TENNESSEE’S Willie Carmichael III (24) reaches for a loose ball as Kentucky’s Devin Booker (1) and Willie Cauley-Stein (15) defend in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Tuesday in Knoxville, Tenn.
Kentucky is 26-0 for the first time, though the Wildcats finished the 1953-54 season with a 25-0 mark. It also matches the best start for a team coached by John Calipari, who won his first 26 games at Massachusetts in 1995-96 and was 26-0 at Memphis in 2007-08.
Andrew Harrison scored 14 points and Trey Lyles added 10 for Kentucky (13-0 Southeastern Conference). Kevin Punter scored 14 and Josh Richardson had 10 for Tennessee (14-11, 6-7).
After shooting 54.2 percent (13 of 24) in the first half, Tennessee shot just 25 percent (8 of 32) in the second. The Volunteers were 2 of 17 from 3-point range.
No. 10 Notre Dame 88, Wake Forest 75
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jerian Grant had 24 points and 10 assists to lead Notre Dame.
Pat Connaughton added 13 points for the Irish (23-4, 11-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) who hit 27 of 28 at the freethrow line, including their last 19.
Devin Thomas, who averaged 20 points and eight rebounds in Wake Forest’s two wins over the Irish last year, had 26 points and 11 boards for the Demon Deacons (12-15, 4-10).
Notre Dame, second in the nation in field goal shooting coming in, hit just one of its first 12 attempts after not playing a game in six days. The Irish took a 43-41 lead into halftime after Grant’s drive and layup with three seconds left.
That bucket turned out to be the beginning of a 10-0 Irish run. Grant and Steve Vasturia hit consecutive 3- pointers to help the Irish open up a double-digit lead for the first time, less than two minutes into the second half. Vasturia finished with 12 points.
No. 13 Wichita State 85, Southern Illinois 62
CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) — Shaquille Morris scored a career-high 17 points to lead Wichita State to its fifth straight win.
Morris made 7 of his 8 shots for the Shockers (25-3, 14-1 Missouri Valley). Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker each scored 13 and Tekele Cotton added 10.
Deion Lavender’s 15 points led Southern Illinois (10-18, 3-12). Anthony Beane added 14 points and Jordan Caroline scored 10.
The Shockers led by 13 at the half and used a 9-0 run early in second half to put the game away. They made 10 of 19 3-pointers and had 18 assists on 28 baskets.
Wichita State started quickly in its fourth road game in its last six, hitting its first five shots on the way to an 11-2 lead.
No. 17 Oklahoma 71, Texas 69
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jordan Woodard scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half to help Oklahoma rally past Texas.
Buddy Hield scored 12 points and Dinjiyl Walker and Frank Booker each added 10 for the Sooners (18- 8, 9-5 Big 12), who trailed by seven with 6:33 to play.
Oklahoma swept the regular season series with the Longhorns. The Sooners won the first meeting 70-49 in Austin. Oklahoma bounced back from a loss at Kansas State last Saturday and now has won five of six.
Myles Turner had 17 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks, and Kendal Yancy added 14 points for the Longhorns (17-9, 6-7), who had won three straight. Texas coach Rick Barnes was seeking his 400th win at the school.
No. 20 Baylor 54, Texas Tech 49
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Taurean Prince scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half, and Baylor held off Texas Tech.
Prince was 9 for 14 from the field, including three 3- pointers. He didn’t score in the second half until 8:32 remained. Lester Medford scored 10 points for the Bears (19-7, 7-6 Big 12).
Royce O’Neale hit a 3- pointer with 4:08 to go to put the Bears up 48-43 after the Red Raiders pulled within two points on a dunk by Keenan Evans.
Devaungntah Williams madea3with13seconds remaining to pull the Red Raiders to 52-49 but they got no closer.
Texas Tech scored 16 points off of 16 turnovers by Baylor and outscored the Bears 12-4 on second-chance points.
Williams scored 15 points and Zach Smith added 10 to lead Texas Tech (12-15, 2-12).
No. 25 VCU 74, Saint Louis 54
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Treveon Graham scored 16 points and No. 25 VCU used a 23-5 run spanning halftime to take command and beat Saint Louis 74-54 Tuesday night.
Graham seemed to show no signs of the high left ankle sprain that sidelined him for two losses, and with him back on the floor, the Rams (20-6, 10-3 Atlantic 10) cranked back up their defensive pressure against the young Billikens. VCU, which had backed off some on its 94 feet of pressure with Graham injured, forced 14 turnovers and turned them into 19 points.
Saint Louis (10-16, 2-11) lost its third straight to a team tied for the Atlantic 10 lead. The Rams, Dayton, Rhode Island and Massachusetts all started the night tied at the top with 9-3 league records, but VCU was the only one in action.
Freshman Milik Yarbrough scored 17 to lead Saint Louis. Freshman Michael Gilmore had 10 for VCU.
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