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No. 13 Purdue edges No. 7 Nebraska in overtime thriller after blowing 22-point lead

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Oscar Cluff’s layup put Purdue ahead with 3.9 seconds left in overtime after Nebraska had taken its first lead and Gicarri Harris’ two free throws sealed the No. 13 Boilermakers’ 80-77 victory over the No. 7 Cornhuskers on Tuesday night.

Purdue (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten) escaped after blowing a 22-point lead early in the second half. The Boilermakers recorded their second top-10 win of the season to start a difficult closing stretch that has them playing three top-10 teams over 16 days.

Nebraska (21-3, 10-3) lost for the third time in four games following a 20-0 start. All three losses were to ranked opponents.

Fletcher Loyer led Purdue with 18 points, Trey Kaufman-Renn had a career-high 19 rebounds and Braden Smith had 13 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Rienk Mast led the Huskers with 18 points, Jamarques Lawrence added 16 and Pryce Sandfort had all 15 of his points in the second half.

Sandfort’s layup with 1:31 left in overtime gave Nebraska its first lead, 77-75. Cluff had a chance to tie it when he got fouled pulling down an offensive rebound, but he made only one of two free throws. Cluff’s putback on the next possession put the Boilermakers up by a point in the final seconds. Lawrence fumbled Sam Hoiberg’s inbound pass, and Harris picked up the ball and got fouled. After Harris made his free throws, Cluff intercepted the Huskers’ length-of-the-court pass just ahead of the buzzer.

NO. 3 HOUSTON 66, UTAH 52

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Emanuel Sharp set the school record for career 3-pointers and finished with 27 points to lift Houston over Utah.

Sharp made a career-high eight 3s on 8-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc to give him 277, surpassing Marcus Sasser (276 in 2019-23) for the school mark. The record-breaking 3 was a 30-foot jumper with 15:06 to play.

Joseph Tugler and Milos Uzan each scored 9 points for the Cougars (22-2, 10-1 Big 12), who have won five straight and 16 of their last 17.

Keanu Dawes scored 15 points and Seydou Traore added 12 to pace the Utes (9-15, 1-10 Big 12) in the first meeting between Houston and Utah in Salt Lake City.

Houston led 40-25 after Tugler scored two inside baskets and the Cougars forced three straight turnovers to start the second half on an 8-0 run. The lead grew to 22 points on Chris Cenac’s dunk to make it 55-33 with 8:28 remaining.

NO. 4 DUKE 70, PITTSBURGH 54

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Isiah Evans scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 5 for 6 on 3-pointers, and Duke pulled away in the second half to defeat Pittsburgh.

Cameron Boozer added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils, and Caleb Foster had 14 points and eight boards.

Duke (22-2, 11-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) bounced back from a buzzer-beating loss to archrival North Carolina on Saturday that ended the Blue Devils’ 10-game winning streak. Duke blew a 15-point lead in the second half of that one and allowed the last nine points.

There were six lead changes and five ties in the first half before Duke scored seven straight points to take a 35-29 halftime lead. The Blue Devils then scored the first five points of the second period to make it a 12-0 run and extend their advantage to 40-29.

Pitt (9-16, 2-10) lost for the 10th time in 12 games. Roman Siulepa led the Panthers with 19 points and Barry Dunning Jr. scored 17, including 13 in the first half.

WISCONSIN 92, NO. 8 ILLINOIS 90, OT

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Nick Boyd scored 25 points and John Blackwell had 24 to lead Wisconsin to an overtime victory over Illinois.

The pair combined for nine of the Badgers’ 11 points in overtime, handing the Illini their second straight overtime loss. Illinois lost Saturday at No. 10 Michigan State.

Wisconsin (17-7, 9-4 Big Ten) trailed by 12 points with 8:10 to go in regulation but sent the game into overtime at 81-all thanks to two 3-pointers by Austin Rapp in the final two minutes. Rapp finished with 18 points.

The Badgers’ Nolan Winter scored four points after a career-high 26 in an overtime loss Saturday at Indiana, but he had 11 rebounds.

