INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Edwards won the Most Valuable Player award while leading his “Stars” team past their fellow Americans on the “Stripes” team 47-21 to win the final of the NBA All-Star Game. The Minnesota Timberwolves star claimed his first All-Star MVP award with a tying 3-pointer in the first round-robin game followed by eight points in the final, which was the only chapter without a dramatic late finish in this mini-tournament comprising the main event of All-Star weekend at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome. The slightly older Stripes had beaten the slightly younger Stars on De’Aaron Fox’s 3-pointer at the buzzer two mini-games earlier.
(Milwaukee, WI) — Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo says it again, for what must feel like the millionth time. He tells ESPN he is “committed” to the Milwaukee Bucks. Antetokounmpo was interviewed during NBA All-Star Weekend. Numerous reports over the last few months had him traded to the Golden State Warriors, the Minnesota Timberwolves, or the Miami Heat. Talks were held, but no trades were completed. Antetokounmpo promises he will never be heard saying he “doesn’t want to be a Milwaukee Buck.”
(Madison, WI) — Back-to-back wins over Illinois and Michigan State have the Badgers thinking about winning or sharing the Big Ten regular season title. Wisconsin has won nine of its last 11 games and has actually beaten three top-10 opponents. Sports Illustrated reports that coach Greg Gard’s giant killers have a 10-and-4 conference record, good for fifth place now. His team plays four of its last six games away from Madison and needs some help to tie the Michigan Wolverines, who have only one Big Ten loss.
(Milwaukee, WI) — Marquette men’s basketball coach Shaka Smart says he’s open to all ways to improve his team. The Golden Eagles have been a Big East powerhouse, but they’re struggling with a subpar 9-and-16 record so far this year. Smart tells TNT Cable Sports he never said he wouldn’t take a transfer. Young players like Adrien Stevens, Nigel James Junior, and Royce Parham give the Golden Eagles a solid basis, but there is a need for some outside help.
In Women’s College Basketball
Minnesota 83, Wisconsin 60
(Madison, WI) — Two consecutive disappointing seasons have led Badger football fans to demand a coaching change. That hasn’t happened yet, and one of the reasons is the cost – 25 million dollars. The administration is backing head coach Luke Fickell so far, but spending millions to get rid of a coach isn’t unique in modern college football. WSAW-TV reports that schools shelled out 200 million dollars last year to pay former coaches not to coach. Only four programs were on the hook for more than 25 million.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Collin Morikawa had to wait more than two years to win again on the PGA Tour. First he had to wait 20 minutes on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach to try to make birdie. He delivered in the clutch for a 67 to win by one shot over Sepp Straka and Min Woo Lee in the cold wind at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He also had to respond to a Sunday charge by Scottie Scheffler. The world’s No. 1 player made three eagles in his round of 63. He settled for an 18th consecutive top 10.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 in a car owned by Michael Jordan when Chase Elliott crashed as he and Reddick were battling for the win. Reddick, in a Toyota for 23XI Racing, led only one lap: the one to the checkered flag for the team owned by the NBA Hall of Famer and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. Jordan was the face of the December federal antitrust lawsuit that NASCAR settled on the ninth day of trial. The settlement changed the revenue-sharing model in the United States’ top motorsports series.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
College Basketball
–Division I Men
UW-Milwaukee 75, UW-Green Bay 72
–Division I Women
Minnesota 83, Wisconsin 60
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
College Basketball
–Division I Men
Xavier 96, Marquette 88
–Division I Women
UConn 71, Marquette 56
Northern Kentucky 77, UW-Green Bay 59
–Division II Men
Grand Valley State 73, UW-Parkside 59
–Division III Men
Maranatha Baptist 59, Kuyper 50
Carthage 75, Augustana 73
Carroll 76, Millikin 68
Cornell 59, Beloit 52
Lawrence 78, Illinois College 61
Knox 71, Ripon 62
Concordia-Wisconsin 98, Lakeland 78
St. Norbert 87, Aurora 79
Benedictine 77, Edgewood 64
Marian 74, Concordia-Chicago 63
Dominican 82, Wisconsin Lutheran 80 (ot)
Milwaukee Engineering 65, Rockford 62
Bethany Lutheran 82, UW-Superior 65
UW-Oshkosh 68, UW-Stout 67
UW-Platteville 64, UW-River Falls 47
UW-Stevens Point 97, UW-La Crosse 75
UW-Whitewater 76, UW-Eau Claire 68
College Hockey
–Division I Men
Ohio State 3, Wisconsin 2
–Division I Women
Wisconsin 5, Minnesota State 1