Muntu added five rebounds for the Golden Eagles (5-6). Dani Pounds scored 15 points and added seven rebounds. C.J. McPherson had 12 points and went 4 of 8 from the field (2 for 5 from 3-point range).
The Wildcats were led in scoring by Alonzo Rhodes Jr., who finished with 10 points. Bethel also got 10 points and six steals from Joe Wimberly, and Isiah Darden had eight points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Xaivian Lee scored 24 points to lead No. 18 Florida to an 80-70 victory over George Washington in the second game of the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic on Saturday.
Lee scored a season high on 6-of-11 shooting, including making 4 of 8 from 3-point range.
Thomas Haugh had 19 points and seven rebounds. Boogie Fland finished with 12 points and five assists for the defending champion Gators (6-4), who were coming off losses to top-five ranked Duke and UConn.
The Gators stretched a three-point halftime lead with 11 unanswered to start the second half. Rueben Chinyelu’s dunk capped the run to put Florida ahead 41-27.
Micah Handlogten’s lay-up with 12:30 remaining gave the Gators their largest lead at 54-34.
The Revolutionaries (8-4) responded with a 9-0 spurt and narrowed it to 54-43 on Rafael Castro’s lay-up with 10:28 remaining before the Gators ran off seven unanswered points to pull away.
The Gators shot 16 of 24 from the field in the second half.
Trey Autry had 15 points and Tyrone Marshall Jr. scored 14 for the Revolutionaries, who made 7 of 19 free throws. Castro had 12 points and Jean Aranguren 11.
The Revolutionaries stayed within striking distance of the Gators in the first half, which featured four lead changes. Tre Dinkins’ 3-pointer late in the first half got George Washington within 30-27 at the break.
Michigan State Spartans (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) at Penn State Nittany Lions (8-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
University Park, Pennsylvania; Saturday, 12 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Penn State hosts No. 9 Michigan State looking to extend its three-game home winning streak.
The Nittany Lions are 6-0 on their home court. Penn State averages 8.8 turnovers per game and is 7-0 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents.
The Spartans play their first true road game after going 8-1 to start the season. Michigan State is fourth in the Big Ten with 19.1 assists per game led by Jeremy Fears Jr. averaging 9.7.
Penn State’s average of 7.0 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.1 fewer made shots on average than the 7.1 per game Michigan State gives up. Michigan State averages 6.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.3 fewer made shots on average than the 9.1 per game Penn State allows.
The Nittany Lions and Spartans match up Saturday for the first time in Big Ten play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kayden Mingo is shooting 49.2% and averaging 15.4 points for the Nittany Lions. Dominick Stewart is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers.
Jaxon Kohler is scoring 14.2 points per game and averaging 9.6 rebounds for the Spartans. Fears is averaging 11.6 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Georgia Southern Eagles (7-5) at West Georgia Wolves (5-4)
Carrollton, Georgia; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Georgia Southern takes on West Georgia after Tyren Moore scored 21 points in Georgia Southern’s 100-58 victory over the Coastal Georgia Mariners.
The Wolves have gone 3-1 at home. West Georgia is ninth in the ASUN scoring 76.2 points while shooting 44.1% from the field.
The Eagles are 2-3 in road games. Georgia Southern averages 81.9 points while outscoring opponents by 3.7 points per game.
West Georgia scores 76.2 points per game, 2.0 fewer points than the 78.2 Georgia Southern gives up. Georgia Southern averages 9.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.8 more made shots on average than the 7.1 per game West Georgia gives up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Shelton Williams-Dryden is shooting 46.0% and averaging 18.0 points for the Wolves. Josh Smith is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers.
Spudd Webb is averaging 15.7 points, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals for the Eagles. Moore is averaging 11.3 points over the past 10 games.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
SE Louisiana Lions (2-5, 1-1 Southland) at Houston Christian Huskies (3-4, 1-0 Southland)
Houston; Friday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: SE Louisiana plays Houston Christian after Aliyah Collins scored 23 points in SE Louisiana’s 69-52 loss to the Northwestern State Lady Demons.
