Category: NCAA Basketball

Dylan Harper scored 24 points and hit a go-ahead layup with 3:49 to play to lead No. 24 Rutgers to a much-harder-than expected 75-65 victory over New Jersey foe Saint Peter's on Monday night. The Scarlet Knights (2-0) had to overcame a five-point halftime deficit and twice had to rally in the final minutes after the Peacocks (0-3) wiped out a nine-point deficit and took one-point leads, the last at 65-64 on a layup by Tyreck Morris with 4:07 to go. Harper hit a layup less than 20 seconds later and it keyed a game-ending 11-0 run for Rutgers, which did not allow a point after Morris' basket.

Grant Nelson scored 22 points and had seven rebounds to lead No. 2 Alabama over McNeese State 72-64 on Monday night. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. went 5 for 9 from 3-point range, scoring 15 points for the Crimson Tide (3-0), and Mark Sears added 15 points, three rebounds and five assists. Javohn Garcia, who has averaged 18 points per game this season, was limited to 11 minutes due to foul trouble, scoring only four points.

Caleb Grill matched a career best with eight 3-pointers and scored a career-high 33 points to lead Missouri to an 84-77 victory over Eastern Washington on Monday night. Grill, who missed Missouri's final 23 games last season with a wrist injury, shot 10 of 13 from the floor and 8 of 10 from long range. Eastern Washington used a 19-8 run to pull to 70-68 with 5:15 remaining.

Julian Reese led a balanced attack and scored 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting and Maryland throttled Florida A&M 84-53 on Monday night. Selton Miguel scored 14 points, Ja'Kobi Gillespie 12, Derik Queen 11 and reserve Rodney Rice 10 for the Terrapins who had 11 players score. Miguel converted a three-point play and made a 3-pointer within the first three minutes and Maryland (3-0) scored the game's first 15 points before the Rattlers (0-3).

Rueben Chinyelu tied his career-high with 14 points, Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard added 12 apiece, and No. 20 Florida beat Grambling State 86-62 on Monday in coach Todd Golden's first game since he acknowledged an ongoing school inquiry into sexual harassment and stalking allegations. Golden said previously he is considering “defamation claims." Golden, 39, got a rousing ovation during pregame introductions.

St. Francis faces Penn State this Tuesday night exclusively on Peacock. Live coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET.

Marcus Dockery had 23 points as the Howard Bison defeated the Dillard Blue Devils 91-73 in a non-conference game at Burr Gymnasium on Monday. Howard (1-2) bounced back from two road losses to start the season, controlling the game against NAIA opponent Dillard (3-1). The Bison led 52-34 at halftime and maintained their advantage throughout the second half.

The Jayhawks received 44 of 62 first-place votes after a home win against North Carolina, a game that saw Kansas blow a 20-point lead but hold on for a 92-89 win.

Kansas State joined the top 10 and both Stanford and Oregon cracked the first regular-season rankings of the season.

Arkansas moved down in the latest AP Poll. Ethan Doan The Arkansas basketball team saw downward movement to No. 18 in the first regular season update of the AP Top 25 poll. Arkansas — which was ranked 16th prior to Monday's update — split both of its games last week, as the Razorbacks defeated Lipscomb in the season-opener (76-60) but dropped a hard-fought loss to now-No.

Auburn jumped to No. 5 after knocking off Houston following an incident on their team flight to Texas.

Kansas remained atop the first Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll of the regular season after winning a matchup of basketball bluebloods, while Gonzaga and Auburn cracked the top five after impressive opening-week wins and St. John's led by Rick Pitino joined the rankings. The Jayhawks received 44 of 62 first-place votes after a home win against North Carolina, a game that saw Kansas blow a 20-point lead but hold on for a 92-89 win. Mark Few's Zags moved up two spots to No. 4 after blowing out then-No. 8 Baylor to open the season, then pushing past Arizona State.

Kansas stays No. in AP Top 25 men's basketball poll, Alabama, UConn, Gonzaga, Auburn next, St. John's back in rankings.

The first week of the men's college basketball season caused change in the USA TODAY Sports coaches poll with Auburn being the biggest mover forward.

We're one week into the college basketball season and the favorites are digging their heels in and stars are showing out.