In-game scare
Florida basketball player stable after collapsing during a game.
Florida forward Keyontae Johnson, the Southeastern Conference’s preseason player of the year, collapsed coming out of a timeout against Florida State and needed emergency medical attention. Johnson was taken off the floor on a stretcher and rushed to Tallahassee Memorial for evaluation.
The Gators said he was in critical but stable condition at the hospital.
Johnson had just dunked before he fell to the floor as the team broke its huddle. Several Gators were in tears and a couple buried their faces in towels as coach Mike White gathered his team to say a prayer.
The game continued a few minutes later, but the Gators were clearly affected by what happened. Florida (3-1) ended up losing to the 20thranked Seminoles (2-1), 8373.
Johnson, a 6-foot-5 junior from Norfolk, Va., averaged a team-high 14 points last season to go along with 7.1 rebounds. He also led the Gators with 38 steals.
Baylor
The No. 2 Bears paused team activities because of COVID-19 issues. Baylor was scheduled to play its Big 12 opener Sunday against No. 13 Texas, but coach Scott Drew announced the pause in team activities Saturday. Baylor’s scheduled game Tuesday night against Tarleton State, added just last week, has also been postponed and the status of a Dec. 19 game at Kansas State is still to be determined. Both the Texas and Tarleton State games could be rescheduled.
Kentucky
The Wildcats lost at home to Notre Dame, 64-63, dropping them to 1-4, only the second time since 1927 that the proud program has lost four of its first five games. For the Irish (2-2), it was a historic win, their first in Lexington since the teams’ first meeting in 1929. The Wildcats now lead the all-time series, 43-20.
Duquesne
The Dukes canceled their next two games after a positive COVID-19 test. A statement from the athletics department said the team was about to leave for Indianapolis when it received the news. The Dukes (1-1), who have not played since Dec. 2, were scheduled to face Southern Illinois Monday and Loyola of Chicago Wednesday at the Indiana Convention Center.
Robert Morris
The Colonials women shot just 23% from the field and lost their season opener at Northern Kentucky, 61-33. Robert Morris (0-1, 0-1 Horizon League) trailed, 19-18, before the Norse (1-4, 1-0) went on a 9-0 run to close the first half. Isabella Posset had 6 points and four steals to lead the Colonials.
Connecticut
Paige Bueckers, last year’s national high school player of the year, scored 17 points in her debut for the third-ranked Huskies, who routed Massachusetts Lowell 79-23. Bueckers also had 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.