Keaton Wagler scored 34 points for Illinois (20-5, 11-3), which played without injured starters Kylan Boswell (hand) and Andrej Stojakovic (ankle).

Tomislav Ivisic had 19 points and 11 rebounds, David Mirkovic had 12 points, Jake Davis had 11 and Ben Humrichous had 10 for the Illini.

MIAMI 75, NO. 11 NORTH CAROLINA 66

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Malik Reneau scored 16 points, Ernest Udeh Jr. had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Miami never trailed while beating North Carolina for the Hurricanes’ first victory over a Top 25 opponent in two years.

Tre Donaldson finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Shelton Henderson added 12 points for the Hurricanes (19-5, 8-3 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Udeh made a free throw with 2:11 remaining, then rebounded his missed second attempt and scored on a layup to put Miami ahead 66-60.

After Donaldson’s layup with 1:20 left made it 69-62, Jarin Stevenson’s layup 5 seconds later got the Tar Heels (19-5, 7-4) within five. Despite finishing 14 of 23 from the foul line, Miami clinched the win with six free throws in the final minute.

As soon as the horn sounded, Hurricanes fans stormed the court, celebrating their first win over a Top 25 team since beating No. 16 Clemson 95-82 Jan. 3, 2024.

Stevenson scored 13 points, Caleb Wilson had 12 and Henri Veesar added 11 for the Tar Heels.

NO. 15 VIRGINIA 61, FLORIDA STATE 58

TALAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Jacari White scored 19 points off the bench, including a go-ahead dunk with 1:12 remaining, and Virginia closed on an 11-0 run to rally past Florida State.

White shot 5 of 9 from 3-point range as the Orlando native returned to the Sunshine State and helped the Cavaliers (21-3, 10-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) extend their winning streak to five games. He played 21 minutes and scored more points than he had in any ACC game this season.

Lajae Jones had 21 points and a season-high 13 rebounds for Florida State (11-13, 3-7), which had won three straight. Robert McCray V finished with 20 points.

A short jumper by Thijs De Ridder gave Virginia a 61-58 advantage with 25 seconds remaining. Jones and McCray each missed a 3-pointer that could have tied it, and the Seminoles went scoreless over the final 4:54.

De Ridder had nine points and nine rebounds, helping Virginia outrebound Florida State 47-37.

Led by White, Virginia’s bench outscored Florida State’s reserves 32-10.

NO. 19 VANDERBILT 84, AUBURN 76

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Tyler Tanner scored 25 points, Jalen Washington added 22, and Vanderbilt outlasted Auburn.

Washington hit 7 of 8 shots and knocked down both of his 3-point attempts as a 25% shooter beyond the arc. Devin McGlockton had 12 points and seven rebounds.

Tanner, the Commodores’ leading scorer, drilled a 3-pointer late in the clock to stop a second-half run by the Tigers.

Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn with 21 points. Keyshawn Hall had 13 points and KeShawn Murphy added 12 points.

Vanderbilt (20-4, 7-4 Southeastern Conference) assisted on 14 of its 25 made shots. Auburn had just nine assists.

Vanderbilt went into halftime with a 42-31 lead after closing out the final 6:03 on a 16-5 run. McGlockton scored 12 of the 16 points to spark the Commodores’ stretch.

Auburn (14-10, 5-6) shot just 32.1% from the field in the first half but made 5 of 10 3-pointers — including a deep 3-pointer from Pettiford to slow down Vanderbilt’s attack — and held an 18-12 rebounding advantage.

Auburn threatened late with a 12-2 run to bring the game to within four points but could not get closer.

NO. 21 ARKANSAS 91, LSU 62

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Darius Acuff Jr. scored 28 points — the freshman’s fifth straight game scoring 21 or more — and Arkansas routed reeling LSU.

Fellow freshman Meleek Thomas added 20 points, Trevon Brazile had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Billy Richmond III scored 13 points for the Razorbacks (18-6, 8-3 Southeastern Conference), who led throughout and by as many as 36 points en route to their fifth victory in six games.

