ARAB TIMES, MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021 SPORTS 15

Chandler makes stunning debut, demolishes Hooker in first round Poirier knocks out McGregor in 2nd round at UFC 257 ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Jan 24, (AP): Dustin Poirier stopped Conor McGregor with a flurry of punches mid- NBA Results/Standings way through the second round Sunday, avenging his loss to the Irish superstar with a knockout victory at UFC 257. Poirier (26-7) caught McGregor WASHINGTON, Jan 24, (AP): Results Durant, Irving help Nets and standings from the NBA games on with a series of shots to the head be- Saturday. fore buckling his knees with two left Philadelphia 114 Detroit 110 hands. Poirier then sent McGregor to Minnesota 120 New Orleans 110 Brooklyn 128 Miami 124 the canvas with a short right hand and Utah 127 Golden State 108 finished it at 2:32 of the second, set- Houston 133 Dallas 108 ting off stunned excitement among the LA Lakers 101 Chicago 90 few thousand screaming fans allowed Denver 120 Phoenix 2OT 112 Eastern Conference hold off Adebayo, Miami inside the Etihad Arena on Yas Island. Atlantic Division “I think this is a title fight,” Poirier W L Pct GB said of their lightweight bout. “I’m the Philadelphia 12 5 .706 - Boston 8 6 .571 2-1/2 champion.” Brooklyn 10 8 .556 2-1/2 Davis scores season-high 37 as Lakers beat Bulls 101-90 In his first fight in a year, McGregor New York 8 9 .471 4 (22-5) had a strong first round before Toronto 6 9 .400 5 he was stopped by punches for the first Southeast Division W L Pct GB NEW YORK, Jan 24, (AP): Kevin Durant scored 31 and the Nets won for the first time with their three superstars playing time in his mixed martial arts career. Atlanta 8 7 .533 - McGregor, whose previous four losses Orlando 7 9 .438 1-1/2 points, Kyrie Irving took over late and had 28 and the together. They lost consecutive games with dismal defensive efforts in all came by submission, stayed on the Charlotte 6 9 .400 2 Cleveland and barely got enough stops to hold off a short-handed Heat Miami 6 9 .400 2 Brooklyn Nets overcame Bam Adebayo’s career-high 41 canvas for several moments afterward, Washington 3 8 .273 3 team that had been limited to 81 points a night earlier. gathering himself after his second loss Central Division points to beat the Miami Heat 128-124. But Irving helped pull them through, with 12 points in the fi nal 5:48 after the in his three MMA fights since 2016. W L Pct GB James Harden finished with 12 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds Heat had erased nearly all of an 18-point defi cit. Indiana 9 6 .600 - Milwaukee 9 6 .600 - Joe Harris added 23 points and sev- MIXED MARTIAL ARTS Cleveland 8 7 .533 1 en 3-pointers for Brooklyn. Chicago 7 9 .438 2-1/2 Goran Dragic scored 19 points, and Detroit 3 13 .188 6-1/2 Western Conference Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson “You know, it’s hard to overcome Southwest Division each had 18 for the Heat. Adebayo inactivity over long periods of time,” W L Pct GB also had nine assists while blowing said McGregor, who hadn’t fought Memphis 7 6 .538 - past his previous best scoring night of since beating Donald Cerrone in 40 Dallas 8 8 .500 -1/2 San Antonio 8 8 .500 -1/2 30 points. seconds last January. “I just wasn’t Houston 6 9 .400 2 as comfortable as I needed to be, but New Orleans 5 10 .333 3 Lakers 101, Bulls 90 Dustin is some fighter. If you put in the Northwest Division In Chicago, Anthony Davis scored time, you’re going to get cozy in here. W L Pct GB a season-high 37 points against his Utah 12 4 .750 - hometown team, LeBron James added I have to dust it off and come back, Portland 8 6 .571 3 and that’s what I will do. ... I’ll take Denver 9 7 .563 3 17 points and 11 rebounds and Los An- my licks, but I’m gutted.” Oklahoma City 6 8 .429 5 geles beat Chicago. McGregor and Poirier met for the Minnesota 4 11 .267 7-1/2 The defending NBA champions im- Pacific Division proved to 9-0 on the road and a league- first time in September 2014 as feath- W L Pct GB erweights, and McGregor won by LA Lakers 13 4 .765 - best 13-4 overall. knockout in just 106 seconds during LA Clippers 12 4 .750 -1/2 Davis scored 26 points in the high- Phoenix 8 7 .533 4 est scoring half by a Laker this season his incredible early-career success. Golden State 8 8 .500 4-1/2 McGregor became the featherweight Sacramento 6 10 .375 6-1/2 as Los Angeles grabbed a 63-33 lead. champion 15 months later, while Po- The seven-time All-Star shot 14 of 21, irier rebuilt his career with just one hit two 3-pointers, and grabbed six re- his final victory last fall. Nurmagomedov bounds. loss