North Carolina Tar Heels true freshman Caleb Wilson has been one of the most prolific players in the country so far this season and currently in line to be an NBA lottery pick if he chooses to declare after this season.
However, for the time being, as the season ramps up and March approaches, the Tar Heels will be without Wilson for the foreseeable future as the program announced on Thursday that he sustained a fractured left hand and will be out indefinitely.
“University of North Carolina freshman forward Caleb Wilson is out with a fracture in his left hand, an injury he suffered in the first half of Tuesday’s game at Miami,” UNC’s statement read.
“X-rays taken during the game were negative, and he returned to play later in the second half vs. the Hurricanes, but additional imaging done in Chapel Hill revealed the fracture. The evaluation process is ongoing to determine the timetable for Wilson’s return.”
This season, Wilson is averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds, and he’s set UNC freshman records by scoring in double figures in all 24 games, including 17 20-point performances. He’s been the Tar Heels’ anchor, and now the team will have to find production elsewhere.
His timetable is still uncertain, but North Carolina’s main goal will be ensuring he’s available by the NCAA Tournament — just over a month away until Selection Sunday and the first-round games.
The Tar Heels are set to play Pittsburgh at home on Saturday, before heading on the road for back-to-back games against N.C. State and Syracuse.
Stepping into larger roles while Wilson is sidelined will be Jarvin Stevenson, Jonathan Powell, and potentially Zayden High, who will all need to pick up the slack at the forward position.
David “Diggy” Coit scored 20 of his 28 in the final 13-plus minutes, including the game’s final seven points, to help Maryland beat Minnesota 67-62 on Sunday.
Coit made 9 of 13 from the field, 4 of 7 from 3-point range, and hit 7 of 7 from the free-throw line. The 5-foot-11 senior outscored the Golden Gophers 13-9 after Langston Reynolds made back-to-back layups to give them a 53-47 lead with 9:43 left in the game.
Cade Tyson hit two free throws to give Minnesota a two-point lead with 53 seconds left, but Coit answered 27 seconds later with a 3-pointer and then made four free throws in the final 11 seconds to cap the scoring.
Andre Mills scored 12 points for Maryland (9-14, 2-10 Big Ten) and Darius Adams 11. Solomon Washington had 10 rebounds, nine points and three steals.
Isaac Asuma hit a career-high six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points for the Golden Gophers. Tyson scored 12 points and Reynolds added 11. Minnesota (11-13, 4-9), which beat No. 10 Michigan State 76-73 on Wednesday to snap a seven-game skid, has lost eight of nine.
Asuma made 4 of 5 from 3-point range and scored 12 first-half points to help the Golden Gophers take a one-point lead into the break. Bobby Durkin hit a 3-pointer that gave them a seven-point lead — tied for the biggest lead to that point by either team — with 1:34 left in the first half but Coit answered with a 3 and then converted a three-point play that trimmed Maryland’s deficit to 33-32.
The Buffs’ Jade Masogayo makes a shot and draws a foul from TCU’s Kennedy Basham on Sunday in Boulder. (AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Fast break
Why the Buffs won: They had one of their most efficient offensive performances of the season, hitting 49.2% of their shots from the field, 88.9% from the free throw line and committing just eight turnovers.
Three stars:
1. CU’s Jade Masogayo: Scored a season-high 23 points while hitting 9-of-10 free throws. Also had three rebounds and two assists.
2. TCU’s Olivia Miles: Tied her season high with 31 points, and also had five rebounds and two steals.
3. CU’s Logyn Greer: The freshman had one of her best games, with 17 points and five rebounds.
Up next: The Buffs will play at Houston on Wednesday (5:30 p.m. MT, ESPN+).
After missing a free throw with 58.3 seconds to play Sunday, Colorado’s Jade Masogayo couldn’t help but think back a week.
On Feb. 1, Masogayo missed five consecutive free throws in the final three minutes of regulation during a tight game at Kansas that the Buffs eventually won in overtime.
Fortunately for her and the Colorado women’s basketball team, there wasn’t a repeat of the previous Sunday.
Masogayo was clutch down the stretch this time around and converted a three-point play with 2.1 seconds left to lift the Buffaloes to an 80-79 upset of No. 14 TCU at the CU Events Center.
