Quickley’s career best lifts ’Cats

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Immanuel Quickley scored a career-high 26 points, including 15 of Kentucky’s 17 during a decisive second-half stretch as the 10th-ranked Wildcats pushed past Florida 65-59 on Saturday night for their sixth consecutive victory.

Quickley made 4 of 6 from three-point range and 8 of 17 shots overall to surpass his previous high of 23 points at Auburn on Feb. 1. He scored all but four of his points in the second half. Tyrese Maxey had 13 points for first-place Kentucky (22-5, 12-2), which took a three-game lead over Florida (17-10, 9-5).

Keyontae Johnson had 19 points and Kerry Blackshear Jr. scored 18 for the Gators, who had won their previous three games and five of six.

A back-and-forth game featuring 11 lead changes and 10 ties swung Kentucky’s way midway through the second half thanks to Quickley, who knocked down three consecutive three-pointers for a 50-44 lead with 11:20 remaining. The sophomore guard’s three-pointer with 1:34 left provided an eight-point cushion.

But Florida rallied within 61-59 on Scottie Lewis’ tip of his missed free throw with 19 seconds left.

Maxey converted a 1-and1, and Ashton Hagans made a steal that led to Quickley adding two free throws with 1.9 seconds left.

NO. 13 AUBURN 73, TENNESSEE 66

AUBURN, Ala. — Samir Doughty scored 22 points and Auburn rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half to beat Tennessee in a game marred by an ugly incident involving a fan.

A student was ejected from the game after directing a derogatory comment toward Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi and will face a disciplinary hearing, an Auburn official said. The fan was overheard on TV calling out, “Go back to Uruguay! This is America!”

Auburn stopped a two-game skid. Led by Doughty’s hot streak, the Tigers (234, 10-4) scored 18 consecutive points to spark the comeback against the Volunteers (15-12, 7-7).

Jordan Bowden scored a career-high 28 points for the Vols.

LSU 86, SOUTH CAROLINA 80

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Darius Days scored 18 points off a season-high four three-pointers and LSU ended a twogame losing streak.

Javonte Smart also had 18 points for the Tigers (19-8, 10-4).

South Carolina (16-11, 8-6) cut a 19-point second-half deficit to 84-80 with 17.9 seconds left, but Smart followed with two foul shots to close out the win.

Early on, LSU used accurate shooting and a defensive fierceness to keep South Carolina on its heels for most of the game.

The Gamecocks drew within 39-37 before halftime when Days hit his fourth three-pointer, then stole the ball from Wildens Leveque in the open court for an uncontested layup that sent LSU into the locker room up 44-37.

TEXAS A&M 87, MISSISSIPPI STATE 75

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Josh Nebo matched his a career high with 21 points, Savion Flagg added 15 points and 10 rebounds for Texas A&M.

Wendell Mitchell scored all 20 of his points in the second half for Texas A&M (14-12, 8-6). Quenton Jackson added 18 points and Emanuel Miller had 10.

Tyson Carter scored 19 points to lead Mississippi State (17-10, 8-6). Robert Woodard II added 18 points.

GEORGIA 80, VANDERBILT 78

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tyree Crump’s 30-foot shot from straightaway as the final buzzer sounded rallied Georgia to a victory over Vanderbilt.

Crump came up with a loose ball on the second of two missed free throws by Vanderbilt’s Scottie Pippen Jr. with 5.1 seconds to play, headed down court and launched the shot that gave the Bulldogs (14-13, 4-10) the improbable win.

Crump’s basket spoiled a career-high 34-point game by Vanderbilt’s Saben Lee, who had been 10 of 10 at the free throw line before missing the front end of a one-and-one with 12.4 seconds left and Vanderbilt (9-18, 1-13) leading 78-75. Sahvir Wheeler made two foul shots with six seconds to play to pull the Bulldogs within one before Pippen’s two misses gave them their final opportunity.

Vanderbilt led by five points with 22.5 seconds left.

Anthony Edwards led the Bulldogs 19 points. Jordan Harris added 17, while Wheeler finished with 11 points.

Pippen finished with 20 points for the Commodores.

ALABAMA 103, MISSISSIPPI 78

OXFORD, Miss. — John Petty Jr. scored 21 points, Jaden Shackelford had 18, and Kira Lewis Jr. added 17 to lead Alabama to a victory over Mississippi.

Alabama (15-12, 7-7) continues to boast one of the best-producing offenses in the country, going 37 of 66 from the field, hitting 13 three-pointers.

Ole Miss (13-14, 4-10) was led by Breein Tyree’s 28 points. Devontae Shuler had 21 points.