Sports
No. 19 Saint Louis puts 15-game win streak on line vs. Davidson
Head coach Josh Schertz reacts to a call from the referee Thursday, April 4, 2024, during the NIT championship game at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Seton Hall Pirates defeated the Indiana State Sycamores, 79-77. Both No. 19 Saint Louis and Davidson should be feeling good following mostly stress-free victories in their last outings.
The teams hook up Tuesday night at Davidson, N.C.
The Billikens (21-1, 9-0 Atlantic 10) have won 15 straight but are looking for more in their only scheduled meeting with Davidson this season.
“The ultimate to me is sustained success,” Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz said. “Can you do it over a long period of time?”
The Billikens steamrolled visiting Dayton 102-71 on Friday night. This is the first time the Billikens have ever won 21 of their first 22 games of a season.
“We are not a feel-good story. We have great players,” Schertz said. “There’s a collective commitment within them. Winning is above everything. They are all sacrificing on different levels.”
The Wildcats (13-8, 5-4) won 79-54 at Richmond on Saturday for their second-largest margin of victory against a Division I team this season.
“Just really, really thrilled in every way,” Davidson coach Matt McKillop said, heaping particular praise on the team’s defensive efforts.
The Wildcats probably will have to be efficient on offense to keep up with the Billikens, who’ve eclipsed the 100-point mark a school-record seven times this season. Yet the team’s leading scorer is center Robbie Avila at just 12.8 points per game.
There are six Saint Louis players averaging in double figures. Trey Green has led Saint Louis scoring in the past two games with 23 points in both outings, repeating his career-high total.
Roberts Blums has led Davidson in scoring the past two games to boost his average to 11.8 points per game. Buoyed by six 3-point baskets, he had a career-high 23 points on 8-for-10 shooting off the bench in the Richmond game despite missing time in the first half with two fouls.
“For us to leave the hottest guy on the court on the bench for a little bit and still win by 25 (is a great thing),” McKillop said. “Roberts got blistering hot. Roberts’ first few 3s and open looks came off execution of set plays. Those are little things that if they continue to show themselves can really carry us.”
McKillop said creating an inside presence early in the game helped the Wildcats develop more offensive options.
“I hope that’s something we continue to do,” McKillop said.
The Wildcats want some of the areas in which they excelled against Richmond to become contagious going into the matchup with Saint Louis.
Davidson made 13 of 25 shots from 3-point range in its weekend game.
“We were moving the ball and you see the first couple go in and as a team, you just find that rhythm,” Davidson guard Parker Friedrichsen said. “I think we moved the ball really well, got open looks. We didn’t feel like we were forcing a ton of shots.”
Saint Louis topped Davidson twice late last season, edging them 57-56 at Davidson, then ending the Wildcats’ season in the Atlantic 10 tournament.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Harper matches career high in first pro start as Spurs hammer Pacers
Mar 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) looks over in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Rookie Dylan Harper poured in a career-high-tying 24 points in his first career start and Keldon Johnson also hit for 24 points as the host San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 134-119 win over the hapless Indiana Pacers on Saturday.
The Spurs (53-18) remain on a torrid pace as they won their fifth straight game and for the 21st time in their past 23 contests. San Antonio has lost just twice in March after going undefeated in February and remain three games behind Oklahoma City for the best record in the NBA with 11 games left.
Meanwhile, Indiana dropped its 16th consecutive outing. The Pacers (15-56) continue to establish a dubious team mark for losses in a row with every setback and have already been eliminated from postseason consideration.
San Antonio led by 13 points at halftime and by 100-85 entering the final period. Victor Wembanyama rang up 10 points over the first three and half minutes of the fourth quarter, with his 3-pointer with 8:34 to play boosting the Spurs’ advantage to 21 points. San Antonio cruised to the finish while leading by as many as 28 points in the stretch run.
Wembanyama finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots in 26 minutes of court time. De’Aaron Fox added 14 points for the Spurs, with Harrison Barnes scoring 12 and Julian Champagnie hitting for 10.
San Antonio played without star guard Stephon Castle for the second straight game because of right hip stiffness. Devin Vassell (right hamstring tightness) also missed the game for the Spurs.
Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard led all scorers with 25 points while Jarace Walker tallied 21,
Pascal Siakam scored 14 in his first game back after missing six contests with a sprained right knee and Obi Toppin added 11.
The Spurs were in command from the game’s early minutes and carried a 42-29 advantage after 12 minutes of play.
San Antonio stoked its lead to 21 points when Barnes poured in a jumper from beyond the arc with 2:42 to play in the second period.
