Robbins leads Minnesota by OSU
Liam Robbins had 27 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks, keeping up his impactful introduction to the Big Ten for No. 21 Minnesota in a 77-60 victory over No. 25 Ohio State on Sunday in Minneapolis.
Marcus Carr added 15 points and Gabe Kalscheur scored 13 for the Gophers (10-2, 2-2), who emerged with three wins from a 10-day, four-game stretch — all against Top 25 foes.
Duane Washington Jr. had 21 points on 5-for-7 shooting from 3-point range, but the Buckeyes (8-3, 2-3) shot just 8 for 32 in the second half while watching a six-point halftime deficit slip further away. E.J. Liddell added 10 points for Ohio State.
Robbins, the 7-footer who transferred from Drake and had his eligibility immediate granted by the NCAA, pitched in four assists and two steals in another display of all-around excellence that has helped give Minnesota some new life this season.
The Gophers posted their third straight victory over Ohio State, their longest streak in the series since winning five in a row from 1996-98, games that were later vacated for NCAA violations. Minnesota’s best win of the pandemic-shortened previous season was an 84-71 victory over the then-thirdranked Buckeyes on Dec. 15, 2019.
Northern Illinois fired coach Mark Montgomery after a 1-7 start. Montgomery had just two winning seasons since he took over in 2011 and led the Huskies to a 124-170 record. After going 18-13 last year, their lone victory this season was over Chicago State last month. Associate head coach Lamar Chapman will serve as interim coach for the remainder of the season. ... Houston GCaleb Mills stepped away from the program for personal reasons. There’s no timetable for his return. Mills is the fifth-ranked Cougars’ fourth-leading scorer, averaging 9.8 points in four games this season.
College football: Texas senior QB Sam Ehlinger announced on Twitter that he will forego his extra year eligibility and enter the NFL draft. Ehlinger, a four-year starter, ranks second in school history to Colt McCoy in career completions, passing yards, total offense, passing TDs and TDs responsible for.
NHL: The Canucks received provincial approval to play in British Columbia this season. British Columbia Premier John Horgan announced the decision on Twitter, saying he had spoken to team owner Francesco Aquillini about the NHL’s return-toplay plans and believes the enhanced health measures mean games can be played safely. British Columbia is the second province to officially approve NHL games, following Alberta. The NHL season is set to resume Jan. 13, with the seven Canadian team playing in one division so they don’t have to cross into the U.S. for games. ... The Penguins re-signed D John Marino, 23, to a six-year contract extension through the 2026-27 season. The deal has an average annual value of $4.4 million. ... The Blackhawks and F Dylan Strome, 23, agreed to a two-year, $6 million extension.
Soccer: lkay Gündoğan, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne scored in a 16-minute first-half spell to lead Manchester City to a 3-1 road victory over Chelsea. It was Chelsea’s fourth loss in its last six English Premier League matches and dropped the club into eighth place.