Naz Long image via
A wild game in Stillwater highlighted tonight's action. Let's get to it.
(1) Syracuse 61 (22-0, 9-0) Notre Dame 55 (12-11, 3-7)
The Irish kept close with the Orange nearly the entire second half after only scoring 18 in the first. The slower pace and ND zone seemed to really throw the Orange off. Everyone except Trevor Cooney. Cooney went for a career high 33 on 11 of 15 shooting. He was 9 of 12 from 3. No other Syracuse player made more than 3 field goals or scored in double digits.
(6) Villanova 81 (20-2, 8-1) Xavier 58 (15-7, 5-4)
This was a 4 point game in Nova's favor with 16:17 left at 36-32. With 12 minutes to go, it was 51-36. James Bell scored 8 in a row, Darrun Hilliard (17) hit a 3, Bell and Dylan Ennis ended the runs with dunks. Bell scored 27 on 10 of 14 shooting, 6 of 12 from 3. The Wildcats connected on 11 of 28 from long range. Semaj Christon had 17 for Xavier on 6 of 15 shooting.
(16) Iowa State 98 (17-4, 5-4) (19) Oklahoma State 97 – 3 OT
The Cowboys trailed 57-50 with 11 minutes left. A 17-5 over the next 5 minutes, most with Melvin Ejim out of the game, sparked the crowd. The rest of regulation was nip tuck. With a minute left, Markel Brown made a pair of free throws to put OSU up 1. Ejim drew a foul on ISU's next trip, making 1 to tie the game. Dustin Hogue blocked a Le'Bryan Nash layup. DeAndre Kane missed a 3 for the win.
In OT, Ejim scored 5 straight to give the Cyclones the lead. After a Monte Morris free throw, ISU led by 4 with 1:30 left. Phil Forte hit a 3 for OSU. Brian Williams drew a foul with 28 seconds left, making the first and missing the second. Monte Morris had a game winning shot blocked by Markel Brown.
In the second OT, three ISU free throws put the Cyclones up, well by 3. Le'Bryan Nash scored 5 in a row for the Cowboys, exploiting whoever attempted to guard him. ISU had a last possession with 15 seconds left. Matt Thomas missed a 3 but DeAndre Kane got the rebound. Kane thought about a 3, but passed to Nas Long, who drilled his first bucket to send us to the third OT.
The teams traded baskets until a minute and a half was remaining. Nash scored a layup. After ISU missed a 3, Naz Long blocked a Brown jumper then on the other end he found Monte Morris in the corner for a 3. Long hit a pair of free throws after a Nash turnover. OSU went for the quick two with a Brown dunk. Brian Williams stole the inbound from Long. Marcus Smart missed a jumper sort, which resulted in a tie up in the Cowboys favor. Nash took a fade away jumper off the inbound and that was the game.
DeAndre Kane had 26, 9 rebounds and 9 assists for ISU. Melvin Ejim had 22 and 12. Dustin Hogue had 10 and 14 and Georges Niang had 17. Long had 5 and 2 assists. For OSU, Le'Bryan Nash had 26 points, 9 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals. Marcus Smart had 20 on 6 of 14 shooting, 7 of 9 at the line, with 9 boards and 2 assists. Markel Brown had 19 and 10.
BIG EAST
Georgetown 71 (13-9, 4-6) DePaul 59 (10-13, 2-8)
The Hoyas only shot 36% but they went 30 for 41 at the free throw line. Markel Starks had 26 on 6 of 18, 11 of 14 at the stripe. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera went 11 for 11 at the line and 3 of 11 from the field for his 17 points. Brandon Young had 15 and 7 for DePaul.
AMERICA EAST
UMass Lowell 73 (7-14) NJIT 64 (9-15)
BIG SKY
Montana 70 (10-9, 5-5) Montana State 66 (10-11, 5-5)
COLONIAL
Delaware 80 (17-7, 8-0) Northeastern 67 (7-16, 4-5)
The Blue Hens stretched their CAA lead with 25 from Davon Usher on 8 of 12, 5 of 6 from 3. Devon Saddler scored 21 with 8 assists and 5 boards. Carl Baptiste had 14 and 15 boards. Scott Eatherton had 21 and 8 for the Huskies.
Drexel 61 (12-10, 4-5) UNC-Wilmington 50 (6-17, 0-8)
MAAC
Rider 73 (12-9, 8-4) Fairfield 65 (4-19, 1-11)
MEAC
Morgan State 94 (8-12, 6-2) Hampton 92 (11-11, 6-3) – 2 OT
The crazy overtime action didn't escape the MEAC. Hampton took advantage of Morgan St going 3 of 6 on free throws down the stretch with Ramon Mercado hitting a 3 with three seconds left. In OT, it was Hampton's turn to miss free throws. They went 2 of 6 to see a lead erased when Donte Pretlow hit a pair of foul shots with 3 seconds left.
In the second OT, things turned when Torin Childs-Harris made a layup, got a steal then Blake Bozeman hit a pair of foul shots and a 3 around a pair of Hampton free throws. Justin Black had 26 for the Bears. Anthony Hubbard had 18, 17 rebounds and 4 assists. Du'Vaughn Maxwell had 25, 11 and 7 blocks in the losing effort.