But the Pacers swung back, finishing the half with 10-2 run capped by Siakam’s jumper with 26 seconds left that allowed Indiana to draw to 66-53 at the break.
Johnson paced all scorers with 16 points before halftime while Siakam led the Pacers with 12 points in the first half.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hawks bury Warriors in 2nd half to move into playoff position
Mar 21, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) shoots over Golden State Warriors center Quinten Post (21) in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Dyson Daniels matched his career high with 28 points to help the Atlanta Hawks defeat the visiting Golden State Warriors 126-110 on Saturday and extend their homecourt winning streak to 10 games.
The victory, combined with Orlando’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, lifted the Hawks (39-32) into sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, the last guaranteed playoff spot.
Daniels was 12-for-17 from the field with seven rebounds, six assists and four steals to help the Hawks bounce back from their 11-game winning streak being snapped Friday vs. Houston.
CJ McCollum scored 15 of his 23 points in the third quarter to help Atlanta pull away in a game it led by two points at halftime.
The Hawks got 17 points each from Zaccharie Risacher and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks from Mouhamed Gueye, who started in place of leading scorer Jalen Johnson (left shoulder inflammation).
Golden State (33-38) was led by De’Anthony Melton with 20 points, Nate Williams with 19 points and Pat Spencer with 18. The Warriors are 1-4 on their six-game road trip which concludes on Monday at Dallas.
Atlanta, thanks to a 15-point first quarter by Daniels, led by as many as eight, but Golden State took a 36-35 lead into the second quarter. The Warriors built on that momentum and led by as many as eight points in the second, but the Hawks went on an 11-2 run to take a 55-54 lead. Atlanta led 63-61 at intermission.
Atlanta outscored the Warriors 39-20 in the third quarter. The Hawks led by as many as 24 points, 90-66, on an emphatic dunk by Gueye at the 6:16 mark of the third. Atlanta led 102-81 entering the final quarter.
The Hawks swept the two-game season series against Golden State and have won seven in a row against the Warriors in Atlanta.
Golden State played without Stephen Curry (right patellofemoral), Seth Curry (left adductor strain), Al Horford (right soleus strain), Moses Moody (right wrist sprain), Kristaps Porzingis (lower-back tightness) and Gary Payton II (right hip contusion).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Amen Thompson's tip-in at buzzer lifts Rockets over Heat
Mar 21, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) catches a pass against Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) in the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Amen Thompson tipped in a Kevin Durant missed jumper at the buzzer, and the Houston Rockets escaped with a wild 123-122 victory over the visiting Miami Heat on Saturday night.
Durant had passed Michael Jordan’s career 32,292 points for fifth on the scoring list with a corner 3-pointer at the 3:35 mark of the fourth quarter. The Heat (38-33) moved ahead on a goaltending call against Jabari Smith Jr. when he attempted to block Simone Fontecchio’s layup after the Rockets committed a turnover on an inbounds pass by Tari Eason.
Thompson saved the Rockets (43-27) with his career-best 18th rebound, redirecting the Durant miss just before the buzzer sounded. Thompson finished with 24 points and was one of three Rockets to record double-doubles along with Reed Sheppard (23 points, 14 assists) and Alperen Sengun (19 points, 12 rebounds). Durant finished with 27 points to lead the Rockets and has 32,294 for his career.
Bam Adebayo paired 32 points with a career-high-tying 21 rebounds to pace the Heat. Tyler Herro scored 25 points but shot 0-for-5 in the fourth quarter. Fontecchio had 21 points and five 3-pointers. Pelle Larsson tallied 19 points, while Davion Mitchell had 15 points and nine assists.
Fontecchio drilled a 3 that gave the Heat an 83-80 lead at the 7:11 mark of the third quarter, the seventh lead change by that point in the period. Miami extended that margin, boosted by two Myron Gardner 3s late in the third, and the Heat extended to an 11-point cushion in the fourth.
But Smith nailed back-to-back 3s to spark the Houston comeback in the final period, and when Thompson scored on a transition dunk, the Rockets led 103-102. Sheppard made a floater with 12.7 seconds left for a 121-118 lead, only for Miami to reclaim the lead before Thompson won it.
The Heat answered the Rockets’ 8-0 start to the game with a 23-3 run that yielded a 12-point cushion. Houston responded quickly, boosted by three Sheppard 3-pointers, and when Smith made two free throws with 45 seconds left in the first quarter, Houston reclaimed a 30-29 lead.
The Rockets led 55-48 late in the second quarter before Mitchell nailed two 3s that helped Miami shave the deficit to 64-63 at the half.
–Field Level Media
Harper matches career high in first pro start as Spurs hammer Pacers
Hawks bury Warriors in 2nd half to move into playoff position
