Kentucky shuts down Duke; Michigan St. topples Kansas
CHICAGO — Tyler Ulis had 18 points and six assists, and No. 2 Kentucky used its speed and athleticism to hold off No. 5 Duke for a 74-63 victory in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.
Kentucky forced 16 turnovers and outscored the defending national champions 18-4 in fastbreak points. Jamal Murray scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half as the Wildcats (3-0) placed four players in double figures.
Amile Jefferson led the Blue Devils (2-1) with 16 points and 15 rebounds, and Marshall Plumlee had 12 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots.
Grayson Allen, who scored 54 points in Duke’s first two games, was held to six points on 2-for-11 shooting. He got his first basket on a 3-pointer from the corner with 12:08 left in the second half.
MICHIGAN ST. 79 KANSAS 73
Senior guard Denzel Valentine recorded a triple-double of 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, taking over the game for the No. 13 Spartans in the second half as they beat the fourth-ranked Jayhawks in the Champions Classic at Chicago’s United Center.
Perry Ellis led the Kansas (1-1) with 21 points, Frank Mason III added 14, and Wayne Selden Jr. had 12.
Michigan State improved to 2-0.
TULSA 77, WICHITA ST. 67
Shaquille Harrison scored 20 points, and Marquel Curtis added 16 to help the Golden Hurricane upset the No. 9 Shockers in Tulsa, Okla., overcoming three years of frustration against Wichita State, which had won a school record seven straight in the long-running series.
The Shockers (1-1) were led by Ron Baker with 23 points.
Pat Birt added 14 points for Tulsa (2-0).
MARYLAND 75 GEORGETOWN 71
Rasheed Sulaimon hit a 3-pointer with 1:18 left to break a tie, and the thirdranked Terrapins got 24 points from Melo Trimble in a rousing victory over their neighborhood rival, the Hoyas, in College Park, Md.
Maryland (2-0) was stretched to the finish against Georgetown, which led by seven in the second half before wilting. The Hoyas fell to 0-2 for the first time since the 1998-99 season.
OKLAHOMA 84 MEMPHIS 78
Buddy Hield scored 30 points, and the eighthranked Sooners held off the Tigers in their seasonopening game at Memphis, Tenn.
This was Oklahoma’s first victory over Memphis (1-1) in seven tries.
VILLANOVA 87 NEBRASKA 63
Josh Hart scored 19 points, Daniel Ochefu had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and the No. 11 Wildcats rolled past the Cornhuskers in Villanova, Pa.
Ryan Arcidiacono added 15 points and Phil Booth scored 11 for Villanova (2-0).
The game was part of the inaugural Gavitt Tipoff Games, which pits teams from the Big East against Big Ten squads.
Andrew White led Nebraska (1-1) with 18 points.
NOTRE DAME 86 MILWAUKEE 78
Demetrius Jackson scored 20 points, and V.J. Beachem tied a career high with 19 while adding a career-best eight rebounds in the No. 18 Irish’s win over the Panthers in South Bend, Ind.
The Irish (2-0) had all five starters score in double figures, including Zach Auguste, who was 7-of-8 from the field and scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half.
Akeem Springs matched his career high with 21 points for Milwaukee (3-1).
SAM HOUSTON ST. 114 ST. THOMAS 92
Dakarai Henderson scored 27 points to lead the Bearkats past the Celts in their home opener in Huntville.
Bryon Makel led St. Thomas (1-2) with 23 points.
Aurimas Majauskas added 21 points for Sam Houston State (1-1).
The teams combined for 71 personal fouls and 104 free throws.
Women
OKLAHOMA ST. 87 TEXAS SOUTHERN 52
Brittney Martin had 24 points, and the Cowgirls beat the Tigers in Stillwater, Okla. Toni Cheadle and Amari Dennis scored 13 points apiece to lead Texas Southern (0-2).