STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Ebuka Okorie scored a career-high 40 points to lead Stanford to a 95-72 victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday night to end a five-game losing streak.
Okorie shot 12 of 21 from the floor, made three 3-pointers and all 13 of his free-throw attempts. He surpassed his previous high of 36 points scored in the Cardinal's 95-90 win against then-No. 14 North Carolina on Jan. 14.
Jeremy Dent-Smith added 16 points for Stanford (15-9, 4-7 Atlantic Coast Conference), which shot 54% overall (33 of 61) and 17 of 19 from the foul line.
Stanford opened the second half on a 13-4 run to stretch its lead to 56-43. Georgia Tech pulled to 62-55 with 11:26 left but didn’t get closer.
Akai Fleming scored 19 points to lead Georgia Tech (11-13, 2-9), which has lost five straight. Baye Ndongo added 14 points and Jaeden Mustaf scored 13.
Georgia Tech closed the first half on a 12-5 run to pull to 43-39 at the break. The Yellow Jackets shot 52% overall in the first half but the Cardinal hit four more buckets from beyond the arc (7 of 16).
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Baltimore Orioles won their salary arbitration case Saturday against pitcher Keegan Akin, the first victory for teams this year after five decisions in favor of players.
Akin was awarded $2,975,000 rather than his $3,375,000 request by John Stout, Jeanne Charles and Samantha Tower, who heard arguments Friday.
A 30-year-old left-hander, Akin was 5-4 with a 3.41 ERA and eight saves in 64 relief appearances last season, striking out 59 and walking 33 in 63 1/3 innings. He had a $1,475,000 salary.
Akin has a 16-22 record with a 4.48 ERA and 11 saves in six major league seasons, all with the Orioles. He can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.
Players lead 5-1 with up to seven decisions remaining.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal won his case Thursday when he was awarded an arbitration-record $32 million rather than the Detroit Tigers’ $19 million offer.
In other decisions, catcher Yainer Diaz received $4.5 million instead of the Houston Astros’ $3 million proposal, right-hander Kyle Bradish was awarded $3.55 million instead of the Orioles’ offer of $2,875,000, right-hander Graham Ashcraft was awarded $1.75 million rather than the Cincinnati Reds’ $1.25 million offer and right-hander Edwin Uceta will be paid $1,525,000 rather than the Tampa Bay Rays’ $1.2 million proposal.
Two cases have been argued with decisions withheld until next week: Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer ($5.75 million vs. $4.4 million) and Atlanta left-hander Dylan Lee ($2.2 million vs. $2 million).
Five players remain scheduled for hearings next week: Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic ($6.15 million vs. $5.15 million), Milwaukee catcher Willson Contreras ($9.9 million vs. $8.55 million), Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers ($2,925,000 vs. $2,625,000), Miami right-hander Calvin Faucher ($2.05 million vs. $1.8 million) and Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson ($6.8 million vs $6.55 million).
Sep 25, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Terrance Gore (4) during the ninth inning against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Darren Yamashita/Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Terrance Gore, a speedy outfielder who played for three World Series champions while spending parts of eight seasons in the major leagues, has died. He was 34.
Chad Funderburk, a family friend who also worked with Gore through his baseball academy, confirmed Gore died Friday night. He deferred to Gore’s family in terms of providing any further details.
While Gore was known for his athleticism, Funderburk said he was “a much kinder human.”
“Just a giving, giving man to so many youth. ... That’s just who Terrance was,” Funderburk said.
Gore, a Georgia native, was selected by Kansas City in the 20th round of the 2011 amateur draft. He batted .216, scored 33 runs and swiped 43 bags in 52 attempts over 112 regular-season games with the Royals, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
“Terrance was an unforgettable part of our organization with a unique talent that catapulted him to some of the biggest moments in Royals history,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said in a team statement. “While his speed and athleticism were what most people immediately noticed, those of us who had the opportunity to know him also remember his energy, his humility, and the impact he made in big moments on the game’s biggest stage.”
Gore was mostly used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. He made his debut with the Royals in 2014 and stole 23 bases before he got his first hit, a single to center for the Cubs against Max Scherzer in the ninth inning of a 10-3 loss at Washington on Sept. 8, 2018.
Gore appeared in two postseason games during Kansas City’s championship run in 2015. He played in two regular-season games when the Dodgers won the World Series in 2020. He appeared in one NL playoff game with Atlanta in 2021, and the Braves went on to win the World Series.
