Robert Morris drops YSU

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Robert Morris outscored Youngstown State 35-20 in the second half for a 55-40 win in women’s basketball action at the UPMC Events Center.

Youngstown State dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season and is now 13-7 overall and 6-4 in Horizon League play. The Colonials improved to 13-6 and 6-4 in league play.

Eva Levingston led Robert Morris with 13 points and 10 rebounds, both team highs.

YSU sophomore Sophia Gregory from West Branch had two points, a team-high eight rebounds and three steals in 31 minutes.

The Penguins will host Cleveland State at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Beeghly Center.

Cavaliers beat Hornets from the start

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points, Evan Mobley added 14 points and 14 rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers jumped out to 21-point first-quarter lead and held on to beat the Charlotte Hornets 94-87 Wednesday night for their fifth road win in the last six games.

Jaylon Tyson scored 14 points and Jarod Allen added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, who held the Hornets to 32 points in the first half on 26% shooting.

Brandon Miller finished with 24 points and Kon Knueppel had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead Charlotte, which made just 8 of 46 3-point attempts and was outrebounded 60-47.

The Cavs bolted to a big lead in the first quarter after making 11 of 15 shots from the field to open the game.

Cleveland’s stifling on-ball pressure defense repeatedly forced Charlotte into uncharacteristic turnovers and hurried shots.

Mitchell set the tone for the Cavaliers with 14 points in the first half, and Cleveland’s defense never allowed Charlotte to get into any rhythm in the first two quarters. The Hornets tied a season low with 12 points in the second quarter and trailed 56-32 lead at the break.

The Hornets got their transition game going in the third quarter and cut the lead to 12 points behind back-to-back alley-oop passes from LaMelo Ball to Miller. Charlotte cut its deficit to four with 13 seconds left on a 3-pointer by Miller and driving layup by Knueppel, but ran out of time.

Ball strategy backfires

Hornets coach Charles Lee again brought LaMelo Ball off the bench on the first night of a back-to-back in an effort to preserve his body, but the move backfired as the No. 3 pick in the 2020 draft had one of the worst nights of his career. Ball finished with four points on 1-of-15 shooting, going 0 of 10 from beyond the 3-point line.

The Cavaliers host the Kings on Friday.

Bellinger stays with Yankees for $162.5 million

NEW YORK (AP) — Cody Bellinger became the last of the top free-agent hitters to reach a deal, agreeing Wednesday to stay with the New York Yankees for a $162.5 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

Bellinger gets a $20 million signing bonus payable on April 1, $32.5 million in the first two seasons, $25.8 million in the next two and $25.9 million in 2030. He also has a full no-trade provision.

Bellinger has the right to opt out after the 2027 or 2028 seasons to become a free agent again, but if there is a work stoppage that leads to no games being played in 2027, the agreement specifies the opt outs will shift to after the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

A two-time All-Star acquired by the Yankees from the Chicago Cubs in December 2024, Bellinger hit .272 with 29 homers and 98 RBIs last year — including .302 with 18 homers and 55 RBIs at Yankee Stadium. A left-handed hitter, he played in 149 games in the outfield and seven at first base in his first season since 2022 without a stint on the injured list.

He is a son of former Yankee Clay Bellinger.

Skinner helps Penguins put out Flames

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Tommy Novak and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Wednesday night.

Yegor Chinakhov and Bryan Rust also scored for Pittsburgh (24-14-11). The Penguins have points in five straight games (3-0-2) and are 9-2-2 in their last 13 games. Stuart Skinner made 18 saves in his sixth win in seven starts and improved to 17-12-4. Skinner is 6-2-1 against the Flames in his career.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby had an assist and extended his point streak to four games (two goals, five assists).

Yegor Sharangovich scored for Calgary (21-24-5). Dustin Wolf had 21 stops in losing for the sixth time in seven games. He fell to 15-20-2.

The Flames have been limited to two goals in two games since Sunday’s trade that sent defenseman Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. At the time, Andersson was third on the team in scoring.

Malkin’s 11th goal at 7:49 of the first period gave the Penguins a lead they never squandered.

Calgary got on the scoreboard with three seconds left in the second period when Zach Whitecloud’s point shot deflected in off the pants of Sharangovich. Pittsburgh restored its two-goal advantage 50 seconds into the third period when Rust scored on a wraparound.

Pitt falls on late three

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (AP) — Boden Kapke scored 19 points and his 3-pointer with 22 seconds left was the game-winning basket as Boston College left Pittsburgh in the ACC cellar with a 65-62 win on Wednesday night.

Fred Payne also scored 19 points and Donald Hand Jr. added 18 points as the Eagles (9-10, 2-4) shot 45% (25 of 55) from the field despite 32% (7 for 22) from 3-point range.

Roman Siulepa and Cameron Cohren each scored 13 points, Brandin Cummings 11 and Barry Dunning Jr. and reserve Nojus Indrusaitis 10 each for Pittsburgh. Cohren and Siulepa grabbed 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively.

Following Kapke’s 3, Cummings missed a deep 3 attempt with nine seconds left. After a Pitt (8-11, 1-5) intentional foul, Siulepa stole the inbounds pass and fed Cummings who missed another attempt from 3 as time expired.

Pitt, Notre Dame and Florida State sit at the bottom of the conference at 1-5, a game behind California, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and BC.

The Panthers host North Carolina State on Saturday.