St. Mary’s can’t hold off Wisconsin in Vegas final

St. Mary’s, looking for its first 7-0 start since its 2013-14 squad opened with nine wins, got off to a good start Wednesday against Wisconsin in the championship game of the Maui Invitational in Las Vegas.

Unfortunately for the Gaels, their six-point halftime lead — which grew to 10 early in the second half — didn’t hold up as they fell to the Badgers 61-55 at the former Mandalay Bay Events Center.

St. Mary’s (6-1), which beat Notre Dame and Oregon to reach the title game, shot 52% in the first half against Wisconsin (5-1) as it staked itself to the lead. But the Gaels cooled to 32% from the field after intermission and fell behind for good when Johnny Davis, who scored 20 points, hit a 3-pointer with 5:12 remaining.

Alex Ducas scored 13 points, Logan Johnson added 12 and Dan Fotu 11 for St. Mary’s.

#21 Seton Hall 62, Cal 59:

Jared Rhoden scored 21 points as the Pirates (4-1) beat the Bears (2-4) in the third-place game of the Fort Myers (Fla.) Tip-Off.

Andre Kelly had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Grant Anticevich scored 15 points for the Bears.

#6 Baylor 75, Arizona St. 63: LJ Cryer scored 15 points to lead five Bears in double figures as Baylor (5-0) beat the Sun Devils (2-3) in a firstround game in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in Paradise Island, Bahamas.

#12 Houston 78, Oregon 49:

Fabian White Jr. scored 15 points, Marcus Sasser added 14 and the Cougars (5-1) beat the Ducks (3-3) in the Maui Invitational third-place game. Eric Williams Jr. had 13 points to lead Oregon.

#22 UConn 115, #19 Auburn 109:

Adama Sanogo scored 30 points and the Huskies (5-0) outlasted the Tigers (4-1) in two overtimes in a first-round game in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

K.D. Johnson scored 27 points for Auburn.

#20 Michigan 65, Tarleton 54: Eli Brooks scored 15 points to lead the host Wolverines (4-2) past the Texans (1-5).

Iowa State, 82, #25 Xavier 70: Izaiah Brockington’s 27 points led the Cyclones (5-0) past the Musketeers (4-1) in the NIT Season Tip-Off in New York.

Nevada 81, Washington 62: Grant Sherfield scored 23 points as the Wolf Pack (3-4) beat the Huskies (4-3) in the Crossover Classic in Sioux Falls, S.D.