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(Tuesday, January 6th)

Final Score: Tulsa 45, (23) Ball State 13

Mobile, AL - Tarrion Adams set a school record, gaining 3,653 career rushing yards, and matched another with his 32nd rushing touchdown, as Tulsa won its second straight GMAC Bowl with a 45-13 romp over 23rd-ranked Ball State, securing its first 11-win season in the process.

Adams, the game’s MVP, finished with 207 yards on 19 carries with three touchdowns for the Golden Hurricane (11-3), who were making their 16th bowl appearance all-time and moved to 7-9 in postseason play. Tulsa also embarrassed Bowling Green, 63-7, in this same bowl game last season.

David Johnson, the game’s offensive MVP, threw for 193 yards and three scores on 15-of-25 passing, and ran for 52 more yards, in the win. Damaris Johnson had 135 yards on six catches with a score and 76 yards on three carries. Slick Shelley and Jacob Frank had touchdown grabs in the triumph and kicker Jarod Tracy became the school’s all-time scoring leader.

Tulsa outgained Ball State, 632-223.

Nate Davis was 9-for-29 passing for 145 yards with an interception but ran for a score for the Cardinals (12-2), who moved to 0-6-1 all-time in bowl games. Last year the Cardinals stumbled against Rutgers in the International Bowl, falling to the Scarlet Knights, 52-30.

MiQuale Lewis led the way on the ground for Ball State with 35 yards on 16 carries. Briggs Orsbon tallied 46 yards on three catches.

“Their coaches did a great job of disguising their defenses, they ran a lot of blitzes that we hadn’t seen,” said Lewis. “We tried to do some things to throw them defensively, but we shut ourselves down by not executing the plays.”

The Cardinals are coming off the best season in school history, as the team posted an outstanding 12-0 ledger during the regular season. It was the third undefeated regular-season for Ball State in 84 years. Due to the tremendous success BSU was ranked as high as 12th in the BCS Standings, marking the first time in school history the Cardinals were in the national rankings. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the team’s tremendous season came to a crashing halt when it was stunned by Buffalo in the MAC Championship game, 42-24.

Davis fumbled on the first series of the game and Tulsa took over at Ball State’s 40-yard line. Four plays later, David Johnson hit Damaris Johnson for a 30-yard score that gave the Golden Hurricane a 7-0 lead just under 3 1/2 minutes into the game.

“I wouldn’t say I was in a zone, I was just playing with a chip on my shoulder because I had something to prove,” said Damaris Johnson.

Midway through the first, the Cardinals started a drive at their own 38. Davis hit Orsbon for a 33-yard gain to highlight the trek and Lewis closed it out with a 17-yard TD scamper that tied the game with just over four minutes remaining in the opening stanza.

Tracy added a 31-yard field goal late in the first to give Tulsa a slim 10-7 edge heading into the second frame.

Tulsa got the ball back with a bit over 13 minutes left in the second quarter and embarked on an eight-play, 67-yard drive that lasted just under 2 1/2 minutes. Adams capped the drive with a one-yard TD run to put the Golden Hurricane a 10-point lead.

Two Ian McGarvey field goals bookended a 56-yard touchdown run from Adams, and Tulsa was on top, 24-13, heading into the locker room.

“It was a blessing,” Adams said of his rushing record. “I have to thank God and my teammates. My teammates wanted me to break the record more than I wanted to. After every series they were telling me where I stood.”

The Golden Hurricane took the opening possession of the second half and drove 87 yards in eight plays as David Johnson hit Shelley for a 15-yard score to make it 31-13 early in the third.

The rain started to pour as the third quarter wore on and the ensuing five possessions each resulted in a punt.

Tulsa then began a drive from its own 44 with under a minute left in the third. Adams’ 11-yard TD run capped the six-play, 56-yard drive that opened a 38-13 lead 91 seconds into the fourth frame.

Ball State was held to a three-and-out on the following drive and Tulsa took over at its own 12. Damaris Johnson zig-zagged and dashed down the field for 62 yards on first down and, four plays later, David Johnson hit Frank for a 13-yard score to increase the Golden Hurricane’s lead to 45-13 with 10:25 left to play.

Game Notes

Tulsa linebacker Roy Roberts was named the game’s defensive MVP…Ball State had zero first downs in the second half. Tulsa did not commit any penalties…The Golden Hurricane amassed 439 rushing yards…With Ball State’s success on the season, Brady Hoke was tabbed MAC Coach of the Year, but Hoke was not on the sideline for this meeting with Tulsa, as he took the head coaching job at San Diego State. Taking over at Ball State was Stan Parrish, who was the offensive coordinator for the squad since 2006.

