SAN JOSE—Tomas Hertl’s long wait between goals ended and Patrick Marleau closed in on a major milestone for the San Jose Sharks.Hertl’s first goal in more than three months broke a tie with 2:03 remaining in regulation after Marleau scored his 499th career goal, helping the Sharks win for the seventh time in eight games, 3-1 over the Blackhawks on Tuesday night.After missing 32 games with a knee injury, Hertl got his first goal since Oct. 27 in his second game back in the lineup when he knocked in the rebound of Brent Burns’ shot to give San Jose the win in the first game back from the All-Star break.

”I should have buried a couple goals before,” Hertl said. ”But I’m happy I scored because it was a long time, like three months. It was a big celly for me.”

Joe Pavelski added an empty-netter to cap a night that nearly included a milestone for Marleau. He had an apparent goal wiped off by an offside call on replay before scoring No. 499 in the second period. That gave Marleau six goals in the past four games as he surges toward becoming the 45th player to reach 500.

”It always feels good when you score and win, so it’s good,” Marleau said. ”Hopefully I won’t have too long.”

Martin Jones made 24 saves as the Sharks matched last season’s home win total of 18 games.Dennis Rasmussen scored and Corey Crawford made 26 saves for the Blackhawks, who have lost three straight games. The Hawks led going into the third period in losses to Tampa Bay and Winnipeg before the break before giving up the late tiebreaking goal to the Sharks.

”We had two minutes to go there, we just wanted to make sure we could get it to overtime and look for the extra point,” coach Joel Quenneville said. ”Three games in a row we’ve given up some points. It’s a tough pill to swallow.”

After a slow start to the game with few chances for the first 30 minutes, the action picked up in the last half of the second period. It started when Marleau appeared to score when he took the rebound of Logan Couture’s missed shot off the back boards and tucked it in for a goal. But the Blackhawks challenged the play, believing Mikkel Boedker was offside on the entry, and replay wiped the goal off the board.Just a few minutes later with Artem Anisimov in the box for holding, Marleau did get No. 499 when he beat Crawford with a shot from the circle for his 18th goal of the season.The Sharks had a chance to add on to the lead, but Crawford stopped Timo Meier on a breakaway. The Hawks then got the equalizer when Rasmussen beat Jones with a shot off the inside of the post from the top of the circle on a rush.But that was all the Blackhawks would get.

”I thought it was better than the last two or three games,” defenseman Duncan Keith said. ”We did a lot of good things. It’s just a tough way to lose in the last couple of minutes.”

NOTES—Blackhawks F Marcus Kruger (ill) sat out the game. … Sharks GM Doug Wilson got a nice ovation after a video tribute for having recently become the fourth man to play in at least 1,000 games and be general manager for at least 1,000 games. …The Hawks went 0 for 3 on the power play and is just 1 for its last 20 with the man advantage….The Blackhawks visit Arizona on Thursday night.

CHAMPAIGN—With just over 10 minutes left in the game, Illinois started to pull off the improbable, but No. 10 Wisconsin made sure the impossible didn’t happen in its 57-43 win Tuesday night.The Badgers’ lead fell to six points after reaching as much as 16, but the experienced players led the way and told their teammates to weather the storm, because it was going to end.

”We knew the water would eventually find its level and it did,” Ethan Happ said.

Happ scored 14 points for Wisconsin (19-3, 8-1 Big Ten), which started the game with a 16-2 run and never trailed.Much of the hot start came from the open 3-pointers Illinois allowed Wisconsin’s players to take – the Badgers shot 7 of 23 from 3-point range in the game.The Badgers shot 12 percent from 3-point range against Rutgers on Saturday.

”The difference were (the shots) were going in,” Happ said. ”We just want our guys to keep on shooting and have confidence.”

While Wisconsin didn’t play offensively for much of the game, the team’s defense limited Illinois from getting into any type of rhythm and the Illini only went to the free throw line nine times.

The Badgers’ big men dominated the game in the post, out-rebounding Illinois 45-36, including 19-6 on the offensive boards.

