Posts

Posted on

The Celtics weren’t supposed to be this good. What should fans expect now?

At the All-Star break, it’s worth acknowledging something that felt unlikely just four months ago.

The Celtics are good, not just scrappy, feisty, or ahead of schedule — they’re all of those things too, don’t get me wrong.

They are in-your-face, out-in-the-open good.

At the not-quite-exact halfway point of the season, the Boston Celtics own the second-best record in the East. Fourth in offensive rating. Eighth in defensive rating. Third-best point differential in the league. Eleven wins in their last fourteen games. I’ll stop there, you get it. This isn’t smoke and mirrors.

If you predicted this exact outcome back in October, congratulations! The rest of us were bracing for something closer to transitional. Competitive, maybe. Entertaining, for sure. A development year while waiting for Jayson Tatum to return and the roster to settle into its next iteration.

Instead, the Celtics are forcing a different conversation.

In Boston, when a team starts looking like a contender, the expectations don’t stay modest for long. And now that we have a large enough sample to believe this is real, fans are reluctantly asking themselves – is it another championship or bust season for the Celtics?

MIAMI, FL – APRIL 27: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics talks with Derrick White #9 and Jaylen Brown #7 during the game against the Miami Heat during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2024 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

There’s nothing flukey about this

A lot of my analysis is built on vibes, I’ll admit. So let’s strip away the aura and consider what the Celtics have done up through this point of the season by the numbers.

Through 54 games, the Celtics are 35–19. That’s a 53-win pace, only eight games off their 61-win total last year. Second in the East. Tied for fourth in the entire league. Their point differential suggests they’ve actually underperformed their record, with an expected mark closer to 38–16.

The offense? Fourth in the NBA in offensive rating. Third in three-pointers made. First in fewest turnovers.

The defense? Not elite by last year’s standard, but firmly in the top third of the league. Second in opponent points allowed per game. Top ten in defensive rating. They rebound better than they should for a team that plays small more often than not.

Since that 5–7 stumble in November, they’ve gone 30–12. That’s a 59-win pace over nearly three months.

This season was supposed to test whether Jaylen Brown could anchor an offense without Tatum shouldering that pressure. Instead of surviving that test, he’s thriving in it. The scoring leap is obvious, but the bigger shift is control. He’s dictating matchups, handling double teams way more calmly, and often defending the other team’s best player. When the Celtics need a bucket (or a stop), they know where it’s coming from.

BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 11: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on February 11, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Behind him, the role expansion has been everything you could hope for, and then some.

Payton Pritchard handled starter-level usage, then slid back into a sixth-man role without missing a beat. Despite the shooting inefficiency, Derrick White’s processing speed remains one of the quiet advantages of this team. Neemias Queta has stabilized the middle, while Sam Hauser continues to stretch the geometry of the floor. And when it’s time to bring in some combination of Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, and/or Luka Garza, they’re actually winning their minutes, not losing them.

In other words, you don’t land in the top-five in net rating by accident. You don’t maintain a top-three offense for four months on good vibes alone. And you don’t bank 35 wins while missing a top-five player because you’re playing “harder” than everyone else.

Everything about this version of the Celtics says contender.

Whether we were ready to say that in October or not doesn’t really matter anymore.

What the deadline tells us about Brad Stevens’ mindset

Often the best indicator of how a team views their season is the moves they make around the trade deadline. If the Celtics were indeed in a gap year, we likely would have seen Brad Stevens sacrifice the present in favor of the future.

Instead, he made moves that did two things simultaneously: improve the present and protect the future.

The Nikola Vučević addition was a calculated move for the now. Brad went and acquired a floor-spacing big who can pass, rebound, and operate within the existing structure. Much like Kristaps Porzingis before him, Nikola Vučević’s playstyle largely fits next to Tatum, not just in his absence.

In his recent press conference, Stevens said repeatedly that flexibility matters, and the Celtics now have plenty of that. Because of the moves Boston made, they head into the summer with:

This means Boston can sign a rotation-level free agent outright. Or they could absorb a contract in a trade without matching salary. It also means they can consolidate young pieces if the playoffs reveal a clear need, or they could simply let the already-blossoming internal growth keep compounding.

BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 29: Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics, smiles during a press conference at Boston Celtics media day at the Auerbach Center on September 29, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Brad didn’t panic-buy at the deadline or mortgage future assets chasing a headline. He reshaped the roster while preserving optionality.

When you layer those decisions on top of a potential Tatum return, the signs become too glaring to ignore. Whether anyone says “championship or bust” out loud or not, the standard in Boston tends to arrive on its own once the path becomes visible.

So what counts as success now?

If this were still considered a gap year for the Celtics, I’d be writing about vibes and development and moral victories that feel nice before switching gears to Draft prep. But the Celtics have dragged the conversation somewhere more stressful: they’ve played well enough for long enough that you can’t pretend the ceiling is just “fun season.” 

The East is messy. The path is real. Boston has already banked the kind of résumé that forces you to take them seriously. Add Tatum back into the mix, and it becomes harder to justify moving the goalposts lower just because it was convenient in October.

So here’s the bar. Winning one round feels like a must. Making the conference finals feels like a fair expectation. And if you somehow end up back in the NBA Finals, well…anything can happen in a 7-game series.

The point is, the Celtics didn’t ask for these expectations. They earned them, and those of us that bleed green are lucky (and stressed) because of it.

Posted on

When does March Madness start? Selection Sunday date, conference tournaments schedule

We're a month away from Selection Sunday, so you may be getting that March Madness itch already.

The men's basketball conference races are heating up and the bubble is getting crowded. We'll know soon enough who is in The Big Dance.

Here's an early look at what you need to know, including key dates March Madness dates and conference tournament schedules. Here's our latest bracketology.

Toppmeyer: One SEC conspiracy theory dies after Charles Bediako loses in court

When is Selection Sunday 2026?

The 68-team bracket for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will be unveiled on 6 p.m. ET, Sunday, March 15.

What channel is Selection Sunday on? 

The 2026 NCAA tournament selection show will air on CBS, its traditional broadcast home. Streaming options include Paramount+, CBS's streaming site, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

When does March Madness start? 

The first men’s game of the 2026 NCAA tournament will be on March 17 with the start of the First Four in Dayton, Ohio.

March Madness 2026 schedule 

The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will transpire over the next three weeks, which will end with the Final Four and the national championship game in Indianapolis.

