Guard Jarrett Culver produced 23 points and a career-high 13 rebounds Tuesday night, pacing the eighth-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders to a 66-59 victory over the No. 23 Oklahoma Sooners.
In one way, the Red Raiders won the game at the free throw line, hitting 17 of 17 to the Sooners’ 10 of 14.
Texas Tech made all six free throws in the final 45 seconds to help seal its third win without a loss in Big 12 play.
The Red Raiders also played their standard solid ball game defensively, holding the Sooners to 20 of 62 from the field, for 32.3 percent.
Only two Sooners’ players reached double figures, with Christian James scoring 14 and Brady Manek 13.
Records
Oklahoma 12-3, 1-2
Texas Tech 14-1, 3-0
Individuals
Oklahoma — Christian James, 14 points, on 4 of 12 shooting. Brady Manek, 13 points, on 4 of 10 shooting.
Texas Tech — Jarrett Culver, 23 points, 13 rebounds, 8 of 13 field goals. Davide Moretti, 12 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals. Tariq Owens, 4 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks. Off the bench, Brandone Francis, 8 points.
Notable
Oklahoma entered the game coming off a seven-point loss at Kansas and a 10-point victory at home against Oklahoma State. Texas Tech had won on the road at West Virginia and at home against Kansas State. With the win over Oklahoma, the Red Raiders improved to 10-0 at home.
Quotable
“I think Oklahoma is going to be part of the fight (for the conference title), so this is a really good win for us.” — Texas Tech coach Chris Beard said on the team’s radio broadcast.
Makai Mason scored a season high 25 points Tuesday night in Waco, leading the Baylor Bears to a 73-70 victory over 20th-ranked Iowa State.
After the Cyclones took a two-point lead, Mason knocked down a jumper and hit five free throws in the final two minutes to pace the Bears to their first Big 12 win of the season.
Center Tristan Clark, a Baylor sophomore from Wagner, finished with 16 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Baylor coach Scott Drew said Clark, at 6-9 and 240 pounds, served as something of a quarterback on the basketball court at the Ferrell Center.
“Tristan, I tell you, we ran offense through Tristan Clark,” Drew said on the team’s radio broadcast.
Drew pointed out that Clark had three assists and zero turnovers on a night when he touched the ball frequently.
“Do you know how hard that is to run offense through somebody and for him to have zero turnovers for the game?” the coach asked. “I mean, he did an unbelievable job quarterbacking our team and really helping with things.”
Records
Iowa State 12-3, 2-1
Baylor 9-5, 1-1
Notable
Iowa State came into Waco with the early lead in the Big 12. The Cyclones had opened with victories over Oklahoma State on the road and Kansas at home. Baylor started conference with an 85-81 road loss at TCU. Losing to the Horned Frogs was the Bears’ third loss of the season by four points or less.
Quotable
“We’ve had some close losses,” Drew said. “It was good to see ’em win this one.”
Tristan Clark, by the numbers
Clark’s nation-leading field goal percentage of 75 percent dropped to 73.7 percent after he hit 6 of 10 from the field against the Cyclones. He’s averaging 14.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.
It’s getting crowded at the top of the Associated Press Top 25. Crowded with Atlantic Coast Conference teams, that is.
No. 1 Duke leads three ACC teams in the top nine in this week’s poll. The ACC also has six programs in the top 15.
But without a doubt, Duke is the talk of the conference and the nation, with freshman Zion Williamson (see video above) making the spectacular look routine.
Williamson incited the home crowd with his dunk of the year last Saturday in an 87-68 victory over Clemson.
“I said, ‘You know what? I’m wide open. Why not?'” Williamson said in an AP story out of Durham, North Carolina. “I did it, got high enough and it was almost like a layup.”
Added Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, “I’m not amazed at that stuff. He can do that. We allow him to do it. There’s no ceiling on how high or how many times he can twirl — as long as he puts the damn thing in.”
Against the Tigers, Williamson had 25 points and 10 rebounds. He’s averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in 13 games.