Nigel Hayes scored 11 points and added eight rebounds for Wisconsin, part of a group effort rather than a game dominated by either Hayes or Happ.Malcolm Hill and Maverick Morgan both had 10 points for Illinois (13-10, 3-7).The Illini looked overmatched as they have for much of the season against good opponents, but they came back and closed Wisconsin’s lead down to as much as six points before falling short.Illinois shot 28 percent from the field and 5 of 21 from beyond the arc.

”You get down 16-2, it’s tough for anybody to come back,” Illinois coach John Groce said. ”You have to make shots.”

The Badgers will have a relatively easy next couple of games before playing Northwestern and Maryland, their last test before the Big Ten Tournament.The Illini weren’t expected to win Tuesday’s game even if it was at home. The team is in a tailspin and no game on the schedule looks like a lock.A win over Illinois isn’t going to help in the rankings. Both Kentucky and Virginia should remain above the Badgers in the next rankings.Khalil Iverson of Wisconsin put together a good performance off the bench, scoring six points in 15 minutes.Illinois finished the game with seven assists, tying the second-fewest this season.Wisconsin will have a few days before Indiana comes to Madison for a Sunday afternoon game.Illinois stays home for the week when it hosts Minnesota on Saturday.
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ROSEMONT—Rodney Pryor hit four 3-pointers and had 26 points, L.J. Peak scored five points in the final minute and Georgetown got past DePaul 76-73 on Tuesday night.Peak drove it from past the 3-point arc, made a layup and completed the 3-point play with 55 seconds left to give Georgetown a 74-73 lead. Tre’Darius McCallum’s layup attempt on the other end was challenged by three defenders and blocked by Jessie Govan with 40 seconds left.Georgetown elected not to call timeout and Peak dribbled down the clock, split a double team and zigzagged in the lane for a layup with 13.9 to go. After a timeout, DePaul was pressured into a broken play and McCallum had a 3-pointer bounce out at the buzzer.Jessie Govan added 14 points and Peak finished with 13 for Georgetown (13-10, 4-6 Big East).Billy Garrett Jr. scored 25 points for DePaul (8-14, 1-8) and Eli Cain had 19 points, six rebounds and three assists.Garrett hit a pair of free throws with 4:42 left in the second half to pass Stephen Howard (528) for the most career free throws in program history. Cain scored 15 of his points in the second half.

SOUTH BEND—It’s been a bumpy ride for No. 21 Duke the past month. Now, interim coach Jeff Capel thinks the Blue Devils are coming together.Jayson Tatum had 19 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, Grayson Allen scored 21 points and Duke won on the road for the second time in three days, beating No. 20 Notre Dame 84-74 on Monday night.The Blue Devils hadn’t strung together consecutive wins since the first week of January, and just last week were banned from their locker room by coach Mike Krzyzewski after a disappointing loss to North Carolina State.

”I think we’re growing up, I think we’re becoming tougher,” said Capel, now 3-3 subbing for Krzyzewski, who is still recovering following back surgery. ”To be able to go on the road the past three days in two sold-out, hostile environments and to be able to get wins speaks volumes about our guys.”

Luke Kennard and Matt Jones each added 16 points for the Blue Devils (17-5, 5-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), who leaned heavily on their starting five, getting all but six points from that group. Kennard and Amile Jefferson both fouled out, and the teams combined for 48 fouls and 52 free throws.V.J. Beachem scored 20 points and Bonzie Colson had 17 points and nine rebounds for Notre Dame (17-6, 6-4), which has lost three straight.After the Irish cut Duke’s lead to six, Jones responded with a three-point play and scored five of the next seven points to push Duke ahead 63-50 with 9:34 left.The Irish weren’t done yet, reeling off 12 straight points to cut the lead to 63-62 with 6:25 to go, but again the Devils responded, with Allen hitting a 3-pointer and a pull-up jumper from atop the key.That sparked an 11-2 run that pushed the Devils lead back to double digits with 2:29 left.Despite being loudly booed the entire game, Allen had 10 points before the break and hit all four of his free throws down the stretch.The Blue Devils picked up just their second win against the Irish in the seven games they’ve played since Notre Dame joined the ACC. They have won three of four overall, including a win at Wake Forest on Saturday.

