Canada advanced past the first round of the World Baseball Classic for the first time, beating Cuba 7-2 Wednesday in a winner-take-all game at San Juan, Puerto Rico, behind Abraham Toro's homer and Otto Lopez's two-run single.
Brothers Bo Naylor and Josh Naylor drove in runs, Owen Caissie had two RBIs and reliever James Paxton struck out six over 2 2/3 scoreless innings for Canada (3-1), which eliminated the Cubans (2-2) and won Group A over Puerto Rico (3-1). Cuba was knocked out in the first round for the first time.
Canada and Puerto Rico will play quarterfinals in Houston this weekend.
Cuba finished with three errors, and left fielder Ariel Martinez allowed Toro’s catchable fly starting the seventh to fall for a double. The Canadians broke open the game with a three-run sixth inning that included a dropped popup, a foul pop that fell, a wild pickoff throw and a catcher's interference call on Andrys Perez, whose passed ball led to Canada's first run.
Later Wednesday, Mexico and Italy were to play at Houston in a Group B game that will determine whether the U.S. advances.
Cuba escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first when Matt Davidson hit an inning-ending popout off loser Livan Moinelo, but Canada went ahead in the third on Caissie's sacrifice fly. Toro homered in the fifth on a splitter from Yariel Rodríguez, a 420-foot drive to right.
Cuba scored in the bottom half on Yoelkis Guibert's run-scoring groundout off winner Cal Quantrill, who allowed an unearned run and two hits over five innings.
Canada opened a 3-1 lead in the sixth on Bo Naylor's RBI double.
Martinez drove in a run in the bottom half with his third hit and Josh Naylor had an RBI single in the seventh on a soft fly to left that popped up of the glove of Martinez, who tried for a sliding catch.
Cuba went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position. Adam Macko escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth when Yiddi Cappe swung over a curveball and James Paxton struck out Moncada in the seventh to leave runners at the corners.
Stephen Curry has missed 15 games due to patella-femoral pain syndrome/bone bruising — commonly called runner's knee — and in that stretch the Warriors have gone 5-10 and slid to ninth in the Western Conference. Golden State needs its best player back.
That's not happening for another 10 days, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater. That means Curry will miss at least another five games and return — at the earliest — with a dozen games left in the season. The next five games Curry will miss are mostly tough ones, including at New York on Sunday as part of NBC's Sunday Night Basketball broadcast.
It's not just Curry who is out, Jimmy Butler is done for the season after tearing his ACL, leaving the Warriors struggling for consistent shot creation during this stretch.
Curry, 37, still looks elite when he does get on the court, averaging 27.2 points and 4.8 assists a game, shooting 39.1% from 3-point range. His gravity to draw defenders is still what makes Golden State's offense work, and without him things get stuck in the mud.
Which is what Warriors fans are going to see for another five games, at least.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jamichael Stillwell had 17 points and 15 rebounds, Riley Kugel added 15 points, and eighth-seeded UCF rallied to beat ninth-seeded Cincinnati 66-65 in overtime on Thursday and advance to the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.
John Bol scored 13 points for the Knights (21-10), who trailed by as many as 12 in regulation, then watched as the Bearcats' Jalen Celestine missed a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds left in overtime to earn a date with top-ranked Arizona on Thursday.
Moustapha Thiam had 18 points and 16 boards to lead the Bearcats (18-15). Day Day Thomas had all of their seven points in overtime and finished with 15, while Celestine had 11 points and Keyshuan Tillery finished with 10.
The Knights won despite going 3 of 24 from beyond the 3-point arc.
Cincinnati had taken control with about 10 minutes to go, when Thomas was fouled by Kugel about 30 feet from the basket and the shot-clock running out. His two free throws gave the Bearcats a 46-37 lead, and Stillwell immediately picked up his fourth foul at the other end, sending the Knights' best rebounder to the bench.
UCF still faced a 58-50 hole with about two minutes to go when Stillwell hit a soft jumper in the lane. Cincinnati proceeded to turn the ball over on three straight possessions, and Kugel's driving layup tied the game 58-all with a minute to go.
