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Fulks' late foul shots help UCF sink Utah 73-71

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Themus Fulks scored 24 points and made his only two foul shots of the night with three seconds left and UCF beat Utah 73-71 on Saturday night.

Jordan Burks added 14 points for UCF (19-7, 8-6 Big 12) which shot 53% (30 of 57) including 44% (7 of 16) from 3-point range. The Knights have won two straight following a three-game losing streak.

Terrence Brown scored 21 points, Don McHenry scored 19 points and Keanu Dawes 15 and grabbed 12 rebounds for Utah (10-17, 2-12).

McHenry tied it at 68-all with a 3-pointer with 56 seconds left before Burks countered with a 3 with 31 seconds remaining. On Utah's next possession, Jamichael Stillwell fouled McHenry on a 3-point attempt who then went to the foul line and sank all three free throws with 13 seconds remaining.

UCF ran its record against Utah to 4-0.

It was the first time the Knights ever played Utah in Salt Lake City. Each previous matchup was either at home or neutral territory.

Before Saturday, the last matchup between the two was in the opening round of the Big 12 Championship last year when the Knights won 87-72.

No Big 12 team has missed the NCAA Tournament after finishing above .500 in conference play since 2009.

Up Next

UCF: Plays Monday at 23rd-ranked BYU.

Utah: Hosts sixth-ranked Iowa State on Tuesday.

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Braves News: Mike Yastrzemski, Spring Training, more

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Kansas City Royals rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on September 28, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Well we officially have Braves baseball back in our lives, as Spring Training kicked off Saturday. Mike Yastrzemski had a nice debut, with a homer and a single, while bullpen candidates Hayden Harris, James Karinchak, and Dylan Dodd showed out nicely in one inning of work each.

We’ll be treated to a Chris Sale start today at 1:05 PM ET against the Twins, who are starting Taj Bradley.

Braves News

The Braves started their 2026 Spring Training games with a good performance from one of their top offseason additions.

MLB News

The Twins sparked a short-lived trade rumor, scratching Joe Ryan just before his first Spring Training start for what turned out to be back tightness.

Braves legend and likely future Hall of Famer Freddie Freeman has expressed his intent to play four more seasons, all for the Dodgers, with two years remaining on his current contract.

Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski passed away at the age of 89 on Friday.

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Yankees news: Judge, Jones homer in spring rout

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Spencer Jones #78 and Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees high five during the game against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Aaron Judge and Spencer Jones both went deep on Saturday as the Yankees steamrolled the Detroit Tigers 20-3. Jones’ homer was no cheapy, leaving the bat at 111.7 mph and traveling an official 408 feet (though the outfielder chided that metric as conservative). Judge expressed optimism about Jones’ reworked swing. “He doesn’t have a big leg kick and doesn’t have to worry about trying to get that down,” the Yankees captain said. “I liked the results I saw in that first at-bat. That quickness, that readiness, it’s really going to be a game-changer for him.”

For his part, Judge homered twice, quickly rounding into form as he prepares for the World Baseball Classic. “(With) the WBC, you don’t want to get exposed,” he said after the game in reference to his goal of ramping up quickly this spring. “You’re playing for your country. You’ve got to be ready to go.”

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) A sewage leak engulfed George M. Steinbrenner Field Saturday as the Yankees put a hurting on the Tigers. The unwelcome visitor intruded on the team’s clubhouse as well as its team store, public concourse, and decorative pond. In addition to an unfortunate odor, the leak provided some all-time quotes. “It’s not great. It’s all over the place,” said manager Aaron Boone, adding circumspectly, “Life gets you sometimes.” But it was the team’s official spokesperson who delivered the doozy of the day via a quietly philosophical thought: “It’s spring training for the toilets, too.”

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Gerrit Cole looked sharp Friday in his first action against live hitters since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. Facing Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Jasson Domínguez, the 2023 Cy Young Award winner threw 20 pitches, topping out at 96 mph. “Everything felt good. I had a good bit of fun,” he said Saturday. “It was the first day where I was unregulated. The mindset was performance. It’s nice when you get to that point and your objective is to go execute and not think about anything else. It was rewarding and refreshing.” Cole also used a new over-the-head windup that he’s toying with carrying into the season.

The Yankees are also looking to get third baseman Ryan McMahon some action at shortstop so he’s available there to boost their flexibility during the season. “I’m a ballplayer,” the veteran, who made two appearances at short in 2020, said nonchalantly about the new position. “I’m a ballplayer. I think I can go out there and catch the ball, and we’ll see how it looks.”

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Mets’ Bo Bichette embraces challenge in third base debut: ‘It’s about the process’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Bo Bichette walks to the dugout after grounding out in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, Image 2 shows Mets third baseman Bo Bichette tries to throw out Miami Marlins' Connor Norby at first in the fourth inning at Spring Training at Clover Field, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Port St. Lucie, FL

PORT ST. LUCIE — Bo Bichette was back in a game for the first time since his Blue Jays lost Game 7 of the World Series to the Dodgers to end last season.

The goal with his new team is to get back to October and after years of coming up short in Toronto, Bichette believes he brings some successful postseasons to Queens.

“I learned it’s not too complicated,’’ Bichette said of winning in the playoffs. “It’s about having a group of more than 26 guys on the same page come together every day. You have conversations about what it looks like and what you want the identity of the team to be. It comes down to having the entire locker room here to win.”

Bo Bichette walks to the dugout after grounding out in the first inning of the Mets’ 2-1 spring training loss to the Marlins at Clover Field on Feb. 21, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

That, he hopes, is already happening, but they will also need David Stearns’ plan of having four middle infielders often manning the entire infield come together.

The Great Infield Experiment began on Saturday, with Bichette at third base for their Grapefruit League opener against Miami at Clover Park, which they lost 2-1.

And naturally, Bichette was tested with a grounder down the line in his first game at his new position.

The former shortstop backhanded Connor Norby’s ground ball before his long throw tailed a bit as Jose Rojas tried to corral the ball at first.

The play was ruled an error by Rojas, who could have made the play — but after he exited the game, Bichette said, “The throw could have been better, for sure.”

Asked if it was a more difficult throw than the one he was accustomed to from hole at short, Bichette said, “I don’t know if it’s tougher. It’s different.”

Carlos Mendoza said Bichette was “fine” in his debut at third, adding he’s liked what he’s seen from his arm during camp.

Third baseman Bo Bichette fails to throw out Connor Norby at first during the Mets’ spring training loss to the Marlin on Feb. 21, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

He’ll be tested throughout the spring, as Bichette will get plenty of reps at third, as he breaks in there, with Jorge Polanco at first.

Polanco didn’t play Saturday, while Marcus Semien made his Mets spring debut at second, with Francisco Lindor out, recovering from hand surgery.

“Playing third was fun,” Bichette said of his debut. “I’m learning something new.”