Marquel Sutton scored 18 points and Pablo Tamba added 11 points for LSU (14-10, 2-9), which shot 31% (21 of 68) while losing for the fifth time in six games.

The Tigers outrebounded Arkansas 43-36 and grabbed 21 rebounds on the offensive end, but managed just 13 second-chance points.

Arkansas had lost its previous three visits to LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center, but the Razorbacks, who shot 56% (35 of 62), quickly put themselves in position to end that streak.

NO. 22 BYU 99, BAYLOR 94

WACO, Texas (AP) — AJ Dybantsa scored 36 points, Robert Wright III added a career-high 30 while getting booed nearly every time he touched the ball and BYU ended a four-game losing streak with a victory over Baylor.

Wright backed out on an agreement to return to the Bears after spending his freshman season with them, and the Foster Pavilion fans let him know how they felt. Loud boos rang out during his pregame introduction, and Baylor students chanted “traitor” several times during the game.

BYU (18-6, 6-5 Big 12) rallied from an early 12-point deficit, led by Dybantsa and Wright but with some key plays from Richie Saunders as the Cougars avoided matching their longest skid since losing the final five games of the 2004-05 season.

Freshman guard Tounde Yessoufou scored a season-high 37 points and Cameron Carr added 24 for the Bears (13-11, 3-9), who trimmed a 17-point deficit with less than five minutes remaining to four but still dropped to 1-5 at home in Big 12 play.

Dybantsa was 14 of 20 from the field and had seven assists in the fifth 30-point game of a freshman season that figures to lead to a top-five pick in this summer’s NBA draft.

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Joe Jiménez will start 2026 season on 60-Day IL

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Joe Jiménez #77 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the eighth inning of game two of a doubleheader against the New York Mets at Truist Park on September 30, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hoo boy, the hits just keep on coming, don’t they?

The Braves have been busy all day and they just got one more late-night move done before the clock strikes midnight here on the first day of spring training. Joe Jiménez has already been sidelined for quite some time now and he’ll be sidelined for a bit longer to start the 2026 season.

The Braves have announced that Jiménez will be heading to the 60-Day IL with a “left atricular cartilage injury.”

Jiménez has not pitched for the Braves since September 30, 2024 which is when he pitched a scoreless inning against the Mets. He ended up having surgery on his knee that ended up costing hin the entire 2025 season and unfortunately it appears that he’ll be missing for a chunk of the 2026 season as well.

Fortunately for the Braves, they have fortified their bullpen a bit so that they should be able to withstand this loss for the time being. With that being said, it might be time to wonder if Jiménez will be the same once he does eventually return from this injury. It’s definitely been a long, winding and seemingly frustrating road back to the mound and he’s still got a ways to go before he can get back

In other news, Brett Wisely is back with the Braves as they announced his return in the same tweet as the one announcing that Jiménez would be starting the season on the IL. Wisely ended the 2025 season with the Braves organization and just last month Atlanta had traded him to the Rays for Ken Waldichuk.

One month later, Waldichuk is now with the Nationals and Wisely is back with the Braves. Atlanta’s likely trying to stock up on infield depth for spring training, which would probably explain why they’ve decided to bring him back into the fold. Wisely finished his first stint with the Braves having played just two games with Triple-A Gwinnett and it wouldn’t be shocking if that’s where he starts 2026 as well.

So there you have it: A trade essentially gets undone and a pitcher who has been out for a significant amount of time already is now set to miss even more time. Today’s been a doozy, y’all.

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Braves re-acquire Brett Wisely, Joe Jimenez placed on 60-day IL

The Atlanta Braves have been hyper-active on this first day of Spring Training, with the teaming making a late-night announcement that infielder Brett Wisely, who appeared with the team late in the 2025 season, has been re-acquired by the team in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations. The Braves traded Wisely in a deal to the Rays earlier this off-season when he was designated for assignment by Atlanta. Tampa Bay had recently designated him for assignment.

The unfortunate news here is that corresponding roster move is reliever Joe Jimenez being placed on the 60-day IL with left articular cartilage issue. Jimenez missed all of the 2025 season and his status for 2026 had been in question for much of the off-season.

