college basketball

college basketball

Wednesday’s games

MEN

No. 5 Villanova 66, Western Kentucky 58

PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS

Jalen Brunson scored 18 points to help No. 5 Villanova beat Western Kentucky in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis. The Wildcats (4-0) found themselves in a close game until early in the second half. That’s when they ran off a 13-2 burst to push ahead by double figures, part of a hot-shooting stretch that had them picking up the pace and scoring off turnovers. Villanova made 15 of 24 shots (63 percent) after halftime after shooting just 33 percent to lead 27-24 at the break. The Wildcats also got a spark from sophomore Donte DiVincenzo, who scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half. He finished a tough layup through contact for a three-point play at the 5:11 mark. Villanova led by 18 points late. Darius Thompson scored 16 points for the Hilltoppers (2-2), who shot 44 percent.

Tennessee 78, No. 18 Purdue 75, OT

PARADISE ISLAND, BAHAMAS

Grant Williams scored all 22 of his points after halftime and hit the go-ahead shot with 14.5 seconds left in regulation to lift Tennessee past No. 18 Purdue in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis. After P.J. Thompson missed a jumper for the lead, James Daniel hit two free throws with 2.0 seconds left to push the margin to three. The Boilermakers had one more chance to tie, but Kyle Alexander intercepted Dakota Mathias’ long inbounds heave to end it. Tennessee (3-0) shot just 36 percent but dominated the boards and finished with 21 second-chance points. Carsen Edwards scored 21 points to lead the Boilermakers (4-1). Tennessee forced overtime when Lamonte Turner buried a tying 3-pointer from near his bench with 5.1 seconds left in regulation. Purdue called a timeout, but Edwards’ 3 for the win hit the front rim as the horn sounded.

No. 11 Miami 57, La Salle 46

READING, PA.

Prized freshman Lonnie Walker IV struggled in his return home, but Dewan Huell scored 16 points and No. 11 Miami did just enough to get by La Salle and remain unbeaten. Walker was held to five points and 2-of-8 shooting, and his woes were contagious. B.J. Johnson scored 16 points on 6-of-20 shooting and Pookie Powell added 15 on 5-of-15 from the field for La Salle (3-3) in its third straight loss. Walker didn’t start — he hasn’t yet this season — but the crowd roared as he got off the bench and walked to the scorer’s table 4 minutes in. While Walker didn’t appear to have any issue with the left ankle he turned in a win over Florida A&M last week, it was a struggle. He missed his first three shots before finally bringing the crowd to its feet with a nifty crossover dribble and bank shot in the lane in the final seconds of an ugly first half that made it 19-19. Walker couldn’t get it going in the second half, either. But he fed Bruce Brown Jr. for a 3-pointer with 3:23 left to put Miami up 49-39 during an 8-0 run. Huell hit 8 of10 shots and added seven rebounds.

WOMEN

No. 18 Oregon State 97, North Carolina Central 44.

DURHAM, N.C.

Kat Tudor had careers-highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds, and No. 18 Oregon State beat North Carolina Central for its first road win of the season. The Beavers (3-1) bounced back from a 72-67 loss against No. 6 Notre Dame on Sunday. Oregon State stays in Durham, North Carolina to face No. 16 Duke on Saturday before opening the Maui Invitational on Dec. 1 against Nevada. Tudor was 9 of 14 from the floor, matched a career-best with five 3-pointers and collected her first career double-double. Joanna Grymek had 16 points and Marie Gulich added 15 for Oregon State. Rodneysha Martin scored 15 points and Kieche White had 11 to lead North Carolina Central (1-2). The Beavers had a double-digit lead with four minutes left in the first quarter, and led 51-17 at the break. Tudor had 14 points and eight rebounds in the first half.

No. 22 Kentucky 86, Morehead State 53

LEXINGTON, KY.

Maci Morris made five 3-pointers and scored 19 points, Makenzie Cann had her second straight double-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and No. 22 Kentucky beat Morehead State. Amanda Paschal added 11 points for Kentucky (5-0), which won its 13th straight game over the Eagles. The Wildcats built a 26-12 lead by the end of the first quarter after making 10 of their first 15 shots, including 4 of 7 from distance. The lead became 44-18 in the second quarter after opening the frame with 10 unanswered points. Kentucky shot 52 percent, with seven 3-pointers, in the half for a 19-point lead. Morris had 13 points by halftime and Cann added eight. Eriel McKee scored 13 points and Tierra McGowan grabbed 10 rebounds for Morehead State (2-3).

Associated Press