UIC wins Horizon opener
Senior Jamie Ahale hit eight three- pointers and scored 25 points — both career highs — as UIC opened Horizon League play with a 74- 72 win Saturday over Oakland at Credit Union 1 Arena.
Joliet West grad Teyvion Kirk had 18 points and 11 assists for the Flames, who are 4- 2 overall. Oakland ( 0- 8, 0- 1) opened the game with a 7- 0 run and never trailed until UIC ran off 11 straight points to lead 52- 47 with 14: 50 left.
♦ Sasha Stefanovic and Eric Hunter Jr. each scored 18 points and Purdue ( 6- 2) beat Notre Dame 88- 78 in the Crossroads Classic Challenge in Indianapolis. Trey Wertz led the Irish ( 2- 4) with 23 points. Trayce Jackson- Davis scored 21 points and Armaan Franklin 20 as Indiana ( 5- 2) beat Butler 68- 60 in the other game. The Bulldogs ( 1- 2) dressed only seven players.
♦ Jalen Suggs scored 18 of his career- high 27 points in the first half and No. 1 Gonzaga ( 4- 0) ended a 17- day COVID pause by holding off a late rally to beat No. 3 Iowa 99- 88 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Luka Garza led the Hawkeyes ( 6- 1) with 30 points and 10 rebounds.
♦ Micah Potter scored 20 points and Aleem Ford 12 to lead No. 12 Wisconsin ( 6- 1) past No. 23 Louisville 85- 48 in a rescheduled ACC/ Big Ten Challenge game.
♦ Duane Washington Jr. hit two free throws in the final minute and finished with 14 points, helping No. 20 Ohio State ( 6- 1) win 77- 70 over UCLA ( 5- 2) at the CBS Sports Classic in Cleveland. Armando Bacot scored 11 of his team- high 14 points in the second half, rallying No. 22 North Carolina ( 5- 2) from a double- digit deficit to beat Kentucky 75- 63 in the other game. The Wildcats ( 1- 5) have lost five in a row for the first time since John Calipari became coach in 2009.
♦ Pittsburgh coach Jeff Capel tested positive for COVID- 19.
MISCELLANEOUS Sharks heading to desert
The San Jose Sharks will open training camp and start the regular season in Arizona, a person with knowledge of discussions told the Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the plan haven’t been made public.
♦ The NBA fined Wizards center Thomas Bryant $ 45,000 for repeatedly making inappropriate contact with an official during a preseason game against Pistons on Thursday, the league announced.
♦ Midfielder Samantha Mewis is the 2020 U. S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, U. S. Soccer announced.
♦ Sei Young Kim is in position to defend her title in the CME Group Tour Championship, take player of the year honors, win the money title and possibly even move to No. 1 in the world. Kim took a one- stroke lead over top- ranked Jin Young Ko into the final round of the LPGA Tour season, shooting a 5- under 67 in Naples, Florida, to reach 13- under 203. Ko had a 69.