Carr’s Clutch Defense Lifts No. 4 Kentucky Over No. 7 Gonzaga in OT Thriller
Andrew Carr recorded 19 points, seven rebounds, and a critical defensive play in the final seconds to secure No. 4 Kentucky’s 90-89 overtime victory against No. 7 Gonzaga in the Battle in Seattle. The Wildcats rallied from an 18-point second-half deficit to defeat Gonzaga after losing to the Bulldogs in the past two seasons.
Carr’s defensive heroics came after missing two free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining in overtime. He stripped Dusty Stromer from behind, preventing Gonzaga from attempting a potential game-winning shot. Jaxson Robinson added 18 points, and Otega Oweh scored 13 for Kentucky. Amari Williams contributed 12 points, while Brandon Garrison nearly recorded a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Graham Ike led Gonzaga with season highs of 28 points and 11 rebounds. Ben Gregg scored 14, while Ryan Nembhard had 13 points and 10 assists. Khalif Battle also added 13 points for the Bulldogs, who fell to 7-2.
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Kam Jones Powers No. 5 Marquette Past No. 11 Wisconsin 88-74
Kam Jones scored 32 points, matching his season high, to lead No. 5 Marquette to an 88-74 victory over in-state rival No. 11 Wisconsin. The Golden Eagles surged in the second half after trailing 39-37 at halftime, outscoring the Badgers 51-35 after the break.
David Joplin contributed 13 points, while Stevie Mitchell’s three-point play helped extend Marquette’s lead to 70-55 with under nine minutes to play. Marquette improved to 9-1 on the season.
Max Klesmit led Wisconsin with 22 points, connecting on 6-of-11 attempts from three-point range to snap a shooting slump. The Badgers fell to 6-3 after losing their early momentum.
Cryer’s Second-Half Surge Lifts No. 17 Houston Over Butler 79-51
LJ Cryer scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half as No. 17 Houston dominated Butler for a 79-51 home victory. Cryer’s scoring sparked the Cougars’ offense, helping them extend their nation-leading home win streak to 26 games.
Emanuel Sharp added 16 points for Houston, which improved to 5-3. Butler’s six-game winning streak ended, as the Bulldogs struggled against Houston’s stifling defense. Patrick McCaffery and Augusto Cassia each scored 11 points for Butler, but standout Jahmyl Telfort was held to just four points.
No. 18 Pitt Rallies Late to Defeat Virginia Tech 64-59
Jaland Lowe scored 19 points, including the go-ahead layup in the final minute, to lead No. 18 Pitt to a 64-59 victory over Virginia Tech in their ACC opener. Guillermo Diaz Graham contributed nine points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, including a key defensive stop in the final seconds.
Ishmael Leggett added 17 points for the Panthers, who improved to 8-2 (1-0 ACC). Virginia Tech’s Toibu Lawal and Jaden Schutt combined for 30 points, but the Hokies dropped their sixth straight game to fall to 3-6 (0-1 ACC).
No. 20 North Carolina Outlasts Georgia Tech 68-65
Seth Trimble scored a team-high 19 points as No. 20 North Carolina edged Georgia Tech 68-65 in their ACC opener. RJ Davis added 16 points, and Ian Jackson contributed 15 off the bench for the Tar Heels, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Lance Terry led the Yellow Jackets with 22 points, while Baye Ndongo recorded 19 points and 12 rebounds. Georgia Tech struggled offensively, shooting just 31.2% from the field, including 29.6% from beyond the arc, as they fell to 4-5 (0-1 ACC).
Jalon Moore’s Big Second Half Leads No. 21 Oklahoma Over Alcorn State 94-78
Jalon Moore scored 19 of his 20 points in the second half as No. 21 Oklahoma pulled away for a 94-78 victory against winless Alcorn State. Moore shot a perfect 8-for-8 in the second half to ignite the Sooners’ offense.
Jeremiah Fears and Dayton Forsythe added 14 points each for Oklahoma, which improved to 9-0. The Sooners shot 54.7% from the field and forced 19 turnovers.
Alcorn State (0-10) received 16 points from Omari Hamilton and 13 points and seven assists from Davian Williams but remained winless.
Ole Miss Cruises Past Lindenwood 86-53
Sean Pedulla led No. 23 Ole Miss with 19 points as the Rebels dominated Lindenwood 86-53. Ole Miss outscored the Lions 47-20 in the second half to improve to 8-1 on the season.
Mikeal Brown-Jones added 14 points, and the Rebels shot 57.7% in the second half. Reggie Bass scored 10 points for Lindenwood, which shot just 35.3% from the field and committed 15 turnovers.
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San Diego State Tops San Diego 74-57 in Crosstown Rivalry
Nick Boyd scored 17 points as No. 24 San Diego State defeated San Diego 74-57. The Aztecs relied on their signature tough defense to limit the Toreros to 30.9% shooting from the field.
Miles Byrd and Jared Coleman-Jones each scored 13 points, while Pharaoh Compton added 12 for San Diego State. Bendji Pierre led San Diego with 17 points off the bench, but the Toreros’ 6-for-32 performance from three-point range sealed their defeat.