The senior forward, who finished with a season-high 23 points, tied the game with a layup while drawing a foul. She then stepped to the line and hit what proved to be the game-winning free throw.
“I said, ‘This going in right here, right now,’” she said. “’I don’t got no other choice. This going in right now.’”
TCU star Olivia Miles, who scored 31 points, hit the side of the backboard with a last-second 3-point attempt, sparking a CU celebration after its second win over an Associated Press ranked opponent this season.
“I mean, wow,” CU head coach JR Payne said. “What a resilient group we have here to take a team like that down the stretch, down eight two separate times. Our execution and aggressive mindset and ability to make big plays, so many people made big plays tonight.”
Masogayo in particular. She was fouled with 58.3 seconds to go and the Buffs trailing 76-74. She missed the first shot, though.
“Yeah, definitely on the one that I missed, I was pretty much taken back to Kansas,” Masogayo said.
She was 8-for-8 at the line against Kansas before going 1-for-7 in the last 3:29 of the fourth quarter that day, which led to the game going to overtime.
BOULDER , CO – FEBRUARY 8: Zyanna Walker (1) of the Colorado Buffaloes drives on Taylor Bigby (1) of the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter of the Buffs’ 80-79 win at the CU Events Center in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday, February 8, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
“I was just telling myself on the line, like, ‘Jade, we’re not going to do this again,’” she said. “’Like, come on, let’s just finish it.’ That was pretty much my mentality.”
She finished this time, hitting the second one, then tying the game with two free throws with 24.2 seconds left and winning it with her free throw at the 2.1-second mark. She went 9-for-10 at the line for the day.
“Jade was obviously incredible down the stretch,” Payne said.
It was hardly a solo effort.
Freshman Logyn Greer had her best game in Big 12 play, scoring 17 points and pulling down five rebounds. She had 10 of her points in third quarter, after CU had fallen behind by eight.
Desiree Wooten energized the Buffs with 12 first-quarter points before finishing with 19. Zyanna Walker had 15 points and four steals while locking down on defense.
Anaelle Dutat and Tabitha Betson combined for just six points, but those all came in the fourth quarter, cutting TCU’s eight-point lead to four.
“Lots of different people made winning plays tonight, offensively and defensively,” Payne said, while praising the defensive efforts by Dutat, Walker and Betson. “Just great team effort. I’m really, really happy about this one.”
CU led by 11 in the first quarter and never trailed in the first half. Then, TCU’s Donovyn Hunter and Miles got hot, sparking a 13-5 surge to start the third quarter.
Miles drilled a 3-pointer with 5:46 to play in the third to put the Horned Frogs up 47-39, prompting Payne to call a timeout. The TCU senior was hit with a technical foul for taunting, though, and CU capitalized. Wooten hit the ensuing two free throws and Walker a quick jumper to slice the deficit to 47-43 in just nine seconds.
“We thought we could get a four-point swing out of it, and we did,” Payne said. “So that was really important. Good execution by the team.”
TCU got the lead back to eight, 74-68, with 6:55 to go, but Dutat and Betson hit some big shots, while the Horned Frogs lost two of their key players in the paint. Marta Suarez, a 6-foot-3 forward who finished with 20 points, fouled out with 4:02 to go. Then, 6-foot-7 Clara Silva fouled out with 58.3 to go.
That all helped CU, sparked by a lively crowd of 2,240, to close the game on a 10-3 run over the last 2:35.
“I thought the energy in the arena was so good,” she said. “I think anyone that comes to watch us play sees that it’s really fun. It’s a really fun couple of hours. So, I just hope we can really get great crowds the last few games.”
BOULDER , CO – FEBRUARY 8: Desiree Wooten (3) of the Colorado Buffaloes drives on Clara Bielefeld (16) of the TCU Horned Frogs during the fourth quarter of the Buffs’ 80-79 win at the CU Events Center in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday, February 8, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Notable
CU’s previous ranked win came against then-No. 19 Iowa State, 68-62, on Jan. 14. … The Buffs have 18 wins against AP Top 25 teams under Payne, including 15 in the past five seasons. … TCU leads the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 55.3 points per game. CU was the first team to reach the 80-point mark against the Horned Frogs in regulation. Only Utah scored more overall, beating TCU 87-77 in overtime on Jan. 3. … The Buffs were just 4-of-19 from 3-point range in the previous two games, but went 4-for-6 in the first quarter Sunday and finished 6-for-13.