The Bearcats had the final shot of regulation, but Thiam didn't appear to realize the clock was about to expire. Cincinnati coach Wes Miller frantically called timeout from the bench, but there was only 0.8 seconds left — time enough for an airballed 3-point try.
Up next
The Knights lost their only game to the top-seeded Wildcats in mid-January.
Cincinnati must hope a first-round win over Utah in the Big 12 tourney will get it off the NCAA Tournament bubble on Sunday.
For as hard as it is to make the NCAA Tournament, it’s really easy to take yourself out of it.
Auburn, one of the most polarizing March Madness bubble candidates, was on the brink of kissing its chances goodbye in the opening round of the SEC tournament. The Tigers were shaken by Mississippi State in the first half with a 10-point deficit, not looking remotely close to a unit that should hear its name called on Selection Sunday.
But to their credit, Auburn recovered and played like its life was on the line. It was a night-and-day performance coming out of halftime with a dominant final 20 minutes to avoid the upset and advance.
Projected to miss the tournament in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology, It’s not a win that will drastically move the 17-15 Tigers into the field. Yet, it wouldn’t be possible without it.
Auburn is as confusing as it comes. You can argue why it should be in with some major wins and tough schedule, or shouldn’t be in with all of the losses. No matter which way you lean, everyone could agree it needs to impress in the SEC tournament. A Quad 3 loss and Auburn would’ve surely been out of consideration. Instead, there is hope.
The work is far from over since a win over the Bulldogs doesn’t move the needle much. However, what’s ahead surely will.
Auburn now has one of the biggest bubble games of the season in the second round against Tennessee. A win over the Volunteers would be monumental and could alter the projected field completely. Advancing to the quarterfinals against Vanderbilt and winning that could silence the critics.
But it has to get Step 1 done first and beat Tennessee. Auburn got a second life to keep its tournament hopes alive, and it cannot waste it as it leads the tournament watch winners and losers from Wednesday’s action.
March Madness bubble winners
NC State
A team trending in the wrong direction, NC State ended the regular season with four straight losses with a couple of ranked beatdowns and bad losses. The Wolfpack weren’t in danger of missing the tournament, but needed to show something to not fall into a possible No. 11 seed situation.
Against Pittsburgh in the ACC tournament second round, early it looked like a devastating Quad 3 loss was on the horizon. However, Will Wade’s offense kept pace and used a strong second half start to avoid the collapse.
It’s not an impressive victory, but one NC State needed to calm the waters. Now there really won’t be a worry for Selection Sunday, and it can just focus on moving up the seed line. It gets a chance against Virginia in the quarterfinals.
March Madness bubble losers
Cincinnati
The late push for Cincinnati all came crashing down with a stunning collapse that all but keeps the Bearcats out of the NCAA Tournament.
Up by eight with just over two minutes left, Cincinnati looked like it was closing in on a major victory over Central Florida. Then came the shocker. It couldn’t stop turning the ball over and it allowed UCF to tie the score and send it to overtime. The Bearcats were rattled and couldn’t regroup in the extra period, with UCF ending the last seven minutes on a 15-6 run to win.
It’s a devastating outcome as seven wins in nine games brought Cincinnati into the conversation for a bid. In the First Four out, it needed the win to keep trending up. Now the season ends in missing the tournament for the sixth straight season.
SMU
Get ready for a couple of stressful days, SMU, since it was unable to boost its resume in the ACC tournament.
After finally ending a four-game skid with an opening round victory over Syracuse on Tuesday, the Mustangs needed more and had a chance against Louisville. For the majority of the day, SMU looked like it could take down the Cardinals and get a massive victory. However, it didn’t score in the final two and a half minutes and Louisville powered through for the win.
SMU is one of the last four in, but can now only hope no other team steals bids and pushes them down the line. Had the Mustangs won, they could have secured their selection. It’s a miserable feeling being unable to do anything about it, but it’s the price to pay for having such a rough end to the season.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 21 points, Joshua Jefferson had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and seventh-ranked Iowa State trounced turnover-prone Arizona State 91-42 on Wednesday in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.
Blake Buchanan added 17 points and Tamin Lipsey had 11 for the fifth-seeded Cyclones (26-6), who beat the No. 14 seed Sun Devils (17-16) for the second time in less than a week while advancing to play No. 16 Texas Tech in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
His contract expires soon and every indication has been that the Sun Devils are ready to move on.
