Connecticut finds answer for Syracuse

Jalen Adams and Alterique Gilbert scored 16 points each to lead Connecticut to a 83-76 upset of No. 15 Syracuse in the first game of the 2K Classic Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

In its first season under Dan Hurley, Connecticut improved to 3-0. The Huskies took the 95th alltime meeting between the schools, and are 39-56 against Syracuse.

Tarin Smith added 14 for the Huskies. Eric Cobb finished with 13, and Christian Vital had 11.

Syracuse dropped to 2-1 with its first loss of the season.

Jalen Carey led all scorers with 26. Tyus Battle had 16 points, and Elijah Hughes chipped in with 15.

Leading by four with 3 minutes, 38 seconds left, UConn outscored Syracuse 13-10 to end the game.

Hokies hold on: Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 21 points for No. 16 Virginia Tech, which opened the Charleston Classic with a 73-64 victory over Ball State in Charleston, S.C.

The Hokies (2-0) watched a 16-point lead slip to 49-44 midway through the second half before going on a 14-4 run to take control.

Virginia Tech will play Northeastern, a 68-52 winner against Alabama, in Friday’s semifinals. It was Northeastern’s first victory against an SEC opponent in six tries.

Purdue

rolls:

Carsen

Edwards

had 25 points, 17 in the first half, as No. 23 Purdue powered past Appalachian State 92-70 at the Charleston Classic. The Boilermakers improved to 3-0. They took a 46-32 lead by halftime and gradually grew the lead to 26 down the stretch. BASEBALL: Red Sox OF Mookie Betts and Brewers OF Christian Yelich were runaway winners of the MVP awards. Betts received 28 of 30 first-place votes to win the AL award, while Yelich received 29 first-place votes to win the NL award. Betts, 26, hit a major league-leading .346 with 32 HRs, 80 RBIs and 30 stolen bases as the leadoff hitter for the Red Sox, who won a teamrecord 108 games and the World Series . ... Sosuke Genda drove in three runs with a bases-clearing triple in the second inning as Japan beat the MLB All-Stars 4-1 in Nagoya, Japan, in the finale of their exhibition series. Japan won five of six games.

GOLF: shot an

Charles Howell opening-round 8under 64 to take a twoshot lead at the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Ga . ... Jordan Smith and Adrian Otaegui each shot an opening-round 6under 66 to take a share of a one-stroke lead at the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates . ... Amy Olson shot an opening-round 9-under 63 to take a one-shot lead over Brittany Lincicome and Nasa Hataoka at the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla.

TENNIS: No. 2 seed Roger Federer advanced to the last four of the ATP Finals for a record-extending 15th time with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 4 seed Kevin Anderson in London.

— From news services