The Huskies have gone 2-0 in home games. Houston Christian ranks seventh in the Southland with 21.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Grace Booth averaging 6.3.
The Lions have gone 1-1 against Southland opponents. SE Louisiana is 2-4 against opponents with a winning record.
Houston Christian is shooting 45.8% from the field this season, 2.9 percentage points lower than the 48.7% SE Louisiana allows to opponents. SE Louisiana’s 36.7% shooting percentage from the field this season is 6.7 percentage points lower than Houston Christian has allowed to its opponents (43.4%).
The matchup Friday is the first meeting of the season for the two teams in conference play.
TOP PERFORMERS: Booth is shooting 54.9% and averaging 14.4 points for the Huskies. Madelyne Davis is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers.
Lihi Azouri is shooting 50.0% from beyond the arc with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Lions, while averaging 11.6 points. Collins is averaging 11.4 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Landon Seaman scored 25 points, Jefferson Monegro added 21, and the Cal State Fullerton Titans defeated the Bethesda Flames 116-66
FULLERTON, Calif. — Landon Seaman scored 25 points, Jefferson Monegro added 21, and Cal State Fullerton beat the Bethesda Flames 116-66 on Wednesday night.
Seaman shot 10 of 12 from the field and 4 of 6 from the free-throw line for the Titans (4-7). Jefferson Monegro made 5 for 9 (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 10 of 12 from the free-throw line and finished with five rebounds and seven assists. Joshua Ward had 17 points and shot 7 for 9, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc.
Kenji Cooper led the Flames in scoring, finishing with 18 points and seven rebounds. Bethesda also got 15 points from Miles Sulka. Cameron Durr finished with 10 points.
Bethesda is a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Arizona took over the top spot in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll on Monday, a reward for a perfect start to the season that includes a quartet of wins against ranked foes, including a lopsided victory over Auburn last weekend.
Purdue, which had spent the past three weeks at No. 1, slid to sixth following its 81-58 home loss to Iowa State and the entire poll got a shakeup as only two teams remained in the same spots from last week.
The Wildcats received 33 of 60 first-place votes from a national media panel to claim No. 1 for the first time since Dec. 11, 2023, and only the third time since the 2013-14 season. They edged No. 2 Michigan, which earned 19 first-place votes, thanks in part to wins over Florida, UConn and UCLA, along with their 97-68 romp over the then-No. 20 Tigers on Saturday night.
“Obviously it’s nothing you shy away from,” Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd said of being No. 1. “You know, you’re at Arizona. The big stage. It’s part of being at a program like this. But we have bigger things on our mind.”
The Wolverines also moved up one spot for their best ranking since March 2021. Duke claimed six first-place votes and moved up to No. 3. And the Cyclones parlayed their big win in West Lafayette, Indiana, into a six-spot climb to No. 4 and a first-place vote. Iowa State has never been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll era, which began with the 1948-49 season.
“They stole our spirit,” said Purdue coach Matt Painter, whose team tied a record for largest margin of defeat at home as the nation’s No. 1 team. “Our reason for having a high frustration level was them. They’re damn good. They took us to the woodshed.”
UConn remained ahead of Purdue at No. 5 after beating Kansas inside Allen Fieldhouse last week.
Houston was seventh, Gonzaga climbed three spots to eighth, Michigan State was ninth and BYU rounded the top 10 following a week of high-profile matchups across college basketball.
Louisville dropped five spots to No. 11 after losing to Arkansas. Alabama remained at No. 12, followed by Illinois, North Carolina and Vanderbilt, the only unbeaten team left in the SEC and one of just eight left in Division I men’s basketball.
Texas Tech was next, followed by the Razorbacks, who jumped eight spots after also beating Fresno State last week. Florida fell to No. 18 following its 67-66 loss to the Blue Devils, while Kansas moved up to No. 19 and Tennessee finished out the top 20.
The last five in the poll were Auburn, St. John’s, Nebraska, Virginia and UCLA.
The No. 23 Huskers are 9-0 for only the third time in school history, and they have won 13 straight dating to last season, the third-longest run in school history. The ranking is their best since they were 21st the second week of the 2014-15 season.