Wisely adds depth to the Braves infield and utility spots with starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim expected to be out for a significant portion of the first half of the season. The team added infielder Kyle Farmer within the last week after signing infielder Jorge Mateo last month. The team also brought back Luke Williams on the minor league deal. Mauricio Dubon, who was expected to play a super-utility role, is slated to be the team’s starting shortstop.

As for the loss of Jimenez, the Braves have added significant bullpen depth this off-season, with Robert Suarez being a marquee free agent signing to go along with depth options like Ian Hamilton, Joel Payamps and possible comeback option James Karinchak. The team brought back closer Raisel Iglesias and reliever Tyler Kinley.

Jimenez is in the last year of a three-year contract he signed prior to the 2024 season.

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Wednesday's Time Schedule

All Times EST

Wednesday, Feb. 11

NBA

Atlanta at Charlotte, 7 p.m.

Milwaukee at Orlando, 7 p.m.

Washington at Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Detroit at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.

Indiana at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.

New York at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at Houston, 8 p.m.

Miami at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

Portland at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Memphis at Denver, 9 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Sacramento at Utah, 9 p.m.

San Antonio at Golden State, 10 p.m.

T25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 2 Michigan vs. Northwestern, 8:30 p.m.

No. 6 UConn at Butler, 7:30 p.m.

No. 14 Florida at Georgia, 7 p.m.

No. 16 Texas Tech vs. Colorado, 8 p.m.

No. 20 Clemson vs. Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.

T25 WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 1 UConn vs. Creighton, 6 p.m.

No. 2 UCLA at No. 13 Michigan St., 8 p.m.

No. 15 Iowa vs. No. 25 Washington, 7:30 p.m.

No. 19 West Virginia vs. UCF, 7 p.m.

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Padres look to small additions to step up in major way

PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Gavin Sheets #30 of the San Diego Padres rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the fifth inning of a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres still have a lot to determine as Spring Training kicks off with their game against the Seattle Mariners on Feb. 20. Among the 28 non-roster invites the Friars extended, surely one of them will be the next Gavin Sheets – someone who will go on a tear this spring and surprise us all by becoming a major contributor to the big-league club. So, who are these candidates? Here’s two possibilities: one pitcher and one position player. 

Marco Gonzales

While not the most inspiring offseason pickup by the Padres, there is a hopefulness surrounding Marco Gonzales’ return to the majors. In late August of 2024, Gonzales underwent surgery to repair the flexor tendon in his left elbow, which kept him out for the entire 2025 season. It’s hard to say exactly what is expected of the 33-year-old veteran as he enters his 11th season, but there are some interesting markers to watch for this spring.

Percentage of pitches thrown for strikes

Gonzales has shown throughout his career that he has a fantastic ability to pepper the strike zone. Throughout his 10 seasons in MLB, his lowest mark was 62% of pitches thrown for strikes (S%). Since then, he has averaged 67%. 

Padres fans may remember Dylan Cease as a starter known for his strikeout numbers (200 Ks in five straight seasons). But Cease’s career high in S% came in at 63%, four percent lower than Gonzales’ career average.

Now, obviously, anyone can throw it down the middle (if that was the measurement of elite pitching I could be on the mound). The important thing is being able to dance around the corners of the zone. That’s why pitchers like Cease are able to achieve high strikeout numbers where Gonzales has never reached more than 147 Ks (2019). But with the help of pitching coach Ruben Niebla, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Gonzales turn into the strikeout artist he seems poised to become in San Diego. 

Double play opportunities

That being said, an interesting stat to note with Gonzales is his ability to induce double play opportunities (GIDPO). In the seasons he made 30-plus starts (2019 and 2022), he managed to induce 134 and 105 opportunities, respectively. 

To put that into perspective, Framber Valdez and Cristopher Sanchez (two of the best ground ball pitchers in the sport) have only managed to reach a max of 121 and 108 GIDPO, respectively. 