NYU won its 82nd straight game to set the Division III record for consecutive victories by a women’s basketball team, beating Carnegie Mellon 69-58 on Sunday.
The Violets (20-0) broke a tie with rival Washington University of St. Louis, which won 81 games in a row from 1998-2001.
UConn holds the overall NCAA record for consecutive wins with a 111-game streak. The Huskies also have the second-longest streak, a 90-game run.
Caroline Peper scored 27 points to lead the way for two-time defending national champion NYU, which had to work hard for the record-breaking win.
The two teams went back and forth in the first half and NYU led 32-29 at the break on a 3-pointer by Brooke Batchelor a few seconds before the end of the second quarter.
Peper and Batchelor hit consecutive 3-pointers early in the third quarter to start a 17-6 run to go up by double digits. The Tartans closed to within 56-51 midway through the fourth quarter, but Zahra Alexander, who scored all seven of her points in the final quarter, answered with consecutive layups to extend the cushion and make it 60-53 with 3:19 left.
Peper then hit a 3-pointer just before the shot-clock buzzer with just over two minutes left to seal the win.
Sunday’s game was a rematch from a week ago. NYU topped Carnegie Mellon (12-7) by just one point in that game. That had been the closest a team had come to defeat the Violets during this run. No team previously came within 12 points this season.
During the historic streak, only three other teams have come within single digits of the Violets: U Chicago lost by six, Whittier by eight and Case Western Reserve by eight two days ago.
Now with the record in hand, the Violets are focused on trying to win a fifth straight UAA Conference title and potentially a third consecutive national championship. Only Wash U has done that, when the school won four consecutive titles from 1998-2001.
Peper is the only player on the roster to have lost a game in college at NYU. She was a freshman on the team that was beaten by Transylvania in the Elite Eight of the Division III NCAA Tournament.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Thomas Haugh scored 22 points and No. 17 Florida beat Texas A&M 86-67 on Saturday night in a showdown for the Southeastern Conference lead.
The Gators (17-6, 8-2) started three players 6-foot-9 or taller against the Aggies’ four-guard lineup. Texas A&M’s tallest starter was Rashaun Agee at 6-8.
Florida outscored Texas A&M 48-24 in the paint, blocked seven shots and limited the Aggies (17-6, 7-3) to making just nine makes on 25 layups.
Texas A&M held its own on the boards against the Gators, the nation’s top rebounding team, but Florida still had a 50-43 advantage. The Aggies could only turn 19 offensive rebounds into 11 second-chance points.
Marcus Hill and Pop Isaacs each had 17 points for Texas A&M.
Isaiah Brown added 12 points for Florida, Urban Klavzar had 11, and Rueben Chinyelu and Xavian Lee each had 10.
The Gators had a week off to prepare for the Aggies and have now won three straight games. A&M has lost two in a row.
CHAPEL HILL — Duke coach Jon Scheyer said that Blue Devils staff members were punched in the face and his family feared for its safety when North Carolina fans stormed the court at the end of Saturday’s game.
UNC won 71-68 on Seth Trimble’s 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining. Fans stormed the court after he made the shot, then had to be ushered off the court for a final play. After Duke’s final play, which didn’t result in a shot, fans again stormed the court.
“I got staff members that got punched in the face,” Scheyer said. “My family [was] pushing people away, trying to not get trampled. That’s not what this game is about. You give them all the credit in the world. It’s not about the game, but obviously that was a scary ending and this rivalry is not about that.”
The ACC implemented fines for storming the field or court this year, a move that came, in part, due to a February 2024 court storm at Wake Forest. Duke star Kyle Filipowski was injured in that storm.
Schools face fines of $50,000, $100,000 and $200,000 per offense from the ACC that will accumulate through two seasons in football and basketball. Schools are expected to have a plan to get opposing teams and personnel off the court safely.
