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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander erupts for 40 points as Nuggets bested by Thunder again in Denver

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

The defending champions are Thunderstruck.The Nuggets’ season-best six-game win streak is no more, sandwiched by losses at altitude to the same team 13 days apart. Unlike the first bookend, this one was convincing: a 119-93 bludgeoning by the Thunder on Friday night at Ball Arena.It was Denver’s worst loss at home since getting blasted by the Golden State Warriors, 142-111, on Jan. 15, 2019.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whom the Nuggets (23-11) guarded exceptionally for the first seven quarters of their matchups this season, erupted for 40 points on 14-of-20 shooting in an encore to his last-second game-winning shot over Peyton Watson on Dec. 16.He scored 17 of those points on just seven field goal attempts in the third quarter as Oklahoma City (21-9) went on a definitive run. The Nuggets started the half with some steam after trailing 54-48, but after they got within two, their momentum halted the way it usually did: The Thunder clogged the paint, took away Nikola Jokic̵...

Men’s basketball: Shorthanded CU Buffs topple Washington in Pac-12 opener

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

When Colorado suddenly found itself without freshman standout Cody Williams ahead of one of the biggest nonconference games of the season, the Buffaloes responded by toppling a nationally-ranked foe away from home.When the Buffs suddenly were without senior Tristan da Silva for a key matchup in the Pac-12 Conference opener, they did the same. CU was able to answer a huge second-half charge by the Huskies with one of its own down the stretch, pulling away late for a 73-69 win Friday night at the CU Events Center.Da Silva suffered an injured ankle at practice on Thursday, and the Buffs also played without freshman reserve Bangot Dak, who has been battling an illness. CU also once again played without Williams, who missed his fourth consecutive game due to an injured left wrist, and reserve guard RJ Smith, who missed his fifth straight game due to a lower leg issue.CU (10-2, 1-0 Pac-12) used an 8-0 run in the first half to help build a 32-26 lead at halftime, but UW surged ahead with a...

Rams cruise past Adams State in nonconference finale

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

FORT COLLINS — Beginning Tuesday, the games will be more significant for the No. 15 Colorado State men’s basketball team.Friday night’s game against Adams State at Moby Arena was all about fine-tuning ahead of the Rams’ Mountain West Conference opener against New Mexico.CSU had little trouble against the Division-II Grizzlies, rolling to a 106-61 victory to close out one of the program’s most successful nonconference slates in recent history.With the win, the Rams improved to 12-1, defeating their fifth in-state foe this season as part of that mark. The Grizzlies suffered the same fate as Northern Colorado, Colorado, Denver and CSU-Pueblo.“If you would have told me with the schedule we put together that we’d be 12-1, that’s really a terrific feat for these guys,” CSU head coach Niko Medved said. “We’ve earned the position that we’re in. We put ourselves out there with the schedule that we made. The guys came in....

It wasn’t pretty, but Avalanche snaps road losing skid with late Devon Toews goal in St. Louis

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

Miles Wood has a particular brand of chaotic hockey, and this was a night that called out for it.The Avalanche struggled to create offensive chances for much of the game against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center, but one late flurry was enough. A Devon Toews shot from the left point was the difference with 2:54 remaining in a quirky 2-1 win, but Wood’s play leading to the faceoff and in front of the goalie just before Toews’ shot helped create the game-winning tally.This was far from the prettiest win of Colorado’s season, but it could prove to be an important one. Ryan Johansen scored a goal and assisted on the game-winner, while Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves.“It’s a character win,” Johansen said. “We look around the room after the game and are just nodding at each other. That’s how we need to win some games, especially on the road. It’s a feel-good win.”Colorado snapped a six-game losing skid away from Ball Aren...

Gilgeous-Alexander scores 40, Thunder snap Nuggets’ 6-game win streak with 119-93 victory

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points, 17 in the decisive third quarter, and the Oklahoma City Thunder overcame another efficient shooting game from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 119-93 on Friday night.Gilgeous-Alexander topped 40 points for the fifth time this season and was four shy of his career best set last season. He was 14 of 20 from the field and made all 10 of his free-throw attempts.Oklahoma City has won three straight and eight of its last 10 to surge past Denver in the Northwest Division. The Nuggets, who had their six-game winning streak snapped, have lost just three home games this season and the last two have come against the Thunder.Those are Denver’s only losses in the last 11 games.Chet Holmgren scored 24 points, was 4 of 4 from 3-point range, and had two blocks. He had eight blocked shots against the Nuggets on Dec. 16.Jokic, who finished with 19 points, made 9 of 10 shots and over the last two games he is 20 of 21 from the field. He mad...

