Murray leads No. 1 Kentucky over South Florida

The Associated Press MURRAY MAGIC: Kentucky guard Jamal Murray (23) drives to the basket as South Florida guard Roddy Peters, left, and forward Angel Nunez defend in the second half of the HoopHall Miami Invitational Friday in Miami. Murray had 21 points, leading the top-ranked Wildcats to an 84-63 victory.
The Associated Press MURRAY MAGIC: Kentucky guard Jamal Murray (23) drives to the basket as South Florida guard Roddy Peters, left, and forward Angel Nunez defend in the second half of the HoopHall Miami Invitational Friday in Miami. Murray had 21 points, leading the top-ranked Wildcats to an 84-63 victory.

MIAMI -- Jamal Murray had 21 points and No. 1 Kentucky scored the final 15 points of the first half on the way to beating South Florida 84-63 in the HoopHall Miami Invitational on Friday.

Skal Labissiere added 17 points for the Wildcats (6-0), who led by as many as 31. Charles Matthews scored 11 points and Isaiah Briscoe finished with seven assists for Kentucky, now a winner of 37 consecutive regular-season games and 39 in a row against unranked opponents.

Chris Perry scored 14 points for USF (1-5), which has lost 18 consecutive games against teams ranked in the Top 25. Jaleel Cousins added 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting.

Kentucky played the second half without starting guard Tyler Ulis, who departed with a right elbow injury after getting hurt while fighting for a ball loose on the floor.

No. 3 Michigan State 77, Boise State 67

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Denzel Valentine scored a career-high 32 points, hitting five consecutive 3-pointers to break open a tight game in the second half, and Michigan State beat Boise State in the semifinals of the DirecTV Wooden Legacy.

Valentine followed up his second career triple-double Thursday night in a 31-point victory over Boston College with stellar perimeter shooting that bailed out the Spartans (6-0) against the scrappy Broncos (3-3), giving coach Tom Izzo his 501st career win.

Valentine had seven 3-pointers, tying his career high set last season. The senior made all nine of his free throws, four in the last 22 seconds. He also had nine rebounds and six assists.

Nick Duncan led Boise State with 19 points, and Mikey Thompson added 17 points and a career-high eight assists.

No. 8 Villanova 69,

Georgia Tech 52

NEW YORK -- Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart each scored 13 points to help Villanova beat Georgia Tech in the NIT Season Tip Off championship game.

Kris Jenkins had 12 points and the Big East Co-Player of the Year Ryan Arcidiacono added nine for Villanova (6-0). Charles Mitchell led the Yellow Jackets (4-2) with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Northeastern 78,

No. 15 Miami 77

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Quincy Ford made a jumper at the buzzer to lift Northeastern past Miami.

Northeastern beat a Top 25 team for the first time since an 86-84 victory over Louisville in 1986. The Huskies (5-1) blew a four-point lead in the final 34 seconds before Ford connected for the winning basket and the last two of his 24 points.

Davon Reed scored 19 points for Miami (5-1), and Sheldon McLellan had 18 points.

No. 17 Notre Dame 68, Iowa 62

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- V.J. Beachem scored 16 points, Demetrius Jackson had 12 and No. 17 Notre Dame beat Iowa 68-62 in the consolation round of the AdvoCare Invitational on Friday night.

Bonzie Colson had a pair of layups and Jackson added a third as Notre Dame (4-1) used a 9-2 stretch for a 63-55 lead late. Jarrod Uthoff had 20 points for Iowa (3-2).

Gonzaga 73,

No. 18 UConn 70

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Kyle Wiltjer scored 17 points, Eric McClellan added 15 and Gonzaga held off No. 18 Connecticut in the Battle 4 Atlantis third-place game.

UConn's Rodney Purvis had a chance to tie it, but missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Domantas Sabonis added 12 points for Gonzaga (4-1). Shonn Miller led UConn with 19 points.

Baylor 94, Arkansas St. 72

WACO, Texas -- Taurean Prince scored a career-high 25 points and Baylor beat Arkansas State 94-72 Friday, giving the Bears their 28th consecutive home win over a non-conference opponent.

Al Freeman added 19 points, Johnathan Motley had 13 and Lester Medford 11 for Baylor (4-1). Rico Gathers had 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The Bears led by as many 24 points before halftime, but Arkansas State (2-4) went on a 26-9 run over the final 6 ½ minutes before halftime and the first 2 ½ minutes of the second half to get within 50-43 on a tip-in by Charles Waters. The Red Wolves never got closer.

Anthony Livingston and Devin Carter each had 20 points for Arkansas State.

Prince ended the Red Wolves run with a jumper then drew a charge on the other end. After Medford hit a 3-pointer, he assisted on a 3 by Prince and it was 58-43.

Sports on 11/28/2015

Upcoming Events