top 25 roundup Wednesday’s games

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No. 3 Pittsburgh 70, Delaware St. 42

PITTSBURGH

Reserve Dante Taylor scored a career-high 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his first career double-double to lead Pittsburgh. Taylor played just 15 minutes as coach Jamie Dixon went to his bench early. J.J. Moore, another reserve, scored 10 points. Ashton Gibbs had nine points as 11 players scored for the Panthers, who used their size to outrebound the Hornets 41-18. Pitt (10-0) has won 10 consecutive games to start the season for the seventh time in the past eight seasons. The Panthers have won 45 of their past 46 home games and are 82-1 against non-conference opponents at Petersen Events Center. Jordan Lawson had 11 points for Delaware State (4-4), which had won its last two games. Desi Washington scored all nine of his points in the first half.

No. 6 Connecticut 78, Fairleigh Dickinson 54

STORRS, CONN.

Kemba Walker scored 21 points to lead four Huskies in double figures. Walker came in leading the nation in scoring at over 29 points a game, but UConn didn’t need that many from him on Wednesday. Jeremy Lamb had 12 points while fellow freshmen Roscoe Smith and Shabazz Napier had 10 points each. Smith had 10 rebounds and Napier added five assists. The Huskies took 32 3-point shots and made just 10. Kamil Svrdlik led Fairleigh Dickinson (3-4) with 21 points .

No. 12 Villanova 65, Penn 53

PHILADELPHIA

Senior guard Corey Stokes scored a career-high 34 points, including seven in a key second-half stretch, and Villanova held off pesky Penn. The Wildcats (8-1) were held to a season-low point total but recorded their eighth straight victory over the Quakers. The outcome was in doubt until Villanova went on a 9-2 run midway through the second half to extend a 40-34 lead to 49-36. Stokes scored seven of those points, including a 3-pointer with 8:40 left to reach 1,000 for his career. The Quakers (4-4), who saw a two-game winning streak snapped, did not get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

No. 18 BYU 86, Vermont 58

GLENS FALLS, N.Y.

Hometown hero Jimmer Fredette scored 26 points to lift BYU. A senior guard and AP preseason All-America who starred at Glens Falls High School, Fredette made his first three shots and led the Cougars in scoring for the eighth time in their nine victories to open the season. Noah Hartsock had 14 points and 13 rebounds and Brandon Davies added 12 points for the Cougars (9-0). Brendan Bald scored 14 points for the Catamounts (6-2), the home team in name only who scored the opening basket but never held another lead.

No. 24 Louisville 61, San Francisco 35

LOUISVILLE, Ky.

Peyton Siva and Terrence Jennings both scored 14 points to lead Louisville’s balanced offense. The Cardinals (7-0) led 25-24 at halftime against the undermanned Dons (3-5) before holding them to five field goals in the second half. Siva sparked a 16-0 run by Louisville, hitting two 3-pointers and assisting on an inside basket early in the second half. The Cardinals cruised from there as they outscored San Francisco 36-11 in the second half. Chris Smith added 11 points and Preston Knowles had 10 for Louisville, which committed a season-low five turnovers while forcing 16 to outscore San Francisco 21-0 in points off turnovers.

WOMEN

No. 12 North Carolina 87, East Tennessee State 47

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.

Italee Lucas scored 13 points to lead four players in double figures and North Carolina used a big second half to surge past East Tennessee State. Jessica Breland added 11 points and nine rebounds and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt 11 points for the Tar Heels (9-0).

No. 15 Michigan State 55, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 48.

EAST LANSING, MICH.

Brittney Thomas and Porsche Poole each scored 11 points and No. 15 Michigan State held on to beat Wisconsin-Milwaukee 55-48 on Wednesday. Boardman High graduate Courtney Schiffauer had two points and three rebounds in 11 minutes for the Spartans (8-1), who led by two with 3:09 left, but closed out the game on a 13-8 run to win their sixth straight since losing to No. 2 Baylor on Nov. 19.

No. 18 Notre Dame 79, Providence 43

PROVIDENCE, R.I.

Natalie Achonwa scored 13 points off the bench and Erica Solomon added 11 and Notre Dame defeated Providence in the Big East Conference opener for both teams. Mi-Khida Hankins scored 16 points for the Friars (5-6), who were held to eight points in the second half.

No. 20 St. John’s 71, Seton Hall 52

NEW YORK

Eugenia McPherson scored a career-high 20 points to lead St. John’s in the Big East opener for both teams. Shenneika Smith added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Red Storm.

Associated Press