Hall of Famer

Wilkens dies

SEATTLE (AP) — Lenny Wilkens, a legendary figure in basketball, has died at 88, his family announced on Sunday. Wilkens was a three-time inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame, honored as both a player and a coach.

He was known as one of the finest point guards of his era and later became a renowned coach. He coached 2,487 NBA games, a record that still stands. Wilkens was also inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, which he was an assistant for.

He also coached the U.S. to a gold medal in the Atlanta Games in 1996.

Paul Tagliabue

dies at 84

NEW YORK (AP) — Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue has died at the age of 84. Tagliabue helped bring labor peace and riches to the league during his 17 years as commissioner but was criticized for not taking stronger action on concussions.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tagliabue’s family informed the league of his death in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Tagliabue, who had developed Parkinson’s disease, was commissioner from 1989, when he succeeded Pete Rozelle, to 2006.

He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of a special centennial class in 2020. Current Commissioner Roger Goodell succeeded Tagliabue.

Izzo’s Spartans

nip Arkansas

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Freshman Cam Ward had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Coen Carr scored 15 points and had seven rebounds and No. 22 Michigan State beat No. 14 Arkansas 69-66 on Saturday night in a matchup of Hall of Fame coaches.

The Spartans (2-0) grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and converted them into 18 points, a staple of Tom Izzo’s program for 31 seasons.

John Calipari has highly touted freshmen Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas in his second season with the Razorbacks (1-1), as he often did at Kentucky, Memphis and Massachusetts.

Acuff, who is from Detroit, had 16 points on 5 of 16 shooting points and six assists. Thomas, who is from Pittsburgh, scored 16 on 5 of 15 shooting.

Rockets rally

past Bucks

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 31 points and made a tiebreaking basket with 1:42 remaining to put the Houston Rockets ahead for good in a 122-115 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

Durant shot 11 of 15 from the floor and had a season-high seven assists. Alperen Sengun had 23 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 37 points and eight rebounds for Milwaukee, but went 1 of 4 from the foul line in the game’s final 89 seconds. The Bucks ended up shooting 14 of 24 from the line.

Ryan Rollins scored 19 for Milwaukee.

Badgers snap

losing streak

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Two days after the announcement that he’d be returning as Wisconsin’s coach next season, Luke Fickell got an even bigger vote of confidence from his players.

Particularly from the guys on defense.

Nathanial Vakos made a tiebreaking 32-yard field goal late in the third quarter and Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano led a dominant defensive effort as Wisconsin snapped a six-game skid by upsetting No. 24 Washington 13-10 on Saturday.

“The whole locker room has been behind Coach Fick since day one,” said Catalano, who had 19 tackles. “Hearing that obviously reaffirmed us.”