Xavier hands UConn first loss
CINCINNATI — Zach Freemantle scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Colby Jones also scored 16, helping No. 22 Xavier hand No. 2 UConn its first loss of the season, 83-73, on Saturday.
Jack Nunge started the game for Xavier despite an illness that limited him during warmups. He didn’t rejoin the team after halftime until a couple of minutes into the half but finished with 15 points in 24 minutes. Jerome Hunter also had 15.
Adama Sanogo led UConn with 18 points. Albany Academy grad Andre Jackson Jr. scored 14 points and Jordan Hawkins had 11 for the Huskies.
Xavier (12-3, 4-0 Big East), which joined the AP Top 25 rankings this week, has three losses by a combined 13 points to Indiana, Duke, Gonzaga.
Houston 71, Central Florida 65:
Tramon Mark scored 19 points, Marcus Sasser had 18 points and No. 3 Houston held on for a win over Central Florida. J’Wan Roberts added 12 points and Jamal Shead scored 11 points for Houston (14-1, 2-0 American Athletic Conference). The Cougars shot 38%, including 6 of 19 on 3-pointers.
Kansas 69, Oklahoma State 67:
KJ Adams scored the go-ahead basket with 5.8 seconds left, Kansas stopped Oklahoma State twice at the other end, and the No. 4 Jayhawks came back from 15 down to beat the Cowboys in the Big 12 opener for both teams. Jalen Wilson scored 20 points and Adams finished with 14 to lead the Jayhawks (12-0), who trailed 45-30 at halftime but used a 22-5 run in the opening minutes of the second half to not only wipe out the deficit but take the lead.
Arizona 69, Arizona State 60: Azuolas Tubelis scored 21 points, Oumar Ballo had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 5 Arizona withstood a second-half comeback by Arizona State for a victory. Kerr Kriisa had 12 points and five assists for the Wildcats (13-1, 2-1 Pac-12), who won their fifth straight in the series. They entered averaging 90.2 points per game, second in Division I.
Texas 70, Oklahoma 69: Marcus Carr hit the go-ahead basket in the final minute as No. 6 Texas escaped Oklahoma with a victory in the Big 12 opener for both teams. It was the Longhorns' fourth straight win on the Sooners' home court.
Iowa State 77, Baylor 62: Gabe Kalscheur and Caleb Grill combined for 41 points as Iowa State toppled No. 12 Baylor in a Big 12 opener. Kalscheur finished with 23 points, including a 3-pointer to give the Cyclones (10-2, 1-0) a commanding 69-54 lead with 5:22 left to play.
Virginia 74, Georgia Tech 56: No. 13 Virginia blew away Georgia Tech with a 25-0 run beginning at the end of the first half and carrying over after the break, cruising to a victory that pushed Tony Bennett into a tie with Terry Holland for the most coaching wins in Cavaliers history.
Duke 86, Florida State 67: Ryan Young came off the bench for a season-high 20 points, Jaylen Blakes scored 17 points in his first career start and No. 17 Duke beat Florida State. Young, a transfer from Northwestern, had 12 rebounds.
TCU 67, Texas Tech 61: Mike Miles Jr. scored 23 points, and No. 18 TCU rallied in the second half for a victory over Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener for both teams. The Horned Frogs (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) won their 10th consecutive game.
Kentucky 86, Louisville 63:
Oscar Tshiebwe had 24 points and 14 rebounds, Jacob Toppin added a career-high 24 points and No. 19 Kentucky shot a season-best 60% to dominate rival Louisville. The battle for Bluegrass bragging rights resumed after a one-year pause with the Wildcats (9-4) jumping out quickly and surviving a couple of rallies by the Cardinals (2-12).
New Mexico 76, Wyoming 75: Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 20 points, including the game-winning free throws with 17 seconds left, for No. 22 New Mexico (14-0), which remains one of only two unbeaten teams nationally.