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UCLA rebounds nicely from tough loss, dominates Rutgers

NCAA Basketball: Rutgers at UCLAFeb 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) is defended by Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Lino Mark (2) as he drives past forward Chris Nwuli (11) to the basket in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Xavier Booker scored 15 of his career-high 24 points in the second half, Tyler Bilodeau added 19 points and UCLA recovered from a heartbreaking defeat to earn a 98-66 victory over Rutgers on Tuesday at Los Angeles.

Eric Dailey Jr. scored 17 points, Donovan Dent had 13 points with 11 assists and Trent Perry added 10 points as the Bruins (16-7, 8-4 Big Ten) improved to 6-2 since Jan. 10 by moving forward following a double-overtime home loss to Indiana on Saturday.

UCLA, which was without Skyy Clark (hamstring) for the ninth consecutive game, opened with its highest scoring first half of the season at 52 points, shot 55.6% from the floor (35 of 63) in the game and had a season-low two turnovers.

Freshman Kaden Powers scored a career-high 18 points, all in the first half, and Tariq Francis added 12 points for Rutgers (9-14, 2-10), which saw its losing streak extend to seven games.

Darren Buchanan Jr. had nine points for the Scarlet Knights, who have lost all seven of their true road games. Rutgers shot 43.6% from the floor (24 of 55) and gave up 17 points off nine turnovers.

UCLA used a 15-5 first-half run to turn a tied game into a 34-24 lead with 8:10 remaining before the break. The Bruins went into the half with a 52-40 advantage by closing on an 8-2 run.

Rutgers’ opening-half deficit came even as Powers surpassed his previous career high of 13 points with 5:39 remaining before halftime. Bilodeau had 17 at the break for UCLA.

The Bruins took their first 20-point lead at 62-41 with 17:13 remaining and were never threatened in the second half during their largest margin of victory ever in a Big Ten game. Booker went 10 of 11 from the floor and 4 of 4 from 3-point range.

UCLA had 25 assists to 13 for Rutgers and went 16 of 18 from the free-throw line while the Scarlet Knights went 11 of 20. The Bruins scored 98 points for the second consecutive game.

–Field Level Media

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Hurricanes blow lead, come back to edge Senators

NHL: Ottawa Senators at Carolina HurricanesFeb 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) checks Ottawa Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven (43) during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Seth Jarvis scored two goals, Sebastian Aho supplied a goal and two assists and Jordan Staal scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:07 remaining as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C.

Brandon Bussi made 22 saves, including strong work down the stretch, to boost his record to 22-3-1 as a rookie. The Hurricanes, whose points streak increased to a season-best nine games (7-0-2), saw a two-goal lead vanish. However, they recovered on Staal’s 14th goal of the season when the Senators were slow to respond on a line change.

Stephen Halliday, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson, who also had an assist, scored for the Senators, who fell short of notching their first five-game winning streak of the season. Nick Cozens provided two assists. James Reimer, a former Carolina goalie (2019-21), made 14 saves in defeat.

The Hurricanes, competing in their final home game prior to the Olympic break, managed only two shots on goal in the third period.

Jarvis scored twice in a span of 3 minute, 2 seconds in the second period as the Hurricanes built a 3-1 lead.

But 40 seconds after his second goal, Stutzle posted a power-play goal. Then Sanderson pulled the Senators even on a power-play goal 4:57 into the third period.

It marked the third time in a six-day span that the Hurricanes didn’t protect a multiple-goal lead, but they’ve recovered to win two of those.

Halliday tipped in a Jordan Spence shot for the game’s first goal 2:46 into the game.

Jarvis boosted his goals total to 25. Aho has a three-game goals streak and he became Carolina’s third player to reach the 20-goal mark this season. Staal, the captain, has surpassed his goal total of last season.

–Field Level Media

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Elvis Merzlikins, Blue Jackets blank Devils for 6th win in row

NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets at New Jersey DevilsFeb 3, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) makes a save as New Jersey Devils left wing Paul Cotter (47) looks for the puck during the second period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season and Mathieu Olivier scored two goals in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday in Newark, N.J.