Iowa State was so thoroughly dominant that it had built a 45-16 lead by halftime. The decisive blow was an 18-0 run late in the first half, when the Sun Devils earned two of their three technicals on a single disastrous trip down court.
NO. 24 LOUISVILLE 62, SMU 58
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Ryan Conwell hit two key shots in the final 1:17 and finished with 16 points as Louisville battled back to beat SMU and advance to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament quarterfinals.
Adrian Wooley added 14 points and Isaac McKneely had 10 for the Cardinals (23-9), who’ll face Miami on Thursday.
Jarron Pierre Jr. had 17 points and Jaden Toombs added 13 points and nine rebounds for SMU (20-13), which led by six in the second half before Louisville stormed back behind three inside baskets from Vangelis Zougris.
After a defensive struggle in the first half ended in a 26-all tie, SMU built its biggest lead at 41-35 on back-to-back 3s by Sam Walters and Pierre from the same spot in right corner.
The Mustangs, playing their second game in two days, appeared content to patiently work time off the shot clock, extending every possession and shortening the game.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kevin Overton scored 22 points, including 15 in the second half, as No. 12 seed Auburn rallied past No. 13 seed Mississippi State 77-61 on Wednesday in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
The win helps Auburn’s NCAA Tournament chances under first-year coach Steven Pearl. The Tigers entered the SEC Tournament on the bubble after finishing as the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament on their way to the Final Four a year ago.
Auburn (17-15) erased a 33-30 halftime deficit and dominated after the break, outscoring Mississippi State 47-28.
Overton led the charge with six 3-pointers and five assists as Auburn found its rhythm from the perimeter in the second half. KeShawn Murphy added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Keyshawn Hall finished with 14 points and Tahaad Pettiford contributed 11.
Mississippi State (13-19) saw its streak of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances come to an end.
Josh Hubbard finished with 22 points on 8-of-25 shooting for the Bulldogs. Jayden Epps added 14.
The Tigers gradually took control midway through the second half as Overton connected on consecutive 3-pointers to turn a tight game into a multi-possession lead. Auburn pushed the margin into double digits down the stretch.
Up next
Auburn faces No. 5 seed Tennessee on Thursday in the second round.
CHICAGO (AP) — Zoom Diallo had 22 points and 11 assists and scored the go-ahead basket in overtime as Washington defeated USC 83-79 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday.
The 12th-seeded Huskies (16-16) will take on fifth-seeded Ohio State in a quarterfinal on Thursday.
Diallo scored 15 points over the second half and overtime despite staying on the floor after picking up his fourth foul with nearly 13 minutes left in regulation. Quimari Peterson made five 3-pointers for his 15 points and Wesley Yates III also scored 15. Hannes Steinbach, who scored 24 and 22 points in Washington's two regular-season wins over the Trojans, finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Kam Woods scored 24 points with seven assists for the 14th-seeded Trojans (18-14), who lost their eighth straight. Jacob Cofie added 14 points, Jordan Marsh had 13 and Ezra Ausar and Ryan Cornish 10 each.
Diallo’s bucket with 2:18 left in overtime gave the Huskies the lead and Peterson added a 3-pointer with a minute to go. Woods completed a three-point play to get the Trojans within a point and forced a turnover by Diallo with 24.2 seconds left. But Woods missed on a drive and fouled Diallo, who made two free throws for an 82-79 lead. USC called timeout with eight seconds remaining but Marsh missed an awkward 3 and Hannes Steinbach made 1 of 2 free throws.
USC led by as many 13 in the second half then Washington went on a 20-4 run to go up 64-61 with six minutes left in regulation. The game was tied at 71 with a minute left but Diallo and Woods missed jumpers on their teams' final possessions.
Up next
Washington beat Ohio State at home 81-74 on Jan. 11.
BODO, Norway (AP) — The Champions League’s Cinderella club Bodø/Glimt wrote another chapter Wednesday in its fairytale run through the competition.
The homely Norwegian club won 3-0 against Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of a round-of-16 clash at its tiny Aspmyra Stadium.
Sporting became the latest favored team to travel far north and struggle inside the Arctic Circle this year.
