Category: Basketball

John Calipari won his debut as Arkansas coach when the 16th-ranked Razorbacks held off a second-half rally by Lipscomb and pulled away for a 76-60 victory Wednesday night. Freshman guard Boogie Fland scored 17 points and Florida Atlantic transfer Johnell Davis added 15 for Arkansas. Calipari, who left Southeastern Conference rival Kentucky after last season, had previously been booed incessantly whenever stepping foot in Bud Walton Arena.

Miles Kelly scored 21 points, Denver Jones added 16 and No. 11 Auburn cruised to a 94-43 season-opening home victory over Vermont on Wednesday night. Chaney Johnson had 13 points and nine rebounds for the Tigers, who have now won 55 consecutive non-conference home games. Auburn led Vermont by 25 at halftime and opened the second half on a 35-4 run.

Arkansas basketball head coach John Calipari. © Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images On a picture-perfect night in Fayetteville, the Arkansas basketball team (1-0) defeated the Lipscomb Bisons (0-1), 76-60, in front of a sparse crowd inside Bud Walton Arena.

Matt Allocco added 10 points for the Fighting Irish and Kebba Njie grabbed 10 rebounds to go with nine points. Todd Brogna scored 16 points and Ethan Meuser and Louie Semona had 11 each for the Skyhawks (1-1).

Alex Karaban had 20 points, seven rebounds, seven blocks and six assists as No. 3 UConn opened the season with a 92-56 win over Sacred Heart on Wednesday night.

Freshman Jacob Cofie had 16 points, Elijah Saunders scored nine of his 11 points in the second half and Virginia outlasted Campbell 65-56 on Wednesday night to begin the Ron Sanchez era. Sanchez was named interim head coach on Oct. 18 after three-time national coach of the year Tony Bennett retired. Sanchez spent 10 seasons on Bennett’s staff at Virginia in two different stints, 2009-19 and 2023-24.

Liam McNeeley added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies, seeking their third consecutive NCAA championship. Solo Ball scored 16. Tarris Reed Jr. finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds off the bench as Connecticut outrebounded Sacred Heart 47-25.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - (AP) — Freshman standout Dylan Harper scored 20 points in his highly anticipated debut to lead No. 25 Rutgers to a 75-52 win over Wagner on Wednesday night in the season-opener for both schools. Harper, a combo guard, is considered one of the top freshmen in the country and together with fellow first-year forward Ace Bailey, a major reason why the Scarlet Knights entered the season at No. 25. Rutgers was without Bailey, who was sidelined with an undisclosed injury he suffered Monday in practice.

Robbie Hummel shares his expectations for some of the top players in Big Ten men's basketball and what they need to lead their respective programs to glory in 2024-25.