Rising and falling
Arkansas was No. 14 in the preseason poll, nearly dropped out entirely, but made a big jump this week back to No. 17 following its two wins. Iowa State’s climb to No. 4 has been a steady one since it was ranked 16th in the preseason poll.
Tennessee tumbled seven spots to No. 20 this week following losses to Syracuse and Illinois. Purdue and Louisville each fell five spots.
In and out
Nebraska and Virginia both made their poll debuts, replacing Indiana and USC. The Cavaliers did not receive a single vote last week but earned enough to join the rankings at No. 24. UCLA also returned to the rankings while Kentucky dropped out.
Conference watch
The Big 12, Big Ten and SEC lead the way with six ranked teams apiece, but the Big 12 has the nation’s No. 1 team. It also has four in the top 10, while the Big Ten has three and the SEC none. The ACC has four ranked teams, the Big East two and the West Coast one.
BOTTOM LINE: Fairleigh Dickinson travels to Fordham looking to end its five-game road slide.
The Rams are 4-2 in home games. Fordham is fourth in the A-10 with 16.7 assists per game led by Christian Henry averaging 5.3.
The Knights have gone 0-5 away from home. Fairleigh Dickinson is 2-5 in games decided by 10 points or more.
Fordham is shooting 46.4% from the field this season, 1.1 percentage points lower than the 47.5% Fairleigh Dickinson allows to opponents. Fairleigh Dickinson averages 9.0 more points per game (73.3) than Fordham gives up to opponents (64.3).
TOP PERFORMERS: Dejour Reaves is shooting 46.8% and averaging 15.8 points for the Rams. Marcus Greene is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers.
Eric Parnell is scoring 11.1 points per game and averaging 2.6 rebounds for the Knights. Cyril Martynov is averaging 10.8 points and 6.1 rebounds.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Isaiah Evans hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 19.7 seconds left, and No. 4 Duke held on to beat No. 15 Florida 67-66 on Tuesday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
The slim sophomore was sitting at 0 for 7 from behind the arc when Florida’s Boogie Fland hit a 3 with 34.6 seconds left for a 66-64 lead, coming on a night the reigning national champions had trailed by 15. But Evans calmly sunk the shot that helped Duke (9-0) stay unbeaten in a thrilling finish.
Florida (5-3) had a final desperation possession down one with 1.4 seconds left, but Maliq Brown tipped Thomas Haugh’s heave at the inbounds point to run the final time off and send Cameron Indoor Stadium into an ear-ringing frenzy.
Star freshman Cameron Boozer scored 29 points for the Blue Devils. Evans had 13 points and a career-high five of Duke’s 11 blocks.
Haugh scored 24 points for the Gators, who trailed 36-24 at the break but absolutely worked Duke on the glass in the second half to climb back in it. Florida finished with a 44-33 rebounding advantage, including 20-11 on the offensive glass for the game while finishing with 13 second-chance points after halftime.
This marked the first time the Blue Devils had hosted a reigning national champion in nonconference play at Cameron Indoor Stadium since beating UCLA in February 1996, and this one came with the unusual sight of Duke wearing black uniforms at home tied to a fan blackout.
Up next
Florida: The Gators face No. 5 UConn next Tuesday in New York’s Madison Square Garden, a matchup of teams that have won the past three NCAA titles.
Duke: The Blue Devils visit No. 7 Michigan State on Saturday.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as its next coach Sunday, settling for its second choice after Lane Kiffin reportedly picked LSU over the Gators.
Sumrall finalized a six-year, $44.7 million contract that comes with incentives, according to a person familiar with the search. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because financial details were not released. The deal averages $7.45 million annually.
What You Need To Know
Tulane’s Jon Sumrall finalized a six-year, incentive-laden contract worth nearly $7.5 million annually with the Florida Gators as their new head coach
Sumrall will remain with the 22nd-ranked Green Wave for next week’s American Conference title game and through the College Football Playoff if Tulane makes the 12-team field
Sumrall had been considered a possibility at Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Florida made a late push when Lane Kiffin’s interest in the Gators waned
The Gators (4-8) ended a dismal season with one of their best performances, a 40-21 victory against rival Florida State in the Swamp in which running back Jadan Baugh ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns and DJ Lagway threw for three scores
The 43-year-old Sumrall will remain with the 22nd-ranked Green Wave for next week’s American Conference title game and through the College Football Playoff if Tulane makes the 12-team field.
