WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Led by Taylor Hendricks' 23 points, the UCF Knights defeated the Wichita State Shockers 72-67 on Wednesday night. The Knights improved to 14-9 with the win and the Shockers fell to 12-12.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Kedrian Johnson tied a career high with 22 points, and West Virginia held off No. 11 Iowa State for a 76-71 win. Emmitt Mathews added a season-high 20 points for the Mountaineers, who have won five of seven to get their season moving in the right direction after they dropped five in a row during one stretch. The Cyclones missed a chance to move into a first-place tie with No. 5 Texas, which lost at Kansas on Monday night. Jaren Holmes led the Cyclones with 18 points.
WACO, Texas (AP) — Keyonte George had 23 points and Adam Flagler scored 20 as 14th-ranked Baylor held on to beat Oklahoma 82-72. Flagler scored 14 points in the final 13:11 of the game, the first of those being a jumper that put Baylor back ahead to stay. Langston Love added 19 points for Baylor, which has won eight of nine overall since losing its first three Big 12 games. The Sooners lost their sixth consecutive Big 12 game, the last three since a 93-69 win over then-No. 2 Alabama in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Grant Sherfield had 15 points, including four 3-pointers.
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Bryce Thompson scored 21 points, John-Michael Wright converted a three-point play with 0.4 seconds left and Oklahoma State beat Texas Tech 71-68 for its fourth straight win. Oklahoma State took the lead early in the first half and led by as many as 15 points in the second. A De’Vion Harmon layup for Texas Tech knotted it at 68-all with 18 seconds left for the game’s only tie. On the final possession, Thompson’s jumper hit the back of the iron, but Wright was already in the air for the putback. Jaylon Tyson scored 20 points for Texas Tech (12-12, 1-10).
PHOENIX (AP) — The defensive philosophy that has carried the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl is relatively simple. A deep rotation of defensive linemen provides constant pressure that makes opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable and often leads to them ending on the ground. Few teams have gotten to the quarterback more frequently this season than the Eagles, who are closing in on the NFL’s most prolific season ever when it comes to sacks. That will be the formula the Eagles will hope to replicate on Sunday against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
PHOENIX (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles left their dog masks at home. Back in the Super Bowl five years after winning the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history, the Eagles took a different path to reach this one. They’re 1 1/2-point favorites against the Kansas City Chiefs, per FanDuel Sportsbook, after outscoring the Giants and 49ers 69-14 in the playoffs. Last time here, the Eagles became the first No. 1 seed to enter the playoffs as a home underdog. After sneaking past Atlanta in the divisional round, they were underdogs against Minnesota in the NFC championship game. They routed the Vikings and went on to beat Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the favored New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
PHOENIX (AP) — Any success that the Kansas City Chiefs have in slowing down Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl probably rests on the shoulders of Chris Jones. The All-Pro defensive tackle is having the finest season of his career, and his two sacks in the AFC title game against Cincinnati helped the Chiefs reach this stage. Jones emerged alongside Aaron Donald as the league's most dominant interior lineman this season, and helping a Kansas City pass rush that was among the worst in the NFL last season suddenly become one of the best.
PHOENIX (AP) — It's likely the only time football fans will see Kansas City’s Chad Henne or Philadelphia’s Gardner Minshew during the Super Bowl will be on the sideline. But this is the NFL and sometimes things don’t go according to plan. That’s why the backup quarterbacks for the Chiefs and Eagles could be some of the most important players on their team’s roster heading into Sunday’s showdown. In a lot of ways, it’s been the year of the backup quarterback. A total of 68 QBs started at least one game during the regular season, an average of more than two per team and a record for a non-strike year.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired left-hander Anthony Misiewicz from their cross-state rival Kansas City Royals for cash considerations. To make room on the 40-man roster, St. Louis designated right-hander James Naile for assignment on the Missouri native’s 30th birthday. The 28-year-old Misiewicz split last season between the Mariners and Kansas City. He went 1-2 with a 4.34 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 29 innings. Misiewicz was expendable when the Royals bolstered their bullpen with a series of recent moves.
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns acquired 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets, according to multiple reports. The outlets, citing unnamed sources, said the Suns added Durant to a starting lineup that already includes an All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker, along with center Deandre Ayton. Phoenix sent Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets. The Suns also receive forward T.J. Warren in the deal.
WEDNESDAY SCORES
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (2)Houston 80 Tulsa 42
Final (3)Alabama 97 Florida 69
Final Vanderbilt 66 (6)Tennessee 65
Final West Virginia 76 (11)Iowa St. 71
Final (14)Baylor 82 Oklahoma 72
Final (20)Providence 74 Georgetown 62
Final (23)Creighton 75 Seton Hall 62
Final (25)San Diego St. 63 Utah St. 61
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Cleveland 113 Detroit 85
Final Washington 118 Charlotte 104
Final Toronto 112 San Antonio 98
Final Boston 106 Philadelphia 99
Final Miami 116 Indiana 111
Final Sacramento 130 Houston 128
Final Minnesota 143 Utah 118
Final Dallas 110 L.A. Clippers 104
Final Portland 125 Golden State 122
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final N-Y Rangers 4 Vancouver 3
Final Dallas 4 Minnesota 1