Georgetown upsets UConn in Big East opener
DaJuan Summers scored 18 points and No. 11 Georgetown won the first of many matchups between ranked Big East teams this season, beating No. 2 Connecticut 74-63 in Hartford, Conn., on Monday night for its seventh straight win.
Chris Wright and freshman Greg Monroe both had 16 points for Georgetown (10-1, 1-0), and Austin Freeman added 13.
A.J. Price had 16 points and Jeff Adrien added 15 for the Huskies (11-1, 0-1), who cut a 12-point deficit early in the second half to three twice but couldn’t get any closer.
It was the Hoyas’ eighth straight victory in a Big East opener, the last five under John Thompson III.
The loss snapped Connecticut’s seven-game winning streak over ranked opponents, including victories this season over Miami, Wisconsin and Gonzaga.
• Tennessee wins, loses star: Wayne Chism scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds before a frightening injury forced him out of No. 14 Tennessee’s 89-62 non-conference win over Louisiana-Lafayette (4-7).
With 5:12 left in the game, the team’s leading rebounder landed hard on his back under the basket after blocking a shot by La’Ryan Gary. Play was delayed for several minutes as Chism was strapped to a board, placed in a neck brace and taken out of the arena on a stretcher.
The extent of his injury wasn’t immediately known.
The game was the last chance for the young Volunteers (9-2) to build some needed confidence before heading into a seven-game stretch that includes contests against defending national champion Kansas, Gonzaga, Kentucky, Vanderbilt and Memphis.
No. 17 Arizona State rolls: James Harden scored 24 points and Arizona State (11-1) routed visiting Central Connecticut State (5-6) 84-47, matching the Sun Devils’ best start in 34 years.
No. 19 Baylor humbles Portland State: The visiting Vikings, coming off an upset win over Gonzaga last Tuesday at the McCarthey Athletic Center, fell to Baylor 79-66. LaceDarius Dunn scored 22 points to lead four players in double figures for Baylor (11-1). The Vikings (10-4), who beat Texas Southern on Saturday, were led by Dominic Waters with 18.
Women’s basketball
Yow misses another game
Stephanie Glance has almost grown accustomed to seeing how Kay Yow puts aside the pain and fatigue from her long battle with cancer to coach her North Carolina State players. Yet Glance is also not surprised when the Hall of Fame coach has to step away to focus on her health like she did Monday.
“If she could be here, she would,” Glance said after the Wolfpack beat visiting Jacksonville State 76-38 without their longtime coach on the bench. “She’s pushing herself. People that don’t have cancer would be fatigued at the rate she pushes herself.”
Consider it the day-by-day nature of Yow’s fight with a recurrence of the breast cancer she was diagnosed with more than two decades ago.
No. 13 California 85, Saint Mary’s 44: Alexis Gray-Lawson scored 15 of her 19 points during a decisive run early in the second half and the Bears (9-2) beat sloppy Saint Mary’s (3-11) in its first game in 16 days.
NBA
Stuckey leads Pistons
Former Eastern Washington University star Rodney Stuckey led a balanced attack with 19 points and the Detroit Pistons won their fourth straight with an 88-82 victory over the Orlando Magic. The Magic had won seven straight and were playing a Detroit team that was missing Richard Hamilton (groin), but they trailed for nearly the entire game.
Shaq moves up list: Shaquille O’Neal had 28 points and 12 rebounds, moving into ninth place on the NBA’s career scoring list, and the Phoenix Suns overcame the loss of two-time MVP Steve Nash to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-102.
Nash played only 9 minutes before leaving with back spasms.
NFL
Roethlisberger will play
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did not stay in a hospital overnight after receiving a concussion Sunday against Cleveland, but it was uncertain if he will practice this week.
Roethlisberger lay on the ground for nearly 15 minutes after being leveled by two Browns defenders and was strapped to a stretcher as he was carried off the field. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital but left after tests were concluded.
With a week off before they begin practicing for their Jan. 11 divisional playoff game, the Steelers expect Roethlisberger to be ready for that game.
Baseball
Red Sox, Penny agree
The Boston Red Sox and pitcher Brad Penny reached a preliminary agreement on a $5 million, one-year contract, according to several reports.
A two-time All-Star, the 30-year-old Penny struggled with injuries to his shoulder and side last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He went 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA in 17 starts and two relief appearances.
NHL
Rangers storm back
Markus Naslund scored one of the New York Rangers’ four goals in a wild third period, and Henrik Lundqvist made the lead stand up in a 5-4 comeback win over the New York Islanders. The Rangers held a 25-15 shots advantage through two periods but entered the third trailing 2-1.
Lapierre helps Habs hit milestone: Maxim Lapierre scored the final three goals of the game, leading visiting Montreal to a 5-2 victory over Florida for their NHL-best 3,000th regular-season win.
Skiing
Riesch wins slalom
Maria Riesch of Germany won a women’s World Cup slalom in Semmering, Austria, for her second victory of the season, while American Lindsey Vonn finished third and remained the leader in the standings.