FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Clara Strack had 33 points and 15 rebounds, Teonni Key also had a double-double, and No. 18 Kentucky defeated Arkansas 93-73 on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak.
Kentucky led by only six points at halftime and it was 60-49 heading to the fourth quarter. The Wildcats outscored the Razorbacks 33-24 in the fourth.
The Wildcats' lead was 66-53 early in the fourth before they went on a 13-0 run in less than 2 1/2 minutes, extending their lead to 79-53. Kentucky led by at least 19 points the rest of the way.
Strack had 15 points and nine rebounds as the Wildcats built a modest 34-28 halftime lead.
Strack, a junior center, did not block a shot. Her 63 blocks are second in the nation and she remains 10 blocks away from tying her own single-season school record.
Key had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Kentucky (18-5, 4-4 SEC), which also got 16 points from Amelia Hassett, 14 from Tonie Morgan and 11 off the bench from Asia Boone.
Emily Robinson scored 20, Taleyah Jones 19 and Bonnie Deas 18 for Arkansas (11-11, 0-8). The rest of the team scored 16 points.
Kentucky had lost three straight for the first time under coach Kenny Brooks, who is in his second season with the program.
Up next
Kentucky: No. 5 Vanderbilt visits Historic Memorial Coliseum on Thursday.
This week's Peacock NBA Monday action features two fascinating games. First is a Western Conference showdown with Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves visiting the Memphis Grizzlies. That is followed by Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers visiting one of the hottest teams in the NBA, Kawhi Leonard's Los Angeles Clippers.
Live coverage begins at 6:30 PM ET on NBCSN and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch each game and follow all of the NBA action on NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Clippers Preview:
This is the 76ers and Clippers second meeting this season, but neither team will look anything like the sides that took the court back on Nov. 17. The Clippers did not have Kawhi Leonard on the roster, and he has driven their 16-4 run since just before Christmas. The 76ers did have Paul George but did not have Joel Embiid for that game, it will be flipped on Monday night.
George has been suspended for 25 games for "violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program," the league announced Saturday. George said in the process of seeking treatment for a mental health issue, "I made the mistake of taking an improper medication. I take full responsibility for my actions." He will not be able to return until March 25. The 76ers are going to miss his 16 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, but the play of Kelly Oubre will help make up for his absence.
Philadelphia will still roll out plenty of star power on Monday night in Southern California. Tyrese Maxey was voted an All-Star Game starter — in this same Intuit Dome building on Feb. 15 — and he continues to play at a potential First Team All-NBA level, including scoring the game-winner against the Kings last week.
Joel Embiid has looked as close to his MVP self in recent weeks as he has in years — he has scored 29+ points in seven consecutive games. Over his last six games, Embiid has averaged 33.2 points, 9 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 50% from 3-point range.
When the Clippers were 6-21 and their season looked lost, coach Tyronn Lue challenged his players to get back to .500 by the end of the season. Since then, the team has gone 16-4 and already pushed its way into the top 10 in the West and the play-in mix. Leonard has been the driving force of this run. In his last 15 games, he's averaged 29.7 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 41.9% from 3-point range and playing elite defense. The Clippers have a +4.9 net rating when Leonard and James Harden share the court, the veterans have found a real rhythm together.
How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Clippers:
The first game of the night is a Western Conference showdown, a rematch of Saturday night's game, in which Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves went into Memphis and beat the Grizzlies comfortably, 131-114. Minnesota is one of the hottest teams in the NBA of late, with a top-10 offense and defense, but the Grizzlies are looking for some revenge. The showdown is on Peacock and starts at 7:30 Eastern.
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule:
Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) — Freddie Dilione V had 25 points and Kayden Mingo scored with one second left as Penn State snapped an eight-game losing streak by extending Minnesota's skid to seven with a 77-75 victory on Sunday.
Mingo buried a 3-pointer and Dilione had the final two baskets in a 9-0 spurt to give Penn State a 69-58 lead with 6:31 left.
