Michigan knocks off another top-10 opponent in No. 8 Gonzaga
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Isaiah Livers scored 21 points and Michigan again overwhelmed a highly ranked opponent with its flowing offense to beat No. 8 Gonzaga 82-64 on Friday in the championship game of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Jon Teske added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Wolverines, who beat sixth-ranked North Carolina on Thursday and finished a memorable three-game run to the title by giving first-year coach Juwan Howard another marquee victory.
This one had a similar feeling to the UNC win, too, with Michigan’s offense kicking into a hot-shooting gear midway through the second half to take control and build a huge lead.
Michigan (7-0) led just 38-36 when the shots started falling from just about everywhere: a 3-pointer from Zavier Simpson, two drives from freshman Franz Wagner, a 3 from Livers and two more from David DeJulius.
It was a burst of 10 straight scoring possessions that put the Wolverines up 62-43 by the midway point of the second half.
Gonzaga (8-1) never got the lead below double figures again.
Killian Tillie scored 20 points for the battered Bulldogs.
NO. 6 NORTH CAROLINA 78, NO. 11 OREGON 74
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Cole Anthony hit a driving layup and four key free throws in the final 64 seconds to help North Carolina hold off Oregon in the third-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
The freshman point guard had a baseline drive past Will Richardson with the Tar Heels protecting a one-point lead. He then hit four straight free throws to protect the lead in a game that went down to the final seconds.
Senior Brandon Robinson followed with the final free throws with 0.8 seconds left to seal it, giving the Tar Heels (6-1) a needed bounce-back effort after Thursday’s loss to Michigan.
Anthony finished with 19 points despite sitting for a chunk of the second half after picking up his fourth foul. to help guide the Tar Heels to the finish, though it was fellow freshman Armando Bacot with a strong overall performance that led the way.
Bacot had 23 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks for UNC.
Payton Pritchard had 19 points to lead Oregon (6-2).
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Freshman Matthew Hurt scored a season-high 20 points, Joey Baker added a career-high 16 and Duke beat Winthrop to bounce back from its stunning loss to Stephen F. Austin.
Playing three nights after the unheralded Lumberjacks became the first Cameron Indoor Stadium visitor from outside the ACC to win in nearly 20 years, the Blue Devils (7-1) spent the better part of this one looking ripe for another upset before Baker — a sophomore who appeared in just four games last season — saved them.
He hit two dagger 3-pointers 30 seconds apart in the final 3 minutes to put Duke up by double figures to stay.
Freshman Vernon Carey added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Tre Jones finished with 15 points for Duke.
Hunter Hale scored 11 points to lead Winthrop (4-4), which kept itself within striking distance for about 30 minutes.
NO. 2 LOUISVILLE 71, WESTERN KENTUCKY 54
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jordan Nwora scored 25 points as Louisville defeated Western Kentucky to remain unbeaten and make its case for the No. 1 ranking.
There will be a new No. 1 team when The Associated Press Top 25 comes out on Monday because top-ranked Duke fell at home to Stephen F. Austin 85-83 in overtime on Tuesday.
The Cardinals last topped the AP poll on Jan. 14, 2013, and they went on to win the national championship that year.
Dwayne Sutton added 15 points as Louisville (7-0) never trailed while holding Western Kentucky to its lowest point total and shooting percentage (37%) of the season. Taveion Hollingsworth scored 16 points for Western Kentucky (6-2), which also got 14 points and nine rebounds from Charles Bassey.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Cowan Jr. scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half to help Maryland overcome another slow start to remain unbeaten, topping Harvard in the semifinals of the Orlando Invitational.
Cowan followed up on a 30-point performance in the previous day’s come-from-behind win over Temple with 10 points and an assist during a 12-4 burst that sparked a game-closing surge by the Terrapins (7-0), who have won seven straight to begin a season for the first time in three years.
Jalen Smith had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Aaron Wiggins, Darryl Morsell and Eric Ayala scored 13 apiece for Maryland, which will play Marquette or USC in Sunday’s championship game at Disney World.
Bryce Aiken led Harvard (5-3) with 30 points.
NO. 9 KENTUCKY 69, UAB 58
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery each scored 16 points and combined for 17 rebounds, helping Kentucky beat UAB.
The 6-foot-11 Richards made all seven shots from the field with several slams, including the game’s opening basket that got the Wildcats (6-1) going, along with a couple of jumpers. Starting for the first time since the opener against top-ranked Michigan State, the 6-10 sophomore Montgomery posted a career high, going 7 of 13 from the field and giving Kentucky a strong post presence in its first game without injured starter Nate Sestina.
Tyreek Scott-Grayson and Jalen Benjamin each scored 19 points for the Blazers (4-2), who shot 41% as their two-game winning streak ended.
No. 10 OHIO STATE 90, MORGAN STATE 57
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Andre Wesson scored 19 points to help Ohio State rout Morgan State.
Wesson made all four of his 3-point attempts and all seven of his free throws to lead the Buckeyes (7-0). He had scored just 21 points the entire season after missing two games due to a fractured eye socket.