Unfortunately, in 2019 Gonzales found himself on a Seattle Mariners team ranked 28th in defensive metrics, so only 22 of those 134 opportunities were actually converted into double plays. In 2022 the Mariners defense was quite good but seemed to be cursed when Gonzales took the mound, making crucial errors and again converting only 17 of 105 opportunities. 

Thankfully Gonzales won’t have that problem in San Diego. The Padres had elite defense in 2025, with a .991 fielding percentage. And with middle infielders Xander Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth returning, it’s difficult to imagine the Friars being unable to provide defensive support for Gonzales.  

Nick Solak

Who knew both of these candidates would come from the Pittsburgh Pirates? Nick Solak represents the Padres’ next-best option at first base, and (in my opinion) is ready for a Gavin Sheets-esque renaissance. 

Solak decimated minor-league pitching in the Pirates’ system last year. He ended the season with a .332/.411/.492 slash line. But his time with the big-league club was far worse, going 1-for-11 at the plate. That’s obviously a small sample size, and he will get more opportunities this spring to prove himself. But there’s one particular stat of note.

Splits versus lefties

Solak mashes against lefties. His career major league slash line versus left-handed pitchers is .255/.319/.394 compared to .182/.249/.251 against right-handers. That does include outliers like the shortened 2020 season and the meager 11 at-bats in 2025. But removing those doesn’t change the fact that, every single year, Solak has performed far better against lefties than righties. 

*no plate appearances in 2023 and spent all of 2024 in the minors

Throughout his career, Solak has managed to produce incredible results against lefties (something the Padres have struggled with mightily in recent years). If he’s able to match or increase his past levels of production, perhaps Solak starts against left-handed pitchers — forming a platoon at first base with Sheets. 

Whether Gonzales and Solak can put it together remains to be seen. Neither of them have managed to so far in their combined 17 years of MLB experience. But however Spring Training shakes out for these players, the excitement is palpable with San Diego’s first game of 2026 fast approaching. 

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Miami never trails in 75-66 win over No. 11 North Carolina

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Malik Reneau scored 16 points, Ernest Udeh Jr. had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Miami never trailed while beating No. 11 North Carolina 75-66 on Tuesday night for the Hurricanes' first victory over a Top 25 opponent in two years.

Tre Donaldson finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Shelton Henderson added 12 points for the Hurricanes (19-5, 8-3 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Udeh made a free throw with 2:11 remaining, then rebounded his missed second attempt and scored on a layup to put Miami ahead 66-60.

After Donaldson’s layup with 1:20 left made it 69-62, Jarin Stevenson’s layup 5 seconds later got the Tar Heels (19-5, 7-4) within five. Despite finishing 14 of 23 from the foul line, Miami clinched the win with six free throws in the final minute.

As soon as the horn sounded, Hurricanes fans stormed the court, celebrating their first win over a Top 25 team since beating No. 16 Clemson 95-82 Jan. 3, 2024.

Stevenson scored 13 points, Caleb Wilson had 12 and Henri Veesar added 11 for the Tar Heels.

Wilson, the Tar Heels' leading scorer with 20 points per game, left briefly for the locker room midway through the second half and had his left hand wrapped when he returned with 8:47 remaining.

The loss snapped North Carolina’s five game-win streak.

Miami outscored North Carolina 46-28 in the paint. Udeh made seven of eight shots, including five on dunks. After shooting 7-of-13 from 3-point range in the first half, the Tar Heels were 1 of 14 from behind the arc in the second half.

The Hurricanes opened a 10-point lead on Reneau’s three-point play seven minutes into the first half that made it 22-12.

North Carolina chipped away and stayed within striking distance the remainder of the half. Kyan Evans’ 3-pointer with 1:01 remaining got the Tar Heels to 41-40 before Timo Malovec’s two free throws with 27 seconds left gave the Hurricanes a 3-point lead at halftime.

Up next

North Carolina: Host Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Miami: At North Carolina State on Saturday.

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Pierre, Miller combine for 42 points to lead SMU over Notre Dame 89-81

DALLAS (AP) — Jaron Pierre Jr. scored 22 points, Boopie Miller added 20 and SMU pulled away midway through the second half and cruised past Notre Dame 89-81 on Tuesday night.

