Sengun and Thompson help the Rockets beat the Trail Blazers 106-99

HOUSTON (AP) — Alperen Sengun scored 28 points, Amen Thompson had 26 and the Houston Rockets used a dominant fourth quarter to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 106-99 on Friday night.

Sengun shot 11 of 15 from the field while playing just 26 minutes due to foul trouble, while Thompson converted all but one of his 12 shot attempts and scored eight points in the fourth quarter.

Houston trailed 85-77 after Matisse Thybuille drained a 3-pointer a minute into the final period, but Portland missed 11 of its next 13 shots and the Rockets went on a 23-4 run that covered close to eight minutes.

Houston shot 67% in the fourth quarter, outscoring Portland 29-17.

Kevin Durant added 20 points for the Rockets (39-23), who entered the day tied for fourth in the Western Conference.

Jerami Grant led Portland with 21 points. Jrue Holiday added 20 points and 10 assists, while Donovan Clingan finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Toumani Camara made four 3-pointers while scoring 14 points in a first quarter that ended with Portland leading 34-27.

Sengun scored 15 points in the second quarter on 6-of-8 shooting to help the Rockets take a 57-56 lead into halftime.

Blazers All-Star forward Deni Avdija missed his sixth straight game with a low back injury. Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. also sat out one night after returning from the sprained right ankle that sidelined him the previous two games.

Rockets: At the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Trail Blazers: Host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) loses the ball while under pressure from Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) knocks away the ball from Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) reaches in as Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (30) looks to pass the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) puts up a shot between Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson, left, and forward Tari Eason (17) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) drives into Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday March 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Latasha Lattimore scored 28 points and Cotie McMahon had 27 as No. 24 Mississippi built a 32-point third-quarter lead and held on late to beat fifth-ranked Vanderbilt 89-78 in the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Friday.

Tianna Thompson added 16 points for the Rebels (23-10), who jumped to a 23-2 lead in the first quarter and rode the wave of momentum to their second win this season over Commodores (27-4).

Ole Miss will face No. 4 Texas in Saturday's semifinals.

Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes, who averaged more than 30 points per game in conference play this season, missed her first 12 shots — including five 3s — and didn’t make a first field goal until 2:31 remained in the third quarter after battling early foul trouble.

Blakes then helped a fuel a frantic fourth-quarter rally in which Vanderbilt trimmed the lead to nine with three minutes to go. She finished with 24 points.

Aubrey Galvan added 18 points for Vanderbilt.

Ole Miss, which beat Auburn 73-57 on Thursday, took its huge early lead by holding the Volunteers to 1-of-15 shooting and using quick hands to deflect passes and create steals that led to easy layups.

Things got worse for Vanderbilt in the second quarter when Blakes picked up her third foul.

Frustrations began to boil over in the fourth quarter. Vanderbilt coach Shea Ralph was ejected with 9:25 left after arguing a foul call that went against Blakes, who dived on the floor to retrieve a loose ball.

That seemed to awaken the Commodores, who rallied to cut the lead to nine on a steal and 3-point play by Galvan.

Vanderbilt outscored Ole Miss 37-24 in the fourth quarter.

Ole Miss: Faces another top-five opponent in the fourth-ranked Longhorns.

Vanderbilt: Awaits its NCAA Tournament seed.

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Ole Miss forward Cotie McMahon drives past Vanderbilt guard Justine Pissott during first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph leaves the game after being ejected during second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Mississippi in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Vanderbilt forward Sacha Washington =drive around Mississippi during second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Mississippi guard Denim DeShields pulls the ball away form Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes (1) and guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda during second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes drives to the basket past Mississippi guard Kaitlin Peterson during second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)