Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Jayhawks hold off Spartans in opener
MEN’S BASKETBALL NO. 1 KANSAS 92, NO. 10 MICHIGAN STATE 87
INDIANAPOLIS — Quentin Grimes scored 21 points in his college debut and Dedric Lawson added 20 points and 14 rebounds to lead No. 1 Kansas past No. 10 Michigan State in the season-opening Champions Classic on Tuesday.
The Jayhawks won their third straight in one of college basketball’s premier events.
Michigan State was led by Joshua Langford with 18 points and Kenny Goins with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Spartans are now 4-21 all-time against No. 1 teams.
The game pitted two power-conference preseason favorites against each other, and the finish was every bit as intriguing as expected.
After Kansas was in control for most of the game, the Spartans frantically trimmed a 10-point deficit to 90-87 with 34 seconds left. They had a chance to make it a two-point game when Devon Dotson missed the second of two free throws with 15 seconds left.
But Cassius Winston missed a layup for Michigan State, Kansas grabbed the rebound and Grimes sealed it by making 1 of 2 free throws.
It sure didn’t look like it would be so close after Kansas withstood Michigan State’s early 3-point flurry.
The Jayhawks went on a 13-3 run midway through the first half to turn an 18-16 lead into a 30-17 advantage, extended the lead to 44-27 and never let the Spartans get closer than seven until the final minutes.
In other Top 25 games Saturday, Ty Jerome scored 20 points and De’Andre Hunter had 13 and 10 rebounds Tuesday night as No. 5 Virginia beat
Towson 73-42. ... Luke Maye had 24 points, Cameron Johnson provided a huge spark in the second half, and No. 8 North Carolina avenged an upset loss to Wofford last year with a 78-67 victory. ... Eric Paschall scored 26 points, Phil Booth had 17 and No. 9 Villanova opened its national championship defense with a 100-77 win over Morgan
State. ... Jordan Bone scored 18 points and Kyle Alexander added 16 as No. 6
Tennessee opened the season with an 86-41 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne. ... Carsen Edwards scored 30 points and made seven 3-pointers as No. 24 Purdue opened its season with a 90-57 victory over Fairfield. ... Marcquise Reed had 20 points and a career-high 13 rebounds as No. 22 Clemson beat The Citadel 10080 and reached 100 points for the first time in nine years. ... Oshae Brissett had 20 points and eight rebounds, No. 16
Syracuse held Eastern Washington to 22 percent shooting, and the Orange overpowered the Eagles 66-34. ...
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NO. 4 BAYLOR 100, NICHOLLS STATE 39
WACO, Texas — Preseason AP All-America post Kalani Brown scored the first four points for fourth-ranked Baylor, which opened the season by scoring the first 24 points and had seven players in double figures on the way to a victory over Nicholls State.
Brown finished with 13 points, matching Moon Ursin for the team high. The 6-foot-7 Brown also had four rebounds while playing only 18 minutes. All 11 players who saw action for the Big 12 champion Lady Bears scored multiple points and had at least one rebound.
Cassidy Barrios had 20 points and nine rebounds for Nicholls State. The senior guard was the leading scorer last season at 17.3 points a game for the Colonels, who were an NCAA Tournament team after winning the Southland Conference tournament. Their season ended with a loss to No. 1 seed Mississippi State.
DiDi Richards set a career-high with 12 points for Baylor, and freshman Caitlin Bickle also had 12. Newcomers Chloe Jackson, NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo all had 10 points.
Lauren Cox, the 6-4 junior who with Brown makes up maybe the best post combo in the nation, had nine points, seven rebounds and a gamehigh six assists in 19 minutes.
In other Top 25 games Saturday, Kiara Lewis and McDonald’s All-American Emily Engstler each scored 13 points and No. 18 Syracuse beat North Dakota 85-49. ... Natisha Hiedeman made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points, reigning Big East player of the year Allazia Blockton scored 15 of her 19 points in the second half and No. 19 Marquette beat South
Dakota State 91-52. ... Kiara Lewis and McDonald’s All-American Emily Engstler each scored 13 points and No. 18 Syracuse beat North Dakota 85-49. ... Sarah Mortensen scored 24 points, leading a 3-point barrage by making 8 of 9, and No. 25 Miami opened the season with a 94-43 win over cross-town rival Florida
International. ... Freshmen Beatriz Jordao had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Sydni Harvey scored 16, leading No. 22
South Florida to a 71-47 romp over Ohio
State. ... Asia Durr scored 33 points to help No. 5 Louisville beat Western Kentucky 102-80 and get coach Jeff Walz his 300th career win. Teaira McCowan scored 24 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked seven shots to lead No. 6
Mississippi State over Southeast Missouri 88-53. ...