took command with an 18-0 run to take a 35-19 advantage. The Privateers went nearly nine minutes without scoring. Purdue took the lead for good at 20-19 on Caleb Furst’s rebound basket with 7:40 left in the first half.

    Purdue closed the first half with a steal and a dunk by Brandon Newman just before the buzzer.

    One negative for the Boilermakers, Painter said, was a 5 for 19 showing from the 3-point line.

    “We’re going to have to be able to make some shots there,” Painter said.

    BIG PICTURE

    New Orleans: This was the first time the Privateers played a No. 1 team in the regular season. They held their own against the Boilermakers for the first 10 minutes before a turnover-plagued scoring drought sealed their fate.

    Purdue: The Boilermakers, who were playing their first home game in history as the No. 1 team, showed they had other players who could score with Edey out. Purdue has now won 23 consecutive non-conference regular season games, the longest streak in the nation. The Boilermakers close out nonconference play against Florida A&M on Dec. 29.

    UP NEXT

    New Orleans: Hosts Lamar on Jan. 5.

    Purdue: Hosts Florida A&M on Dec. 29.

    ———

    AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP—Top25

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  • Nuggets’ Jokic has career-high 27 rebounds in triple-double

    Nuggets’ Jokic has career-high 27 rebounds in triple-double

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    DENVER — Nikola Jokic had 40 points and a career-high 27 rebounds in yet another triple-double to help the Denver Nuggets beat the Charlotte Hornets 119-115 on Sunday night.

    Jokic also had 10 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season and 81st overall. He had 20 rebounds in the first half.

    Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player with at least 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists in an NBA game. He did it four times, the last when he had 53 points, 32 rebounds and 14 assists for Philadelphia on March 18, 1968.

    Jokic sealed the victory with two free throws with 13 seconds left.

    Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20 points and Aaron Gordon had 19 as the Nuggets sent the Hornets to their eighth consecutive loss.

    LaMelo Ball had 31 points for Charlotte. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 16 points and Gordon Hayward had 15.

    Up by three at the half, Denver stretched its lead to 94-80 going into the fourth quarter, fueled by Jokic’s 11-point third period.

    Charlotte fought back, though, getting to 107-104 on Ball’s fadeaway jumper with 3:29 remaining. The Nuggets regained a cushion when Gordon went in for a reverse layup off a feed from Jokic before Jokic put in a hook shot on the Nuggets’ ensuing possession for a 111-104 lead with 1:57 remaining.

    Jokic completed the triple-double with a pass setting up Bruce Brown’s 3-pointer that gave Denver an eight-point advantage with 1:20 left.

    But again Charlotte got back within two on a dunk by Washington before Jokic hit a pair of free throws and Charlotte could not get a shot off in the final moments after turning the ball over.

    SMALL CLUB

    Others have come close, but not matched the 40-27-10 stat line. Elgin Baylor had 52 points, 25 rebounds and 10 assists on Dec. 13, 1961. DeMarcus Cousins had 44 points, 23 rebounds and 10 assists on Jan. 22, 2018. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a 44-point, 20-rebound, 11-assist game on Feb. 26, 1972, and Oscar Robinson finished with 42 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists in a game on Jan. 9, 1965.

    TIP-INS

    Nuggets: F Michael Porter missed a 12th straight game with a left heel strain but has made steady progress in his rehabilitation and is nearing a return, coach Michael Malone said. “He’s been doing more and more with the training staff,” Malone said. “Maybe there’s a chance in the next week to 10 days we can try to get him back and work him back into that rotation. We miss Michael Porter. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do here.”

    UP NEXT

    Hornets: Continue six-game trip Monday night at Sacramento.

    Nuggets: Host Memphis on Tuesday night.

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Eastern Michigan spoils big night from Detroit Mercy’s Davis

    Eastern Michigan spoils big night from Detroit Mercy’s Davis

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    YPSILANTI, Mich. — Emoni Bates and Tyson Acuff scored 19 points apiece and Eastern Michigan spoiled a big night by Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis in a 79-77 victory over the Titans on Sunday.

