No.1 UConn routs Xavier 99-56 for eighth straight win
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The return of 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan to UConn's lineup was expected to help the Huskies near the basket.
However, it has also impacted the outside game of the nation's topranked team.
The sophomore star had 18 points, Tristen Newton scored 22 and UConn extended its winning streak to eight, rolling over Xavier 99-56 on Sunday.
Clingan was one of 10 Huskies to hit a 3-pointer and added eight rebounds and two blocks in his third game back from a December foot injury,
“It's not coincidental that we made more 3s with him back, because we got better 3s because of the paint and the rim pressure,” coach Dan Hurley said.
Stephon Castle and Solomon Ball each added 12 points for UConn (182, 8-1 Big East) which has not lost at home in more than a calendar year. It was UConn's largest margin of victory in a Big East game since beating Cincinnati 96-51 on March 9, 2008.
Dayvion McKnight had 18 points and Quincy Olivari added 14 for Xavier (10-10, 4-5), which had won three of its previous four games, but falls to 1-5 on the road this season.
“We were really overwhelmed today from the opening tip to the final buzzer,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said. "It's up to us now to get back. We have a home game in a few days and we're gonna be as ready as we can be for the next challenge.” This one was over early. Alex Karaban opened the game with a layup and the Huskies scored the game's first 10 points, holding Xavier without a point for the first four minutes.
Ball's 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer and a lob dunk from Newton to Castle highlighted a 20-0 UConn run that made it 38-7 just over 14 minutes into the game and gave UConn complete control.
The Huskies led 48-22 at the half.
“We just kept going on run after run after run,” Clingan said. “I knew this was our win.”
The Huskies made 17 of their 29 shots (59%) from behind the arc. The 17 three-pointers tied a program record set last season against Oregon on Nov. 24, 2022.
NO. 2 PURDUE 68, RUTGERS 60
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Zach Edey had 26 points and 12 rebounds, powering Purdue to the road win.
The 7-foot-4 Edey became the sixth player in Big Ten Conference history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 boards.
Braden Smith scored 19 points to help the Boilermakers (19-2, 8-2) to their fifth straight victory.
Aundre Hyatt had 15 points for Rutgers (10-9, 2-6), and Cliff Omoruyi finished with 13.
NO. 22 FAU 66, NORTH TEXAS 63
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Johnell Davis scored 28 points, including a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left, and Florida Atlantic earned its sixth consecutive win.
Vladislav Goldin had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Owls (17-4, 7-1 American Athletic Conference), who trailed for the overwhelming majority of the game. But Davis — who scored more points than anyone has managed against North Texas this season — delivered with the game on the line, from just in front of the FAU bench.
Robert Allen scored 15 points for North Texas (12-7, 5-2), and CJ Noland had 14. The Mean Green were bidding for their first road win