Among the realizations: “I noticed right away the viewpoint is different [than shortstop]. You can’t really look at the hitter. You look at the contact point. There’s definitely a lot of stuff I can learn in the game.”

There will be plays throughout the spring — and into the regular season — that Bichette has never seen before, with Polanco experiencing similar challenges at first base.

But the Mets are confident the ex-middle infielders are up to the challenge of moving to the corners, with their bats helping make up for whatever learning curves they go through defensively.

And they’ve talked extensively about what both veteran players bring to the roster in terms of experience and culture.

For Bichette, he’s confident having seen it finally gel last season in Toronto helps translate to similar results with the Mets.

“It’s about the process,’’ Bichette said of what he figured out in Toronto, along with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. “The organization was kind of put in Vlad’s and my hands at a really young age and we went through a lot of ups and downs. We had some really good times and not so good times that shaped us to get to the point that it was just really about winning. It’s not that we didn’t think it was about that from the beginning, but we had to get to the point where it really was the main focus and the only thing we cared about. We had to set that culture.”

It will be a different challenge with the Mets.

“I think I can bring who I am and how I play on the field and what matters to me,’’ Bichette said. “Hopefully that turns into conversations about winning — and that’s already happening.”

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Knicks rally from 18 down in the fourth to beat the Rockets 108-106

NEW YORK (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 25 points, Jalen Bruson had 20 and the New York Knicks overcame an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Houston Rockets 108-106 on Saturday night.

OG Anunoby added 20 points, and Mikal Bridges had 11 for New York. The Knicks bounced back two nights after a disappointing loss to Eastern Conference-leading Detroit.

Kevin Durant scored 30 points for Houston. Jabari Smith Jr. had 21, Alperen Sengun added 16, and Amen Thompson had 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Rockets had won five a row.

The Knicks, who led by 13 points in the first half, began their comeback with an 8-1 run in the opening minutes of the fourth before Smith hit a 3-pointer in front of the Houston bench.

Houston missed eight consecutive shots and turned the ball over two times as the Knicks went on a 14-2 run, capped by Towns’ layup off the glass that cut it to 99-97 with 3:32 left.

Bruson’s jumper tied it at 103 with 1:26 left. Durant then lost the ball near the sideline and committed an offensive foul on the following possession as he plowed into Brunson.

Brunson answered with a pullup jumper that gave New York the lead for good. Durant had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but missed a 40-footer.

SUNS 113, MAGIC 110 2OT

PHOENIX (AP) — Jalen Green hit a 3-pointer from the right corner at the buzzer to give Phoenix a double-overtime victory over Orlando.

After Jalen Carter tied it for Orlando with 1.1 seconds left with a corner 3, Green hit all net from the corner as the horn sounded. Green struggled all game until that final shot, making only 6 for 26 from the field and 2 of 6 free throws. His winning basket was just his second successful 3 in 11 attempts.

Grayson Allen led Phoenix with 27 points after after missing four games because of a sprained right ankle. He scored all seven of the Suns’ points in the first overtime. Collin Gillespie added 19 points, and Green had 16.

Desmond Bane had 34 points for Orlando on 12-of-18 shooting before fouling out in the first minute of overtime. Paolo Banchero added 26 points and 14 rebounds. The Magic had won four of five.

The Suns played without Devin Booker, who is out for at least a week with a right hip strain.

Dillon Brooks played just seven minutes before leaving with what the team said was a left-hand injury. ESPN reported, citing sources, that Brooks’ hand is broken and that the forward will miss significant time. The team said it wouldn’t have an official update until Sunday.

PELICANS 126, 76ERS 111

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jordan Poole highlighted a 23-point performance with five 3-pointers, and New Orleans outscored Philadelphia 60-35 during the final 21 minutes for a win.

Zion Williamson added 21 points, Saddiq Bey had 20, and 17-year veteran center DeAndre Jordan grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked four shots.

Jordan entered the night having appeared in just two games this season, and had not played since Oct. 29. He made his presence felt defensively during 32 minutes on the court against the 76ers.

Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. 25 for the 76ers. They lost their fourth straight game but remained in the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

PISTONS 126, BULLS 110

CHICAGO (AP) — Jalen Duren had 26 points and 13 rebounds in his return from a suspension to help Detroit take charge in the second half and roll to a victory over Chicago.

Cade Cunningham added 18 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds to narrowly miss his 15th career triple-double as the Pistons won their fifth straight game. Tobias Harris also had 18 points and Duncan Robinson added 17 for league-leading Detroit (42-13), which dealt Chicago its season-high eighth straight loss.

Duren helped establish Detroit’s dominance after sitting out two games for his role in a fight at Charlotte on Feb. 9. He got a technical foul in this one for casually dropping the ball on the face of Chicago’s Nick Richards in the third quarter while Richards was down on the floor.

Josh Giddey had 27 points on 10 for 16 shooting — including five 3-pointers — but the Bulls couldn’t keep pace with the Pistons after trailing only 53-50 at the half. Matas Buzelis, Jalen Smith and Issac Okoro each added 15 as the Bulls committed 23 turnovers leading to 28 Detroit points.

Detroit outmuscled Chicago, scoring 68 points in the paint, compared to the Bulls 38. The Pistons had 26 on second chances and Chicago just 16.

SPURS 139, KINGS 122

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 28 points and 15 rebounds, and San Antonio beat Sacramento for its eighth straight win and a sweep of their two games in Austin.

Sacramento lost a franchise record 16th straight game, the last two after center Domantas Sabonis and guard Zach LaVine had season-ending surgery.

De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Keldon Johnson each scored 18 for the Spurs, while Wembanyama added six assists and four blocks.

Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 20 points apiece. Malik Monk scored 19 while Maxime Raynaud — a rookie from Stanford and a friend of Wembanyama from France — had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

San Antonio, playing in a city the organization considers part of a megaregion that they’ve cultivated for several years, scored the first 11 points of the game, setting an aggressive tone that included three blocks by Wembanyama in the first 90 seconds.

HEAT 136, GRIZZLIES 120

MIAMI (AP) — Andrew Wiggins scored 28 points on 9-of-10 shooting, Norman Powell finished with 25 and Miami beat Memphis.

Tyler Herro finished with 14 points, Bam Adebayo added 13, while Kasparas Jakucionis and Jaime Jacquez Jr. each scored 12 for the Heat. Miami’s Kel’el Ware had 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Powell overcame a 2-of-7 performance at the free-throw line by converting 10-of-16 from the field, including 3-of-8 on 3-pointers.

Wiggins reached 15,000 career points with his lay-up early in the third quarter.

With the game out of reach late and 1:19 remaining in the fourth quarter, Memphis’ Scotty Pippen Jr. charged at Miami’s Myron Gardner and shoved him near the first row. Both fell to the floor and briefly wrestled before they were separated and ejected.

