CHICAGO — Experience trumps talent.
At least at this point in the year.
Branden Dawson tipped in a miss with less than six seconds left, and No. 2 Michigan State hung on for a 78-74 victory over top-ranked Kentucky and its latest cast of young phenoms in the first game of the Champions Classic on Tuesday night. As James Young missed a 3-pointer, the Michigan State fans — including the Spartan in Chief, Magic Johnson, erupted. Gary Harris held up his index finger, indicating the No. 1 ranking the Spartans (2-0) are sure to have next week.
But this might not be the last these two teams see of each other. With four of the top five teams in the one-day tournament — Duke and Kansas played in the nightcap — it’s no stretch to imagine this as a sneak peek at the Final Four.
The Spartans’ Keith Appling came within two rebounds and two assists of a triple-double, finishing with 22 points, and eight rebounds and assists. Harris had 20 points and Adreian Payne had 15 points and four rebounds.
Julius Randle led the Wildcats (2-1) with 27 points — all but four in the second half — and 13 rebounds. Andrew Harrison had 11. But the Wildcats were hurt by early turnovers and they were just 20 of 36 from the free throw line.
This was the earliest 1 vs. 2 match-up, and first since Feb. 23, 2008, when Tennessee beat top-ranked Memphis. The Tigers coach then? None other than John Calipari.
This game had even more hype, mostly because of the Kiddie Cats. Much has been made of the youngsters, with good reason. The last time Calipari had a roster this star-studded, the Wildcats won a national title.
And this group might be even more impressive.
Six were McDonald’s All-Americans, and all are considered lottery picks in next summer’s NBA draft, with Randle a possibility for the overall No. 1. The youngsters did nothing to lessen the hype in their first two games, with Randle averaging 22.5 points and 15 rebounds, and the Harrison twins averaging in double figures. No wonder the game brought out scouts from almost every NBA team and celebrities including Nazr Mohammed and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
But the Spartans aren’t exactly slouches, returning six of their top seven scorers. Just as important, big-time games like this are nothing new to them, with coach Tom Izzo routinely scheduling the likes of Connecticut, Duke, North Carolina and Kansas before Jan. 1.
The experience showed early, as the Spartans harassed Kentucky relentlessly on both ends of the court. But Kentucky has too much talent to stay down for long.
After trailing by 13 with 11:32 to play, the Wildcats came roaring back behind Randle, who left little doubt why coaches throughout the NBA covet him. He scored nine points in Kentucky’s 13-1 run, including a “How’d he do that?” off-balance jumper from behind a sea of green jerseys. Andrew Harrison followed with a layup to cut Michigan State’s lead to 60-59 with 8:05 to play.
Andrew Harrison and Randle each made a pair of free throws, tying the game at 66 with 4:48 left. But Appling drilled a 3, and Harris stripped Randle at the other end and took it in for a layup that put Michigan State back in front, 71-66.
Randle wasn’t done just yet. After Andrew Harrison’s free throws Kentucky within 76-72 with 1:33 to play, the Wildcats pounced on an Appling turnover and Randle scored on a jumper. But Dawson tipped in a miss by Denzel Valentine at the other end to seal the win.
No. 5 KANSAS 94, No. 4 DUKE 83
Andrew Wiggins soared toward the hoop as Jabari Parker made one last attempt to stop his fellow freshman star.
No such luck. Wiggins owned the end of Parker’s impressive homecoming.
The Kansas star scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, outplaying Parker down the stretch and helping the fifth-ranked Jayhawks knock off No. 4 Duke 94-83 on Tuesday night.
Parker, a former prep star at nearby Simeon High School, had 27 points, nine rebounds and two steals in a spectacular return to his hometown. But it was Wiggins who made the biggest plays in the final minutes of a taut thriller between two storied programs.
Wiggins drained a stepback jumper to give the Jayhawks an 85-81 lead with 1:33 to go, and then had a fast-break dunk while being fouled by a trailing Parker. Wiggins held his arms out and yelled after the big dunk, delighting the raucous crowd at the United Center. Parker headed to the bench with his fifth foul.
Perry Ellis finished with 24 points and Wayne Selden had 15 for the Jayhawks (2-0), who went 27 for 35 at the foul line, compared to 16 of 28 for the Blue Devils. Wiggins also had eight rebounds despite battling foul trouble for much of the game.