(Tuesday, January 6th)

Final Score: Charlotte 114, Boston 106 (OT)

Charlotte, NC - Raymond Felton scored 25 points and dished out eight assists, and fellow guard D.J. Augustin stepped into the limelight with a big effort in overtime, as Charlotte continued Boston’s recent road woes with a 114-106 overtime victory. Augustin scored 20 points, double- double machine Emeka Okafor notched 13 points and a game-best 17 rebounds, Gerald Wallace added 23 points and six rebounds and Boris Diaw donated 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Adam Morrison contributed 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting off the bench for the Bobcats, who have won two straight. Boston’s franchise-record 19-game winning streak is a distant memory. Further in the rearview mirror may be the 72-win, Michael Jordan- led Bulls after Boston lost for the fifth time in its last seven games. Jordan was in attendance to watch his Bobcats notch a marquee victory, while Boston lost away from Beantown for the fifth time in the last six road games, falling to 29-7 on the season. Paul Pierce led Boston with 28 points, Ray Allen added 20, Rajon Rondo collected 16 and six assists and Kevin Garnett needed 18 shots to score his 14 points with 13 rebounds. Boston, highlighted by Allen’s 3-of-11 effort, was just 6-of-23 from beyond the arc and was sloppy with the basketball, led by Rondo’s uncharacteristic nine turnovers. The Celtics were without guard Tony Allen, who sat out with a right ankle injury.

Final Score: Orlando 89, Washington 80

Orlando, FL - Hedo Turkoglu scored 22 points, doled out seven assists and grabbed five rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to an 89-80 victory over the Washington Wizards. Dwight Howard chipped in 15 points and 16 boards for the Magic, who have won 10 straight at home and three of four overall following a seven-game win streak. Jameer Nelson tallied 14 points and Rashard Lewis 12 in the win. Caron Butler logged 29 points for the Wizards, who have dropped three of four overall. Antawn Jamison added 13 points and nine boards in defeat.

Final Score: Philadelphia 104, Houston 96

Philadelphia, PA - Andre Iguodala connected on 12-of-19 from the floor for a game-high 28 points as the Philadelphia 76ers pulled out a 104-96 victory over the injury-plagued Houston Rockets. Lou Williams and Andre Miller each had eight assists to go with 15 and nine points, respectively, for Philadelphia, which was coming off a tough 1-5 road trip. Willie Green chipped in 14 points, while rookie Marreese Speights finished with 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds in a reserve role. Houston’s Tracy McGrady returned after a one-game absence due to a knee injury, but forwards Ron Artest (ankle) and Shane Battier (foot) missed the game because of their respective ailments. Luis Scola led six Rockets in double figures with 18 points while pulling down 17 rebounds. McGrady, Yao Ming, Von Wafer and Carl Landry each had 14 points for Houston, which has dropped five straight on the road and six of its last eight overall.

Final Score: Minnesota 94, Memphis 87

Memphis, TN - Randy Foye nailed a game-deciding three-pointer and got a block on the other end in the final 40.6 seconds, sending the Minnesota Timberwolves to a third straight win for the first time this season with a 94-87 triumph against Memphis at FedEx Forum. Foye ended with 23 points, Al Jefferson logged 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks while Craig Smith and Ryan Gomes contributed 15 and 14 points, respectively, in the victory. Sebastian Telfair narrowly missed a double- double with 10 points and nine assists for the T’Wolves, who last won three consecutive games from January 12-15, 2007, nearly two years ago. Minnesota, which had just four wins at Christmas, has won five of its last seven games after enduring a 13-game losing streak. Hakim Warrick was high man with 22 points and collected six rebounds for the Grizzlies, who lost for the fifth time in the last six, finishing a four-game homestand 1-3. O.J. Mayo had 20 points, eight boards and five helpers while Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay provided 13 and 12 points, respectively, in the loss.

Final Score: Oklahoma City 107, New York 99

Oklahoma City, OK - Jeff Green and Kevin Durant scored 27 points apiece to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 107-99 victory over the New York Knicks. Durant also hauled in 12 rebounds for the Thunder, who have won two of three overall. Russell Westbrook ended with 22 points and nine assists, while Desmond Mason logged 13 points. Al Harrington tallied 21 points and four steals for the Knicks, who were coming off a 100-88 win against the Celtics. David Lee gave 14 points and 13 boards in defeat, while Chris Duhon had 18 points and six helpers. Two buckets from Nate Robinson and a jumper from Duhon brought New York within 93-87 with about 9 1/2 minutes left in the game.