Bethune-Cookman 91 (5-20, 3-7) South Carolina State 59 (8-14, 4-5)
Bethune-Cookman was 29 of 41, 70.7%. They hit 15 of 18 from 3, 83.3%. They hit 18 of 20 at the line, 90%. Unbelievable. Mikel Trapp had 33 on 9 of 10, 7-7 on threes and 8-9 at the line. Malik Jackson had 19 on 6 of 8, 5 of 7, 2 of 2.
NC Central 66 (16-5, 7-1) Maryland-Eastern Shore 62 (3-16, 1-6)
The conference leaders got a balanced effort with 14 from Jeremy Ingram. Alfonzo Houston and Jordan Parks had 11.
Florida A&M 54 (8-14, 4-5) Savannah State 51 (8-15, 6-3)
Onyekachuku Odi blocked a potential game tying layup for the Rattlers.
Coppin State 54 (8-14, 5-4) Delaware State 53 (4-17, 0-8)
Taariq Cephas nailed a pair of free throws with 24 seconds left for the lead. Brandon St Louis knocked the ball away from DSU's Albert Thomas on the other end for the win according the AP story.
Howard 68 (6-17, 4-4) NC A&T 60 (7-16, 3-5)
SOUTHERN
Samford 76 (10-14, 4-5) Furman 68 (7-15, 1-8)
SUN BELT
Georgia State 85 (16-6, 9-0) South Alabama 65 (7-15, 1-8)
The Sun Belt leading Panthers ripped the nets at 63%. They hit 10 of 17 from 3 and 17 of 19 from the foul line. RJ Hunter had 24 on 7 of 9, 5 of 6 from 3. Ryan Harrow had 20, 7 assists, 4 steals. Manny Atkins also had 20.
SWAC
Alabama State 79 (13-7, 7-2) Texas Southern 73 (9-12, 5-4) – OT
This game went into overtime when Brandon Graham hit just 1 of 2 for ASU. Both teams blew chances to win in regulation. In the OT, a 'and 1' by DeMarcus Robinson gave ASU a 5 point lead with 1:28 left. Free throws iced it.
Alabama A&M 67 (8-11, 5-4) Prairie View A&M 55 (6-15, 4-5)
Mississippi Valley State 75 (8-14, 4-5) Grambling State 67 (1-17, 0-9)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 70 (6-15, 4-5) Jackson State 69 (7-14, 3-6)
Macel Mosely made a steal with a second left to seal the win for UAPB. Mosley had 7 on the night with 19 points, 6 boards and 6 assists.
TOP POINTS
- 33 – Trevor Cooney – SU
- 33 – Mikel Trapp – BC
- 27 – James Bell – Villa.
- 26 – Le'Bryan Nash – OSU
- 26 – DeAndre Kane – ISU
- 26 – Stephen Croone – Fur
- 26 – Justin Black – MSU
- 26 – Aaric Murray – TX Sou.
- 26 – Markel Starts – GTown
- 25 – Davon Usher – Del.
- 25 – Du'Vaughn Maxwell – Ham.
- 24 – RJ Hunter – Ga St.
- 24 – Antwan Scott – Gram.
- 23 – Damon Lynn – NJIT
- 23 – James Daniel – How.
- 22 – Melvin Ejim – ISU
- 22 – Maurice Barrow – Fair.
- 22 – Addison Spruill – UNC-Wil.
- 22 – Flavien Davis – Mont. St.
- 21 – Scott Eatherton – NE
- 21 – Devon Saddler – NE
- 20 – Marcus Smart – OSU
- 20 – Ryan Harrow – Ga. St
- 20 – Manny Atkins – Ga St
- 20 – Kareem Jamar – Mont.
TOP REBOUNDS
- 17 – Anthony Hubbard – MSU
- 15 – Carl Baptiste – Del.
- 14 – Dustin Hogue – ISU
- 12 – Melvin Ejim – ISU
- 12 – Jyles Smith – Sav. St
- 12 – James Currington – MSVU
- 11 – Matt Stainbrook – Xav
- 11 – Tyler Stone – How
- 11 – Jose Rodriguez – TX So.
- 11 – Du'Vaughn Maxwell – Ham.
- 10 – Markel Brown – OSU
- 10 – Kerry Weldon – UM-Lowell
- 10 – Antonion Bivins – UM-Lowell
- 10 – Tim Williams – Sam.
- 10 – Nate Lubick – GTown
- 10 – Tommy Hamilton IV- DeP.
- 10 – Kareem Jamar – Mont.
TOP ASSISTS
- 10 – Madarious Gibbs – TX So.
- 9 – DeAndre Kane – ISU
- 8 – Tyler Ennis – SU
- 8 – Devon Saddler – Del.
TOP BLOCKS
- 8 – Jyles Smith – Sav St
- 7 – Du'Vaughn Maxwell – Ham
TOP STEALS
- 7 – Marcel Mosley – UAPB