Cade Tyson made four free throws, Langston Reynolds sank a pair, and Grayson Grove tipped in a miss as the Golden Gophers used an 8-0 run to cut it to 71-70 with 2:31 remaining. Dilione and Reynolds traded baskets before Mingo turned a steal into a layup for a three-point lead with 49 seconds to go.
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson had a layup and Reynolds made the first of two free throws with 31 seconds left to tie it 75-all. Mingo ran the clock down to eight seconds before beginning his game-winning drive to the basket.
Dilione made 11 of 17 shots with a 3-pointer in the first winning effort in Big Ten Conference play this season for the Nittany Lions (10-12, 1-10).
Josh Reed sank four 3-pointers — all in the first half — and scored 18 for Penn State. Mingo scored 14 on 6-for-17 shooting, while Dominick Stewart pitched in with 12 points.
Langston Reynolds had 18 points and seven assists to lead the Golden Gophers (10-12, 3-8). Cade Tyson added 17 points, Bobby Durkin hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 and Isaac Asuma added 12 points.
Reed had 16 points and Dilione scored 13 to guide the Nittany Lions to a 41-31 lead at halftime.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 26: Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket around center Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Rocket Arena on October 26, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The second apron restricts teams from aggregating salaries in a trade. That means the Cavs can’t send out multiple players in a deal unless they’re able to get under the second apron in the process. This made it nearly impossible for the Cavs to enter the trade talks for someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo until now.
The Hunter trade makes that a possibility.
Whether or not the Cavs would want to trade for someone like Antetokounmpo is unknown. What we do know is that the Cavs are very active in trade discussions and could be willing to make a “home run swing.”
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Mark Price shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
Whether or not the Cavs or the Bucks would have any interest in that type of deal is unknown.
If I were Milwaukee, I’d prefer the above Cavs options over any of the other underwhelming trade packages that have been theorized, even if Jimmy Haslam wouldn’t want to help one of the two functional Cleveland professional sports teams. I mean, what are you realistically supposed to do with deals centered around Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby or RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram if you’re the Bucks?
This theoretically also brings other bigger-named players into the trade discussions, but it’s harder to justify a move for a $40 million per year guy if it isn’t someone worth giving up Garland for.
As an example, the Cavs could trade Garland and Strus to the Utah Jazz for Lauri Markkanen, but that would leave a crater-sized hole at point guard, which you’d have to fill in a subsequent trade. The same is true if you wanted to target Domantas Sabonis. A $40 million per-year player doesn’t feasibly work with just Allen and rotation filler, even if Ball is out of the picture.
Similarly, the move also doesn’t make it easier to trade for LeBron James this season. The Cavs would need to give up Garland in a deal like that, given the trade restrictions around moving Schroder or Ellis before the deadline.
That said, the Hunter trade does give the Cavs more room to make deals this offseason. Additionally, certain players that aren’t available to them now with Allen will be more attainable once Allen’s deal switches over to the approximately $30 million value it will be next season.
The Hunter for Ellis and Schroder swap makes sense on its own, but it could also be the opening salvo in what could be a busy trade season. We’ll see if the Cavs make any more major moves before the Feb. 5 deadline.
SACRAMENTO, CA - JANUARY 16: Justin Champagnie #9 of the Washington Wizards goes up for the dunk during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 16, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards play the Sacramento Kings at 6:00 p.m. today at Capital One Arena. Watch the game on Monumental Sports Network.
LONDON (AP) — Caitlin Foord scored on a breakaway in extra time and Arsenal won the inaugural Women's Champions Cup with a 3-2 victory over Brazil's Corinthians on Sunday.
Corinthians leveled the match at 2-2 in second-half stoppage time when Victoria converted a penalty in the pouring rain at Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal, which qualified for the tournament as winners of the UEFA Champions League, earned a spot in the final with a 6-0 defeat of Morocco's ASFAR in Wednesday's semifinals.
Smith, who also scored in the semifinal, opened scoring in the 15th minute when Corinthians goalkeeper Leticia punched a shot from Stina Blackstenius into Smith's path.
