Zach Edey scores 18 points, leads top-ranked Purdue past Jacksonville 100-57
Jacksonville forward Stephon Payne III (0) defends Purdue center Zach Edey (15) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Zach Edey scored 18 points and No. 1 Purdue breezed past Jacksonville 100-57 on Thursday night.
Lance Jones had 16 points, Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 15 and Myles Colvin had 11 for the Boilermakers (11-1), who won their fourth straight — including last Saturday’s win over then-No. 1 Arizona that allowed them to regain the top ranking.
Twelve players scored for Purdue. Seldom-used Will Berg had eight points in the closing minutes as coach Matt Painter substituted liberally. The Boilermakers held a 43-16 edge in bench scoring.
Robert McCray V led the Dolphins (8-5) with 22 points. He came in as Jacksonville’s leading scorer with a 16.5-point average.
The 7-foot-4 Edey had a team-high eight rebounds as Purdue finished with a 39-31 advantage.
NO. 3 HOUSTON 72, TEXAS STATE 37
HOUSTON (AP) — Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points, Ja’Vier Francis added 13 and Houston routed Texas State.
Houston is one of three remaining undefeated teams, along with James Madison (11-0) and Ole Miss (11-0).
Houston improved to 12-0 for the third time in school history, joining the Cougar teams from 2018-19 and 1967-68. Houston also has a 12-game home winning streak dating to last season.
Kaden Gumbs scored seven points to lead Texas State (6-6). The Bobcats shot 29%, including 2 of 15 on 3-pointers.
NO. 8 TENNESSEE 65, TARLETON STATE 46
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Zakai Zeigler scored 13 points and Santiago Vescovi added 12 as Tennessee overcame poor shooting in the second half and beat Tarleton State.
The Volunteers (9-3) shot 2 for 17 in the first nine minutes of the second half. However, Tennessee’s lead never dipped below nine points in that time. Josiah-Jordan James added 10 points for Tennessee.
Devon Barnes led Tarleton State (8-4) with 12 points, while Lue Williams and KiAndre Gaddy added 10 point apiece.
NO. 9 KENTUCKY 95, LOUISVILLE 76
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) —Antonio Reeves scored 22 of his season-high 30 points in the first half, helping Kentucky overcome a slow shooting start and cruise past rival Louisville in the annual battle for Bluegrass bragging rights.
Kentucky (9-2) missed seven of its first 12 attempts, but stayed within a couple of possessions behind perimeter shooting keyed by Reeves, who made his first four shots from beyond the arc and nine of 10 in the first half.
Reeves finished 10 of 15 from the field to top his previous best of 24 points against top-ranked Kansas on Nov. 14. Tre Mitchell added 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Skyy Clark had 20 points and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield added 16 points and 11 rebounds for Louisville (5-7).
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