CATS CRUISIN’
Arizona topples No. 3 UCLA behind the return of star Trier
Boosted by the return of Allonzo Trier, No. 14 Arizona showed off a potent offense to go along with its swarming defense.
Trier led a late run in the first half and finished with 12 points in his first game of the season, helping the Wildcats upend No. 3 UCLA, 96-85, on Saturday in Los Angeles.
Trier’s status was resolved Friday night after he tested negative for a performance-enhancing drug.
The sophomore from Seattle — who averaged nearly 15 points per game last season — had been practicing and traveling with the Wildcats, but the school had refused to say why he wasn’t playing.
Trier said this week that he had inadvertently taken a substance with a trace amount of PED in it. He said the NCAA wouldn’t allow him to play until his system was completely cleared of the drug.
UCLA fans chanted “steroids” at him. Trier wasn’t made available to the media afterward.
“I don’t think we win without him,” coach Sean Miller said. “It means a lot, especially for this team and his family.”
The Wildcats won their 12th in a row, putting up 21 more points than they average. Arizona (18-2, 7-0 Pac-12) has the top-rated defense in the conference.
Kobi Simmons scored 20 points and Lauri Markkanen added 18.
Lonzo Ball scored 24 points for UCLA (19-2, 6-2), which had its 11-game home winning streak snapped in front of a sellout crowd that included Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (NBA), Cris Carter (NFL) and Dave Winfield (MLB).
Villanova 78, Providence 68
In Philadelphia, Josh Hart scored 25 points, Kris Jenkins had 19 and No. 1 Villanova beat Providence.
The defending national champion Wildcats (19-1, 7-1 Big East) have won five straight since their only loss at Butler on Jan. 4 temporarily knocked them out of the No. 1 spot in The AP Top 25.
Rodney Bullock had 17 points and Jalen Lindsey added 14 for Providence (13-8, 3-5).
Kansas 79, Texas 67
In Lawrence, Kan., Devonte’ Graham scored 18 points, Frank Mason III added 17 and No. 2 Kansas beat Texas.
Gonzaga 73, Portland 52
In Spokane, Wash., Nigel Williams-Goss scored 15 points as No. 4 Gonzaga beat short-handed Portland to remain the only unbeaten team in Division I.
Przemek Karnowski added 12 points for Gonzaga (19-0, 7-0 West Coast), which has a nation’s best 19-game winning streak. It is the best start in program history.
Kentucky 85, South Carolina 69
In Lexington, Ky., Malik Monk scored 27 points, Bam Adebayo added 18 and No. 5 Kentucky overcame an ankle injury to starting guard De’Aaron Fox to beat No. 24 South Carolina and take over first place in the Southeastern Conference.
The showdown of the SEC’s lone unbeaten teams in league play featured a subplot of injuries to key players on both squads. Fox, Kentucky’s No. 2 scorer, turned his right ankle midway through the first half; he returned early in the second on crutches with his foot in a soft cast. His injury followed the pregame scratch of Gamecocks guard and No. 2 scorer P.J. Dozier with back spasms.
Marquette 102, Creighton 94
Katin Reinhardt scored 17 of his season-high 21 points in the first half, and Marquette picked up its first Big East road win with a upset of No. 7 Creighton in Omaha, Neb.
Marcus Foster scored 30 points to lead the Bluejays (18-2, 5-2), who were playing their first full game without star point guard Maurice Watson Jr., who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Monday against Xavier.
Kansas State 79, West Virginia 75
Kamau Stokes and Barry Brown each scored 13 points to help Kansas State rally to upset No. 7 West Virginia in Manhattan, Kan.
North Carolina 90, Boston College 82
In Boston, Kennedy Meeks scored 20 points with nine rebounds and Justin Jackson scored 22 points for No. 9 North Carolina to lead the Tar Heels past Boston College.
Florida State 73, Louisville 68
In Tallahassee, Fla., Jonathan Isaac and Dwayne Bacon both scored 16 points and No. 10 Florida State held off No. 12 Louisville.
Butler 70, DePaul 69 OT
In Rosemont, Ill., Kethan Savage scored 20 points and No. 13 Butler held off last-place DePaul in overtime.
Kamar Baldwin added 18 points and Kelan Martin had 12 for the Bulldogs (17-3, 6-2 Big East), who improved to 3-3 in road games after trailing at halftime for the seventh time in eight conference games.
Notre Dame 84, Syracuse 66
In South Bend, Ind., V.J. Beachem scored a careerhigh 30 points for No. 15 Notre Dame, which snapped a four-game losing streak against Syracuse. Tyler Lydon had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Syracuse (11-9, 3-4).
Duke 70, Miami 58
Matt Jones scored all 13 of his points in the second half, hitting three 3-pointers during the run of 20 consecutive points that lifted Duke over Miami in Durham, N.C.
Jayson Tatum had 14 points and Luke Kennard 11 for the Blue Devils (15-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who snapped a twogame skid with a dominant second half.