Buckeyes stop Rhode Island
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Deshaun Thomas scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and No. 4 Ohio State beat Rhode Island 69-58 in the Hall of Fame Tip- Off tournament on Saturday.
Lenzelle Smith Jr. added 15 points, Aaron Craft had 13 points and four assists for the Buckeyes (2-0) who struggled with the Rams (0-3) well into the second half.
Xavier Munford had 16 points to lead Rhode Island, which trailed by just four at halftime.
The Rams were down just six when Craft hit a 3-point shot that bounced around the rim and in with 6:45 left and then stole the ball on the other end of the court. That led to a technical foul on Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley. Thomas hit both free throws and the five-point swing gave Ohio State a 55- 44 edge, its first double-digit lead of the game, and the Buckeyes held on from there.
“We didn’t panic, we kept fighting, kept getting into it,” Craft said. “It was good just to see where our team is.”
TOP 25
(20) Notre Dame 78, Brigham Young 68 at New York: Jack Cooley had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Irish in the thirdplace game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
Jerian Grant had 19 points, 17 in the second half, and Eric Atkins added 16, including the 3-pointer that gave the Fighting Irish a cushion after the Cougars had pulled within 6361 with 4:28 to play.
Atkins hit his 3-pointer 28 seconds later.
(25) San Diego State 60, Missouri State 44 at Springfield, Mo.: Jamaal Franklin scored 15 of his 22 points in the first half to put the Aztecs (2-1) up early, and James Rahon hit a key 3-pointer late against the Bears (1-1).
The Aztecs led 39-30 midway through the second half before the Bears rallied. Missouri State pulled within 41-37 on Anthony Downing’s basket with 7:13 left.
But the Aztecs pulled away thanks to 3-pointers on consecutive possessions from Rahon and Chase Tapley.
CONFERENCE USA
Cal State Northridge 92, Tulsa 76 at San Diego: Josh Greene scored a careerhigh 28 points and added seven assists and five steals for the Matadors (50) at the NUCDF Basketball Challenge.
Rashad Smith had 15 points and James Woodard scored 14 for the Golden Hurricane (3-1), who lost for the first time under new coach Danny Manning. Tulsa committed 20 turnovers to Northridge’s 12.
Tulsa closed within 7671 on Woodard’s 3-pointer with 2:56 left. Northridge responded with a 10-0 run.
South Dakota State 78, Marshall 77 at Hempstead, N.Y.: Chad White’s 3-pointer with three seconds remaining lifted the Jackrabbits (2-2) past the Thundering Herd (2-2) in a subregional game of the 2K Sports Classic.
The Jackrabbits, who had pulled within 77-75 on Brayden Carlson’s 3-pointer, got the ball back after Chris Martin missed a free throw for the Herd with 10 seconds left.
DeAndre Kane’s 19 points led four Marshall scorers in double figures. Elijah Pittman had 16 points and 14 rebounds.
MID-SOUTH MEN
Tennessee Tech 65, East Tennessee State 62 at Johnson City: Jud Dillard scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Golden Eagles (3- 0) held off the Buccaneers (0-2).
Marcus Dubose led ETSU with 19 points.
CBU 85, Williams Baptist 54 at Canale Arena: Eleven players scored, including five in double figures, for the Bucs (3- 0).
The Bucs scored the first 11 points and never let up, building a 24-point lead by halftime and leading by as many as 37 points in the second half.
Pat Graham led the Bucs with 15 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double.
Delta State 72, LeMoyneOwen 65 at Cleveland, Miss.: Terry Leake Jr. had 22 points and six rebounds to help give coach Jim Boone his first win for the Statesmen (1-1).
Lamada Williams finished with 22 points for the Magicians (1-1); Shad O’Garro scored 14 points and Brandon Hopson (Craigmont) had 11.
Southwest Tennessee CC 68, Walters State 57 at Verties Sails Gymnasium: Marshun Newell (Middle College High) scored 22 points to lead the Saluqis. Justin Street (Sheffield) had 12 points for Southwest (3-1). Leland Robinson led the Senators (3-3) with 22, and Darius White (Overton) and Tyler Ailshie had nine.
MID-SOUTH WOMEN
LeMoyne- Owen 59, Southern Arkansas 53 at Bruce/Johnson Hall Gymnasium: The Lady Magicians (1-2) got 19 points apiece from Teneshia Jones and NaTasha Farr, with Farr posting a doubledouble with 11 rebounds.
Karen Barr also had a double-double for LeMoyne-Owen, with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lady Muleriders (02) were led by junior guard Stevi Cooper’s 15 points.
Rhodes 85, Westminster (Mo.) 72 at Fulton, Mo.: Lauren Avant (Lausanne) scored 19 points and pulled down 14 rebounds as the Lynx (2- 0) rallied from a 16-point first-half deficit in the final of the Westminster Classic.
Walters State 76, Southwest Tennessee CC 42 at Verties Sails Gymnasium: Tangela Crenshaw scored 16 points to lead the Lady Senators (5- 0) past the Lady Saluqis (3-3). Tenisha Hobson led Southwest with 20 points, and Teneisha Lurry (Melrose) had eight.