Six minutes later, Corinthians evened the score with Gabriela Zanotti's goal that crossed the line before Arsenal goalkeeper Anneke Borbe could get to it. The 40-year-old Zanotti also scored in Corinthians' 1-0 semifinal victory over Gotham FC.
Lotte Wubben-Moy scored the go-ahead goal in the 58th with a header off a cross by Emily Fox as FIFA President Gianni Infantino looked on.
It appeared that Arsenal had the trophy in hand, but video review awarded a penalty to Corinthians after Katie McCabe's foul in the box in stoppage time, sending the vocal group of Corinthians fans at the match into a frenzy.
Foord put Arsenal back in front with the winning goal in the 104th minute. Arsenal's Borbe was involved in a collision in front of her goal in the waning moments of the match and had to be stretchered off with an injury.
Gotham won the third-place match 4-0 over ASFAR earlier in the day. Khyah Harper, who started after coming in as a substitute in the semifinal, opened scoring with a goal in the 27th minute.
Gotham doubled the lead with a goal from Savannah McCaskill and Jaedyn Shaw converted a penalty to make it 3-0 before halftime. Midge Purce added the final goal in the 48th.
Gotham qualified by winning the first CONCACAF Champions Cup with a 1-0 victory over Mexico’s Tigres last May. Corinthians won the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores Femenina to earn a spot and ASFAR won the CAF Champions League.
Two continental champions were eliminated in earlier rounds: Auckland United from Oceania and Wuhan Chegu Jiangda representing Asia.
The six-team women’s Champions Cup was created as an intercontinental championship for women’s club teams. It builds on a growing number of regional club competitions, led by the success of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
FIFA also is introducing a 16-team Women’s Club World Cup, which will launch in 2028 and be played every four years. The new Champions Cup will be held every year, except years when the Club World Cup takes place.
CHARLOTTE, NC - JANUARY 31: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on January 31, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Darren Carroll/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There’s a moment in every parent’s life when, from a place of experience, you advise your child not to do something, and they proceed to disregard you.
It is, so far as I can tell, a universal experience, bypassing borders and languages, regions and classes, prejudices and ethnicities, and religions and political affiliations. In certain ways, youth is simply incorrigible.
And the thing is, most of the time, it’s not even outright defiance.
One of my most treasured photos of my daughter is on the lockscreen of my phone. She’s in the middle of scaling one of the low fences at the edge of a Hat Creek playground, and just to the right of her is a metal sign bearing the words: PLEASE DO NOT CLIMB ON THE FENCE.
She was two years old, unable to read the sign, and unable to see any danger in the empty parking lot beyond the fence. It’s not that the rules and danger didn’t exist; they simply were not apparent to her at the time.
She had no conception of how the parking lot would fill, or how cars might incautiously cruise through the empty lot on the way to another destination. Her perception of reality was not so much wrong as it was limited by her childish understanding of cause and effect, the exterior world, and the flow of time.
Empty parking lots stayed empty. The inattentive would surely be attentive to her. Fences were barriers to access rather than barriers of protection.
Though adults are frequently guilty of it, no one is more self-assured of their import to the world than a toddler who has spent their life at the center of adoration.
You can find another form of this self-assurance in that of a young team exceeding expectations and timelines, positioned to be darlings in the media narrative, already so in the eyes of their fans, and that can lead to a certain kind of complacency.
It’s a different sort of complacency from that of a perpetual lottery team (or the perpetually middling) in that it comes from a place of competency, of skill, of the sentiment that talent outweighs effort. Or, at the very least, that it allows for effort to wax and wane without consequence.
Ever since San Antonio’s repeated defeats of the Oklahoma City Thunder, we’ve seen that very specific brand of complacency creeping in, and it reared its head in the 1st half against the Hornets in the same way that it did a week ago against the Pelicans, and earlier in January against the depleted Grizzlies and banged-up Trailblazers.
For all the complaints about their third-quarter woes, the Spurs also allow the 4th most points scored in the NBA in the 1st quarter, and the 8th most in the 2nd quarter. They limp out of January with an 8-7 record and the 19th-ranked offense for the month.
They’re not taking the opposition seriously unless the opposition sits high in the standings.
