SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Nate Kingz scored 27 points, Naithan George and William Kyle III each had double-doubles, and Syracuse opened double overtime on an 8-2 spurt to outlast California for a 107-100 victory on Wednesday night.
After a Kyle free throw, Donnie Freeman made two layups, and Kingz made a 3-pointer to give Syracuse a 99-93 lead with 1:56 left in double-overtime. Freeman added another layup before the Orange sealed it from the free-throw line.
Syracuse had missed 15 of its previous 16 3-pointers before Naithan George hit a 3 with 57 seconds left in regulation to give the Orange a 78-76 lead. A Dai Dai Ames layup with 41 seconds left then tied it 78-all. The Orange committed a turnover, and Ames missed a jumper at the buzzer to force overtime.
In the first OT, Ames airballed a shot but Milos Ilic secured the offensive rebound and put it in at the buzzer to knot it at 91.
Kingz shot 8 of 14 from the floor and made three 3-pointers. J.J. Starling added 21 points for Syracuse (14-11, 5-7 Atlantic Coast Conference). Kyle finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds. George had 14 points and 10 assists.
Ames scored 23 points on 10-of-25 shooting and was 0 for 5 from long range. John Camden made five 3s and scored 21 points for Cal (17-8, 5-7). Chris Bell chipped in with 18 points. Ilic had 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
The teams met for the first time at JMA Wireless Dome, which used a generator due to power loss in Syracuse.
Up next
Cal: The Golden Bears play at Boston College on Saturday.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Donovan Atwell scored 20 points with six 3-pointers and JT Toppin matched a career high with 18 rebounds in his 46th career double-double as No. 16 Texas Tech blew out Colorado 78-44 on Wednesday night.
Toppin, the Big 12's top rebounder at 10.9 per game, also had 16 points in his league-high 15th double-double this season and 34th in 56 games since arriving at Texas Tech from New Mexico before last season. Christian Anderson added 14 points and seven assists, and Jaylen Petty scored 12 for the Red Raiders (18-6, 8-3).
Isaiah Johnson had 13 points and Ian Inman added 12 for Colorado (14-11, 4-8), held to its fewest points since scoring 43 at Washington State on Jan. 30, 2022. The Buffaloes shot a season-worst 29.1% (16 for 55) from the field, including 24% (6 of 25) on 3-pointers.
The only active college player with more double-doubles than Toppin is Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, who got his 51st on Wednesday night against Northwestern.
Colorado's only lead came when Barrington Hargress made its first shot of the game for a 2-0 score. Atwell put the Red Raiders ahead to stay with his first 3, and they led 39-22 at halftime. Then they scored the first eight points after the break, maintaining at least a 20-point lead the rest of the way.
That was much different than the meeting Jan. 10 in Boulder, when Texas Tech had a 24-point lead after halftime and held on for a 73-71 win after Hargress' late 3-point attempt rimmed out. The Buffs, who started the season 8-0, have lost eight of their last 10 games.
Up next
Colorado visits No. 22 BYU on Saturday.
Texas Tech plays Saturday at No. 1 Arizona, whose first loss was Monday at No. 9 Kansas.
PHILADELPHIA — The Knicks played like their vacation hinged on the final result. The 76ers played like they were already in Cabo.
And in the end, the Knicks were rewarded with an All-Star break that started a little earlier than expected.
Their victory Wednesday over Philly was forged in the first quarter and secured by halftime, when the Knicks took a 30-point lead into the locker room before cruising to a 138-89 final.
Jalen Brunson reacts during the second quarter of the Knicks’ 138-89 blowout win over the 76ers on Feb. 11, 2026 in Philadelphia. Getty Images
Coach Mike Brown pulled all his starters for the last 10 minutes, then removed the second unit for the final seven.
See you in a week.
“I’m checked out now,” Josh Hart said in the postgame locker room. “I’ve got my wine right here. I’m living my best life.”
The scrappy point guard was activated in the first quarter by a dustup with Philadelphia’s Trendon Watford — which occurred in the aftermath of Mitchell Robinson being fouled hard by the Sixers forward — and the Knicks launched a game-breaking 27-9 run.
Karl-Anthony Towns grabs a rebound in front of Adem Bona during the first half of the Knicks’ blowout win over the 76ers in Philadelphia. AP
Alvarado picked up his first technical foul for shoving Watford and subsequently connected on eight 3-pointers, tying his career best.
He also finished with a season-high five steals as the Knicks outscored the Sixers by 35 points in his 18 minutes.