in his next 11 fights. has beaten both McGregor and Poirier in With a second chance to derail Mc- Zach LaVine led Chicago with 21 the past 2 1/2 years. points and 10 rebounds. Gregor while boosting his own hopes UFC President Dana White so far has of regaining the lightweight title, Po- been unable to persuade Nurmagomedov Nuggets 120, Suns 112, 2 OT irier didn’t miss. to go back on his vow to his mother to In Phoenix, Nikola Jokic had 29 “We’re 1-1, so maybe we have to do quit the sport after his father’s death, not points and 22 rebounds, Jamal Murray it again,” Poirier said. even for a wildly lucrative rematch with hit a diffi cult 3-pointer to force over- Sporting a shaved head and a McGregor, who repeatedly vowed to time and Denver outlasted Phoenix in two overtimes. beard, McGregor pushed the action fight on after this loss to Poirier. early against Poirier, who landed an It was the second straight night the McGregor has not fought regularly in New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots in front of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden Mc- early takedown before getting backed Daniels (3) and guard Jordan McLaughlin (6) in the fourth quarter during an NBA basketball game, on Jan 23, in teams played extra basketball. The against the cage for stretches of the recent years, but his popularity was undi- Minneapolis. (AP) Nuggets won 130-126 in a single first round. But Poirier bothered and minished: UFC 257 is expected to be one overtime Friday after rallying from a battered McGregor with leg kicks of the most popular pay-per-view events 14-point halftime defi cit. throughout the fight before throwing in the promotion’s history, according to Baylor rallies to beat short-handed Oklahoma State Saturday’s game was even more en- the punches that ended it. White, and distribution problems in the tertaining. Murray hit an off-balance In the co-main event at UFC 257, US early in the PPV portion of the card 3-pointer with Deandre Ayton in his three-time Bellator lightweight cham- led fans to bombard social media and face as time expired in regulation. pion Michael Chandler made a stun- ESPN with complaints. Timme helps No. 1 Gonzaga rout Pacific Phoenix’s Jae Crowder responded with ning UFC debut with a violent knock- Chandler’s long-anticipated UFC a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in the arrival was worth the wait for his 27th SPOKANE, Washington, Jan 24, (AP): out of New Zealand’s Dan Hooker Drew Timme scored 22 points and fresh- fi rst overtime. midway through the first round. professional fight in a career that be- Baylor wins again Crowder and Chris Paul led the Suns gan in 2009. man Jalen Suggs came close to a triple- Chandler could be the next matchup double, helping top-ranked Gonzaga rout with 21 points each. Paul also had 13 for Poirier in a fight for the lightweight After a deliberate start, Chandler (22- Pacific 95-49 for its 19th consecutive vic- assists. title apparently vacated by long-reigning 5) jabbed to the body as he lunged for- tory dating to last season. No. 3 UConn routs 76ers 114, Pistons 110 155-pound champ Khabib Nurmagome- ward and caught Hooker with a left hand Corey Kispert had 16 points, and In Detroit, Joel Embiid had 33 dov, who announced his retirement after to the face that crumpled his opponent. Joel Ayayi added 12 for Gonzaga (15- Georgetown 72-41 points and 14 rebounds, and his two 0, 6-0 West Coast Conference), which free throws with 7.2 seconds left won its 47th consecutive home game – STORRS, Conn., Jan 24, (AP): Ol- helped Philadelphia seal a victory over the longest streak in the nation. Suggs ivia Nelson-Ododa scored 19 points Detroit. finished with nine points, 11 rebounds and grabbed nine rebounds to lead and eight assists. No. 3 UConn to a 72-41 win over Georgetown. BASKETBALL Baylor 81, Oklahoma St 6 In Stillwater, Okla., Jared Butler UNC Greensboro’s Hayden Koval The Huskies (10-0, 9-0 Big East), scored 22 points and Baylor overcame (25) and Chattanooga’s KC Hank- coming off a road win over rival Ten- Ben Simmons added 20 points, nine a halftime deficit to beat undermanned ton battle for a rebound during an nessee, cruised despite sitting two rebounds and seven assists for the Oklahoma State. NCAA college basketball game, on key players, guards Paige Bueckers 76ers, and he made a couple big free Oklahoma State guard Cade Cun- Jan 23, in Chattanooga, Tenn. (AP) and Anna Makurat, with injuries. throws of his own in the fi nal min- ningham, the Big 12 Conference’s Christyn Williams added 17 ute. Philadelphia is atop the Eastern open a close game in the last 10 min- Conference but