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Karl-Anthony Towns scores winner late as Timberwolves slip past short-handed Pelicans

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

As he’s been during much of his recent stretch of strong offensive play, Karl-Anthony Towns was quick and decisive when it mattered most Saturday in New Orleans.With Minnesota trailing by one in the final 10 seconds of the game, Towns quickly attacked the smaller Dyson Daniels, got to the edge of the paint and threw a floater off the glass to give Minnesota a one-point edge.“It was a real skilled move. He’s got a lot of skill,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch told reporters postgame. “We’ve really been harping on him trying to clean up his game offensively. And he’s got so much talent that if he just focuses on the simple things done really, really well, he doesn’t need to kind of create a lot of extra activity around his game. … And he’s really taken to that, so that would be a clear example.”Brandon Ingram missed a decent look a few seconds later, and Minnesota escaped New Orleans with a 121-120 victory Saturday.The ...

Men’s hockey: Gophers salvage split with Notre Dame

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

It’s not even Thanksgiving, but with teams like Michigan State and Wisconsin piling up Big Ten points, Saturday’s game had a bit of a “must win” feel for the Minnesota Gophers if they have designs on a third straight conference title.They did. And they do.The Gophers played a dominating second period and matched Notre Dame’s defensive effort, getting their first conference home win of the season with a 4-1 victory over the Irish at 3M Arena at Mariucci.Rhett Pitlick netted a pair of goals while Ryan Chesley and Jaxon Nelson also scored for the Gophers (6-4-2 overall, 2-3-1 Big Ten) who got 35 saves from Justen Close in the win.The Irish (7-4-2, 3-1-2) saw their seven-game unbeaten streak snapped despite a first-period goal from Carter Slaggert and 29 saves from Ryan Bischel.They traded goals in the first period. Pitlick got things started with his third of the season and second of the weekend, grabbing a bouncy carom off the end boards and popped a shot behind Bischel for a 1-0 lead...

Avs storm back from three-goal deficit to stun Stars in best win of young season

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

DALLAS — When the Avalanche lost Artturi Lehkonen for an indefinite amount of time with a neck injury, it was at a tenuous point in the early part of this season.The Avs lost that game on a late goal by the Seattle Kraken. They got embarrassed the next time out by the St. Louis Blues, which led to some of the most biting critiques Jared Bednar has offered in his time as the club’s coach.It was a good time for Valeri Nichushkin to get on a roll.Nichushkin has now scored in each of the three games since the bludgeoning by the Blues. He has four goals in that span, including a tying goal early in the third period Saturday night at American Airlines Center against the Dallas Stars.Mikko Rantanen and Andrew Cogliano scored 11 seconds apart later in the period and the Avalanche left this arena on Victory Avenue with its best victory of the season — a 6-3 triumph after yielding the first three goals of the contest.Even before scoring the Avs’ third goal, Nichushkin ...

Big Game: Cal beats Stanford, keeps bowl hopes alive

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

STANFORD — Stanford couldn’t knock Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza out of the 126th Big Game and it couldn’t prevent the visiting Bears from keeping alive their bowl aspirations.Mendoza, helped off the field midway through the third quarter after being hit in the head, returned to throw his third touchdown pass and the Bears beat Stanford for the third straight season, posting a 27-15 victory Saturday in front of an announced sellout crowd of 52,972 under sometimes rainy skies.“The best hour of the year for me is this,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said on the field after the game, surrounded by fans. “This game means so much to so many people, people who have been coming to this game for 30, 40, 70 years.”Cal (5-6, 3-5 Pac-12) will travel to Pasadena next Saturday to face UCLA in their final Pac-12 game ever with a chance to become bowl-eligible with a victory. The Bruins (7-4, 4-4) beat rival USC 38-20 on Saturday.Stanford (3-8, 2-7) faces Notre Dame at Stanfor...

No. 23 K-State rallies from 11-point deficit to beat Kansas 31-27 in Sunflower Showdown

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard threw two touchdown passes and ran for the go-ahead score, and No. 23 Kansas State took advantage of two special teams blunders by rival Kansas as the Wildcats rallied to beat the Jayhawks 31-27 on Saturday night for their 15th straight win in the Sunflower Showdown.D.J. Giddens added 102 yards rushing and a score for the reigning Big 12 champions, who kept alive their chances of defending the title in part by turning a blocked extra point into a 2-point return and a muffed punt into the go-ahead TD with 10:22 to go.The Wildcats (8-3, 6-2, No. 21 CFP) allowed Kansas (7-4, 4-4, No. 25) to march right back down the field, led by former walk-on Cole Ballard under center. But the Jayhawks’ drive stalled at the Kansas State 11, and Ballard was picked off in the end zone by Marques Sigle on fourth down to turn the ball over with just more than five minutes left.Howard and Giddens picked up first downs on the ground to keep the clock running, and How...