After leading by five at halftime, the Heat pulled away when they outscored the Grizzlies 39-26 in the third quarter. Powell and Jakucionis each scored nine in the period. Jacquez’s bank shot with 1:19 remaining in the quarter gave the Heat their first 20-point lead at 109-89.

Despite committing 18 turnovers, the Heat finished with 36 assists.

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Cameron Boozer sparks Duke’s late surge to topple top-ranked Michigan 68-63

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cameron Boozer scored 18 points and No. 3 Duke handed another neutral-site loss to fellow blueblood Michigan, knocking off the top-ranked Wolverines 68-63 on Saturday night in a raucous possible Final Four preview in the nation’s capital.

The Wolverines had won 11 straight and replaced Arizona atop the AP Top 25 this week. The now-fourth-ranked Wildcats won at No. 2 Houston earlier Saturday, making it the first time since Feb. 8, 2025, that the teams ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the poll lost on the same day.

With his dad, former Duke and NBA star Carlos Boozer, in attendance, Cameron Boozer hit a 3-pointer with 1:55 left to give the Blue Devils a 64-58 lead. Isaiah Evans added 14 points for the Blue Devils (25-2), who could return to Capital One Arena in just over a month for the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

In the programs’ first meeting in 12 years, Duke improved to 23-8 against Michigan and 7-0 on neutral courts, a series that includes the 1992 national title game. Michigan hasn’t beaten Duke since Dec. 6, 2009 in Ann Arbor.

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 21 points for the Wolverines (25-2), who had not lost since a home defeat by three points to Wisconsin on Jan. 10.

NO. 4 ARIZONA 73, NO. 2 HOUSTON 66

HOUSTON (AP) — Anthony Dell’Orso tied a season high with 22 points and Arizona toppled Houston to move into sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference.

Arizona (25-2, 12-2), which opened the season 23-0, won its second straight game following consecutive losses to then-No. 9 Kansas and then- 16th-ranked Texas Tech, that knocked the team out of the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 poll.

The Wildcats were down by two before scoring the next 12 points to make it 60-50 with about five minutes remaining. The Cougars missed eight consecutive shots and had three turnovers in that stretch to allow Arizona to build the lead.

Houston (23-4, 11-3) hadn’t scored in about eight minutes when Emanuel Sharp made two free throws with 4 ½ minutes to go. Kalifa Sakho made two more free throws to cut the lead to 60-54 with less than four minutes remaining.

It had been more than 10 minutes since the Cougars made a field goal when a 3-pointer by Kingston Flemings got them within 61-57, but Arizona got four straight points by Jaden Bradley to pad the lead with just over a minute left.

Flemings had 17 points and Sharp added 14 for the Cougars, who lost consecutive games for the first time this season after falling 70-67 at No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night to end a six-game winning streak.

The Cougars struggled to take care of the ball, committing 12 turnovers that led to 16 points for the Wildcats.

NO. 5 UCONN 73, VILLANOVA 63

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Alex Karaban scored 12 points, Tarris Reed Jr. added 11 and UConn used a dominating second half to defeat Villanova.

Braylon Mullins added 10 points for the Huskies (25-2, 15-2 Big East), who rebounded from Wednesday’s 91-84 home loss to unranked Creighton.

Tyler Perkins scored 15 points and Matt Hodge had 13 for Villanova (21-6, 12-4), which had won six in a row since losing 75-67 in overtime to UConn on Jan. 24 in the teams’ first meeting.

The teams were locked in a two-point game at the break after a competitive first half, but Villanova went without a field goal in the opening 5:25 of the second half. UConn took advantage with a 13-2 run after the intermission. And the Huskies continued from there. The lead reached as many as 21 points later in the half on a nifty spin move and finish by Reed.

NO. 23 BYU 79, NO. 6 IOWA STATE 69

PROVO, Utah (AP) — AJ Dybantsa had 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists to help BYU beat Iowa State for its first victory over a Top 10 opponent this season.

Kennard Davis, Jr. added 17 points, and Mihailo Boskovic had 13 for the Cougars (20-7, 8-6 Big 12). They outscored Iowa State 40-22 in the paint and had a 39-28 edge on the glass.

Tamin Lipsey led the Cyclones (23-4, 10-4) with 19 points. Jamarion Batemon added 14, and Joshua Jefferson had 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Iowa State was tabbed as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s reveal of the Top 16 teams in the bracket earlier Saturday. The Cyclones were the fifth Top 10 team on the day to suffer a loss.

Iowa State whittled a double-digit deficit to a basket, drawing to 57-54 on Lipsey’s 3-pointer with 7:21 left.

Dybantsa and Davis scored back-to-back baskets at the rim to quell the rally. It marked the beginning of a 13-3 run that made it 70-57 with 3:33 remaining.

CINCINNATI 84, NO. 8 KANSAS

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Moustapha Thiam had a career-high 28 points and led Cincinnati to an upset of Kansas.

This was the second win of the season for Cincinnati (15-12, 7-7 Big 12) against a ranked team, having taken down then-No. 2 Iowa State 79-70 on Jan. 17.

The 7-footer Thiam made 11 of 17 shots from the field and had eight rebounds. Baba Miller added 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

Jalen Celeste had 14 points and eight rebounds, shooting 4 of 8 on 3-pointers. Day Day Thomas scored 10.

Cincinnati held a 36-34 lead after a tumultuous first half that saw nine ties and 10 lead changes. The Bearcats kept the Jayhawks (20-7, 10-4) at arm’s length with timely shots to kill momentum throughout the second, only allowing Kansas to pull ahead for one possession before retaking the lead.

They delivered the final blows with a 20-8 run, surging ahead by double digits for the first time with less than five minutes to go.

NO. 9 NEBRASKA 87, PENN STATE 64

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Pryce Sandfort scored 20 of his career-high 33 points in the first half and finished with eight 3-pointers, leading Nebraska in a rout of Penn State.

The Cornhuskers (23-4, 12-4 Big Ten) bounced back from a 57-52 loss at Iowa on Tuesday and moved into a tie for third place in the conference with their dominant performance against the league’s last-place team.

Sandfort, who set the school record for 3-pointers in a season against Iowa, made his first five deep shots and started 6 for 6 overall against the Nittany Lions (11-17, 2-15). He finished 8 of 14 from beyond the arc.

Sandfort showed he’s more than just a perimeter threat when he snaked his way through two defenders to the hoop for a layup that put the Huskers up 31-15.

Braden Frager scored 15 points and Sam Hoiberg had a career-high 10 assists to go with 11 points.

UCLA 95, NO. 10 ILLINOIS 94, OT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Donovan Dent hit a go-ahead layup with 1 second remaining in overtime, lifting UCLA over Illinois after the Bruins rallied from a 23-point, first-half deficit.