didn’t push its lead leading scorer, did not play because utes to beat Connecticut. points, Aubrey Griffin scored 15 and of COVID-19 protocols. Key reserve over the last-place Pistons into double The Bluejays (11-4, 7-3 Big East) Evina Westbrook added 13 points fi gures until early in the fourth quar- Rondel Walker also sat out, leaving shot 58% in the second half to avoid and nine assists. the team with eight players available. ter. That was when Dwight Howard’s their first three-game losing streak dunk put the 76ers up 99-88. Villanova 71, Providence 56 since February 2019. Mahoney made 8 BASKETBALL Wayne Ellington scored 17 points In Villanova, Pa., Collin Gillespie of 14 shots from the field. for the Pistons. and Justin Moore scored 15 points Virginia 64, Georgia Tech 62 apiece and Villanova beat Providence Jazz 127, Warriors 108 In Charlottesville, Va., Sam Hauser Freshman Kelsey Ransom scored In Salt Lake City, Donovan Mitchell for its eighth straight victory. scored 11 of his 22 points during a 13 points and Yasmin Ott had 10 for had 23 points, seven rebounds and six In this Sept 27, 2014 file photo, Conor McGregor, (left), and Dustin Poirier, 15-2 second-half run and Virginia sur- Georgetown (1-5, 1-5). assists and Utah routed Golden State exchange hits during their mixed martial arts bout in Las Vegas. (AP) BASKETBALL vived a scare before rallying to beat Baylor 84, Oklahoma 61 for its eighth straight victory. Georgia Tech. In Waco, Texas, NaLyssa Smith Stephen Curry made fi ve 3-pointers Kihei Clark scored only two points for the Warriors to give him 2,562 in Caleb Daniels added 12 points and scored 21 points, Moon Ursin had Clarke bags 2nd straight title for Virginia (10-2, 6-0 Atlantic Coast 14 points with 11 rebounds and Bay- his career - passing Reggie Miller for Jermaine Samuels had 10 for Villa- Conference), but they came on a short second place in NBA history. Ray Al- nova (10-1, 5-0 Big East). lor overwhelmed Oklahoma, a week jumper with 1:09 left that broke a 62- after the end of the Lady Bears’ na- len is fi rst with 2,973. Missouri 73, Tennessee 64 all tie. Curry fi nished had 24 points, seven Hatton outplays McIlroy to In Knoxville, Tenn., Xavier Pinson tional-best 61-game home winning rebounds and seven assists to lead W. Virginia 79, Kansas St 47 streak. scored 27 points to lead Missouri past In Manhattan, Kansas, Miles Mc- Golden State. Tennessee. Baylor (10-2, 5-1 Big 12) took over Bride scored 18 points to help West the game in the second quarter by out- Rockets 133, Mavericks 108 win Abu Dhabi Champ’ship Pinson became the first opponent to Virginia beat Kansas State in the In Dallas, Eric Gordon scored a sea- score more than 20 points against the Mountaineers’ first game in two weeks scoring Oklahoma 25-5 to stretch a son-high 33 points, DeMarcus Cousins ABU DHABI, United Arab Emir- the gap when he found the par-five Volunteers this season. Dru Smith add- two-point lead to 22 at halftime. ates, Jan 24, (AP): Englishman 10th in two, inches closer to the because of COVID-19 protocols.. had his best game for Houston with 28 ed 18 for the Tigers (10-2, 4-2 South- Jalen Bridges added 12 points and Madi Williams led Oklahoma points and 17 rebounds and the Rock- Tyrrell Hatton shot a sparkling hole than Hatton was in three, but eastern Conference). 6-under par in the final round on Hatton holed from 35 feet for an Taz Sherman had 10 for West Virginia (4-7, 1-5) with 29 points and Tay- ets beat Dallas. Sunday to win the season-opening unlikely birdie and McIlroy two- Houston 68, Temple 51 (10-4, 3-3 Big 12). lor Robertson made five 3-pointers John Wall had seven points and Abu Dhabi Championship by four putted for his. In Philadelphia, Marcus Sasser and Syracuse 78, Virginia Tech 60 while scoring 19 points. eight assists after missing fi ve straight strokes after A bogey on the 11th dropped Quentin Grimes each scored 15 points In Syracuse, N .Y., Quincy Guerrier Texas 70, Iowa State 59 games with right knee soreness. It was overnight McIlroy further off the pace and and Houston rolled to its sixth straight had 20 points, Marek Doelzaj added 18 In Ames, Iowa, Charli Collier the fi rst game for Wall since the James leader Rory Hatton made certain of victory victory, beating Temple. and Alan Griffin had 15 points, 10 re- Harden trade. Luka Doncic scored 26 The Cougars (13-1, 8-1 American had 22 points and 19 rebounds, and McIlroy fad- with birdies on the 13th and 16th. bounds and a career-high seven blocks Texas pulled away in the third quar- points while sitting the entire fourth ed with an Athletic Conference) also beat the to help Syracuse beat Virginia