Tigers tackle Sooners in Challenge
AUBURN, Ala. — Jabari Smith and his fellow Auburn Tigers made much easier work of their second game as the nation’s top-ranked men’s basketball team.
Smith bounced back from a rough shooting night with 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Walker Kessler scored 21 to lead No. 1 Auburn to an 86-68 victory over Oklahoma on Saturday.
“Knowing how we played against Missouri, we were just ready to bounce back,” Smith said.
The Tigers (20-1) built a big lead, lost most of it and then dominated the final minutes for their nation-leading 17th consecutive win. The Sooners (13-8) visited as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
“We had an advantage in the front line, and we took advantage of our advantage,” said Auburn coach Bruce Pearl, who agreed to a new contract on the eve of the game. “Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler were dominant in there, and that was really a key.”
Smith was just 2-of-15 shooting for five points in a 55-54 win over Missouri in a Southeastern Conference game Tuesday. The freshman, a potential No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft if he goes pro, and Kessler took over this one. Afterward, Pearl said it’s “the best front court I’ve ever coached.”
The 7-foot-1 Kessler was 9-of-11 from the floor, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked four shots. He also hit his fourth and fifth 3-pointers of the season.
“They never told me not to shoot. They told me to shoot every time,” Kessler said. “As a shooter and as a player, it helps you a lot, puts confidence in you. You’re bound to make a couple.”
Hours before tipoff, Auburn released details of Pearl’s new 8-year, $50.2 million contract. His annual pay starts at $5.4 million with an annual $250,000 raise that would allow him to make $7.15 million in the final year.
› Alabama 87, No. 4 Baylor 78
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After an embarrassing loss Tuesday night to Georgia, a struggling squad winless in the SEC to that point, Alabama was a team with several questions.
The Crimson Tide may have answered a few of those.
Alabama (14-7) used a 14-2 run early in the second half and another big surge down the stretch to upset Baylor in a Big 12/SEC Challenge game.
“Our defense was a lot better, and when we needed stops we got them,” Tide coach Nate Oats said. “I told our guys they needed to start having fun. That was a fun environment today, and our energy was much better. That was encouraging.”
Jaden Shackelford scored 19 points and had nine rebounds for Alabama, which has now beaten three teams that reached the Final Four last season. Along with reigning champion Baylor, the Tide knocked off Gonzaga in early December — when the Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 — and topped Houston a week later.
The Tide led the Bears (183) by four points with less than three minutes to play in Saturday’s game, and then freshman J.D. Davison scored seven of his 14 points to seal the win. Jahvon Quinerly scored 20 points for Alabama, Juwan Gary 15 and Keon Ellis 11.
The Bears had won 36 straight nonconference games dating to 2019.
› No. 12 Kentucky 80, No. 5 Kansas 62
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Keion Brooks scored 27 points and Oscar Tshiebwe had a double-double (17 points, 14 rebounds) as Kentucky (17-4) manhandled the Jayhawks (173) in the Big 12/SEC Challenge’s marquee showdown.
The Wildcats grabbed a big halftime lead and cruised to improve to 24-10 in the all-time series against Kansas. Kentucky, which beat the home team at Allen Fieldhouse for the first time since 1985, got 12 points from Kellan Grady and 11 from Jacob Toppin.
Kansas was led by Ochai Agbaji, who had 13 points but was held well below his Big 12-leading averaged of 21.3 points per game. Christian Braun also had 13 points.
› No. 13 Texas Tech 76, Mississippi State 50
LUBBOCK, Texas — Adonis Arms had 16 points and seven assists as Texas Tech stayed undefeated at home with a win in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Kevin Obanor added 13 points while Mylik Wilson had 12 and Bryson Williams 10 for the Red Raiders (16-5), who are 13-0 at home this season. Marcus Santos-Silva grabbed nine rebounds.
Mississippi State (13-7) had a season-high 22 turnovers while scoring its fewest points this season. The Bulldogs never led after Arms made the first of his three 3-pointers less than three minutes into the game.
The visitors’ leading scorer this season, Iverson Molinar, was held to 12 points, nearly seven below his average that was tied for second in the SEC.
› TCU 77, No. 19 LSU 68
FORT WORTH, Texas — Chuck O’Bannon scored 16 of his career-high 19 points after halftime, including three consecutive 3-pointers from basically the same spot, and TCU held on to beat slumping LSU in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
TCU (14-4) had its largest lead at 50-34 with 15:59 left after O’Bannon’s third consecutive 3 in a 76-second span from the right wing.
Even though the Tigers (165) were able to cut that deficit to one after a 20-5 run over the next 6 1/2 minutes that Tari Eason began with six consecutive points, they were never able to take the lead. LSU lost for the fourth time in five games.
Mike Miles had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Horned Frogs.
› No. 23 Iowa State 67, Missouri 50
AMES, Iowa — Izaiah Brockington scored 15 points and Tyrese Hunter added 14 as Iowa State rolled in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Brockington converted all eight of his free throws and made a trio of 3-pointers for the Cyclones (16-5).
DaJuan Gordon led Missouri (8-12) with 15 points and Amari Davis added 11.
Iowa State shot 58.3% in the second half and forced 18 Missouri turnovers
› Arkansas 77, West Virginia 68
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Au’Diese Toney scored 19 points and Arkansas never trailed in its Big 12/SEC Challenge matchup, with the Razorbacks (6-5) pushing their winning streak to six games.
The Mountaineers (13-7) got within 68-62 on Sean McNeil’s 3-pointer with 4:44 left, but Arkansas again pushed its lead back to double digits until Taz Sherman’s layup with 24 seconds left got West Virginia within nine with its final points.
Kedrian Johnson led West Virginia with a season-high 18 in just his second game scoring in double digits. Sherman finished with 15 points and three steals.
› Florida 81, Oklahoma State 72
GAINESVILLE, Fla .— Tyree Appleby scored 13 of his season-high 21 points in the second half as Florida (13-8) rallied after the break to beat the Cowboys (10-10) in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, Florida outscored Oklahoma State 49-27 in the second, shooting 50% (9-of-18) from the floor and forcing 12 turnovers.
Appleby was 5-of-10 from the floor with three 3-pointers, and Phlandrous Fleming Jr. added 14 points for Florida, which had lost back-to-back games.
Isaac Likekele scored 14 points and Bryce Thompson added 12 for Oklahoma State.
› Ole Miss 67, Kansas State 56
OXFORD, Miss. — Daeshun Ruffin scored 17 points, Luis Rodriguez added 10 and Nysier Brooks grabbed nine rebounds as the Rebels (11-10) got above .500 with their Big 12/SEC Challenge win.
Kansas State (10-10) was led by Mark Smith’s 20 points and 16 rebounds, and Nijel Pack made six 3-pointers in an 18-point performance for the Wildcats, who trailed 30-24 at halftime.
› Vanderbilt 85, Georgia 77 NASHVILLE — Scottie Pippen Jr. scored 23 points and dished a season-high nine assists, and Vanderbilt snapped a three-game losing streak, leading from the opening tip to beat Georgia.
The Commodores (11-9, 3-5 SEC), who completed a regular-season sweep of a league opponent for the first time since 2017, led by 15 points with less than five minutes to play.
Georgia (6-15, 1-7) was led by Aaron Cook’s 18 points.