Creighton’s Kalkbrenner scores 49

It turns out the Big East’s three-time defensive player of the year can play a little offense, too. Make that a lot of offense. Ryan Kalkbrenner turned in the performance of the young college basketball season Wednesday night, scoring 49 points in No. 15 Creighton’s 99-86 victory against UT-Rio Grande Valley. He made a school-record 20 field goals on 22 attempts to power the host Bluejays in their opener. “I kind of didn’t realize how much I had,” Kalkbrenner said. “We were in a close game. I was thinking about that more. It comes with the flow of the game.” When the 7-foot-1 center finally exited to a standing ovation, he looked up at the scoreboard to see his point total. His thought? “Pretty good game,” he said. Kalkbrenner, the Big East preseason player of the year, also had 11 rebounds and three blocks. Kalkbrenner’s 49 points were second-most by a Creighton player. Bob Portman had 51 against Milwaukee in 1967. Kalkbrenner, who averages 14 points per game for his career, considered leaving Creighton after last season to enter the NBA draft but returned for a fifth season.

George hears boos in return to LA

Paul George heard about it in his return to Los Angeles on Wednesday night for the first time since leaving the Clippers last summer for the 76ers. Fans booed George when he was introduced at the Clippers’ new arena. The fans got vocal each time he touched the ball. Early on, he responded by hitting back-to-back 3s. George had 18 points on 7 of 9 shooting and seven rebounds in 24 minutes in the 110-98 loss. The 34-year-old George was playing just his second game of the season after a left knee injury kept him out. Late in the first quarter, the Clippers played a George tribute video on the giant halo board above the court. He waved to acknowledge the polite applause. In five seasons with the Clippers, the native of nearby Palmdale helped them to their first-ever Western Conference Finals appearance, but they were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs the last two years. George opted out of his contract with the Clippers to become a free agent and was wooed to Philly to play with Embiid. “It’s stupid,” George said of the booing. “I was a free agent. ... I did what was best for me in that situation.”

Mbappé left off France roster again

Struggling to make an impact at Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé has again been left out of the France squad. The captain wasn’t included on Thursday in coach Didier Deschamps’ list of players for upcoming Nations League matches against Israel and Italy. Mbappé, 25, was also absent from the previous gathering because of a minor thigh injury. But this time Mbappé isn’t injured, and wanted to be selected, Deschamps said. “It’s my responsibility to make decisions. I think it’s better that way,” Deschamps said. He wouldn’t elaborate on his choice to do without the striker, but said it wasn’t related to recent reports in Swedish media that the former Paris Saint-Germain star was the subject of a rape investigation “I’m not going to argue,” Descamps said. “What I can tell you are these two things. One, that Kylian wanted to come. And two, it’s not the extra sporting problems that come into play since the presumption of innocence exists and must exist. It’s a one-off choice for this gathering.” Mbappé’s performances have been below par in recent weeks after he joined Madrid from PSG this summer. —AP