SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Scoop Jardine sparked a game-deciding rally with 3-pointers on consecutive possessions in the closing minutes, and No. 2 Syracuse beat Connecticut 85-67 on Saturday.
Jardine had a season-high 21 points as Syracuse (25-1, 12-1 Big East) earned its fifth consecutive win since suffering its only loss of the season at Notre Dame.
Jeremy Lamb scored 18 points for Connecticut (15-9, 5-7), which has lost six of seven.
NO. 4 MISSOURI 72,
NO. 6 BAYLOR 57
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Phil Pressey scored 19 points, making four of Missouri’s season-best 14 3-pointers.
Sixth man Michael Dixon also had four 3-pointers and Marcus Denmon added three for Missouri (23-2, 10-2 Big 12), which shot 50 percent from long range.
Quincy Miller had 20 points and Perry Jones III had just four on 2-for-12 shooting for Baylor (21-4, 8-4). The Bears shot just 36 percent, negating a whopping 40-27 rebounding advantage.
NO. 5 NORTH CAROLINA 70,
NO. 19 VIRGINIA
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Tyler Zeller had 25 points and nine rebounds to power North Carolina to the victory.
Harrison Barnes added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Tar Heels (21-4, 8-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Mike Scott scored 18 points for the Cavaliers (19-5, 6-4), who shot 36 percent. Jontel Evans added 12.
TENNESSEE 75,
NO. 8 FLORIDA 70
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Trae Golden scored 17 points, Jeronne Maymon added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Tennessee ended Florida’s home-winning streak at 19.
It didn’t help that the Gators (19-6, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) played most of the game without their top two reserves, guard Mike Rosario and forward Will Yeguete.
Rosario missed the game because of a hip pointer, and Yeguete suffered a head injury early in the first half when he slammed into the padding at the base of the basket.
Skylar McBee had 13 points for Tennessee (13-12, 5-5).
NO. 10 DUKE 73, MARYLAND 55
DURHAM, N.C. — Miles Plumlee had 13 points and a career-high 22 rebounds, helping Duke pull away for the win.
Seth Curry scored 19 points and Mason Plumlee added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Blue Devils (21-4, 8-2 ACC).
Nick Faust scored 15 points but Terrell Stoglin, the ACC’s leading scorer, finished with 13 — nine below his average — on 4-of-16 shooting for the Terps (14-10, 4-6).
NO. 14 UNLV 65,
NO. 13 SAN DIEGO STATE 63
LAS VEGAS — Mike Moser scored 19 points and made a key steal late that helped UNLV to the close victory.
The Runnin’ Rebels (22-4, 6-2 Mountain West) forced three turnovers in the final 42 seconds to win.
Chase Tapley finished with 22 points for San Diego State (20-4, 6-2).
NO. 15 FLORIDA STATE 64, MIAMI 59
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Bernard James scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half and Florida State snapped Miami’s five-game winning streak.
Michael Snaer had 12 points and Ian Miller finished with 11 for Florida State (17-7, 8-2 ACC), which bounced back from a disappointing 64-60 loss at Boston College on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-10 James went 7 for 8 from the field in the second half and matched his career scoring high.
Kenny Kadji led Miami (15-8, 6-4) with 14 points and Durand Scott added 12.
WICHITA STATE 89,
NO. 17 CREIGHTON 68
OMAHA, Neb. — Joe Ragland scored 24 points, Ben Smith matched his career high with 22 and Wichita State moved a step closer to the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championship.
Wichita State (22-4, 13-2) has won 12 of its last 13 games and 20 of 22. The Bluejays (21-5, 11-4) have lost three straight.
Smith helped neutralize Creighton’s Doug McDermott, who had 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Gregory Echenique led the Bluejays with 16 points.
NO. 18 MARQUETTE 95,
CINCINNATI 78
MILWAUKEE — Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder scored 23 points each, leading Marquette to the home win.
Jamil Wilson added 15 points for the Golden Eagles (21-5, 10-3 Big East).
JaQuon Parker and Dion Dixon scored 15 points each for the Bearcats (17-8, 7-5).
GEORGIA 70,
NO. 20 MISSISSIPPI STATE 68, OT
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 20 points, including a crucial 3-pointer late in overtime.
Gerald Robinson Jr. added 13 points, including eight in overtime for Georgia (12-12, 3-7). Dustin Ware had 11.
Mississippi State (19-6, 6-4) was led by Dee Bost’s 21 points. The senior guard missed a jumper at the buzzer that would have tied it.
NO. 24 LOUISVILLE 77,
WEST VIRGINIA 74
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Kyle Kuric scored 17 points to lead five Louisville players in double figures.
Russ Smith had 16 points for the Cardinals (20-5, 8-4 Big East). Chris Smith and freshman Wayne Blackshear added 13 apiece and Peyton Siva scored 10.
Kevin Jones had 22 points and 11 rebounds for West Virginia (16-10, 6-7). Deniz Kilicli added 17 points and Darryl “Truck” Bryant scored 13.
No. 2 Syracuse wins
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