ATLANTA (AP) — Otega Oweh knocked down four free throws in the final 10.3 seconds and No. 19 Kentucky claimed the first big win of Mark Pope’s coaching tenure, knocking off No. 6 Duke 77-72 in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night. In the frenetic closing seconds, Duke (2-1) tied the game at 72 on Cooper Flagg’s lay-in with 1:14 remaining but never got off another shot. Flagg ruined a 26-point night by turning it over twice in the final minute to hand the victory to the Wildcats (3-0). Oweh had a steal that led to a pair of free throws, then snatched away an offensive rebound off a missed free throw by Lamont Butler, drawing another foul that set up two more free throws with 0.5 seconds left. Andrew Carr paced Kentucky with 17 points, while Oweh added 15.
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott has decided on surgery for his torn hamstring, ending the season for the franchise quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys when their playoff hopes were already fading fast. Owner Jerry Jones said Prescott will have the surgery Wednesday in New York. Jones was speaking on his radio show Tuesday. “His prognosis is wonderful,” Jones said. “It just means we’re not going to have him for the rest of the year.” The decision comes a little more than a week after Prescott injured the hamstring in a 27-21 loss at Atlanta. He was on the sideline for Dallas’ fourth consecutive loss, 34-6 at home to Philadelphia on Sunday. The Cowboys (3-6) already knew they would be without last season’s runner-up in NFL MVP voting for at least a month, and were resigned to the outcome that was finalized after Prescott visited one more specialist. The recovery time is at least three months, about the amount of time former Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith was sidelined after sustaining a similar injury in training camp two years ago.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma’s president and athletic director gave coach Brent Venables a vote of confidence on Tuesday after the school’s Board of Regents meeting. The Sooners are 5-5 overall and 1-5 in league play during their first season in the Southeastern Conference. Venables, in his third season, has a 21-15 overall record. “We all get emotional over during the course of a season,” Oklahoma president Joseph Harroz Jr. said. “What’s unwavering is the commitment to him. This is a new era for us, but it’s also a new era for college athletics, and there’s going to be a lot of adjustment, and there’s going to be a lot that takes place. As far as my commitment to coach Venables, it’s 100 percent.” Venables took over after Lincoln Riley left for Southern California following the 2021 season. The Sooners went 6-7 in Venables’ first year, losing the Cheez-It Bowl to Florida State.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — JuJu Watkins had 21 points, nine assists and six steals to help No. 3 Southern California trounce Cal State Northridge 124-39 on Tuesday night. The Trojans (3-0) had six players in double figures, including Kiki Iriafen with 15 points and Kayleigh Heckel with 14 points off the bench. All 13 Trojans who played scored. The team’s total points were a program record. Laini Dahlin scored 11 points and Erika Aspajo added 10 for the Matadors (2-1). USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb earned her 300th career victory. Her players waved ‘300’ signs after the game and jumped up and down around her.
WEDNESDAY SCORES
NCAA MEN TOP 25
No. 1 Kansas 77, Michigan State 69
No. 19 Kentucky 77, No. 6 Duke 72
No. 12 Baylor 104, Sam Houston 67
No. 25 Ole Miss 64, South Alabama 54
NCAA WOMEN TOP 25
No. 3 USC 124, Cal State Northridge 39
No. 5 UCLA 91, Pepperdine 54
No. 7 LSU 117, Charleston Southern 44
No. 12 Ohio State 94, Charlotte 53
No. 14 North Carolina 66, North Carolina A&T 47
No. 15 West Virginia 82, Pittsburgh 54
No. 18 Louisville 86, UT Martin 64
No. 20 Kentucky 76, Wofford 42
No. 21 Nebraska 84, Southern 58
No. 25 Oregon 66, North Texas 35