Manchester City and Inter Milan were each beaten 3-1 on the artificial turf field since Bodø/Glimt began the year looking sure to fall short of reaching the knockout rounds.
It is now a remarkable five straight wins in the Champions League — all during the offseason in Norway. The country's domestic league does not start until this weekend.
Bodø/Glimt led in the 32nd minute when Sondre Brunstad Fet scored with a penalty kick, deceiving Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva who dived right as the ball went low to his left.
Ole Blomberg added a second in first-half stoppage time, sliding in a low shot after the ball bounced through to him.
Center forward Kasper Høgh added a third in the 71st being strong in the goalmouth to connect with Jens Petter Hauge’s hard-driven low cross. It was Høgh's fifth goal in the five-win streak.
None of the goalscorers has even played for their national team. Fet at age 29 and the 25-year-old Blomberg are yet to be selected for Norway which is soon going to its first World Cup in a generation.
Høgh, also 25, has not been picked for Denmark, which is in a World Cup qualifying playoffs bracket this month.
The team from the Norwegian Sea fishing town would be the most unlikely Champions League quarterfinalist of recent years. APOEL from Cyprus reached the last eight in 2012 and was beaten by Real Madrid.
The winner after the return game in Lisbon next Tuesday will advance to play either Arsenal or Bayer Leverkusen who drew 1-1 Wednesday in the first leg in Germany.
The entire population of Bodø, just 55,000 people, could all fit inside Arsenal’s stadium.
The Golden State Warriors have lost three consecutive games and 10 of 15 since All-Star guard Stephen Curry went down with a right knee injury.
The team, for at least the short term, will continue to be without the 37 year old.
Golden State issued an update indicating that Curry was reevaluated Wednesday, March 11 for patella-femoral pain syndrome/bone bruising in the injured knee. The Warriors said Curry continues to “make good progress” and that he has been going through individual on-court workouts, which will intensify over the coming days as he improves. Golden State added that Curry will be reevaluated in 10 days.
Curry suffered the injury Jan. 30 in a contest against the Pistons and has missed the following 15 games.
What does Stephen Curry’s injury mean for the Warriors?
It’s a continued blow for the Warriors, who are in danger of falling outside of the play-in picture. Golden State is currently 32-33 and in ninth place in the Western Conference.
The team, and the offense in particular, has struggled significantly in Curry’s 15-game absence. Over that span, the Warriors rank 21st in offensive rating, generating 111.7 points per 100 possessions.
Curry’s injury compounds what has been a tough season for Golden State. The Warriors have also been without forward Jimmy Butler (torn anterior cruciate ligament) since Jan. 19, and new addition Kristaps Porziņģis has made just three appearances for the team.
The Warriors only have 17 games remaining in the 2025-26 regular season, but the good news is that the No. 11 seed in the West, the Grizzlies, are well behind the play-in picture, currently 8 ½ games back of Golden State. Four teams, the ones finishing from seeds No. 7 through 10, are the ones that qualify for the Play-In Tournament.
For Golden State to have any chance to make some noise in the play-in — and the playoffs, if they qualify — it will need Curry to be fully healthy, so taking a measured approach with his health makes perfect sense.
Curry, though, thrives on off-ball movement and is one of the hardest-working players in the NBA who travels a significant distance in an average game, so his playing style is not without its toll.
Stephen Cury stats
In 39 appearances this season, Curry is averaging a team-high 27.2 points per game on 46.8% shooting. Curry has also recorded 4.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder finally arrived as an NBA powerhouse with a championship run in 2025, defeating the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the NBA Finals. This year, they look equally dominant – and they are gaining plenty of respect from sportsbooks as a result.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Thunder as +130 to win their second consecutive title, -135 to win the Western Conference, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as +135 to be NBA Finals MVP.
But is the market respect deserving?
Using FTN’s NBA StatsHub, we can take a deeper look at Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, and whether the Spurs, Nuggets, or another team out west has a chance to dethrone them.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has put up strong numbers since coming back from an oblique injury that sidelined him through the All-Star break – averaging 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.4 assists.
That said, the underlying metrics suggest that his recent production has been more volume-driven, rather than efficient.