“Terrance brought a high level of excitement and anticipation to the game,” former Royals executive Dayton Moore said. “He was unstoppable as a base stealer, and he inspired athletes throughout our country to pursue baseball. He was loved and respected by his very special teammates, who will continue to love his family during this time of sadness.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 7: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks against Sion James #4 of the Charlotte Hornets during the second quarter at State Farm Arena on February 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks were in action on Saturday evening to face the Charlotte Hornets. The Hawks were coming off a clutch win against the Utah Jazz a couple of days ago, with big help from Jock Landale, who made his debut with the team. The Hawks also will have some new players this time around, with Buddy Hield and Gabe Vincent being active.
As for the Hornets, they’re probably the hottest teams in the league, and they came in on a eight-game winning streak.
The Hawks were also able to get Onyeka Okongwu back in the lineup.
The Hawks started the game hot from the three-point line, and Okongwu knocked down two of them early.
The Hornets made a few plays late to cut their deficit, but the Hawks managed to counter with a few makes and went into the second quarter with a 35-32 lead.
Both teams went back and forth in the second quarter, and the Hawks kept getting good looks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker found Asa Newell for a lob.
Things got a little physical late, with less than two minutes between Okongwu and Mousa Diabate, and they both received technical fouls.
Going into halftime, the Hawks and Hornets were tied at 60.
The Hornets took the lead to start the third, and were up by as much as seven points. That didn’t bother the Hawks, and they started a run that led them to taking the lead.
After a slow start to the game, Alexander-Walker found a groove in the third.
The Hawks took the lead for a moment, but the Hornets got it back after getting several shots in the paint. The Hornets kept the lead late into the quarter, and the Hawks were able to get some stops to keep it a three-point deficit with 32.1 seconds remaining in the game.
Johnson was able to go to the free throw after getting fouled, and knocked down both to cut their deficit down to one point. The Hawks played the foul game from there, and LaMelo Ball knocked down both to give the Hornets a three-point led again.
The Hawks decided not to call a timeout after the free throws, and though Alexander-Walker was able to get a clean shot to tie the game, he missed. Brandon Miller went to the line and made both of his free throws, and the Hornets found themselves up 124-119 with 12 seconds left.
That ultimately led the Hawks to a loss and extended the Hornets’ win streak to nine games.
Johnson finished with 31 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, Risacher finished with 18 points, and Okongwu finished with 16 points.
The Hawks will be back in action on Monday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Terrance Gore during Spring Training in Phoenix in 2020. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Terrance Gore, a baseball player whose remarkable speed earned him spots on three championship teams, including the 2020 Dodgers, died Friday, the Kansas City Royals announced on social media. He was 34.
The Royals organization drafted Gore out of Gulf Coast State College in Panama City in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft, while he was still 19. After several seasons in the minors, he played his first major league game in September 2014.
He struggled at the plate, slipped down to the minors repeatedly, and bounced between teams, including the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs.
But few players were swifter around the bases, and managers enlisted him as a pinch runner in close, late-innings games. He played on three teams that won the World Series — the 2015 Royals, the 2020 Los Angeles Dodgers and the 2021 Atlanta Braves.
Born in Macon, Ga., Gore played 112 regular season games over eight seasons. The Dodgers added him to their roster in September 2020, as it approached a National League Wild Card Series against Milwaukee, although he had appeared in just two prior major-league games that year.
Gore is survived by his wife and three children. USA Today reported that he died from complications of a routine surgical procedure, citing his widow's social media post.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -FEBRUARY 7: Marvin Bagley III #35 of the Dallas Mavericks grabs a rebound against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on February 7, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks lost to the San Antonio Spurs again, 138-125 Saturday afternoon in San Antonio. This was the Mavericks second straight loss to the Spurs, and they are now 0-3 on the season against their in-division rival. All three games have been blowout, double-digit losses.
This game was eerily similar to Thursday’s game, with it starting out fun enough in the first half with high-tempo, up-and-down play, before the Spurs eventually steamrolled with their superior talent advantage.
Spurs guard Stephon Castle had a career night with a 40-point triple-double: 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. Brandon Williams led the Mavericks in scoring with 18 points off the bench.
Dallas has now lost seven in a row and are firmly outside of even sniffing the play-in tournament. Let’s get to the numbers.
