Shockers earn 16th straight victory

Wichita State’s high-flying offense didn’t get off the ground until the closing minutes, when the Shockers played like the more tournament-experienced team and pulled away to a 64-58 victory over Dayton in the first round of the NCAA tournament Friday night in Indianapolis.

The 10th-seeded Shockers (31-4) won their 16th in a row — the second-longest streak in school history — by clamping down on defense and swatting away shots down the stretch. Wichita State blocked eight shots and held the seventh-seeded Flyers (24-8) to a season-low 31% from the field.

Kentucky 79, Northern Kentucky 70: Bam Adebayo had 15 points and 18 rebounds as the Wildcats showed the new kids on their block how it’s done at NCAA tournament time, gritting out a victory over the stubborn Norse at Indianapolis.

Second-seeded Kentucky (30-5) won its 12th straight and got its firstgame jitters out of the way.

North Carolina 103, Texas Southern 64: Justin Jackson broke out of a shooting slump with 21 points to help the topseeded Tar Heels roll past the Tigers in the first round at Greenville, S.C.

The Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year had made only 20 of 60 shots (33%) and seven of 31 threepointers (23%) in his last four games. But he had 19 points by halftime in this one.

Arkansas 77, Seton Hall 71: Jaylen Barford hit the goahead layup with 57.8 seconds left to help the eighthseeded Razorbacks hold off the Pirates in the first round at Greenville.

Cincinnati 75, Kansas State 61: Troy Caupain scored 23 points, Kyle Washington added 16 and the defensive-minded Bearcats shot past the Wildcats.