Curry hits 23 in Duke’s win over Kentucky
College basketball: Seth Curry scored 23 points and No. 9 Duke held off a furious comeback by No. 3 Kentucky in Atlanta, beating the defending national champions 75-68 Tuesday night in the first matchup between the storied programs since 2001.
Duke (1-1) appeared to be in control, even with Mason Plumlee on the bench in foul trouble. The Blue Devils ripped off a 13-3 run, capped by Rasheed Sulaimon’s 3-pointer that made it 58-44 with 9 1/2 minutes remaining.
But Kentucky (1-1) wasn’t done, rallying like the defending champ even though this is essentially a whole new team. The Wildcats outscored Duke 17-6 over the next six minutes and actually had a chance to tie it.
• Michigan State knocks off Kansas: Keith Appling scored 19 points, including a brilliant drive with 13.5 seconds left, and No. 21 Michigan State rebounded from a season- opening loss with a 67-64 upset of No. 7 Kansas in Atlanta.
The Jayhawks (1-1) led 59-54 with five minutes remaining, showing signs of taking control in a game that was tight all the way. But Michigan State (1-1) rebounded behind its brilliant guards.
Freshman Gary Harris scored 18 points, including back-to-back baskets that sparked an 8-0 run. Down the stretch, it was all Appling.
• Bruins win in overtime: Jordan Adams came off the bench to score a game-high 26 points and the 13th-ranked UCLA Bruins (2-0) eked out an 80-79 win over the visiting UC Irvine Anteaters (1-1) in overtime.
Michael Wilder led UC Irvine with 23 points.
Griner powers No. 1 Baylor to win
College women: Brittney Griner scored 27 points with eight rebounds and No. 1 Baylor overwhelmed sixth-ranked Kentucky 85-51.
Odyssey Sims added 18 points and Destiny Williams had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the defending national champion Lady Bears, who have won 42 games in a row. They play fourth-ranked Stanford in Hawaii on Friday.
Anthony leads Knicks to fifth straight win
NBA: Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points, and J. R. Smith and Raymond Felton each added 21 as the visiting New York Knicks held off the Orlando Magic 99-89,
The victory was the fifth straight for the Knicks, extending their NBA-best start. It’s also New York’s first 5-0 start since it started the 1993-94 season 7-0 and reached the NBA finals.
The Knicks remain the league’s only unbeaten team.
• Spurs edge Lakers: Danny Green hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 9.3 seconds left, Tony Parker scored 19 points and the visiting San Antonio Spurs beat Los Angeles 84-82 in the Lakers’ first loss since firing coach Mike Brown.
After Pau Gasol missed a 3-pointer, Tiago Splitter’s hustle prevented the Lakers from controlling the rebound before the buzzer sounded on Los Angeles’ first game since hiring Mike D’Antoni late Sunday night. Interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff ran the team for the third straight game.
• Blazers snap losing streak: Damian Lillard had 22 points and nine assists to help the visiting Portland Trail Blazers stop a four-game losing streak with a 103-86 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 19 points for Portland and Wesley Matthews had 18. Nicolas Batum had 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists. J.J. Hickson added 10 points.
Champs turn out for Steward memorial
Miscellany: Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward was celebrated by boxing royalty and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, at a star-studded memorial service in Detroit.
Steward, the man who made the Kronk Gym famous, died of colon cancer last month at the age of 68.
Champions he trained – including Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko and Evander Holyfield – one he worked out only briefly — Sugar Ray Leonard – and another he didn’t train at all – Roy Jones Jr. – all paid their respects.
• Vonn hospitalized: Lindsey Vonn remains hospitalized in Colorado with “severe intestinal pain” that has been affecting her for the past two weeks.
Vonn’s spokesman, Lewis Kay, tells the AP that “Lindsey remains in the hospital awaiting results from diagnostic testing.”