”I thought our game plan was really good,” Capel said. ”We played great at the end of the Wake Forest game, and I thought we had some carry over.”

Notre Dame: After opening ACC play with five straight wins, the Irish are struggling, losing four of their last five, including a buzzer-beater at Georgia Tech on Saturday.

”We are getting smacked hard right now,” Irish coach Mike Brey said. ”But we’re getting smacked together.”

Duke outscored the Irish 16-4 to end the first half and held them without a field goal for the final 8:41 to take a 12-point lead.Brey went to a five-guard lineup for much of the second half and suggested that he may have to alter his starting lineup for the first time this season.

”I liked our five-out in the second half,” Brey said. ”I think we’ve really got to consider starting small like we did in the second half.”

No player off of either team’s bench scored a point in the first half. … The Blue Devils outrebounded Notre Dame 21-10 in the second half. … Duke has run out eight different starting lineups this season, while Notre Dame has used the same one all season.The path doesn’t get any easier in the ACC for the Irish, who head to Tobacco Road to face No. 12 North Carolina on Saturday.

EVANSTON—No nerves for Bryant McIntosh this time around. Just a solid all-around performance against his family’s other favorite team.McIntosh had 21 points and eight assists, Sanjay Lumpkin scored 15 points and surging Northwestern beat Indiana 68-55 on Sunday.

”Just really proud of McIntosh,” coach Chris Collins said. ”I thought he controlled the game.”

The Wildcats (18-4, 7-2) held the Hoosiers to 32 percent shooting in their sixth consecutive victory. It’s their longest Big Ten win streak since the 1932-33 team matched a school record with seven in a row, and their 7-2 start in conference play is their best since the 1937-38 season.Heady stuff for a program that has never made it to the NCAA Tournament. But it sure looks as if this might be the year for the Wildcats.

”This isn’t the same Northwestern,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh, a junior guard from Greensburg in southeast Indiana, struggled in his only matchup with the Hoosiers last season, scoring four points on 2-for-12 shooting in an 89-57 loss at Assembly Hall last January. But he was much better this time around, going 7 for 13 from the field.

”Last year I just felt really jittery. … I just wanted to play well and got caught up in the emotion of that and not just playing the game,” McIntosh said. ”So this year I was just focused on trying to help my team win.”

Indiana (14-8, 4-5) committed 13 turnovers while playing without leading scorer James Blackmon Jr., who got hurt during Thursday night’s 90-60 loss at Michigan. The school announced Saturday the junior guard is out indefinitely with a lower leg injury.Blackmon, who is averaging 17.6 points, joins an impressive list of hurt Hoosiers, with forwards Collin Hartman and OG Anunoby already shelved by knee injuries.

”It’ll be just what we said yesterday and we’ll see how it goes,” coach Tom Crean said when asked for an update on Blackmon.

Northwestern missed its first seven shots and fell behind 10-1 before grabbing control with a 20-2 run. Lumpkin had a steal and a dunk, and Nathan Taphorn scored five straight points to make it 21-12 with 7:49 left.The Wildcats were never threatened again. They led 35-23 at the break, and McIntosh’s 3-pointer stretched the advantage to 56-38 with 7:28 left.

”All we did was just miss shots,” Indiana center Thomas Bryant said. ”It was more on us, not so much on the defense although they did play a great game. It falls on us.”

Bryant matched a career high with 23 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds for Indiana, which has split its last six games. Robert Johnson added 12 points on 4-for-13 shooting.Taphorn left near the end of the first half with an ankle injury.

”I think just a sprained ankle. Certainly we’ll get more tests and all that kind of stuff and figure out how long he’s going to be out,” Collins said.

NU saluted the World Series champion Cubs with a highlight video during a first-half timeout, and Cubs owner Tom Ricketts got a huge ovation when he brought the Commissioner’s Trophy out to center court.Scottie Lindsey scored 12 points, and Vic Law finished with nine points and 12 rebounds.Northwestern visits Purdue on Wednesday night. The 17-5 Boilermakers are coming off an 83-80 loss at Nebraska.

