No. 7 Tennessee just squeaks by No. 13 Maryland
Zakai Zeigler scored 12 points, including a key 3 late in the second half as No. 7 Tennessee held off No. 13 Maryland 56-53 Sunday in a Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational matchup in New York.
Tennessee (9-1) led by as many as 18 points in the first half before Maryland pulled within two points in the final minutes.
Tyreke Key scored nine points and Julian Phillips had six points and 10 rebounds for the Volunteers. Tennessee began the game allowing just 51.2 points per game, third fewest in the nation.
Jahmir Young scored 18 points while Hakim Hart and Donta Scott had nine apiece for Maryland (8-2), which has lost two straight.
Tennessee shot 11 of 39 (28.2%) in the first half, but led 34-17 as the Terrapins made only 3 of 24 (12.5%), missing 20 of their final 21 shots before the break.
Down by 16 in the second half, Maryland unveiled a full-court press and forced three turnovers during a 12-0 run.
NO. 20 IOWA STATE 77, MCNEESE STATE 40 >> Aljaz Kunc scored 21 points and No. 20 Iowa State broke away in the second half to beat visiting McNeese State. Jaren Holmes added 17 points for the Cyclones (8-2) and Gabe Kalscheur scored 15. Ahead 33-24 at the break, Iowa State scored the first 15 points of the second half. McNeese (37) committed 10 turnovers in the first eight minutes of the half, leading to 13 points for the Cyclones. Zach Scott and Trae English each scored eight points for McNeese. NO. 23 MISSISSIPPI STATE 69, MINNESOTA 51 >> Tolu Smith scored 20 points to lead a balanced offense that complemented Mississippi State’s smothering defense in a victory over host Minnesota to say undefeated. Mississippi State (9-0) is one of seven Division I programs still unbeaten. The Bulldogs held the Gophers (4-6) to 28.8% shooting and a season-low in points. Sophomore Dawson Garcia led Minnesota with 20 points and Joshua Ola-Joseph added nine.
Women
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 88, LIBERTY 39 >> Zia Cooke scored a season-high 20 points as host South Carolina beat Liberty. Reserve forward Sania Feagin added a career-high 14 points for the Gamecocks (9-0). Mya Berkman led Liberty (3-5) with 17 points.
NO. 3 OHIO STATE 74, MICHIGAN STATE 68 >> Taylor Thierry scored a career-high 21 points and Taylor Mikesell added 16 as the No. 3 Buckeyes won their 10th game in a row, defeating the Spartans in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State (10-0) led by as many as 18 points in the first half before Michigan State cut it down to one with 1:44 left in the fourth quarter.
NO. 20 MARYLAND 85, NO. 6 UCONN 78 >> Abby Meyers scored 18 of her 20 points in the first half, and Diamond Miller made a huge 3-pointer in the final minute to help No. 20 Maryland hold off a depleted Connecticut team at Maryland. Shyanne Sellers added 19 points for the Terrapins (9-3), who won for the first time in eight meetings against UConn. The Huskies (7-2) lost for the second time in three games despite 25 points from Aaliyah Edwards.