Here’s a rundown of the schedule for the 2026 NCAA Tournament:

  • First Four: March 17-18 (Buy tickets)
  • First round: March 19-20
  • Second round: March 21-22
  • Sweet 16: March 26-27
  • Elite Eight: March 28-29
  • Final Four: April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis (Buy tickets)
  • National championship game: April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis (Buy tickets)

Men's college basketball conference tournament dates, schedule

  • ASUN: March 4-8 (Jacksonville, Fla.)
  • Big South: March 4-8 (Johnson City, Tenn.)
  • Summit: March 4-8 (Sioux Falls, SD)
  • MVC: March 5-8 (St. Louis)
  • OVC: March 4-7 (Evansville, Ind.)
  • Sun Belt: March 3-9 (Pensacola, Fla.)
  • SoCon: March 6-9 (Asheville, NC)
  • Horizon: March 2-10 (Indianapolis)
  • NEC: March 4-10 (on campus)
  • MAAC: March 5-10 (Atlantic City, NJ)
  • WCC: March 5-10 (Las Vegas)
  • CAA: March 6-10 (Washington DC)
  • Patriot: March 3-11 (on campus)
  • Big Sky: March 7-11 (Boise)
  • Southland: March 8-12 (Lake Charles, La.)
  • America East: March 7-14 (on campus)
  • Mountain West: March 7-14 (Las Vegas)
  • SWAC: March 9-14 (Atlanta)
  • ACC: March 10-14 (Charlotte)
  • Big 12: March 10-14 (Kansas City)
  • Conference USA: March 10-14 (Huntsville, Ala.)
  • Big East: March 11-14 (New York City)
  • Big West: March 11-14 (Henderson, NV)
  • MAC: March 11-14 (Cleveland)
  • MEAC: March 11-14 (Norfolk, Va.)
  • WAC: March 11-14 (Las Vegas)
  • Big Ten: March 10-15 (Chicago)
  • American: March 11-15 (Birmingham)
  • Atlantic 10: March 11-15 (Pittsburgh)
  • SEC: March 11-15 (Nashville)
  • Ivy: March 14-15 (Ithaca, NY)

Where is 2026 Final Four?

This year's men's basketball Final Four and championship games will be at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 4 & 6. Click here to buy tickets.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA tournament 2026 start date, Selection Sunday for March Madness

Posted on

Padres reportedly sign ex-Phillies slugger Nick Castellanos, pitchers Canning and Márquez

The San Diego Padres have agreed to terms with outfielder Nick Castellanos and right-handers Griffin Canning and Germán Márquez, a person with knowledge of the deals told The Associated Press on Saturday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Padres hadn’t announced the deals, which are pending physicals.

After finishing with 90 wins and making the playoffs for the fourth time in six years last season, San Diego is adding three major league veterans to bolster its depth in the early days of spring training.

Castellanos joins the Padres two days after the Phillies unceremoniously released the veteran slugger, ending a tumultuous tenure. Philadelphia will have to pay nearly all of Castellanos’ $20 million salary this season, with the Padres only on the hook for the $780,000 major league minimum.

Castellanos is a two-time All-Star who spent the past four seasons with the Phillies after starting his career with the Tigers, Cubs and Reds. He is a career .272 hitter with 250 homers and 920 RBIs, but his effectiveness declined sharply at the plate last season.

He also admitted this week to bringing a beer into the dugout after he was pulled from a game last June. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said he was proud of Castellanos for acknowledging his mistake.

After spending his career in the outfield and at third base, Castellanos seems likely to get a shot to play first base for the Padres, who have no set starter at the position after parting ways with Luis Arraez.

Canning and Márquez both could get a chance to win a job at the back of the Padres’ starting rotation, which is currently led by Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Michael King. The final two spots are up in the air, with Randy Vásquez the most likely incumbent contender for a spot.

San Diego will have a new look on the mound after Dylan Cease and closer Robert Suarez left in free agency and Yu Darvish underwent elbow surgery, but its bullpen still looks like one of the strongest in baseball.

Canning could be a candidate to join that group when he returns to Southern California. The Orange County native and UCLA product spent his first six major league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, who traded him to Atlanta in November 2024.

He signed with the New York Mets a month later and went 7-3 with a 3.77 ERA in 16 starts last season before rupturing his Achilles tendon in June, an injury that could delay his return to the field this season.

The 31-year-old Márquez joins an NL West rival after spending the first decade of his career with the Colorado Rockies, going 68-72 with a 4.67 ERA. After missing most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to Tommy John surgery, the normally durable starter was 3-16 with a 6.70 ERA last season, his career collapsing along with the Rockies’ season.

Márquez is joining the Padres on a minor-league deal. Canning is getting a one-year deal.

San Diego also added veteran slugger Miguel Andujar last week as general manager A.J. Preller made good on his promise to keep shopping for veteran talent well into February.

Posted on

Pakistan takes on India in marquee game at T20 World Cup. West Indies thumps Nepal for 3rd win

MUMBAI, India (AP) — The most-anticipated game of the T20 World Cup is set to attract over a billion eyeballs when India takes on archrival Pakistan at Colombo on Sunday with uncertainty aplenty still surrounding world cricket’s marquee matchup.

Political and diplomatic tensions between the two nations have often boiled over on to the cricket field. Sunday’s game will be the first time the teams have met since last year’s acrimonious Asia Cup tournament in the United Arab Emirates which was won by India and where players refused to shake hands.

West Indies makes it 3 in 3

At Mumbai, West Indies notched its third successive win in Group C when it thumped Nepal by nine wickets and qualified for the Super 8 stage of the tournament.

West Indies had already beat Scotland and England to take command of Group C.

Nepal showed plenty of promise in its first game when it lost narrowly to England, but then two heavy defeats against first-timer Italy and Sunday against West Indies saw it eliminated.

Fast bowler Jason Holder grabbed 4-27 and restricted Nepal to 133-8 after captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to field. Hope then smashed unbeaten 61 off 44 balls and Shimron Hetmyer scored 46 off 32 balls as West Indies cruised to 134-1 in 15.2 overs.

Nepal had stuttered to 6-73 in 15 overs but Dipendra Singh Airee (58) and Sompal Kami (26 not out) contributed a 54-run stand in the death overs to give the total some respectability.

United States, which lost to both India and Pakistan before beating the Netherlands, takes on Namibia in its final Group A game later Sunday.

All eyes on Colombo

But Colombo remains the focal point on Sunday where the marquee game of the tournament begins at 7 p.m. local time (1400 GMT).

In the lead up to the match, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said he believed it was up to the Indian players to decide whether they will shake hands with his team before and after Sunday’s game.

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, for his part, was non-committal.

“Why are you highlighting that?” Suryakumar asked reporters on the eve of the game. “We are here to play cricket. We will play good cricket. We will take all those calls tomorrow. We will see tomorrow.”

Pakistan’s government threatened a boycott of Sunday’s match after the International Cricket Council kicked Bangladesh out of the World Cup for refusing to play matches in India, citing security concerns.

Pakistan only agreed to play after intense discussions with the ICC. The fixture is the major revenue earner for the ICC.

Tensions running high

Tensions came to a head in the Asia Cup when Suryakumar refused to shake hands with Agha. Heated moments followed between the two sides throughout the tournament, with Suryakumar and Pakistan’s Haris Rauf fined for breaching the ICC’s code of conduct.