And to their credit, they’ve performed well against those teams, knowing that there’s no margin for error against the likes of the Knicks, and the Lakers, and the Celtics, and the Timberwolves.
There have been some seriously impressive wins during this stretch. Maybe too impressive for a group of youngsters who believe all too strongly that they can simply flip the switch against lesser opponents — who see no real danger until it’s almost already too late (and often is).
The thing is, though, they’re not toddlers anymore. They’re more like teenagers who can feel the edge of adulthood on the horizon and have convinced themselves that they’re ready for all of the adult decisions and the inherent challenges of independence.
And there’s a kind of beauty in that. The Spurs have beaten teams better than them because they don’t know what they don’t know. They’ve walked out wild and fearless into the world of contention, and they haven’t been really and truly crushed yet.
Cormac McCarthy once wrote that it was good that God kept the truths of life from the young as they were starting out, or else they’d have no heart to start at all.
I’m beginning to suspect that it’s going to take their first real jaunt into the postseason for these young Spurs to grasp the reality of what it takes to win — the vigilance required of champions. The focus. The wariness. The paranoia. The notion of no nights off.
For now, we’re just going to have to endure the incredible highs and lows of youth. The stumbling that often feels momentous. The lessons that somehow fail to translate to everything else and somehow fail to stick.
The Spurs can read the signs now. They remain skeptical of the empty parking lot.
I’m not sure that Mitch Johnson will be able to knock that out of them. I’m not sure Pop would have been able to either.
I’m sure he had to endure nights where even the great Tim Duncan miscalculated against the opposition. I’m sure it happened more than we care to remember, lost in the irrepressible mythos of Duncan’s focus and reliability.
It’s something these Spurs are going to have to figure out on their own. It’s probably going to take more than a few hard lessons and unexpected losses. As a fan, I have faith that they’re going to get there. It’s the same kind of hope you hold as a parent. There’s really no other choice.
In the meantime, however, I wouldn’t let these youngsters borrow your car.
Buy them a clunker. They’re not done crashing yet.
Takeaways
Though Harrison Barnes continues to slowly climb his way out of one of the worst three-point slumps I can recall since the days of Danny ‘Icy Hot’ Green, Mitch Johnson made the decision to move him to the bench squad and give Julian Champagnie the starting role. Though Champagnie has been getting time in the starting unit this season, this marks the first time that’s happened with both Barnes and Vassell healthy, and it’s a much-deserved sign of the progress that Champagnie has made over the years. Specifically, he’s been red hot over the last 10 games, averaging a career-high 13 points per game, while leading the team in Effective Field Goal Percentage, True Shooting Percentage, and Player Impact Estimate in that span to boot. Barnes responded by going 3-5 from three, and without ego, and if that keeps up, I’d wager the change will be permanent outside of specific match-ups and/or trade scenarios.
I’m not sure how to say this, but Wemby’s defense has been pretty subpar over the last 10 games, and his defensive rating ranks 8th on the team over that stretch for players getting non-garbage-time minutes (all hail defensive rating leader Jordan McLaughlin!). Consequently, the Spurs have ranked 12th in defensive rating during that span, which is a real problem when you’re also 19th in offensive rating for the month. The Spurs are going to have to improve defensively or offensively if they want to hold onto a top 4 spot in the West. I’d prefer that it to be both, but like John Lennon, I’m a dreamer who writes cloying (and somewhat contradictory) lyrics. ♫ Imagine there’s no flopping. It’s easy if you try…♫
Look, I love Stephon Castle. He’s got grit. He’s got desire. He’s got that ineffable thing that never lets him quit. Watching him defensively punk the Houston Rockets in the 4th quarter this week, I felt closer to him than some of my own family members. But until he finds his shot consistently and is able to slide over to shooting guard, we’re just not going to see the best of De’Aaron Fox and San Antonio’s offense. While Fox is a better shooter, it’s clear that he is most comfortable (and useful) with the ball in his hands to create the driving threat that gives him space for his jumper. Fox has yet to match the stretch he had when Castle (and Wemby) were out, and the offense really needs that version of him back. Unfortunately, Castle is 9th in True Shooting on the team over the last 10 games (and 13th for the season), so that dream may have to wait another year.
