briefs
In college basketball
D.J. Carton scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half, helping Ohio State hold off lowly Northwestern for a sorely needed 71-59 win Sunday.
Once ranked as high as No. 2 in the AP Top 25, the Buckeyes had dropped six of seven to plummet out of the poll altogether. But they got back on track behind their defense, holding the Wildcats to 26.7% shooting in the second half.
- UCLA was in a giving mood and Oregon was only too happy to be on the receiving end.
The 12th-ranked Ducks took advantage of a season-worst 23 turnovers by the Bruins to score 34 points and went on to a 96-75 victory Sunday, the largest winning margin for Oregon in the series since 2003.
- While remaining the country’s only unbeaten team was important to the San Diego State Aztecs, they had another milestone on their minds Sunday.
“It was important because we wanted to hit 21-0 and make (school) history,” junior Trey Pulliam said.
Mission accomplished.
Malachi Flynn scored 21 points, Pulliam added a career-high 18 points and the fourth-ranked Aztecs (21-0, 10-0 Mountain West) staved off UNLV’s second-half rally to win 71-67 and break the school records for best start and longest winning streak in the program’s 99 seasons.
In the NBA
Trae Young had 45 points and 14 assists in an emotional game for the first-time All-Star, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards 152-133 on Sunday night.
Young looked up toward the rafters several times to honor Kobe Bryant, his mentor and favorite NBA star who died in a helicopter crash earlier in the day. Young wore a No. 8 jersey to acknowledge Bryant during the first few seconds of the game and dressed up his shoes with a heartfelt tribute as well.