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While Grizzlies evaluate GG Jackson, Pacers appreciate Obi Toppin's return

NBA: Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas MavericksFeb 27, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson (45) shoots over Dallas Mavericks guard Brandon Williams (10) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

GG Jackson turned 21 years old in December, but the Memphis Grizzlies’ 6-foot-9 forward is practically an NBA veteran.

When the Grizzlies visit the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis, Jackson will be nearing the end of his third season in the league and playing some of the most consistent basketball of his career.

With Memphis being short-handed this season due to an abundance of injuries — the most significant being the multiple injuries to star guard Ja Morant and a lingering ankle issue with big man Zach Edey — Jackson has benefited from extended play.

In the team’s last six games, Jackson has emerged as an offensive presence. He has averaged 20.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game during this stretch and produced season highs of 28 points and nine rebounds in a Feb. 21 loss at Miami.

He had 12 points, three boards and four assists in Friday’s 124-105 win at Dallas that snapped a three-game skid.

“GG has made big strides throughout the season,” said Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo. “We talked about it with GG during (the summer league). We said his superpower is getting to the paint. He’s been doing a great job of touching the paint. His (offensive) efficiency is (at a) career high right now. How he’s finishing in those situations is a testament to his hard work.”

Jackson, who missed most of last season due to an injury, has also been accurate from beyond the arc during the six-game stretch. He has made 12 of his 25 3-point attempts (48%), boosting his season percentage to 34.7% from long range.

Iisalo noted that Jackson has also been “playing way simpler” and passing the ball more effectively. He had five assists in each of the team’s games on Jan. 30 and 31 against New Orleans and Minnesota.

“Offensively, he’s playing well off the catch and finding the open guys,” Iisalo said. “He still has to toggle between the right amount of aggressiveness and patience.”

The team’s recent deal that sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah has also created more playing time for GG Jackson, but at this early stage, he has yet to develop the same skills that earned Jaren Jackson the league’s Defensive Player of the Year honor in 2023.

“Defensively, (GG has) improved as a point-of-attack defender,” Iisalo said. “There are still some things that he needs to do better on the defensive end: being on a string, having that defensive awareness, rebounding better for his position. I think it’s very encouraging, the steps he’s making, and offensively, he has become a real weapon.”

Struggling Indiana hopes that the return of forward Obi Toppin will give the Pacers a boost. The sixth-year pro, who turns 28 on Wednesday, played Thursday in a 133-109 loss to Charlotte — his first action since suffering a stress fracture in his right foot in late October that required surgery. He scored three points and grabbed two rebounds in eight minutes.

“It was heart-warming,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He brings energy to our team and our situation. It’s great to have him back (but) it’s clear this is going to be a slow process of getting him gradually up to speed. But we need him. We need bodies.”

Toppin’s playing time should gradually increase, beginning Sunday against Memphis.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been out there on the floor,” Toppin said. “To be out there, I felt really good offensively and defensively. Just being out there, I feel like I’m going to find my rhythm.”

–Field Level Media

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Cincinnati cruises past Oklahoma State with 3-point barrage

Syndication: The EnquirerCincinnati Bearcats forward Baba Miller (18) makes a basket from the two point line in the first half of a NCAA men’s basketball game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Oklahoma State Cowboys, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati.

Day Day Thomas heated up from long range, draining seven 3-pointers en route to a 26-point performance, Moustapha Thiam added 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and host Cincinnati rolled to a 91-68 home victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon.

The Bearcats (16-13, 8-8 Big 12), which entered No. 54 in the NET rankings, have won five of their last six. Jizzle James and Baba Miller each finished with 11 points for Cincinnati.

Oklahoma State (17-12, 5-11), playing its first game since losing big man Parsa Fallah to a torn ACL, was overwhelmed throughout. Vyctorius Miller led the team with 15 points, while Jaylen Curry and Kanye Clary both added 11 points. The Cowboys have lost six of their last seven games.

The Bearcats seized control early, going on an 11-2 run highlighted by 3-pointers from Thomas and Thiam to lead 12-4 less than four minutes into the game.

Those early minutes foreshadowed the rest of the game.

Cincinnati dominated from the start, leading 51-33 at halftime. The Bearcats shot 53.1% from the floor, made seven three-pointers and won the rebounding battle 20-15 in the first half. They finished with a two-handed dunk by Thiam. Miller was credited with an assist on the play as he found Thiam open underneath.

In the second half, the Bearcats pulled away. They went on an 11-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Thomas to lead 65-37 with just under 15 minutes remaining. Cincinnati continued to extend the lead, reaching as many as 32 points, with an 81-49 advantage after another 3 from Thomas at the 8:22 mark.

