Knicks beat Raptors for 13th straight time and wrap up No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 29 points, Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and the New York Knicks clinched the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with their 13th consecutive victory over the Toronto Raptors, 112-95 on Friday night.

The Knicks improved to 53-28 with the victory in what could be a preview of a first-round playoff series. New York lost its chance to climb to No. 2 when Boston beat the lottery-bound New Orleans Pelicans, while Toronto (45-36) is currently sixth in the East after having its two-game winning streak snapped.

Brunson shot 12 for 18 from the field while Towns was just as effective, shooting 8 for 12 for the Knicks, who extended their winning streak to five games.

New York forward OG Anunoby injured his left ankle midway through the second quarter and did not return to the game.

Brandon Ingram scored 16 points and Ja’Kobe Walter and Scottie Barnes each had 15 for the Raptors, who have not beaten New York since Jan. 22, 2023. The Knicks won all five meetings this season, once in the NBA Cup tournament.

A night after beating the Celtics, the Knicks jumped out to a 14-3 lead with 7:11 left to play in the first quarter and led 22-21 at the end of the period.

New York outscored the Raptors 29-15 in the second to head into halftime with a 51-36 advantage.

The Raptors managed to cut the deficit to 66-57 on a dunk from Ingram with 4:19 remaining in the third quarter, but Brunson sparked a 9-0 run with a 9-foot fadeaway jumper and a 3-pointer to increase the lead to 75-57.

The Knicks outscored Toronto 58-48 in the paint.

Raptors: Host Brooklyn on Sunday to end the regular season.

Knicks: Close out the regular season at home against Charlotte on Sunday.

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

Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) attempts to block New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) drives past New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Toronto Raptors forward Jonathan Mogbo (2) shoots over New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) and New York Knicks forward Jeremy Sochan (20) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against Toronto Raptors, Friday, April 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) — UC Santa Barbara will join the West Coast Conference for the 2027-28 season, increasing the membership in the league to 12 teams.

The West Coast Conference Presidents’ Council approved the admission of UC Santa Barbara on Friday, following recent decisions to add Denver and UC San Diego.

Denver will begin play in the league next season with the two California schools following the following year.

WCC powerhouse Gonzaga is leaving the conference at the end of this school year to join the Pac-12 but the new additions will give the league 12 schools for the first time.

"This is a monumental moment for the West Coast Conference as we grow our membership to 12 institutions for the first time in our history and enhance our national profile with the addition of UC Santa Barbara,” WCC commissioner Stu Jackson said in a statement.

UC Santa Barbara will compete in the West Coast Conference in 13 sports, including men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, baseball, softball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s golf and men’s water polo.

The WCC had three schools make the NCAA men's basketball tournament this season, with Saint Mary's and Santa Clara joining Gonzaga in March Madness. This is the seventh straight tournament that the league got multiple bids.

The conference has sent multiple women’s basketball teams to the tournament five of the past seven events.

UC Santa Barbara was previously a member of the West Coast Conference from 1965-1969.

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FILE - The UC Santa Barbara mascot performs during a timeout in the first half of an Southeast Regional second round NCAA tournament college basketball game against Florida in Tampa, Fla., March 17, 2011. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)