“I think court storming’s fine,” Scheyer said. “I don’t have any issue with court storming. Shouldn’t have people getting punched in the face. Shouldn’t put our players in position where they’re face to face with people who can do anything at that time. It just takes one reaction. Even today, I had to push people away just to try to protect our players ,Court storming, I’m all for it. They won. They should celebrate. If they want to court storm, court storm. But just let’s get our guys off safely.”
North Carolina athletics director Bubba Cunningham spoke to the media after the game and said he offered his apologies to Scheyer.
“I apologize to coach, his family and, obviously, if somebody got injured, that’s just really disappointing,” Cunningham said. “But we’ll do the best we can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Cunningham said North Carolina officials would review video of the incident to see what happened. He said people were knocked over.
“Unfortunate things happen when so many people rush like that,” Cunningham said. “That was just unfortunate. Hope it doesn’t happen again.”
Colorado’s Tabitha Betson, right, shoots Wednesday against West Virginia. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
There are no easy game days in Big 12 women’s basketball, which is how Zyanna Walker likes it.
“I like how competitive it is,” the Colorado guard said of playing in the Big 12. “You’ve got to show up every night, no matter who you’re playing. Top or bottom of the conference, you’ve got to be up, ready to play, especially on the road.”
On Sunday, the Buffs face perhaps their biggest challenge on the Big 12 slate when No. 14-ranked TCU visits the CU Events Center. The defending league champion Horned Frogs are tied atop the conference standings coming into Sunday.
“Oh, I love it,” Walker said. “When you’re a competitor, you like to play with the best of the best. They’re on top of the conference, so we know that we have an opportunity to play with them on our home floor, so we’re going to take that.”
The Buffs had a three-game win streak snapped with a 61-55 loss to No. 20 West Virginia on Wednesday and look to get back on track. It was the sixth loss by seven points or less, with each one containing correctable mistakes.
“I think when we turn on the film, we’re going to see that there was a lot of really missed opportunities that were (on) us,” head coach JR Payne said.
This has been a team that’s shown the ability to make quick corrections, however.
“I think we’re a pretty coachable group,” Payne said. “When we’re coachable like that, it allows us to grow. … I think that we’ll see something, we’ll say, ‘Yeah, that was my fault,’ and be better next time.”
Being coachable has allowed the Buffs to rebound from losses at Louisville, at Arizona State, at Oklahoma State and at UCF. After each of those losses, the Buffs were locked in and won the next game.
“I think it’s amazing,” sophomore Tabitha Betson said. “Honestly, being a part of a group that is willing to learn and willing to listen to each other and the coaches and willing to grow is really special. It’s not super common. I think us also being young, as well, means that everyone’s ready to soak up information and ready to fix and change and move on. So I think it’s great.”
The Buffs will put that to the test against TCU, which leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing just 54.3 points per game, while ranking third in scoring offense, at 80.3. The Horned Frogs are also second in the conference in rebounding margin (plus-9.1).
TCU is led by national player of the year candidate Olivia Miles, who is averaging 19.0 points, 7.0 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game. She’s the only player in the country averaging at least 14.0 points, 6.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds.
Payne said the Buffs have to have better organization than they did against West Virginia. If they do, they’ve got a chance to pick up a big win.
“It’s just important that you lock in for every game because you’ll see somebody get upset every other night, every week (in the Big 12),” Walker said. “It’s just important that you lock in and focus on the game that’s ahead.”
Colorado Buffaloes’ Logyn Greer, left, puts up a shot past West Virginia Mountaineers’ Riley Makalusky, right, at the CU Events Center in Boulder on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
CU Buffs women’s basketball vs. No. 14 TCU
TIPOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. MT, CU Events Center in Boulder
TV/RADIO: ESPN+/KHOW 630 AM
RECORDS: Colorado 15-8, 6-5 Big 12; TCU 21-3, 9-2 Big 12
COACHES: Colorado — JR Payne, 10th season (179-124; 280-237 career). TCU — Mark Campbell, 3rd season (76-19; 115-43 career).