He was awarded his first defensive player of the game, given by the Knicks coaches after victories.
“That’s what we need. That’s what we want from him,” Hart said of Alvarado. “Obviously that toughness, ability to help us get organized, ability to knock down shots. And defensively bring energy, bring physicality, get in the passing lanes, those kind of things. That’s why he’s here.”
Among the starters, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns set the tone with a balanced scoring attack, combining for 43 points on 17-for-28 shooting.
It left Brown’s side with a 33-20 record before the weeklong break, which is on pace for roughly the same 51 wins as their last regular season.
The Sixers (30-24) were missing Joel Embiid (knee) and were overwhelmed by New York’s defensive energy, cutting and ball movement.
The Knicks, who didn’t have OG Anunoby (toe injury), shot 53 percent and racked up a season-high 41 assists.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen this before,” Brown said. “We had 48 baskets and 41 assists. So unbelievable night in that regard.”
Jose Alvarado shoots a jumper during the Knicks’ blowout win over the 76ers in Philadelphia. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
It was a beatdown and a bounce back.
A day earlier, the Knicks fell in OT to the Pacers, who are better than their record but nonetheless at the bottom of the East. That result was disappointing.
And their response was immediate.
The Knicks led by double digits after just three minutes and never looked back.
“They are a resilient group of guys. We’re not going to go up the whole year,” Brown said. “Everybody expects us to go up the whole year and win it all. But this is a process. We’re going to up, we’re going to take a step backwards, we’re going to figure it out. That’s why there’s coaching, that’s why there’s practice, that’s why there’s shootaround. That’s why we have those guys in the locker room we have figured out and just go out and play the next game and figure out if you can play better the next game and that’s what our guys did.”
They also required very little Wednesday from star Jalen Brunson, who logged just 30 minutes and finished with eight points on six shots.
The Sixers blitzed Brunson on pick-and-rolls — a faulty strategy from coach Nick Nurse — and the Knicks point guard responded by consistently finding his cutting teammates.
Brunson’s next stop is All-Star Weekend in L.A. Same for Towns.
The rest of the rotation players are getting a week off in addition to Wednesday’s second half.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jarace Walker had 23 points, Kam Jones secured the victory with a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining, and the short-handed Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 115-110 on Wednesday night.
Micah Potter had 19 and Ethan Thompson had 15 for the Pacers, who won for the second straight night after winning in overtime over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night to end a four-game losing streak.
Potter shot 6 of 8 from the field and 6 for 8 from the line. He scored 14 in the second half.
Nolan Traore had 20 points to lead the Nets, who had won two in a row. Day'Ron Sharpe had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Ziaire Williams also had 19.
The Pacers played without eight key players, including T.J. McConnell (right hamstring soreness); Andrew Nembhard (lower back injury management); Aaron Nesmith (lower back soreness); Pascal Siakam (left hamstring soreness); and Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain).
Brooklyn jumped to a 31-18 lead after one quarter and led 64-53 at halftime. The Pacers put the game away in the fourth, outscoring the Nets 31-20 in the quarter.
The Nets turned the ball over 16 times, six more times than the Pacers.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 11: Jose Alvarado #5 of the New York Knicks smiles during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 11, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Two nights, two games, two different Knicks (35*-20) teams.
Last night, the Knicks fell in overtime to the lowly Indiana Pacers, dropping a game that should’ve been a gimme and playing the worst defense of their season. Tonight, they travelled to Philadelphia to battle the sixth-place 76ers (30-24). With vastly improved defense, domination in the frontcourt, a franchise-record 24 first-half assists, and a total eruption by the freshly minted Jose Alvarado, the outcome was completely flipped. New York burned the Xfinity Mobile Arena to the ground and won, 138-89.
As mentioned by chinaski1980, this was the “Largest point margin ever against the 76ers.” The win splits the season series. Weirdly, the road team won all four games, although the Knicks fans in attendance made this one sound almost like a home game.
The first quarter was like a beautiful dream. Our heroes displayed no fatigue from last night’s bummer against the Pacers, and Mikal Bridges led the way, contributing nine of the Knicks’ initial 16-4 run. He scored 13 in the quarter and 22 overall on 9-of-15.
Through the first 12 minutes, New York won the paint 20-12 (with Karl-Anthony Towns scoring seven of those), made seven of their first nine shots, and assisted on 11 of their 15 first-quarter field goals. Their lead peaked at 14 points, thanks to a tighter defense (steals for Bridges and Hart, a block for Towns) that forced four Philadelphia turnovers. Towns finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes.