Fans stormed the court in celebration at the buzzer. It was UCLA’s biggest comeback since rallying from 19 points down in a 90-83 victory over Oregon on Feb. 23, 2019, at home.

The Illini were favored by 7.5 points, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Eric Dailey Jr. led six Bruins in double figures with 20 points. Tyler Bilodeau had 18 points and Trent Perry 17.

Freshman Keaton Wagler grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with 4.9 seconds remaining to put Illinois in front, 94-93, before Dent capped UCLA’s comeback.

Neither team led by more than two points in the extra session.

Wagler had 19 points — making all eight of his free throws — eight rebounds and six assists.

The Bruins (18-9, 10-6 Big Ten) improved to 15-1 at home.

Making their first visit to Pauley Pavilion since 1997, the Illini (22-6, 13-4) were coming off a 36-point victory at Southern California, their largest in a Big Ten road game in 80 years, and had won 14 of 16.

UCLA erased an 11-point deficit early in the second half with three 3-pointers and took its first lead of the game on Xavier Booker’s basket, 60-58.

NO. 11 GONZAGA 71, PACIFIC 62

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Graham Ike had 20 points and three blocks, Davis Fogle scored 18 points and Gonzaga beat Pacific to wrap up a top-two seed and a semifinal spot in the WCC Tournament.

Emmanuel Innocenti added 13 points for the Bulldogs (27-2, 15-1 West Coast Conference). The 15 conference victories are the program’s most since 2020-21.

Ike had 20 or more points for the ninth straight game, the longest streak by a Gonzaga player in the past 20 seasons. He’s the only active Division I player with at least 2,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds.

Elias Ralph and Justin Rochelin led the Tigers (17-13, 8-9) with 12 points each. TJ Wainwright had 10 points.

Wainwright opened the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers to put Pacific ahead 35-31. The Zags went on a 6-0 run to pull ahead 56-49.

NO. 12 FLORIDA 94, MISSISSIPPI 75

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Alex Condon scored 24 points and Florida tightened its grip atop the Southeastern Conference standings with a win over Mississippi.

Florida (21-6, 12-2 SEC) entered as the conference leader with a two-game cushion in the loss column over Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee with four games remaining.

The win was the seventh consecutive for the Gators and extended its SEC road game winning streak to six. Florida improved to 16-2 since mid-December and remained unbeaten in February.

Thomas Haugh added 20 points and nine rebounds as Florida had five players in double figures. Reserves Urban Klavzar scored 15 points while Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland had 11 points apiece.

The Gators trailed in the opening five minutes before building a first half leads of 14 points on two occasions and led by as many as 22 points on Hough’s dunk with 3:14 remaining.

NO. 13 TEXAS TECH 100, KANSAS STATE 72

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Donovan Atwell had 26 points with six 3-pointers, Christian Anderson scored 21 and Texas Tech beat Kansas State in the first game for the Red Raiders since standout post JT Toppin’s season-ending knee injury.

Texas Tech (20-7, 10-4 Big 12) maintained a double-digit lead after making nine consecutive shots, including three 3s in a row by Atwell, during a 26-10 run in just under seven minutes for a 40-20 lead with 6:20 left in the first half.

Anderson, who also had nine assists, scored 16 of his points after halftime, when LeJuan Watts had 13 of his 19.

The Red Raiders reached 20 wins for the third season in a row. The school record is four, with coach Bob Knight from 2001-02 to 2004-05.

PJ Haggerty had 17 points and Nate Johnson 15 points for Kansas State (11-16, 2-12), which was playing its second game since a coaching change. The Wildcats beat Baylor 90-74 at home Tuesday, two days after coach Jerome Tang was fired.

NO. 14 VIRGINIA 86, MIAMI 83

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Chance Mallory drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with 3.6 seconds to play, and then sank all three free throws to lift Virginia to a win over Miami.

Jacari White came off the bench to score 17 points, hitting five 3-pointers for the Cavaliers (24-3, 12-2 Atlantic Coast), who won their eighth straight.

Sam Lewis had 15 points, Thijs De Ridder scored 14, and Mallory had all 12 of his points in the second half.

Shelton Henderson and Tre Donaldson each scored 18 to lead Miami (21-6, 10-4), which saw its four-game win streak snapped. The Hurricanes out rebounded UVA 30-23 and outscored Virginia 18-2 on second-chance points.

The win kept the second-place Cavaliers ahead of third-place Miami in the conference standings and robbed the Hurricanes of a chance for a big Quad 1 victory.

NO. 16 NORTH CAROLINA 77, SYRACUSE 64

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Henri Veesaar returned to the starting lineup and scored 19 points in leading North Carolina to a win over Syracuse.

The 7-foot center, who averages 16.4 points and 9.0 rebounds for the Tar Heels, missed the Tar Heels’ past two games, most recently Tuesday’s 24-point loss at N.C. State.

Seth Trimble and Luka Bogavac each had 13 points and Zayden High added nine for North Carolina (21-6, 9-5 ACC).

J.J. Starling led Syracuse (15-13, 6-9) with 22 points, including 14 in the second half. William Kyle III had eight rebounds. Syracuse has lost four of its past six.

The Orange were just 3 of 17 from 3-point range. North Carolina scored 13 points off 10 Syracuse turnovers and outscored the Orange 42-32 in the paint.

NO. 17 ST. JOHN'S 81, CREIGHTON 52

NEW YORK (AP) — Bryce Hopkins had 15 points and 10 rebounds as St. John’s breezed past Creighton for its 13th straight victory — marking the school’s longest winning streak in 41 years.

Dylan Darling scored 17 points off the bench and Zuby Ejiofor added 15 for the first-place Red Storm (22-5, 15-1 Big East), who led wire-to-wire and held Creighton to 32% shooting from the field in their 18th victory in 20 games.

Dillon Mitchell had 10 rebounds, seven assists and zero turnovers on Johnnies Day at Madison Square Garden.

St. John’s hadn’t won 13 in a row since a 19-game run in 1984-85 on the way to a No. 1 national ranking, a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and a Final Four berth under Hall of Fame coach Lou Carnesecca.

TENNESSEE 69, NO. 19 VANDERBILT 65

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 17 points as Tennessee outlasted Vanderbilt in a back-and-forth affair.

A turnaround jumper by Nate Ament, who was double-teamed by Commodores Jalen Washington and Chandler Bing, gave the Volunteers (20-7, 10-4 Southeastern Conference) a 66-65 lead with less than a minute to play. Ament finished with 13 points.

After that shot, Vanderbilt (21-6, 8-6) sent Tennessee to the line twice, with the Volunteers making 2 of 4 attempts.

Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner missed a 3-point attempt from the top of the arc with three seconds left that would have tied it. Amari Evans added a free throw with one second left for the final score.

