Jones scores 21 as Penn State beats Georgetown
WASHINGTON » After two blowout victories against lesser competition to start the season Penn State passed its first real test with flying colors.
Myreon Jones scored a careerhigh 21 points as Penn State led by as many as 18 in an 81-66 victory over Georgetown on Thursday night in the Gavitt Tipoff Games.
Jones scored 14 of the Nittany Lions’ first 16 points — highlighted by four 3-pointers — as Penn State jumped out early and never looked back.
Penn State (3-0) eventually took a 25-7 lead after a 3-pointer by Myles Dread, who finished with 14 points. Lamar Stevens also scored 14 points and added nine rebounds. Jones was 5 for 8 from beyond the arc.
“Coach kept telling me to keep shooting and stay aggressive,” Jones said as he scored 16 of his 21 points in the first half.
Jones finished six of 13 from the field, connecting on five 3-pointers.
Penn State coach Pat Chambers knows how crucial it will be for his team to get off to a good start with a challenging schedule still ahead that includes two Big Ten games in December and home games against Wake Forest and Alabama.
“It was important,” Chambers said about the early season nonconference victory. “To be able to go on the road and get a good win, now we know what it takes.”
Penn State shot 13 for 29 on
3-pointers while Georgetown made just 4 of 13. The Nittany Lions scored
22 points off 21 Georgetown turnovers. Penn State had nearly as many turnovers as Georgetown with 20 but the Hoyas were unable to capitalize.
“They beat us at everything,” said Georgetown coach Patrick Ewing.
An All-Big Ten performer last season, Stevens missed his first five shots and scored 10 secondhalf points.
“The fact that he didn’t have his best night and we were still up a good amount going into halftime that shows a lot about the talent that we have on this team,” Chambers said about Stevens.
(15) FLORIDA 66, TOWSON 60 » Freshman Scottie Lewis scored 15 points in his first start, and Florida (2-1) escaped with a victory over Towson (2-2).
Graduate transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. had 13 points and 13 rebounds in his third game with his new team as Florida bounced back from a dispiriting home loss to Florida State. Andrew Nembhard had 11 points and nine assists for the Gators.
(19) ARIZONA 87, SAN JOSE STATE 39 » Zeke Nnaji scored 26 points, made all eight of his shots and grabbed
11 rebounds, helping Arizona (3-0) trounce San Jose State (1-2).
Arizona dominated a third straight opponent to open the season, shutting down the Spartans defensively from the opening tip.
The Wildcats held San Jose State to 23% shooting, including 2 for 18 from 3-point range, and used a big run to build a 21-point halftime lead.
Wiseman withdraws suit, Memphis works on eligibility
Freshman James Wiseman has withdrawn his lawsuit against the NCAA and Memphis, and the university has declared him ineligible while officials work to resolve the case.
“The University supports the decision, as it believes it is in James’ and the men’s basketball team’s best interests to resolve his eligibility issue expeditiously through the NCAA process,” Memphis said in a statement.
The freshman’s attorneys announced on Twitter that Wiseman withdrew his lawsuit Thursday morning saying the legal action was not helping the two sides reach a resolution.
Memphis officials say they are immediately applying for Wiseman to be reinstated. Until then, Wiseman will be held out of games but can practice with the No. 13 Tigers (2-1).