Associated Press ADVERTISING Associated Press LEXINGTON, Ky. — Andrew Harrison’s three-point play broke a 57-all tie before twin brother Aaron followed with a 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining, helping No. 3 Kentucky escape stubborn Cleveland State 68-61 on Monday night. Trailing
Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Andrew Harrison’s three-point play broke a 57-all tie before twin brother Aaron followed with a 3-pointer with 1:20 remaining, helping No. 3 Kentucky escape stubborn Cleveland State 68-61 on Monday night.
Trailing 54-44 with 7:41 remaining and needing a breakthrough against the Vikings, the brothers helped the Wildcats close with a 24-7 run including a pair of Aaron Harrison lobs inside to Willie Cauley-Stein for dunks along with a three-point play with 3:55 left to tie it at 54.
After Bryn Forbes’ 3-pointer provided a 57-56 lead, Cauley-Stein made one of two free throws before Andrew Harrison followed with his drive and free throw. Aaron Harrison added a 3-point for a six-point lead.
Andrew Harrison scored 12 as the brothers combined for 23.
Julius Randle led Kentucky (5-1) with 15 points and 15 rebounds on a night the Wildcats shot just 36 percent.
Forbes’ 22 points led the Vikings (3-3).
TAMPA, Fla. — Marcus Smart and Markel Brown scored 25 points apiece, leading Oklahoma State to a victory over South Florida.
The Cowboys (5-0) were barely tested in the early-season matchup of unbeaten teams. There were eight lead changes in the opening minutes, however Smart put a big exclamation mark on a 23-point opening-half with a buzzer-beating shot from beyond half-court to put Oklahoma State up by 16 at halftime.
That was as close as South Florida (4-1) would get the rest of the way.
John Egbunu led USF with 15 points and eight rebounds. Victor Rudd had 14 points and Chris Perry finished with 10.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lenzelle Smith Jr. scored 20 points and Aaron Craft had all 10 of his points in a second-half surge to lead Ohio State past Wyoming.
Craft was scoreless and having a forgettable game until he began driving and scored 10 of the Buckeyes’ 13 points during a 13-4 run that turned the tide.
Amir Williams added 12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds — six more than his previous best — for Ohio State (5-0).
Larry Nance Jr., son of the former Cleveland Cavaliers star, had 17 points and 12 rebounds despite heavy foul trouble for the Cowboys (4-2).
LAHAINA, Hawaii — C.J. Fair scored 16 points and had 10 rebounds as Syracuse held off Minnesota in the first round of the Maui Invitational.
The Orange (5-0) pushed through a late run by the Golden Gophers, who pulled within 67-65 with little more than two minutes left.
But Minnesota (5-1) committed four turnovers in the final two minutes, scoring only once more when Austin Hollins hit a meaningless layup in the game’s final moments.
Trevor Cooney scores 15 points all on 3-pointers, while Tyler Ennis and Jerami Grant scored 12 points each.
Malik Smith had 16 points for Minnesota.
Syracuse led by only three points at halftime.
LAHAINA — California easily won its first game of the Maui Invitational with at least four tougher teams hoping to join them on the winners side of the double-elimination tournament.
David Kravish had 19 points and 15 rebounds as California beat Arkansas 85-77.
Ricky Kreklow scored 17 points off the bench while three others scored in double-digits for the Golden Bears (5-0).
Cal made just under half its shots as a team — 47.5 percent. The Bears had 24 second-chance points on 19 offensive rebounds, and made eight of 20 3-point attempts (40 percent).
Michael Qualls led Arkansas (3-1) with 21 points.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Casey Prather scored 27 points, Michael Frazier II added 17 and Florida handled Jacksonville.
The Gators (5-1) won their fourth consecutive game following a loss at 10th-ranked Wisconsin two weeks ago. The latest victory was a final tuneup before the team’s toughest stretch of the season — games against Florida State, Connecticut, Kansas and Memphis.
It should help that point guard Scottie Wilbekin has returned to the rotation. Coach Billy Donovan even started the senior, who was suspended the first five games of the season and an exhibition contest for an undisclosed violation of team rules.
Wilbekin finished with 12 points, seven assists, five rebounds and just two turnovers. Dorian Finney-Smith added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the visitors. Patric Young chipped in 13 points.
Jarvis Haywood led the Dolphins (2-4) with 16 points. Vince Martin added 11 points and 10 boards.
AMES, Iowa — DeAndre Kane had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Iowa State trounced Missouri-Kansas City for its fifth straight win.
Sherron Dorsey-Walker added 17 points for the Cyclones (5-0), who used a 27-0 run midway through the first half to put away the Kangaroos.
Iowa State, which was hosting a game as a ranked team for the first time in eight years, held UMKC scoreless for 7½ minutes and led 52-17 at halftime.
The Cyclones also finished with their most points under fourth-year coach Fred Hoiberg.
Martez Harrison had 14 points to lead UMKC (1-4). The Kangaroos shot just 29.5 percent and lost for the third time in four games.
