No. 2 Jayhawks tip Miners

Subscribe Now Choose a package that suits your preferences.
Start Free Account Get access to 7 premium stories every month for FREE!
Already a Subscriber? Current print subscriber? Activate your complimentary Digital account.

By TIM REYNOLDS

By TIM REYNOLDS

AP Basketball Writer

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas — Perry Ellis scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half, Wayne Selden Jr. scored 14 and No. 2 Kansas survived a stiff challenge before beating Texas-El Paso 67-63 on Saturday night in the third-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Naadir Tharpe added 11 for the Jayhawks (6-1), who never trailed. The Jayhawks won despite Andrew Wiggins being held to six points, nearly 10 below the freshman’s season average.

McKenzie Moore scored 15 for UTEP (4-4), including three free throws with 6.8 seconds remaining to get the Miners within three. Justin Crosgile scored 14 points and Vince Hunter added 10 the Miners, who held Kansas to 39 percent shooting.

It was the second straight night where Kansas saw a big early lead, 11-2 against Villanova and 15-2 against UTEP, evaporate and the game turn into a struggle.

EUGENE, Ore. — Joseph Young scored 23 points and No. 14 Oregon remained perfect this season with a victory over North Dakota in the Global Sports Hardwood Challenge.

The Ducks improved to 6-0, extending their best start since opening the 2006-07 season with 13 straight wins.

Young, a junior transfer who was the leading scorer for Houston last season, has scored in double figures in all of Oregon’s games this season.

Mike Moser, a transfer to Oregon from UNLV, had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Ducks, who led by as many as 20 points.

Troy Huff had 25 points and nine rebounds for North Dakota (2-3), which pulled to within 81-70 on Jamal Webb’s layup with 2:03 left.

TAMPA, Fla. — Juwan Howard Jr. and Jarod Williams each had 12 points as Detroit topped South Florida 65-60.

Evan Bruinsma added 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds for Detroit (4-4) while freshman Matthew Grant hit a pair of free throws with 9.8 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

Martino Brock scored a season-high 16 points, and Victor Rudd had 11 and nine rebounds for South Florida (4-2). The two missed a pair of 3-point attempts with an opportunity to tie the score at 60 in the closing moments.

Detroit compensated for its 33-percent shooting (19 for 58) from the floor with a 44-35 rebounding advantage. The Titans also converted 25 of 28 free-throw attempts and outscored the Bulls by eight points on second-chance opportunities.

South Florida started and finished strong in the opening half, scoring the first eight points of the game and entering the break on a 13-4 run.

Detroit recovered after missing its first six shots and 12 of 14. The lead changed hands four times before South Florida built a 31-23 halftime lead.

The Titans took control early in the second half and moved ahead for good at 38-36 on a shot from long range by Anton Wilson at the 6:20 mark.