Minnesota 67, Florida State 64 (OT)

NEW YORK — With his famous father sitting behind him in the Madison Square Garden stands, 32-year-old Minnesota coach Richard Pitino guided the Golden Gophers to a 67-64 overtime win over Florida State in the semifinals of the NIT on Tuesday. Minnesota (24-13) faces SMU in Thursday’s final. The Mustangs (27-9) defeated Clemson 65-59 in […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021
Nets clinch playoffs with win over Rockets

NEW YORK– At the end of the 2013 calendar year, if you told Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Johnson that his team clinched a playoff berth with nine games remaining, he would not have believed you. But Tuesday night, Johnson’s 32 points not only helped the Nets set a franchise record with their 14th straight win […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021
Warriors 122, Mavericks 120 (OT)

DALLAS — The Golden State Warriors are playing the stretch run short-handed, but they are showing just how strong they are. They rallied in regulation and then in overtime to take down the Dallas Mavericks in a crucial game in the Western Conference playoff picture. With 13 seconds left in overtime and the score tied […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021
Top-seeded SMU reaches NIT final

NEW YORK — A little over two weeks ago, the Southern Methodist University Mustangs were bummed they weren’t chosen to be in the 68-team NCAA Tournament field. The Mustangs’ body of work wasn’t deemed good enough for an invite, but time and a trip to a postseason tournament final are healing SMU’s wounds. SMU is […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021
Nets 105, Rockets 96

NEW YORK— Brooklyn forward Joe Johnson scored 32 points and the Nets set a franchise record with their 14th straight win at home, defeating the Houston Rockets 105-96 on Tuesday night. The Nets are 21-2 in their last 23 home games. In a game that saw neither team lead by more than 12 points, Johnson […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021
Southern Methodist 65, Clemson 59

NEW YORK — The Southern Methodist Mustangs’ resurgent season will be topped off with a chance for the NIT championship. The Mustangs (27-9) defeated the Clemson Tigers 65-59 in the semifinals Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. SMU faces the winner of the Florida State-Minnesota game in Thursday’s final. SMU, the top overall seed in the […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021
76ers’ Carter-Williams wins Rookie of Month again

Offering a glimmer of optimism in the 76ers’ lost season, Philadelphia guard Michael Carter-Williams became the first player in franchise history to win three Rookie of the Month awards. Carter-Williams received the Eastern Conference’s March honor on Tuesday, the NBA announced. He previously won the award in the combined months of October and November, as […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021
NBA roundup: Clippers’ Griffin sits out to protect back

Los Angeles Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin did not play Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and is likely to remain idle all week to rest his ailing back for the playoffs. Griffin was hurt in Saturday’s game against the Houston Rockets. He felt back spasms strong enough that he removed himself from the game. He […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021
NBA confirms missed call in Nuggets-Grizzlies game

The NBA acknowledged Tuesday that officials failed to correctly rule on a call at the end of the Memphis Grizzlies’ 94-92 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night in Denver. “Upon review at the league office, we have confirmed that a free throw taken by Memphis’ Courtney Lee with 0.7 seconds remaining in the […]

Alan Draper  •  15 Oct 2021