Utah defeats Texas Tech in Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Lorenzo Bonam scored a season-high 20 points to help No. 16 Utah hold off Texas Tech 73-63 on Thursday night in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Tipoff.
Jordan Loveridge added 18 points for the Utes (3-0), who squandered much of a 12-point, first-half lead but kept turning away every comeback bid from the Red Raiders (1-1) to stay in front.
Utah shot 38 percent, including just 6 of 24 from three-point range, but finished with a 45-38 rebounding advantage and scored 20 second-chance points.
Devaugntah Williams scored 13 points to lead the Red Raiders, who shot 39 percent.
No. 22 Butler 93 Missouri State 59
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Butler coach Chris Holtmann already knew his team could run and score at a pace most teams will struggle to match this season. He’s eager to see how the No. 22 Bulldogs respond when the offense doesn’t come so easily.
Kelan Martin scored 18 points and No. 22 Butler put on another offensive show to beat Missouri State in the first round of the Puerto Rico Tipoff.
Andrew Chrabascz also had 18 points, and the Bulldogs (2-0) flirted with cracking the 100-point mark for the second time to open the season. Butler scored a program-record 144 points last weekend in the opener against The Citadel, then rolled again by getting out in transition at full speed and sharing the ball against the Bears (0-2).
Miami 105 Mississippi State 79
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Miami coach Jim Larranaga didn’t like the look of his team during its pregame shootaround before opening the Puerto Rico Tipoff.
The Hurricanes sure had their coach fooled.
Sheldon McClellan scored 18 points and Miami jumped to a huge first-half lead on the way to a 105-79 win against Mississippi State in Thursday’s first round.
Ja’Quan Newton added 15 points for the Hurricanes (3-0), who led by 29 points before the break in a can’t-miss opening 20 minutes. Miami made 17 of its first 21 shots, including a run of nine straight, and used a 16-0 burst to blow the game open and take all drama out of this one.
Temple 75, Minnesota 70
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Devin Coleman scored 12 of his 15 points in the final seven minutes, and Temple rallied past Minnesota in the opening game of the Puerto Rico Tipoff.
Jaylen Bond finished with 19 points to lead the Owls (11), who regrouped after going 6½ minutes without a basket with a run that finally put them ahead for good. The Gophers used a 17-2 run to erase a ninepoint deficit and go up 56-50 and seize momentum. But Coleman’s 3-pointer ended the drought and started the 15-2 run that put Temple back in front.
Josh Brown went 4-for-4 at the foul line in the final 25 seconds to keep the Owls in control, giving them their first win after almost a week off following a season-opening loss to top-ranked North Carolina.
Nate Mason scored a career-high 20 points to lead Minnesota (2-1).