Kansas scored 17 of the final 23 points after Rasheed Sulaimon made a jumper for Duke that tied it at 77 with 3:50 left.
No. 3 LOUISVILLE 97, HOFSTRA 69
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Russ Smith scored 21 of his game-high 30 points in the first half and Louisville made 12 3-pointers to set the tone for a rout of Hofstra.
The senior guard shot 12 of 22 from the field including 5 of 12 from beyond the arc. Wayne Blackshear made three straight 3s for nine points to help Louisville break the game open with a 26-2 second-half run. Luke Hancock returned from an Achilles injury to hit a couple from long range as well as the Cardinals finished 12 of 31 from deep.
No. 7 MICHIGAN 93,
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 59
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Caris LeVert made his first five 3-point attempts, and No. 7 Michigan had a terrific night from beyond the arc, breezing to a victory over South Carolina State.
LeVert finished with 24 points, going 6 of 7 from long distance. Nik Stauskas added 23 points — he was 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Both sophomores set career highs in scoring.
The Wolverines (2-0) were again without star big man Mitch McGary, who has been out with a back problem.
Jordan Smith scored 19 points for South Carolina State (1-2).
No. 8 OKLAHOMA STATE 93,
UTAH VALLEY 40
STILLWATER, Okla. — Phil Forte scored 19 points to lead six double-figure scorers and Oklahoma State cruised past Utah Valley.
The Cowboys (2-0) hit 10 of 18 from 3-point range in the first half and 14 of 33 from beyond the arc for the game. Forte and Marcus Smart, who scored 14 points, combined to hit 8 of 17 from 3-point range.
Freshman Stevie Clark was 3 of 4 from 3-point range, finished 16 points and had six assists.
Le’Bryan Nash (11), Brian Williams (10) and Markel Brown (10) also scored in double figures for the Cowboys.
No. 9 SYRACUSE 89, FORDHAM 74
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — C.J. Fair scored a career-high 26 points, Jerami Grant added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Syracuse beat Fordham.
Syracuse, which started the season with a so-so 82-60 win over Cornell on Friday night after trailing by 14 points late in the first half, left little doubt about the outcome of this one. The Orange had the game in hand by halftime, leading by 25 behind 15 points from Fair as the Syracuse defense clamped down from the opening tip.
No. 10 OHIO STATE 79, OHIO 69
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Aaron Craft scored 17 points — including eight free throws down the stretch — to help Ohio State hold off neighboring rival Ohio.
Amir Williams had a career-high 14 points, reserve Sam Thompson had 12 and LaQuinton Ross added 10 for the Buckeyes (2-0).
Ohio State built a 12-point halftime lead and never trailed in a game with little continuity due to the constant whistles calling the new contact rules. Ohio State was 37 of 50 at the line.
No. 14 VCU 59, No. 25 VIRGINIA 56
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Treveon Graham scored 22 points, including a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds to play, and VCU beat Virginia.
The Rams (2-0) trailed for almost all of the final 10 minutes until Graham’s steal and baseline jumper gave them a 56-55 lead with 1:18 left.
Malcolm Brogdon then hit just the second of two free throws with 9.7 seconds left for the Cavaliers (1-1), tying the game before the Rams called time out and set up the final play.
No. 17 MARQUETTE 114, GRAMBLING STATE 71
MILWAUKEE — Chris Otule scored 17 points and Steve Taylor added 16 points and 11 rebounds to help Marquette roll over Grambling State.
The last time Marquette (2-0) reached the century mark came in a 102-77 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 21, 2010.
Deonte Burton added 14 points, JuJuan Johnson 12 and Jamil Thomas, Juan Anderson and Jake Thomas each a had 11 for Marquette.
No. 23 BAYLOR 66, SOUTH CAROLINA 64
WACO, Texas — Brady Heslip scored 18 points with five 3-pointers and Baylor held on for a victory over South Carolina, without making a field goal in the final 7 minutes and having to wait out a lengthy review after the final buzzer Tuesday before officials determined there wasn’t yet another foul in the game.
South Carolina (1-1) was desperately trying to get a tying basket, and the ball was still being batted around when the buzzer sounded at the same time a referee blew a whistle for an apparent foul. The refs reviewed the video before declaring the game was over.
By Wire Sources