India went on to win the Asia Cup but refused to accept the trophy from Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

“The game should be played in real spirit, the way it has been played since it started. The rest is up to them (India), what they want to do,” Agha told media on Saturday about the possibility of the players shaking hands.

Political and military tensions have meant the two teams have not played a bilateral series for years.

India has not traveled to Pakistan since 2008 and Pakistan visited India for the 50-over World Cup in 2023 but has since played ICC tournaments at neutral venues.

India has defeated Pakistan 12 times in the 16 T20 games they have played. It also has an impressive 6-1 record in the eight T20 World Cup matches since the first edition in 2007, with one being tied.

__

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

Posted on

Donovan Mitchell would welcome LeBron back to Cavs: ‘It’s LeBron James right?’

CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers wait for a free throw during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on November 25, 2023 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

Another day, another write-up about LeBron James potentially joining the Cleveland Cavaliers after his current deal with the Los Angeles Lakers runs out this summer. This time, it was Cleveland’s current superstar, Donovan Mitchell, weighing in on the matter.

Mitchell told SiriusXM NBA Radio that being a teammate with James would be special, but that isn’t his focus right now.

Mitchell’s entire quote can be read below:

“As a Bron fan, to be able to be a teammate, that would obviously be special, but that’s not something in my control. I control what we got here. There’s always going to be reports, that’s natural, it’s gonna be a thing.

At the end of the day, to your point, my main focus right now is trying to get this championship. And whatever it happens, it happens. Like, that’s not up to me, that’s not up to anybody else in the locker room. So I’m big on believing what I can control. But yeah, it’s LeBron James, right?

At the end of the day, that’s not my focus. I’m not here to worry about that. I know I’m gonna get asked about that a bunch all weekend, but my focus is [with the current team]. We just traded for James Harden, Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis, I would say, ‘Let’s try to find a way to get a ring,’ and go from there.

Support us and Let ‘Em Know with Homage!

Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Spida shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.

Questions like this are going to keep coming up, given the recent rumors and the fact that no meaningful basketball is being played during All-Star Weekend.

Mitchell has the right perspective. This isn’t something that he can control, and this Cavs team is good enough to win a championship this season with how open the Eastern Conference is.

At the same time, it’s also worth acknowledging that Mitchell seems open to it based on what he’s said here and the fact that he’s made it no secret that he grew up rooting for LeBron. And there have already been rumors that Mitchell and Harden have started recruiting LeBron back home.

There would be something poetic about Mitchell — who was one of the children in attendance at The Decision in 2010 — potentially leading a championship-level Cavaliers team with James 17 years later.

We’ll see how this all plays out. The team would need to make plenty of roster moves before James could sign with the Cavs for a third stint. However, if both Mitchell and LeBron want this reunion to take place, the Cavs will undoubtedly find a way to make it all work.

Posted on

Fan poll shows how far Jazz fans think the Jazz will go next season

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - FEBRUARY 11: Jaren Jackson Jr., #20 of the Utah Jazz boxes out Doug McDermott #7 of the Sacramento Kings during the first half of their game at the Delta Center on February 11, 2026 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 Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In our latest NBA Reacts poll, I wanted to see how good Jazz fans think the Jazz will be next season. With the addition of Jaren Jackson Jr. last week, the Utah Jazz became the center of NBA attention, but not for the right reasons. Adam Silver, in typical form, fined the Jazz for resting Jackson in the fourth because he doesn’t understand or care about the NBA or the small-market fans. Or any fans, really.

Anyways, what should have been focused on was how good the Jazz looked with Jackson on the floor. Utah’s defense looked incredible, and they had some impressive offensive flow that gave a preview of the Jazz next season. The question is, how far will the Jazz go next season with Jaren Jackson Jr.? Here’s what Jazz fans think.

The majority of Jazz fans think the Jazz will be a top-6 playoff seed, and I have a hard time not agreeing. The Jazz have the potential to be an elite defensive team with Jacon Jr. paired with Walker Kessler.

At FanDuel you can see for this season and next. Something tells me those odds fort he Jazz are going to be good!

Posted on

Braves News: Roster predictions, Spring Training, more

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 28: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the third inning during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Truist Park on September 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There has been a decent bit of discussion around Alex Anthopoulos’ comments regarding essentially only looking to add a starter who would be a middle/top of the rotation guy and not really trying to add just a guy to fit into the back of the rotation. I have conflicted feelings on these comments. A guy like Chris Bassitt would have made this roster better on paper. That’s not really something disputed. I think there is an argument if you think that Bryce Elder and/or Joey Wentz are 1-1.5 fWAR/162 starting pitchers, then adding a 2-2.5 fWAR/162 starter for just under $20 million isn’t good return on investment and doesn’t substantially improve depth when it results on the likely loss of a guy like Elder from the roster entirely. One counter-argument to that would be that Elder or perhaps a Holmes or Lopez could be stashed in the bullpen to preserve depth if a guy like Bassitt had been added, but I don’t see Elder as a particularly strong bullpen candidate and that scenario wouldn’t have made much sense until Schwellenbach’s injury status was discovered. That said, adding a top 3 starter to the roster for reasonable cost is a very difficult task, so perhaps that is an unrealistic self-imposed bar for adding to the pitching staff. It’s an interesting approach and I hope that the Braves don’t suffer from another plague of injuries to their pitching staff this season.

Braves News

We put out some early roster predictions including the starting rotation and the backup catcher spot.

MLB News

The Orioles acquired pitching depth from the Twins for cash.

The Padres signed longtime Rockies starter German Marquez to a one year deal with a mutual option in 2027.

Zac Gallen’s one year $22 million deal in Arizona will be considered worth $18.7 for luxury tax purposes after considering deferrals.

Posted on

Yankees news: Ben Rice suffers minor neck injury

TORONTO, ONTARIO - OCTOBER 05: Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees hits a two run double during the seventh inning in game two of the American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on October 05, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Greg Joyce | X: After learning on Friday that Cam Schlittler was dealing with a back/lat issue that is not believed to be serious, the team reported that first baseman Ben Rice is also nursing a minor injury. The young first baseman, per Joyce, ‘slept on his neck wrong the other night’ and that’s why he has not been hitting the last few days. The hope is that he starts swinging again in a matter of days, possibly hours. Big things are expected from Rice, who put together a breakout season in 2025 with 26 home runs and a 133 wRC+.

Francys Romero | X: Heavily criticized in recent seasons for their lack of success in the international market, the Yankees secured their first major prospect in the Mario Garza era: Venezuelan catcher Sebastian Pérez, who is expected to sign for a $1.7 million bonus. The real challenge for the Yankees will be actually signing the young star when the next period opens in January 15, 2027. According to Romero, Pérez “features elite exit velocity at the plate and premium defensive skills behind the dish.”