25: Spurs made field goals in the restricted area
Dallas actually did a lot of things well in this game, believe it or not. They were significantly better in turnovers, even on the offensive glass, and even shot a better percentage from three while making one more three than the Spurs did. If the Mavericks are even or win two of those three categories they usually stand a good chance of winning. Instead they were down by 28 points in the third quarter. Why? The Spurs had a layup line to the rim all day.
San Antonio went 25-of-36 in the restricted area, and both the makes and attempts are startling. The Spurs scored a preposterous 74 points in the paint. Dallas had absolutely nothing for San Antonio at the rim, and the Mavericks elected to play small for most of the game when Daniel Gafford wasn’t in. The Spurs took full advantage and took the ball to the basket hard the entire game.
12: Cooper Flagg shot attempts
Dallas trailed for the majority of this game, and mostly by double-digits, so the minutes and shot distribution are bound to look a little wonky. Even with that qualifier, it was weird that Cooper Flagg only had 12 attempts in his 26 minutes.
He appeared to bang up his shoulder early in the game, and perhaps that led to him being a bit out of it. However for a lot of his minutes he was parked in the corner and off ball without much movement or actions to try to get him the ball. Dallas had seven total players attempt 10 or more shots, and two players shot more than Flagg and both were bench guys (Klay Thompson and the newly acquired Marvin Bagley)
Regardless of the Spurs defense, Flagg’s healthy, or the game script, Flagg just has to be more involved in these games, especially if Dallas is already not predisposed to winning at the moment.
4: Marvin Bagley blocked shots
It was a fairly impressive debut for Bagley, by far the player with the most juice acquired in the Anthony Davis trade. AJ Johnson is two years away from being two years away, and Khris Middleton is just veteran flotsam at this point. Bagley has been a disappointment since being selected second overall in 2018, but he’s somewhat stabilized his career as a bouncy backup big that just sorta hangs around the rim and tries to do stuff. It’s a far cry from the star potential he showed at Duke, but at least it’s something.
He showed that newfound stabilization with Dallas right away in his first game. He finishes with a double-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks. The four blocks were the only four blocks the Mavericks had as a team. He did only shoot 6-of-14 from the field, and most of those misses were right at the basket, but it was still a fun debut from a still young and talented player.
Feb 7, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Utah Jazz center Jaren Jackson Jr. (20) shoots against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the first quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images
When was the last time you were pumped for a Jazz game? No, seriously. The Jazz haven’t had a defensive talent of Trip’s caliber since the late Rudy Gobert — not dead, just bald. As soon as you saw his name in the starters, it was a sigh of relief after years of the most unethical tank lineups you’ve ever seen. If you weren’t with us then, don’t try to claim your Jazz allegiance now.
For now, the chaos is finally over — they made it past the trade deadline with a brand-spanking new roster to add to their hand. Today, they would face off against the humble 7th-seeded Orlando Magic, missing Franz Wagner. The Jazz were only missing Walker Kessler, meaning everyone else was good to go for tonight.
A costly turnover by the Jazz, with none of their starters playing the final quarter, results in a 120-117 loss in the Kia Center. Though for a moment, you saw what was in store for this group. Hugely successful game for the perceived fit between Lauri and JJJ, and a successful tank job as the race starts to tighten.
BRRR, did anyone else just have a shiver run down their spine? The newest ‘JJJazzman’ scored the first 4 points to put Utah on the board. Though the closest lead they had was 2 at the 10:53 mark. There was an instant shift on the floor once Jackson Jr. checked out, allowing the Magic to create a 14-6 run and a 6-point lead. Desmond Bane (another former Grizz, funnily enough) scored 7 points for Orlando as the Jazz shot 2-for-9 from the field with 3 turnovers during that stretch. Then we got to see John Konchar check in, along with Kevin Love and JJJ’s second stint, which pushes Kyle Filipowski and the new acquisition, Vince Williams Jr., deep into Will Hardy’s rotation. The Magic led the Jazz 33-30, despite Utah shooting 52.2% from the field and 44.4% from three. Lauri led the new era of Jazz basketball with 13 points in the first quarter on 5-8 shooting, making 3-of-4 three-pointers, tying his highest total for made threes in a first quarter this season. The Jazz outrebounded Orlando 14-11 thanks to their matador frontcourt, but they did commit 6 turnovers compared to the Magic’s 3.