KEY PLAYERS: Colorado — F Tabitha Betson, 6-2, So. (4.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, .364 3pt%); F Anaelle Dutat, 6-0, Sr. (8.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.8 spg, .517 fg%); F Logyn Greer, 6-4, Fr. (9.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg); F Jade Masogayo, 6-3, Sr. (11.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, .492 fg%); G Zyanna Walker, 5-11, Jr. (11.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.3 spg); G Desiree Wooten, 5-8, Jr. (12.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.6 spg). TCU — G Taylor Bigby, 6-1, Sr. (7.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, .380 3pt%); G Donovyn Hunter, 6-0, Jr. (12.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, .371 3pt%); G Olivia Miles, 5-10, Sr. (19.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 7.0 apg, .508 fg%); G Maddie Scherr, 5-10, Sr. (5.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, .389 3pt%); C Clara Silva, 6-7, So. (10.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, .615 fg%); F Marta Suarez, 6-3, Sr. (15.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.4 apg).
NOTES: CU is 1-3 against Associated Press Top 25 opponents this year, with the win coming against then-No. 19 Iowa State, 68-62, on Jan. 14. … The Buffs are 11-2 at home this year and 26-5 in the last two years. TCU is 4-2 on the road, with losses at Utah and Texas Tech. … CU leads the series 4-2, including victories in the WNIT in 2008 and 2014. TCU won both of last year’s matchups, 63-50 in Fort Worth and 69-62 in the Big 12 Tournament. … This will be TCU’s first visit to Boulder since March 19, 2014, in the WNIT. … Through the first six Big 12 games, Dutat was averaging 10.3 points and 10.2 rebounds. In the last five games, however, she’s averaged just 2.6 points and 5.8 rebounds. … Miles has posted four triple-doubles this season. CU has four in its 52-season history. … TCU ranks second in the Big 12 with 9.1 made 3-pointers per game and second in 3-point percentage (.360). CU is 15th in the league with 4.0 made 3s per game and last with a .259 3-point percentage.
No. 14 North Carolina will hosts the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils this Saturday after Caleb Wilson scored 22 points in North Carolina’s 87-77 win against the Syracuse Orange.
Saturday’s matchup is the first this season for the two squads.
Here’s some highlights about the upcoming rivalry matchup.
Duke Blue Devils (21-1, 10-0 ACC) at North Carolina Tar Heels (18-4, 6-3 ACC)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Saturday, 6:30 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE:
Blue Devils -5.5; over/under is 150.5
BOTTOM LINE:
No. 14 North Carolina plays No. 4 Duke after Caleb Wilson scored 22 points in North Carolina’s 87-77 victory over the Syracuse Orange
The Tar Heels are 13-0 in home games. North Carolina ranks fourth in the ACC in rebounding with 36.7 rebounds. Wilson leads the Tar Heels with 9.8 boards
The Blue Devils are 10-0 in ACC play. Duke is 1-1 in games decided by less than 4 points
North Carolina scores 83.1 points, 19.5 more per game than the 63.6 Duke gives up. Duke averages 8.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than North Carolina allows
The Tar Heels and Blue Devils face off Saturday for the first time in ACC play this season
TOP PERFORMERS:
Luka Bogavac is shooting 33.3% from beyond the arc with 1.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Tar Heels, while averaging 10 points. Wilson is shooting 61.9% and averaging 20.7 points over the past 10 games
Cameron Boozer is averaging 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Blue Devils. Isaiah Evans is averaging 17 points over the past 10 games
LAST 10 GAMES:
Tar Heels: 7-3, averaging 87.0 points, 34.1 rebounds, 17.4 assists, 6.5 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 77.8 points per game
Blue Devils: 10-0, averaging 80.5 points, 34.6 rebounds, 15.2 assists, 8.9 steals and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.8 points
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LOS ANGELES — It wasn’t much of a tune-up for the showdown that looms this weekend, but there’s little the UCLA women’s basketball team can do about that these days.
Kiki Rice had 17 points and seven rebounds, and the second-ranked Bruins overwhelmed another overmatched opponent, routing Rutgers, 86-46, on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion for their 16th consecutive victory.
UCLA (22-1 overall, 12-0 Big Ten), which plays at No. 8 Michigan (20-3, 11-1) on Sunday, has been blowing out opponents by an average of 25-30 points. The Bruins’ last loss came on Nov. 26 against then-No. 4 Texas.
Gabriela Jaquez added 14 points. Lauren Betts had 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting in 14 minutes, her fewest of the season, for the Bruins.