Here are the rankings:
AP Top 25
1. Duke 12-1 ACC
2. Michigan 15-0 Big Ten
3. Tennessee 12-1 SEC
4. Virginia 13-0 ACC
5. Gonzaga 14-2 West Coast
6. Michigan State 13-2 Big Ten
7. Kansas 12-2 Big 12
8. Texas Tech 13-1 Big 12
9. Virginia Tech 13-1 ACC
10. Nevada 14-1 Mountain West
11. Auburn 11-2 SEC
12. North Carolina 11-3 ACC
13. Florida State 12-2 ACC
14. Mississippi State 12-1 SEC
15. North Carolina State 13-1 ACC
16. Ohio State 12-2 Big Ten
17. Houston 15-0 American
18. Kentucky 10-3 SEC
19. Buffalo 13-1 Mid-American
20. Iowa State 12-2 Big 12
21. Marquette 12-3 Big East
22. Indiana 12-3 Big Ten
23. Oklahoma 12-2 Big 12
24. St. John’s 14-1 Big East
25. TCU 12-1 Big 12
Local athletes in the top five
Two athletes from the San Antonio area appear to have a great chance to experience deep runs in the NCAA Tournament with highly-rated teams. One is Duke junior Justin Robinson, a 6-10 junior forward from San Antonio Christian. Robinson is the son of former Spurs great David Robinson. The other is Jeremy Jones. Jones, a 6-7 senior forward from East Central, plays for the No. 5 Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Freshman forward Antoine Smith Jr. sizes up UIW’s first win of the season in Southland Conference play.
Trailing by 12 points early in the second half, the Incarnate Word Cardinals rallied at home Saturday night to beat Nicholls State, 65-58, for their first Southland Conference victory under new coach Carson Cunnningham.
Charles Brown III and Antoine Smith Jr. helped the short-handed Cardinals break a four-game losing streak with 17 points apiece.
In addition, Augustine Ene added 10, and Dwight Murray Jr. contributed 8 points and 7 assists with no turnovers.
Records
UIW 6-9, 1-1
Nicholls State 8-7, 1-1
Notable
Both Brown and Smith have started to come on for the Cardinals. In his last four games, Brown is averaging 18 points on 60 percent shooting from the field. Smith, a freshman from Westerville, Ohio, is averaging 13.3 points in his last three on 57 percent.
Quotable
“He’s a workhorse. He’s always in the gym. Even after tonight, he’ll be working on his game. That’s what I love about him. He pushes me at practice, and I push him. I’m glad to have him on my team.” — UIW senior Charles Brown III, on Antoine Smith, Jr.
For the UTSA Roadrunners, an 0-5 start to the season is a thing of the past.
The Roadrunners won their fifth straight game and their second straight over UTEP in three days, downing the Miners 67-63 Saturday night in El Paso.
Guard Jhivvan Jackson has returned from inury to average 20.5 points per game this season. – Photo by Joe Alexander, Jan. 3 at UTSA.
Guard Jhivvan Jackson produced 24 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the Roadrunners, who rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final 17 minutes.
“We went to that zone (defense) that we had in our back pocket,” Jackson told the team’s radio broadcast. “We worked on it. We just kept moving around and made ’em uncomfortable, and they weren’t making shots, and we just executed on offense.”
UTSA improved to 2-0 in Conference USA competition and to 8-2 in its last 10 since opening the season with the five straight losses.
Jackson sat out the first three games of the year as he completed rehabilitation from a knee injury.
The sophomore from Puerto Rico has returned to average 20.5 points in 12 outings. He’s scored 20 or more in nine of his last 10 games.
Records
UTSA 8-7, 2-0
UTEP 5-8, 0-2
Notable
Keaton Wallace came alive in the second half with 11 of his 16 points. Wallace burned UTEP for 23 in a 75-60 victory Thursday night in San Antonio. Nick Allen, meanwhile, continued to play well with 14 points on 6 of 12 shooting. Byron Frohnen pulled down 13 rebounds.
Quotable
“It was a good win, to go on the road and find a way.” — UTSA coach Steve Henson.
UTSA guard Keaton Wallace produced 23 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks against the UTEP Miners. – Photo by Joe Alexander
UTSA guard Keaton Wallace showed up with his “A” game on Thursday night, which did not come as a surprise to anyone in the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners were playing the rival UTEP Miners, and it was the Conference USA opener, so it figured that the standout sophomore from Dallas would arrive ready to make an impact.
He did, producing 23 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in a 75-60 victory.
But in a little bit of a twist to recent history, all eight regulars in the playing rotation made at least one field goal.
Not counting four players who played the final minute of the game, all eight in the rotation scored and four hit double figures, which was meaningful to Roadrunners coach Steve Henson.
“It’s good,” coach Steve Henson said. “We spent a lot of time working on some things this week, making sure Byron (Frohnen) is touching the ball. You know, he started out great. He gave us a good lift in the second half, as well.”
Byron Frohnen scored six points in UTSA’s 13-0 burst to start the game. – Photo by Joe Alexander.
Frohnen went scoreless for the first time this season last Saturday against Southeastern Oklahoma, which likely was the reason for the adjustment in practice. He responded with 10 points and five rebounds against the Miners.
“He’s just such a mismatch guy,” Henson said. “He just gives us such a different look. You know, they tried cross-matching some things, putting their five man on him. We set some real low, tight ball screens.
“It allowed him to get in the paint and shoot little floaters. He generally doesn’t force things. He’ll kick it out. So, to get him involved and have everyone else (hit a field goal), yeah, it’s fantastic.