Also, this is a super fun little stat, but you’ll never guess who’s been leading the Spurs in defensive rating over the last 10 games. If you guessed Luke Kornet, you were close, but it’s actually rookie Dylan Harper! And while a lot of his defense is coming against opposing team’s benches, it’s yet another feather in the cap of what’s sure to be the scary other half of San Antonio’s lottery guard tandem. In the words of Timbuk 3, the future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Joshua Jefferson scored 19 points to lead five players in double figures as No. 8 Iowa beat Kansas State 95-61 on Sunday.
The Cyclones (20-2, 7-2 Big 12 Conference) got 18 points from Milan Momcilovic, 16 from Tamin Lipsey, 13 from Killyan Toure and 11 from Nate Heise en route to their fourth consecutive win.
They handed the Wildcats (10-12, 1-8 Big 12) their worst loss under coach Jerome Tang, who was hired ahead of the 2023 season.
Iowa State used two big runs in the first half to build a 29-point lead at the break. The second was a suffocating 25-4 run that covered nearly five minutes.
The Cyclones held the Wildcats to a season-low 21 points in the first half. The Wildcats shot just 31% from the field and matched their largest halftime deficit of the season. It swelled to 39 points in the second half.
P.J. Haggerty led Kansas State with 23 points and nine rebounds. Since transferring from Memphis, Haggerty has scored in double digits in all 22 of Kansas State’s games this season.
David Castillo added 11 points, including a 4-of-10 performance beyond the arc, for the Wildcats.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Snudda Collins scored 28 points off the bench, including the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, and No. 21 Texas Tech knocked off No. 12 TCU 62-60 on Sunday.
Collins matched her career high by scoring 28 points for the second time in three games. Her 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining gave the Lady Raiders a 58-55 lead and she made one of two free throws for a four-point lead with four seconds left. The free throw proved important when Olivia Miles nailed a 3 to get TCU within a point with less than two seconds remaining. Collins again made one of two from the line for the final margin.
Miles and Marta Suarez scored 15 points each and Donovyn Hunter, whose 3-pointer had tied it at 55 in the final minute, added 11 points for TCU (20-3, 8-2). Suarez had 12 rebounds.
The Horned Frogs had the opportunity to take sole possession of first place after Baylor lost to West Virginia but Baylor and TCU remain tied. Texas Tech (21-3, 8-3) and West Virginia are tied for third place.
Reserve Sidney Love scored 10 points for Texas Tech. The starters scored only 22 points.
Texas Tech led only briefly a few times in the first three quarters and TCU led 40-36 heading to the fourth. Collins scored 15 points in the fourth, and it was her three-point play that gave the Lady Raiders a 54-52 lead at the three-minute mark.
A three-point play by Clara Silva gave TCU an 11-5 lead midway through the first quarter but the Horned Frogs managed only 13 points the remainder of the half, Still, TCU led 24-22 at halftime.
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Sebastian Rancik had 17 points, Isaiah Johnson scored 16 and Colorado cruised to an 87-61 victory over TCU on Sunday, snapping a six-game losing streak.
Rancik came off the bench to sink 6 of 8 shots — 3 of 4 from 3-point range — for the Buffaloes (13-9, 3-6 Big 12 Conference). He added six rebounds and three assists. Johnson made 5 of 11 shots with three 3-pointers, adding five assists.
Reserve Bangot Dak scored 14 on 7-for-8 shooting for Colorado. Josiah Sanders totaled 12 points and six assists, while Barrington Hargress scored 10.
Xavier Edmonds had 13 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Horned Frogs (13-9, 3-6). All four of his double-doubles this season have come in the past four games.
Colorado made 8 of its first 11 shots and got baskets from seven different players in the first eight minutes but managed only a 20-17 lead because TCU came out shooting at a 50% clip — 6 for 12.