The Gators also are on the verge of signing general manager Dave Caldwell, who won a Super Bowl during his five seasons with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. He also spent eight years (2013-20) with the Jacksonville Jaguars and built a roster that made the AFC title game.
Caldwell is expected to help manage Florida’s salary cap and evaluate college talent as demands on coaches have expanded with the burgeoning transfer portal and name, image and likeness payments.
Sumrall played linebacker at Kentucky (2002-04) and returned to his alma mater for a three-year stint before becoming Troy’s head coach in 2022. He won consecutive Sun Belt championships in two seasons with the Trojans and then enjoyed similar success at Tulane.
Sumrall is 19-7 in two years in New Orleans and led the Green Wave to the American championship game both seasons. So he has made four league title games in four years as a head coach. The Gators are hoping he’s Urban Meyer 2.0 and not Billy Napier 2.0.
“Not many coaches win big at two different non-Power programs, and even fewer do it as quickly as Jon has done it,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “He joins rare company — coaches like Urban Meyer, Brian Kelly and Willie Fritz — who’ve delivered immediate success at multiple stops. Jon’s track record of rapid turnarounds speaks directly to his leadership and the culture he establishes.”
Sumrall had been considered a possibility at Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Florida made a late push when Kiffin’s interest in the Gators waned. Florida fans are likely to view him as a consolation prize, another gamble from a Group of Five conference.
Sumrall replaces Napier, who was fired in mid-October and went 22-23 over four seasons in Gainesville. Napier was nicknamed “Sun Belt Billy” because he often looked in over his head in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference.
Going back to Louisiana for another G5 coach? And a defensive guy to boot? That’s a bold move for Stricklin, who is sure to draw the ire of the Florida faithful for failing to land Kiffin.
He was roundly booed at a championship celebration to honor men’s basketball coach Todd Golden and his title-winning team in April. Now, the fan base is calling for his job.
A website titled FireScottStricklin.com documents Stricklin’s shortcomings, and some fans organized a rally Sunday outside Florida Field to promote Stricklin’s “immediate removal.”
There were rumors and reports about boosters getting involved and straining relationships with Kiffin and his camp. But Stricklin made it clear he was the only one making the hire. Kiffin reportedly chose LSU after a public tug-of-war involving all three schools.
Kiffin’s family members took scouting trips to Gainesville and Baton Rouge, and he met with administrators and fundraisers on several occasions. The trip to Gainesville was underwhelming, according to people familiar with the search, and high school football in the area left plenty to be desired.
Florida even turned to Heisman Trophy winners Steve Spurrier and Danny Wuerffel during its pursuit of Kiffin, who eventually slowed communication with UF officials to the point where the Gators decided they had to move on in a crowded market.
Now, Sumrall will be counted on to lead a downtrodden program back to prominence in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference.
Tulane’s numbers are far from gaudy: The Green Wave rank 39th in the country in total offense and 64th in total defense. Sumrall is expected to hire outside coordinators and an NFL-style general manager to help him rebuild in Gainesville.
The Gators (4-8) clearly have talent and ended a dismal season with one of their best performances, a 40-21 victory against rival Florida State in the Swamp in which running back Jadan Baugh ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns and DJ Lagway threw for three scores.
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (2-2) at Arizona State Sun Devils (7-0)
Tempe, Arizona; Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Arizona State will attempt to continue its seven-game win streak with a victory against Southeast Missouri State.
The Sun Devils have gone 5-0 in home games. Arizona State ranks fifth in the Big 12 in rebounding averaging 39.3 rebounds. McKinna Brackens leads the Sun Devils with 7.7 boards.
Southeast Missouri State finished 6-23 overall last season while going 2-13 on the road. The Redhawks allowed opponents to score 73.9 points per game and shot 42.8% from the field last season.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Winthrop Eagles (4-4) at South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs (2-5)
Orangeburg, South Carolina; Sunday, 4 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: South Carolina State will try to break its five-game losing streak when the Lady Bulldogs take on Winthrop.
