Sports
Kevin Durant, Rockets errupt in second half to stifle Hawks
Jan 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts to a referee against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Kevin Durant scored 31 points to spark the visiting Houston Rockets to a strong second half and a 104-86 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.
The Rockets, who scored only 37 points in the second half in Wednesday’s loss to San Antonio, shook off the travel fatigue to outscore the Hawks 61-44 over the final two quarters and win the first of two meetings between the clubs.
Houston has won six of its last eight games. The loss ended Atlanta’s four game winning streak and prevented the Hawks from reaching the .500 mark for the first time since Dec. 21.
Durant, who entered the game averaging 29.3 points in 32 career games against Atlanta, was 12-for-22 from the floor, including three 3-pointers. Atlanta native Jabari Smith added 14 points and eight rebounds and Reed Sheppard scored 13. Josh Okogie had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Atlanta was led by C.J. McCollum with 23 points, including five 3s, with five rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 20 and Corey Kispert scored 17 points.
The Hawks played without four starters. Leading scorer Jalen Johnson sat out the game with calf tightness and Onyeka Okongwu was absent because of a dental fracture suffered when he was struck in the face with an elbow Wednesday. Atlanta was already without Zaccharie Risacher (left knee bone bruise) and Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendinitis).
The Hawks led by as many as seven in the first quarter, thanks largely to 10 points from Alexander-Walker, but the Rockets scored the final five points to tie the game 23-23.
The game was tied five times in the second quarter with the Rockets taking a 43-42 lead at the break on a basket by Amen Thompson.
The Rockets used a 13-2 run to take a 10-point lead, its biggest of the night. Houston outscored Atlanta 35-24 in the third quarter and led 78-66 going into the fourth quarter. Houston outscored the Hawks 12-4 to start the fourth quarter and led by 22 points twice.
–Field Level Media
Sports
US storms back, cruises to 6-3 win over Denmark
Feb 12, 2026; Milan, Italy; Auston Matthews of United States celebrates scoring their fifth goal with Matthew Tkachuk of United States against Latvia in men’s ice hockey group C play during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist for the United State in a 6-3 victory against Denmark in their second preliminary-round game at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Thursday.
The U.S. beat Latvia 5-1 in their tournament opener on Thursday.
Matt Boldy, Brady Tkachuk, Noah Hanifin, Jake Guentzel, and Jack Hughes also scored, and Jeremy Swayman made 18 saves for the U.S., which will play Germany in its final preliminary round game on Sunday at 3:10 p.m. ET.
Nick Olesen, Nicholas B. Jensen and Phillip Brugisser scored, and Mads Sogaard had 32 saves for Denmark before leaving midway through the third period with an apparent injury.
Frederik Dichow came in and made seven saves.
Olesen was credited with the first goal of the game after his rebound went off the skate of U.S. defenseman Zach Werenski and through Swayman’s pads to give Denmark a 1-0 lead at 1:40 of the first period.
The U.S. tied it 1-1 at 3:35 of the first when Boldy scored on a wraparound.
Swayman surrendered a goal on a long shot by Jensen from just inside the red line to move Denmark ahead 2-1 at 11:16.
Tkachuk and Eichel each scored off face-off wins in the Denmark zone 57 seconds apart to move the U.S. ahead 3-2 at 10:23 of the second.
Hanifin slipped a shot through Sogaard’s pass off the rush to stretch the lead to 4-2 at 17:23 of the second, but Denmark cut it to 4-3 with three seconds left on another long shot from the point, this one by Brugisser.
The U.S. re-established a two-goal lead when Guentzel scored with a one-timer from the inside edge of the right circle to make it 5-3 at 7:24 of the third period.
Hughes drove to the net and banked the puck off Dichow from below the goal line to make it 6-3 at 14:27.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Women's Top 25 roundup: No. 1 UConn rolls past Marquette
Marquette Golden Eagles guard Jordan Meulemans (20) and guard Bridget Utberg (7) fights for position against UConn Huskies forward Sarah Strong (21) and guard Ashlynn Shade (12) during the fourth quarter of the game on Saturday February 14, 2026 at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Azzi Fudd scored 25 points and Sarah Strong had 22 as No. 1 UConn continued its undefeated season with a 71-56 win at Marquette on Saturday afternoon in Milwaukee, Wis.
Fudd knocked down five 3-pointers, while Strong had three steals and three blocks to lead the Huskies (27-0, 16-0 Big East). KK Arnold added 10 points, six rebounds and a career-best nine assists.
Lee Volker scored 15 points and Skylar Forbes chipped in 14 to pace the Golden Eagles (16-10, 10-7). Marquette jumped out to briefly lead by five, but the Huskies outscored the Golden Eagles 36-19 for the remainder of the first half and held their double-digit advantage through the final buzzer.
Strong was held to one rebound, the lowest the sophomore has grabbed in a single game in her career.
Oklahoma State 75, No. 16 Texas Tech 65
Jadyn Wooten scored 16 points off the bench to guide the Cowgirls to an upset victory over the Red Raiders at home in Stillwater, Okla.
Wooten also had seven assists and was one of five players to score in double figures for Oklahoma State (20-7, 9-5 Big 12). Amari Whiting collected 13 points and 11 rebounds, Achol Akot also scored 13 points and Stailee Heard and Haleigh Timmer each had 12 apiece.
Bailey Maupin scored 19 points for Texas Tech (23-4, 10-4) and Snudda Collins added 18.
After trailing by a point at the end of the first quarter, the Cowgirls outscored the Red Raiders 22-9 in the second frame and led for the rest of the game. Oklahoma State — which led by 17 at one point — won the rebounding battle by 10 and shot 8 of 16 from 3-point land.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Suns agree to deal with F Haywood Highsmith
Apr 28, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) reaches for the basketball to prevent it from going out of bounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second quarter during game four for the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images The Phoenix Suns agreed to a multi-year deal with forward Haywood Highsmith, per ESPN.
Highsmith was an integral rotation player for the Miami Heat for four seasons (2021-25). During that span, he started 80 games. Overall, he averaged 5.5 points and 3.2 rebounds across 20.3 minutes per game, while shooting 37.5% from 3-point range with the Heat.
In August 2025, he tore his meniscus while working out. Soon after, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets.
He did not play a game for the Nets. They waived him at the trade deadline.
–Field Level Media
US storms back, cruises to 6-3 win over Denmark
Women's Top 25 roundup: No. 1 UConn rolls past Marquette
