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Wolverines continue impressive start

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Isaiah Livers scored 21 points and Michigan again overwhelmed a highly-ranked opponent with its flowing offense to beat No. 8 Gonzaga 82-64 on Friday in the championship game of the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Jon Teske added 19 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks as the tournament's most valuable player for the Wolverines.

Michigan beat sixth-ranked North Carolina on Thursday and finished a memorable three-game run to the title by giving first-year Coach Juwan Howard another marquee victory.

"I'm sure we're on the map now," Howard said with a chuckle.

This one had a similar feeling to the UNC win, too, with Michigan's offense kicking into a hot-shooting gear midway through the second half to take control and build a huge lead.

Michigan (7-0) led just 38-36 when the shots started falling from just about everywhere: a three-pointer from Zavier Simpson, two drives from freshman Franz Wagner, a three-pointer from Livers and two more from David DeJulius.

It was a burst of 10 consecutive scoring possessions -- with Michigan moving the ball to get good looks on just about every one -- that put the Wolverines up 62-43 by the midway point of the second half.

Gonzaga (8-1) never saw its lead dip below 10 points again.

"Every time we made a mental breakdown, they scored," Gonzaga Coach Mark Few said. "They literally made us pay on every one of our assignments that we screwed up -- a switch or we screwed up a coverage. And they made us pay, so they deserve a lot of credit for that."

Michigan shot 54% for the game, including 12 of 23 from three-point range.

Killian Tillie scored 20 points for the battered Bulldogs, who dealt with numerous injury concerns over the three-day tournament. Gonzaga finished the game shooting 40%.

NO. 6 NORTH CAROLINA 78,

NO. 11 OREGON 74

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Cole Anthony hit a driving layup and four key free throws in the final 64 seconds to help North Carolina hold off Oregon in the third-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

The freshman point guard finished with 19 points and had a baseline drive past Will Richardson with the Tar Heels protecting a one-point lead. He then hit four consecutive free throws to protect the lead in a game that went down to the final seconds.

Senior Brandon Robinson followed with the final free throws with 0.8 seconds left to seal it, giving the Tar Heels (6-1) a needed bounce-back effort after Thursday's loss to Michigan.

Bacot had 23 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks for UNC.

Payton Pritchard had 19 points to lead Oregon (6-2).

NO. 1 DUKE 83, WINTHROP 70

DURHAM, N.C. -- Freshman Matthew Hurt scored a season-high 20 points, Joey Baker added a career-high 16 and Duke beat Winthrop to bounce back from its stunning loss to Stephen F. Austin.

Playing three nights after the unheralded Lumberjacks became the first Cameron Indoor Stadium visitor from outside the ACC to win in nearly 20 years, the Blue Devils (7-1) spent the better part of this one looking ripe for another upset before Baker -- a sophomore who appeared in just four games last season -- saved them.

He hit two three-pointers 30 seconds apart in the final three minutes to give Duke a 10-point cushion.

NO. 2 LOUISVILLE 71,

WESTERN KENTUCKY 54

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jordan Nwora scored 25 points as Louisville defeated Western Kentucky to remain unbeaten and make its case for the No. 1 ranking.

The Cardinals last topped the AP poll on Jan. 14, 2013, and they went on to win the national championship that year.

Dwayne Sutton added 15 points as Louisville (7-0) never trailed while holding Western Kentucky to its lowest point total and shooting percentage (37%) of the season. Taveion Hollingsworth scored 16 points for Western Kentucky (6-2), which also got 14 points and nine rebounds from Charles Bassey.

NO. 5 MARYLAND 80,

HARVARD 73

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Anthony Cowan Jr. scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half to help Maryland overcome another slow start to remain unbeaten, topping Harvard in the semifinals of the Orlando Invitational.

Cowan followed up on a 30-point performance in the previous day's come-from-behind win over Temple with 10 points and an assist during a 12-4 burst that sparked a game-closing surge by the Terrapins (7-0).

Bryce Aiken led Harvard (5-3) with 30 points.

NO. 9 KENTUCKY 69, ALA.-BIRMINGHAM 58

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery each scored 16 points and combined for 17 rebounds, helping Kentucky beat Alabama-Birmingham.