The Lady Bulldogs are 2-2 on their home court. South Carolina State has a 2-3 record against teams over .500.
The Eagles are 0-3 in road games. Winthrop is eighth in the Big South with 19.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Amourie Porter averaging 4.1.
South Carolina State is shooting 39.9% from the field this season, 3.9 percentage points lower than the 43.8% Winthrop allows to opponents. Winthrop’s 40.6% shooting percentage from the field this season is 4.3 percentage points lower than South Carolina State has given up to its opponents (44.9%).
TOP PERFORMERS: Shaunice Reed is shooting 45.3% and averaging 11.0 points for the Lady Bulldogs. Lemyiah Harris is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers.
Mya Pierfax is shooting 49.4% and averaging 13.6 points for the Eagles. Porter is averaging 13.5 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
PALM DESERT, Calif. — Trey Green led Saint Louis with 21 points and Kellen Thames hit the game-winning layup with eight seconds left as the Billikens knocked off Santa Clara 71-70 on Thursday night at the Acrisure Invitational.
Green went 7 of 14 from the field (6 for 13 from 3-point range) for the Billikens (6-0). Dion Brown added 13 points while shooting 5 of 9 from the field and 3 for 4 from the free-throw line and had five rebounds and three steals. Thames finished 5 of 5 from the floor to finish with 11 points. It was the sixth win in a row for the Billikens.
The Broncos (6-1) were led in scoring by Elijah Mahi, who finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. Allen Graves added 13 points and three steals for Santa Clara. Christian Hammond also had 11 points. The loss broke the Broncos’ six-game winning streak.
Green scored 12 points in the first half and Saint Louis went into the break trailing 35-31. Brown led Saint Louis with 13 points in the second half. Saint Louis outscored Santa Clara by five points over the final half.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Duke forward Toby Fournier (35) knocks the ball away from UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
UCLA head coach Cori Close talks to her players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Duke in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) drives around Duke guard Ashlon Jackson (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Duke head coach Kara Lawson reacts to a play during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez (11) drives to the basket against Duke forward Delaney Thomas (12) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
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Duke forward Toby Fournier (35) knocks the ball away from UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
LAS VEGAS — Gabriela Jaquez scored 23 points and No. 3 UCLA defeated Duke 89-59 on Thursday night in the third-place game of the women’s Players Era Championship.
Handed their first loss this season the night before, 76-65 by Texas, the Bruins came out red-hot even without star center Lauren Betts, who injured her left arm Wednesday.
UCLA (7-1) led 30-7 after shooting 60% (12 of 20) from the field in the first quarter, including 5 for 7 on 3-pointers. The Bruins also did a good job at the defensive end, forcing the Blue Devils (3-5) to commit six turnovers.
The Bruins shot 46.9% in the first half and took a 43-25 lead into halftime. Duke was 9 of 32 (28.1%) from the floor in the first 20 minutes.
Five players scored in double figures for UCLA. Charlisse Leger-Walker finished with 20 points, six assists and five rebounds. Kiki Rice had 17 points and six rebounds. Gianna Kneepkens added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Angela Dugalic had 12 points and eight boards.
UCLA shot a season-high 59.1% from 3-point range, hitting 13 of 22 from beyond the arc.
The Blue Devils were led by Ashlon Jackson, who had 18 points. Toby Fournier posted her second double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Delaney Thomas scored 10.
Duke went 22 of 65 from the floor (33.8%) in its second-worst shooting performance this season.
No. 4 Texas edged No. 2 South Carolina 66-64 in the championship game earlier Thursday.
Santa Clara Broncos (5-2) vs. Lindenwood (MO) Lions (4-1)
Honolulu; Friday, 5 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Santa Clara and Lindenwood (MO) square off in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Lions are 4-1 in non-conference play. Lindenwood (MO) scores 82.2 points while outscoring opponents by 27.0 points per game.
The Broncos have a 5-2 record against non-conference oppponents. Santa Clara leads the WCC scoring 79.6 points per game while shooting 41.4%.