Sean Couturier scores in OT as the Flyers beat the Golden Knights 4-3

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Sean Couturier scored the game winner a minute into overtime, and the Philadelphia Flyers relied on a pair of power play goals to defeat the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Saturday for their fourth consecutive victory.Owen Tippett scored for the fourth consecutive game, banging in the rebound of a shot from Travis Sanheim to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the first period, and Tyson Foerster scored his first goal of the season 59 seconds into the second, gathering a partially blocked shot by Sanheim and putting it past Thompson to make it 2-0.Sean Walker also scored for Philadelphia. Carter Hart made 28 saves to earn the win.Reigning playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault score twice in the second period after William Karlsson started the scoring for the Golden Knights.BRUINS 5, CANADIENS 2BOSTON (AP) — Trent Frederic scored two goals, Brad Marchand collected his 500th career assist and Boston cruised past longtime rival Montreal. Pavel Zach...

North Dakota State beats Northern Iowa 48-27, awaits at-large playoff berth

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Cam Miller accounted for three touchdowns and Cole Payton scored on runs of 60 and 23 yards to help FCS No. 9 North Dakota State beat Northern Iowa 48-27 on Saturday night. The win likely seals an at-large berth into the playoffs. North Dakota State (8-3, 5-3 Missouri Valley Conference) has made 13 straight playoff appearances, the third-longest streak in history. Miller threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Eli Green to open the scoring, ran for a 1-yard score to make it 14-3 at the end of the first quarter and hit RaJa Nelson for a 15-yard TD to make it 21-3 with 13:51 to play in the first half. Cole Wisniewski picked off a pass at the 25, raced up the left sideline to the other 20 where he cut inside and then broke three would-be tackles on his way to the end zone for a 75-yard pick-6 that made it 48-20 with 11:59 remaining in the game. Miller finished 17-of-22 passing for 238 yards with two touchdowns and Nelson finished with six receptions for 113 yards. Th...

Jackson’s 27 points helps rally short-handed Grizzlies as the Spurs drop their 8th straight game

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points as the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies overcame a 19-point deficit and sent the San Antonio Spurs to their eighth straight loss, 120-108 on Saturday night.Memphis outscored San Antonio 33-14 in the final quarter.San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Keldon Johnson scored 22 points.Desmond Bane scored 26 points, and Santi Aldama had 17 for Memphis, which recorded its largest comeback of the season.San Antonio led 94-87 entering the fourth quarter after Memphis trailed by 17 after the first half.The Grizzlies opened the fourth on a 24-5 run, taking a 111-99 lead on a layup by Bane off a missed free throw by Bismack Biyambo on a potential three-point play. Jackson had 10 points in the run.Memphis was without Ja Morant (suspension), Marcus Smart (ankle), Luke Kennard (knee), Brandon Clarke (achilles) and Steven Adams (knee). Clarke and Adams are out for the season after undergoing surgery.Al...

Miller accounts for 2 TDs, Wissler runs for another; Southern Utah beats Utah Tech 24-16

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — Justin Miller passed for a touchdown and ran for another, Braedon Wissler had 130 yards rushing and a TD and Southern Utah beat Utah Tech 24-16 Saturday night. Miller was 16-of-27 passing for 165 yards. He scored on a 7-yard run midway through the second quarter and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Isaiah Wooden that made it 14-6 with 3:25 left in the first half. Targhee Lambson had 138 yards rushing on 14 carries for Southern Utah (6-5, 4-2 United Athletic Conference). Nygel Osborne ripped off a 38-yard run and scored on a 6-yard scamper the following play to give Utah Tech (2-9, 1-5) a 16-14 lead early in the third quarter. Tyler Graham kicked a 31-yard field goal less than 2 minutes later and Thunderbirds led the rest of the way. Kobe Tracy lost a fumble that was recovered by Robert Horsey at the SUU 6. On the next play, Lambson took a handoff and raced down the left sideline for a 68-yard gain and, after an incomplete pass, Wissler had runs of 6 and 30 yards, th...

Antetokounmpo scores 40 as Bucks top Mavericks 12-125

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:50:52 GMT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 points and Damian Lillard added 27 for the Milwaukee Bucks, who extended their winning streak to four games with a 132-125 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.Antetokounmpo was averaging 41.3 points in his last three games before being held to 16 Friday night in Charlotte. Against the Mavericks, he connected on 18 of 26 shots including a pair of 3-pointers and grabbed 14 rebounds to go along with seven assists.Kyrie Irving scored 39 while Luka Doncic added 35 for Dallas (9-4).Milwaukee trailed 109-99 with 9:04 left in the game before going on a 13-4 run, including seven from Antetokounmpo to get back within a point with 5:17 remaining.The Bucks caught a break when Donicic missed a pair of free throws that would have given Dallas some breathing room. Antetokounmpo followed by sinking a pair from the line that put Milwaukee up 114-113 while Lillard connected on all three of his free throw attempts after being fouled by I...