Miami stays unbeaten with comeback win
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A jump shot by Dwyane Wade with 6 seconds to play Wednesday gave Miami a thrilling 96-95 decision over Charlotte.
The Heat shook off a sluggish start to remain unbeaten in three games. The Hornets have split their first two games.
Charlotte scored the first 11 points of the game and had a 15-point halftime lead. Miami then limited the Hornets to 10 points in the third period and the contest was close the rest of the way.
Chris Bosh hit a jumper with 43 seconds left to give Miami a four-point cushion, but Gerald Henderson then made a layup for the Hornets and hit a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left to put Charlotte in front 95-94.
That set up Wade for his game-winning shot. D.J. Augustin missed a 3-point try for Charlotte with two seconds left.
The late-game dramatics overshadowed a 35-point show from Miami's LeBron James, who was good on 13-of-23 attempts from the field and all nine of his free-throw tries. Bosh added 25 points.
Henderson scored 21 for the Hornets and Augustin had 20.
Georgetown hands Louisville first loss
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Otto Porter's tip-in with 1:43 to play Wednesday ignited a late run Wednesday that lifted No. 12 Georgetown to a 71-68 win over fourth-ranked Louisville.
The Hoyas handed the Cardinals their first loss of the season in the opening Big East Conference game for both teams.
Louisville had opened the season with 12 straight victories. Georgetown (11-1) has won nine in a row since losing to Kansas.
Georgetown owned a 63-52 advantage with 4:27 left to play but the Cardinals ran off 11 in a row and tied it with 2:01 left on a layup by Gorgui Dieng.
Henry Sims then missed a layup for the Hoyas, but Porter was there to tip in the offensive rebound that put Georgetown in front for good. Sims hit two free throws 31 seconds later and Porter made two more foul shots with 40 second remaining for a 69-63 Georgetown lead.
Markel Starks scored 20 points for Georgetown while hitting 7-of-8 shots from the field. Porter came off the bench to score 14 points and grab 14 rebounds.
Louisville was led by Kyle Kuric with 17 points and Peyton Siva with 15.
Crosby still has concussion symptoms
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Injured hockey superstar Sidney Crosby is continuing to experience concussion symptoms, Pittsburgh Penguins head Coach Dan Bylsma said Wednesday.
Bylsma told reporters Crosby, who has been out of the lineup since Dec. 5, is performing light workouts but hasn't yet shaken the symptoms, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
It was the first update on Crosby's condition since the player said Dec. 12 he was still having headaches despite passing concussion tests. He said then he was optimistic he would not be out for as long as he was when he missed 10 months between January and Nov. 21.
He played eight games for the Penguins before being pulled from the lineup again early this month.
The newspaper said it was unclear if Crosby was experiencing symptoms from the original concussion or had suffered a new injury.
Big Ten, Pac-12 to collaborate more
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- The Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences said Wednesday they are moving into a closer collaboration including a preseason football game at the Rose Bowl.
They said in a release the enhanced collaboration will feature more games between the two leagues and "broadening the national scope of both conferences."
The two have met in the Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, Calif., 62 times, including 55 consecutive meetings from 1947-2001, and now are seeking more games against each other in all sports, the two league commissioners said.
In football, the new arrangement will mean 12 inter-conference games annually between the two conferences by the 2017 season, with plans calling for each school to play an opponent from the other conference every year.
As far as an annual preseason game, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott told the Los Angeles Times it's in the cards, possibly by 2013 or 2014.
"The Rose Bowl is interested, both conferences are interested," Scott said. "There are no details yet, but it's fair to say you'll see it in some form or fashion."