Final Score: Chicago 99, Sacramento 94

Chicago, IL - Ben Gordon scored a team-high 24 points and Drew Gooden added 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, as Chicago downed Sacramento, 99-94 at the United Center. Derrick Rose littered the scorebook with 16 points, eight assists and three rebounds, while Tyrus Thomas added 14 points, six boards and three steals. Larry Hughes donated 10 points off the bench for the Bulls, who put their three-game losing streak to bed. Kevin Martin led all scorers with 29 points, Brad Miller registered a double- double with 18 points and 12 rebounds and John Salmons donated 12 points for the Kings, who lost their 12th road game in a row and for the 10th time in 11 games overall.

Final Score: Dallas 107, LA Clippers 102

Dallas, TX - Dirk Nowitzki dropped 34 points, going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, as Dallas got by the Los Angeles Clippers, 107-102, behind a late fourth-quarter surge. Josh Howard had 22 points and six rebounds for the Mavericks, who bounced back from an ugly loss in Memphis on Sunday to win for the fourth time in five games. Jason Kidd finished with 10 rebounds, eight assists and three points in the win. Rookie Eric Gordon followed up a career-high 31 points in a loss to Detroit on Sunday with 32 points and six assists in another losing effort, LA’s eighth straight. Al Thornton netted 25 points and grabbed eight boards, Mardy Collins contributed 17 points with six rebounds and Marcus Camby delivered a game-high 19 rebounds and scored 10 points for LA, which was without starters Zach Randolph (knee) and Baron Davis (tailbone) for a third straight game.

Final Score: New Orleans 116, LA Lakers 105

Los Angeles, CA - David West tied a career-high with 40 points — scoring 27 in the second half — as the New Orleans Hornets snapped the Los Angeles Lakers’ 15-game home winning streak with a 116-105 victory at Staples Center. West added 11 rebounds and Chris Paul notched 32 points and 15 assists for the Hornets, who have won five of six. Tyson Chandler chipped in 12 points and eight boards, while Rasual Butler totaled 10 and six. Kobe Bryant poured in 39 points and doled out seven assists for the Lakers, who saw their six-game win streak overall also end. Derek Fisher had 19 points and Pau Gasol 10 with eight boards.

(Tuesday, January 6th)

Final Score: (5) Connecticut 61, (25) West Virginia 55

Morgantown, WV - The inside presence of Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet was took much for No. 25 West Virginia to handle, as the pair of Huskies combined for 30 points and 20 rebounds in fifth-ranked Connecticut’s 61-55 victory in a classic Big East tussle. Adrien posted 17 points, while Thabeet logged 13 points and 13 rebounds for UConn (13-1, 2-1 Big East), which has bounced back with back-to-back conference victories after its lone loss to Georgetown last week. Stanley Robinson’s 15 boards aided the Huskies’ 52-33 edge on the glass, while Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. De’Sean Butler battled foul trouble for most of the contest but scored 13 points for West Virginia (11-3, 1-1), which fell to 5-1 at home and had its five-game winning streak stopped. Alex Ruoff was held to 4-of-16 shooting from the field for 13 points, while Darryl Bryant had 11 points in the loss.

Final Score: Arkansas 67, (7) Texas 61

Fayetteville, AR - Michael Washington scored 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds, leading the sizzling Arkansas Razorbacks to a 67-61 triumph over seventh-ranked Texas at a raucous Bud Walton Arena. Stefan Welsh had 20 points, while Courtney Fortson totaled 13 points, 10 boards and five assists for the Razorbacks (12-1), who have won 10 straight games and bested a pair of top-10 teams during that run. Arkansas knocked off previously fourth-ranked Oklahoma exactly a week ago. Damion James finished with 17 points and eight rebounds for the Longhorns (11-3), who have dropped two of four. Gary Johnson provided a spark off the bench, registering 15 points and 12 boards. Justin Mason added 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds in the loss.

Final Score: (8) Michigan State 67, Ohio State 58

East Lansing, MI - Kalin Lucas scored 20 points and Raymar Morgan notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, as eighth- ranked Michigan State disposed of Big Ten compatriot Ohio State, 67-58, at the Breslin Center. Goran Suton chipped in with nine points and nine rebounds for the Spartans (12-2, 3-0 Big Ten), who won for the eighth straight game. William Buford led Ohio State (10-3, 1-2) with 17 points, B.J. Mullens added some inside clout with 16 points and Evan Turner donated 14 points and 10 rebounds. Ohio State has dropped three of four after starting the campaign with a 9-0 mark.