    Davis scored 30 points for Detroit Mercy (5-7) to zip past Bradley’s Hersey Hawkins (3,008) into 10th place on the all-time scoring list. Davis, who came in averaging 24.3 points per game, upped his points total to 3,031. He passed Hawkins on a 3-pointer with 16:37 left in the first half. Davis needs 28 points to pass Saint Peter’s Keydren Clark for ninth place.

    Davis and former Washington Huskies women’s standout Kelsey Plum are the only two players to top 3,000 points and 500 assists in an NCAA Division I career. Davis also extended his NCAA double-digit scoring streak to 123 straight games.

    Yusuf Jihad’s three-point play with 2:35 left pulled the Eagles (3-9) even at 72. Acuff and Noah Farrakhan had back-to-back layups and Eastern Michigan grabbed a 76-72 lead. Gerald Liddell and Farrakhan traded two free throws before Davis sank a 3-pointer to get the Titans within 78-77 with 4 seconds left. Acuff sank 1 of 2 free throws for the Eagles and Davis missed a 3 at the buzzer.

    Jihad finished with 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Eastern Michigan. Farrakhan scored 11.

    Liddell, who played three years at Texas and one at Alabama State before transferring to Detroit Mercy, finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds. He has a double-double in all five games since becoming eligible to play. A.J. Oliver pitched in with 12 points and nine rebounds.

    Despite the loss, the Titans lead the all-time series against the Eagles 59-21.

    ———

    More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP—Top25

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  • Walker, defense lead No. 5 Houston past No. 2 Virginia 69-61

    Walker, defense lead No. 5 Houston past No. 2 Virginia 69-61

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    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Blowing a 15-point lead in the second half against No. 4 Alabama a week ago got the attention of No. 5 Houston’s players. Coach Kelvin Sampson made sure of it.

    It may have helped the Cougars stymie a comeback by No. 2 Virginia on Saturday.

    Jarace Walker scored 17 points and Houston used runs in each half and the nation’s best scoring defense to beat the Cavaliers 69-61. The Cougars scored on three straight possessions after a steal and layup by Kihei Clark brought a sellout crowd clad in orange to its feet, exhorting Virginia to rely on its own defense to finish the comeback.

    “I’m not sure we’re able to do that without the Alabama experience,” Sampson said.

    After Clark pulled the Cavaliers within 54-48, Jamal Shead scored on a drive, Tramon Mark hit a 3-pointer and Walker made a tough fadeaway, keeping the Cavaliers at bay.

    “Just keeping our composure when you get a big lead and just be mature and try not to go away from what we’ve been doing, which we did against Alabama,” J’Wan Roberts said. “We watch film and we learn. We grew from that.”

    Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark each added 13 points for the Cougars (11-1), who used a 10-2 run early in the second half to open a 40-30 lead. Virginia (8-1), playing for the first time in 11 days, never got closer than six again, and each time the Cougars answered.

    The Cavaliers shot 41.7% (20-48). Coach Tony Bennett said when shots aren’t falling, that makes the quality of play on the defensive end all the more important.

    “Today they obviously took advantage of our breakdowns and scored,” Bennett said. “Today the tougher, sounder team on the defensive end won the game.”

    Kadin Shedrick scored 16 points and Jayden Gardner had 13 for the Cavaliers, who were hoping to avenge a 67-47 loss last year on the Cougars’ home floor. Houston became the highest-ranked nonconference opponent ever to play Virginia in Charlottesville.

    Clark’s steal and layup pulled Virginia within 56-50 with 2:55 to play, but Tramon Mark answered with a 3-pointer for the Cougars, who shot 49% (25-51) against a defense ranked 12th nationally, allowing 57.9 points.

    The Cavaliers closed to within 30-28 on Gardner’s basket to open the second half, but the Cougars went on their run, with Walker contributing a three-point play and 3-pointer in the spurt, to lead 40-30.

    Virginia scored the first nine points and led 15-7 before going cold. The Cougars outscored them 17-4 over more than 10 minutes to lead 26-19. Houston led 30-26 at halftime.

    RARITY

    The Cavaliers are the highest-ranked team Houston has faced during the regular season since it met No. 1 Memphis on Feb. 13, 2008.

    POLL IMPLICATIONS

    The Cavaliers are likely to fall, but not very far, and Houston’s victory on the road is likely to make voters almost forget their 71-65 loss to Alabama a week ago when the Cougars were No. 1 and the Tide were ranked eighth.