Jaylen Carey, who played in his first game at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gym after transferring from Vanderbilt to Tennessee, was heckled by Commodore fans every time he touched the ball. He finished with seven points.

NO. 20 ARKANSAS 94, MISSOURI 86

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Billy Richmond III scored 21 points and Darius Acuff Jr. added 20 to pace Arkansas to a win over Missouri.

Arkansas (20-7, 10-4 Southeastern Conference) improved to 7-0 in games following a loss this season while also staying in contention for the SEC regular-season title. The Hogs are in second place, two games behind conference-leading Florida with four games still to be played.

The Hogs effectively put the game away on Malique Ewin’s dunk that gave Arkansas its biggest lead at 91-77 with 2:02 to play.

Ewin finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, Meleek Thomas added 14 points and eight rebounds, and Trevon Brazile contributed 12 points and six assists.

Missouri (18-9, 8-6) was led by Mark Mitchell’s 26 points.

NO. 21 LOUISVILLE 87, GEORGIA TECH 70

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Mikel Brown Jr. scored 19 points, including seven during a 17-2 run midway through the second half that helped propel Louisville past Georgia Tech.

The Cardinals (20-7, 9-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) never trailed but allowed the Yellow Jackets to get within 44-35 just after halftime.

J’Vonne Hadley made two free throws, Brown followed with a layup before adding a jumper and 3-pointer for a 61-37 cushion against Georgia Tech (11-17, 2-13).

Georgia Tech trailed 66-55 with 7:38 remaining after Akai Fleming’s jumper in the lane.

Louisville outscored the Yellow Jackets 12-7 over the next 3:48, helped by the first of Isaac McKneely’s two 3-pointers, as the Cardinals rebounded from Tuesday night’s 95-85 loss at SMU.

Baye Ndongo had 17 points and Fleming 15 as Georgia Tech dropped its ninth consecutive game.

NO. 25 ALABAMA 90, LSU 83

BATON ROGUE, La. (AP) — Aiden Holloway scored 17 points, Amari Allen added 16 and Alabama beat LSU for its sixth straight victory.

The Crimson Tide (20-7l, 10-4 Southeastern Conference) also beat the Tigers (14-13, 2-12) for the sixth straight time.

Alabama, ranked second nationally in 3-pointers at 12.7 per game, had seven players combine for 10 3s — the Tide’s eighth consecutive game with 10 or more.

Latrell Whitesell Jr. scored 14 points for Alabama. Aiden Sherrell had 12 points and 10 rebounds. and London Jemison also scored 12 points.

Marquel Sutton led LSU with 21 points. Jalen Reece had 14, PJ Carter 13, and Rashad King 12. Pablo Tamba added 10 points and 12 rebounds.

An 8-0 burst, keyed by 3-pointers from Allen and Wrightsell, gave Alabama a 63-49 lead with 13:39 left. LSU twice cut it to six, the final time at 89-83 on Sutton’s dunk with 14 seconds remaining.

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Agee, Griffen double up to seal Texas A&M's 75-71 win over Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Rashaun Agee scored 18 points and Rylan Griffen scored 14 points and Texas A&M held on to beat struggling Oklahoma 75-71 on Saturday.

Reserve Dayton Forsythe scored 14 points, Mohamed Wague had 12 points and 13 rebounds, Darrion Reed added 11 points and Xzayvier Brown 10 for Oklahoma.

Texas A&M (19-8, 9-5 SEC) managed to pull off the win despite shooting 55% (11 of 20) from the foul line. Oklahoma aided the Aggies' cause by shooting 2 of 13 from the field in the final 9 1/2 minutes.

Forsythe made two foul shots to reduce OU's deficit to 72-71 with 26 seconds before Agee countered with two of his own. Forsythe missed a potential tying 3-point attempt with 11 seconds left. Griffen then made 1 of 2 foul shots to seal it with eight seconds left.

It was the Aggies' fourth-straight win over Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11). Texas A&M beat Oklahoma 80-78 in Norman last year.

Texas A&M has won back-to-back games following a four-game losing streak. The Sooners have lost back-to-back contests and 11 of their last 13.

Oklahoma leads the series 31-15.

Up Next

Texas A&M: Hosts 20th-ranked Arkansas on Wednesday.

Oklahoma: Hosts Auburn on Tuesday.

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Murphy, Freeman help Auburn end skid while dealing Kentucky third straight loss, 75-74

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — KeShawn Murphy totaled 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Elyjah Freeman tipped in a miss with 1.4 seconds left as Auburn ended a five-game losing streak by handing Kentucky a third straight loss, winning 75-74 on Saturday night.

Tahaad Pettiford made two free throws with 14 seconds left to pull Auburn within a point. Kentucky turned it over, but Mouhamed Dioubate blocked an attempted layup by Kevin Overton at the other end. Murphy missed on the first tip, but Freeman came through on the second. The Wildcats mishandled the inbounds pass and didn't get a shot off.

Murphy made 9 of 14 shots, including his only 3-point attempt, and all six of his free throws for the Tigers (15-12, 6-8 Southeastern Conference). He also blocked a pair of shots on the way to his fifth double-double. Freeman had 11 points off the bench. Overton and Keyshawn Hall both scored 10 with Hall adding nine rebounds and seven assists.

Otega Oweh totaled a career-high 29 points and seven rebounds to pace the Wildcats (17-10, 8-6). Denzel Aberdeen added 15 points and Collin Chandler scored 10.

Oweh had a dunk and a three-point play in a 7-0 run over the final 2:31 of an evenly played first half and the Wildcats took a 39-35 lead into halftime.

Another Oweh dunk upped Kentucky's advantage to 46-37 early in the second half. Murphy had two straight layups and Pettiford followed with a 3-pointer as Auburn used a 10-2 spurt to cut it to 48-47 with 12:31 remaining.

Murphy again had back-to-back layups before adding two free throws in a 12-0 run and the Tigers moved in front 57-53 with 7:34 left.

Kentucky battled back and used two free throws and a dunk by Oweh, and two free throws by Aberdeen in a 6-0 run to take a 74-71 lead with 18 seconds left.

Up next

Kentucky: At South Carolina on Tuesday.

Auburn: At Oklahoma on Tuesday.

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Jalen Brunson’s late heroics propel Knicks to crazy comeback win over Rockets

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Basketball player Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks reacts after shooting the go-ahead basket, Image 2 shows Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks puts up a shot during the first half when the New York Knicks played the Houston Rockets Saturday, February 21, 2026

The Knicks looked dead, on their way to a second straight ugly loss to a contender coming out of the All-Star break.

Jalen Brunson was struggling through one of his worst offensive showings of the year, and his supporting cast had done little to help him. They trailed by 18 in the beginning of the fourth quarter, and boos began to emerge around Madison Square Garden.

But it’s never a good idea to write off Brunson.

