CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Roy Williams pulled a doubleheader, in his own words, on Saturday. The day started by watching his former player, Coby White, drop 20 points in a Charlotte Hornets victory over the Portland Trailblazers — a fitting performance in White’s home debut. With one win down, Williams made his way back to Chapel Hill for No. 18...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The Lakers seemingly lost their mojo after the All-Star break, with three consecutive losses leaving them in search of the “consistency” and “togetherness” they had earlier in the season.

Their 129-101 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at Chase Center was a step in the right direction, even if the Warriors...Read more

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — On the eve of college basketball’s biggest month, Florida coach Todd Golden’s red-hot Gators looked like a team ready for another deep postseason run.

With a 111-77 win Saturday night against No. 20 Arkansas, the No. 7 Gators ended a flawless February 8-0 and poised for another memorable March — the time when ...Read more

NEW YORK — Rick Pitino didn’t downplay it.

Ahead of Saturday night’s crucial meeting with Villanova at Madison Square Garden, Pitino declared it “the most important game” in his three years at St. John’s.

That’s because three days earlier, St. John’s suffered a sobering 32-point loss to UConn that complicated its pursuit of a ...Read more

STORRS, Conn. — When UConn was recruiting Alex Karaban, Tom Moore, who was covering New England at the time, stressed he was not a player who would jump out the first time you saw him. You had to go watch him play numerous games, doing his little bit of everything, to get a true appreciation.

The rest of the coaches followed up, someone from ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — From the time the 2025-26 Kentucky men’s basketball season got off to a dispiriting start in November, most of the discussion about Mark Pope’s Cats has focused on the limitations UK will carry into March Madness.

On the final day of February, in front of a giddy Rupp Arena crowd, Kentucky put on display against No. 25 ...Read more

One day after Michigan captured the outright Big Ten regular-season title, it was dealt a brutal blow.

The program announced Saturday that sophomore guard L.J. Cason tore his right ACL in Friday’s 84-70 victory at Illinois and will miss the remainder of the season.

"First and foremost, our hearts hurt for L.J.," coach Dusty May said in a ...Read more

TUSCON, Ariz. — For a moment in time, the improbable Kansas comeback seemed possible.

Star freshman Darryn Peterson hit an array of shots that reminded everybody inside McKale Center why he’s the potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

After trailing by as many as 18 points in the first half, KU clawed within two on a jumper from ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — With time running out to save its star-crossed season, USC put itself in position for a statement-making Saturday, only to see that dream devolve into a nightmare in an 82-67 loss to No. 12 Nebraska.

It was a painfully familiar scene for the Trojans, who have found new ways to unravel after halftime all season. This time, their ...Read more

MIAMI – This time the Miami Heat got closing time right.

After blown fourth-quarter leads in the previous two games, road losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, Erik Spoelstra’s team this time held its ground in a 115-105 victory Saturday over the Houston Rockets at Kaseya Center.

Unable to score at the close in Milwaukee ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Hornets coach Charles Lee reflected on the noticeable shift.

His team is creating an unmistakable murmur throughout Charlotte and beyond. Thanks to the season’s resurgence behind the team’s young core — spearheaded by star guard LaMelo Ball, rising swingman Brandon Miller and Rookie of the Year candidate Kon Knueppel �...Read more

OKLAHOMA CITY — A man of few words, Nikola Jokic was candid and concise with his thoughts on the Luguentz Dort flagrant foul that provoked him to get in Dort’s face Friday night.

“Unnecessary move and a necessary reaction,” the Nuggets center said. “There is no such thing — I think there’s not supposed to be those things on a ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Just like it was in the first game a month ago, the Kentucky-Vanderbilt basketball rematch was a lopsided affair from the start Saturday afternoon.

This time around, it was the Cats on the right side of the score.

UK jumped on the 25th-ranked Commodores in the opening minutes and never let them get within striking distance ...Read more

DURHAM, N.C. — It was the final seconds of the first half Saturday at Duke, and Virginia was setting up for a last shot.

But the Cavaliers never got one up. Duke’s Isaiah Evans first cut off Chance Mallory’s attempt at a drive, then hounded the freshman guard into losing the ball out of bounds.

It was that kind of day, more about ...Read more

STORRS, Conn. — Alex Karaban wasn’t going to let Seton Hall spoil his day.

In an emotional final game at Gampel Pavilion, after he became the first active player placed in the Huskies of Honor, Karaban came through as he’s done so many times before. The Pirates, making their best effort at an upset, went up seven with less than eight ...Read more

OKLAHOMA CITY — Once in a blue moon, Nikola Jokic likes to remind people he is a 7-foot, 285-pound Serbian man.

He decided that Lu Dort needed a reminder Friday during the fourth quarter of a white-knuckle thriller between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jokic confronted Dort after getting tripped in the backcourt, leading to a...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Whenever Anthony Edwards does something on the court, he shows emotion. Specifically, he shows emotion in the immediate aftermath of the event occurring.

Often he has trouble controlling his reaction in that three-to-five seconds afterward. That’s one reason why Edwards got so many technical fouls last season; he knew the ...Read more

BOSTON — Drained at the end of a four-game West Coast swing, the Celtics turned in their worst shooting performance of the season in Wednesday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Two nights later, they delivered one of the best in NBA history.

Back on the TD Garden parquet for the first time in 15 days, Boston walloped the Brooklyn Nets, 148-111...Read more

DETROIT — This week had the potential to clarify the Detroit Pistons’ status as championship contenders. For Cade Cunningham, it was a "week full of smoke." However, the Pistons' biggest challenge of the season ended with them posting a 2-1 record after a 122-119 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night at Little Caesars ...Read more