FAU rolls over FIU in C-USA matchup

Michael Forrest had a season-high 27 points as host Florida Atlantic easily beat Florida International 107-63 on Saturday.

It was the most lopsided game in the series as the Owl hit 100 points for the fourth time this season, the most times ever in one season.

Everett Winchester had 12 points and 14 rebounds for Florida Atlantic (7-6,

2-2 Conference USA), which earned its fourth consecutive home victory. B.J. Greenlee and Everett Winchester added 12 points each. Nicholas Boyd had 11 points.

Antonio Daye, Jr. had 21 points for the Panthers (8-6, 2-4).

Florida Atlantic defeated Florida International 81-79 on Thursday to start this home-and-home series.

Florida State 82,

North Carolina 75: M.J. Walker scored 20 points, Raiquan Gray added a career-high 19 and FSU beat North Carolina for the Seminoles’ 20th consecutive home conference victory.

Walker, who made 4 of 5 shots from the arc, missed three minutes of the second half after turning an ankle but returned to hit his final three-pointer with 11 1⁄ minutes left to give

2 the Seminoles (7-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) a 10-point lead.

The Tar Heels (8-5, 3-3) were within a point with just over two minutes remaining but missed their next three shots and had a turnover while Gray converted a three-point play and two free throws and the Seminoles went up seven with 16 seconds remaining.

RayQuan Evans, Balsa Koprivica and Malik Osborne added 10 points each for the Seminoles, who were 8 of 16 on threepoint attempts and made 26 of 27 free throws. The Seminoles were without third-leading scorer Scottie Barnes, who turned his ankle in Wednesday’s win over North Carolina State.

The Tar Heels had a three-game win streak snapped.

Mississippi State 72, Florida 69: Tolu Smith scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the host Bulldogs over the Gators.

The 6-foot-10 Smith was 11-of-13 shooting and posted his fifth double-double this season. His 6-11 frontline partner Abdul Abu added 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting with nine rebounds. Mississippi State (9-5, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) dominated the paint.

Iverson Molinar added 13 points — he has scored in double figures in all 11 games he has played — and D.J. Stewart Jr. had 11 for the Bulldogs, who made only 1 of 8 three-pointers and 13 of 24 free throws. But their inside scoring and 47-26 rebounding advantage made the difference.

Tyree Appleby made all 11 of his free throws and scored 20 points for the Gators with Colin Castleton adding 16 points and six blocks after blocking seven in his previous game. He is the first SEC player with six-plus blocked shots in consecutive games since LSU’s Jordan Mickey in the 2014-2015 season.

Mann scored 14 points for the Gators (6-4, 3-3), who were missing starter Scottie Lewis (11 ppg) for the second straight game because of safety protocols.

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