Final Score: (12) Clemson 66, Alabama 59

Clemson, SC - Trevor Booker scored 19 points and the 12th- ranked Clemson Tigers remained undefeated by surviving a pesky Alabama squad, 66-59. K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby netted 12 points each for the Tigers (15-0), who are looking to equal their 17-0 start from two years prior when they were the last unbeaten team to fall. Alonzo Gee and Senario Hillman logged 12 points apiece for the Crimson Tide (10-4), who had a five-game win streak halted in playing their first true road game this season. Ronald Steele chipped in 10 points while JaMychal Green had seven points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Final Score: Penn State 67, (14) Purdue 64

University Park, PA - Talor Battle scored 21 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed five rebounds, as Penn State notched one of its biggest victories in the Ed DeChellis era, downing undermanned and 14th-ranked Purdue, 67-64, at the Bryce Jordan Center. Battle’s backcourt mate Stanley Pringle added 18 points, while Jamelle Cornley and Danny Morrissey collected 10 points apiece for the Nittany Lions (13-3, 2-1 Big Ten), who have won three straight home games against ranked teams. Andrew Jones grabbed 11 rebounds — eight on the offensive end — to highlight the Nittany Lions’ 41-27 edge on the backboards, including a 22-6 edge in the offensive rebound department. E’Twaun Moore led Purdue (11-4, 0-2) with 21 points, Namanja Calasan added 11 points and five rebounds and Lewis Jackson collected 10 points and dished out five assists.

Final Score: (18) Villanova 89, Seton Hall 85 (OT)

Newark, NJ - Scottie Reynolds’ four free throws down the stretch of overtime finished off his brilliant 40-point performance, as the 18th-ranked Villanova Wildcats posted a grueling 89-85 victory over Seton Hall in another Big East slugfest. Reynolds connected on five three-pointers while draining 15-of-16 from the charity stripe, as Villanova (13-2, 1-1 Big East) rebounded from a setback at Marquette to notch the hard-fought win. Dante Cunningham posted 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Dwayne Anderson pulled down a game-high 15 boards in the win. Jeremy Hazell sunk six three- pointers for a team-high 26 points for the Pirates (9-6, 0-3), who dropped their third straight game and fifth in their last six overall. Eugene Harvey chipped in 19 points in the tough loss.

(Tuesday, January 6th)

Final Score: Minnesota 1, Boston 0

Boston, MA - Marek Zidlicky tallied the game’s lone goal and Niklas Backstrom made 28 saves for his fifth shutout of the season, as Minnesota slipped past Boston, 1-0, at TD Banknorth Garden. Backstrom recorded his second consecutive blanking for the Wild, who have won three of four. The Finnish-born netminder shut down Colorado, 2-0, on Sunday in Denver. Former Wild netminder Manny Fernandez stopped 23 shots for the Bruins, who have dropped two in a row after a 10-game win streak.

Final Score: Buffalo 4, Ottawa 2

Buffalo, NY - Matt Ellis and Drew Stafford were among four different goal scorers, as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators, 4-2, at HSBC Arena. Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek also registered a goal for the Sabres, who have won three straight games. Ryan Miller made 31 saves in the win. The Sabres will host the New York Rangers on Friday before they begin a three-game road trip. Jason Spezza scored both goals for Ottawa, which is winless in 2009 (0-2-1) and will conclude its eight-game road swing in Boston on Thursday. Alex Auld allowed three goals on 25 shots in the loss.

Final Score: Washington 2, Philadelphia 1 (SO)

Washington, DC - Viktor Kozlov scored the game-winner in the shootout as the Washington Capitals won a hard-fought battle against the Philadelphia Flyers, 2-1, at Verizon Center. Kozlov was the first shooter and he lifted a backhander over Martin Biron. Jose Theodore then made pad saves on Simon Gagne, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter to preserve the win. Nicklas Backstrom scored the goal in regulation while Theodore finished the game with 33 saves for the red-hot Capitals, who have won seven straight and are 18-1-1 at home this season. Washington reached its mid-point of the regular season and has a record of 27-11-3, good for a 10-point lead over Carolina for first place in the Southeast Division and second overall in the Eastern Conference. Braydon Coburn scored the lone goal while Biron stopped 33 shots in the loss for the Flyers, who finished a season-high six- game road trip with a mark of 2-2-2.