The Blue Jackets extended their season-high winning streak to six games. Columbus is 10-1-0 in its past 11 games and has won five straight away games after completing a 3-0-0 road trip on Tuesday.

Merzlikins earn his 12th career shutout while improving to 11-8-1 on the season. After some early struggles, Merzlikins has played better during the Jackets’ hot streak, splitting starts with Jet Greaves.

Olivier’s two goals and Dante Fabbro’s go-ahead goal all came during a commanding third period for the Blue Jackets, who outshot New Jersey 13-7 in the final frame.

Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 of 25 shots for the Devils, who are 1-4-0 in their past five games.

Nico Hischier and Arseny Gritsyuk each hit the post in the third period as New Jersey took its sixth shutout loss. The Devils have scored only 142 times this season, tied for the third-fewest goals of any team in the NHL.

A would-be goal from the Blue Jackets’ Danton Heinen 5:10 into the first period was nullified after the Devils made a successful goalie-interference challenge. That was as close as either team came to scoring over the first 45 minutes, in part due to solid goaltending at both ends.

Columbus finally broke the deadlock 5:24 into the third period, as Fabbro’s shot from outside the circle beat a screened Markstrom. Fabbro was making his return to the lineup after a foot laceration kept him out of the previous six games.

Olivier extended the lead at the 12:05 mark as the Jackets took advantage of a sloppy New Jersey line change. Cole Sillinger’s pass found a wide-open Olivier, who converted a slick backhanded shot.

Markstrom was pulled with just under five minutes remaining in the third period, but it was the Blue Jackets who took advantage while down 6-on-5. At the 16:00 minute mark, Dougie Hamilton slashed Olivier when the Jackets forward was approaching the empty net, and Olivier was awarded an automatic goal.

–Field Level Media

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Cade Cunningham, Pistons hold off Nuggets for series sweep

NBA: Denver Nuggets at Detroit PistonsFeb 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) tugs on the shorts of Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) before trying to drive past him in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham had 29 points and 10 assists as the host Detroit Pistons held off the Denver Nuggets 124-121 on Tuesday night.

Duncan Robinson scored 20 points and Jalen Duren supplied 19 points and 13 rebounds in a game the Pistons never trailed. Detroit was coming off a 53-point victory over Brooklyn on Sunday, the largest margin in franchise history.

Tobias Harris contributed 11 points and six rebounds, including a key 3-pointer late. Isaiah Stewart chipped in 11 points with six rebounds, while Ausar Thompson had 10 points and six rebounds.

Jamal Murray led Denver with 32 points and eight assists. Nikola Jokic had 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Peyton Watson had 17 points and Julian Strawther added 15.

Jonas Valanciunas had 11 points with 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, but the Pistons clinched the two-game season series. They won in Denver 109-107 a week earlier.

During a chippy first half, the Pistons pulled away to a 69-50 halftime lead. There were five technicals and a flagrant foul assessed during the first two quarters.

Cunningham led the way with 17 points and seven assists and backcourt partner Robinson tossed in 14 points. Murray led the Nuggets with 14 points and five assists.

The Pistons finished the half on a 10-0 run. Cunningham assisted on a Thompson basket, then drilled a 3-pointer. A steal and fast break dunk by Thompson, followed by another Cunningham 3-pointer, closed out the half.

The lead increased to 20 when Thompson made a layup two minutes into the third quarter. Late in the quarter, Denver had a 7-0 spurt — capped by a Murray layup — to pull within 11. Detroit’s lead was 93-80 heading into the fourth.

Jokic hit a 3-pointer to cut the Pistons’ lead to 98-89. After the Nuggets pulled within eight, Robinson hit a 3-pointer with 4:10 left.

The Nuggets refused to fold, as a 9-0 surge capped by a Murray 3-pointer cut Detroit’s advantage to 112-110. Harris answered with a 3-pointer to give the Pistons some breathing room. The Nuggets never got closer than three points the rest of the way.

–Field Level Media

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