Top-25 College Basketball Game Capsules
Wichita, KS (SportsNetwork.com) – Cleanthony Early scored 23 points to carry No. 4 Wichita State past Loyola-Chicago, 57-45, in Missouri Valley Conference play on Tuesday. Early shot 7-of-14 from the field and knocked down four of the Shockers’ (22-0, 9-0 MVC) seven 3-pointers. The rest of the Wichita State starters made just seven field goals combined. Fred VanVleet had just three points, a season-low, but helped the cause in other ways by tallying team-highs of nine assists and eight rebounds. Tekele Cotton and Ron Baker netted seven points apiece as WSU remained one of just three unbeaten teams in the nation. Milton Doyle paced Loyola (8-13, 3-6) with 16 points in the setback.
Final Score: (7) Michigan State 71, (15) Iowa 69 (OT)
Iowa City, IA (SportsNetwork.com) – Keith Appling scored 16 points to help the No. 7 Michigan State Spartans fend off No. 15 Iowa with a 71-69 win at Carver Hawkeye Arena. Appling had a chance to add to his stats and put the game away in the closing seconds of overtime, but he missed a pair of free throws to leave the door open for Iowa to either win or force a another extra session. Mike Gessell drove the length of the court in 4.4 seconds, but his layup banked off the backboard and off the rim as Michigan State held on, ending Iowa’s 20-game home winning streak. Denzel Valentine finished with 12 points for the Spartans (19-2, 8-1 Big Ten), while Matt Costello stepped up in the absence of forwards Branden Dawson and Adreian Payne, setting career highs with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Roy Devyn Marble paced all scorers with 21 points and Aaron White finished with 10 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the free-throw line for Iowa (16-5, 5-3).
Final Score: LSU 87, (11) Kentucky 82
Baton Rouge, LA (SportsNetwork.com) – Johnny O’Bryant III and the LSU Tigers led from start to finish and upset 11th-ranked Kentucky, 87-82, in an SEC clash on Tuesday. O’Bryant finished a point shy of his career-high, posting 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting for the Tigers (13-6, 4-3 SEC), winners in three of four. Shavon Coleman and Jordan Mickey added 14 points apiece while Anthony Hickey had 11 points with a game-high six assists. James Young led the way with 23 points for Kentucky (15-5, 5-2) while Dakari Johnson made 7-of-8 shots for a career-best 15 points off the bench before fouling out late in the contest. Aaron Harrison contributed 14 points, with nine of those coming on a trio of 3-pointers in the final minute.
Final Score: (20) Creighton 63, St. John’s 60
Omaha, NE (SportsNetwork.com) – Doug McDermott’s 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left lifted No. 20 Creighton to a 63-60 win over St. John’s at CenturyLink Center Omaha. The Red Storm (12-9, 2-6 Big East) rallied from 18 down to tie the game at 58-58 with 1:22 left on a JaKarr Sampson layup. Ethan Wragge then found McDermott on the right side on the other end and McDermott dribbled past his defender and got a tough left-handed floater to fall to give the Bluejays (18-3, 8-1) a 60-58 edge. St. John’s freshman Rysheed Jordan was called for a charge at the other end, but another tough shot from McDermott drew iron, and Jefferson was fouled away from the basket. Jordan calmly converted a pair of free throws with 11.1 seconds showing to knot things up yet again. McDermott was wide open from well behind 3-point line at the top of the key and buried the game-winner. Phil Greene IV launched a desperation heave from halfcourt at the buzzer, but it was nowhere near the rim and Creighton held on. McDermott, who went 5-for-9 from 3-point range, finished with a season-high 39 points. He was the only player in double figures for Creighton, winners in three straight.
Categorized in: NCAA Basketball