EVANSVILLE—Phil Fayne had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Illinois State beat Evansville 69-59 on Sunday for its 11th straight win.The Redbirds (18-4, 10-0 Missouri Valley) have also won six straight road games, and its 10-0 MVC start is a program best. Evansville (10-13, 1-9) has lost eight in a row.Paris Lee had 15 points for Illinois State. Keyshawn Evans and Deontae Hawkins added 11 points apiece.Howard added 16 to lead the Purple Aces.The Redbirds led 50-40 with about 13 minutes left. Evansville pulled to 55-51 with 5:41 remaining before Tony Wills and Hawkins made back-to-back 3-pointers and Illinois State stretched its lead to 61-51 with five minutes to go. The Purple Aces pulled within six points but didn’t get closer.

Jimmy Butler scored 28 points and Robin Lopez added a season-high 21 points and had 10 rebounds as the Bulls defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 121-108 on Sunday night.After a week of tension, the Bulls bounced back from consecutive home defeats to Atlanta and Miami despite blowing a 20-point lead.Ersan Ilyasova scored a season-high 31 points for Philadelphia, and Robert Covington added 21 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. The 76ers have lost 12 straight to the Bulls.Butler and Dwyane Wade returned to the starting lineup after being benched as starters in Friday’s blowout loss to the Heat. Wade and Butler were critical of teammates after they blew a late double-digit lead in a loss to the Hawks on Wednesday. Rajon Rondo responded to his teammates’ criticism on an Instagram post on Thursday, taking multiple shots at the team leadership. Wade, Butler, and Rondo all were fined by the Bulls.

The following is listed on Wikipedia with regard to the January 23 fake rumor about Bears QB Jim McMahon.

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Much of the Super Bowl pregame hype centered on Bears quarterback Jim McMahon. First, he was fined by the NFL during the playoffs for a violation of the league’s dress code, wearing a head band from Adidas. He then started to wear a head band where he hand-wrote “Rozelle”, after then-league commissioner Pete Rozelle.[8]

McMahon suffered a strained glute as the result of a hit taken in the NFC Championship Game and flew his acupuncturist into New Orleans to get treatment. During practice four days before the Super Bowl, he wore a headband reading “Acupuncture”. During a Bears practice before the Super Bowl, McMahon mooned a helicopter that was hovering over the practice.[8]

Another anecdote involving McMahon during the Super Bowl anticipation involved WDSU-TV reporting a quote attributed to McMahon, where he had allegedly referred to the women of New Orleans as “sluts” on a local morning sports talk show. This caused wide controversy among the women of New Orleans and McMahon began receiving calls from irate fans in his hotel. A groggy McMahon, who had not been able to sleep well because of all the calls he had gotten, was confronted by Mike Ditka later that morning and denied making the statement, saying he would not have even been awake to make the comment when he was said to have done so. He was supported in his claim by WLS reporter Les Grobstein, who was present when the alleged statements were made.[9] WDSU would later retract the statement and make an on-air apology.

The Winnipeg Jets were just OK for most of the first part of the season. Except for their games against the Blackhawks.Against the Blackhawks, they were perfect.Andrew Copp and Bryan Little scored in a 32-second span in the third period, and Winnipeg continued its dominance against the Hawks with a 5-3 victory on Thursday on the final night before the NHL All-Star break.

”For some reason, we elevate our game when we play this team and we always give our best,” Little said. ”The big thing for us is having that confidence and having that energy and just will to win against other teams. For some reason, we just have these guys’ numbers.”

Winnipeg (23-25-4) improved to 4-0 against the Blackhawks (30-16-5), outscoring the Blackhawks 13-4. It had dropped four in a row against the Hawks coming into the season.Little, Copp, rookie Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele each had a goal and an assist, helping the Jets to their third win in their last nine games.The Blackhawks had a 3-2 lead before Copp tipped Josh Morrissey‘s shot past Scott Darling with 4:03 left. Little then blasted a shot by Darling for his 13th of the season, silencing the crowd of 21,746.Scheifele added an empty-netter at 17:57 for his 22nd goal, moving the center into a tie with Laine for the team lead.