Colorado had the lead over the final 12:15 of the half but didn't push its advantage past two possessions until Sanders' three-point play made it 30-21 with 4:27 remaining. Sanders and Rancik both had eight points by halftime as the Buffaloes extended their lead to 38-25. TCU got no closer than 10 after the break.
Colorado made 35 of 63 shots (56%) to TCU's 33% effort (21 for 63). The Buffs hit 48% from beyond the arc — 11 for 23. The Frogs made 5 of 23 from distance (21.7%).
Colorado finished with 24 assists. TCU had eight assists and made only 15 of 51 shots in the final 32 minutes.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 14: Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors drives into Kyle Filipowski #22 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of a game at Delta Center on March 14, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Utah Jazz will take on the Toronto Raptors to kick off a five-game road trip. Utah is 1-9 in their last ten and on a fast track to the top of the lottery standings.
Toronto is going in the other direction. They’re 29-21 for the season and are sitting at 4th in the Eastern Conference standings. They’re only two games back of both the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics with the Eastern Conference up for grabs. It’ll be interesting to see what Toronto does this trade deadline to see if they make a move to improve their chances in the playoffs. Utah, on the other hand, is very likely to move off of multiple veterans to give more time to their young players and find a way to get the best possible spot come lottery night. Utah is already sitting at 6th in the lottery standings, and there’s no reason to believe they can’t get to where they were last season, at the very top.
Injury Report
The Utah Jazz released their updated injury report, and it looks like the turned ankle that Keyonte George suffered at the end of their game against the Nets is keeping him out.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The long, strange trip the San Antonio Spurs faced to get home from the East Coast led to another time change for their game Sunday against the Orlando Magic.
The Spurs will now host the Magic at 8 p.m. CST, five hours after the original tipoff.
The Spurs left Charlotte at 9:20 a.m. Sunday, but the flight was diverted to Atlanta because of what a team official said was a minor mechanical issue. The flight landed at 11:01 a.m. in Atlanta, where the Spurs remained for more than two hours before switching planes for their flight home. They arrived in San Antonio at 3:25 p.m.
Victor Wembanyama (left calf soreness) and (Stephon Castle (left adductor tightness) were both questionable for the game.
The Magic have been in San Antonio since Saturday morning.
San Antonio (32-16) entered the day sitting in third place in the Western Conference behind Oklahoma City (38-11) and Denver (33-16).
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Kierra Wheeler had 18 points and 15 rebounds, Jordan Harrison also scored 18 points, and No. 22 West Virginia defeated No. 14 Baylor 70-60 on Sunday.
The loss potentially knocked Baylor (19-4, 8-2 Big 12) out of first place in the Big 12 but the Lady Bears got good news later in the day when No. 21 Texas Tech defeated No. 12 TCU 62-60. Baylor and TCU remain tied for first place.
West Virginia extended a six-point halftime lead to 14 points late in the third quarter when Sydney Shaw hit a 3-pointer for a 47-33 lead. The Mountaineers allowed only three field goals in the third, one of them a buzzer-beating layup by Darianna Littlepage-Buggs that made it 47-37 heading to the fourth quarter.
A jumper by Wheeler had the Mountaineers up 53-39 with 7 1/2 minutes remaining, but Littlepage-Buggs drained a 3-pointer and a series of free throws by Taliah Scott and Bella Fontleroy had the Lady Bears within 53-48 a couple of minutes later.
Near the four-minute mark, Shaw nailed her second 3 of the quarter, Gia Cooke followed with a layup a minute later and West Virginia was up 60-49. The Mountaineers led by at least 10 points the rest of the game.
At one point late in the fourth quarter Baylor was 1-for-11 shooting but 9 for 11 at the free-throw line.
For the game, Baylor shot 30% from the field but made 27 of 32 free throws. Both Scott and Fontleroy made 9 of 10 free throws.
Cooke scored 14 points and Shaw added 10 for West Virginia (18-5, 8-3 Big 12).
Scott scored 18, Fontleroy 14 and Littlepage-Buggs 12 for Baylor.
Fifteen of West Virginia’s first 23 points followed Baylor turnovers.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include postgame comments from Alabama coach Nate Oats.