Off the bench, Mohamed Diawara (14 PTS, 4-8 3PT) swished a three, redeeming his dud performance last night. Then, with a minute left, Mitchell Robinson tried to drive a rebound to the hoop but was dropped by Trendon Watford. While Mitch lay on the floor, Watford stood over him. The newest Knick, Jose Alvarado, took exception, told Watford so, and tensions rose. Philly’s Nick Nurse entered the court, trying to break up the congregating players. The coach and Alvarado were assessed offsetting techs. Watching Jose—26 PTS, 8-13 3PT, 5 steals, four assists, three boards, and +35 in 19 minutes—I can’t help thinking what fun Thibs would have had with such a magnificent menace.
New York won the first quarter, 36-23, and the good vibes continued in the second. Diawara drilled again from deep. Alvarado hit back-to-back triples early in the second quarter, and then a third at the midway point. New York was on a 9-0 run, going up by 27. The stadium rocked with Let’s Go Knicks chants. Philly’s supporters tried to drown them out to no avail.
With Joel Embiid out, Nurse started Adem Bona at center. Neither Bona nor Andre Drummond (2 PTS, 4 RBS) could contain KAT and Mitch. Through the half, the former had 16 points, the latter had four blocks. For one delightful stretch, Coach Mike Brown played a lineup that included Jalen Brunson (8 PTS, 30 MIN), Alvarado, Towns, and Robinson. The height in the frontcourt compensated for the height in the backcourt.
Tyrese Maxey (32 PTS, 9-21 FG) tried to keep Philadelphia afloat, but his was mostly a solo performance. By halftime, New York was steamrolling the Cheesesteaks, 72-42.
The Knicks’ 24 assists set a franchise record for a half. They had outshot the home team 58% to 35% from the field and 50% to 13% (2-of-15) from deep, beat them in the paint (34-24), and won the glass (26-20). Bridges and Maxey led their teams with 19 points apiece.
Out of the intermission, the Knicks promptly pushed the lead to 33 points, then got sloppy, turning the ball over twice. Philly didn’t capitalize on New York’s mistakes, however. Maxey did his best but received scant assistance from VJ Edgecombe (14 PTS, 0-5 3PT) and Dominick Barlow (13 PTS), and no help from Kelly Oubre, Jr. (2 PTS, 0-6 FG, 30 MIN), Bona (6 PTS, 5 RBS), or their bench.
Maxey and Edgecombe trimmed the differential from 34 to 22 by the three-minute mark. Towards the end of the frame, Nurse resorted to hack-a-Mitch. The big fella went 5-of-8 from the line, so joke’s on you, jerk. Mitch finished with 11 points and six points to go with those four blocks.
With Alvarado adding another triple and Clarkson scoring seven points, New York regained a hefty lead by the break. 104-71 after three.
To start the fourth, Alvarado stroked another three-ball, then jumped a passing lane for his second steal, THEN hit another trey. And another. Pinch me, I’m in love—and so was the half of the crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena that was chanting Jose! Jose! Jose!
The Knicks were up by 40, so Brown thought it safe to field an assortment of Alvarado, Tyler Kolek, Diawara (who hit another longball), Kevin McCullar, Jr., and Ariel Hukporti. Sweet lord, Alvarado had back-to-back steals, then hit a career-tying eighth three-pointer. After that, Brown decided Jose deserved a rest and subbed him out. Diawara and Kolek hit from deep, Hukporti dunked, and every Knick available scored. What a win to carry them into the break.
Up Next
Like an oasis in the NBA desert, the All-Star break awaits. Rest up, Knickerbockers.
TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 11: Paul Reed #7 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the Toronto Raptors on February 11, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When you have Paul Reed, anything is possible. When you have Paul Reed and a Cade Cunningham who is hitting his threes, the Detroit Pistons are nearly unstoppable. Add those ingredients to an absolutely locked-in, suffocating team defense, and Detroit is invincible. The Pistons had everything going in a 113-95 road win over the Raptors.
Detroit entered tonight without three of its top eight players, with its top two big men in Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart suspended and Ron Holland out for personal reasons. It did not matter. It just allowed Paul Reed to shine.
Reed went 7-of-7 from the floor in the first quarter for 15 points. He hit a three, he cut into the lane for dunks, he used fancy footwork to knife his way to the rim, and he blocked shots. He did it all. He finished the night with 22 points, five rebounds, four blocks, three steals, and three assists. It was a vintage B-Ball Paul performance.