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Gerrit Cole threw his first official bullpen session of the spring on Friday, and reportedly touched 96 mph on the radar gun. Despite the pitcher himself doing his best to control expectations, he looks ahead of schedule and could return in April. When asked about his ace and how he looked, manager Aaron Boone gave an encouraging response: ‘He looked like Gerrit Cole.’

“Just really efficient, really great command,” Boone told Hoch. “When I think of Gerrit and his greatness, a lot of it ties to his delivery. Everything looks like it’s coming out free and easy. I liken it to a diver that dives off the high board and just goes in the water, making no splash. That’s Gerrit.” Catcher Austin Wells also praised the veteran pitcher, saying he could get outs in the majors right now. The Cole Train is in full swing this spring.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco Late on Friday, the Yankees added a veteran right-hander to their bullpen mix. They signed Rafael Montero to a minor league deal with an invitation to camp, with a $1.8 million base salary if he makes the club. Montero played with three clubs in the 2025 campaign: the Astros, the Braves, and the Tigers, compiling a 4.48 ERA in 60.1 innings pitched.

SNY | Phillip Martinez Last spring, Yankees prospect Chase Hampton was diagnosed with a flexor strain that resulted in Tommy John surgery. After several months of grueling rehab, the right-hander is trying to show the organization he is ready to pick right where he left off.

“I don’t know his progression, so to speak. I’ve seen a couple of his bullpens now and it keeps ticking up,” Boone said after Saturday’s practice. “I know he is chomping at the bit for a little bit more because he is feeling really good as well. Boone added that Hampton is looking ‘pretty good right now’ and that bodes well for his future and his chances. The skipper didn’t want to predict if the young righty is going to pitch in Grapefruit League games, though.

Posted on

Swain scores 18 of his 25 after halftime, Texas beats Missouri 85-68

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Dailyn Swain scored 18 of his 25 points after halftime, Matas Vokietaitis had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Texas pulled away in the second half to beat Missouri 85-68 on Saturday night.

Texas (16-9, 7-5 SEC) has won four straight and five of six.

Jordan Pope added 15 points, 12 in the second half, for the Longhorns.

Nicholas Randall threw down a put-back dunk after a missed layup by T.O. Barrett that made it 41-all with 14:39 left to play. Tramon Mark answered with a three-point play and Pope hit a 3-pointer a little more than two minutes later that gave Texas a six-point lead. Vokietaitis made two free throws to ignite an 8-1 spurt that made it 59-48 with 9:09 left.

Mark Mitchell and Jayden Stone each scored 16 points for Missouri (17-8, 7-5).

There were 41 personal fouls called. Texas made 21 of 23 (91%) from the free-throw line, where the Tigers shot 68% (26 of 38).

The Longhorns outscored Missouri 40-28 in the paint. The Tigers went into the game outscoring conference opponents in the paint by an average 10.4 points – the second-best margin in the SEC.

Mitchell and Swain went into game as the only players in the SEC — and two of just 11 in the country — with at least 400 points, 130 rebounds and 80 assists this season.

Tipoff was delayed about 20 minutes due to the late arrival of an official after traffic was snarled by a vehicle collision.

It was the first sellout of the season at the 15,061-seat Mizzou Arena.

Up next

Texas: Hosts LSU on Tuesday.

Missouri: Plays at home Wednesday against No. 19 Vanderbilt.

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

Posted on

Steinbach, Diallo pave the way for Washington to end three-game skid beating Minnesota 69-57

SEATTLE (AP) — Hannes Steinbach scored 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting and Zoom Diallo scored 17 points and Washington beat Minnesota 69-57 on Saturday night and ended its three-game losing streak.

Despite just 4-of-13 (31%) shooting from 3-point range by Washington (13-13, 5-10 Big Ten), the Huskies found success overall shooting 29 of 46 (63%). Inside the arc Washington was 25 of 33 (76%).

Steinbach just missed his 17th double-double of the season, grabbing nine rebounds. He entered the game as the nation's fourth-leading rebounder at 11.4 boards per game.

Cade Tyson scored 22 points, Bobby Durkin scored 13 points and Isaac Asuma 11 for Minnesota (11-14, 4-10 Big Ten).

Washington went on a 14-0 run in the last 3:57 of the first half turning a one-point deficit into a 39-26 lead.

To start the run, Courtland Muldrew's step-back basket put Washington up 27-26. Steinbach followed with a layup before a Franck Kepnang jumper made it 31-26.

Washington went on to maintain the double-digit lead for all the second half and Steinbach's dunk with 2:59 to go gave Washington its biggest lead at 69-49.

Up Next

Minnesota: Slides down Interstate 5 to play Oregon on Tuesday.

Washington: Plays next Saturday at Maryland.

___

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

Posted on

Tessa Johnson’s 21 sparks No. 3 South Carolina past No. 6 LSU

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Tessa Johnson scored 21 points as No. 3 South Carolina beat No. 6 LSU 79-72 on Saturday night and extended its winning streak over the Tigers to 18 games.

Trailing 73-72, LSU had a chance to take a one-point lead with 45.5 seconds left, but Flau’jae Johnson missed two free throws.

South Carolina (25-2, 11-1 SEC) closed out the Tigers (22-4, 8-4) by scoring six straight points, including Madina Okot’s layup with 25.5 seconds left and her two free throws with 16.1 seconds remaining.

Raven Johnson added 19 for the Gamecocks, Okot had a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds, and Joyce Edwards scored 10 points.

Johnson led LSU with 21 points, and Mikaylah Williams added 11.

The Tigers had their chances, but wasted too many opportunities. They missed 10 layups and nine free throws.

Despite leading for only 4:09 in the first half, South Carolina flipped LSU’s 21-16 first-quarter lead into a 41-40 halftime advantage.

The Tigers led by as many as five points several times in the second quarter, but never could pull away. Despite Johnson scoring eight points, the Gamecocks countered with 5-for-9 shooting from 3-point range in the period.

Tessa Johnson and Raven Johnson combined for 19 of South Carolina’s 25 points in the second period. Tessa Johnson, the SEC’s leading 3-point shooter, scored 11 points and was 3 for 4 from long distance.

NO. 1 UCONN 71, MARQUETTE 56

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Azzi Fudd scored 25 points, Sarah Strong had 19 of her 22 in the second half and UConn remained unbeaten with a victory over Marquette.

UConn (27-0, 16-0 Big East) has won 43 straight games and hasn’t lost since an 80-76 decision at Tennessee over a year ago. The Huskies also have won 63 straight Big East games, counting regular-season and tournament matchups.

Marquette (16-10, 10-7) did manage to end one UConn streak.

UConn had won 21 straight games by at least 25 points before Saturday, which represented the longest such streak for any Division I program over at least the last 25 seasons. The last team to lose to UConn by fewer than 25 points was No. 7 Michigan, which fell 72-69 to the Huskies on Nov. 21 at Uncasville, Connecticut.

