Ninth-ranked Vols pull out thriller over Arkansas
Josiah- Jordan James and Victor Bailey scored 17 points apiece, and Tennessee hit eight free throws in the final minute as the No. 9 Volunteers pulled out a 7974 men’s basketball victory over visiting Arkansas on Wednesday night.
John Fulkerson scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half, and freshman Keon Johnson added 14 for the Vols (8-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference).
Fulkerson scored seven of Tennessee’s first nine points of the second half. About four minutes into the final period the Vols had erased their sevenpoint halftime deficit and tied the game at 42.
Rather than try to shoot over Arkansas’ 7-foot-3 Connor Vanover, the Vols adjusted their strategy to go at him. Not only did Fulkerson come alive, but Vanover also picked up three fouls in the first 10 minutes.
Jamie Notae had just five points in the first half for Arkansas (9-2, 1-2) but finished with 19, including a four-point play that momentarily stole the moment from Tennessee midway through the second half.
NO. 10 MICHIGAN 82, NO. 16 MINNESOTA 57 >> Freshman Hunter Dickinson scored a season- high 28 points as the Wolverines pulled away at home to remain unbeaten. The Wolverines (10- 0, 5- 0 Big Ten) had a 19-point edge in the second half after leading by just six points after the first half.
The Golden Gophers (103, 3- 3) made just 32% of their shots, and only Marcus Carr scored in double figures. Carr was held to 14 points after entering the game averaging 22-plus points.
NO. 11 HOUSTON 70, WICHITA STATE 63 >> Quentin Grimes scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half as the Cougars rallied past the Shockers. After shooting 1 of 6 from the field in the first half, Grimes was 5 of 11 in the second half, including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers.
DeJon Jarreau finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Houston (9-1, 4-1 AAC). Tyson Etienne had 25 points and eight rebounds, and Dexter Dennis scored 18 points for the Shockers (6-3, 2-1).
LOUISVILLE 73, NO. 19 VIRGINIA TECH 71 >> Carlik Jones scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half, and David Johnson added 17, and the host Cardinals (8-1, 3- 0 in ACC) overcame the Hokies scoring the game’s first 11 points. Virginia Tech (8-2, 2-1) rallied late, getting a chance for the win with the game’s final possession. But the Hokies missed a deep 3-pointer by Hunter Catoor at the buzzer.
The Cardinals won their fourth straight game and have won all six home games this season.
PITT 63, SYRACUSE 60 >> Ithiel Horton scored 14 points, Au’diese Toney made a goahead putback with eight seconds left for Pittsburgh’s first lead, and the shorthanded Panthers (6-2, 2-1
ACC) erased an 18-point deficit on the road, snapping a seven- game losing streak in the series with the Orange (6-2, 1-1).
Pitt had three players not travel to Syracuse due to COVID-related protocols. The Panthers were also without Justin Champagnie, averaging 17.8 points per game and 12.3 rebounds, because of a knee injury.
GEORGE WASHINGTON GAME POSTPONED >> A scheduled to be played in Washington was postponed after a city curfew was imposed because angry supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U. S. Capitol. The Atlantic 10 Conference game between George Washington and UMass will be rescheduled by the league, GW announced.
COVID CONCERNS
• The Atlantic Coast Conference has postponed Saturday’s Louisville- Georgia Tech men’s basketball game following positive tests and subsequent quarantining and contact tracing with the Yellow Jackets’ program. The ACC says the team has paused all athletic activities. No makeup date has been determined.
Women
ANOTHER POSTPONEMENT FOR UCONN WOMEN >> The No. 3 UConn women have had another game postponed because of coronavirus-related issues.
The Huskies, which saw their planned showdown today with No. 6 Baylor canceled after Baylor coach Kim Mulkey tested positive for COVID-19, announced Wednesday they will not play their scheduled game at Xavier on Jan. 13 because the Musketeers have announced a pause to team activities due to contact tracing.
The schools say a makeup date will be announced at a later time.
UConn’s next game is scheduled at home on Saturday against Providence. Coach Geno Auriemma is seeking his 1,098th win, which would tie him with the late Pat Summitt for second all- time, behind Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer’s 1,103.
NO. 7 ARIZONA WOMEN’S GAME POSTPONED >> Seventh-ranked Arizona’s game at Washington scheduled for Friday has been postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Huskies program.