TEXAS TECH TAKES DOWN OKLAHOMA
» Terrence LUBBOCK, TEXAS Shannon Jr. scored 15 points, including four free throws in the final 39 seconds, and No. 13 Texas Tech beat ninth-ranked Oklahoma 57-52 on Monday night, ending a fivegame winning streak by the short-handed Sooners that included three in a row over Top-10 teams.
Texas Tech (13-5, 5-4 Big 12) had its largest lead at 50-40 when Kevin McCullar made a 3-pointer and then assisted on a 3-pointer by Shannon with 3:21 left. McCullar’s made 3 came after Mac McClung nearly had a turnover, but recovered past midcourt and then passed to McCullar in the right corner in front of the Red Raiders bench.
But Oklahoma (11-5, 6-4), which had missed 13 of its previous 15 shots, responded with seven points in a row, including Umoja Gibson stealing a ball from McCullar and then making a 3-pointer with 2:18 left. Gibson, who led the Sooners with 14 points, made another 3 with 1:01 left to get within 52-50 before Shannon converted at the line.
Oklahoma was without starting guards Austin Reaves and Alondes Williams because of COVID19 protocols, after both also missed Saturday’s 66-61 win at then-No. 9 Alabama in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Reaves was fifth in the Big 12 at 15.8 points a game, and third with 5.1 assists.
The Sooners moved up 15 spots, two weeks after not even getting a single vote, in the new AP Top 25 poll released earlier Monday. Their quick rise came after being only the third team in NCAA history to beat Top 10 teams in three consecutive games.
McCullar finished with 13 points for Texas Tech. McClung, who was averaging a Big 12-best 21 points in conference games, was held to six points — all on free throws, while going 0-for-7 shooting and 0for-5 on 3s.
De’Vion Harmon had 12 points for Oklahoma, and Brady Manek scored 11.
NO. 25 DRAKE 95, ILLINOIS STATE 60.
DES MOINES, IOWA » Tremell Murphy scored a careerhigh 30 points and No. 25 Drake rolled past Illinois State in the Bulldogs’ first game as a ranked team in nearly 13 years.
ShanQuan Hemphill had 18 points for the Bulldogs (17-0, 8-0 Missouri Valley Conference), who improved to 37-4 in the Knapp Center under coach Darian DeVries.
Antonio Reeves led Illinois State (5-12, 2-9) with 20 points.
The Bulldogs had little trouble with the Redbirds after struggling to a 78-76 overtime win in Sunday’s series opener. Reeves had 27 points in the first meeting. Murphy finished 6 of 10 from 3-point range as Drake easily exceeded its average of 82.2 points per game.
MIAMI 77, DUKE 75.
CORAL GABLES, FL A . » Elijah Olaniyi scored 21 points, Anthony Walker and Isaiah Wong added 16 points apiece and short-handed Miami overcame shaky foul shooting down the stretch to defeat Duke, ending a four-game losing streak.
The Hurricanes, whose previous three games with the Blue Devils were losses by at least 30 points, made this one difficult by missing 4 of 8 free throws, including the front end of two 1-and-1 opportunities, in the final 75 seconds.