Jalen Brunson celebrates after scoring the go-ahead basket during the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 108-106 comeback win over the Rockets on Feb. 21, 2026 at the Garden. Getty Images

The All-Star point guard drilled a jumper to pull his team within four points with 4:40 left in the game. Two possessions later, he drew a charge on Amen Thompson to get the ball back for the Knicks. Two more possessions later, he drilled another jumper to bring them back within two. With 1:14 left, he hit a layup to tie the game 103-103. Then he took another charge — this time on Kevin Durant.

Then came his signature moment.

Brunson crossed up Tari Eason and drilled a 15-footer to give the Knicks a two-point lead with 21.2 seconds left. That was enough to lift the Knicks to a thrilling 108-106 win over the Rockets on Saturday night, marking their largest comeback of the season.

“We found a way,” coach Mike Brown said. “That’s what I’m most excited about.”

Brunson did not make a shot from the field until 4:21 left in the third quarter, missing the first five he took. He had just two points at halftime, via free throws. But he scored eight points in the fourth quarter, going 4-for-4 from the field to help the Knicks avoid what would have been another concerning loss.

“Didn’t like how I was playing,” Brunson said. “Decided that I had to switch it; that simple.

“It’s the mentality of trying to get downhill, make plays, not being hesitant, not being passive. If there are mistakes, they’re aggressive mistakes. Don’t want to be on your heels. I just feel like the first two quarters, I was.”

The Rockets were doubling Brunson for most of the game, and he was deferring to his teammates. By crunch time, he changed course.

Karl-Anthony Towns rises up for a layup during the first half of the Knicks’ comeback win over the Rockets. Robert Sabo for NY Post

“Jalen was in a groove,” Brown said. “It didn’t matter who was on him; he found a way to score.”

Jose Alvarado had five points and three steals in that key fourth-quarter stretch as the Knicks mounted their comeback. They forced the Rockets into nine fourth-quarter turnovers and committed just one themselves.

Karl-Anthony Towns, whose involvement in the offense was a major talking point during the Knicks’ blowout loss to the Pistons on Thursday, added seven points in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 25. Brown credited Towns with challenging his teammates before the fourth quarter about their defense.

Mike Brown reacts one the baseline during the first half of the Knicks’ comeback win over the Rockets.Mike Brown reacts one the baseline during the first half of the Knicks’ comeback win over the Rockets. Robert Sabo for NY Post

“I said, ‘We can win this game. I’ve seen us do it. It starts with the first possession of the fourth quarter, playing defense. We’ve gotta get a stop, it’s the most important possession of the game, the first play of the fourth quarter,’ ” Towns said. “I wanted to do my part as well. … I wanted to set the tone for our team and set the intensity level we needed to play for 12 minutes if we expected to come out with a win.”

OG Anunoby scored just four points in the second half after pacing the Knicks with 16 in the first half, but he drilled both free throws with 5.4 seconds left to ice the game. Landry Shamet added 14 points off the bench and played key minutes down the stretch — over Mikal Bridges, which has become a recurring move by Brown.

Durant entered the fourth quarter with 25 points but added just five the rest of the way on 2-for-7 shooting from the field. Three of those points came on a 3-pointer after Anunoby’s free throws. He also committed three of those fourth-quarter Rockets turnovers.

The Knicks defense had offered little resistance — just as in their loss to the Pistons — until clamping down in the fourth quarter. The Rockets were shooting over 50 percent from the field well into the fourth quarter but went just 3-for-12 in the final period.

“In the fourth quarter, our guys found a way,” Brown said. “They buckled down defensively.”

The Knicks were 12 minutes away from the alarm bells reemerging. But Brunson — and their defense — came alive and made sure they stayed away.

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Mavericks vs Pacers: 3 things before a Dallas afternoon tussle with Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 19: Andrew Nembhard #2 of the Indiana Pacers brings the ball up the court against the Dallas Mavericks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks (19-36, 5-19 Away) prepare to face off with the Indiana Pacers (15-42, 10-18 Home) at 4 pm CST on Sunday. While Dallas is on the longest losing streak the franchise has seen since before my car renting age of 25, Indiana is also facing struggles as they were just handed back-to-back losses by a Washington Wizards team that has been eerily competitive of late. Someone has to win this one, right? Right?

A fascinating yin-yang of losing while fighting like heck

Yes, the Mavericks are losing as if their tankathon lives depend on it, but if you actually watch these games, that is absolutely not what is happening on the court or the box scores. No matter who is in the starting lineup or who this team is up against, the Mavericks do not roll over, for anyone, full stop. This “win at all costs, we are not tanking” attitude from the players makes a refreshing dynamic to watch when compared to the decisions being made by other franchises, often in blatant fashion. The Mavericks roster is a combination of youth with varying degrees of potential mixed with veterans with a high level of pride in their craft who were either in the Finals less than two years ago or signed here expecting to help the team return. This double-digit game losing streak is noteworthy—not simply for its unparalleled length this century for the Mavericks—but for the duality of the positive impact it has on the Mavericks locker room to fight every game regardless of time and score, as well as the undeniable shift in lottery odds that comes with every loss.

For a team that aims to be a far more competitive squad next year, this is the best of both worlds. No tanking, just going all out and letting the roster and injury realities do for this team what other cities are seeing their teams not-so-subtly engineer.

Indiana’s flop year

When Tyrese Haliburton suffered a catastrophic injury in the first half of the seventh game of the 2025 NBA Finals, he had already scored 9 points in 7 minutes and had cast real doubt as to the outcome of the championship. Instead, once he tragically left the game, the Thunder mostly cruised to the finish line. That is what happens when you subtract the best player from a Finals roster, something Dallas—albeit in a far different way—had already learned by then.

The Pacers have been without their best remaining player—Pascal Siakam—since returning from the All-Star break. That may very well be the case tonight against the Mavericks. In his absence, the Pacers already porous defense is markedly worse as evidenced by Indiana allowing a career night to Alondes Williams. Don’t feel bad, I had never heard of him either.

This is the sort of game that Dallas can win, given how hungry the team is to notch a victory and end this losing streak.

Washington’s Woes

PJ Washington has seen an expected bump in usage with Cooper Flagg sidelined. His 5-17 effort, resulting in 12 points against Minnesota, was troubling. For Dallas to notch a win against Indiana, a better shooting performance from Washington would go a long way.

Where to Watch

This game will be broadcast on KFAA-TV and Mavs.com at 4pm CST. Go Mavs.

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Knicks 108, Rockets 106: Scenes from a five steal, three charge, 15-point comeback.

