The Norman Transcript

National Sports

February 20, 2013

Hoosiers avoid upset

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Victor Oladipo’s go-ahead putback, dunk and free throws in the final minute lifted top-ranked Indiana to a 72-68 win over No. 4 Michigan State on Tuesday night.

Indiana (24-3, 12-2 Big Ten) broke a first-place tie in the conference and moved a step closer toward earning top seeding next month in the NCAA tournament. The Hoosiers had lost 17 straight — since 1991 — on the road against the Spartans.

Michigan State blew opportunities at the line.

Trailing by three with 3.7 seconds left, Gary Harris was fouled on a 3-point attempt. He missed the first one and then after making the second, missed the third on purpose. Indiana got the rebound — Oladipo got to it, of course — and he hit two free throws to seal the win.

Keith Appling had missed the front end of a one and one with a little more than a minute left.

Michigan State (22-5, 11-3) had won five straight and 11 of 12 with its only loss during the stretch at Indiana.

Oladipo, who sprained his left ankle in his last game, had 19 points, nine rebounds and five steals.

Cody Zeller had 17 points — nearly doubling what he had in the previous matchup against Michigan State — while Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford scored 12 each for the Hoosiers.

Harris had 19 points, Adreian Payne scored 17 and the rest of their teammates struggled offensively.

No. 15 Butler 68, Duquesne 49: Rotnei Clarke scored 16 points and Khyle Marshall added 14 to lead Butler past reeling Duquesne.

The Bulldogs (22-5, 9-3 Atlantic 10) have won five of their last six and managed to keep pace with league-leading Virginia Commonwealth, which went into the night with a one-game lead over Butler and a 1/2 game lead over St. Louis.

Duquesne (8-18, 1-11) was led by Derrick Colter with 11 points and Jerry Jones with nine but lost for the 15th time in 17 games.

It took Butler a while to warm up. Once they did, it was no contest.

The Bulldogs used built a 23-14 lead late in the first half and extended it to 36-22 at the break.

Butler scored 13 of the first 20 points in the second half to make it 49-29 and the Dukes never got closer than 15 again.

No. 17 Marquette 67, Seton Hall 46: Vander Blue scored 19 points and Marquette used a sizeable rebounding advantage to beat Seton Hall.

The win enabled the Golden Eagles (19-6, 10-3 Big East) to hold onto first place in the conference with their fourth win in the last five outings. The Pirates (13-14, 2-12) dropped below the .500 mark for the first time this season — their worst league mark in 29 years.

Marquette went on a 17-0 run over a 5:38 span of the second half, right after Seton Hall grabbed a 33-32 lead. The Golden Eagles used theirs size advantage to take control, with Devante Gardner (18 points) scoring eight during that span.

For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
National Sports
  • Oxbow upsets Orb

    BALTIMORE — Oxbow put D. Wayne Lukas in the record books again with an upset of Orb in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, giving the Hall of Fame trainer his 14th win in a Triple Crown race....

    May 19, 2013

  • Pacers advance over Knicks

    INDIANAPOLIS — Lance Stephenson scored a playoff career-high 25 points and led a late 11-2 run Saturday night, leading the Indiana Pacers past the New York Knicks, 106-99 and into the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since ...

    May 19, 2013

  • Brewers top Cards in 10

    ST. LOUIS — Jeff Bianchi drove in two runs with a 10th-inning single up the middle, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 on Saturday night. Joe Kelly (0-2) allowed runs for the first time in five appearances and took ...

    May 19, 2013

  • Trying day at track for Ganassi

    INDIANAPOLIS — Once again, Chip Ganassi Racing will start the Indianapolis 500 packed close together. Unfortunately, for the foursome, that proximity is in the middle of the pack....

    May 19, 2013

  • Bradley still leads at Nelson

    IRVING, Texas — Keegan Bradley still hasn’t gotten things right on the 18th hole at the Byron Nelson Championship, even when finally going left. The bogeys on the closing hole at TPC Four Seasons haven’t cost him the lead yet. Bradley ...

    May 19, 2013

  • Orb favored to take Preakness, set up Triple Crown try

    BALTIMORE — Everything’s a go for Orb. The Kentucky Derby winner was in a playful mood the day before the Preakness, making faces for photographers between nibbles of grass outside his stall at Pimlico Race Course....

    May 18, 2013

  • Trio has Grizz in Western finals

    MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Miami Heat have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The Spurs have dominated for years with the trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Now the Memphis Grizzlies, who traded their leading scorer in ...

    May 18, 2013

  • Cards hold off Brewers

    ST. LOUIS — David Freese waited a long time for this curtain call. He was impressed with the patience of St. Louis’ fans....

    May 18, 2013

  • Paul Hornung looks to score Preakness win

    BALTIMORE — Former Green Bay Packers great Paul Hornung is looking to pull an upset in the Preakness with his 3-year-old colt Titletown Five — named for the number of NFL titles won by the Packers when Hornung played for them....

    May 18, 2013

  • Bradley gets course-record 60 at Nelson

    IRVING, Texas — Keegan Bradley had no thoughts of a course record, or the possibility of a 59, after consecutive bogeys in the middle of his opening round at the Byron Nelson Championship. Until his 136-yard wedge shot on his final hole ...

    May 17, 2013