Sports briefs
Pitt basketball to play Wednesday
The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Sunday that Pitt will travel to Syracuse for a conference contest Wednesday (4:30 p.m.). Syracuse was originally scheduled to host Florida State Wednesday, but the game was postponed following positive COVID-19 results in the Seminoles program.
Pitt has not played since Dec. 22 as contests against Duke (Dec. 29) and Notre Dame (Jan. 2) were postponed because of COVID-19 protocols following a positive test in the Panthers program.
The Panthers were originally scheduled to play at Syracuse on Feb. 13.
In college football
Devon Achane had two late touchdown runs, including a 76-yarder with 3:44 left that put Texas A&M ahead to stay, and the fifth-ranked Aggies beat No. 14 North Carolina 41-27 in the Orange Bowl on Saturday night to cap a winless bowl season for the Atlantic Coast Conference.
- Breece Hall ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns, Brock Purdy accounted for two scores and No. 12 Iowa State grinded out a 34-17 victory over No. Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
- Matt Corral threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns, leading Mississippi to a 26-20 upset of seventh-ranked Indiana in the Outback Bowl.
- A.J. Rose ran for a career-high 148 yards, Chris Rodriguez added 84 yards and two scores and Kentucky held off No. 24 North Carolina State 23-21 in a chippy TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
- BYU quarterback Zach Wilson is entering the NFL draft.
“After much thought prayer and consideration, I’m excited to announce that I will be declaring for the 2021 NFL draft,” Wilson tweeted. “I pray that I will always back Cougar Nation proud.”
Wilson passed for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns with three interceptions this season as a junior to help the Cougars finish 11-1. He capped his BYU career with a victory over UCF in the Boca Raton Bowl.
In three seasons at BYU, Wilson passed for 7,652 yards with 56 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
In baseball
Veteran left-hander Ross Detwiler has signed an $850,000, one-year contract with the Miami Marlins, whose primary offseason goal is to upgrade their bullpen.
The Marlins also announced on Sunday the signing of veteran catcher Sandy Leon to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training. Left-hander Stephen Tarpley was designated for assignment.
In the NBA
LeBron James had 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, Anthony Davis added 17 points and nine rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers opened a two-game set in Memphis with a 108-94 victory over the Grizzlies on Sunday night.
James played within the offense for the first three quarters, then became more aggressive to start the fourth, scoring the Lakers first 10 points of the period. His 3-pointer with 2:34 left made it 101-90.
Montrezl Harrell added 16 points and nine rebounds to help the Lakers win their third straight.
Bradley Beal had 27 points, 10 rebounds and the assist on Thomas Bryant’s go-ahead dunk with 14.9 seconds left, leading the Washington Wizards to a 123-122 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant missed jumpers on the last possession, dropping the Nets to 3-4.
Russell Westbrook had 24 points and 10 assists but only five rebounds after recording triple-doubles in his first four games with the Wizards.
Irving had 30 points and 10 assists for the Nets, while Durant had 28 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.