“You can’t be a two-man show (with Wallace and Jhivvan Jackson). We know that.”
In a scheduling quirk, the two teams will play again Saturday night in El Paso. UTSA has won four straight and seven out of nine leading into the rematch.
In the recent nine-game stretch, the Roadrunners have played at a high level defensively, holding the opposition to 42 percent shooting or lower in each outing. The Miners were limited to 34 percent.
Playing under first-year coach Rodney Terry, the Miners flashed at times with some talented players.
But the Roadrunners’ defense seemed to take them out of what they wanted to do, and on top of that, the visitors also missed several easy baskets.
Records
UTEP 5-7, 0-1
UTSA 7-7, 1-0
Notable
The Roadrunners have won four straight in the series against the Miners.
Individuals
UTSA — Keaton Wallace, 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks. Jhivvan Jackson, 13 points, three 3 pointers. Nick Allen, 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting. Byron Frohnen, 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists. Atem Bior, 8 points, 12 rebounds.
Jhivvan Jackson has his shot blocked in the paint, but UTSA regains possession and gets the ball to Keaton Wallace, who buries a three.
First half
Playing lock-down defense from the outset, UTSA bolted to a 13-0 lead and then held on for a 33-24 advantage against UTEP heading into intermission.
The Roadrunners held the Miners to 30.4 percent shooting in the first half on 7 of 23 shooting from the field.
On offense, UTSA started fast, hitting 6 of its first 8 shots. Frohnen had three of them to get the offense rolling.
Second half
The Roadrunners got rolling early in the second half with an 8-0 run, highlighted by two three-pointers from Jhivvan Jackson.
UTSA increased the lead to 19 twice (47-28 and 49-30) and never allowed UTEP to come within 12 points in the last 15 minutes.
Roadrunners forward Adrian Rodriguez maneuvers to sink a baby hook shot for the final points of the half.
A rivalry game
Wallace said it’s always fun to play the Miners.
“This is our rival game,” he said. “We knew a lot of people were going to come out and watch. So we were locked in and focused.”
Wallace said the team had a different mindset compared to its previous outing, a lackluster 70-67 victory Saturday against Division II Southeastern Oklahoma.
“It’s conference play, so we got to play our best basketball” he said. “We practiced great the last three days. We came out, and it showed.”
Wallace continues to blossom
Wallace has notched one 35-point game this season along with six more with 20 points or better.
Henson said it’s almost like the player’s consistency leads to frustration, in that the coaches always expect the best from him.
“When he gets open shots, I think he’s going to make every single one of them,’ the coach said. “For a young guy, he’s got a very mature approach to his game, the way he handles his business.
“He works hard. He’s here early. He watches a lot of film. He prepares the right way.
“His athleticism is becoming very noticeable. We talked about him gaining 20 more pounds. But, man he’s up around the rim more. He’s going to the offensive glass and getting results. He’s blocking shots.
Steve Henson (left) speaks with a referee on the sideline last weekend during a game against Southeastern Oklahoma. Assistant coach Mike Peck (right) listens in. – Photo by Joe Alexander”
Last year, the UTSA Roadrunners set out on a nightly basis to push the pace and shoot the 3-pointer.
Even if the long ball was hoisted fairly early in the shot clock, that was OK, because they had enough threats to run and hoist field goal attempts with just about anyone.
And with just about any degree of difficulty.
As UTSA enters Conference USA play tonight, hosting the UTEP Miners at 7 at the Convocation Center, the Roadrunners have established a different mindset.
Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace are expected to fire away, as usual, but the Roadrunners have evolved into more of a team based on defense.
UTSA has held eight straight opponents to 42 percent shooting or less during a 6-2 streak that has given the team hope after an 0-5 start.
“Guys are practicing the right way, buying into it,” UTSA coach Steve Henson said. “We have five guys who have played a lot, so it wasn’t shocking that we’d end up being a good defensive team.”
Even the younger players have developed a good grasp on what is expected of them on a daily basis.
“Really, we’ve spent a lot of time talking to our leaders about taking control of that, taking control of the defense,” Henson said. “That needs to be their identity.
“Again, that was the thing we had to work through. Who are we? What gives us the best chance to win? Is that 90 possessions a game? Or is it being a great defensive team?
“We’ve gone along here and recognized that we’ve got to defend every single night.”
Notable
UTSA and UTEP will play back-to-back games to open C-USA play, a byproduct of a revamped scheduling system within the conference. The teams will meet again Saturday night in El Paso.
McNeese State center Sha’Markus Kennedy stands his ground for an offensive rebound and a put back in the second half, much to the delight of teammate Roydell Brown (22).