Kaleb Wesson added 13 and C.J. Walker 10 for the Buckeyes, who had their highest scoring effort of the season.
Morgan State (3-6), which lost its fourth straight, was led by Stanley Davis with 13 points, the only Bear to score in double figures.
CREIGHTON 83, No. 12 TEXAS TECH 76, OT
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Marcus Zegarowski scored a career-high 32 points on 12-for-18 shooting, and Creighton beat Texas Tech in overtime.
Ty-Shon Alexander had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Creighton (5-2) in the consolation game of the Las Vegas Invitational.
The Bluejays scored the first six points in overtime. Alexander made three fouls shots in the final seconds to help close it out.
Davide Moretti led Texas Tech with 23 points. Chris Clarke added 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
The Red Raiders (5-2) trailed 74-66 with 2:45 left in regulation, but forced overtime with an 8-0 run. Clarke tied with a layup with 33 seconds remaining.
NO. 13 SETON HALL 84, IOWA STATE 76
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Myles Powell scored 19 of his 24 points after halftime to help Seton Hall beat Iowa State 84-76 in the fifth-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Sandro Mamukelashvili added 18 points for the Pirates, who finally took control with a 12-2 second-half run. Powell and Mamukelashvili each hit 3-pointers during the burst, which pushed Seton Hall (6-2) to a 76-65 lead with 4:34 left in a game.
Seton Hall shot 61% for the second half and 54% for the game, which is the first of two in a row against Iowa State due to a quirk in the schedule.
Rasir Bolton scored 20 points for the Cyclones (4-3), who led by nine midway through the first half. Tyrese Haliburton added 19 points and seven assists.
No. 14 ARIZONA 92, PENN 82
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Nico Mannion scored 24 points, Chase Jeter added 19 and Arizona advanced to the championship game of the Wooden Legacy with a win over Penn.
The Wildcats (8-0) shot 58.6% from the floor but Penn (4-3) rallied in the second half by making 10 of their 13 3-pointers over the final 20 minutes.
Zeke Ninaji scored 16 points and Josh Green scored 14 for Arizona, who will face Wake Forest in Sunday’s title game. The Demon Deacons advanced with a 88-75 win over Long Beach State.
Jordan Dingle led the Quakers with 27 points and Ryan Betley added 20.
SAINT MARY’S 81, No. 15 UTAH STATE 73
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) — Jordan Ford scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half and sparked a run of 11 straight points late in the game to lead Saint Mary's to a victory over Utah State.
Ford took the game over in the second half while his teammates struggled to make shots and helped the Gaels (7-1) get their first home win over a ranked team in nearly eight years. Saint Mary's last beat a ranked team at home on Jan. 12, 2012, against No. 21 Gonzaga and hadn't beaten a top 15 team here since upsetting Oregon on Nov. 20, 2007.
Justin Bean scored a career-high 24 points and Sam Merrill added 23 to lead the Aggies (7-1), who had been off to their best start since winning their first eight games in 1961-62.
FLORIDA STATE 60, NO. 17 TENNESSEE 57
NICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Devin Vassell scored 13 points and made a key steal and pair of free throws in the final minute as Florida State upended Tennessee 60-57 in the Emerald Coast Classic.
Florida State (6-1) started hot, sprinting to a 14-2 lead. The Seminoles never trailed, although the Volunteers (5-1) twice closed the gap to three points in the final 3 minutes.
Ten players scored for Florida State, but M.J. Walker was the only other Seminole in double figures with 10 points. Lamonte Turner led the Vols with 20 points. Yves Pons added 13. Jordan Bowden had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
NICEVILLE, Florida (AP) — Eric Hunter Jr. and Jahaad Proctor each scored 12 points, including crucial free throws in the final two minutes, as Purdue upset VCU in the Emerald Coast Classic.
The win put Purdue (4-2) in the championship game Saturday against Florida State and handed VCU (6-1) its first loss. The teams traded the lead 13 times and were tied 14 times in a game not decided until a potential game-tying 3-point shot by VCU’s De’Riante Jenkins went wide with 4 second left. Hunter grabbed the rebound and it was all over.
Hunter gave the Boilermakers the lead for good 56-55 with 1:37 left by sinking two free throws. Proctor then made three out of four free throws down the stretch.
Marcus Santos-Silva led the Rams with 19 points but missed three of four free throws in the final 1:16. No other VCU players scored in double figures.
NO. 24 FLORIDA 73, MARSHALL 67
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Ques Glover scored 14 points, Keyontae Johnson added 13 and Florida rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to beat Marshall.
It was the Gators' fourth consecutive victory and first this season in which they trailed at the break.
They nearly gave it away in the final minute. Florida (6-2) had a 13-point lead with a little more than 2 minutes to play, but Marshall (2-4) hit a 3-pointer, scored off a turnover and converted a three-point play to help make it a two-point game, 69-67.
Iran Bennett led Marshall with 16 points.