Walker, No. 5 Houston’s defense helps beat No. 2 Virginia | Sports

#5 HOUSTON 69, #2 VIRGINIA 61

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Jarace Walker scored 17 points and No. 5 Houston used runs in each half and the nation’s best defense to beat No. 2 Virginia 69-61 on Saturday.

Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark each added 13 points for the Cougars (11-1), who used a 10-2 run early in the second half to open a 40-30 lead. Virginia (8-1), playing for the first time in 11 days, never got closer than six, and every time the Cougars responded.

Kadin Shedrick had 16 points and Jayden Gardner had 13 for the Cavaliers.

#15 GONZAGA 100, #4 ALBAMA 90

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Drew Timme hit his season high with 29 points and Gonzaga overcame Brandon Miller’s 36-point breakout to beat Alabama in the CM Newton Classic.

Timme had 10 rebounds, four assists and made 12 of 18 shots to help the Bulldogs (9-3) cool off one of the nation’s hottest teams. The Crimson Tide (9-2) had won four straight wins and beaten two No. 1 teams to earn their highest placing in 15 years.

Miller had 26 points in the second half, including the team’s top 10.

#8 KANSAS 84, #14 INDIANA 62

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Gradey Dick scored 20 points to lead six Kansas players in double digits, Dajuan Harris Jr. added 10 points and 10 assists and the Jayhawks rampaged past Indiana.

Kevin McCullar Jr. had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Jalen Wilson and KJ Adams had 11 each as the Jayhawks (10-1) beat their college basketball blues for the seventh time in their last nine games.

Indiana (8-3) played most of the game without second-top scorer Xavier Johnson, who injured his right ankle less than 10 minutes into the game. Trayce Jackson-Davis led the Hoosiers with 13 points and nine blocks.

#10 ARKANSAS 76, BRADLEY 57

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Freshman Jordan Walsh posted a career-high 18 points, leading Arkansas past Bradley and extending the Razorbacks’ winning streak to six games.

SEC-leading scorer Ricky Council IV had 16 points and freshman guard Anthony Black added 15 for the Razorbacks (10-1).

Bradley (7-4) was led by Rienk Mast with 17 points.

No. 17 MISSISSIPPI STATE 68, NICHOLLS STATE 66

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Dashawn Davis made two clutch free throws with 5.6 seconds left, and Tolu Smith had 15 points and eight rebounds to help Mississippi State hold off Nicholls State 68-66.

Davis added 14 points and six assists for the Bulldogs (11-0), who are off to their best start since the 2003-04 season. Tyler Stevenson added 14 points, 12 of them in the first half, for Mississippi State.

Latrell Jones led Nicholls State (5-6) with 15 points while Marek Nelson and Micah Thomas added 12 points each. Pierce Spencer had a steal with two seconds left, but his 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounced in and out of the rim.

NORTH CAROLINA 89, #23 OHIO STATE 84

NEW YORK — Pete Nance jumped on the buzzer to force overtime, RJ Davis iced a much-needed win for North Carolina with two late free throws and the Tar Heels defeated Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic.

Armando Bacot had 28 points and 15 rebounds and Caleb Love had 22 for North Carolina (8-4), who are trying to find their way back after a four-game losing streak – all away – knocked out the previous season’s No. 1 team made the top 25 two weeks ago.

The Tar Heels have now won three straight games, having been behind for most of the game before Davis hit a 3 from the wing with 1:29 left to make it 75-74 for North Carolina.

Brice Sensabaugh made a jump from inside the foul line with 2 seconds left to put the Buckeyes 79-77 ahead. But North Carolina’s Leaky Black threw an inbound pass to the 6-foot-11 Nance, who swept a turnaround off the wing after time was up to send it to OT.

Sensabaugh had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Buckeyes (7-3).

#24 VIRGINIA TECH 74, GRAMBLING STATE 48

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Sean Pedulla scored 21 points to lead Virginia Tech past Grambling State.

Pedulla shot 5 to 12 from the floor and had four 3-pointers for the Hokies (11-1), who won their sixth straight game. Pedulla, who added six assists, has hit double figures in every game this season.

Carte’are Gordon scored 12 points to lead Grambling State (6-4), where his three-game winning streak was cut short.

#25 MIAMI 91, ST. FRANCIS (PA.) 76

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Isaiah Wong had 22 points and 10 assists, Wooga Poplar posted a career-high 20 and Miami beat St. Francis (Pa.).

Bensley Joseph and Norchad Omier each scored 14 points for the Hurricanes (11-1) as they won for the seventh straight season. Miami equalized a troublesome first half through Red Flash (3-9) and finally took the lead with seven unanswered points to open the second half.

Josh Cohen scored 30 points and Landon Moore finished with 25 points for St. Francis.