Top-25 College Basketball Game Capsules

Maui, HI (SportsNetwork.com) – Jerami Grant’s head hovered well above the rim when he threw down an emphatic two-handed dunk off a Trevor Cooney miss that jumpstarted a game-changing run. The jam was part of a career night for the blossoming sophomore. Grant had 19 points and eight rebounds as No. 8 Syracuse defeated California 92-81 in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational. Grant wasn’t the only youngster who shined. Coming off a rough 1-of-9 performance against Minnesota in the quarterfinals Monday, freshman Tyler Ennis netted a game-high 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting to go with four rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Orange (6-0), who will face No. 18 Baylor in the title game on Wednesday. Cooney poured in 23 points in the triumph. Already without the interior presence of Richard Solomon due to a freak eye injury suffered in Monday’s quarterfinal win over Arkansas, Cal forward David Kravish exited midway through the second half with his fourth foul and the Golden Bears trailing 60-57. His third and fourth fouls came 42 seconds apart. With Kravish out, the Orange proceeded to go on an 11-2 run and never looked back.

Final Score: (10) Wisconsin 63, Saint Louis 57

Cancun, Mexico (SportsNetwork.com) – Frank Kaminsky collected 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks to help No. 10 Wisconsin hold off Saint Louis, 63-57, on Tuesday and advance to the Cancun Challenge Riviera Division Championship Game. Traevon Jackson scored 16 points and grabbed six boards to lead the Badgers (7-0), who will take on West Virginia in Wednesday’s title tilt. Wisconsin is off to its first 7-0 start since the 1993-94 campaign when it opened 11-0. Rob Loe led Saint Louis (5-1) with 15 points, while Austin McBroom added 14 points and six rebounds for the Billikens, who will face Old Dominion in a consolation game on Wednesday.

Final Score: (11) Gonzaga 113, Chaminade 81

Maui, HI (SportsNetwork.com) – Sam Dower had 19 points and six rebounds, while Kevin Pangos added 18 points and seven assists as No. 11 Gonzaga routed Chaminade 113-81 in the consolation bracket of the Maui Invitational. Gary Bell Jr. netted 16 points to go with six assists and Przemik Karnowski tallied 10 points and 13 boards for the Bulldogs (5-1), who will play Arkansas in the fifth-place game Wednesday. Gonzaga shot 69.7 percent (46-of-66) from the floor. Lee Bailey had 29 points to lead Chaminade (2-2), which will face Minnesota in the seventh-place game Wednesday.

Final Score: (12) Wichita State 75, BYU 62

Kansas City, MO (SportsNetwork.com) – Fred VanVleet scored 10 of his 12 points in the final six minutes to push No. 12 Wichita State past an evenly-matched BYU, 75-62, in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic championship game. Ron Baker poured in a career-high 23 points and Cleanthony Early netted 12 for the Shockers (7-0), who stayed undefeated by holding the Cougars to 30 percent shooting. Matt Carlino had a team-high 21 points but scored just three in the second half as BYU (5-2) went the final 8 1/2 minutes without making a field goal. Tyler Haws scored 11 of his 17 points at the foul line, hitting just 3- of-15 from the field to sum up the Cougars’ offensive struggles.

Final Score: (13) Connecticut 76, Loyola-Maryland 66

Hartford, CT (SportsNetwork.com) – DeAndre Daniels posted 21 points and eight rebounds as No. 13 UConn used a second-half surge to down Loyola-Maryland, 76-66, in the first-ever meeting between the schools on Tuesday. Ryan Boatright totaled 13 points and Lasan Kromah 12 for the Huskies (7-0), who received 11 points from Niels Giffey in the victory. Dylon Cormier’s game-best 23 points wasn’t enough for the Greyhounds (4-1). Eric Laster added 12 points, with R.J. Williams picking up 10 points and six assists in defeat.

Final Score: (18) Baylor 67, Dayton 66

Maui, HI (SportsNetwork.com) – Cory Jefferson’s putback layup with 16.4 seconds remaining lifted No. 18 Baylor to a hard-fought, 67-66, victory over Dayton on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational from Lahaina Civic Center. Baylor trailed 59-49 with 7:26 remaining, but used a 16-7 swing to pull within one on Gary Franklin’s right wing 3-pointer with 1:22 on the clock. After Devin Oliver missed from in close on Dayton’s next possession, Kenny Chery came up short on a right baseline jumper, but Jefferson corralled the rebound and finished the layup to give Baylor its first lead since the opening minute of the contest. Following a series of timeouts with 12.8 seconds left, Vee Sanford made his way to the left block, but missed a fadeaway shot and Oliver’s tip-in try rimmed out as well to end the Flyers’ upset bid. Royce O’Neale and Chery each netted 13 points, while Isaiah Austin, Jefferson and Franklin finished with 10 points apiece for the Bears (6-0), who extended their winning streak to 11 games, the longest active streak in the nation. Baylor will take on No. 8 Syracuse in Wednesday’s title game. Jordan Sibert paced Dayton (5-1) with 20 points, while Oliver added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Flyers, who will face California in a consolation game on Wednesday.

Categorized in: NCAA Basketball