Lindenwood (MO) averages 9.6 made 3-pointers per game, 4.7 more made shots than the 4.9 per game Santa Clara allows. Santa Clara averages 9.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.2 more made shots on average than the 6.2 per game Lindenwood (MO) gives up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ellie Brueggemann averages 3.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Lions, scoring 16.0 points while shooting 43.6% from beyond the arc. Brooke Coffey is shooting 60.5% and averaging 13.2 points.
Maia Jones is scoring 15.1 points per game and averaging 2.6 rebounds for the Broncos. Sophie Glancey is averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane (5-0) vs. Kent State Golden Flashes (3-4)
Nassau, Bahamas; Friday, 11 a.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Kent State takes on Tulsa in Nassau, Bahamas.
The Golden Flashes have a 3-4 record in non-conference play. Kent State ranks eighth in the MAC in team defense, allowing 67.7 points while holding opponents to 40.3% shooting.
The Golden Hurricane are 5-0 in non-conference play. Tulsa ranks fourth in the AAC giving up 62.4 points while holding opponents to 37.0% shooting.
Kent State averages 65.0 points per game, 2.6 more points than the 62.4 Tulsa allows. Tulsa averages 7.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, the same that Kent State allows.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mya Babbitt is scoring 15.6 points per game and averaging 4.7 rebounds for the Golden Flashes. Rylee Kalocay is averaging 1.3 made 3-pointers.
Mady Cartwright is shooting 45.5% and averaging 15.8 points for the Golden Hurricane. Abigail Jegede is averaging 13.8 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Miami (OH) RedHawks (4-2) vs. Washington State Cougars (0-6)
Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands; Friday, 5:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Miami (OH) and Washington State meet at Virgin Islands Sport & Fitness Center in Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands.
The Cougars are 0-6 in non-conference play. Washington State is 0-1 in one-possession games.
The RedHawks are 4-2 in non-conference play. Miami (OH) has a 4-1 record in games decided by 10 points or more.
Washington State’s average of 6.3 made 3-pointers per game is 1.2 fewer made shots on average than the 7.5 per game Miami (OH) gives up. Miami (OH) has shot at a 47.5% rate from the field this season, 4.2 percentage points higher than the 43.3% shooting opponents of Washington State have averaged.
TOP PERFORMERS: Eleonora Villa is scoring 16.7 points per game and averaging 1.7 rebounds for the Cougars. Charlotte Abraham is averaging 1.5 made 3-pointers.
Amber Scalia is averaging 14.5 points for the RedHawks. Amber Tretter is averaging 11.7 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
LAHAINA, Hawaii — Jordan Pope scored 28 points and Texas held on to beat No. 23 N.C. State 102-97 on Wednesday night to claim fifth place at the Maui Invitational.
The Longhorns (6-2) led by as many as 15 points late in the first half, then withstood a second-half rally by the Wolfpack (5-2).
All but one of Pope’s field goals came from 3-point distance. He made five 3-pointers and had 17 points by halftime and finished 7-for-13 shooting on 3s in the game.
Texas shot 50% (16 of 32) on 3-pointers, 55.8% (29 of 52) from the field and 84.8% (28 of 33) on free throws.
Chendall Weaver had 17 points and eight rebounds, Dailyn Swain added 14 points, six rebounds and seven assists, and Matas Vokietaitis scored 13 points. Simeon Wilcher added 12 points and Camden Heide 11 for the Longhorns.
Quadir Copeland had 28 points and six assists, Ven-Allen Lubin finished with a season-high 23 points and nine rebounds, and Paul McNeil Jr. scored 20 points for the Wolfpack. Darrion Williams finished with 10 points before fouling out late.
Texas capped a 15-7 first-half run with a Swain dunk to take a 45-30 lead with 1:33 until halftime.
The Longhorns led 47-37 at the break, but N.C. State stormed back to take a 71-70 lead on a layup by Alyn Breed with 7:51 to play.
N.C. State outscored Texas in the paint 46-20.
The Longhorns held a 24-7 advantage in fast-break points.
The Wolfpack shot 53.1% (34 of 64) from the field, including 47.4% (9 of 19) on 3-pointers, and 71.4% (20 of 28) at line.
