In brief: Waiters leads No. 1 Syracuse to 18th victory
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Dion Waiters scored 20 points in his home city of Philadelphia and No. 1 Syracuse remained undefeated with a 79-66 win over Villanova on Wednesday night.
James Southerland added 15 points for the balanced Orange, who are 18-0 for the second straight season. The Orange (5-0 Big East) used a 20-2 run to dominate the struggling Wildcats (8-9, 1-4).
• Wolverines win in OT: Freshman Trey Burke scored 19 points – including Michigan’s last eight of overtime – to help the 13th-ranked Wolverines (14-3, 4-1) hold off visiting Northwestern 66-64.
The Wildcats trailed 66-63 when Alex Marcotullio was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining. He missed the first of his three free throws and after making the second, he had to intentionally miss the third. Northwestern (11-5, 1-3 Big Ten) was unable to tip in the rebound.
Sooners upset No. 10 Texas Tech
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Whitney Hand scored 24 points and freshman Sharane Campbell scored the final seven points as Oklahoma (10-4, 2-1) overcame a 10-minute stretch without a field goal to beat visiting No. 10 Texas Tech 71-68.
Jordan Barncastle missed a contested 3-pointer from the right wing with 2 seconds left to try and tie it for the Lady Raiders (14-1, 2-1 Big 12), who suffered their first loss of the season after winning their first 14 games.
• No. 1 Baylor rolls: Brittney Griner had 28 points with 11 rebounds and top-ranked Baylor (16-0, 3-0) remained undefeated with a 71-44 victory over visiting Oklahoma State (9-3, 1-2)
Bryant’s 40 points, Bynum block seal win
NBA: Kobe Bryant scored 40 points and Andrew Bynum blocked Al Jefferson’s shot with 1.9 seconds left in overtime to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 90-87 victory over Utah at Salt Lake City, ending the Jazz’s winning streak at five.
The win was the first on the road for the Lakers, while Utah dropped its first home game after starting 5-0.
• Lucas hits for 25: John Lucas III scored a career-high 25 points filling in for injured Derrick Rose and host Chicago beat Washington for its third victory in three nights.
Lucas, starting for the first time in his 70-game NBA career, was at the point in place of MVP Rose, who was out with a sprained big left toe.
Capitals shut out slumping Penguins
NHL: Jason Chimera scored off a turnover in the first period and Tomas Vokoun made 30 saves, giving the host Washington Capitals a 1-0 victory over the Penguins, Pittsburgh’s sixth consecutive loss.
Vokoun handed Pittsburgh its first shutout this season. The Penguins have scored only six goals in the skid.
Canadian skier in critical condition
FREESTYLE SKIING: Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke was in critical condition Wednesday, a day after she was airlifted from the mountains of Utah to a Salt Lake City hospital with injuries after a training accident in the superpipe.
The nature of Burke’s injuries has not been disclosed.
In a statement released by Burke’s publicist, a doctor at University of Utah hospital says Burke “sustained serious injuries and remains intubated and sedated in critical condition.”
The 29-year-old Burke is widely considered the foremost pioneer for her main sport of freestyle halfpipe.
Fox and Dodgers reach agreement
MISCELLANY: A bankruptcy judge in Wilmington, Del., approved a settlement between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Fox Sports that clears the way for the sale of the team.
The settlement, reached late Tuesday and quickly approved at a brief court hearing Wednesday morning, ends a contentious legal battle between the ball club and Fox.
• Boise State promotes coach: Boise State coach Chris Petersen has made assistant Robert Prince the team’s new offensive coordinator.
Prince served as wide receivers coach and passing coordinator last season, his first back in Boise after a seven-year break coaching receivers from 2001-2003 before taking jobs with NFL teams. • Steinberg files for bankruptcy: Sports agent Leigh Steinberg filed for bankruptcy protection, saying he takes responsibility for debts of several million dollars.
“I just lost track while I was in rehab,” Steinberg told The Associated Press. The agent, who was the inspiration for the movie “Jerry Maguire,” said he struggled with alcohol for years but has been sober since 2010.