Davis’ 30 points guide No. 14 UNC past No. 20 Arkansas
RJ Davis matched his career-high with 30 points, Harrison Ingram had 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and No. 14 North Carolina (5-1) beat No. 20 Arkansas 87-72 in the thirdplace game of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Paradise Island.
Arkansas’ leading scorer, Tramon Mark, took a hard fall on an off-balance layup and stayed on the Bahamian resort ballroom’s floor for several minutes before being lifted onto a stretcher with 1:12 remaining. Mark, who scored a career-high 34 points for the Razorbacks (4-3), and Davis joined Villanova’s Eric Dixon (34) and Memphis’ David Jones (36) as 30-point scorers in the tournament.
More ACC No. 9 Duke 80, Southern Indiana 62:
The Blue Devils (5-1) stunningly trailed 35-31 at halftime against the Screaming Eagles (1-6) but quickly took control in the second half.
Kyle Filipowski had 21 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks and three assists for the Blue Devils, and Jeremy Roach had 18 points. Tyrese Proctor had 11 points and seven assists.
Pittsburgh 76, Oregon State 51:
Zack Austin had 19 points and eight rebounds, Blake Hinson added 17 points, and the Panthers (5-1) defeated the Beavers (3-3) to take third place at the NIT Season Tip-Off in New York.
Hinson, who entered tied for second in the ACC with 19.6 points per game, has scored 17 or more points and made three or more 3-pointers in each of the past five contests.
Wake Forest 71, Charleston Southern 56:
Cameron Hildreth scored 21 points, 16 in the second half, for the host Demon Deacons (3-3) against the Buccaneers (2-4).
The Deacons went on a 15-2 run early in the second half, with 11 points coming from the free-throw line, to turn a 39-32 deficit into a 47-41 lead with 8:58 remaining.
No. 5 Connecticut 90, Manhattan 60:
Tristen Newton recorded his third career triple-double as the Huskies (6-0) won their 23rd consecutive nonconference game. Newton finished with 15 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, receiving a huge ovation from the crowd in Hartford when he pulled down his 10th board in the second half.
Cam Spencer hit all four of his shots from 3-point range and finished with 18 points for UConn. Freshman Seydou Traore scored 13 points to lead Manhattan (3-2).
No. 6 Houston 79, Montana 44:
L.J. Cryer scored a season-high 24 points, J’Wan Roberts added 13 and the host Cougars (7-0) beat the Grizzlies. Cryer finished 9 of 16, including 5 of 12 on 3-pointers. Money Williams led Montana with 15 points.
No. 19 Florida Atlantic 96, No. 12 Texas A&M 89:
Johnell Davis scored 26 points, Alijah Martin added 25 and the Owls won a semifinal at the ESPN Events Invitational near Orlando, Florida.
FAU went 16 of 30 from 3-point range and improved to 4-1. Wade Taylor IV had 35 points for A&M (5-1). Texas A&M played the second half without Richmond native Henry Coleman III, who was hurt with three minutes left in the opening half and limped off the court. The forward led coach Buzz Williams’ Aggies with 24 points in a 89-77 win over Butler on Thursday.
No. 25 Mississippi State 74, Nicholls 61:
Freshman Josh Hubbard scored 15 points and Cameron Matthews had 12 points and seven rebounds in a home win for the Bulldogs (6-0). Nicholls was led by Jamal West Jr., who finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.
Nation Butler 88, Penn State 78:
Despite 28 points by former Princess Anne High star Kanye Clary, the Nittany Lions (4-2) lost to the Bulldogs (4-2) in a consolation game at the ESPN Events
Invitational. Pierre Brooks scored a career-high 26 points and Jahmyl Telfort added 18 for Butler.
Penn State trailed the entire second half but pulled within 64-61 on a Clary jumper with 7:57 to play. Brooks answered a pair of 3s to bookend an 11-3 surge to help the Bulldogs pull away.
State Longwood 84, Delaware State 82, 2 OTs:
Michael Christmas, a former Landstown High and James Madison player, led the Lancers (4-1) with 17 points as they won a thriller over the Hornets (1-5) in Farmville.
A Christmas jump shot tied the score at 74, and his two free throws with 2:51 remaining gave the Lancers the lead for good, 76-74.
Longwood erased a 68-61 deficit and a 72-68 deficit with 10 seconds left in the first overtime. After two Johnathan Massie free throws made it 72-70, DSU committed a turnover and Walyn Napper sank a tying jumper with two seconds to go.
Martaz Robinson led DSU with 24 points.
Late Thursday Memphis 84, No. 20 Arkansas 79:
David Jones had a career-high 36 points and five steals for the Tigers at the Battle 4 Atlantis. Khalif Battle scored 21 points for Arkansas.
No. 23 Southern California 71, Seton Hall 63:
Boogie Ellis scored 22 points and Joshua Morgan blocked a school-record 10 shots for USC (4-1), which blew most of a 20-point lead before beating the Pirates (4-1) at the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego. Kadary Richmond scored 18 for Seton Hall (4-1).
N.C. State 84, Vanderbilt 78:
Dennis Parker Jr., a freshman from Richmond powerhouse John Marshall High, and Jayden Taylor finished with 18 points apiece in the Vegas Showdown’s first round. Parker added two assists and blocked two shots. Tyrin Lawrence had 21 points, seven rebounds and four steals for the Commodores (3-2).