On Thursday, in their first game since the All-Star break, the Knicks (36*-21) fell way short yet again to the Detroit Pistons. Tonight, they faced off against another tall and physical team, the Houston Rockets (34-21). Through the first quarter, the Knicks set the pace, passed beautifully, and played great defense, but a second-quarter sag put them behind by one at halftime. Houston hit the gas in the third quarter, and an evidently doomed Knicks squad entered the fourth trailing 91-75. Needing a spark, they got it in Jose Alvarado, who had two vital steals and big buckets down the stretch, and Jalen Brunson (otherwise in the barrel all night), who drew three charges overall and hit a couple of big shots in the clutch. Flipping a 15-point deficit, New York wins, 108-106. In a nationally televised game, no less.

New York got OG Anunoby (20 PTS, 4 STL) and Karl-Anthony Towns (25 PTS, 7 RBS) going early. In the first quarter, KAT hit on two hooks and logged a steal, while Anunoby scored on a running three and two dunks (one off his own steal). OG defended the notorious internet troll Kevin Durant, who missed eight of his first 10 shots. Durant would turn it around, though, finishing the night with 30 points on 10-of-26 FG (and a +15).

With Houston bricking 13 of their first 16 shots, New York built a nine-point lead in the quarter, but five offensive boards helped Houston keep pace. At the five-minute mark, Coach Brown paired Brunson (20 PTs, 6-12 FG) with Landry Shamet (14 PTS), Jeremy Sochan, Mohamed Diawara, and Mitchell Robinson (6 PTS, 4 RBS). Sochan, a 29% three-point shooter over his career, was stationed on the perimeter. Not ideal, Coach. The new Knick missed two shots, picked up a foul, and was yanked after two minutes.

A late Reed Sheppard (10 PTS) three-pointer barely lifted the Rockets over the 20-point mark. New York won the period, 27-21.

To open the second, Brown stuck with his starters but handed the keys to Jose Alvarado (8 PTS, 5 STS, 4 AST, 20 MIN). Jose responded with a quick three and two steals, and the Knicks stretched the margin to 13. Brown shuffled the deck from there—Shamet and Robinson in, then Brunson alongside Alvarado. The ball was moving crisply, and New York’s 16 assists were the most ever by the franchise in a first half.

Nothing good can last around here. Alperen Şengün (16 PTS) went to work with a hook, fadeaway, dunk, free throws, and set up Jabari Smith, Jr. (21 PTS) and Sheppard. Durant added three baskets as Houston methodically chipped away, scoring on nine straight possessions during a 13–4 run that cut the deficit to one. Then, with 15 seconds remaining, a loose-ball foul by Towns sent Durant to the line. His two free throws gave the Rockets a 54–53 lead at halftime. It’s the silly fouls that kill us.

Through the half, Durant and Şengün led Houston with 13 points each, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 11 on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting. Thompson put Brunson in a barrel, limiting him to 2 points, 0-for-4 shooting in 17 minutes. Anunoby carried the home team with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting and three steals. Both teams shot 51% overall, but Houston held the edge from three (47% to 38%) and on the glass, 19–13. The Knicks forced seven steals, but their 10 turnovers cost them 15 points.

The Rockets came out of halftime on an 11–2 burst. The Garden groaned. When Towns picked up another hooking foul on a drive and then had the gall to argue it, that familiar sinking feeling came back. (Later, KAT hit his 1,200th career three, FYI.)

Tari Eason (11 PTS, 12 RBS) controlled the glass, piling up defensive boards and fueling an 8–0 run that stretched Houston’s lead to 10 as the Knicks missed four straight shots. Durant drilled a three during the surge, and another 8–0 spurt in under a minute pushed the margin to 15 with 2:42 left in the quarter. Ime Udoka sent extra bodies at Brunson on nearly every touch; CAP managed two tough mid-range jumpers, but received little help from his cohorts. In the third frame, Towns chipped in five, Anunoby went scoreless, and New York mustered just 22 points, heading into the fourth down 91–75.

The Knicks needed a shot of adrenaline and got it from Alvarado. He found Shamet for a three, slipped a pass to Towns for a cut-and-finish dunk, and buried a three of his own to spark an 8–0 run that forced a Houston timeout and cut the deficit to six. Brunson drew a charge on the next trip, and Towns powered to the rim to make it a two-point game with three minutes left. After Eason answered with a hook, Brunson calmly knocked down a 9-footer to keep it tight.

Alvarado wasn’t done. He picked off a pass and finished a tough layup, then came up with another steal (his fourth steal of the night) that led to a Brunson layup. Tie game, 1:30 left. Brunson wasn’t done, either—he drew his third charge of the night on Durant, then hit a pull-up. Two-point lead, 30 seconds left. Durant missed from mid-range, Smith missed from three, and Towns secured the rebound.

OG Anunoby made two free throws with six seconds to go. Out of a timeout, Durant struck from 25’ to make it a one-point game. Two seconds left. Shamet was fouled, made one of two, and KD missed from midcourt as the buzzer buzzed. Ballgame!

Up Next

Matthew Miranda is up next with a radical recap. On to Chicago our heroes go for a tilt tomorrow night. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the NBA Cup Final was merely a scrimmage.

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Another NBA fight breaks out, scuffle in Miami Heat win vs. Grizzlies

On a night where everyone is probably awaiting to tune in to the Ryan Garcia and Mario Barrios fight, the NBA had another fight night of its own.

A scuffle broke between the Memphis Grizzlies and Miami Heat with 1:55 left the contest as the Heat led 134-113. The Heat went on to win, 135-120.

Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. charged at Heat forward Myron Gardner after Pippen had just missed a shot and was walking back and never saw Gardner coming as he knocked Pippen down with a push in the back, setting an off-ball screen.

Pippen walked Gardner down, pointed at him and apparently said something before shoving him in the chest and face. Gardner retaliated, grabbing Pippen, as they pulled each other to the floor near courtside seats.

Both players were ejected from the contest.

After the game, Pippen told reporters that he thought Gardner took a "cheap shot" and jokingly said he needed a "hug."

"I thought it was kind of a cheap shot. He kind of hit me when I didn’t see him," Pippen said. "I thought it was a soft move. I just thought he needed a hug on the other end."

Pippen ended the game with 18 points off the bench. He shot 7-of-15 from the field, including making three from deep. He added six assists, two steals and a block in 21 minutes.

Gardner only played six minutes in the ball games, scoring five points.

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Desiree Wooten scores 19, Colorado women beat No. 20 Texas Tech 75-68

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Desiree Wooten had 19 points, five rebounds and five assists on Saturday night to help Colorado beat No. 20 Texas Tech 75-68 to extend its win streak to five games.

Colorado (19-8, 10-5 Big 12) has won eight of its last nine.

Zyanna Walker scored 14 points, Anaelle Dutat had 11 points and eight rebounds, and Logyn Greer added 12 points for the Buffaloes.

Jalynn Bristow had 18 points and four blocks for Texas Tech (24-5, 11-5). Snudda Collins added 13 points and Bailey Maupin scored 12.