N.C. State’s Ven-Allen Lubin slams in two during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 114-66 win over North Carolina Central at Lenovo Center on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C.
Kaitlin McKeown
The News & Observer
Texas is not known for its long ball, but that’s what it used to defeat N.C. State in the fifth-place matchup to close the Maui Invitational on Wednesday night.
The Wolfpack fell to the Longhorns, 102-97, to go 1-2 in the Thanksgiving week tournament in Hawaii.
“Just not good enough on any facet. I didn’t have us prepared like we needed to, and just very disappointing game today and, quite frankly, just an incredibly disappointing week for us,” head coach Will Wade said. “This is not our standard. This is not what we strive to be. This was [an] extremely, extremely disappointing week.”
N.C. State (5-2) jumped out to a five-point lead in the first half thanks to an effective defensive effort. Texas, however, made 9 of 11 shot attempts during an eight-minute stretch to build a 15-point lead. Of those nine baskets, four were 3-pointers.
The Longhorns (6-2) led by 10 at the break, scoring on 8 of 13 attempts from downtown. They were led by Jordan Pope, who had 17 points in the opening period and made 5 of 7 attempts from downtown. It was his seventh double-figure game of the season.
It took a little time for Texas to find its stride once again from the arc in the second half, but once it did, the Longhorns seemed unstoppable. They effectively broke double teams to find an open man and made great shots in transition. Texas went on a 10-0 run, which included three consecutive 3-point field goals, midway through the second half, which the Wolfpack was unable to overcome.
Texas shot 41 of 134 (30.6%) from 3 in its first six games. It finished 16-32 (50%), for its most efficient 3-point shooting and most 3-point field goals in a game this season.
N.C. State scored 60 points in the second half, its offense flowing far better than it did in the first half.
The Wolfpack can attribute the success — and its comeback attempt — to its effort on both ends of the floor. It was more aggressive on defense, though sometimes too aggressive, and the team moved the ball with more purpose and didn’t take as many contested one-on-one shots. It had 10 assists on 20 made field goals, compared to four assists on 14 baskets in the first half.
Alyn Breed made a layup with eight minutes to go and gave N.C. State a 71-70 lead.
Unfortunately the team couldn’t build on that, with Texas’ 3-point shooting (and its own foul trouble) too much to overcome.
“I apologize to our fans. We had the most fans here,” Wade said. “People sacrificed. People paid hard-earned money to watch us play, and they should be pissed. That’s why we’ve got passionate fans. That’s why we’ve got great fans. They’re upset, and they should be. This isn’t how we should be playing. This isn’t the standard which we play at.”
N.C. State received positive contributions from several players, including Paul McNeil and Ven-Allen Lubin.
McNeil provided a surge of energy to open the game. McNeil scored a pair of baskets, including a layup that ended a 3 ½-minute scoring drought and stretch of five missed shots. McNeil also pulled down two rebounds and one steal in his first 13 minutes of play.
The North Carolina native hit a 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock, cutting N.C. State’s deficit to 10 points at halftime. He added another 3, on a pass from Darrion Williams, with 15 minutes remaining in the game to make it 54-53. McNeil finished with 20 points and a trio of 3-pointers.
Lubin provided the Wolfpack with another big performance. He scored a season-high 23 points, one shy of his career high, and pulled down nine boards. He hit a layup and free throw to tie the game at 64. Lubin scored in double figures all three days of the tournament, including one double-double.
Quadir Copeland also led the team with 28 points, four rebounds and six assists.
One positive was the Wolfpack’s aggression off the glass. This area was always going to be a challenge for N.C. State, which was still out-rebounded 31-28, but it was facing one of the best rebounding teams in the country.
Texas entered the game ranked No. 9 in the nation for total rebounds per game (45.9) and No. 14 in defensive rebounds per game (31.1), but was held under its average.
Pope led the Longhorns with 28 points, including seven baskets from long range, and added four assists.
“This is a disappointing feeling. We let a lot of people down,” Copeland said. “We had so many fans here. Apologize to the guys that came here and supported us. We had so many people here. We let them down. We let ourselves down. We let the staff down. We’re going to be better from this.”