Jazz then went on a 12-4 run across quarters to cut the Magic’s lead to one, with Jackson Jr. scoring 7 points and Isaiah Collier having 3 assists during this stretch. Another two Kevin Love threes, along with two Magic turnovers, erased a 6-point deficit and gained their largest lead thus far. We were all having fun, glimpsing into what the future may hold as the Jazz were nearing full health. Then, my joy was ripped away from me in one moment.
Keyonte George down. I think just an ankle sprain. It's his right foot, not the left one he sprained last week.
Though he couldn’t put weight on it at first, a quick breather gave him the sheer willpower to walk down the tunnel as if nothing happened. It was announced later that he would not return to tonight’s game. The Jazz still finished the quarter with a 65-54 lead after closing the second quarter with a 14-4 run. Utah shot 51% from the floor, took a 30-19 rebound advantage, and tallied 19 assists — 6 of them coming from Isaiah Collier. Markkanen accounted for 21 of Utah’s points along with three triples, whilst JJJ had 17 points with 2 boards, 3 assists on 7-13 shooting. The Jazz managed to hold Paolo Banchero to 13 points.
Isaiah Collier understandably started the second half in place of Keyonte George. That also opened up some backup point guard minutes for the final member of the Memphis trio — Vince Williams Jr — in the third quarter. A JJJ triple capped off a 10-1 run for the Jazz. Five of their points came from Kevin Love to push their lead to 15 late in the third. But don’t call it a game just yet: The Magic came back dangerously close, finishing the quarter on a 10-0 run in 36 seconds, with threes from Mo Wagner and Tristan da Silva.
It was the final quarter where Kyle Filipowski received his first minutes of the game, with Danny Ainge finally giving Will Hardy the leeway to experiment with different lineups to try and tank this one out. They inevitably lost that 17-point lead they once held, and Lauri, Nurkic, nor JJJ checked in once — chew on that one, Nate Duncan…
They were outscored 51-42 in the second half, committing 11 turnovers, which resulted in 18 points on the Magic’s end. Paolo Banchero was 9-for-12 at the free-throw line for 21 points, and the Magic were 25-for-31 from the charity stripe compared to the 20 total attempts by Utah. It wrapped up with a costly turnover, then Isaiah Collier missed what would’ve been a game-tying triple. There was a glimpse of greatness, but that’s all the Jazz are going to get for now.
Up Next
The Jazz wrap up their road trip in a short drive through the state of Florida. They play the Miami Heat on February 9th at 5:30 PM MST.
Feb 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Lakers might be finishing up the first half of their season without Luka Dončić.
President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka also addressed the media pregame and shared a similar sentiment on Luka as well.
Rob Pelinka on Luka Doncic’s left hamstring strain: “In terms of this injury, the good news is it doesn't appear to be anything serious. It was a mild hamstring strain and he is truly day-to-day." pic.twitter.com/VpsJ3yXJgj
There are few things the Lakers love more than describing a player as day-to-day or game-to-game. It’s just descriptive enough to know it’s not a serious injury but just vague enough to have no clue when they’re actually returning.
The Lakers are under a week away from the All-Star break, so it certainly feels possible that he doesn’t play again until the team returns from their hiatus. That does, however, mean he would miss three games in the coming week.
After the Warriors game, the Lakers play as daunting a back-to-back as there is this season with the Thunder on Monday and the Spurs on Tuesday. They wrap up with a game against the Mavericks on Thursday. Each contest is at home.
While that would be a tough blow and make it very difficult for the Lakers to win those games, particularly the first two, it would mean that Luka would have two weeks off between games. It’s not ideal, but Luka has also pretty clearly been playing while banged up.
The Lakers are going to need him in their second half push, so perhaps it’s best to consider the long-term gain, even if it comes with a short-term loss. But the good news in all this is that the Lakers can talk about short-term losses only with this Luka injury.
ORLANDO, Fla, (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 23 points and the Orlando Magic overcame a 17-point deficit to beat the Utah Jazz 120-117 on Saturday night.
Desmond Bane added 22 points, making two free throws with 28.3 seconds to go to give the Magic a 118-117 lead. Anthony Black scored 21 points, and Banchero also had eight assists and seven rebounds.
Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 27 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 17 of his 22 points in the first half in his Utah debut, and Isaiah Collier scored 20 points. Utah has lost two straight and 18 of 22.
Jackson came over from Memphis in a trade this week. John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. also made their Jazz debuts after the deal.
Keyonte George returned to the Utah lineup after missing three games because of a sprained left ankle. He had five points.
