Miller scores 41 points as No. 2 Alabama beats South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Brandon Miller scored a career-high 41 points, including the go-ahead basket with 0.9 seconds left in overtime, as No. 2 Alabama outlasted South Carolina 78-76 on Wednesday night.

Miller’s performance came a day after the 6-foot-9 freshman standout was linked to a fatal shooting near campus last month. However, hours before tipoff, Alabama said Miller was “not a suspect” and would remain an “active member” for the Crimson Tide (24-4, 14-1 Southeastern Conference).

Miller shook off some early struggles to lead Alabama, which kept its one-game lead over No. 25 Texas A&M in the race for the SEC regular-season championship. Miller’s final basket in regulation, with 4.1 seconds to play, tied the game at 68 and forced the extra period. Miller finished 14 of 25 from the field and had six of Alabama’s seven 3-pointers.

Gregory “GG” Jackson led South Carolina (10-17, 3-11) with 19 points. Meechie Johnson and Jacobi Wright had 18 apiece.

BOSTON COLL. 63, NO. 6 VIRGINIA 48

BOSTON — Makai Ashton-Langford scored 16 points, Jaeden Zackery had all 12 of his points in the second half and Boston College held Virginia to a season-low 32% from the field.

The Eagles have beaten three ranked teams this season. With BC (14-15, 8-10 Atlantic Coast Conference) only adding to its lead in the final minutes, the raucous Conte Forum crowd gathered along the perimeter of the court, ready to rush it at the buzzer.

Jayden Gardner scored 16 points for Virginia (21-5, 134), which fell into a second-place tie with Pittsburgh in the ACC standings, one-half game behind Miami. The Cavaliers, who had been as high as No. 2 in the AP Top 25, had won four in a row and 11 of their previous 12 games.

NO. 1 HOUSTON 89, TULANE 59

HOUSTON — J’Wan Roberts had a career-high 26 points and seven rebounds, Marcus Sasser scored 22 points and Houston beat Tulane.