NO. 1 KENTUCKY 110, AUBURN 75
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points to lead six Kentucky players in double figures, and the top-ranked Wildcats recorded their highest-scoring total since 2002 with a 110-75 blowout of Auburn on Saturday night that extended its best start ever.
The Wildcats (27-0, 14-0 SEC) surpassed 100 points each in preseason victories over lower-level Pikeville and Georgetown College but hadn't scored at least 110 points in a regular-season game since beating Tennessee State 115-87 on Dec. 30, 2002. Aaron Harrison's two free throws with 3:18 left broke the 100-point mark in a game that was never in doubt as the Wildcats scored the first nine points and poured it on. He finished with 18 points.
Dakari Johnson added 13 points, Andrew Harrison 12, Devin Booker 11 and Tyler Ulis 10 as Kentucky shot 65 percent from the field. Towns also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Although short of the 120 points Kentucky scored against Vanderbilt on Feb. 7, 1996, it was the Wildcats' most in an SEC game since beating Arkansas 101-70 on Jan. 23, 2010.
Antoine Mason scored a game-high 29 points -- including five three-pointers -- for Auburn (12-15, 4-10), which lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
Coming off Tuesday's 18-point victory at Tennessee and seeking a strong start to its five-game stretch run, Kentucky got it with energetic play on both ends that thoroughly flustered Auburn.
That wasn't easy for the Wildcats, who had to keep SEC scoring leader K.T. Harrell (17.9 points per game) and teammates Cinmeon Bowers (13.1) and Mason (14.9) in check. Mason eventually warmed up from the perimeter to lead the Tigers' 11-of-19 shooting from behind the arc and Harrell added 17 points, but neither contribution mattered against Kentucky.
LSU 70, FLORIDA 63
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Jarell Martin scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to help LSU beat Florida.
Martin, who had scored a combined 22 points in the Tigers' two previous games, was 8 of 15 from the field and 11 of 16 at the free-throw line. The 11 made free throws were also a career best for Martin.
Jordan Mickey had 13 points and Keith Hornsby added 12 for LSU (19-8, 8-6 SEC).
Eli Carter scored 14 points for the Gators (13-14, 6-8), who have lost five of their past six games. Devin Robinson added 12 for Florida, which had just one lead in the game.
The Gators cut their deficit to 54-48 when Robinson made a three-pointer with 6:04 left in the game, but the Tigers rebuilt their advantage to double figures by scoring nine consecutive points.
GEORGIA 66, ALABAMA 65, OT
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Cameron Forte hit a shot from the baseline with seven seconds left in overtime to lift Georgia over Alabama.
The Bulldogs (17-9, 8-6 SEC) snapped a two-game losing streak in dramatic fashion. Yante Maten blocked Retin Obasohan’s layup attempt from behind with one second remaining.
Rodney Cooper couldn’t get a shot off in time for the Crimson Tide (16-11, 6-8). Obasohan missed a three-pointer and Rodney Cooper turned it over after grabbing the rebound with 26 seconds left and a 65-64 lead, setting up what proved the game-winning basket.
OLE MISS 59, TENNESSEE 57
OXFORD, Miss. — Stefan Moody scored 22 points and Mississippi survived two missed shots in the final 10 seconds to defeat Tennessee.
Jarvis Summers added 13 points for the Rebels (19-8, 10-4 SEC), including the game-winning free throw with 27 seconds left. Ole Miss has won eight of its past nine games.
Tennessee (14-12, 6-8) was led by Armani Moore with 15 points. Josh Richardson had 13 points, but misfired twice in the final 10 seconds. Kevin Punter added 12 with four three-pointers.
VANDERBILT 76, MISSOURI 53
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Damian Jones scored 16 points as Vanderbilt routed struggling Missouri.
The Commodores (15-12, 5-9 SEC) have won two of their past three and improved to 4-2 in February. They scored the first seven points of the game and never trailed. The Commodores hit a season-high 10 three-pointers in posting their biggest margin of victory in an SEC victory since winning 73-31 at Mississippi State on Feb. 23, 2013.
Wade Baldwin IV scored 13 points for Vanderbilt. Matthew Fisher-Davis, Riley LaChance and Luke Kornet added 11 each.
Missouri (7-20, 1-13) lost its 13th consecutive for the longest skid in school history. Montaque Gill-Caesar led the Tigers with 11 points, while Johnathan Williams II, their leading scorer averaging 12.6 points per game, was held to six points.
TEXAS A&M 62, SOUTH CAROLINA 52
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Danuel House tied his career high with 25 points off seven three-pointers to lead Texas A&M a step closer to the NCAA Tournament with a victory at South Carolina.
House was 7 of 11 from behind the three-point line as the Aggies (19-7, 10-4 SEC) reached 10 SEC victories for the first time since entering the league three seasons ago. Their overall victories are the most in Coach Billy Kennedy's four seasons and get their first chance to reach 20 victories -- Texas A&M hadn't accomplished that since going 24-9 in 2010-11, also the date of its last NCAA Tournament appearance -- when they face No. 18 Arkansas on Tuesday night.
South Carolina (13-13, 4-10) cut Texas A&M's 13-point lead to five twice in the second half but could get no closer.
Michael Carrera led the Gamecocks with 17 points.
Jalen Jones added 12 points for the Aggies.
In top 25 games Saturday, Quinn Cook matched a career high with 27 points for No. 4 Duke, and the Jahlil Okafor-less Blue Devils routed Clemson 78-56. ... Frank Kaminsky scored 21 points, Bronson Koenig added a career-high 17 and No. 5 Wisconsin beat Minnesota 63-53 for its 10th consecutive victory. ... Darrun Hilliard scored 17 points, Ryan Arcidiacono added 16 and No. 6 Villanova beat Marquette 87-76. ... Gabe York scored 13 points and Dusan Ristic added 12, providing No. 7 Arizona an unexpected lift in a difficult 57-47 victory over UCLA. … Perry Ellis scored 23 points, Devonte’ Graham added a career-high 20 and eighth-ranked Kansas bounced back from a frustrating loss to West Virginia on to hold off TCU 81-72. ... Bonzie Colson came off the bench to score 16 points with 6 rebounds in 15 minutes, leading No. 10 Notre Dame to an 87-70 victory over Boston College. ... Nate Buss and Wes Washpun scored 11 points each off the bench and 11th-ranked Northern Iowa rolled past Bradley 56-39. ... Montrezl Harrell had 21 points, 14 rebounds and key free throws in the final minute to give No. 12 Louisville a 55-53 victory over Miami. ... Georges Niang and Matt Thomas scored 17 points each to help No. 14 Iowa State beat Texas 85-77. ... No. 15 North Carolina opened by scoring on a “Four Corners” play as a tribute to the late Dean Smith, then rolled to an 89-60 victory against Georgia Tech. … Isaiah Cousins scored 22 points and Frank Booker added a career-high 17 points to help lead No. 17 Oklahoma past Texas Tech 79-75 in overtime. ... Myles Davis scored 18 points, and Xavier never trailed during a 73-56 victory over No. 19 Butler, the Musketeers’ fourth victory over a top 25 team this season. ... Taurean Prince scored 14 points, Rico Gathers had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and No. 20 Baylor secured another 20-victory season under Coach Scott Drew, beating Kansas State 69-42. ... Juwan Staten scored 22 points and had seven assists, Gary Browne added a career-high 18 points and No. 23 West Virginia beat Oklahoma State 73-63. ... Treveon Graham scored 24 points and No. 25 Virginia Commonwealth rebounded after blowing all of a 16-point lead, beating Massachusetts 78-72.
Sports on 02/22/2015