Oklahoma State star Marcus Smart shoved a fan underneath the basket in the waning seconds of Texas Tech’s 65-61 win over the 19th-ranked Cowboys on Saturday night. Smart (pictured, right) tried to block Jaye Crockett’s dunk attempt from behind with 6.2 seconds to go and tumbled into the front row of the crowd. He was helped to his feet by one man but then got in the face of another fan in a black shirt. The man appeared to say something to Smart, who then shoved him with two hands. The fan stumbled backward a bit but didn’t fall. Smart was called for a technical foul but was not ejected. Crockett scored 21 points with 12 rebounds to lead Texas Tech, which handed the Cowboys their fourth straight loss. The game was tied at 61 when Crockett hit the go-ahead shot with 41 seconds remaining. – AP

NEW ORLEANS – Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops declined to announce a starting quarterback before the Sugar Bowl, and when freshman Trevor Knight took the field on the Sooners’ first possession, Alabama’s defenders couldn’t have anticipated what was in store. Knight completed a Sugar Bowl-record 32 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns, and No. 11 Oklahoma took down third-ranked Alabama 45-31 on Thursday night.

NEW ORLEANS – Whatever Bob Stoops may have said about the overall strength of the Southeastern Conference, that apparently doesn’t apply when it comes to the challenge he sees before 11th-ranked Oklahoma in tonight’s Sugar Bowl. The Sooners’ coach made that clear on the eve of a matchup with No. 3 Alabama.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook had arthroscopic knee surgery Friday and will be sidelined until after the All-Star break. Westbrook will miss at least 27 games. “He will be missed,” coach Scott Brooks said before Oklahoma City’s game Friday night against the Charlotte Bobcats. “Obviously we are a very good team with him, and without him we’re still going to be a very good team.” General manager Sam Presti said in a news release earlier in the day that Westbrook has been playing pain-free, but “recently had experienced increased swelling” in his right knee. Brooks said Reggie Jackson, who is averaging 12.5 points, will start. Jeremy Lamb will also see increased playing time in Westbrook’s absence. – Associated Press

NEW YORK – Not only was there no Kevin Durant-Carmelo Anthony showdown, there wasn’t much of a game, either. The Oklahoma City Thunder made sure of it with the most dominant performance ever by a road team on Christmas.

MOORE, Okla. – The Oklahoma City Thunder will rebuild the outdoor basketball courts at the sites of three schools destroyed in the May 20 tornado. The NBA team said Sunday before its Blue and White Scrimmage at Westmoore High School that it will rebuild courts at Briarwood Elementary, Plaza Towers Elementary and Highland East Junior High School with Thunder branding.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops says he is focused on his 14th-ranked Sooners trying to beat No. 22 Notre Dame this season, not the fact that the Fighting Irish have won nine of the 10 games between two of college football’s most successful programs. But several Oklahoma players say revenge will at least be a bit on their minds when the teams meet today ( 12:30 p.m., NBC), remembering the Irish scored 17 points in the final 6 minutes a year ago to turn a close game into a blowout and help Notre Dame get to the BCS title game. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly says the Irish believe they can do it again. Associated Press

North Idaho’s fringe, right-wing groups captured another 15 minutes of fame, courtesy of the New York media. On Thursday, the New York Daily News featured a photo essay of the Light Foot Militia, snapped by Reuters photographer Matt Mills McKnight. The article showed North Idaho and Spokane militia members drilling and bonding at their third annual retreat near Priest River – some 73 in all, at peak time.

Area musicians will perform a concert to benefit victims of last week’s powerful tornado in Moore, Okla. The lineup features Mark Schirtz, winner of the 2011 Spokane’s Got Talent contest and Dawghouse Entertainment recording artist, Tommy G, a two-time Spokane’s Got Talent finalist, rock and country guitarist Kicho Forrest, and the hippie-groove rock band the Angela Marie Project.

MOORE, Okla. — Search-and-rescue crews worked through the night after a monstrous tornado barreled through the Oklahoma City suburbs, demolishing an elementary school and reducing homes to piles of splintered wood. At least 24 people were killed, including at least nine children, and those numbers were expected to climb.