EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Freshman guard Max Christie scored a season-high 21 points and Gabe Brown added 14 to help No. 10 Michigan State pull away and beat Nebraska 79-67 on Wednesday night for its eighth victory in a row.
The Spartans (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten) led by just four at halftime because they turned the ball over 12 times. But then Michigan State made three 3-pointers early in the second half to go ahead 47-39 and maintained the lead by taking better care of the basketball, finishing with 19 turnovers.
Malik Hall had 12 points for the Spartans, whose losses this season were against No. 1 Baylor and No. 6 Kansas.
Derrick Walker scored 16 for the Cornhuskers (6-9, 0-4).
NO. 11 IOWA STATE 51, NO. 25 TEXAS TECH 47
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Izaiah Brockington’s four-point play with 1:52 left propelled Iowa State past Texas Tech in a defensive struggle.
Brockington’s fall-away 3-pointer came moments after the Red Raiders took a 42-40 lead. The Cyclones guard was knocked off balance, but his clutch shot swished through.
The resulting foul gave Brockington a chance for the four-point play, and his free throw gave Iowa State a 44-42 advantage.
Brockington led the Cyclones (13-1, 1-1 Big 12) with 14 points and nine rebounds. Aljaz Kunc added 13 points.
Davion Warren paced the Red Raiders (10-3, 0-1) with 12 points.
Texas Tech was reduced to just five scholarship players due to health and safety protocols. The Red Raiders were also dealing with injuries to their top two scorers, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Kevin McCullar.
NO. 12 HOUSTON 83, SOUTH FLORIDA 66
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Josh Carlton scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Houston past South Florida.
Carlton’s previous best was 21 points for UConn on March 7, 2019, against Temple.
Kyler Edwards, who returned after missing Sunday’s 66-61 win at Temple with a sprained ankle, had 15 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for the Cougars (13-2, 2-0 American Athletic Conference). Fabian White Jr. added 15 points and Jamal Shead scored 13.
The Bulls (5-8, 0-1) got 16 points from Javon Greene and Jamir Chaplin.
NO. 15 ALABAMA 83, FLORIDA 70
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jahvon Quinerly and Juwan Gary scored 19 points apiece and Alabama opened the second half against Florida with a 22-4 run.
The Crimson Tide (11-3, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) used the huge spurt to win consecutive games for the first time in a month and notch its first road victory of the season.
Florida (9-4, 0-1) whittled a 15-point deficit to 66-61 with six minutes to play, but Quinerly answered with a layup and Keon Ellis followed with a steal and a dunk to push the lead to back to nine. The Gators never got closer than that the rest of the way.
Florida lost for the fourth time in seven games and dropped the first of three straight against ranked SEC teams.
Ellis finished with 13 points for the Crimson Tide, which had all five starters score in double figures. Jaden Shackelford chipped in with 14, and Charles Bediako added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Colin Castleton led the Gators with 19 points but also committed four of their 20 turnovers.
NO. 18 TENNESSEE 66, MISSISSIPPI 60, OT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Santiago Vescovi scored 17 points, including a critical 3-pointer and two big free throws in overtime, as Tennessee pulled out a comeback victory over Mississippi.
Olivier Nkamhoua added 13 points for the Volunteers (10-3, 1-1 Southeastern Conference), who never led during regulation but outscored Ole Miss 15-9 in the extra period.
Tye Fagan had 23 points to lead the Rebels (8-5, 0-1). Down five players — two injured and three in COVID-19 protocol — Mississippi started strong and led by 12 in the first half but couldn’t hang on.
NO. 19 VILLANOVA 75, CREIGHTON 41
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Justin Moore scored 22 points and Jermaine Samuels added 18 as Villanova routed Creighton.
Collin Gillespie had 11 points and Brandon Slater finished with 10 for Villanova (10-4, 3-1 Big East), which has steadied itself with three straight wins following consecutive losses by a combined 41 points. The Wildcats avenged a 79-59 defeat at Creighton on Dec. 17.
Alex O’Connell scored 13 for the Bluejays (10-4, 2-1).
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