Kentucky pulls away for win over Ole Miss
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kevin Knox had 22 points and Quade Green added 18, including eight during a 15-5 second-half run that helped No. 23 Kentucky pull away from Mississippi for a 96-78 victory Wednesday night.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 17 points, Wenyen Gabriel 15 and PJ Washington 10 as the Wildcats (21-9, 10-7 Southeastern Conference) won their fourth consecutive game and home finale, the first without departing seniors under coach John Calipari. Green had two 3-pointers and a layup during the run that provided an 8269 lead with 6:40 remaining.
Kentucky shot 56 percent after halftime and 50 percent overall in a game that was chippy at times, resulting in five technical foul calls and the quick ejection of Ole Miss senior forward Marcanvis Hymon after just 3 1/2 minutes.
Terence Davis had 26 points and Breein Tyree and Bruce Stevens 13 each for the Rebels (12-18, 5-12), who lost for the ninth time in 11 games.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina coach Frank Martin needed talent after losing three of his best players from last year’s Final Four team. He turned to two graduate transfers mostly riding the bench at leagues far away from the Southeastern Conference.
And while a return to the NCAA Tournament isn’t likely, Frank Booker and Wesley Myers combined for 48 points to lead the Gamecocks (16-14, 7-10 Southeastern Conference) to a overtime win over LSU.
“Those two guys, I wish I could coach them a little longer. They accept challenges. They don’t mope. They don’t cry,” Martin said after the game, a few hours after he hugged their parents on senior night.
It was a typical South Carolina win with wild swings.
The Gamecocks led 62-47 with 8:08 to go. But LSU (16-13, 7-10) finished regulation on a 25-10 run and Tremont Waters’ 3-pointer with 3.7 seconds left over 6-foot-10 Maik Kotsar sent the game to overtime tied at 72 and South Carolina’s main force inside, Chris Silva, on the bench with five fouls.
“You certainly feel good with Silva out and us having a little bit of momentum crawling back from 15 down,” Tigers coach Will Wade said.
On the other bench, Booker was heartbroken. He dribbled the ball into a double team and fell out of bounds with 11.4 seconds left giving the Tigers the chance to tie.
“It was one of those moments — dang, I thought I might have lost this one for us. But my teammates — the best teammates I’ve ever had — made sure I didn’t do anything else dumb,” Booker said.
LSU was confused on defense to start the overtime, Wade said.
South Carolina scored the first nine points of the extra period and LSU had two shots blocked, two turnovers and missed two free throws, a 3-pointer and a layup in their opening seven possessions of overtime.
Booker, who transferred from Florida Atlantic, had 25 points and Myers, who came from Maine, added 23, the most they have combined to score in any game this season.
“Wes had been asked to step away from the team and Book was barely getting in the game at Florida Atlantic,” Martin said. “And now they both play an SEC game with 25 and 23 to finish their senior seasons.”