Category: NCAA Basketball

Tre Johnson endured a poor offensive night before scoring Texas' final six points — all from the line — and the Longhorns got past Syracuse 70-66 Thursday night after blowing a 16-point second-half lead at the UKG Legends Classic. Friday the Longhorns (4-1) take on the winner of Thursday's late game between Texas Tech and Saint Joseph's for the tourney title while the Orange will play the loser. Arthur Kaluma had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Freshman Toby Fournier reached double figures for the fourth time in five games after finishing with a career-high 25 points to lead No. 14 Duke to a 79-47 win over Belmont on Thursday night. Fournier was 10-of-15 shooting for the Blue Devils (5-1), who finished at 55% (32 of 58). Oluchi Okananwa added 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and Ashlon Jackson 14 points.

Jamarii Thomas had 19 points and Zachary Davis scored 18 to lead South Carolina to an 84-72 victory over Mercer on Thursday night. Thomas made 5 of 10 shots from the floor, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range, and 5 of 8 free throws for the Gamecocks (3-2). Collin Murray-Boyles scored 16 and finished a rebound shy of a double-double for South Carolina.

Chauncey Wiggins scored 16 points, Dillon Hunter added a career-high 15 points and Clemson beat Radford 79-51 on Thursday night in a Sunshine Slam campus game. Clemson travels to Daytona Beach, Fla. to battle San Francisco in the Sunshine Jam on Monday. Radford also heads to Florida for a game on Monday against Chicago State in the Ocean Division of the tournament.

Mackenzie Mgbako, Malik Reneau and Oumar Ballo each scored nine points as the Hoosiers (4-0) won their fourth straight by double digits. Ballo added 11 rebounds and Reneau had 10. Ronald Polite III led the Spartans with a season-best 17 points, and Donovan Atwell added 10 for UNC Greensboro (2-2).

Christian Davis had 21 points in Bradley's 82-68 victory against Texas State on Thursday night. Davis shot 6 for 10 (4 for 5 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line for the Braves (4-1). Darius Hannah added 16 points while shooting 6 for 7 (3 for 4 from 3-point range) and 1 of 3 from the free-throw line while he also had seven rebounds.

Nico Galette and EJ Farmer each scored 16 points to help Youngstown State defeat Monmouth 72-62 on Thursday night. Galette added 10 rebounds for the Penguins (2-2). Farmer added seven rebounds.

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo said Jase Richardson's left ankle is OK and the freshman should be ready for the Maui Invitational next week.

Jao Ituka led Jacksonville State over East Carolina on Thursday night with 18 points off of the bench in an 86-78 victory. Ituka shot 5 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Gamecocks (4-1). Jaron Pierre Jr. added 16 points while shooting 4 of 10 from the field and 7 for 11 from the line while he also had six rebounds and six assists.

Aziaha James had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Devyn Quigley scored a career-high 20 points and made four 3-pointers and NC State beat Coastal Carolina 89-68 on Thursday. NC State had its lead trimmed to 54-46 midway through the third quarter before James scored five straight points to begin a 13-2 run that ended in a 19-point lead. Quigley took over in the fourth, making three 3-pointers and scoring 15 points.

KyKy Tandy scored 21 points and Florida Atlantic pulled away late in the second half to beat Oklahoma State 86-78 on Thursday in the Charleston Classic. Florida Atlantic (4-2) plays the Bulldogs in the semifinals on Friday, while Oklahoma State (3-1) battles the Hurricanes in a consolation game. Leland Walker completed a three-point play with 4:38 left in the second half to give FAU its first lead, 68-67, since it was 16-14.

Dan Hurley is trying to run it back with only one returning starter from last year's championship squad.

Temple games were flagged for unusual wagering activity at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Michigan State will play UNC basketball next Thanksgiving Day in the 2025 Fort Myers Tip-Off in Florida.

Bennett Stirtz scored 21 points, Daniel Abreu had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Drake beat Miami 80-69 on Thursday to begin the Charleston Classic. It was Drake’s first victory against an ACC opponent since topping Wake Forest 77-74 in its second game of the 2017-18 season. Nijel Pack became the first Florida State player to reach double digits when he made a 3-pointer with 6:54 remaining to pull within 56-47, but Stirtz answered at the other end with a three-point play to restore a 12-point lead.