”I thought we had good control of the game,” Duncan Keith said. ”They were getting chances, but we were playing well. It was just two sets of two quick goals. It totally changed the game.”

Keith, Nick Schmaltz and Tanner Kero scored for the Blackhawks, who allowed four goals in the third period of a 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Darling finished with 28 stops.Winnipeg also scored two goals in a 42-second span in the first, continuing a disturbing trend for the Blackhawks, who allowed two in 46 seconds against Vancouver on Sunday, and then surrendered a pair of goals in 30 seconds against the Lightning.

”It’s hard to accept these two. Especially this one today,” defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. ”It’s going to kind of ruin the break a little bit. It’s going to take a little while to swallow the way we’ve lost this one.”

Winnipeg jumped in front in the first when Little made a great pass across the ice to Laine, who drove a one-timer by Darling for a power-play goal at 6:16. Laine returned Tuesday after missing eight games with a concussion.Jacob Trouba then had a big slap shot go off the right skate of Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell and past Darling, with Shawn Matthias getting his stick on the puck just before it crossed the line. It was Matthias’ seventh of the season.

”There were plays that could have been defended against for sure tonight,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. ”We always talk about important shifts. That’s the first shift after a goal, a key shift in games.”

The Blackhawks, who controlled much of the early action, then got one back after Nic Petan was whistled for hooking at 13:02. Just 5 seconds into the ensuing power play, Keith drove a slap shot by Hellebuyck from the left point with Artem Anisimov providing a perfect screen in front.Schmaltz got the tying goal 4 minutes into the second. While Winnipeg defenseman Mark Stuart repeatedly checked Marcus Kruger in the back while the two were on the ice, Schmaltz picked up the loose puck, skated in and beat Hellebuyck on the short side for his third of the season.

NOTES—Kruger played in his first game since Dec. 30. He was activated from injured reserve on Tuesday after being sidelined by a hand injury. … Blackhawks C Dennis Rasmussen, who is battling an illness, skated Thursday morning, but was scratched. … Hjalmarsson played in his 600th NHL game. …The Hawks visit Winnipeg on Feb. 10.

The Blackhawks start a six-game road trip at San Jose on Tuesday night.

EVANSTON—Dererk Pardon dominated with 19 points and a career-high 22 rebounds to lead Northwestern to a 73-61 victory over struggling Nebraska on Thursday night.Pardon, a sophomore, had the first 20-rebound game for Northwestern since Evan Eschmeyer grabbed 21 against Penn State on Jan. 20, 1999.Vic Law scored 20, and the Wildcats (17-4, 6-2 Big Ten) won their fifth straight to match their longest streak in conference play since the 1965-66 season.Tai Webster led Nebraska with 23 points. Glynn Watson Jr. scored 14, but the Cornhuskers (9-11, 3-5) dropped their fifth in a row after a 3-0 start in the Big Ten.The Wildcats were leading 57-53 when Law hit two free throws with just under five minutes remaining in the game to start a 16-1 run.Bryant McIntosh stole a pass that hit Nebraska’s Evan Taylor and fed Law for an alley-oop. Cornhuskers coach Tim Miles picked up a technical after pointing to a spot where he thought Pardon stepped out of bounds after grabbing a defensive rebound. That led to two free throws for McIntosh, making it 63-53 with 4:12 remaining.Northwestern continued to pour it on with Sanjay Lumpkin nailing a 3 and Law getting fouled on a rebound dunk for a 3-point play with 1:17 left, making it 73-54. Pardon then exited to hugs from his teammates and ”MVP! MVP!” chants. The struggles continue for the Cornhuskers, who have lost five straight after a 3-0 start in conference play.NU, the program that hosted the first Final Four continues to inch toward its first NCAA appearance.The Wildcats host Indiana on Sunday.