Overall, this season, Gilgeous-Alexander has a 7.3% Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation, which ranks third among players averaging 30-plus minutes per game. His +3.0 Points Over Expectation trails only Nikola Jokić, Kevin Durant and Luka Dončić.
Since returning from injury, Gilgeous-Alexander has a -2.5% FGOE and -1.4 PTOE.
The scary thing? Oklahoma City is 5-0 during that span, with wins over the Nuggets (twice) and the Knicks – both of which are widely regarded as teams that could make a deep playoff run.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Through the close of play Tuesday, Oklahoma City (+9.5) leads the NBA in FTN’s Model Team Ratings. They are 3.2 points better than the next-best team in the Western Conference – the San Antonio Spurs.
Similar to last year, their dominance has been driven primarily by a defense that is significantly better than any other team in the NBA.
During the 2024-2025 campaign, the Thunder finished the regular season with a 106.6 defensive rating. The next-best team was the Orlando Magic, a distant second with a 109.1 defensive rating.
This season, Oklahoma City once again leads the league in defensive rating (106.2), despite having to navigate injuries to some of their best defensive players. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein are four of the team’s top defenders, per our FTN Player Ratings – they have all missed 10-plus games.
Put another away, the Thunder have decisively been the best team in the NBA this season by most advanced metrics, despite not having their core contributors available for a considerable portion of their games.
Thunder, or the field?
All of that said, is there any realistic probability that another team – perhaps the Spurs or Nuggets, could dethrone the Thunder in the Western Conference?
San Antonio is the only non-Thunder team in the Western Conference that ranks in the top-five in our FTN’s Model Team Ratings. They are also the only team that has proven capable of causing matchup issues for the Thunder this year.
The Spurs have played the Thunder four times this year, winning three times – twice by convincing margins:
Dec. 13: Spurs defeated Thunder 111-109
Dec. 23: Spurs defeated Thunder 130-110
Dec. 25: Spurs defeated Thunder 117-102
Jan. 13: Thunder defeated Spurs 119-98
The Nuggets have struggled in their head-to-head meetings this season:
Feb. 1: Thunder defeated Nuggets 121-111
Feb. 27: Thunder defeated Nuggets 127-121
March 9: Thunder defeated Nuggets 129-126
Denver has struggled in general lately, too, which isn’t a great sign as the postseason draws near. Since Nikola Jokić returned from injury Jan. 30, the Nuggets are 7-10 overall, ranking 15th in Net Rating.
They have suffered losses against the Clippers and Warriors in that span – fringe playoff teams. They have also struggled against the Jazz and Grizzlies, a pair of teams that are aggressively participating in this year’s NBA tankathon.
The Takeaway
If ranking the top teams in the NBA with a month remaining in the regular season, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that the Thunder are in their own tier at the top of the league.
In the Western Conference, in particular, Oklahoma City has a sizable lead over San Antonio and Denver in FTN’s Model Team Ratings – and that’s with the Thunder missing a number of their core pieces for significant periods of time.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn’t looked as good post-injury, in terms of (FGOE) and (PTOE), as he did pre-injury, but the Thunder have still been dominant with a slightly less efficient version of their best player. Right now, it’s the Thunder, followed by a big gap, then everybody else.
The Minnesota Timberwolves head to Inglewood tonight as they take on the surging Los Angeles Clippers.
My Timberwolves vs Clippers predictions target another big outing on the boards for Julius Randle, who remains a key contributor to Minnesota's title chances.
Get the lowdown with my free NBA picks for Wednesday, March 11.
Timberwolves vs Clippers prediction
Timberwolves vs Clippers best bet: Julius Randle Over 6.5 rebounds (-120)
Although Rudy Gobert is always going to be the prime candidate to rack up boards for the visitors, Randle is a worthy sidekick — and he’s nailed this prop in five straight games.
The Los Angeles Clippers were outrebounded 51-36 in Monday’s victory over the Knicks, and that’s a weakness that Minnesota can attack tonight.
Timberwolves vs Clippers same-game parlay
The new-look Clippers are rolling, and they’re 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games. With Minnesota on the second night of a back-to-back set, I’ll take the L.A. moneyline and pair it with standout efforts from Darius Garland and Derrick Jones Jr.