The Huskies built a 36-24 halftime lead thanks to Fudd, who scored 17 points and shot 5 of 8 on 3-point attempts in the first two periods.

Strong, who entered Saturday shooting 60% from the floor, went 1 of 9 and scored just three points in the first half. But she shot 6 of 7 during a 15-point third quarter.

UConn guard KK Arnold had 10 points and a career-high nine assists in her return home. Arnold was a three-time Associated Press Wisconsin state player of the year while starring at nearby Germantown High School.

Lee Volker scored 15 points, Skylar Forbes 14 and Jaidynn Mason 11 for Marquette, which has lost three straight games for the first time since December 2022.

OKLAHOMA STATE 75, NO. 16 TEXAS TECH 65

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Jadyn Wooten scored 16 points, Amari Whiting added 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Oklahoma State outscored the Lady Raiders in the second quarter to beat Texas Tech.

Oklahoma State (20–7, 9–5 Big 12) took a 36–24 halftime lead, holding Tech scoreless for the final 3:18 of the half. The win marked the Cowgirls’ second victory over a ranked opponent this season and secured their first 20‑win campaign since 2022–23.

Wooten shot 7 of 10 from the field and added seven assists, while Whiting posted her second double‑double of the year. Achol Akot scored 13 points and Stailee Heard added 12 for the Cowgirls, who shot 54% overall and made eight 3‑pointers.

Texas Tech (23–4, 10–4) opened the second half with five straight points to cut the deficit to seven, but OSU answered with an 8–0 run to push the margin back to 44–29. The Lady Raiders trailed by double digits for most of the second half before a late push trimmed it to 66–60 with under three minutes left.

Bailey Maupin led the Lady Raiders with 19 points, and Snudda Collins added 18 off the bench. The Lady Raiders shot 4 of 21 from deep and were outrebounded 36–26. Texas Tech entered a half‑game out of first place in the Big 12 and is on the road for three of its next four games.

NO. 24 PRINCETON 59, CORNELL 38

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Madison St. Rose led with 15 points and seven rebounds and Princeton rode a big second half to defeat Cornell.

The Tigers (20-3, 8-2 Ivy League) bounced back from a loss against Columbia on Friday to win their third game in their past four contests. It was the second-lowest scoring game of the season for Princeton after a 58-49 win over Brown on Jan. 24.

Skye Belker had 12 points, four rebounds, and two assists for the Tigers. Fadima Tall added 11 points and six rebounds.

Cornell closed the first half on a 7-0 run to lead 23-15 at halftime, but Princeton erupted for 23 points in the third quarter to turn an eight-point deficit into a ten-point lead.

Princeton controlled the game in the second half, surrendering just 15 second-half points on the way to a comfortable victory.

Clarke Jackson and Paige Engels led the Big Red (8-15, 3-7) with eight points each. Cornell was held to 31% shooting and 24% from beyond the arc.

Posted on

No. 16 Texas Tech hands No. 1 Arizona 2nd straight loss in OT

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — JT Toppin scored eight of his 31 points in a dominant overtime performance and No. 16 Texas Tech sent No. 1 Arizona to its second straight loss, shocking the Wildcats 78-75 on Saturday.

Texas Tech (19-6, 9-3 Big 12) beat the No. 1 team for the third time in school history. The Wildcats (23-2, 10-2) were 23-0 before losing to No. 9 Kansas 82-78 on Monday.

Arizona had a 64-57 lead with 3:29 left in regulation, but Texas Tech responded with 9-0 run, capped by Donovan Atwell’s corner 3-pointer with 25 seconds left for a 66-64 lead. Arizona’s Ivan Kharchenkov tied it at 66 with two free throws and Christian Anderson couldn’t hit a contested jumper as time expired.

After the short break, Toppin went to work, scoring four baskets on an array of tip-ins and low-post moves. The preseason All-America selection shot 13 of 22 from the field and had 13 rebounds to finish with his 47th career double-double. Anderson added 19 points, hitting six 3-pointers.

Arizona’s Tobe Awaka had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Brayden Burries also scored 16.

NO. 2 MICHIGAN 86, UCLA 56

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead Michigan to a victory over UCLA that puts the program in position to be ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2013.

No. 1 Arizona lost its first game Monday night on the road against No. 9 Kansas, giving the Wolverines (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) a path to the top spot in the poll with their 10th straight win.

The Bruins (17-8, 9-5) had won five of six games.

Michigan made nine straight shots — including Lendeborg’s two 3-pointers — early in the second half to turn what was a closely contested game into a rout.

Just two years after losing a school-record 24 games in Juwan Howard’s final season, coach Dusty May took advantage of the transfer portal to build a deep and talented roster that has won 24 of 25 games for the first time in school history.

NO. 3 HOUSTON 78, KANSAS STATE 64

HOUSTON (AP) — Emanuel Sharp had 23 points and six rebounds as Houston rallied from an early deficit to beat Kansas State for the Cougars’ sixth straight win.

Sharp scored 14 points on 4 of 10 shooting in the first half as Houston (23-2, 11-1 Big 12) built a 33-19 halftime lead.

Milos Uzan added 12 points and eight assists, and Kingston Flemings finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars, which won their 18th straight at home.

P.J. Haggerty scored 23 points to lead Kansas State (10-15, 1-11). Haggerty surpassed 2,000 points in his collegiate career in the first half, becoming the fifth current Division I player to achieve the milestone.

Nate Johnson had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Taj Manning added 10 points for Kansas State. The Wildcats shot 35% from the field, 8 of 26 (31%) from 3-point range, and made 16 of 25 (64%) from the free-throw line.

The Wildcats raced to a 15-6 lead about 8 ½ minutes into the game on a 3-pointer by Haggerty, but Houston responded to finish the half on a 27-4 run. Sharp had nine points and Uzan added seven points in the spurt. Kansas State shot 1 for 15 from the floor to end the half.

Kansas State got no closer than 10 points in the second half.

NO. 4 DUKE 67, NO. 20 CLEMSON 54

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Star freshman Cameron Boozer had 18 points and Duke held Clemson to 35% shooting in a win.

Isaiah Evans added 17 points for the Blue Devils (23-2, 12-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who made 11 of 16 shots after halftime and pushed a 31-26 edge past a 20-point margin midway through the second half.

This marked Duke’s 29th straight home win and eighth victory against an AP Top 25 opponent this year. The Blue Devils entered the weekend tied with No. 2 Michigan for the national lead with 10 Quadrant 1 wins to top a postseason resume.

The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Boozer, who began the day ranked fifth nationally in scoring by averaging 23.0 points, made 7 of 14 shots with a pair of 3-pointers to go with eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.

NO. 5 IOWA ST. 74, NO. 9 KANSAS 56

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 18 points and Iowa State shook off a slow start to defeat Kansas, snapping the Jayhawks’ eight-game winning streak.