Last month, Charles Bediako returned to Alabama basketball after spending most of the previous three seasons in the G League, a move that has become one of the most contentious and hotly debated subjects in the sport over the past two weeks.
In his first road game since rejoining the No. 23 Crimson Tide, the opposing fans offered constant reminders about his unusual situation.
During Alabama's 100-77 loss on Sunday, Feb. 1 at No. 21 Florida, Bediako was showered for much of the afternoon with chants of "G League Dropout" from the crowd at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.
The 7-foot center turned in his worst performance since returning to Alabama, where he previously played from 2021-23 before embarking on a professional career. After scoring 27 points in his first two games with the Crimson Tide, Bediako was held to six points against the Gators, though he also had a season-high seven rebounds and four blocks. He fouled out with 2:10 remaining and his team trailing by 20. As he walked to the bench, he was once against serenaded with the chant.
Bediako declared for the NBA draft after the 2022-23 season and, after going undrafted, played 82 games in the G League across three seasons, most recently with the Motor City Cruise.
After playing for the Cruise as recently as Jan. 17, Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA by a Tuscaloosa County (Alabama) Circuit Court judge on Jan. 21, allowing him to suit up for the Crimson Tide the past three games.
His preliminary injunction hearing has been rescheduled for Feb. 6 and will be with a new judge after James Roberts Jr., who granted him the restraining order, has recused himself from the case after a motion from the NCAA. Roberts is an active "circle" donor to Crimson Tide Foundation, meaning he gives anywhere between $100,000 to $249,999 to the university.
Among those who had taken aim at Bediako's return to college basketball was Florida head coach Todd Golden.
“They were able to finagle the situation where they got a judge in Alabama that is actually a donor at Alabama to write a temporary restraining order to allow this guy to play games at Alabama. I think there’s a lot of people that aren’t necessarily happy about it and don’t necessarily agree with it,” Golden said on the local 'Gator Talk.' “But with all this intervention from judges, there’s only so much the league can do, there’s only so much other member schools in the league can do. We just need some people to stand up and start taking a stand.”
The 23-point loss Sunday was Alabama's most lopsided of the season. After an 11-3 start, the Crimson Tide are 3-4 in their past seven games.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Alabama coach Nate Oats seemed unfazed at the chants the Crimson Tide faced in an SEC road game:
Here is what Alabama HC Nate Oates said when asked about Charles Bianko’s reception to the O’Dome. #Gatorspic.twitter.com/Ncsywtbw7W
Bediako and Alabama return to action on Feb. 4 with a game against Texas A&M. It's the last game on the Crimson Tide's schedule before Bediako's hearing.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 04: Egor Demin #8 of the Brooklyn Nets gestures during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Barclays Center on January 04, 2026 in New York City. 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 Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons will not get an up-close and personal look at Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter Michael Porter Jr. as the two teams square off today at Little Caesars Arena. Brooklyn’s Porter, who is the best 3-point shooter on the trade block this season, is missing his second consecutive game for personal reasons.
Detroit isn’t expected to make a big move before this week’s NBA Trade Deadline, but there are reports that it is at least exploring the potential of acquiring the extremely available Porter. The wing is exactly the kind of player the Pistons need — a big wing who can shoot at value and can perform in the playoffs. The cost to obtain him, however, doesn’t seem to be the kind Detroit is looking to swing. Still, the team needs to do something.
As far as the actual game tonight, it feels like it will come down to 3-point shooting and how seriously Detroit takes the 13-34 Nets. Brooklyn’s most famous shooter is Porter, but don’t dismiss rookie Ego Demin, who can get raging hot from 3. Denim hoists more than six attempts per game and converts at 40%. If there is one truism for the Pistons this year, it is that an 18-point lead can turn into a two-possession game very quickly because of how few threes Detroit makes and how much they own the paint, which motivates opponents to bomb it away from deep.
If the Pistons lock in, don’t get cute, and don’t leave Brooklyn’s shooters, they should win this game handily. If they don’t take it seriously, they could easily lose.
Game Vitals
When: 6 p.m. ET Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit Odds: Pistons -13