Pierre made three 3s and scored 13 points during a 19-6 run to give SMU a 69-56 lead with 8:21 remaining. Pierre capped the surge with a windmill dunk.

Notre Dame cut the deficit to 83-77 with 1:12 left, but Pierre answered with a layup and B.J. Edwards made two free throws to push the lead to 87-77 with 22 seconds to go.

Corey Washington added 14 points, and Samet Yigitoglu chipped in with 11 points and 10 rebounds for SMU (17-7, 6-5 Atlantic Coast Conference). The Mustangs shot 52.5% (32 of 61) from the floor. Pierre, Miller and Washington combined for 10 of their 19 3-pointers.

Jalen Haralson scored 23 points to lead Notre Dame (11-14, 2-10). Cole Certa and Braeden Shrewsberry each added 16 points. The Fighting Irish have lost five straight and 10 of their last 11 games.

SMU opened on a 21-11 run before Notre Dame tied it 34-all with about three minutes to play in the first half. Miller scored the last six points to give the Mustangs 43-37 lead at the break.

It was Notre Dame's first game at Moody Coliseum since 1990.

Up next

Notre Dame hosts Georgia Tech on Saturday.

SMU plays at Syracuse on Saturday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Bailey Maupin scores 23 and No. 16 Texas Tech women beat Kansas 70-65 for Krista Gerlich's 100th win

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Bailey Maupin scored 23 points, Snudda Collins added 17 off the bench and No. 16 Texas Tech beat Kansas 70-65 on Tuesday night for coach Krista Gerlich's 100th win with the Lady Raiders.

Maupin made a steal and then sank two free throws with 24.2 seconds left to give Texas Tech a 65-60 lead.

Brittany Harshaw sank a long 3-pointer to pull Kansas within 65-63 and Maupin went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line for a three-point lead at 19.7.

Kansas was called for an illegal screen at the 3-point line with 11.7 seconds left and Maupin made two free throws for a five-point lead.

Maupin was 6 of 15 from the field and 9 of 10 at the free-throw line to secure her fifth 20-point game of the season for Texas Tech (23-3, 10-3 Big 12).

S’Mya Nichols led Kansas (15-11, 5-9) with 15 points and Jaliya Davis scored 12 of her 14 in the first half. Elle Evans added 11 points and Regan Williams scored 10.

Texas Tech held a 28-25 lead at halftime despite making just 2 of its last 14 shots. The Lady Raiders did not make a field goal over the final four minutes of the first half.

Up next

Kansas: Returns home to play Houston on Saturday.

Texas Tech: Goes on the road to play Oklahoma State on Saturday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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AJ Dybantsa stats: How many points did BYU star score vs Baylor?

Though the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft figures to be spent on Kansas' Darryn Peterson, BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa doesn't figure to make the decision easy.

The Cougars star had another monster night in a 99-94 win over Baylor, scoring 36 points, tied for his second-highest total this season.

NBA MOCK DRAFT: Projecting the first round post-trade deadline

Dybantsa also ran the offense effectively, notching seven assists for BYU. He was efficient from the field and nearly impossible to guard, going 14-for-20 shooting from the field. He was 7-for-8 from the free throw line. While things got dicey down the stretch for BYU, they were ultimately able to hold off the Bears to move to 18-6 (6-5 Big 12) on the season. His teammate Robert Wright III, who transferred from Baylor and endured chants of traitor from Bears fans, also had his first 30-point game in college in the effort.

BYU is now 4-1 when Dybantsa scores 30-plus this season, the lone loss coming in a 36-point effort against Oklahoma State that ended in a 99-92 loss and saw the Stillwater fans storm the court after. Dybantsa has shot over 60% from the field in all of his 30-plus point games.

AJ Dybantsa stats vs Baylor

Dybantsa scored 36 points on 14-of-20 (70%) shooting, and was 7-for-8 from the line. He had seven assists and five rebounds in the effort as well, along with a steal and a turnover.