The Magic have won two in a row at home, beating Brooklyn on Thursday night.
Up next
Jazz: At Miami on Monday night.
Magic: Host Milwaukee on Monday and Wednesday nights.
On what looked to be the final possession of a 68-68 game, North Carolina guard Derek Dixon drove to the basket and kicked it out to Seth Trimble in the corner. Trimble hit what appeared to be a buzzer-beating 3 to give the Tar Heels a 71-68 win to hand Duke its second loss of the season, kicking off a party in Chapel Hill that started with storming the court.
The problem is, that party kicked off a bit early. After review, officials found that there were still 0.4 seconds on the clock, sending UNC fans shambling back to their seats or the sidelines and kicking off a clean-up on the court. Luckily, the court clearing was handled expeditiously, and they were able to finish the game.
No. 4 Duke fell to 21-2 on the year, whereas No. 18 North Carolina advanced to 19-4. North Carolina only led for the final 0.4 seconds of the game, and staved off its fourth straight loss to the Blue Devils.
While Trimble will go down as the hero, it was the efforts of Caleb Wilson that had the Tar Heels in a position to win. He had 23 points and played the full 40 for UNC, going toe-to-toe with Blue Devils star Cameron Boozer, who put up 24 points in 38 minutes despite some early foul trouble.
Duke and North Carolina will play again on March 7, undoubtedly with some more vitriol than usual coming in. The only emotion stronger than the love these teams have of beating each other is the hatred of losing to each other. Duke has a month to reckon with that feeling, which came in heartbreaking fashion.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Elvis Smylie won LIV Golf Riyadh on Saturday night in his tour debut, closing with a bogey-free 8-under 64 under the lights to hold off Jon Rahm by a stroke.
The 23-year-old Australian also led Ripper GC to the team title.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Smylie, who officially joined the team last month. “I really didn’t know what to expect this week. Playing at night is obviously a whole different ballgame out here. I wanted to come out here and make a statement. I wanted to prove that I’m one of the best out here, and I feel like I’ve done that. It’s only up from here.”
HOUSTON (AP) — Bailey Maupin scored 25 points and No. 18 Texas Tech cruised to an 85-61 victory over Houston on Saturday night.
Maupin made 7 of 13 shots with five 3-pointers and all six of her free throws for the Lady Raiders (22-3, 9-3 Big 12 Conference). She also had six rebounds.
Jalynn Bristow scored 15 on 6-for-8 shooting for Texas Tech, adding five rebounds and four blocked shots. Gemma Nunez pitched in with 13 points, seven assists and six steals.
Amirah Abdur-Rahim paced the Cougars (7-16, 1-11) with 18 points and seven rebounds, but she also had seven of Houston's 21 turnovers that the Lady Raiders turned into 40 points. Kierra Merchant had 13 points and Briana Peguero scored 12 but had six turnovers.
Bristow and Maupin sank 3-pointers in a 16-3 run in the final five minutes of the first quarter and Texas Tech led 21-12.
Maupin hit all four of her first-half 3-pointers, scoring 16 to help the Lady Raiders build a 44-28 advantage at halftime. Bristow added 10 points as Houston shot 58.6% before the break. Texas Tech hit 6 of 13 from beyond the arc, while Houston made 1 of 5 and shot 39.3% overall.
The Cougars played Tech to a 15-all tie in the third quarter, but Denae Fritz buried a 3-pointer with seven minutes remaining to give the Lady Raiders their first 20-point lead at 66-46 with seven minutes remaining.
Tech beat Houston for the seventh straight time. The Lady Raiders have won 28 of the last 30 matchups and lead the all-time series 46-14.
Houston lost its first nine conference games before beating Cincinnati 72-70 at home.
SAN ANTONIO, TX -FEBRUARY 7 Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs takes off on the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at Frost Bank Center on February 7, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Concluding an away-home miniseries against the Dallas Mavericks, what started as a tight game through the first 18 minutes turned into a runaway Spurs blowout win at home, kicked off by a strong closing to the first half. Overall, the Spurs put on quite the show, with offensive and defense highlights. They made their money with 74 points in the paint on their way to a 138-125 win that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. Stephon Castle led with a historical performance of 40 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, becoming just the second player in franchise history to achieve that feat along with David Robinson.