He wasn’t the only player to shine for the Pistons, though. Cade Cunnigham looked like he wanted to show the world why he was one of the leading vote-getters for the All-Star team with an absolutely dominant performance. He scored 28 points, hit four threes, added nine assists, and seven rebounds. He also played zero minutes in the fourth quarter because the Pistons had the game well in hand.
Detroit built up a 14-point lead in the second quarter, and aside from a couple quick spurts from Toronto that it was able to respond to, that is where the game hovered for the majority. Detroit’s team defense was absolutely on point tonight, and only got stronger as the night went along. The Pistons held Toronto to 43 second-half points en route to ballooning its lead to as high as 23 before letting the reserves get plenty of garbage-time action.
Tobias Harris added a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double as the veteran took on more of the rebounding load in the absence of his two big men. Things were going so well for the Pistons that Kevin Huerter even hit a 3-pointer for his new team. It was his first with the club. Hopefully it was the first of many to come.
The Raptors were able to stay competitive early with some hot 3-point shooting, but eventually cooled off and faded away. They finished 10-of-32 from deep on the night. They were led by 18 points from Immanuel Quickley and 17 points from Scottie Barnes.
The Pistons enter the All-Star break 40-13 and are tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the fewest losses in the NBA. When the final buzzer sounded they had a six-game lead in the East and prepare for a fun All-Star weekend that will feature both Cunningham and Duren.
It’s been a hell of a season so far, and this doesn’t strike me as a team that is going to let up anytime soon.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jose Alvarado scored a season-high 26 points and Mikal Bridges added 22 points as the New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 138-89 Wednesday night.
The Knicks bounced back from an overtime home lost to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night for their 10th win in 12 games. Two of those victories have come against the Sixers. The teams split their four-game season series.
Alvarado, acquired last week from New Orleans, shot 8 for 13 from 3-point range and finished with five steals.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Mohamed Diawara scored 14 points. Jalen Brunson, who scored 40 points against the Pacers, scored eight on Tuesday.
Tyrese Maxey led the way with 32 points in three quarters for the 76ers, who played without center Joel Embiid, who sat due to right knee soreness. VJ Edgecombe added 14 points, and Dominick Barlow scored 13.
The 76ers, who lost their second straight and for the third time in four games, were held to a season-low point total, just their third game under 100 points this season.
The Knicks jumped out to a 16-4 lead thanks to nine points from Bridges. They led by 30 at the half. The Knicks shot 58% from the field in the first half, paced by 19 points from Bridges and 16 from Towns. They finished with a season-high 41 assists.
Embiid missed his second straight game. He hadn’t missed consecutive games since Dec. 19-20. Quentin Grimes missed a second straight game due to illness.
OG Anunoby missed this fourth straight game for the Knicks with a right toenail avulsion.
Up next
Knicks: Host the Detroit Piston on Thursday, Feb. 19.
76ers: Host the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, Feb. 19.
Feb 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) stands on the court in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won five straight after knocking down the Washington Wizards 138-113.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Donovan Mitchell
30 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
The Cavs can thank Mitchell for dragging them through the early stretch of the season. Now? All systems are cleared for takeoff as Cleveland has one of the best players in the league, with the best record since late December, and one of the easiest remaining schedules.
Grade: A+
James Harden
13 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds
Harden looks like he’s playing in a sandbox. With a dominant pick-and-roll partner and three-point shooters galore around him, we’ve seen Harden dish the ball at an elite level over his last three games. Tonight was no different.
He might have only taken four shot attempts, but he managed to get himself to the line for 12 free throws.
Grade: A–
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That’s the only way to describe the last week Allen has played. Another 25 points and 9 rebounds feels too easy, at this point.
Grade: A+
Jaylon Tyson
7 points, 1 assist, 5 rebounds
Tyson didn’t have his shot falling tonight. That’s no big deal; the Cavs didn’t need him to score. He finished as a plus-19 despite shooting 2-6 from the floor.
Ellis will quickly earn rotation minutes if he plays like this. Quality off-ball movement, disruptive defense, and efficient shooting. These are all the makings of a fine role player.
Grade: A-
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
Is it too late to enter Qwan into the dunk contest?
At one point in this game, Tomlin picked someone’s pockets and then threw down a viscious windmill dunk. It’s the type of stuff that’s become common for this newly minted NBA wing.
Grade: B+
Dennis Schroder
7 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds
Schroder struggled from the floor but made up for it by getting to the free-throw line and going 5-5.
Grade: C+
Sam Merrill
32 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Whew, this was a heat check if I’ve ever seen one.