Cincinnati finished with 14 made 3s, dished out 24 assists, and had a 24-7 edge in second-chance points. The Bearcats also led for 39:24 of the 40 minutes and improved to 14-3 at home.

Both teams return to action on Tuesday. Cincinnati hosts No. 19 BYU, while Oklahoma State travels to UCF.

–Field Level Media

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Bobby Durkin has career night as Minnesota tops UCLA

NCAA Basketball: Minnesota at MichiganFeb 24, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Bobby Durkin (3) dribbles against Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Bobby Durkin scored a season-high 23 points with seven made 3-pointers and Langston Reynolds added 21 points with six assists as Minnesota claimed another victim at home with a 78-73 victory over UCLA at Minneapolis.

Cade Tyson also scored 21 points for the Golden Gophers (14-15, 7-11 Big Ten), who shot 62.3% from the floor and 52.2% from 3-point range. Durkin, who reached 1,000 points for his college career in the first half, went 7 of 11 from long range.

Minnesota improved to 12-4 at home this season with victories in its own building over a trio of ranked teams in Indiana, Iowa and Michigan State.

Tyler Bilodeau scored 32 points with eight rebounds and Eric Dailey Jr. added 18 points for the Bruins (19-10, 11-7), who failed to build off huge victories over No. 10 Illinois and rival Southern California over the past week.

Skyy Clark scored 17 points, while Donovan Dent had 15 assists but just three points, as UCLA now prepares for a key home game upcoming against No. 12 Nebraska.

With the game tied 61-61 with 7:59 remaining, Cade scored four points in a 6-0 run for Minnesota to give the Gophers a 67-61 lead with 6:15 left. The Bruins got within 76-73 on a three-point play from Bilodeau with 1:50 remaining.

The Bruins then missed four consecutive 3-pointers over the final 1:08, including two by Bilodeau, as the Gophers held on for the victory.

In a first half of swings, Minnesota led by as many as nine points early before UCLA went on a 17-3 run to lead by as many as seven points before taking a 41-40 lead into the break. Bilodeau had 16 points in the first half, while Dent had nine assists for UCLA.

Durkin scored 15 points in the first half for Minnesota and reached 1,000 points on one of his five 3-pointers before halftime. UCLA’s Clark reached 1,000 career points on a basket in the second half.

–Field Level Media

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On his bobblehead day, Nick Martinelli lifts Northwestern over Oregon

NCAA Basketball: Oregon at NorthwesternFeb 28, 2026; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Angelo Ciaravino (44) blocks the shot of Oregon Ducks forward Kwame Evans Jr. (10) during the first half at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Nick Martinelli produced the game-winning runner with one second remaining as part of his game-high 22 points to lift Northwestern to a 63-62 Big Ten win over Oregon on Saturday afternoon in Evanston, Ill.

On a day Northwestern handed out bobbleheads bearing his likeness, Martinelli added 11 rebounds, a career-high seven assists and career-high-tying three steals to lead the Wildcats (13-16, 5-13) to their third win in a row. Jayden Reid added 11 points.

Nate Bittle paced Oregon (11-18, 4-14) with 19 points and nine rebounds. Kwame Evans Jr. piled up 15 points and 15 rebounds while Takai Simpkins posted 11 points.

The Ducks led 36-29 at halftime and by 12 two minutes into the second half before Northwestern scored 17 of the ensuing 19 points to leap to a 48-45 lead with 12 minutes left.

Over the final seven minutes, the teams swapped the lead six times in their battle to move into 14th place in the Big Ten.

Oregon regained the front on a 3-point play by Bittle at the 4:37 mark, but the Wildcats tied it at 59 on Martinelli’s second-chance layup with 4:10 to play.

After empty possessions by both teams, Northwestern went up on Jayden Reid’s turnaround jumper with 2:24 remaining. The Ducks regained the lead when Wei Lin hit a 3-pointer with 50 seconds to play.

Martinelli missed a go-ahead jumper with 18 seconds left, but Northwestern’s Tre Singleton grabbed the rebound and the Wildcats called a timeout to set up a play. Martinelli got hemmed in 12 feet from the hoop, but he spun free for a left-handed runner that hung on the back of the rim for a few beats before falling through.

Oregon launched a 40-footer at the buzzer that did not fall.

Neither team could create separation early on. Northwestern built a 24-18 advantage on two Martinelli free throws with 8:04 to play until halftime, but the Ducks owned the rest of the half. They used a 10-2 run, capped by Bittle’s 3-point play, to take a 28-26 edge.

Bittle’s 12 points led all scorers before halftime while Martinelli paced the Wildcats with eight.

–Field Level Media

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