Maupin hit a 3-pointer that trimmed Texas Tech’s deficit to a point with 1:30 left but, with the shot clock winding down, Wooten hit a pull-up jumper that made it 71-68. The Lady Raiders committed turnovers on their next two possessions before Dutat and Wooten each hit two free throws to cap the scoring.

Colorado scored 27 points off 17 Lady Raiders turnovers and outrebounded Texas Tech 32-17. The Buffaloes were plus-12 (15-3) on the offensive glass and outscored Texas Tech, which shot a season-high 58% (26 of 45) from the field, 17-2 in second-chance points.

Denae Fritz converted a three-point play that capped a 9-0 run and gave Texas Tech a 59-51 lead with 2:09 remaining in the third quarter. The Buffaloes scored 10 of the next 12 to tie it at 61-all with 6:43 left in the game and Jade Masogayo made two free throws with 2:04 to play that gave Colorado its biggest lead to that point at 69-63.

Up next

Texas Tech: Plays Wednesday at Kansas.

Colorado: Hosts Utah on Tuesday.

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Knicks mount incredible fourth-quarter comeback to beat Rockets, 108-106

The Knicks took an early lead, lost it and then stormed back in the fourth quarter to beat the Houston Rockets, 108-106, on Saturday night.

Here are the takeaways...

-- The Knicks got it done without Jalen Brunson to kick things off with OG Anunoby the biggest benefactor as he started the game 3-for-4 and scored seven of New York’s first 13 points. Anunoby led all scorers with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting after 12 minutes.

Josh Hart acted as the main facilitator with three assists while Mikal Bridges added two assists and two rebounds in the early part of the game.

-- Meanwhile, the Rockets struggled with their shot in the early going, particularly Kevin Durant who started 0-for-6 before hitting a three with about three minutes left in the quarter. Durant went 3-for-11 in the quarter as part of a 9-for-26 (34.6 percent) team effort.

-- Head coach Mike Brown’s first subs came with about five minutes left in the quarter, subbing out all of his starters except for Brunson. Jeremy Sochan, Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara and Mitchell Robinson were the first players to come off the bench. Diawara and Sochan came off the court a few minutes later for Hart and Anunoby.

-- Incredibly, Brunson had just two points in the quarter (on two made free throws in the final five seconds) and went 0-for-3 with just one assist while playing all 12 minutes and yet New York took a 27-21 lead into the second quarter.

-- Anunoby really had it working and started the second quarter the same way he opened up the game, drilling a corner three in nearly the exact same spot. 

-- The Knicks opened up their lead early in the second that reached 13 points, but Houston hung in there and cut it to within one point with just over two minutes to play on Alperen Sengun’s three-pointer. They would tie it at 50 after Jabari Smith Jr. made one of two free throws. Durant’s two made free throws in the final seconds brought the Rockets all the way back and gave them a 54-53 lead going into halftime.

-- Following their poor shooting effort in the first quarter, Houston went a ridiculously efficient 12-for-15 in the second quarter. The biggest catalyst was Sengun who had 11 in the quarter and 13 at the half. Sengun, Durant and Smith combined for 37 of Houston’s 54 points.

-- Brunson went into the break without having made a field goal and only attempted four shots in what was a very uncharacteristic half for him. Anunoby’s offensive output also stalled midway through the quarter as New York was outscored 33-26 in the second quarter.

-- Things got worse for the Knicks after the break. With their leading-scorer shut down all game, New York struggled to find offense consistently. Karl-Anthony Towns did what he could with Shamet also chipping in off the bench, but it was no match for Durant who took over with 12 points in the quarter. He finished with a game-high 30 points.

-- It wasn’t until 4:21 left in the third that Brunson made his first field goal of the night. He had been 0-for-5 before that as the Rockets did a great job of neutralizing him and keeping the ball out of his hands.

-- Down by as many as 18 points early in the fourth quarter, things got interesting when New York went on a 16-4 run which included some clutch threes by Shamet and Towns. Brunson's third made shot of the game got the Knicks even closer before KAT's layup with 3:32 left in the game brought New York back to within two points.

-- After some back-and-forth, Jose Alvarado forced a steal, his fifth steal of the game, and got the ball to Brunson who drove to the basket and hit a reverse layup to tie it all up at 103. A minute later, the All-Star really sent the MSG crowd into a frenzy after drilling a pull-up jumper that put his team ahead for the first time since the second quarter. 

-- That shot ended up being the dagger with Houston missing two good looks on the other end before fouling Anunoby with five seconds left. Anunoby hit both free throws (New York went 13-of-14 from the line) to go up four. Durant and the Rockets wouldn't go quietly though, hitting a three to make it a one-point game. Shamet made one of two free throws on the other end and the Knicks won a wild game with some crazy swings.

Game MVP: New York's All-Stars

Although it took him a while to get going, Brunson's shot-making at the end was clutch, but the Knicks don't get to that position without the work that Towns did earlier in the quarter.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks TKTKT

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Kelvin Yeboah scores in 90th minute to rally Minnesota United to 2-2 draw with Austin in opener

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kelvin Yeboah scored in the 90th minute to rally Minnesota United to a 2-2 draw with Austin FC in a season opener on Saturday night.

Yeboah, who scored nine times in 30 appearances last year in his first full season, used an assist from defender Devin Padelford on the equalizer. Padelford subbed in for Anthony Markanich in the 78th minute.

Defender Brendan Hines-Ike staked Austin to a 1-0 lead in the 7th minute with an assist from newcomer Facundo Torres.

It was the fourth career goal for Hines-Ike in 105 appearances. Torres played for Brazilian powerhouse Palmeiras last season and arrives via a reported $9.5 million transfer fee. He left Orlando City in 2024 as its all-time scorer with 37 goals and 17 assists over three seasons.

Minnesota United pulled even by halftime when second-year defender Morris Duggan used his head to score his first career goal — with an assist from Joaquín Pereyra.

Myrto Uzuni scored in the 78th minute to give Austin a 2-1 lead. Uzuni scored six times in 27 appearances last season. Defender Jon Gallagher and Robert Taylor had assists.

Drake Callender finished with four saves in his first start in goal for Minnesota United. Callender was acquired from Charlotte FC to replace Dayne St. Clair, who signed a free-agent deal with Inter Miami. Callender won two titles with Inter Miami before moving on to Charlotte.

Brad Stuver stopped two shots to begin his sixth season with Austin.

Head coach Cameron Knowles earns the draw in his first match with Minnesota United. Knowles takes over for Eric Ramsay, who left for EFL Championship side West Bromwich Albion in the offseason.

Austin is aiming for a second straight trip to the postseason under second-year coach Nico Estévez.

Up next

Minnesota United: Hosts FC Cincinnati on Saturday.

Austin: Hosts D.C. United on March 1.

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