LOS ANGELES (AP) — A witness to the deadly crash of a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and eight others said it sounded normal just before slamming into a hillside and wreckage examined by experts at the scene showed no sign of engine failure, federal...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nobody taller than 6-foot-6 was in Houston's starting lineup, and a heavily bearded guard lost the opening tip. Nobody bigger than 6-foot-7 Robert Covington played for the Rockets in a game between division leaders at Staples Center.Because...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — With the trade deadline past and a playoff race ahead, the Portland Trail Blazers understood the importance of their game against the San Antonio Spurs.Damian Lillard had 26 points and 10 assists, Hassan Whiteside scored 17 points...

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Down one of its best big men, UCLA threw double teams at Romello White all night.Arizona State's big man did a good job of kicking it out to his teammates on the perimeter for open shots.And the Pac-12's worst 3-point shooting team...

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Filip Petrusev scored 21 points as No. 2 Gonzaga beat Loyola Marymount 85-67 on Thursday night for its 16th consecutive victory.Admon Gilder and Drew Timme each scored 17 points for Gonzaga (24-1, 10-0 West Coast), which also won...

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — Amadou Sow scored a career-high 30 points as UC Santa Barbara defeated Hawaii 76-66 on Thursday night.Hawaii led 54-53 after Justin Hemsley's 3-pointer with 9:26 remaining in the second half. Sow answered with a 3-pointer...

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Josh Green dove onto the floor and wrestled the loose ball away from a group of players before flipping it to Nico Mannion, who quickly fired another pass to Zeke Nnaji, wide open for the easy dunk.Three Arizona freshmen. One more...

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Colbey Ross had 23 points as Pepperdine topped Santa Clara 91-77 on Thursday night.Ross shot 10 for 12 from the foul line. He added nine assists.Skylar Chavez had 16 points for Pepperdine (13-11, 6-4 West Coast Conference). Kameron...

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Branden Carlson had 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks to lead Utah over Stanford 64-56 in overtime on Thursday night.Carlson, a freshman 7-footer, posted career bests across the board and notched the third-highest blocked-shot...

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston has made it a habit of not letting one loss turn into two.The Cougars continued that Thursday night.Caleb Mills had 18 points, Quentin Grimes added 15 and No. 25 Houston beat Tulane 75-62. Nate Hinton added 12 points, 12 rebounds...

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — Ferron Flavors Jr. scored 21 points and his late layup proved to be the game-winner as California Baptist held off CSU Bakersfield, 74-69 on Thursday night.The Lancers held the Roadrunners scoreless over the final 1:26 to seal...

OGDEN, Utah (AP) — Jerrick Harding scored 44 points — a season-high and Dee Events Center record — and Weber State needed all of them to edge past Sacramento State 70-66 on Thursday night.Harding was 14-for-21 shooting, made five 3-pointers and...