NCAA News Wire
Top 25 roundup: Kentucky beats Texas A&M in double OT
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Kentucky might remain the No. 1 team in America, but it needed two overtimes to do it Saturday in a 70-64 victory over Texas A&M.
Kentucky (15-0, 2-0 SEC) trailed for much of the game but finally punched through for good when freshman guard Tyler Ulis drilled a 3-pointer to make it 66-63 with 1:20 left in the second overtime.
The shot came when Kentucky was struggling to survive after Aaron Harrison, Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein had fouled out.
Kentucky sealed the victory when center Dakari Johnson and guard Devin Booker each rebounded Texas A&M misses, were fouled and made both free throws. Johnson scored with 14.7 seconds left, Booker at 8.2 to record the final points.
“We’re just not a very good team right now,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said. “I’ve got my work cut out for me. Just watch us: We just shot 28 percent.”
Kentucky won despite missing 46 of its 64 shots from the field.
No. 3 Virginia 62, No. 13 Notre Dame 56
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — No. 3 Virginia erased an early seven-point deficit in the second half and outscored Notre Dame 21-11 in the final 8:13.
Darion Atkins, a 6-foot-8 forward, led Virginia with 14 points. Junior guard Malcolm Brogdon contributed 13 points to the Cavaliers’ victory.
Irish senior swingman Pat Connaughton scored 21 points — 16 in the second half — to spearhead the Notre Dame effort.
No. 18 North Carolina 72, No. 5 Louisville 71
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Guard Marcus Paige’s scoop shot on drive down the left side with eight seconds left sent North Carolina to a victory over Louisville in a wild finish.
Paige, who left the game midway through the second half with an injury, was around as the Tar Heels finished wiping out a 13-point hole in the last eight minutes.
Louisville forward Wayne Blackshear missed a jumper from the corner in the waning seconds before a putback from guard Terry Rozier rolled off.
Forward Kennedy Meeks scored 13 points for the Tar Heels (12-4, 2-1 ACC). Forward Brice Johnson tallied 11 points, while Paige and forward J.P. Tokoto finished with 10 apiece.
Rozier finished with 25 points and guard Chris Jones added 19 points. Forward Montrezl Harrell was held to nine points for the Cardinals (14-2, 2-1), who lost for the first time ever in ACC play.
No. 6 Gonzaga 79, Santa Clara 57
SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga center Przemek Karnowski recorded 18 points and nine rebounds to lead the Bulldogs to their ninth straight win this season and 34th straight win at home.
Forward Kyle Wiltjer added 16 points and six rebounds. Karnowski and Wiltjer helped Gonzaga (16-1, 5-0) outscore Santa Clara 44-14 in the paint and outrebound the Broncos 41-26 at McCarthey Athletic Center.
Santa Clara freshman forward Matt Hubbard, a native of nearby Colville, Wash., tied his season high with 15 points to lead the Broncos (7-10, 2-4). Guard Jared Brownridge scored 14.
Point guard Kevin Pangos scored 13 points for the Bulldogs. Guard Bryan Wesley and reserve forward Domantas Sabonis both added 11.
No. 8 Villanova 81, DePaul 64
PHILADELPHIA — Senior guard Darrun Hilliard scored 21 points and hit four 3-pointers as Villanova cruised by DePaul.
The Wildcats shot over 60 percent in the first half and finished their 15th win by shooting 53.6 percent (30 of 56) — 44.8 percent (13 of 29) from behind the arc.
Guard Ryan Arciadiacono added 14 points for Villanova, whose only loss was to Seton Hall on Dec. 31.
Sophomore center Tommy Hamilton IV had 12 points for DePaul, which fell to 9-8 and was bidding for its first 4-0 start as a Big East team.
Oklahoma State 69, No. 10 Texas 58
STILLWATER, Okla. — The Cowboys got a combined 40 points from forward Le’Bryan Nash and guard Phil Forte to upset the Longhorns.
Nash and Forte, the Big 12’s top two scorers, each scored 20 points.
Oklahoma State offset a serious size disadvantage with strong defense, limiting the Longhorns to 29 percent shooting (9-of-31) from the field.
Texas lost for the second time this week, falling to 12-4 (1-2 Big 12). Oklahoma State improved to 12-3
