T.J. Lindsay had 13 points, Jeff Early 11 and Mamadou Seck 10 for the Salukis. Associated Press ADVERTISING COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lenzelle Smith Jr. more than doubled his career high with 28 on Sunday to lead No. 5 Ohio State
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lenzelle Smith Jr. more than doubled his career high with 28 on Sunday to lead No. 5 Ohio State to a surprisingly easy 80-63 victory over seventh-ranked Indiana.
“Throughout the game I just saw my man leave me every single time,” said Smith, who came in averaging 5.2 points a game. “The first game (against Indiana), I was complaining about that to my team. This game we capitalized that and we were able to get some easy buckets.”
Jared Sullinger added 16 points, William Buford scored 12 and Deshaun Thomas had 11 for the Buckeyes (16-3, 4-2 Big Ten), who were coming off a loss at Illinois on Tuesday night. Several players questioned their teammates’ commitment and effort after that game.
There was no doubt about either on Sunday as Ohio State took command early and was never threatened.
Cody Zeller had 16 points, Christian Watford 13 and Jordan Hulls 11 for the Hoosiers (15-3, 3-3), who had lost at home to unranked Minnesota on Wednesday night.
Smith, who came in scoring about five points per game, erased almost every offensive high-water mark he had ever had in a game. He hit 10 of 12 shots from the field including 4 of 5 3-pointers. He also had seven rebounds, an assist and a steal.
“Lenzelle is averaging four shots a game. Look it up,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said after talking to his team for more than a half hour after the game. “He really played well. He played well at our place, but they’ve got a lot of good players. That’s why they’re as good as they are.”
No. 8 DUKE 73
CLEMSON 66
CLEMSON, S.C. — Andre Dawkins scored 24 points and made five 3-pointers.
The Blue Devils (15-2, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) overcame a sluggish start to pull away from the Tigers (9-8, 1-2) even though scoring leader Austin Rivers finished with 4 points, more than 10 fewer than his average.
Duke had to overcome a late rally by Clemson, which cut a 13-point lead to 68-64 in the final minute on two 3-pointers by Andre Young. But Dawkins made three foul shots down the stretch as the Blue Devils beat Clemson for the 26th time in the last 28 meetings.
Milton Jennings had 16 points for the Tigers and Devin Booker added 12 points and 13 rebounds.
No. 11 GEORGETOWN 69
ST. JOHN’S 49
NEW YORK — Hollis Thompson scored all of his 20 points in the second half and No. 11 Georgetown snapped a two-game losing streak.
Thompson, the Big East’s leading 3-point shooter at 52.4 percent, missed four from long range in the first half but he only was off on one of his five attempts in the second, including one that broke an 8-0 run that had brought the Red Storm within 48-45 with 6:36 to play.
Jesse Clark had 15 points and freshman Otto Porter added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Hoyas (14-3, 4-2 Big East), who had lost to West Virginia and Cincinnati after an 11-game winning streak.
Freshman Moe Harkless had 21 points and 10 rebounds for St. John’s (8-9, 2-4), but he fouled out with 5:15 to play in the midst of a 12-2 run that gave the Hoyas a 58-47 lead.
No. 23 CREIGHTON 90
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 71
OMAHA, Neb. — Doug McDermott scored 25 points and went over 1,000 for his career to help the Bluejays (16-2, 6-1) win their sixth straight since opening Missouri Valley Conference play with a home loss to Missouri State.
The Salukis (6-12, 3-4) lost to Creighton for the eighth straight time.
Antoine Young added 14 points and six assists and Gregory Echenique had 11 rebounds to go with his nine points.
McDermott also had 11 rebounds and recorded his sixth double-double of the season.
T.J. Lindsay had 13 points, Jeff Early 11 and Mamadou Seck 10 for the Salukis.
