UConn knocked from ranks of unbeaten
No. 2 Huskies fall to Big East foe Xavier, leaving just Purdue, Lobos as last undefeated teams
CINCINNATI — Zach Freemantle scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Colby Jones also scored 16, helping No. 22 Xavier hand No. 2 UConn its first loss of the season, 83-73, on Saturday.
Jack Nunge started the game for Xavier (12-3, 4-0 Big East) despite an illness that limited him during warmups, and sat out some of the second half. He still finished with 15 points in 24 minutes. Jerome Hunter also had 15.
Adama Sanogo led UConn (14-1, 3-1) with 18 points. Andre Jackson Jr. scored 14 points and Jordan Hawkins had 11 for the Huskies.
UConn was off to its best start since beginning the 1998 season 19-0. No. 1 Purdue and No. 22 New Mexico are the only remaining undefeated Division I teams this season.
NO. 3 HOUSTON 71, UCF 65
In Houston, Tramon Mark scored 19 points, Marcus Sasser had 18 points and the Cougars held on for a win over Central Florida.
J’Wan Roberts added 12 points and Jamal Shead scored 11 points for Houston (14-1, 2-0 American Athletic Conference). The Cougars shot 38%, including 6 of 19 on 3-pointers.
NO. 4 KANSAS 69, OKLAHOMA STATE 67
In Lawrence, Kan., KJ Adams scored the go-ahead basket with 5.8 seconds left, KU stopped Oklahoma State twice at the other end, and the Jayhawks came back from 15 down to beat the Cowboys in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
Jalen Wilson scored 20 points and Adams finished with 14 to lead the Jayhawks (12-0), who trailed 45-30 at halftime but used a 22-5 run in the opening minutes of the second half to not only wipe out the deficit but take the lead.
NO. 5 ARIZONA 69, ARIZONA STATE 60
In Tempte, Ariz., Azuolas Tubelis scored 21 points, Oumar Ballo had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and the Wildcats withstood a second-half comeback by Arizona State.
Kerr Kriisa had 12 points and five assists for the Wildcats (13-1, 2-1 Pac-12), who won their fifth straight in the series. They entered averaging 90.2 points per game, second in Division I.
NO. 6 TEXAS 70, OKLAHOMA 69
In Norman, Okla., Marcus Carr hit the go-ahead basket in the final minute to help Texas escape the Sooners with a victory in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
It was the Longhorns’ fourth straight win on the Sooners’ home court.
Oklahoma (9-4, 0-1) led for most of the second half behind 22 points from Grant Sherfield, and had a chance regain the lead in the final 30 seconds. But freshman Milos Uzan’s 3-point attempt bounced off the back of the rim and the Longhorns (12-1, 1-0) hit six straight free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
NO. 10 GONZAGA 111, PEPPERDINE 88
In Spokane, Wash., Drew Timme scored 22 of his season-high 35 points as part of Gonzaga’s firsthalf scoring outburst and the Bulldogs raced past Pepperdine.
Gonzaga (12-3, 1-0 WCC) won its 27th consecutive WCC opener and extended its home win streak to 74 games.
IOWA STATE 77, NO. 12 BAYLOR 62
In Ames, Iowa, Gabe Kalscheur and Caleb Grill combined for 41 points as Iowa State toppled Baylor in a Big 12 opener.
Kalscheur finished with 23 points, including a 3-pointer to give the Cyclones (10-2, 1-0) a commanding 69-54 lead with 5:22 left to play.
Grill added 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds while making four assists.
Adam Flagler led Baylor (10-3, 0-1) with 20 points, with 18 coming in the first half.
NO. 13 VIRGINIA 74, GEORGIA TECH 56
In Atlanta, Virginia blew away Georgia Tech with a 25-0 run that started at the end of the first half and carried over after the break, cruising to a win that pushed coach Tony Bennett into a tie with Terry Holland for the most in Cavaliers history.
Virginia (10-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) scored the final nine points of the first half — all on 3-pointers off Georgia Tech turnovers — to take a 36-25 lead into halftime.
NO. 17 DUKE 86, FLORIDA STATE 67
In Durham, N.C., Ryan Young came off the bench for a season-high 20 points, Jaylen Blakes scored 17 points in his first career start and Duke beat Florida State.
Young, a transfer from Northwestern, had 12 rebounds.
Reserve Dariq Whitehead added 16 points for Duke (11-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), which is undefeated in eight home games.
NO. 18 TCU 67, TEXAS TECH 61
In Fort Worth, Texas, Mike Miles Jr. scored 23 points, and TCU rallied in the second half for a win over Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener for both teams and its 10th consecutive victory.
The Horned Frogs (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) took their first lead since early in the first half when Miles hit a driving layup to put TCU up 59-58 with 3:37 remaining. Miles then gave the Frogs their biggest lead to that point with a three-point play on another driving bucket after De’Vion Harmon’s 3-point attempt in front of the Texas Tech bench was blocked.
Red Raiders (10-3) freshman Pop Isaacs scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half, including several 3s that helped hold off the TCU rally. Harmon scored 13, and Daniel Batcho had nine rebounds and five blocks.
NO. 19 KENTUCKY 86, LOUISVILLE 63
In Lexington, Ky., Oscar Tshiebwe had 24 points and 14 rebounds, Jacob Toppin added a career-high 24 points and the Wildcats shot a season-best 60% to dominate rival Louisville.
The battle for Bluegrass bragging rights resumed after a oneyear pause. The Wildcats (9-4) jumped out quickly and survived a couple of rallies by the Cardinals (2-12).
El Ellis had 23 points for Louisville, which dropped its third in a row.
KANSAS STATE 82, NO. 24 WEST VIRGINIA 76, OT
In Manhattan, Kan., Markquis Nowell had a game-high 23 points and 10 assists, Keyontae Johnson scored 18, and Abayomi Iyiola added a career-best 14 points as Kansas State rallied from a 14-point deficit in the Big 12 opener for both teams on Saturday night.
The Wildcats (12-1) scored the first six points in overtime after West Virginia forced the extra period on a tying 3-pointer by Keadrian Johnson with one second left in regulation. It West Virginia’s third 3-pointer in the game.
Nowell took over in the extra period, scoring five points and helping Kansas State hold off the Mountaineers.