UF 2nd-half rally trips up Okla. St.
Tyree Appleby scored 13 of his season-high 21 points in the second half as host Florida rallied to beat Oklahoma State 81-72 on Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, Florida outscored Oklahoma State 49-27 in the second, shooting 50% (9 of 18) from the floor and forcing 12 turnovers. The Gators also made five three-pointers, were 26of-32 (81%) shooting from the line and blocked six shots after halftime.
Appleby finished 5 of 10 from the floor with three three-pointers. Phlandrous Fleming Jr. added 14 points for Florida (13-8), which ended a two-game skid.
● Virginia Tech 85, Florida State 72: Hunter Cattoor scored a career-high 27 points, all on a schoolrecord tying nine threepointers, Sean Pedulla scored 21 points with six three-pointers of his own, and the Hokies (11-10, 3-7 ACC) defeated the host Seminoles (13-7, 6-4 ACC).
MEN’S TOP 25
● No. 1 Auburn 86, Oklahoma 68: Jabari Smith bounced back from a rough shooting night with 23 points and 12 rebounds and Walker Kessler scored 21 to lead the host Tigers (20-1) over the Sooners (13-8) as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
● No. 3 Arizona 67, Arizona St. 56: Bennedict Mathurin and Oumar Ballo scored 14 points each as the host Wildcats (17-2, 7-1 Pac-12) turned up the defensive pressure in the second half to beat the Sun Devils (6-12, 2-6) despite some woeful shooting.
● Alabama 87, No. 4 Baylor 78: Jaden Shackelford scored 19 points and had nine rebounds as the host Crimson Tide (14-7) upset the Bears (18-3).
● No. 9 Duke 74, Louisville 65: AJ Griffin scored 22 points, including consecutive three-pointers during a late 12-0 run to help the Blue Devils (17-3, 7-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) outlast the host Cardinals.
TCU 77, No. 19 LSU
A 68: Chuck O’Bannon scored 16 of his careerhigh 19 points after halftime and the host Horned Frogs (14-4) held on to beat the slumping Tigers (16-5).
No. 21 Xavier 74,
A
Creighton 64: Jack Nunge and Paul Scruggs fueled a dramatic second-half turnaround that saw the Musketeers (15-5, 5-4 Big East) score 29 of the first 31 points of the period to wipe out a 17-point deficit against the host Bluejays (12-7, 4-4).
● No. 10 Michigan St. 83, Michigan 67: Max Christie scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half and Malik Hall finished with 15 points as the host Spartans (16-4, 7-2 Big Ten) held off their in-state rival Wolverines (10-8, 4-4).
● No. 14 Villanova 73, St. John’s 62: Collin Gillespie scored 17 points, Eric Dixon and Caleb Daniels each had 15 and the host Wildcats (16-5, 9-2 Big East) used a threepoint-happy first half to roll over the Red Storm (11-8, 3-5.
● No. 23 Iowa St. 67, Missouri 50: Izaiah Brockington scored 15 points and Tyrese Hunter added 14 as the host Cyclones (16-5) beat the Tigers (8-12).
● No. 24 Illinois 59, Northwestern 56: Kofi Cockburn returned from a concussion and scored 22 points to lead the Illini (15-5, 8-2 Big Ten) past the host Wildcats (9-10, 2-8 Big Ten).
● No. 25 Davidson 77, La Salle 69: Luka Brajkovic scored 22 points, Foster Loyer added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists and the host Wildcats (17-3, 7-1 Atlantic 10) held off La Salle (6-12, 1-7) in Bob McKillop’s 1,000th game as head coach at Davidson.
WOMEN’S TOP 25
● No. 18 Oklahoma 65, No. 9 Texas 63: Madi Williams had 23 points and the host Sooners (18-3, 7-2 Big 12) upset the Longhorns (17-4, 5-3).
● No. 11 Baylor 87, West Virginia 54: Queen Egbo and NaLyssa Smith combined to score 25 of their 40 points in the first half and Baylor (15-4, 5-2 Big 12) beat the Mountaineers (10-8, 3-5).
● No. 13 Iowa St. 88, Texas Tech 65: Emily
Ryan scored 20 points with seven assists, Lexi Donarski added 19 points and the Cyclones (18-3, 7-2 Big 12 Conference) cruised past the host Red Raiders (9-11, 2-7).
● No. 16 BYU 99, San Francisco 58: Paisley Harding scored 30 points and the host Cougars (18-1, 8-0 West Coast Conference) beat the Dons (10-11, 4-5).