MADISON, Wis. (AP) — John Tonje scored 27 points and No. 18 Wisconsin never trailed while trouncing Nebraska 83-55 on Sunday to hand the Cornhuskers their sixth consecutive loss. Wisconsin (16-4, 6-3 Big Ten) bounced back from an 85-83 loss at UCLA that snapped a seven-game winning streak. Wisconsin grabbed a 19-2 lead less than five minutes into the game by shooting 7 of 8 from the floor and 5 of 6 on 3-pointers. Nebraska responded with a 19-5 spurt. But the Badgers answered with a 16-2 run and never looked back.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Grace Grocholski scored 17 points, Mallory Heyer posted a double-double and No. 23 Minnesota pulled away in the second half to beat Wisconsin 71-50, handing the Badgers their eighth straight loss. Grocholski made 5 of 8 shots with four 3-pointers and 3 of 4 free throws for the Golden Gophers (18-3, 6-3 Big Ten Conference). Heyer totaled 15 points and 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Sophie Hart matched season highs with 16 points and four assists. Tori McKinney scored 14 with three steals. Serah Williams totaled 16 points and six rebounds to pace the Badgers (10-10, 1-8). She also committed eight of Wisconsin’s 23 turnovers. The game was tied at 14-all after one quarter and it was all even at 28-apiece at halftime.
CHICAGO (AP) — Jared Spurgeon, Joel Eriksson Ek and Frederick Gaudreau scored to help the Minnesota Wild top the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2. Matt Boldy had three assists for Minnesota in the opener of a five-game trip. The Wild had lost five of six. Chicago was limited to five shots on goal before rallying in the third period. Seth Jones scored on a power play and Frank Nazar added his third of the season at 4:16, trimming Minnesota’s lead to one. But the Wild held on in the final minutes, and Marcus Foligno closed it out with an empty-netter with 1:42 left.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Taylor Heise and Brooke McQuigge scored first-period goals 84 seconds apart and the Minnesota Frost bounced back from their second shutout loss of the season to snap a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Boston Fleet. Minnesota had scored just four goals during a string that started with a 3-2 shootout loss to New York, a 4-2 loss to Montréal and a 1-0 loss to Ottawa behind goalkeeper Gwyneth Philips. There have been three shutouts in the PWHL this season and Minnesota has been on the losing end of two.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes accounted for three touchdowns and the Kansas City defense made big stops at key moments to help the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills 32-29 on Sunday night and reach the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season. Now, they will face the Philadelphia Eagles and try to become the first team ever to hoist three straight Lombardi Trophies. Harrison Butker gave them the lead with his field goal with 3:33 left, and the Kansas City defense stopped Josh Allen and Co. on fourth down, allowing the Chiefs offense to run out the clock on their ninth consecutive playoff victory.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley dashed 60 yards for a touchdown on Philadelphia’s first play and finished with 118 yards and three scores, Jalen Hurts rushed for three TDs and the Eagles soared into the Super Bowl with a 55-23 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Hurts and the Eagles are in the Super Bowl for the second time in three seasons, and this time Barkley is along for the ride. Philadelphia will play former Eagles coach Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans on Feb. 9.