BYU came back from a 12-point first half deficit to snap a four-game losing streak, giving the Cougars a big win after falling to .500 in the Big 12 following a loss to Houston on Feb. 7.

AJ Dybantsa mock draft

USA TODAY Network's Bryan Kalbrosky has Dybantsa going No. 2 to the Kings, with Darryn Peterson going No. 1 to the Wizards. Of Dybantsa, Kalbrosky writes:

The Sacramento Kings have had an utterly disappointing season and could use a new identity. Drafting a player like BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa would given them that. The young star recently became the youngest player in NCAA history with a 30-point triple-double against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22, then he had 43 dominant points against in-state rival Utah on Jan. 24.  

Cameron Boozer of Duke also figures to be a top pick. Dybantsa's competition this year is stiff, but he has shown time and time again he has the talent to contribute early at the next level. Feb. 10 was just the latest example of that. BYU's next opponent is Colorado on Feb. 14.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AJ Dybantsa stats: How many points did BYU star score vs Baylor?

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Raptors' Brandon Ingram replacing injured Stephen Curry in NBA All-Star Game

NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram will replace injured Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.

Curry, who was voted a starter, is out with knee pain. Commissioner Adam Silver chose Tuesday to have Ingram fill Curry's spot on Team Stripes.

It's Ingram's second All-Star selection. He is averaging 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this season and has helped Toronto post a 32-22 record, good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

Ingram's Raptors teammate, Scottie Barnes, is on the USA Stars. Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic will coach the World team.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

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What team made the best moves at the NBA trade deadline?

James Harden dribbling around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 20: James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers is defended by Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during a game at Fiserv Forum on February 20, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to February Daily Topics at Golden State of Mind. A question (almost) every day this month to give the community a prompt to talk about!

The 2026 NBA trade deadline was, in a word, bizarre. The one big move that had gained steam — a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade — not only failed to materialize, but turned into smoke and mirrors before our very eyes.

And yet, while that move floundered, one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, James Harden, was shockingly traded. Another Hall of Famer, Anthony Davis, was shipped across the country. And former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. was … traded to a team that’s openly tanking? Am I reading that correctly?

The Golden State Warriors, for their part, hung around in the middle. They didn’t acquire Antetokounmpo, or make a franchise-altering move like last year, when they traded for Jimmy Butler III. But they did acquire an All-Star in Kristaps Porziņģis, while ending their saga with Jonathan Kuminga and clearing future money off the books by getting rid of Buddy Hield.

Unlike last year, when the Los Angeles Lakers shockingly nabbed Luka Dončić near the deadline, there’s no clear winner this February. But there are a lot of teams that made good moves — both postseason contenders who bolstered their roster, and rebuilding squads who strengthened their future.

Who, in your eyes, made the best moves at the deadline?

For me it’s the Cleveland Cavaliers. Harden may have his fair share of both foibles and detractors, but I love the move for the championship-contending Cavs. It gives Donovan Mitchell a co-star to shoulder the scoring burden, while allowing them to keep their dynamic defense centered around their two bigs, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. And with Harden likely to opt into his player option for next season, it makes Cleveland the clear Eastern Conference favorites next year if LeBron James decides to return home for a final season, as has been rumored lately.

My runner-up is the Memphis Grizzlies, who got a trio of first-round picks for Jackson, as they started their rebuild right on time, rather than waiting too long.

What team do you think did the best at the deadline?

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Suter Honored To Represent Switzerland … 'We've Got A Good Team'

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- All the talk surrounding the Men's Olympic Hockey revolves around the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland.

Sure, Czechia and Slovakia get some recognition but not nearly as much as what is considered the 'Big Four.' The four that represented the countries vying for the championship last year at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

But for St. Louis Blues forward Pius Suter, who will be among five Blues represented at the Milano-Cortina Olympics in Milan, Italy with the start of the men's portion of the tournament set to get underway with Dalibor Dvorsky and Slovakia vs. Finland at 9:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Suter had one simple message prior to departing for Italy: don't sleep on Switzerland.