The blowout was on from the opening tip. The Bruins’ defense limited the Scarlet Knights (9-14, 1-11) to two 3-pointers in the first quarter, when UCLA led 26-6 after running off 16 straight points.
Rutgers managed to outscore the Bruins 14-13 in the second but still trailed 40-19 at halftime.
UCLA dominated the third, outscoring the Scarlet Knights 28-8 for a 68-27 lead while holding them to just three baskets, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Lauryn Swann. Betts scored seven of their first 12 points in the quarter before sitting down for good.
There was a Betts on the floor in the fourth: Lauren’s younger sister, Sienna. She scored nine of her 11 points in the period.
Lena Bilic’s 3-pointer gave UCLA its largest lead (43 points) in the fourth.
Swann led Rutgers with 14 points. The Scarlet Knights committed 18 turnovers that led to 25 points for the Bruins. UCLA controlled the boards 41-18 and owned a 44-14 scoring advantage in the paint.
UP NEXT
UCLA visits No. 8 Michigan on Sunday at noon PT in a showdown between the Big Ten’s top two teams.
Center City, Philadelphia — It was an athletic feat the likes of which hadn’t been seen for quite a while in the Daskalakis Athletic Center. With three point two seconds left in the second half — Kevon Vanderhorst took the inbounds pass coast to coast on Saturday and scored with triple zeros on the clock for a (61–60) Drexel (12–11) victory over North Carolina A&T on Saturday.
The Dragons were led by a nineteen-point performance by Shane Blakeney, a twelve-point performance by Eli Beard including four three-pointers, and eight points from Garfield Turner.
Drexel led at the half (29–21) thanks to a run in the first half of 13–4.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker’s Local98 is a direct sponsor of (Drexel) Men’s Basketball.
Next up for the Dragons — an away game on ThursdayCampbell Fighting Camels on Thursday.
LINCOLN, Neb. — Keaton Wagler scored 28 points and No. 9 Illinois won its 11th straight game, beating No. 5 Nebraska 78-69 on Sunday in the first matchup of top-10 teams the Cornhuskers have hosted.
The Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten), who haven’t lost since falling 83-80 at home to Nebraska on Dec. 13, held the Huskers to four field goals in the first 13 minutes of the second half.
Nebraska (20-2, 9-2) lost its second straight after a 20-0 start. The Huskers were beaten on the road Tuesday by another top-10 opponent, No. 3 Michigan.
Jake Davis finished with 13 points for Illinois, Tomislav Ivisic scored 12 and David Mirkovic had 10.
Braden Frager returned for Nebraska after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury and scored 20 points.
Freddie Dilione V had 25 points and Kayden Mingo scored with one second left as Penn State snapped an eight-game losing streak by extending Minnesota’s skid to seven with a 77-75 victory on Sunday.
Mingo buried a 3-pointer and Dilione had the final two baskets in a 9-0 spurt to give Penn State a 69-58 lead with 6:31 left.
Cade Tyson made four free throws, Langston Reynolds sank a pair, and Grayson Grove tipped in a miss as the Golden Gophers used an 8-0 run to cut it to 71-70 with 2:31 remaining. Dilione and Reynolds traded baskets before Mingo turned a steal into a layup for a three-point lead with 49 seconds to go.
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson had a layup and Reynolds made the first of two free throws with 31 seconds left to tie it 75-all. Mingo ran the clock down to eight seconds before beginning his game-winning drive to the basket.
Dilione made 11 of 17 shots with a 3-pointer in the first winning effort in Big Ten Conference play this season for the Nittany Lions (10-12, 1-10).
Josh Reed sank four 3-pointers — all in the first half — and scored 18 for Penn State. Mingo scored 14 on 6-for-17 shooting, while Dominick Stewart pitched in with 12 points.
Langston Reynolds had 18 points and seven assists to lead the Golden Gophers (10-12, 3-8). Cade Tyson added 17 points, Bobby Durkin hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 and Isaac Asuma added 12 points.
Reed had 16 points and Dilione scored 13 to guide the Nittany Lions to a 41-31 lead at halftime.