Garland is finding his feet with the hosts, dishing 21 dimes in his last three games, while Jones Jr. has had consecutive 16-point performances.
Timberwolves vs Clippers SGP
Clippers moneyline
Darius Garland Over 6.5 assists
Derrick Jones Jr. Over 12.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Counting on the Klaw
The Kawhi Leonard vs. Anthony Edwards showdown should be spectacular, and I’m banking on The Klaw to continue his steady scoring after sinking the Knicks with 29 points earlier this week.
A turnover-prone T-Wolves team should also be easy prey for Leonard on the defensive end.
Over/Under: Over 226.5 (-110) | Under 226.5 (-110)
Timberwolves vs Clippers betting trend to know
The Timberwolves are 2-7 ATS in their past nine games. Find more NBA betting trends for Timberwolves vs. Clippers.
How to watch Timberwolves vs Clippers
Location
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Date
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
FDSN North, FDSN SoCal
Timberwolves vs Clippers latest injuries
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Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 - Lakers center Jaxson Hayes during pregame warmups before a game against the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Lakers are finally figuring things out.
After continual struggles against top teams, back-to-back wins against the Knicks and Timberwolves have not only eased worries, but created a lot of optimism about his team.
While both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have been integral in the wins, a host of role players have stepped up as well. LeBron James’ absence from the lineup necessitated players filling the void and multiple have.
So, with things riding high, let’s look at where the trust level stands for the Lakers’ rotation players.
Starters: Luka, Austin, Marcus Smart, LeBron, Deandre Ayton
Rui Hachimura
The man tasked with stepping into the starting lineup with LeBron out, Rui has remained a great 3-point shooter and reliable scorer, averaging 12.8 points over the last week.
Luke Kennard
Kennard came to the Lakers in place of Gabe Vincent, but has absolutely exceeded anything Vincent was able to do with the Lakers. He’s part of closing lineups, contributing at a high level and is as efficient as you can ever imagine.
Over the last four games, he’s shooting 58.1% from the field and 47.1% from three.
Jaxson Hayes
Two very timely, strong showings from Ayton may quell some of the calls for Jaxson Hayes to start. But it shows how far Hayes has come this season as, even after how poorly things finished in the postseason last year, fans are back to wanting Hayes to play big minutes and in big moments again.
Jake LaRavia
At the same time he’s absolutely mired in a brutal shooting slump, LaRavia is still contributing because of his activity on both ends of the floor. He’s coming up with rebounds, creating havoc defensively and relying on his effort and hustle to remain a positive contributor.
Jarred Vanderbilt
Vando is another player who has had his offense all but abandon him as he’s shooting 36.4% from the field and 20% from three in the last week. And yet, again, he’s able to make plays in other ways to stay on the floor, even if that also includes some technical fouls along the way.
Maxi Kleber
Kleber’s role continues to fluctuate a bit, but it seems that when he’s healthy, he’s going to get at least one shift each game. And he’s earned it with his play.
BROOKLYN, NY - JANUARY 23: The sneakers worn by Baylor Scheierman #55 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on January 23, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Kentucky (20-12) advances to play No. 8 seed Missouri in the second round on Thursday. The Wildcats had not played on a Wednesday at this tournament since the SEC brought the event back in 1979.
Garrison, who entered with just two made 3-pointers on the season, made back-to-back 3-pointers during an 8-0 run that gave Kentucky a 73-64 lead with 9:32 remaining.
Oweh grabbed his own miss and brought it out to the 3-point arc before sinking a jumper from the free-throw line for an 83-76 lead. After an LSU layup at 49.6, Denzel Aberdeen made two free throws for a seven-point lead.
Aberdeen finished with 16 points for Kentucky. Kam Williams, who played in a game for the first time since Jan. 21 due to a broken foot, had three points in 17 minutes.
Max Mackinnon scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half for LSU (15-17). Mike Nwoko had 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Marquel Sutton and Jalen Reece each scored 11.
Mackinnon made a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer, off a nice drive and pass from Reece, to pull LSU within 46-43 at the break.
Reece’s steal and fast-break layup pulled the Tigers within 79-74 with 2:53 remaining following a 6-0 run, but that's as close as they got as Oweh made a driving layup at the other end for a seven-point lead.