Final Score: Carolina 3, New Jersey 2

Raleigh, NC - Cam Ward made 25 saves and Tuomo Ruutu netted the game-winner, as the Carolina Hurricanes fended off the New Jersey Devils, 3-2, at the RBC Center. Ray Whitney and Sergei Samsonov also scored for the Hurricanes, who are riding a season-high four-game winning streak and have earned points in 12 of their last 15 outings (9-3-3). Patrik Elias registered a goal and an assist for the Devils, who had won four of five coming in. Scott Clemmensen was beaten three times on 28 shots.

Final Score: Florida 4, Toronto 2

Toronto, ON - Tomas Vokoun made 24 saves to help the Florida Panthers to a 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Stephen Weiss, Gregory Campbell and Ville Peltonen each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers, who have won two of their last three. Michael Frolik also lit the lamp in the win. Alexei Ponikarovsky and Jason Blake each had a goal for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped two of three. Vesa Toskala gave up four goals on 34 shots.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 3, Atlanta 1

Pittsburgh, PA - Petr Sykora tallied twice to lead Pittsburgh past Atlanta, 3-1, at Mellon Arena. Sidney Crosby also scored while Evgeni Malkin added three assists for the Penguins, who snapped a five-game losing streak and recovered from embarrassing losses to Florida on Saturday and the New York Rangers on Monday. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 27 shots to post his first win since December 26 at New Jersey. Ilya Kovalchuk scored for the Thrashers, who have dropped six of seven. Kari Lehtonen was dented for all three goals on 29 shots in defeat.

Final Score: Detroit 3, Columbus 0

Detroit, MI - Ty Conklin used 23 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season, as the Detroit Red Wings blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-0, at Joe Louis Arena. Pavel Datsyuk tallied a goal and two assists for the Red Wings, who won their fourth consecutive game and will host the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Marian Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg also scored in the win. Steve Mason allowed two goals on 39 shots for the Blue Jackets, who have dropped two straight after a four-game win streak. Columbus will conclude its six-game road trip in Washington on Friday.

Final Score: Colorado 2, Nashville 1

Nashville, TN - Wojtek Wolski scored twice to help the Colorado Avalanche to a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators. Milan Hejduk set up both of Wolski’s goals and Andrew Raycroft was sharp between the pipes for the Avalanche, who limped into the Music City on a three-game losing streak. Raycroft won his fifth straight start with a 22-save performance and is 7-1-0 in limited duty this season. Rookie left wing Ryan Jones had the lone goal for Nashville, which has lost a season-high five games in a row and 10 of 13 overall. Pekka Rinne was solid for the Predators, allowing two goals on 21 shots.

Final Score: Chicago 6, Phoenix 0

Glendale, AZ - Cristobal Huet made 22 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Chicago Blackhawks dominated the Phoenix Coyotes, 6-0. Jonathan Toews had two goals and an assist while Adam Burish added a goal and two assists for the Blackhawks, who have won their last two games. Mikael Tellqvist started the game in net, but was pulled after the first period as he allowed four goals on 13 shots for the Coyotes, who have dropped three of five. Ilja Bryzgalov finished the game between the pipes and allowed two goals on 28 shots. Phoenix played its 41st game of the season and is 19-17-5, good for the eighth spot in the Western Conference.

Final Score: Calgary 5, San Jose 2

Calgary, AB - Daymond Langkow scored twice to lead the Calgary Flames to a 5-2 win over the San Jose Sharks in a battle of Western Conference powers at Saddledome. Curtis Glencross, Mark Giordano and David Moss also scored for the Flames, who have won five straight home games and captured their sixth victory in the last seven contests overall. Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 26 shots in the victory. Ryane Clowe and Mike Grier scored for the Sharks, who failed to earn at least one standings point for only the fifth time this season (29-5-5). Evgeni Nabokov started for the Sharks and allowed four goals on 18 shots before he was pulled in the second period. Brian Boucher made nine saves in relief.

Final Score: Anaheim 3, Los Angeles 1

Anaheim, CA - Sami Pahlsson netted the game-winner in the third period and Jonas Hiller needed to make only 17 saves in notching his second straight win, as the Anaheim Ducks took the opener of a home-and-home set with the Los Angeles Kings, 3-1, at Honda Center. Hiller was coming off a 2-0 shutout of Phoenix Sunday, improving to 10-6-1 this season as a solid second option to entrenched starter Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Pahlsson, Bobby Ryan and Rob Niedermayer came up with the goals for Anaheim, which now has wins in three of its last five. Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger each had two assists. The Ducks finished a four-game homestand 2-1-1 and improved to 12-8-3 at Honda Center this year. Kyle Quincey scored the lone goal for the Kings, who got 23 saves out of Erik Ersberg in a losing effort, their second in the last three games.