Texas State cruises in Johnson’s coaching debut
SAN MARCOS — Isiah Small posted 17 points and eight rebounds and Texas State gave new coach Terrence Johnson an easy victory in the season opener, topping Division III Mary Hardin-baylor 98-59 on Wednesday night.
Johnson was elevated to interim head coach after Danny Kaspar resigned Sept. 22 while under investigation for allegations that he directed racist taunts at Black players. He denied the charges in his resignation letter.
Mason Harrell added 15 points for the Bobcats.
Carson Hammond had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Crusaders.
TEXAS TECH101 NORTHWESTERN STATE 58
Mac Mcclung scored 20 points in his debut for the No. 14 Red Raiders and fellow transfer Marcus Santos-silva had 10 points and 12 rebounds in a victory at Lubbock.
Freshman Micah Peavy scored 14 points, including the opening basket of a game in which Tech never trailed. The Red Raiders had runs of 17-5 and 15-4 in the first half.
Mcclung was Georgetown’s leading scorer last season, when the 6-2 guard missed 11 games because of a right foot injury.
Graduate transfer SantosSilva, a 6-7 forward who started all 64 games for VCU the past two seasons, was tabbed the Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year.
TCU 69, HOUSTON BAPTIST 45
Freshman Mike Miles scored
13 points and Chuck O’bannon had 11 points, nine rebounds and two steals to help the Horned Frogs beat the Huskies at Fort Worth.
HOUSTON 89, LAMAR 45
Marcus Sasser shot 7 of 9 on 3-pointers while scoring 25 points, and freshman Tramon Mark added 22 points and eight rebounds as the No. 17 Cougars rolled at home.
VILLANOVA 76 BOSTON COLLEGE 67
Jeremiah Robinson-earl had 18 points and 10 rebounds as the No. 3 Wildcats overcame a ninepoint second-half deficit to beat the Eagles in the first round of the Empire Classic at Uncasville, Conn.
Collin Gillespie added 15 points and Justin Moore and Caleb Daniels each had 14 for the Wildcats, who will play Arizona State in the tournament championship game Thursday.
VIRGINIA 89, TOWSON 54
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points a day after learning he was cleared to play and fellow transfer Sam Hauser added 19 points as the No. 4 Cavaliers won at Uncasville, Conn.
Murphy, a transfer from Rice, learned on Tuesday he’d received a waiver from the NCAA to play this season. He and Hauser, who played three seasons at Marquette, combined to go 14 of 18 from the field.
IOWA 97 NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL 67
Luka Garza had 26 points and 10 rebounds and the No. 5 Hawkeyes opened the season with a home victory. Garza, the lone unanimous selection on the preseason AP All-america team, had his 17th consecutive game of 20 points or more.
WISCONSIN 77 EASTERN ILLINOIS 67
Nate Reuvers had 18 points and nine rebounds to lead the No. 7 Badgers past the Panthers at Madison, Wis.
ILLINOIS 122 NORTH CAROLINA A&T 60
Ayo Dosunmu scored a careerhigh 28 points, freshman Adam Miller also scored 28 and the No. 8 Illini beat the Aggies at Champaign, Ill.
KENTUCKY 81 MOREHEAD STATE 45
Brandon Boston Jr. had 15 points, Devin Askew and Terrence Clarke each added 12 points and the No. 10 Wildcats cruised at Lexington, Ky.
MICHIGAN STATE 83 EASTERN MICHIGAN 67
Foster Loyer made a careerhigh six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 20 points to lead the No. 13 Spartans to a home win.