The 6-foot-11 Richards made all seven shots from the field with several slams, including the game's opening basket that got the Wildcats (6-1) going. Starting for the first time since the opener against top-ranked Michigan State, the 6-10 sophomore Montgomery posted a career high, going 7 of 13 from the field and giving Kentucky a strong post presence in its first game without injured starter Nate Sestina.

Tyreek Scott-Grayson and Jalen Benjamin each scored 19 points for the Blazers (4-2).

NO. 10 OHIO STATE 90,

MORGAN STATE 57

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Andre Wesson scored 19 points to help Ohio State rout Morgan State.

Wesson made all four of his three-point attempts and all seven of his free throws to lead the Buckeyes (7-0). He had scored just 21 points the entire season after missing two games because of a fractured eye socket.

Kaleb Wesson added 13 and C.J. Walker 10 for the Buckeyes, who had their highest scoring effort of the season.

Morgan State (3-6) was led by Stanley Davis with 13 points.

CREIGHTON 83,

NO. 12 TEXAS TECH 76, OT

LAS VEGAS -- Marcus Zegarowski scored a career-high 32 points on 12-for-18 shooting, and Creighton beat No. 12 Texas Tech.

Ty-Shon Alexander had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Creighton (5-2) in the consolation game of the Las Vegas Invitational.

Creighton scored the first six points in overtime. Alexander made three fouls shots in the final seconds to help close it out.

Davide Moretti led Texas Tech with 23 points. Chris Clark added 17 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds.

The Red Raiders (5-2) trailed 74-66 with 2:45 left in regulation, but forced overtime with an 8-0 run. Clarke tied with a layup with 33 seconds remaining.

NO. 13 SETON HALL 84,

IOWA STATE 76

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Myles Powell scored 19 of his 24 points after halftime to help Seton Hall beat Iowa State in the fifth-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Sandro Mamukelashvili added 18 points for the Pirates, who finally took control with a 12-2 second-half run. Powell and Mamukelashvili each hit three-pointers during the burst, which pushed Seton Hall (6-2) to a 76-65 lead with 4:34 left in a game.

Rasir Bolton scored 20 points for the Cyclones (4-3), who led by nine midway through the first half. Tyrese Haliburton added 19 points and seven assists.

FLORIDA STATE 60,

NO. 17 TENNESSEE 57

NICEVILLE, Fla. -- Devin Vassell scored 13 points and made a key steal and pair of free throws in the final minute as Florida State upended Tennessee in the Emerald Coast Classic.

Florida State (6-1) started hot, sprinting to a 14-2 lead. The Seminoles never trailed, although the Volunteers (5-1) twice closed the gap to three points in the final three minutes.

PURDUE 59, NO. 20 VCU 56

NICEVILLE, Florida -- Eric Hunter Jr. and Jahaad Proctor each scored 12 points, including crucial free throws in the final two minutes, as Purdue upset No. 20 VCU in the Emerald Coast Classic.

The win put Purdue (4-2) in the championship game today against Florida State and handed VCU (6-1) its first loss. The teams traded the lead 13 times and were tied 14 times in a game not decided until a potential game-tying three-point shot by VCU's De'Riante Jenkins went wide with 4 seconds left.

Hunter gave the Boilermakers the lead for good 56-55 with 1:37 left by sinking two free throws. Proctor then made three out of four free throws down the stretch.

Marcus Santos-Silva led the Rams with 19 points but missed three of four free throws in the final 1:16.

NO. 24 FLORIDA 73,

MARSHALL 67

GAINESVILLE, Fla-- Ques Glover scored 14 points, Keyontae Johnson added 13 and Florida rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to beat Marshall.

It was the Gators' fourth consecutive victory and first this season in which they trailed at the break.

They nearly gave it away in the final minute. Florida (6-2) had a 13-point lead with a little more than two minutes to play, but Marshall (2-4) hit a three-pointer, scored off a turnover and converted a three-point play to help make it a two-point game, 69-67.

Iran Bennett led Marshall with 16 points.

Sports on 11/30/2019

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