NEW YORK — Keith Appling scored 27 points and No. 1 Michigan State pulled away from Oklahoma in the final minutes for an 87-76 victory Saturday night in the championship game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
Appling, who was 8 of 12 from the field, scored eight points in the final 3:04 after the Sooners got within 75-71.
It was another unimpressive win for the Spartans (6-0) since their victory over then-No. 1 Kentucky moved them up one spot to the top of the poll.
Gary Harris had 21 points and Branden Dawson added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Spartans, who shot 50 percent from the field (29 of 58) but they were 6 of 19 from 3-point range and 23 of 36 from the free-throw line. They also committed 14 turnovers.
NO. 3 LOUISVILLE 71,
FAIRFIELD 57
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Chris Jones scored 15 points to lead Louisville to the victory in the Hall of Fame Tipoff Tournament.
Montrezl Harrell added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Cardinals (5-0), who extended their winning streak to 21 games, including last season’s run to the NCAA championship.
NO. 11 MEMPHIS 98,
NICHOLLS STATE 59
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Austin Nichols scored 20 points and Joe Jackson had 18 to power Memphis to the win.
Nichols, a freshman forward, connected on 9 of 15 shots to help Memphis (2-1) rebound from a 101-80 loss to No. 7 Oklahoma State on Tuesday. Jackson went 14 of 15 from the free-throw line.
NO. 12 WISCONSIN 76,
ORAL ROBERTS 67
MADISON, Wis. — Frank Kaminsky scored 21 points to lead five Wisconsin players in double figures.
Josh Gasser added 15 points for Wisconsin (6-0), and Ben Brust finished with 12. Traevon Jackson scored 11 and Sam Dekker had 10.
NO. 23 CREIGHTON 82,
TULSA 72
OMAHA, Neb. — Doug McDermott scored 21 of his 33 points in the second half, and Austin Chatman had a career-high 19 for the Bluejays (4-0).
McDermott recorded his 16th career 30-point game. He also became the first Creighton player since Cyril Baptiste in 1969-70 to open a season with four straight 20-point games.
NO. 24 NORTH CAROLINA
82, RICHMOND 72
UNCASVILLE, Conn. — Marcus Paige scored 26 points, Brice Johnson had 24 and North Carolina bounced back from its first loss of the season.
The Tar Heels (3-1) were up 66-62 with just under 4 minutes to play when Richmond’s Terry Allen picked up his fourth foul. Johnson made a putback that started the run that gave the Tar Heels control of the game. A Paige 3-pointer made it 71-62 and North Carolina held on down the stretch.