Top-ranked Kentucky rolls, improves to 5-0
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Malik Monk scored 23 points and De’Aaron Fox added 16 to propel No. 1 Kentucky to a 101-70 rout of Cleveland State on Wednesday.
With leading scorer Isaiah Briscoe sidelined by a back injury, the freshman duo picked up the slack and did it quickly, helping Kentucky (5-0) roll to a 16-2 lead that was never threatened. They combined for 31 first-half points, with 19 from Monk, whose 4-for-4 start from long range and 8-of-12 shooting overall helped him match his career scoring best.
Bam Adebayo added 14 points and seven rebounds while Mychal Mulder matched a career high with 13 points for Kentucky, which shot a season-best 52 percent from the field.
Rob Edwards’ 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting led Cleveland State (1-3), which couldn’t keep up with the Wildcats on either end and trailed 56-35 at halftime.
• No. 2 Villanova 63, College of Charleston 47 — At Villanova, Pa.: Josh Hart had 13 points and 11 rebounds and Kris Jenkins scored 11 points for Villanova.
Mikal Bridges and Eric Paschall added eight points apiece for the Wildcats, who improved to 6-0 a season after winning the national championship.
• No. 6 DukE 88, William & Mary 67 — At Durham, N.C.: Freshman Frank Jackson scored 19 points to lead Duke.
Grayson Allen added 17 points to help the Blue Devils (5-1) win their third straight since their loss to No. 5 Kansas last week. Duke shot 50 percent and outrebounded the Tribe 39-25.
• No. 13 Oregon 79, UConn 69 — At Lahaina, Hawaii: Chris Boucher scored 21 points and Tyler Dorsey added 19 as Oregon took fifth place in the Maui Invitational.
Oregon (4-2) lost its opener to Georgetown, but bounced back with an overtime victory over Tennessee. The Ducks wanted to get off to a fast start in their Maui finale and did just that, racing to a 15-point lead in the opening 4 1/2 minutes.
• No. 17 Purdue 96, Auburn 71 — At Cancun, Mexico: Carsen Edwards broke out of his shooting slump with 21 points and Purdue shot 17 of 26 from 3-point range to capture the Cancun Challenge title.
P.J. Thompson and Vincent Edwards each added 15 points for the Boilermakers (4-1), who had six players score in double figures in their third straight win since falling to national champion Villanova.
• No. 20 Baylor 71, VCU 63 — At Paradise Island, Bahamas: Al Freeman scored 15 points and came up with three baskets during a critical second-half sequence to help Baylor in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
• No. 24 Michigan St. 73, St. John’s 62 — At Paradise Island, Bahamas: Freshman Miles Bridges had 22 points and a season-high 15 rebounds to help Michigan State pull away late in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
• South Carolina 61, No. 25 Michigan 46 — At Columbia, S.C.: Sindarius Thornwell had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead South Carolina past cold-shooting Michigan.
Women
• No. 13 Oklahoma 74, South Dakota State 60 — At Norman, Okla.: Peyton Little scored 17 points to lead No. 13 Oklahoma to victory over South Dakota State on Wednesday night.
• No. 14 Texas 86, Northwestern St. 39 — At Austin, Texas: Lashann Higgs scored 14 points and Kelsey Lang and Joyner Holmes each added 12 for Texas.
• No. 19 west Virginia 79, East Carolina 47 — At Savannah, Ga.: Teana Muldrow had season highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds as West Virginia won in the Savannah Invitational for the undefeated Mountaineers’ sixth straight victory.
• No. 20 Kentucky 74, Morehead St. 47 — At Lexington, Ky.: Taylor Murray had 18 points and eight rebounds and Makayla Epps added 18 points and nine assists for Kentucky, which held Morehead State without a field goal for more than 15 minutes.