    BIG PICTURE

    Houston: The Cougars arrived with one player, Sasser (16.2), scoring in double figures but had five do it against the Cavaliers. Jamal Shead scored 11 and J’Wan Roberts had 10.

    Virginia: The Cavaliers got guard Reece Beekman back after he suffered a hamstring injury in their previous game. Beekman was effective defensively but did not demonstrate the explosive power driving to the basket that typifies his offensive game.

    “He didn’t quite have his burst. I thought he was pretty good defensively, not quite as explosive offensively and probably a little fatigued because he hasn’t done much,” Bennett said, adding that Beekman hardly has practiced since the injury.

    UP NEXT

    The Cougars return home to face McNeese on Wednesday night.

    The Cavaliers go on the road to face No. 25 Miami on Tuesday night.

    ———

    AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP—Top25

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  • No. 7 North Carolina rolls past USC Upstate 89-47

    No. 7 North Carolina rolls past USC Upstate 89-47

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    CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Deja Kelly scored 20 points to lead No. 7 North Carolina past USC Upstate 89-47 on Friday night.

    Kelly shot 8 of 11 from the floor and grabbed four rebounds as the Tar Heels (9-1) won their third straight game. Eva Hodgson added 16 points, four assists and four steals, and Alyssa Ustby chipped in nine points and 11 boards.

    “I think Deja has been playing really well all season,” UNC coach Courtney Banghart said. “To be able to distribute play and create looks for her teammates when she’s not shooting as well as she’d like is a sign of really good player; a really good offensive player, when you can impact the game without scoring.”

    The Spartans (3-7) were led by Trinity Johnson’s 13 points and five steals.

    Upstate kept the score close early, trailing just 10-8 midway through the first quarter. But then the Tar Heels closed the opening period on a 15-4 run to take a double-digit lead into the second. Kelly had eight points and two assists during that stretch.

    The Tar Heels went on to lead by 32 points in the third quarter, following a 17-8 run. Hodgson scored seven points in the third on 3-for-3 shooting.

    Key for the Tar Heels in the win was their sharp shooting. UNC made 60.7% of its field goals for its best single-game mark of the season.

    Meanwhile, Upstate committed 18 fouls and allowed a season-high 37 field goals made.

    “(UNC) does a really good job in terms of getting downhill and spreading the floor consistently,” first-year Upstate coach Jason Williams said. “The foul count was tremendous on their part because our kids were battling. And being able to go and fight and compete, that’s all I can really ask for my group.”

    BIG PICTURE

    North Carolina: For the third straight season, the Tar Heels went unbeaten at home in non-conference play. They won Friday by shooting well, crashing the boards hard and leaning on Kelly, their dynamic playmaker. It was Kelly’s third game of the season in which she had scored at least 20 points. She and the Tar Heels found success inside, outscoring the Spartans 48-12 in the paint.

    USC Upstate: The Spartans entered the game having won two straight, but were simply no match for UNC. The disparity in size and skill was apparent on the glass, where the Heels outrebounded the Spartans 42-25. While UNC returned four starters from last season, USC Upstate reloaded its roster with eight transfers and four freshmen. The Spartans should get the chance to build some chemistry when Big South play begins.

    PARIS A PLUS

    The Tar Heels also got a boost Friday night from the lone newcomer to the roster this season, freshman Paulina Paris. In 20 minutes off the bench, she scored a season-high 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

    “It felt really great. These last few games have been kind of a struggle, so just to be able to shoot well meant a lot to me and my teammates. They helped me,” Paris said. “It’s been hard at times, but my teammates really helped me through it, and just pushed me and guided me along the way.”

    Paris also finished with two rebounds, two steals and an assist. She’s carved out a role for herself as the team’s backup point guard and used non-conference play to establish her role in the rotation.

    “She just puts the time in. She just stacks days,” Banghart said of Paris. “So, when the ball goes in for her, we’re obviously really happy for her.”

    UP NEXT

    North Carolina: The Tar Heels will face No. 19 Michigan at the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte on Tuesday.

    USC Upstate: Back at home, the Spartans host Queens on Tuesday.

    ———

    AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP—Top25

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