Cutting off easy baskets
Wolfpack coach Will Wade’s ideal half-court defensive set is one that keeps the ball in the midrange and beyond.
“The ball doesn’t touch the paint. You keep the ball out of the paint, you force a non-paint shot, you contest the non-paint shot, and you’ve got a better chance to rebound,” Wade said before leaving for Hawaii. “I mean, that’s simplistic.”
N.C. State, which has averaged 26.7 opponent paint points per game, did a better job shutting down the interior against Texas. The defense collapsed the paint and held Texas to six points inside the lane through the first 13 minutes of play. At halftime, the Longhorns had scored 10 points in the paint.
The Wolfpack ultimately held the Longhorns to 20 points in the lane, while scoring 44 of its own.
This has been a liability at times. N.C. State allowed Alabama-Birmingham to score 44 in the second game of the season. It gave up 40 points to Seton Hall in the first game of the tournament. It allowed just 14 to Boise State on Wednesday.
If the Pack can more consistently limit paint touches, it has the chance to be effective. Texas had merely had an uncharacteristically strong 3-point performance, overshadowing N.C. State’s efficiency inside.
Foul issues take center stage
Foul trouble plagued the Wolfpack in its final game of the Maui Invitational, with N.C. State picking up 10 fouls in the first half.
Of those fouls, six took place in the first nine minutes of play. At the break, Williams, Quadir Copeland, Breed and Tre Holloman all had two fouls.
N.C. State continued to pick up foul calls in the second half. With 12 minutes remaining in the game, the Wolfpack’s senior quartet and freshman Musa Sagnia had at least three fouls each.
The Longhorns were in the bonus for the final 12 ½ minutes of the game.
Holloman fouled out with 2 ½ minutes left in the game, while Breed and Williams also fouled out late in the contest. This was the second game in a row that Williams and Holloman fouled out.
N.C. State has to figure out how to play cleaner defense, because it can’t afford to have some of its most senior players sitting on the bench.
Free throws
N.C. State was relatively efficient from the free throw line in Maui, but some of its misses came at inopportune times. The most notable? Williams’ two misses after a Texas technical foul.
Matas Vokietaitis was called for a foul after Lubin made a layup, giving the Wolfpack an and-1 opportunity. The Texas big man spiked the ball in frustration after the call, hitting an official in the face. He was assessed a technical foul. Williams, who had missed only two free throws the entire season, went 0 for 2 on his trip to the line. Lubin, however, made the and-1 to tie the game at 64.
McNeil also missed an and-1 opportunity early in the game, while Copeland went 1 of 2 on a trip to the line in the first half. Then, the senior missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with two minutes left.
The Wolfpack finished 20-28 (71.4%) on free throws, and in a five-point game, it could have used a few more.
N.C. State shot 34 of 45 (75.5%) from the free throw line in the first two games. It averages 77.1% this season.
This story was originally published November 27, 2025 at 12:14 AM.
LAS VEGAS — Reese Dixon-Waters scored 22 points, BJ Davis added 21 points and San Diego State beat Oregon 97-80 on Tuesday night in a group-stage game at the Players Era Festival.
Magoon Gwath had 13 points, four blocks and two steals and Elzie Harrington scored 12 points for the Aztecs.
Jackson Shelstad hit five 3-pointers and led Oregon (4-2) with 21 points. Kwame Evans Jr, scored 16 and Nate Bittle 13.
Shelstad hit a 3-pointer that made it 15-all about eight minutes into the game, but Davis answered with two free throws and then hit back-to-back 3s to spark a 12-0 run that gave San Diego State the lead for good. Shelstad made another 3 and Evans added two free throws and a three-point play as Oregon scored eight of the first 12 second-half points to trim its deficit to 55-49, but the Ducks got no closer.
Miles Heide and Davis threw down dunks 22 seconds apart to give Oregon its biggest lead at 94-70 with 2:09 to play.
The Aztecs made 39 of 58 (67%) from the field, 11 of 23 (48%) from 3-point range, and 8 of 9 (89%) from the free-throw line.