Hintz completes hat trick with 7.9 seconds left in overtime as Stars beat Blackhawks 5-4

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — Roope Hintz completed a hat trick with 7.9 seconds remaining in overtime giving the Dallas Stars a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.Hintz converted a pass from Jason Robertson for the winner.Joe Pavelski and Jamie Benn each had a goal and an assist for the Stars, who have won five consecutive home games.Scott Wedgewood made 25 saves for Dallas.Tyler Johnson had two goals while Cole Guttman and Jason Dickinson each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks, who are 0-9-1 in their last 10 road games and are 0-17-1 when allowing more than three goals.Petr Mrazek stopped 30 shots.Johnson’s second goal tied the score at 4-all at 17:24 of the third period 25 seconds into a power play.Dickinson, Dallas’ first-round draft pick in 2013, pulled Chicago within 4-3 with his career-best 12th goal of the season off the far post at 8:58 of the third period.Benn gave the Stars a 4-2 lead on a rebound early in the third period, snapping an 11-game goal drought.Dall...

San Diego State uses big games from Waters, LeDee to topple No. 15 Gonzaga 84-74

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Reese Waters scored 15 of his 22 points in the second half, Jaedon LeDee added 20 points, and San Diego State used a big second half to beat No. 15 Gonzaga 84-74 on Friday night.The Aztecs (11-2) won their fourth straight and dominated big stretches late in the first half and early in the second half to take the non-conference matchup between two of the better programs on the West Coast.San Diego State handed Gonzaga (9-4) its first non-conference loss on its home floor since falling to UCLA on Dec. 12, 2015. It was just the third home loss overall for the Zags since the start of the 2017 season.Darrion Trammell added a season-high 17 points, including 15 in the first half and kept the Aztecs hanging around through some early struggles. But it was the end of the first half and start of the second half where the Aztecs took control and built a big enough lead to withstand Gonzaga’s late rally.The Aztecs closed the first half on an 11-2 run to take a 38-37 lead a...

Giannis Antetokounmpo scores 34, leads Bucks to a 119-111 win over the Cavaliers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points and 16 rebounds, Damian Lillard scored 24 of his 31 points in the second half, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111 on Friday night.Antetokounmpo and Lillard each scored 14 points in the pivotal third quarter when Milwaukee outscored Cleveland 40-21 to erase a 15-point deficit and take the lead for good. The Bucks have the third-best record in the NBA at 24-8.“When you put the basketball in the hands of your two best players, you’re going to get good results,” Antetokounmpo said. “If you want to double-team Dame, then I’m going to be open to make a play or get the ball to my teammates.”Donovan Mitchell had 34 points, six rebounds and nine assists for Cleveland after missing four games with an illness. Jarrett Allen scored a career-high 30 points on 15-of-17 shooting and had 12 rebounds and six assists.Malik Beasley scored 15 points on five 3-pointers and Khris Middleton had 13 points and a season-high 11 as...

No. 11 Illinois routs Fairleigh Dickinson 104-71 in 1st game without leading scorer Shannon

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Ty Rodgers had 10 points and 15 rebounds to lead No. 11 Illinois to a 104-71 rout of Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday night, the Illini’s first game without standout Terrance Shannon Jr. Shannon, the No. 8 scorer in the nation who is averaging 21.7 points, was suspended by Illinois this week after he was charged with rape for an alleged incident that happened when the Illinois football team played at Lawrence, Kansas, in September.Dain Dainja scored 19 points, Coleman Hawkins and Justin Harmon each had 18, Quincy Guerrier added 14 and Marcus Domask 11 for the Illini (10-2). Harmon made a career-high four 3-pointers.Fairleigh Dickinson (6-8) trailed the entire game and fell behind by as many as 40 points. Ansley Almonor led the Knights with 20 points. DeVante Jamison had 11 and Sean Moore 10.Illinois, which leads the nation in rebounds per game at 45.6, outrebounded the Fairleigh Dickinson 54-27. Guerrier had 11 rebounds in his third double-double of the sea...

Gaudreau scores on the rebound to give Blue Jackets 6-5 OT win over Maple Leafs

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:00:12 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Johnny Gaudreau tapped a rebound past Toronto goalie Ilya Samsonov 2:56 into overtime, and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-5 on Friday night.Columbus rookie Adam Fantilli tied it at 5 with 6:14 left in regulation. It was the 10th goal of the season for the 19-year-old forward.Cole Sillinger, Brendan Gaunce, Dmitri Voronkov and Kent Johnson also scored for Columbus.Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stopped 14 of 16 shots before leaving after the first period because of an illness. Spencer Martin had 16 stops the rest of the way. Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 29th goal and had an assist for Toronto. Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Nicholas Robertson and John Tavares also scored for the Maple Leafs.STARS 5, BLACKHAWKS 4, OTDALLA (AP) — Roope Hintz completed a hat trick with 7.9 seconds remaining in overtime giving Dallas the win over Chicago.Joe Pavelski and Jamie Benn each had a goal and an assist for the Stars, who have w...