Nuggets pulled to 41-34 on a 3-pointer by Wilson

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Justin Martin had 19 points and a career-high 16 rebounds on Saturday, and Xavier led most of the way during a 75-69 victory over No. 9 Creighton in front of the largest crowd in the 14-year history of the Musketeers arena. It was a long-awaited rematch for Xavier, (20-9, 10-6), which lost one of the Big Easts most wide-open games at Creighton in January. Martin led the way. The junior guard helped Xavier control the tempo and build a 13-point lead early in the second half that was more than enough. Creighton (23-5, 13-3) couldnt catch up despite 27 points by Doug McDermott, who leads the nation in scoring. McDermott had 35 points during the Bluejays 95-89 win at home on Jan. 12, a game that showed the reconfigured Big East was a whole different conference. Xavier had more going for it in the rematch. Semaj Christon scored 21 points, Dee Davis added 15, and the Musketeers shot 50 per cent from the field. Xavier got its first victory over a Top 10 team since it beat No. 8 Indiana 80-65 on Nov. 24, 2007. Right after their loss at Creighton in January, several Musketeers said they couldnt wait for the rematch. Xavier sold standing-room tickets for the first time in the Cintas Centers 14 seasons, resulting in a record crowd of 10,483. Xavier led for most of the first half, pushing the lead to six points on several occasions. The Musketeers built it to double-digits with a seven-point run that featured Davis 3-pointer and a pair of baskets by Christon, making it 41-30 with 2:22 left in the half. The Musketeers took a 43-34 lead into halftime despite not shooting a free throw. Instead, the Musketeers shot 57.6 per cent from the field and went 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. Martin led the way, getting nine points and matching his career high with 12 rebounds. Martin came out aggressive again to start the second half. He hit a pair of 3s and Xaviers first two free throws for a 54-42 lead with 15:49 left. At that point, Xavier was 8 of 10 from beyond the arc, with Creighton more concerned about stopping drives to the basket. Christon fell down while nearly getting a steal, got up and swiped Creightons next pass and was fouled as he headed for the basket, bringing the crowd to its feet. His free throw gave Xavier a 13-point lead. Creighton couldnt make any headway as Xavier controlled the boards and pushed the pace for layups. McDermott scored 11 points in the first 7 minutes of the half, but nobody else hit any shots consistently. Xavier finally hit a cold spell, and Creighton took advantage with a 10-2 spurt. McDermotts fall-away 3-pointer cut it to 61-58 with 5:18 to go, prompting a Xavier timeout. Davis made an uncontested 3, and Jalen Reynolds drove for a lay-in that rebuilt the lead to 68-60. Creighton never got closer than five points the rest of the way. Creighton redshirt freshman guard Isaiah Zierden went down hard on a fast-break play in the first half and hurt his right knee. He was on crutches in the second half with ice wrapped on the knee. Zierden averages 11 minutes and 3.3 points. Cody Zeller Jersey . The 7-foot-1 Hawes, who is in the final year of his contract, is averaging 13 points and 8.5 rebounds, both career highs, and shoots 40 per cent from 3-point range. The 25-year-old Hawes is in his seventh NBA season. Glen Rice Hornets Jersey . - After a back-and-forth battle throughout the season, Alex Guenette has earned the 2013 rookie of the year award for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 by just one point over Ryley Seibert. https://www.hornetslockerroom.com/Bismack-Biyombo-City-Edition-Jersey/ . The veteran NFL receiver received his work permit and is in Montreal for the start of the Alouettes rookie camp. Johnson even took in the Montreal Canadiens Game 5 win over the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre Tuesday night. Kemba Walker Hornets Jersey . PAUL, Minn – The clock lingered for what seemed like an interminable two minutes and 51 seconds before Mark Fraser finally escaped to the bench during a wildly one-sided first period of an eventual loss to Boston. Cody Martin Hornets Jersey . -- Kevin Stadler might be playing in the Masters for the first time, but hes already showing his old man a thing or two.DENVER - Kawhi Leonard returned to the San Antonio Spurs lineup just in time to help make up for the absence of injured Tony Parker.Leonard, sidelined the previous two games because of a bruised right hand, scored 18 points and spearheaded San Antonios defensive effort with a career-high six blocks, leading the Spurs past the banged-up Denver Nuggets 99-91 on Sunday night.He did a good job at both ends of the floor, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. He scored for us. Defensively, he got his hands on a lot of balls. He created a lot of situations that helped us.Leonard only got the go-ahead to play after testing his hand during pre-game warmups.It didnt feel 100 per cent but I felt I could fight through it, said Leonard, who also had five steals and four assists. Early in the game, Leonard said he fell on his still healing right hand but got back up and kept playing by not thinking about it.Im just out there playing, trying to make a play. I was just trying to do it all tonight, Leonard said.Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili added 15 points apiece for the Spurs, who bounced back from Fridays loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.Arron Afflalo had a season-high 31 points to lead the Nuggets, who have lost six of their last seven games amid an accumulating toll of injuries.Our guys are pressing, Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. I know they are tired and banged up. We are shorthanded but I dont want to use that as an excuse. We have to find a way to get it done.J.J. Hickson started in place of injured Kenneth Faried, and Ty Lawson left the game with 3:02 remaining in the second quarter after a collision with Ginobili opened a cut above his left eye. The cut was bandaged and he retturned early in the third quarter.ddddddddddddDown by 10 points heading into the fourth quarter, the Nuggets pulled to 79-74 on a baseline jumper by Afflalo with 5:42 remaining.The teams were trading baskets until Ginobili hit a 3-pointer and Cory Joseph drove in for a reverse layup off a Nuggets turnover as San Antonio went in front 94-84 with 2 minutes to play and Denver couldnt get back within striking distance.Ahead by four points midway through the second quarter, Josephs fastbreak started an 8-0 run that carried San Antonio to a 41-29 advantage. The Nuggets pulled to 41-34 on a 3-pointer by Wilson Chandler but the Spurs scored the final four points of the quarter, including a 3-pointer by Joseph to go in front 45-34 at the half.___TIP INSSpurs: Assistant coach Becky Hammon, a former Colorado State star who has become the first full-time female assistant in NBA history, was back in Colorado for the first time since being hired last summer by coach Gregg Popovich. ... Tony Parker was held out with a mild left hamstring strain, the fourth in the last five games that hes missed.Nuggets: Center JaVale McGee, who has missed nine games this season with lingering soreness in his surgically repaired lower left leg, is expected to miss substantial additional time, coach Brian Shaw said. McGee missed all but five games last season because of the stress fracture in his left tibia. Also sitting out were Faried (right ankle strain) and Danilo Gallinari (right knee contusion). ... Nate Robinson was back in action after missing four games with a back injury.UP NEXTSpurs: play at Portland on Monday night.Nuggets: host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night. ' ' '