"We've got a good team," Suter said. "It's obviously on paper, but those are good teams as you mentioned, but we've got a good team."

Switzerland hasn't medaled in men's hockey since 1948 when the Olympics were on its home soil in St. Moritz. The Swiss took home the bronze, one of two bronze medals Switzerland has ever won (also bronze in 1928 at St. Moritz).

But the Swiss go into these winter games brimming with confidence because they really have nothing to lose. They'll be the underdogs behind a slew of teams but coming off two major accomplishments at the past two IIHF World Championships.

"Guys won back-to-back silvers (in 2024 and 2025) so that's obviously not coming from nowhere," Suter said. "It's one game and we'll see how it goes and we'll be ready to battle, give it our all and see what happens."

The Swiss boast an NHL lineup with 10 currently in the league, including Suter. There's forwards Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils), Timo Meier (Devils), Kevin Fiala (Los Angeles Kings), Nino Niederreiter (Winnipeg Jets) and Philipp Kurashev (San Jose Sharks); defensemen Roman Josi (Nashville Predators), Jonas Siegenthaler (Devils), J.J. Moser (Tampa Bay Lightning) and goalie Akira Schmid (Vegas Golden Knights). But there's another seven on the roster that were former NHL players, including goalie Reto Berra, who was a fourth round pick in the 2006 NHL Draft by the Blues; defensemen Dean Kukan and Tim Berni, and forwards Denis Malgin, Sven Andrighetto, Christoph Bertschy and Calvin Thurkauf.

"It'll be nice to play with all these great Swiss players. I haven't played with," Suter said. "There's quite a few guys actually because we always missed each other in the Worlds, then I was there and they weren't and vice versa. I'm looking forward to that too be on the same team as some of those guys."

The one guy that paved the way for Suter when he was younger was former NHL defenseman Mark Streit, who played in the NHL from 2005-18 for the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. Streit, who played in 786 NHL regular-season games, was part of the representation of Swiss players that opened doors for others to dream of making it to North America to the NHL.

"He was kind of that first guy that came along until Roman came along and Nino and all these guys obviously now," Suter said of Streit. "He made the breakthrough, played a lot of games.

"(Hockey) was always big. I think always behind soccer, the second team sport. Obviously there's skiing and all that stuff, but hockey was always very popular. It's always had a lot of fans. People care about it. It's always been played a lot in history. The Spengler Cup as well. I'm thinking people feel that way because now more (Swiss) guys play here (in the NHL). There more of a presence."

Suter, who represented Switzerland at the U-18 World Junior Championship in 2013, the U-20 WJC in 2015 and 2016 and World Championship in 2017 and 2022, also played in the Winter Games in 2018 when it was held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

"It means a lot to represent your country," Suter said. "Best on best and it's going to be so close to home. It'll be nice to have family and friends coming down. I'm going to guess it's going to be a bit of home games for us there. It's a big honor and an awesome experience."

Based off initial experience, Suter said for the Swiss, who open their tournament Thursday at 5:10 a.m. (CT) against France, said for those experiencing it for the first time to just soak it all in.

"Honestly it's the overall experience," Suter said. "Just because as a kid, you would watch the Winter and Summer Olympics. You see everyone walking in the opening ceremony representing your country and all that stuff.

"Last time I was there, we really didn't have much success on the ice. It's hard to say, but hopefully we can change that."

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Spring Training open thread: February 10

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 23: Nacho Alvarez Jr. #67 of the Atlanta Braves is recognized for Los Bravos night before the game against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on September 23, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Spring Training is officially underway with Atlanta Braves pitchers and catchers reporting to North Port for workouts.

Today has been a jam-packed news day with the Braves adding catcher Johan Heim, losing starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach to the 60-day IL, dealing with new reliever Robert Suarez having visa issues and Dylan Lee winning his arbitration case. Oh, and Nacho Alvarez, Jr. is working out with the catchers.

All of that and it is just day one!

What do the Braves do next in the starting pitching market? Does the team look to bring in a right-handed bat?

Sound off below.