Top 25 roundup: UCF rallies, shocks No. 3 Kansas

 

[January 11, 2024]  Jaylin Sellers scored 18 points and UCF defeated a Top 5 program for just the second time in school history, upsetting No. 3 Kansas 65-60 on Wednesday night in Big 12 play at Orlando, Fla.

Darius Johnson added 17 points, six assists and three steals and Ibrahima Diallo had 13 points as the Knights (10-4, 1-1 Big 12) overcame a 16-point deficit to prevail in their first-ever meeting with Kansas. The upset came in UCF's Big 12 home debut and was their first Big 12 conference win.

UCF's only other takedown of a top-five team was a 68-63 triumph over No. 4 UConn on Nov. 25, 2011.

Kevin McCullar Jr. recorded 16 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Jayhawks (13-2, 1-1), who had a nine-game winning streak snapped. Hunter Dickinson had just 12 points and four rebounds, while KJ Adams Jr. added 10 points.

No. 4 UConn 80, Xavier 75

Cam Spencer scored a team-leading 19 points while Tristen Newton added 16 points and 11 assists to lead the Huskies past the host Musketeers in Cincinnati.

Newton fell four rebounds short of his fourth career triple-double, while Alex Karaban added 14 points for Connecticut (14-2, 4-1 Big East), which won its fourth straight in conference play.

UConn trailed only once in the second half, 52-51, before Newton connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a 10-0 run on its way to a 76-62 lead with just over four minutes remaining. Quincy Olivari led Xavier (7-8, 1-3) with 24 points, while Desmond Claude chipped in with 15.

Mississippi State 77, No. 5 Tennessee 72

Tolu Smith III scored 23 points and converted a decisive three-point play with 14.7 seconds remaining, and the Bulldogs turned early defensive pressure into a win over the visiting Volunteers at Starkville, Miss.

Josh Hubbard scored 25 points for Mississippi State (12-3, 1-1 SEC), which bounced back from a conference-opening defeat at South Carolina on Saturday. The Bulldogs head the Volunteers to 22 points and 33.3 percent shooting in the first half, and forced 10 turnovers, then withstood a fierce rally.

Dalton Knecht scored 26 of his 28 points in the second half, and Zakai Zeigler added 26 points as Tennessee (11-4, 1-1) saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end. The Volunteers lost to a team outside of the Top 25 for the first time this season.

No. 8 North Carolina 67, North Carolina State 54

RJ Davis scored 16 points and Harrison Ingram grabbed a career-best 19 rebounds as the Tar Heels beat the rival Wolfpack on the road in front of a sold-out crowd in Raleigh, N.C.

Elliott Cadeau was the only other Tar Heel to score in double figures, chipping in 11 points and six assists in the victory for UNC (12-3, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). In addition to his performance on the glass, Ingram also had nine points, as did Armando Bacot.

Casey Morsell led the Wolfpack (11-4, 3-1) with 12 points and six rebounds, while DJ Burns Jr. had 11 points and two blocks. While NC State's winning streak was snapped at four, UNC extended its own streak to five. It was the first time since 1974 that the Tar Heels and Wolfpack faced off while both had records of 3-0 or better in ACC play.

TCU 80, No. 9 Oklahoma 71

Emanuel Miller scored 27 points as the Horned Frogs topped the Sooners in Fort Worth, Texas, on Wednesday night.

Jan 10, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights guard Jaylin Sellers (24) goes to the basket in front of Kansas Jayhawks guard Johnny Furphy (10) during the second half at Addition Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

Miller went 11-for-17 from the floor and grabbed nine rebounds as the Horned Frogs (12-3, 1-1 Big 12) stayed undefeated at home (8-0). TCU forced 14 turnovers, leading to 25 points, and shot 43.8 percent from the field.

Oklahoma (13-2, 1-1) suffered its first loss since Dec. 20 and shot 44.8 percent overall. Javian McCollum had a team-high 17 points to go along with six boards and five assists in the loss. John Hugley IV added 14 points.

No. 13 Memphis 107, UTSA 101 (OT)

David Jones scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Tigers escaped a major upset against the visiting Roadrunners, outscoring them 13-7 in overtime to claim an American Athletic Conference win.

Jahvon Quinerly added 25 points for the Tigers (14-2, 3-0 AAC), while Nick Jourdain contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds. Jaykwon Walton hit for 13 points and Malcolm Dandridge added 10 as Memphis hit 53.2 percent from the field and went 30 of 43 at the foul line.

Six players hit in double figures for the Roadrunners (7-9, 1-2), led by a game-high 28 points from Jordan Ivy-Curry before he fouled out late in overtime. Ivy-Curry added nine rebounds and five assists in an impressive all-around effort. Christian Tucker contributed 14 points for UTSA, which sank 17 of 45 3-pointers.

No. 15 Wisconsin 71, Ohio State 60

Max Klesmit scored all 18 of his points in the second half to lead the Badgers to a win over the host Buckeyes in Columbus to remain the only team unbeaten in Big Ten play.

The Badgers (12-3, 4-0 Big Ten) faced a 56-52 deficit when they scored 10 unanswered points for a 62-56 lead with 3:12 left. Klesmit had the final eight points of the run with a mid-range jumper and a pair of 3-pointers. After a Roddy Gayle Jr. layup for the Buckeyes (12-4, 2-3), Klesmit's jumper made it 64-58 and put the game away.

AJ Storr scored 17 points and Tyler Wahl added 11. The Badgers hit 10 of 11 free throws. Jamison Battle led the Buckeyes with 18 points and Bruce Thornton added 13.

Virginia Tech 87, No. 21 Clemson 72

Sean Pedulla scored a career-high 32 points on six made 3-pointers to help the Hokies top the visiting Tigers in Blacksburg, Va.

Tyler Nickel also had a career scoring night, putting up 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field, including five triples, for Virginia Tech (10-5, 2-2 ACC), which broke a two-game losing streak.

Ian Schieffelin led Clemson (11-4, 1-3) with 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field. Chauncey Wiggins and Joseph Girard III followed with 12 points apiece, while the team's leading scorer on the season, PJ Hall (19.5 ppg), struggled throughout, scoring just 11 points on 4-for-13 from the field.

--Field Level Media

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