NBA 101

Pryce Sandfort's 29 points lead No. 7 Nebraska past Northwestern 68-49

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Pryce Sandfort scored 29 points, Sam Hoiberg added 14 and No. 7 Nebraska shook off a slow start to beat Northwestern 68-49 Saturday.

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.

Northwestern, which led second-ranked Michigan by 16 points at home before losing 87-75 on Wednesday, was up eight on the Huskers in the first half.

The Wildcats were looking for their highest-ranked win on the road in nine years and were down 28-27 at half before bogging down. They shot 35%, made 1 of 7 3s and turned over the ball eight times in the final 20 minutes.

Big Ten scoring leader Nick Martinelli, averaging 22.5 points per game, missed his first six shots before he muscled in his only basket of the first half and finished with a team-leading 11.

Up next

Northwestern: Hosts Maryland on Wednesday.

Nebraska: Visits Iowa on Tuesday.

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Fight breaks out between No. 17 St. John's and Providence and six players are ejected

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Six players were ejected from Saturday’s game between No. 17 St. John’s and Providence after a fracas resulting from a hard foul by Friars forward Duncan Powell on Bryce Hopkins sent the Red Storm star crashing to the ground.

St. John’s coach Rick Pitino, who led Providence to the 1987 Final Four, was in the middle of it, trying to hold back his players. But several entered the fray as it drifted toward the Red Storm bench.

The game was delayed by nearly 20 minutes while the referees sorted out the punishments: Four St. John’s players were booted and two from Providence, and by the time the Friars got the ball back they had watched a one-point lead turn into a four-point deficit.

St. John’s led by as many 13 points in the first half, but the Friars rallied in the second to take a series of one-point leads and had a 40-39 edge with 14:25 left when Hopkins — who played three seasons in Providence — went up for a fast-break layup and was raked across the head and face by Powell’s arm, taking him to the ground.

Hopkins got up and moved toward Powell but was held back and guided away by his former teammate, Friars forward Oswin Erhunmwunse. Others in the game got involved and the players from the nearby St. John’s bench couldn’t be held back any longer.

The pushing and shoving continued while coaches, referees and security tried to break it up.

During the delay, players for both teams warmed up at their baskets. As the referees updated the coaches on their decision, the fans broke into a chant of “Duncan Powell!”

Providence guard Jaylin Sellers was led down the tunnel to cheers from the crowd; he was soon joined by Powell. St. John’s Dillon Mitchell, Ruben Prey, Sadiku Ibine Ayo and Kelvin Odih also were ejected.

Hopkins made two free throws, then St. John’s Oziyah Sellers made one of two and followed it with a layup for a five-point play that gave the Red Storm a 44-40 lead. After a Friars miss, St. John’s Dylan Darling hit a 3-pointer for a seven-point lead.

Tensions flared again with five minutes left after a hard foul by Erhunmwunse on St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor. That was ruled a common foul, but Providence fans under the basket got the Red Storm players riled up enough for the referees to step in.

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Japanese snowboarder Yuto Totsuka wins the Olympic gold medal in men’s halfpipe

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Coachless Rennes stuns Ligue 1 leader PSG and ends winless run

RENNES, France (AP) — Coachless Rennes stunned Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 at home and snapped a five-game winless run on Friday.

The home side fired coach Habib Beye on Monday after its early season gains looked to be slipping away, and it was a firm underdog against PSG, which came to Brittany after winning all seven of its last league fixtures.

But Rennes hit the post early on and it got a reward for its confident start after 33 minutes. Jordanian midfielder Mousa Al-Tamari charged forward on the counterattack and found enough space between two defenders on the edge of the penalty area to curl in a superb opener.

PSG came into the game but was hesitant in front of goal and Esteban Lepaul doubled Rennes’ lead midway through the second half. The prolific center forward rose highest to bullet a header past Matvey Safonov for his 11th goal of the season.

Former Rennes player Ousmane Dembélé pulled one back for PSG two minutes later but Breel Embolo restored Rennes’ two-goal cushion in the 81st when he finished off another counterattack.

PSG remained atop the table but second-placed Lens can take over if it beats Paris FC on Saturday.

Rennes moved above Lille into fifth place.

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

Suns’ Brooks draws 1-game ban after 16th tech

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NBA bans Stewart, Bridges, 2 others for brawl

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Mavs’ Flagg (foot) out vs. Lakers, for Rising Stars

Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has a left midfoot sprain that will sideline him through All-Star Weekend, the team announced.

Sources: Surgery ends season for Jazz’s Jackson

Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. will have surgery to remove a growth in his left knee during the All-Star break. He will miss the rest of the season, sources told ESPN.