The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3 Big 12), coming off Tuesday’s 62-55 loss at TCU, began a five-game stretch in which they play four ranked teams by taking control of this game in the first half despite struggling to make shots in the opening minutes.

Iowa State led 37-27 at halftime, then went on a 20-7 run in the opening 5 1/2 minutes of the second half, a stretch in which the Cyclones made six consecutive 3-pointers.

Their defense held Kansas (19-6, 9-3) to 31.6% shooting from the field in the second half, including 1 of 8 in 3-pointers. The Jayhawks shot 37.3% for the game while committing 13 turnovers, 10 in the first half.

NO. 6 UCONN 79, GEORGETOWN 75

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Solo Ball had 20 points and Alex Karaban scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half as UConn held off a second-half rally and beat Georgetown.

Silas Demary Jr. had 15 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, and freshmen Braylon Mullins and Eric Reibe scored 10 points apiece for UConn (24-2, 14-1 Big East).

Karaban set a program record with his 136th career start. He also became the winningest player in UConn men’s history as the Huskies improved to 116-24 when he is in uniform. He hit two foul shots with 10 seconds remaining to seal the win after Georgetown rallied from 14 points down and closed within two points with 11 seconds remaining.

KJ Lewis had 24 points, nine rebounds and four steals, Vincent Iwuchukwu added 16 points and Kayvaun Mulready scored all 15 points of his points in the second half for Georgetown (13-11, 5-9).

NO. 7 NEBRASKA 68, NORTHWESTERN 49

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Pryce Sandfort scored 29 points, Sam Hoiberg added 14 and Nebraska shook off a slow start to beat Northwestern.

The Cornhuskers (22-3, 11-3 Big Ten) overcame a season high-tying 18 turnovers and poor shooting in the first half to sweep the season series with the Wildcats (10-16, 2-13).

Nebraska was celebrating alumni weekend with more than 75 players on hand and came into the game off losses in three of their last four.

This one was a slog until the middle of the second half. Reserve guard Cale Jacobsen scored eight of his 10 points and blocked a shot during a 14-4 spurt that turned the Huskers’ 39-38 deficit into a 52-43 lead. The Wildcats managed just three field goals over the final 13 minutes.

Sandfort, who shot 6 of 11 on 3-pointers, had 25-plus points and six 3s in a game for the fourth time.

NO. 11 NORTH CAROLINA 79, PITTSBURGH 65

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Jarin Stevenson and Seth Trimble scored 19 points each to help North Carolina beat Pittsburgh and secure another 20-win season.

The short-handed Tar Heels played without star freshman forward Caleb Wilson (bone fracture in left hand) and center Henri Veesaar (illness/lower body injury), who had both started every game this season and are the team’s top two scorers and rebounders.

Stevenson’s total was a season-high for the Alabama transfer.

Luka Bogavac and Zayden High, who had a career-best game, each scored 15 points for North Carolina (20-5, 8-4 Atlantic Coast Conference).

NO. 12 GONZAGA 94, SANTA CLARA 86

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Graham Ike had 21 points and a season-high 15 rebounds as Gonzaga held off Santa Clara.

Graham shot 7 of 12 and had four assists to help the Bulldogs move a half-game ahead of the Broncos for first place in the West Coast Conference. It’s Graham’s seventh consecutive game with 20 points, matching a similar streak he had in 2024.

Gonzaga (25-2, 13-1) has won 25 games or more in 19 consecutive seasons under coach Mark Few. Few was recently named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.

Adam Miller scored 20 points, Tyon Grant-Foster added 20. and Emmanuel Innocenti had 16 points and six rebounds for the Bulldogs.

As good as Graham was, the Bulldogs had to do without their star forward for three minutes late in the second half while he was in foul trouble.

Christian Hammond scored 16 points for Santa Clara (22-6, 13-2).

NO. 13 PURDUE 78, IOWA 57

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — C.J. Cox and Gicarri Harris each had 14 points to help Purdue beat Iowa.

The Boilermakers (20-5, 11-3 Big Ten), wrapping up a stretch of six of eight games on the road, extended their winning streak to four with an efficient offense that consistently found openings. Purdue, which leads the nation in assists per game, had 20 assists on 25 field goals, with Braden Smith having 12 of those.

Iowa (18-7, 8-6), which had won six of seven, lost for the second time this week. The Hawkeyes lost 77-70 at Maryland on Wednesday night, and were looking to bounce back in front of their first sellout home crowd of the season. Instead, they couldn’t make shots.

Trey Kaufman-Renn had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Purdue. Fletcher Loyer added 12 points.

Bennett Stirtz led Iowa with 19 points. The Hawkeyes shot 37.7% from the field, a percentage raised by a late stretch in which they made nine of their last 13 shots.

NO. 14 FLORIDA 92, NO. 25 KENTUCKY 83

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Xaivian Lee scored 22 points, Urban Klavzar added 19 and Florida beat Kentucky for its 10th victory in its last 11 outings.

Lee and Klavzar took advantage of Florida’s paint presence and hit a combined nine 3-pointers.

Thomas Haugh (17), Alex Condon (14) and Rueben Chinyelu (10) also scored in double figures for the Gators, who ended a six-game skid against the Wildcats at home.

Florida (19-6, 10-2 Southeastern Conference) had been 1-4 against Kentucky (17-8, 8-4) under coach Todd Golden. But the Gators led wire to wire in this one and finished with a 45-37 rebounding advantage. Condon and Chinyelu grabbed 11 boards each, both finishing with a double-double.

The matchup featured a unique subplot. Kentucky guard Denzel Aberdeen, who spent the last three years at Florida and helped the Gators win the national title last March, was “welcomed” back with a chorus of boos.

Aberdeen led the Wildcats with 19 points while getting taunted with chants of “Gator traitor” throughout. Collin Chandler added 18, and Otega Oweh chipped in 13.

NO. 15 VIRGINIA 70, OHIO STATE 66

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Malik Thomas and Sam Lewis each scored 13 points and Virginia beat Ohio State at Bridgestone Arena in the Nashville Hoops Showdown.

The Cavaliers (22-3) extended their winning streak to six.

Bruce Thornton scored 28 points for Ohio State (16-9). He also had an assist, the 500th of his career.

Amare Bynum had 15 points and six rebounds for the Buckeyes in their latest nonconference game in nearly 40 years.

It was tied at 37 at the half, with Virginia erasing an early Ohio State lead

Ohio State opened up a six-point lead with under 10 minutes remaining, but the Cavaliers had a 6-0 run to tie it.

With just over a minute remaining, Lewis forced a turnover and then went the length of the floor for a layup to give Virginia a 65-61 lead. He then hit a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left to put the game out of reach.

NO. 17 ST. JOHN'S 79, PROVIDENCE 69

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Dylan Darling had 23 points and eight rebounds and St. John’s scored eight straight points after a fracas that resulted in six ejections to take the lead and earn its 11th straight victory over Providence.

