In brief: Durant’s 41 lead OKC to 12th straight win
NBA: Kevin Durant set a season high with 41 points and had 13 rebounds Wednesday as visiting Oklahoma City held off Atlanta 103-91 for its 12th straight win.
Russell Westbrook added 27 points – 21 in the first half – and 11 assists for the Thunder.
Top-ranked Stanford edges No. 21 Gamecocks
College women: Chiney Ogwumike had 21 points and 15 rebounds, Mikaela Ruef had a tiebreaking basket with 53 seconds left and No. 1 Stanford held on to beat No. 21 South Carolina 53-49 at Columbia, S.C.
The Cardinal (10-0) came cross-country to face the rising Gamecocks (10-1) and found themselves in a tough matchup. The game was tied at 45-all with 1:14 to go after Aleighsa Welch’s foul shot. That’s when Ruef drove left and put up a shot that barely caught the rim and fell in for the lead.
Longhorns upset No. 23 Tar Heels
College men: Sheldon McClellan scored 18 points and struggling Texas upset No. 23 North Carolina (8-3) 85-67 at Austin, Texas.
Julien Lewis added 16 points for the Longhorns (7-4), who are off to their worst start since coach Rick Barnes’ first season in 1999 while playing without star guard Myck Kabongo. The NCAA is investigating the sophomore’s relationship with an agent and the Longhorns have given no indication when or if he’ll return.
Yankees sign Ichiro to two-year contract
Baseball: The Yankees and Ichiro Suzuki have finalized a $13 million, two-year contract that keeps the 10-time All-Star in the Bronx.
The 39-year-old was obtained in a trade with Seattle on July 23, revived his career and quickly became a fan favorite.
• BoSox finalize Dempster: The Red Sox have signed right-hander Ryan Dempster to a two-year $26.5 million contract.
Dempster, 35, went 12-8 with a 3.38 ERA this year for the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers.
Spain remains No. 1 in FIFA rankings
Miscellany: World Cup and European champion Spain has completed a full year atop the FIFA rankings, 2014 World Cup host Brazil has plummeted to No. 18 and the U.S. dropped one spot to No. 28.
Brazil failed to win last month, losing against Argentina, which remains at No. 3, and drawing with Colombia, which rises to No. 5.
Spain leads No. 2 Germany, with European Championship finalist Italy at No. 4.
• Sounders open on road: The Seattle Sounders will play at Mexico’s Tigres on March 6 in the first leg of their CONCA- -CAF Champions League quarterfinal, with the second leg in Seattle on March 12.
• Serena Williams out: Serena Williams has had surgery on her big toes and withdrew from an exhibition match against top-ranked Victoria Azarenka in Thailand this month.
• McIlroy honored: Rory McIlroy is the near unanimous choice as the best male player by the Golf Writers Association of America. FedEx Cup champion Brandt Snedeker finished second.