Category: NCAA Basketball

Michigan State basketball stepped out on the national stage thanks to breakthroughs by Kur Teng and Jesse McCulloch in Tuesday's win over Kentucky.

The Jayhawks (3-2) were still without their best player, freshman Darryn Peterson, the nation’s top recruit and potentially the top pick in next year’s NBA draft, because of a lingering hamstring injury.

The Spartans shot 11 of 22 from beyond the arc at Madison Square Garden after making just 13 of their first 60 3-point attempts in their first three games, good for 21.7% and fourth-worst out of 361 Division I programs.

Kur Teng hit three of Michigan State’s season-high 11 3-pointers on the way to scoring a career-best 15 points, and the 17th-ranked Spartans beat No. 12 Kentucky 83-66 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in the opener of the annual Champions Classic. Michigan State (4-0) made half of its 3-point attempts after entering the game shooting 21.7% from long range — fourth-worst out of 361 Division I programs — with just 14 total through its first three games. The Spartans outrebounded Kentucky 42-28 and never led by fewer than 10 after Teng’s baseline fadeaway jumper deep in the corner with 2 seconds remaining in the first half.

Eric Dailey Jr. had 15 points and 12 rebounds, Xavier Booker scored 12 and No. 19 UCLA rode a new-look starting lineup to a 79-48 victory over Sacramento State on Tuesday night. Trent Perry, Jamar Brown, Steven Jamerson II and Brandon Williams all started for the Bruins (4-1) after making just two starts between them in the first four games of the season. Booker, Tyler Bilodeau, Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark all began the game on the bench.

UCLA begins game with four regular starters on the bench and the Bruins go on to rout an overmatched Sacramento State.

Michigan State looked dominant in its win over Kentucky, while Duke was able to outlast Kansas with Darryn Peterson sidelined due to injury.

A lingering hamstring injury caused Darryn Peterson to miss a third consecutive game for Kansas, and coach Bill Self is not sure when the nation’s top recruit and potentially the top pick in next year’s NBA draft might be ready to play again. Peterson has not played since getting hurt during a pregame shootaround on Nov. 11. Self said the team feels good about how it is handling Peterson and doesn't expect the absence to be “long at all.”

Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans lead the way for No. 4 Duke in its defeat of No. 23 Kansas at the Champions Classic.

Kansas took early control despite playing without Peterson. But as the game wore on the Jayhawks didn't have enough firepower to keep up with a loaded Duke lineup.

Meleek Thomas scored a career-high 26 points as No. 21 Arkansas scored the final six points to rally past Winthrop 84-83 on Tuesday night. Arkansas took their final lead with 11 seconds left when Nick Pringle scored at the rim after a Winthrop turnover. After the basket, he and Winthrop’s Logan Duncomb became tangled.

Tom Izzo had some nit-picking to do even after 17th-ranked Michigan State pulled away to beat No. 12 Kentucky 83-66 in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night. “We made some shots,” Izzo said. “I’m not really sure,” Kur Teng, who had three of those 11, said when asked what changed.

Mike Nwoko scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Dedan Thomas Jr. and Marquel Sutton added 16 points each, and LSU rolled past Alcorn State 107-81 on Tuesday night. Thomas dished six assists to lead the Tigers (4-0). Sutton also hauled in 10 rebounds for his third straight double-double.

Caleb Wilson had 23 points and 12 rebounds, leading No. North Carolina to a 73-61 win over Navy on Tuesday night. A true freshman, Wilson also had four steals and three blocks for the Tar Heels (5-0).

Kur Teng hit three of Michigan State's season-high 11 3-pointers on the way to scoring a career-best 15 points, and the 17th-ranked Spartans beat No. 12 Kentucky 83-66 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in the opener of the annual Champions Classic. Michigan State (4-0) made half of its 3-point attempts after entering the game shooting 21.7% from long range — fourth-worst out of 361 Division I programs — with just 14 total through its first three games. The Spartans outrebounded Kentucky 42-28 and never led by fewer than 10 after Teng's baseline fadeaway jumper deep in the corner with 2 seconds remaining in the first half.