Bryce Hopkins had nine points and nine rebounds for the Red Storm (20-5, 13-1 Big East), and the ex-Friars star was in the middle of it all when he was taken down by a hard foul with 14:25 left and Providence (11-15, 4-11) up 40-39.

By the time things were sorted out, four St. John’s and two Providence players had been ejected, and the Red Storm were on their way to an 8-0 run to take a lead that was never threatened.

Hopkins, who was booed during introductions and cheered when he missed shots, started his career at Kentucky and spent two seasons as one of Providence’s top players before tearing his ACL in 2023-24 and transferring to St. John’s for his final year.

The game also marked the return of Red Storm coach Rick Pitino, who took Providence to the 1987 Final Four but saw his hopes of a return dashed here last March with a second-round NCAA Tournament loss to longtime nemesis John Calipari and his Arkansas Razorbacks.

NO. 19 VANDERBILT 82, TEXAS A&M 69

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tyler Nickel scored 25 points to lead Vanderbilt to a victory over Texas A&M.

AK Okereke added a season-high 23 points while Devin McGlockton had 17 for the Commodores (21-4, 8-4 Southeastern Conference), who have won five of six since a three-game losing skid in mid-January.

Marcus Hill had 20 points for the Aggies (17-8, 7-5 SEC).

Vanderbilt led 36-32 at the half, paced by Nickel and Devin McGlockton who both had 11 points. Marcus Hill had 12 points in the opening 20 minutes for the Aggies.

Nickel’s 25 points are the most he’s scored against an SEC opponent this season.

NO. 21 ARKANSAS 88, AUBURN 75

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Darius Acuff Jr. tied a career high with 31 points and Billy Richmond III scored a career-high 25 to lead Arkansas past Auburn.

Acuff, who shot 10 of 15 from the field and 7 of 10 from 3-point range, made three straight 3-pointers early in the second half as the Razorbacks (19-6, 9-3 Southeastern Conference) went on a 19-4 run before the first media timeout after leading by six at halftime.

The freshman guard has scored in double figures every game this season and has now scored 20 points or more in six straight games. Arkansas has gone 5-1 in that span.

Richmond made 12 of 15 field goals to break his previous personal high of 16 points. Arkansas, as a team, shot 57% from the floor.

Auburn (14-11, 5-7) played without leading scorer Keyshawn Hall, who is averaging 20.7 points per game. Coach Steven Pearl said Hall was out for disciplinary reasons. Tahaad Pettiford scored 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting and KeShawn Murphy added 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting. The rest of the Tigers roster shot 22%.

The Tigers pulled within eight points with 8:25 left, but Richmond scored the next five points and Acuff added another 3-pointer to build Arkansas’ lead back to double digits.

NO. 22 BYU 90, COLORADO 86, OT

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Rob Wright III scored a career-high 39 points and BYU beat Colorado in overtime.

It was Wright’s second straight 30-point-plus game after scoring 30 at Baylor on Tuesday night. AJ Dybantsa added 20 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists to help the Cougars (19-6, 7-5 Big 12) win without second-leading scorer Richie Saunders.

Saunders exited 45 seconds into the game after suffering an apparent lower leg injury on BYU’s first possession and did not return.

Aleksej Kostic hit an open 3-pointer with 1:21 left in overtime to put BYU up 85-82. Colorado missed six straight shots and scored one basket over the final 3 1/2 minutes, allowing the Cougars to seal the win at the free-throw line.

Isaiah Johnson had 27 points to lead Colorado (14-12, 4-9). Barrington Hargress chipped in 20 and Bangot Dak added 15.

NO. 24 LOUISVILLE 82, BAYLOR 71

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Mikel Brown Jr. had a part of every point during Louisville’s go-ahead run early in the second half as the standout freshman followed up his historic game with 29 points and six assists in the Cardinals’ win over Baylor.

The Cardinals (19-6) went ahead to stay with an 11-3 run that started when Brown had the assist on J’Vonne Hadley’s basket with 18:20 left to snap a 39-all tie. Brown made three free throws less than a minute later after being fouled on a long shot, then had back-to-back steals and immediately followed with assists both times — on Sananda Fru’s dunk, then another jumper by Hadley. That run ended with Brown’s layup with 15:06 left that made it 50-42.

Hadley finished with 20 points and Ryan Conwell had 14 for the Cardinals, who shot 56% (28 of 50) from the field.

Brown was coming off 45 points in Louisville’s 118-77 win over North Carolina State on Monday night, when he matched the single-game school record and broke Cooper Flagg’s ACC freshman mark for a single game.

Isaac Williams had 20 points for the Bears (13-12), while freshman Tounde Yessoufou had 16. Yessoufou had 37 points in a 99-94 home loss to No. 22 BYU on Tuesday night.

_____

Posted on

Holloway paces Alabama's balanced attack in 89-75 win over South Carolina

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Aden Holloway scored 20 points and Labaron Philon Jr. and reserve Latrell Wrightsell Jr. each scored 19 points and Alabama beat South Carolina 89-75 on Saturday night for the Crimson Tide's fourth consecutive win.

Holloway finished 6-of-9 shooting, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range, Philon was 5 of 8 — 4 of 7 from 3 — and Wrightsell 6 of 11 and 3 of 7 from distance.

Aiden Sherrell scored 11 points and Amari Allen grabbed 10 rebounds and eight points for Alabama (18-7, 8-4 SEC).

Meechie Johnson scored 24 of his 26 points after halftime, Kobe Knox had 21 points and Mike Sharavjamts 14 for South Carolina (11-14, 2-10 SEC).

Holloway's 3-pointer with 9:56 before halftime ended a tie at 23-all, Jalil Bethea followed with a dunk on a fastbreak and Alabama (18-7, 8-4) led for the remainder.

Holloway and Philon made consecutive 3s in a 37-second span and Alabama took its first double-digit lead at 41-29 with 2:52 before halftime.

Alabama led 45-32 at halftime and maintained the double-digit lead until Johnson's 3 with 8:20 left capped his personal 11-2 run and reduced South Carolina's (11-14, 2-10) lead to 63-56.

Wrightshell made a pair of free throws with 2:48 remaining and Alabama stayed ahead by double digits the rest of the way.

Up Next

South Carolina: Travels to face 14th-ranked Florida on Tuesday.

Alabama: Hosts 21st-ranked Arkansas on Wednesday.

___

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

Posted on

The Spurs were well represented at 2026 All-Star Saturday night

Carter Bryant came within inches of winning the Slam Dunk contest Saturday night
Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) competes in the slam dunk contest during the 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Observations

  • The NBA leaned in hard on the Hollywood bit with stars being brought into the arena among a throng of adoring paparazzi throughout the evening.
  • The NBA ad where the singer spits out players names with the instrumentals for Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ is catchy. Maybe someone will do a song about this year’s Spurs roster.
  • The Dunk Contest is on its deathbed.