Merrill shot 7-for-7 from deep in the first half, lighting up the Wizards for 26 points without even missing a shot. He finished the game with a career-high 32 points and only missed one field goal. Sammy, this was something special.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Chazadi Wright scored 21 points, Hannah Stuelke posted her seventh double-double this season, and 15th-ranked Iowa beat No. 25 Washington 65-56 on Wednesday night to end a three-game losing streak.
Wright finished 5 of 8 from 3-point range and distributed a team-high four assists. Stuelke scored 14 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds, and Ava Heiden added 11 points for Iowa (19-5, 10-3 Big Ten).
Elle Ladine scored 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting, Sayvia Sellers added 14 points and Avery Howell grabbed 10 rebounds for the Huskies (18-7, 8-6).
Both teams shot 46% from the field, with each shooting 25 of 54.
Sellers made two foul shots to bring Washington within 51-47 less than a minute into the fourth quarter. But Wright followed with a four-point play for a 55-47 advantage and the Hawkeyes maintained a safe margin from there.
Iowa outscored the Huskies 17-5 in the second quarter as Washington was 2-of-9 shooting without a trip to the foul line.
Feb 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) reacts in front of Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe after making a three-point basket in the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers took down the Washington Wizards 138-113. This is Cleveland’s fifth consecutive win. They have turned their season around and are rolling into the All-Star break with style.
Sam Merrill stole the show in this one. He erupted for 26 points in the first half while shooting 7-of-7 from deep and 9-for-9 from the floor. He’s tied for the most consecutive three-point makes in the opening half of a game since at least 2002-03.
Merrill's 7-7 mark from three is tied for the most 3FGM without a miss by any @NBA player in an opening half since at least 2002-03. He is the 1st @cavs player to accomplish the feat in that span. https://t.co/pq98aVQzXB
Merrill finished with a career-high 32 points and 9 three-pointers. He put on a masterclass in moving without the ball and scoring with efficiency. There aren’t many things more entertaining than watching a sharpshooter like Merrill catch fire.
Donovan Mitchell was pretty good, too. He scored 30 points for the 28th time this season and 99th time as a member of the Cavaliers. This has been the best season of Mitchell’s career as he’s kept this team afloat at their worst and pushed them into title contention at their best. It’s no surprise that Mitchell will be representing the Cavs as an All-Star this weekend.
Other Cavaliers that deserve a shout-out include Nae’Qwan Tomlin, who recorded a handful of impressive steals and threw down a windmill slam. And James Harden, whose behind-the-back pocket pass is one of the nastiest things I’ve seen all season.
Jarrett Allen had 21 points and 9 rebounds, falling just short of his fifth consecutive double-double. Allen has been on a tear recently, and he didn’t even miss a shot tonight (8-8 from the floor).
This wasn’t just a dominant game against a lottery-dwelling team like the Wizards. It was another strong performance in a string of big games that has put the Cavaliers back into the NBA’s upper echelon. They are quickly climbing up the standings and will have a full week off to get healthy following the All-Star Break.
TWIN LAKES, Iowa (AP) — A community college bus carrying the school’s baseball team crashed and overturned in a ditch in rural Iowa on Wednesday, authorities and media reports said, killing one person and injuring all the other 32 occupants.
The 11 a.m. crash involved the Iowa Lakes Community College bus and no other vehicles, the Iowa State Patrol said in a statement. It occurred on a highway near Twin Lakes, about 110 miles (180 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines.
Three people were airlifted to trauma hospitals in Des Moines, said Bruce Musgrave, director of Calhoun County emergency services, and others were taken by ambulance to four hospitals in the area.
KTIV reported that the college’s baseball team was on board.
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Latrell Wrightsell Jr. tied his career high with seven 3-pointers and finished with 21 points, Labaron Philon scored 18, and Alabama overcame a cold-shooting start to beat Mississippi 93-74 on Wednesday night and extended the Rebels' losing streak to six games.
Charles Bediako did not play for the Crimson Tide after his motion for a preliminary injunction was denied in circuit court. The 7-foot center played two years at Alabama before he went undrafted in 2023 and appeared in 37 games across three seasons in the NBA G League.
Aiden Sherrell scored 15 points and Amari Allen had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Alabama (17-7, 7-4 SEC). Aden Holloway added 12 points and six assists.
AJ Storr led Ole Miss (11-13, 3-8) with 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Eduardo Klafke had 12 points and a career-high nine rebounds. Klafke, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, scored 10 points or more for the third consecutive game and the fourth of his career.