Tech. quarter with the game out of reach. Owls on Dec. 22. Grimes and Sasser ter and beat Iowa State, snapping uninspired Virginia Tech closed to 47-44 on a the Cyclones’ four-game winning Timberwolves 120, Pelicans 110 even-par 72 GOLF hit consecutive early 3s to build a lay-in by David N’Guessan with 13:45 In Minneapolis, Naz Reid scored 20 to drop into 19-point lead. Jake Forrester led the streak. to go, then Syracuse (9-4, 3-3 Atlantic Texas (11-3, 5-2 Big 12) has won points and Minnesota beat New Orleans third. McIlroy now has four second- Owls (3-4, 2-4) with 15 points, and Coast Conference) outscored the Hok- to snap a four-game losing streak. Hatton place finishes, four thirds and a Khalif Battle had 14. ies 31-9 to build its biggest lead of the three of four to end a two-game road Anthony Edwards scored 18 points, carded a clos- fifth in his last 10 starts in Abu Oklahoma 75, Kansas 68 game at 78-53. losing streak that helped knock the and Jared Vanderbilt set career highs Longhorns out of the Top 25, and ing 66 to fin- Dhabi, but will be disappointed at In Norman, Okla., De’Vion Harmon Maryland 63, Minnesota 49 with 16 points and 11 rebounds for ish 18 under Hatton failing to claim his first win since scored 22 points and Oklahoma beat swept the season series against Iowa Minnesota. par and secure a sixth European November 2019, especially after In Minneapolis, Eric Ayala had 21 State (10-5, 6-2). Kansas for its second victory of the points and three steals to help Mary- Tour title, a victory that will go starting with a superb 64. month over a Top 10 opponent. a long way towards securing a The Abu Dhabi Championship land deliver another road upset of a Oklahoma (9-4, 5-3 Big 12) has ranked Big Ten opponent, a wire-to- second Ryder Cup appearance in begins a run of three events in the won three of its last four games against September. “Gulf Swing” - the Dubai Desert wire victory over Minnesota. Kansas (10-5, 4-4) in Norman and is Donta Scott added 15 points and 11 Australia’s Jason Scrivener re- Classic and the Saudi International 8-1 at home this season - including a corded an eagle and five birdies come next. rebounds for the Terrapins (9-7, 3-6). victory over then-No. 9 West Virginia They limited Minnesota’s Liam Rob- in a back nine 29 to claim second In Hawaii, Darren Clarke won on Jan. 2. place on 14 under, with McIlroy a the Mitsubishi Electric Champi- bins to six points on 2-for-6 shooting shot further back following a dis- onship by two strokes Saturday Ohio St 74, Wisconsin 62 before the 7-footer fouled out. appointing final round. for his second straight PGA Tour In Madison, Wis, E.J. Liddell scored Alabama 81, Miss State 73 McIlroy held a one-shot advan- Champions victory, playing the 20 points and Ohio State never trailed In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Herbert Jones tage at the start on Sunday and back nine in 6 under in a closing in a 74-62 victory over Wisconsin. had 17 points and seven assists to help doubled his lead thanks to birdies 8-under 64. Ohio State (12-4, 6-4 Big Ten) has streaking Alabama beat Mississippi on the second and third, but three- The 52-year-old former British beaten Top 15 teams in each of its last State. putted the fourth and also dropped Open winner from Northern Ire- three road games to underscore the con- The Crimson Tide (13-3, 8-0 South- a shot on the par-five eighth fol- land started the back-nine run with ference’s lack of a true homecourt advan- eastern Conference) won its ninth lowing a poor drive. birdies on Nos. 10-11, added two tage this season with no spectators due to straight overall and has won eight con- Playing partner Hatton matched more on 13 and 14, made a 10-foot the pandemic. The Buckeyes beat then- secutive SEC games for the first time McIlroy’s birdie on the second and par save on 15 and birdied 16 and No. 15 Rutgers on Jan. 9 and then--No. since starting league play 8-0 in the also picked up shots on the seventh 17. 14 Illinois on Jan. 16. Illinois is now 22nd 1986-87 season. The Bulldogs (9-7, and ninth to reach the turn with a He parred the 18th to cap the and Rutgers unranked. 4-4) cut an 11-point second-half deficit two-shot lead. bogey-free round in the first event Creighton 74, UConn 66 down to three in the final minute, but Connecticut guard Evina Westbrook, (second from left), works for the ball McIlroy looked certain to close of the year. In Omaha, Neb, Denzel Mahoney John Petty Jr answered with a 3-point- against the Georgetown in the second half of an NCAA college basketball scored 20 points and Creighton broke er with 32 seconds left. game, on Jan 23, in Storrs, Conn. (AP)