State Farm 3-Point Shooting Contest

In a league that continues to display the 3-point shot more, it was really nice to hear Reggie Miller provide the player-by-player analysis of how their respective forms could portend to success in this contest. The 4-point logo spot was a dead spot for nearly all of the participants tonight.

First Round

Donovan Mitchell had a blazing hot start on his first two racks, but faded late for 24 points. Jamal Murray could not find any momentum from rack-to-rack and languised with 17 points. Norman Powell looked like Rashard Lewis out there with a high release and finished with 23 points. Bobby Portis, like Murray, had a scattershot performance and ended up with a paltry 15. Tyrese Maxey has the makings of a Lillard-like easy-shooting form, but scored 17.

Kon Kneuppel (27 points) started the competition well, and the two last elder participants – Devin Booker (channeling his inner Klay Thompson with 30 points) and Damian Lillard (showing no visible wear from his myriad leg injuries with 27 points) finished in the top three for Round 1.

Final Round

Kneuppel faded in the bright lights of Intuit Dome and shot quite a good amount of back rim bricks and ended in third with 17 points.

Booker and Lillard staged a shootout for the ages. Lillard was consistently great on each rack and put tons of pressure on Booker with his 29 point performance.

I had a hard time believing Lillard in his congratulatory interview when he said that he knew it would be these three competitors in the finals, but he was a deserving winner tonight. Booker hit on 9 of his first 10 and had several opportunities to overtake Lillard on the final rack, but missed his final three – falling just two short of 3-time winner Lillard.

CHAMPION: Damian Lillard (Portland TrailBlazers)

Kia Shooting Stars

The Shooting Stars event was brought back from the dead, with the team leads assigned to be designated passers for each round – it turned out that the leads / passers truly mattered to the final outcome.

Team Harper, led by 2 Chainz, had our favorite father-son(s) combination – Ron and Ron, Jr. along with Spur rookie Dylan.

Team All-Star, led by Druski, had Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren, and former Piston Rip Hamilton.

Team Cameron (as in Indoor Stadium), led by actor Anthony Anderson, had former Dukies Kon Knueppel, Hawk Jalen Johnson, and former Clipper Corey Maggette.

Team Knicks fielded Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Allan Houston and was led by Jalen’s dad, Rick Brunson.

First Round

Team All-Star: Druski as the designated passer, resembled the skit of the guy that couldn’t make any shots in an empty gym with some horrific passing displays. The team finished with only 16 points.

Team Cameron: Anderson took his duties more seriously and Kneuppel’s corner three surpassed Druski’s total with many seconda to spare. Cameron finished with 24.

Team Harper: Ron, Sr. missed an open lay-up! And the sons could not make up for dad’s lack of shooting touch. However, the Harpers finished with 18. Did you all know T-Chainz played Division I basketball?

Team Knicks: Allan Houston’s baseline three put the Knicks into the finals with a staggering 31 points.

Final Round

Team Cameron: Maggette played to the adoring home Clipper crowd and converted several key buckets on the way to a 38-point showing.

Team Knicks: The team rode a wave of momentum with the halfcourt shot to an emphatic 47 point victory. But we know that, just like with their Emirates Cup title, there’ll be a post-All Star swoon coming. So we Pounders are good.

CHAMPION: Team Knicks

Between Competition Entertainment

Ludacris – in a Dominique Wilkins jersey – went through a quick set while the stage was getting set for the dunk contest.

First song was ‘Get out the Way” – a good euphemism for what the Spurs are doing to the other Western Conference teams so far.

Next song: “When I Move You Move” – a great analogy for the in-game movement of the Spurs’ cadre of excellent guards

CHAMPION: People between 35-50 years old who grew up on hiphop.

AT&T Slam Dunk

The judges were: former Spur Brent Barry – resplendent in the Clipper warm-up jacket he wore when he won the 1996 contest in San Antonio, Corey Maggette, Dwight Howard, Dominique Wilkins, and ‘Doctor J’ Julius Erving. I really liked that the NBC telecast hyped up the players with walk-in videos. They staged the dunk set on the Wall side of the arena to create a solid background effect. Miami Heat president Pat Riley came to support his young player – resembling British actor Jonathan Pryce.

First Round

Carter Bryant – deemed ‘Carter the Kid’ – his first attempt was reminiscent of Vince Carter’s (2000) twist-in-the- wrong-direction for a one-handed jam. That netted him a score of 45.6. Bryant, with a chance to get into the top two, tossed a nice ball to himself and punched in a windmill slam that resulted in a 49.2.

Keshad Johnson – given the name ‘Flight 305’ (Dade County) – he sauntered in with Bay Area rap royalty E-40 and then followed it by doinking his first attempt. The second one involved leaping over E-40 for a one-handed jam with a hand to the side of the head for measure. His 47.4 score placed him first of the quartet. After two botched tosses, he converted a reverse two-handed dunk and, after dancing better than dunking, the judges gave him a 45.4.

Jase Richardson (son of Jason) – was not surprisingly coined ‘J-Rich Reignited’ – a milquetoast toss-it-to-himself and catch it mid-air for a two-hand reverse dunk. This type of dunk has been done too many times in the last decade-plus. He earned a score of 45.4 for this. After missing his next four – including one where he wiped out and fell on his backside – he threw down a 270 power dunk and received a 43.4.

Jaxson Hayes – the third best dunking big on the Lakers was assigned the moniker ‘Action Jaxson’ – then proceeded to fizzle out on a one-handed floating dunk from well within the free throw stripe. He deservedly got the 44.6 score he received (skewed higher by Howard’s 47). After a between-the-legs try (think Isaiah Rider) that bounced high off the rim, his next attempt went through mostly cleanly and got him 47.2.

Final Round

‘Carter the Kid’ (1st Round – 94.8)

Attempt #1: He one-upped Johnson’s try with a high toss to himself and a between-the-legs throwdown that impressed Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady and generated 50s across the board.

Attempt #2: After missing a Jamal Crawford backboard toss and Vince Carter combo multiple times, he was forced to do a 360 slam to beat the dunk-clock. This got him a 43.0 (and likely bringin back bad memories of missed dunks in San Antonio’s earlier games) and ceded the contest to Johnson.

‘Flight 305’ (2nd Round – 92.8)

Attempt #1: He converted the one that he unsuccessfully tried in the previous one – a baseline between-the-legs reverse that netted him a 49.6.

Attempt #2: Johnson started from deep in the backcourt and tossed home a one-hander that was outshined by so many of Zach LaVine’s prior ones from 2016-2017. His 47.8 score necessitated a 47.5 for Bryant on his final attempt.

CHAMPION: Keshad Johnson (Miami Heat)

Now we can all look forward to Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox’s appearances in the All-Star Game tomorrow night.