Observations
We had another different starting line-up tonight, with Castle returning in place of Harrison Barnes. It ended up being the right night for it, as a he finished with the 40-12-12 triple-double and did it in spectacular fashion. He become the youngest player in league history to record a 40-point triple-double, and it didn’t come with any forced offense. Castle simply let the game come to him, hitting 15-19 shots and 3-5 threes, as well as three steals and a block. Per usual, the blemish of 6 turnovers was there, but he was on such a heater that this is one of those times that you just accept the little bit of ugly with the overwhelming amount of good.
The Spurs thrived in the transition to open the game, with nine early points on the fast break. They also struggled themselves with transition defense, with the Mavs scoring two early buckets off made baskets, which didn’t leave either coach happy. The Spurs also had a few careless turnovers in the back court after securing rebounds, which led to a few extra Mavs possessions.
We got a stretch of vintage Klay Thompson to open the second quarter, with 14 points in the first 4 minutes, including 3-3 from beyond the arc (one off one of those aforementioned back court turnovers) to help the Mavs briefly take a two-point lead after the Spurs had led by as much as 11. But then…
Carter Bryant was a big part of a Spurs 32-16 run through the second half of the second quarter. He hit three threes and had three huge blocks. (He actually had four, but one that was called a goal-tend, and it was so close it was hard to tell if it was actually the correct call. Regardless, that block was all the way up at the top of the square on the backboard, showing just how insane his athleticism and bounce really is.
With the short-handed Thunder continuing to struggle, loosing at home to a Rockets squad that was having its own troubles, pushing for the top seed suddenly doesn’t seem like too much of an insane idea for the Spurs.
The Spurs granted my wish from yesterday’s What we learned (also, reverse jinx superpowers still in tact): “As fun as it may be, I need a break from tight games. Whether that relief will come in the form of a blowout win in the next three games or simply as a part of the All-Star break after that is the ultimate question. Don’t get me wrong: I love a team that knows how to tighten the strings and put things together on both ends when the game is on the line, which will be very important in the playoffs, but I would also happily accept a blowout win here or there, just for my own sanity.”
WACO, Texas (AP) — Taliah Scott scored 17 points and No. 15 Baylor held off Arizona State for a 67-64 victory on Saturday night.
Gabby Elliott's jumper pulled Arizona State to 65-64 with 15 seconds left. Jana Van Gytenbeek answered with a pair of free throws for Baylor before the Sun Devils committed a turnover on their final possession.
Arizona State used a 12-2 run for its only lead of the second half, 44-43, with three minutes left in the third quarter, but Baylor took a 53-48 advantage into the fourth.
The Sun Devils tied it twice more before the Bears took the lead for good on a pair of Kayla Nelms' free throws with 5:43 to play.
Scott missed 10 of 14 field-goal attempts but made two 3-pointers and hit all seven of her free-throw attempts. Van Gytenbeek finished with 13 points and Nelms scored 12 for Baylor (21-4, 10-2 Big 12). Darianna Littlepage-Buggs grabbed 12 rebounds to go with six points.
Elliott scored 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting to lead Arizona State (19-6, 6-6). Jyah LoVett added 16 points.
Arizona State trailed for most of the first half, but LoVett's jumper tied it 26-all before Scott's three free throws put Baylor up 29-26 at the break.
Baylor is 2-0 in the series since Arizona State joined the Big 12 Conference and 6-0 overall.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Karon Catchings matched career highs with five 3-pointers and 23 points and Georgia overcame an early 15-point deficit to beat LSU 83-71 on Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak.
Jeremiah Wilkinson added 18 points, Somto Cyril 12 and Blue Cain 10 for Georgia (17-6, 5-5 SEC), which shot 51% and made 10 of 25 3-pointers for 40%.
Max Mackinnon scored 26 points, one off his season high, to lead the Tigers (14-9, 2-8). Marquel Sutton added 14 points and Pablo Tamba grabbed 12 rebounds to go with seven points. LSU shot 42% and just 22% on 3-pointers.
Ahead by five at halftime, the Bulldogs stayed in front the rest of the way and used an 8-0 spurt capped by a Catchings 3-pointer to take their largest lead of 17 with four minutes to go.
After an early Tigers' flurry from the arc when they hit five of their first seven 3-point attempts and broke out to a 31-16 lead, they then missed their final 16 tries from distance. After the Tigers' fast start, the Bulldogs outscored the Tigers 26-6, hitting four 3-pointers to go into the break ahead 42-37.
Up next
Georgia is home against No. 17 Florida on Wednesday.