Sherrell scored the first seven points while Wrightsell, Allen and Holloway each hit a 3 in a 19-6 run that gave Alabama a 51-38 lead with 13:38 left in the game, and it was at least a two-possession game the rest of the way.
Storr scored 13 points — including the Rebels' first 11 — in a 15-5 run that gave them a nine-point lead with 9:10 left in the first half. Alabama scored 11 of the next 13 before Allen and Philon made back-to-back 3-pointers and Holloway added a layup to give the Crimson Tide a 32-30 lead in the intermission — their lowest-scoring first half this season. Ole Miss went 0 for 10 from the field over a span of about 6 1/2 minutes in the first half.
The Crimson Tide shot 53% from the field, made 12 of their 22 3-pointers and scored 61 points in second half.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs waived forward Jeremy Sochan after being unable to find a trade partner before last week's deadline.
The Spurs announced the move to cut ties with Sochan on Thursday before playing the Golden State Warriors in their final game before the All-Star break.
Sochan was drafted ninth overall in 2022 by San Antonio. Sochan averaged double digits in each of his first three seasons, but averaged just 4.1 points in 28 games this season. Sochan was playing only 12.8 minutes per game — less than half of his playing time for his first three seasons — and hadn't started once after starting 149 of his 184 games before this season.
Coach Mitch Johnson praised Sochan's energy and wished him the best.
“We were all very aware of his desire to be in the rotation, given more of an opportunity than he had, especially recently,” Johnson said. "We wanted to do right by him and make sure that he had that opportunity before the year was over.”
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Riley Makalusky scored 20 points in 20 minutes off the bench, Kierra Wheeler scored 18 points, and No. 19 West Virginia blew out UCF 106-56 on Wednesday night for the Mountaineers' fourth straight win.
Makalusky, a junior forward, had her highest scoring game since she was a freshman playing for Butler. She made 7 of 10 shots overall, 3 of 4 3-pointers and went 3 for 3 at the free-throw line.
Sydney Woodley scored 16 points off the bench, Jordan Harrison and Gia Cooke 12 each and Sydney Shaw 10. Wheeler and Shaw grabbed nine rebounds each. Harrison, who had at least 14 points and five steals in her past four games, had four steals and eight assists.
West Virginia had a 41-0 advantage in points after turnovers. The Mountaineers had only seven turnovers to 23 for UCF.
West Virginia (21-5, 11-3 Big 12) led 13-4 after 5 1/2 minutes of play, then extended the lead to 24-6 thanks to an 11-0 run. The Mountaineers led 24-8 after one quarter and the lead reached 25 points after back-to-back 3-pointers by Makalusky, who scored 12 points in the first half. West Virginia led 45-22 at halftime.
The Mountaineers shot 68% (13 for 19) in the third quarter and scored 31 points for their biggest scoring quarter of the game. They led 76-38 heading to the fourth quarter and scored another 30 points.
Mahogany Chandler-Roberts scored 12 points to lead the Knights (10-14, 2-11).
Central Florida has lost six in a row.
Up next
West Virginia: The Mountaineers hit the road to face No. 17 TCU on Sunday.
UCF: The Knights return home to play No. 12 Baylor on Sunday. ___
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Bruce Thornton scored 21 points and hit two late throws to help Ohio State secure an 89-82 win over USC on Wednesday.
Ohio State (16-6, 8-6 Big Ten) trailed 43-40 at halftime after opening 2 of 13 at the free-throw line, but Thornton steadied the Buckeyes in the second half. He became the fifth player in program history to reach 1,935 career points and moved into fifth all-time in Ohio State scoring.
The Buckeyes grabbed their largest lead at 67-60 with eight minutes left after a Devin Royal layup and a John Mobley Jr. 3-pointer. USC (18-7, 7-7) answered with a 7-0 run capped by a Jordan Marsh 3 to cut it to 70-69, but Christoph Tilly scored inside, and Royal added a jumper to push the margin back to five.
Alijah Arenas hit a 3-pointer with 1:09 remaining to pull USC within 82-81, but Thornton responded with a driving layup and converted the free throw to make it 85-81. USC missed two shots in the final 30 seconds, and Thornton closed it out at the line.
Royal scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Ohio State, and Mobley added 13. Thornton reached double figures for the 23rd time this season.
Arenas scored 25 points for USC, Kam Woods added 14 and Ezra Ausar finished with 13 points and nine rebounds before fouling out. The Trojans have played eight consecutive games decided by seven points or fewer.