With three point two seconds left in the second half , Kevon Vanderhorst took the inbounds pass coast to coast on Saturday and scored with triple zeros on the clock for a (61–60) Drexel (12–11) victory over North Carolina A&T.
LOS ANGELES — Freshman Trent Sisley made the first of two free throws with less than a second remaining in a second overtime and Indiana outlasted UCLA 98-97 on Saturday.
Nick Dorn hit six 3-pointers and scored a season-high 26 points for the Hoosiers (15-7, 6-5 Big Ten Conference) in a third straight victory following a four-game losing streak. Lamar Wilkerson added 24 points and eight rebounds.
Indiana reserve Reed Bailey totaled 24 points before fouling out in OT. He made 6 of 7 shots and 12 of 13 free throws. His only miss at the foul line came with eight seconds left in regulation, leading to a 3-pointer by Trent Perry that forced the first extra period tied at 76.
Perry made all 10 of his free throws and scored 25 to lead the Bruins (15-7, 7-4), who fall to 12-1 at home after winning 14 straight dating to last season. Donovan Dent totaled 24 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 0.3 seconds left, leading to the winning free throw. Tyler Bilodeau added 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out.
It was UCLA’s first OT game at home in four years and their first double OT game there in 11 years.
Perry had 11 points in the first half to help UCLA build a 38-30 advantage.
Indiana played from behind until Dorn hit a 3-pointer to give the Hoosiers a 45-43 lead with 14:14 remaining. UCLA trailed by 10 before outscoring Indiana 15-5 over the final 1:50 to force OT.
Indiana’s Sam Alexis had a layup to tie it 84-all with six seconds left, leading to a second extra period after Perry missed a jumper.
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.
The Texas Longhorns (12–9, 3–5 SEC) come into this weekend’s rivalry matchup at Oklahoma (11–10, 1–7 SEC) looking to build on some momentum after a dominant 87–67 win over No. 21 Georgia, where Dailyn Swain poured in 26 points and added six rebounds while Texas shot an efficient nearly 70% in the second half to pull away. Over his last few games, Swain has been among the SEC’s top scorers, averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, and his hot stretch has provided a go-to option for the Longhorns as they aim to climb the league standings. Despite Texas’s inconsistent conference résumé, the Longhorns have historically fared well against Oklahoma in Norman and will look to control the pace and exploit defensive lapses from the Sooners on Saturday.
The Sooners, meanwhile, enter this one slightly under .500 but still playing with plenty of rivalry intensity at home. Oklahoma’s 11–10 overall mark masks some competitive outings in SEC play, and Saturday offers a chance to snap a difficult stretch and flip the narrative in this matchup. Texas and Oklahoma have split recent history in what’s often a close series, but the Sooners have struggled to find consistent success in league games this season. For Oklahoma to challenge Texas this weekend, they’ll need timely shooting, better offensive efficiency, and to contain Swain, all while feeding off their home crowd in Norman.
This is a great college basketball matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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MOBILE, Ala. — Adam Olsen scored 16 points as South Alabama beat Coastal Carolina 53-48 on Thursday night.
Olsen also added eight rebounds for the Jaguars (15-6, 6-3 Sun Belt Conference). Chaze Harris scored 15 points while shooting 7 of 14 from the field. Jayden Cooper went 5 of 10 from the field (3 for 7 from 3-point range) to finish with 13 points.
Josh Beadle led the Chanticleers (13-10, 6-5) in scoring, finishing with 11 points. AJ Dancier added 10 points for Coastal Carolina. Reggie Hill also put up nine points and eight rebounds. The Chanticleers ended a five-game winning streak with the loss.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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.”
LAS VEGAS — Tomislav Buljan scored 18 points as New Mexico beat UNLV 89-61 on Tuesday.
Buljan also added 11 rebounds for the Lobos (17-4, 8-2 Mountain West Conference). Jake Hall scored 16 points, going 7 of 11 (2 for 6 from 3-point range). Uriah Tenette shot 4 of 5 from the field and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 15 points.
Issac Williamson led the Rebels (10-10, 5-4) in scoring, finishing with nine points. Naas Cunningham added nine points for UNLV. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn had eight points and three steals.
Buljan led their team in scoring with 16 points in the first half to help put them up 41-22 at the break.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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.
