Epps carries Kentucky past Missouri
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Makayla Epps scored 17 points, Evelyn Akhator had 14 and No. 24 Kentucky held off a late charge by Missouri for a 64- 62 victory.
The Wildcats ( 10- 5, 1- 1 SEC) led by 16 after Akhator’s threepoint play with 8: 01 to go but wouldn’t score again until her free throw at the 2: 13 mark to make it 59- 48. After another free throw, Missouri’s Sierra Michaelis hit two three- pointers in an 8- 0 run in 24 seconds to cut it to 60- 56.
Akhator’s three- point play at 1: 07 pushed the lead back to seven before a pair of baskets after turnovers made it a threepoint game.
The Wildcats had nine turnovers but committed five in the fourth quarter when they were 3 of 12 from the field and 7 of 13 from the foul line.
Michaelis finished with 22 points and Cunningham had 16 for Missouri ( 11- 5, 1- 1).
In other games involving Top 25/ SEC women’s teams Thursday, Kaela Davis scored all 21 of her points in the first half to assist No. 5 South Carolina ( 12- 1, 2- 0 SEC) in its 73- 47 victory over Auburn ( 11- 5, 1- 1). … Imani Wright scored 22 points to help No. 6 Florida State ( 142, 2- 1 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat North Carolina 90- 77 ( 11- 4, 0- 2). … Arike Ogunbowale scored 22 points to help the struggling offense of No. 7 Notre Dame ( 14- 2, 2- 1 ACC) come to life in a 92- 72 victory over Wake Forest ( 9- 5, 0- 1). … Myisha Hines- Allen had career highs of 31 points and 17 rebounds and scored four points in overtime, lifting No. 8 Louisville ( 14- 3, 2- 1 ACC) to an 86- 81 victory against Virginia ( 11- 4, 0- 2). … Lexie Brown scored 25 points, Rebecca Greenwell added 17 and No. 13 Duke ( 14- 1, 2- 0 ACC) defeated Georgia Tech ( 11- 4, 0- 2) 75- 68 for its 10th consecutive victory. … Keyona Hayes had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Adrienne Motley had 16 points to eclipse 1,600 for her career and No. 14 Miami ( 13- 2, 2- 1 ACC) held off North Carolina State ( 12- 4, 2- 1) 67- 64.
TOP 25 MEN NO. 20 PURDUE 76, OHIO STATE 75
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Caleb Swanigan hit a free throw with 5 seconds left and No. 20 Purdue held off an Ohio State comeback to win 76- 75 on Thursday night.
Ohio State’s Trevor Thompson tied the score at 75 with a layup with 15 seconds left but missed a subsequent free throw. Swanigan was fouled on the other end and hit his first free throw and missed the second. Micah Potter grabbed the rebound and got it to JaQuan Lyle but his three- point try at the buzzer was off the mark.
Swanigan and Vincent Edwards paced with Boilermakers ( 13- 3, 2- 1 Big Ten) with 16 points apiece, and Dakota Mathias added 14.
Jae’Sean Tate scored 17 points for Ohio State ( 10- 5, 0- 2).
SOUTHLAND MEN UCA 81, ABILENE CHRISTIAN 76
Mathieu Kamba was nearly perfect in helping Central Arkansas on Thursday to its second Southland Conference victory.
Kamba had a career- high 28 points on 9- of- 10 shooting from the field and 8 of 10 from the free- throw line as the Bears beat Abilene Christian 81- 76 on Thursday night in Abilene Christian.
The Bears ( 3- 13, 2- 1 Southland) led by as much as 55- 43 just over six minutes into the second half, but the Wildcats used a 17- 7 run over six minutes to get within 62- 60 after a Payten Ricks three- pointer. But UCA got a free throw from Kamba, then a three- pointer by Derreck Brooks, to make it 66- 60. Howard’s jumper with 3: 06 left made it 72- 62.
The Bears finished off their second Southland victory for their best threegame conference start since joining the league in 2006.
Kamba also made the only two three- pointers he attempted and had eight rebounds. Jordan Howard also had 28 points for the Bears on 9- of- 16 shooting and 7 of 8 free- throw shooting. UCA shot 50 percent ( 28 of 56) as a team while making 8 of 23 threes and 17 of 22 from the free- throw line. Tanner Schmit had eight points and 10 rebounds.
Abilene Christian ( 6- 7, 1- 2) shot 48.3 percent but just 7 of 20 from the freethrow line.
Jalone Friday had 17 points, while Isaiah Tripp had 16. Jaylen Franklin ( Little Rock Parkview) had 12 points.