Guard Roydell Brown scored 23 points Wednesday night, leading the McNeese State Cowboys to an 88-77 road victory over Incarnate Word in the Southland Conference opener for both teams.
Four players reached double figures for the Cowboys, including center Sha’Markus Kennedy with 20. Guards James Harvey had 18 and Trey Touchet 13 to help hand UIW its fourth straight loss.
Freshman Dwight Murray Jr. started and led the Cardinals with a season-high 18 points. Charles Brown III had 14 and Augustine Ene and Morgan Taylor 13 apiece.
UIW forward Christian Peevy, playing with a cast on his broken left hand, finished with four.
Peevy was making his return to the lineup after sitting out the Cardinals’ last two games with the injury.
He apparently hurt the hand in the second half at LSU on Dec. 9.
Records
McNeese 5-9, 1-0
Incarnate Word 5-9, 0-1
Notable
The story of the game centered on McNeese State’s offensive execution that led to 66.7 percent shooting. Kennedy hit 8 of 9 from the floor and Brown 8 of 12.
Quotable
“You got to give McNeese credit,” first-year UIW coach Carson Cunningham said. “They came in here and shot it really well, asserted themselves physically.
“We have a lot of work to do. It wasn’t a good enough effort. I got to do a better job coaching. We’re just going to have to get back to work.”
Keeping the faith
Two positives stood out for UIW on an otherwise tough night.
For one thing, the Cardinals trailed by 25 in the second half and ended up making a spirited charge in the final few minutes.
Also, Peevy showed considerable courage in trying to play with his hand in a cast.
“He’s tough,” Murray said. “When he’s hurt in practice, he doesn’t stop playing. He never stops pushing. That’s what we love about him.”
UIW freshman Dwight Murray, Jr., gets a steal and races downcourt to hit a pull-up jumper in the first half.
Freshmen on the rise
If there is a silver lining in the team’s start this season, it’s that a series of performances from freshmen — Morgan Taylor, Antoine Smith Jr., and now Murray — continue to point to a brighter future.
Murray, from Austell, Georgia, enjoyed his best game with 6 of 12 shooting, including 3 of 7 from beyond the arc.
“Yeah, yeah, there’s definitely positives,” Cunningham said. “But the bottom line is, tonight, we didn’t do a good enough job, and I need to do a better job.”
Ailing with injuries
UIW played without Bryce Davis, Des Balentine, Romello Wilbert and Keaton Hervey against McNeese.
Davis, a 6-7 freshman from Glendale, Arizona, is the latest casualty. He wore a walking boot on his left foot. Davis has played in 13 games, averaging 2.8 points in 9.5 minutes.
Second-half recap
The Cowboys, with Touchet and Harvey connecting regularly from long distance, outscored the Cardinals 29-10 in a key 10-minute stretch early in the second half.
Harvey hit two three-pointers near the end of the streak, which boosted McNeese into a 72-47 lead with 11:25 remaining.
First half
The Cowboys scored 19 out of 21 points in a seven-minute barrage early in the game and then held on for a 41-33 halftime lead.
With McNeese shooting 65 percent in the half, Brown led the way with 16 points.
Murray scored seven to lead the Cardinals, who rallied with an 8-0 run in the last 1:47.
Ene sparked UIW’s last field goal (see video below) with a defensive strip under McNeese’s basket, which led to a fast break and a three-pointer by Murray.
Trailing 6-0 early, the Cowboys went on a 19-2 run with Brown scoring eight points during the streak.
On the final scoring play of the first half, UIW sophomore Augustine Ene strips the ball away from a McNeese State post player, dribbles out and finds Dwight Murray, Jr., for a three-pointer.
Incarnate Word forward Christian Peevy is in uniform and warming up Wednesdday night as the Cardinals prepare to host the host the McNeese State Cowboys in the Southland Conference opener for both teams.
Christian Peevy leads Incarnate Word in scoring with 14 points per game.
Peevy, UIW’s leading scorer, has been out for two games with an injured hand. He is turning for the McNeese game with a cast on his left (non-shooting) hand. Peevy is averaging 14 points per game.
The game matches first-year coaches at both schools, Carson Cunningham for UIW (5-8) and Heath Schroyer for McNeese (4-9).
In its sixth year in the conference, UIW is looking for its first trip to the SLC tournament.
The Cardinals were ineligible in the first four years of membership as they completed a transition from NCAA Division II to Division I.
Last year, in their first year of elibility, they didn’t make it, finishing 7-21 overall and 2-16.
The Cowboys, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, haven’t been to the tournament since 2016.
Notable
UIW will be without Bryce Davis, Des Balentine, Romello Wilbert and Keaton Hervey against McNeese.
Davis, a 6-7 freshman, is in a walking boot on his left foot. He has played in all 13 games, averaging 2.8 points in 9.5 minutes.
