NCAA HOOPS
No. Kansas 92, Tennessee State 56
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Lagerald Vick scored 23 points, Svi Mykhailiuk added 15 and fourth-ranked Kansas routed Tennessee State 92-56 on Friday night in its lone tuneup before facing No. 5 Kentucky in the Champions Classic.
Devonte Graham added 10 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds for the short-handed Jayhawks, who played without fivestar prospect Billy Preston. The touted freshman forward was suspended for the opener after he missed curfew Thursday night and failed to show up for class Friday.
No. 5 Kentucky 73, Utah Valley 63
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Hamidou Diallo scored 15 second-half points, most of them during an 18-0 run, and No. 5 Kentucky shot 59 percent after halftime to rally past Utah Valley 73-63 on Friday night in the opener for both schools.
One of Kentucky coach John Calipari’s youngest rosters since arriving in Lexington showed its inexperience by struggling on both ends and trailing 34-25 at halftime. The Wildcats emerged from the break more energetic to make the pivotal run over 3:22 with
eight consecutive baskets, including back-to-back transition dunks by Diallo.
The redshirt freshman guard, one of eight Kentucky newcomers, finished with 18 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 13 points, Kevin Knox 12 and Nick Richards 10.
No. 6 Villanova 75, Columbia 60
PHILADELPHIA — Eric Paschall scored 15 points and Jalen Brunson had 14 to lead No. 6 Villanova to a 75-60 victory over Columbia on Friday night.
Villanova, the 2016 national champions, won their 15th straight season opener and pulled away in the second half in the first game of their home arena for the season, the Wells Fargo Center.
Mike Smith scored 19 points for Columbia. The Lions, out of the Ivy League, hung around in the first half as they chased their second win over Villanova in five years.
No. 7 Wichita St. 109, Missouri-Kansas City 57
WICHITA, Kan. — Senior Darral Willis scored 19 points to lead No. 7 Wichita State past Missouri-Kansas City 109-57 in its season opener Friday night.
Landry Shamet had 17 points, Shaquille Morris scored 16 and Conner Frankamp added 11 to give the Shockers (1-0) four
starters in double figures.
No. 9 North Carolina 86, Northern Iowa 69
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Luke Maye had a careerhigh 26 points to go with 10 rebounds in No. 9 North Carolina’s season-opening 86-69 win against Northern Iowa on Friday night.
Freshman Garrison Brooks added 14 points for the reigning national champions, who opened the season without Final Four Most Outstanding Player Joel Berry II and Pittsburgh graduate transfer Cameron Johnson due to injuries.
No. 25 Texas A&M 88, No. 11 West Virginia 65
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — Tyler Davis had 23 points and 13 rebounds, Admon Gilder scored 23 points and No. 25 Texas A&M overcame a sluggish start to dominate No. 11 West Virginia 88-65 early Saturday in the Armed Forces Classic.
D.J. Hogg added 19 points for the Aggies, who played without suspended forward Robert Williams and point guard J.J. Caldwell. Gilder also had nine rebounds and seven assists.
No. 12 Cincinnati 107, Savannah State 77
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Cane Broome scored 17 points during his debut as Cincinnati’s point guard, and the 12th-ranked
Bearcats pulled away to a 107-77 victory over Savannah State on Friday.
The Bearcats (1-0) showed the offensive depth that brought them their highest AP preseason ranking since 1999-2000. Gary Clark — one of three returning starters — had 13 points and 11 rebounds in their first game at a temporary home arena.
No. 13 Miami 77, Gardner-Webb 45
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Sophomore Bruce Brown had his second career triple-double and the third in school history to help the No. 13 Miami Hurricanes win their season opener Friday night by beating Gardner-Webb 77-45.
Brown, who is widely expected to turn pro after this season, totaled 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in 31 minutes.
No. 15 Minnesota 92, South Carolina Upstate 77
MINNEAPOLIS — Jordan Murphy sure got his junior year off to a good start.
The Gophers are eager to see how much higher he can take his game.
Murphy scored a careerhigh 35 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, Reggie Lynch added 15 points and 10 rebounds and 15th-ranked Minnesota overpowered South Carolina Upstate in the season opener for a 9277 victory on Friday night.