Kansas gives Self victory in return from suspension
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — First-year guard Gradey Dick scored a season-high 25 points to help No. 3 Kansas beat North Carolina State 8074 in Wednesday’s Battle 4 Atlantis opener, giving coach Bill Self a successful return to the bench after a four-game suspension.
Dick had 18 on six 3pointers in the first half. Jalen Wilson added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the reigning national champion Jayhawks (5-0).
Casey Morsell scored 21 points for N.C. State.
OHIO STATE 80 NO. 21 TEXAS TECH 73
Justice Sueing scored 23 of his career-high 33 points in the second half to help the Buckeyes (5-1) hold off the Red Raiders in the fifth-place game in the Maui Invitational. Texas Tech (4-2) got a career-high 21 points from Daniel Batcho.
NO. 7 BAYLOR 89 MCNEESE STATE 60
True freshman Keyonte George scored 17 points and Adam Flagler added 13 with nine assists as the host Bears pulled away. LJ Cryer had 16 points for Baylor (4-1).
NO. 14 ARIZONA 81 NO. 10 CREIGHTON 79
Oumar Ballo, Arizona’s 7-foot, 260-pound center, dominated inside with 30 points and 13 rebounds as the Wildcats (6-0) held off the Bluejays (6-1) to win the Maui Invitational for the third time.
NO. 13 AUBURN 43 NORTHWESTERN 42
Allen Flanigan’s jumper with 31 seconds left kept the Tigers (6-0) unbeaten with a victory in Riviera Division Championship Game at Cancun, Mexico. Auburn won despite making just 26 percent (16of-50) of its shots.
NO. 15 KENTUCKY 96 NORTH FLORIDA 56
Jacob Toppin scored a career-high 20 points as the host Wildcats rolled to an easy win.
NO. 22 TENNESSEE 71 BUTLER 45
Santiago Vescovi scored all 13 of his points after halftime and sparked the clinching run that helped the Volunteers (3-1) win their first-round game in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
SAM HOUSTON 80 SOUTH DAKOTA 49
Cameron Huefner had 22 points for the Bearkats (6-0).