Butler knocks off top-ranked Villanova
INDIANAPOLIS » Kelan Martin scored 24 points and Paul Jorgensen had a career-high 23 to help Butler upset No. 1 Villanova 101-93 on Saturday.
It’s the second straight year the Bulldogs (12-3, 2-0 Big East) have ended Villanova’s perfect start.
Jalen Brunson had 31 points and Mikal Bridges finished with 21 to help Villanova (13-1, 1-1) cut a 23-point deficit to six with 1:33 left. But Brunson missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with a chance to make it a four-point game and the comeback bid fell short.
It was a stunning twist for Villanova, which had won 10 of its 13 games by 14 or more points and was allowing 65.8 points per game.
The Bulldogs made seven 3s in the final 7 minutes of the first half to take a 5345 lead then made all five of their 3s in the second half.
Butler wound up 15 of 22 on 3s.
NO. 4 DUKE 100, NO. 24 FLORIDA STATE 93 » Freshman Marvin Bagley III had 32 points and a season-best 21 rebounds for Duke.
Freshman Wendell Carter Jr. added 14 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, Grayson Allen scored 22 points and Trevon Duval scored 11 of his 16 in the second half for the Blue Devils (13-1, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Phil Cofer scored a career-high 28 points and Braian Angola finished with a career-best 23 for the Seminoles (11-2, 0-1). Angola’s 3-pointer with just under 4 minutes remaining put them up 91-89, but they missed their final eight shots — six of which came from long range. ALABAMA 79, NO. 5 TEXAS A&M 57 » John Petty made five 3-pointers and scored 18 points to help Alabama knock off Texas A&M 7957 in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
The Crimson Tide (9-4) rebounded from a lackluster performance against Texas to easily upset the short-handed Aggies (112). Texas A&M matched its highest ranking in the AP poll this week after a fourgame winning streak but got off to a rough start in league play.
Alabama big man Donta Hall had 17 points and six rebounds as four players accounted for 67 points. Collin Sexton, the SEC’s leading scorer, had 16 points. Dazon Ingram also had 16 points.
The Aggies were without leading scorer DJ Hogg, serving the second of a three-game suspension for violating school policy. With starting guard Admon Gilder also out with a knee injury, the Aggies struggled offensively. Tyler Davis and Robert Williams both had 14 points.
NO. 6 XAVIER 77, DEPAUL 72 » J.P. Macura scored 19 points and had a steal and a blocked shot in the final minute to complete Xavier’s comeback from a 16-point deficit.
The Musketeers (14-1, 2-0 Big East) won their ninth in a row and matched the best start in school history. The big comeback set up their seventh win in a row over the Blue Demons (7-7, 0-2).
Max Strus led DePaul with 33 points, matching his season high.
NO. 8 WICHITA STATE 72, UCONN 62 » Landry Shamet scored 16 points to lead Wichita State in its first American Athletic Conference game.
Rashard Kelly, Conner Frankamp and Austin Reaves each added 11 points for Wichita State (112, 1-0) which has won three straight.
Jalen Adams and Terry Larrier each had 18 points for the Huskies (7-6, 0-1), who have lost three in a row and four of their last five. Christian Vital chipped in with 17 points for UConn. NO. 9 VIRGINIA 59, BOSTON COLLEGE 58 » Ty Jerome scored a career-high 31 points, including two free throws with 53 seconds left, for Virginia.
Kyle Guy added 11 points and Isaiah Wilkins had eight with 14 rebounds and four blocks for the Cavaliers (12-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Jerome Robinson led the Eagles (10-4, 1-1) with 29 points and Jordan Chatman had 18.
Jerome hit six 3-pointers, the last two breaking a 51all tie and then giving Virginia a 57-53 lead with 3:21 left.