Up next
The Wildcats lost to Missouri 73-68 at Rupp Arena on Jan. 7.
Mar 10, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics guard Ron Harper Jr. (13) shoots the ball against San Antonio Spurs guard De'aaron Fox (4) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
By the time Jaylen Brown was ejected from Tuesday night’s 125-116 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics teammate Ron Harper Jr. had already scored eight points. He subbed in alongside Jayson Tatum and Neemias Queta as soon as Brown left the floor and made the most of the opportunity.
In the third quarter, with just over four minutes remaining, Baylor Scheierman drove and found Harper wide open in the corner. He bounced a no-look pass to Harper, who drained the 3-pointer despite 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama charging full extension to contest. That shot cut San Antonio’s lead over Boston to 85-83. It also ignited the 25-year-old’s confidence, and he ran with it.
“He’s been great,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “He’s continuing to get better on both ends of the floor. Tonight, it was the shooting, but I think his defense is just as impactful as everyone else’s. He’s just another guy that can impact winning for us.”
The fourth quarter became Harper’s canvas, and he painted his career masterpiece as a two-way player.
San Antonio entered the fourth with a 97-90 lead, but Harper stayed determined. With Brown out and Tatum struggling (just 4-of-14 from three), Harper stepped up off Boston’s bench. He led the Celtics in scoring in the final 12 minutes of regulation with 11 points, doubling his previous career-high with 22 points in just over 33 minutes.
Ron Harper Jr. had enough arc on his shot to get it over Wemby's outstretched fingertips.
Harper was responsible for the bulk of Boston’s bench points (34 total), converting 6-of-9 attempts from beyond the arc. His teammates trusted him as the fourth quarter progressed, and he rewarded them by keeping the Celtics within striking distance during their late-game push for a comeback.
There was no hesitation in Harper’s release. He wanted the ball, regardless of the mounting pressure that came with overcoming Brown’s unforeseen exit plus Payton Pritchard’s unavailability (neck spasms). Without Harper’s initiative to embrace the opportunity in front of him, the Celtics might have suffered a blowout that would have forced Mazzulla to empty the bench shortly after Brown headed to the locker room.
Boston’s starting lineup shot only 10-of-33 from 3-point range, making Harper’s breakout critical.
Harper’s career night was even more sentimental as he competed opposite his brother, Dylan, whom the Spurs selected second overall in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Rutgers.
“He played well today,” Dylan Harper said postgame, per Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express News. “Just the way he kind of inserts himself. I think that just moving forward, the more opportunities he gets, the better he’s going to look.”
During the offseason, the Celtics reunited with Harper, signing him to an Exhibit 10 contract in August before the start of preseason. In his limited 10.6 minutes across three appearances, Harper shot 40.3 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from three. Boston elected to keep him, converting his contract to a two-way deal for his second stint with the organization.
Following the preseason, the Celtics assigned Harper to their G League affiliate in Maine. He continued to develop there under head coach Phil Pressey, averaging 26.9 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 30.9 minutes per game. Harper logged eight appearances, shooting 49.7 percent from the floor, including 40.2 percent from three on 10.9 attempts per game. On February 4, Boston started Harper against the Houston Rockets, giving him his first career NBA start. He scored a then-career-high 11 points with nine rebounds and three assists in a 114-93 win, taking his first major step with the team.
Five weeks later in San Antonio, Harper’s work with the Celtics’ development staff paid off once more.
Mazzulla assured everyone before the season that opportunities would be handed out — and he’s kept his word. Everyone from Jordan Walsh to Hugo González to Luka Garza, and even Josh Minott before his trade to the Brooklyn Nets, has gotten their chance. The hours logged behind the scenes in practices and pregame sessions with the coaching staff have prepared players like Harper for their moments of action — even, and especially, when those moments come unexpectedly, as was the case in San Antonio.
Harper has already surpassed his total NBA appearances over his previous three years with the Pistons and Raptors, with 19 logged this season.
Based on Harper’s rise to the occasion in San Antonio and the reputation Mazzulla’s development staff has built over the past few years, the Celtics could have their next project in the works, ready to contribute in Boston in the near future.
