Principal Burke collaborated with Tom Horn, the Executive Director of Student Activities and Athletics, to investigate the allegations. Their findings revealed that several players in the summer tournament were not students of Edison High School, which raised concerns about residency and recruitment practices. Although the summer 2024 tournament review is complete, further investigations into these allegations are ongoing, indicating the seriousness of the issue.

Interim Coaching Arrangements

With the suspension of Tre’ Ford, the assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach will assume the role of head coach for the remainder of the school year. This transition ensures continuity for the basketball program while addressing the misconduct. The school emphasized its commitment to upholding ethical standards in athletics during this period of change and scrutiny.

Edison High School, in collaboration with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining high ethical standards in its athletic programs. Principal Burke emphasized the importance of sportsmanship, character, and adherence to VHSL regulations. This includes the ongoing partnership between Edison High School and the VHSL to ensure compliance and integrity in its programs.

Corrective Measures and Oversight

In response to the incident, the FCPS Office of Student Activities and Athletics has devised a corrective action plan to prevent future violations. The plan includes enhanced oversight of off-season activities, with specific measures such as additional training for the basketball staff and student activities office. This proactive approach reflects the school’s resolve to strengthen its governance and ethical practices in athletics.

Principal Burke thanked the Edison High School community for its support and understanding during this challenging time. She highlighted the school’s commitment to addressing the violations transparently and improving its athletic program’s oversight. The letter assured parents and students that steps are being taken to ensure the integrity and success of Edison’s basketball program moving forward.

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One of the advantages of the one-and-done rule is the excitement it generates for college basketball programs. Top recruits often bring media attention, resulting in increased ticket sales, merchandise revenue, and overall prestige for their schools. The presence of talented players can also help less well-known programs, providing more opportunities for competition and raising the level of play across the board.

Despite these benefits, many believe the drawbacks of the rule outweigh the positives, especially for the athletes involved. A major concern is the focus on basketball at the expense of academics. Many players prioritize their NBA future, leading to a diminished college experience and educational value. Additionally, teams that are built around one-and-done players often struggle with team chemistry, as the focus shifts from developing well-rounded players to showcasing individual talent, which can negatively affect players who stay in the program.

Another significant issue is the financial aspect of the rule. While schools profit from ticket sales, merchandise, and program prestige, players receive minimal compensation. While recent changes to NCAA rules have allowed athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness, critics argue that the system still disproportionately benefits the schools over the athletes, leaving the players underpaid for their contributions.

To address these concerns, one potential solution is to raise the minimum age for the NBA Draft. This would give players more time to mature and experience college life while gaining more value from their education. A “declare and return” option could also be introduced, allowing players to declare for the draft while retaining eligibility if they aren’t selected high enough. This would empower athletes to make more informed decisions about their future. By increasing compensation and providing more opportunities for player development, college basketball could create a better balance between player growth and maintaining the integrity of the college game.

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The fifth-year guard was one of six Wildcats (12-2, 1-0 SEC) to score in double figures. Kentucky shot 48.3 percent (14-for-29) from 3-point range and 57.8 percent overall. Lamont Butler added 19 points and a career-high eight assists, while Otega Oweh finished with 16 points for Kentucky.

Walter Clayton Jr. tied his career high with 33 points to lead Florida (13-1, 0-1). Alijah Martin also scored 26 points for the Gators. Saturday was only the fourth time Florida lost a game after scoring at least 100 points.

Florida scored seven straight points to cut Kentucky’s lead to 89-87 with 4:16 left, with Clayton scoring five of his 23 second-half points during that run. Butler responded with five points of his own, and Florida never got within four points for the rest of the game.

No. 1 Tennessee 76, No. 23 Arkansas 52

Chaz Lanier scored 29 points as Tennessee won easily over Arkansas in the SEC opener for both teams in Knoxville, Tenn.

Zakai Zeigler had 12 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals for Tennessee (14-0, 1-0 SEC), matching their best start in program history, which was first achieved in 1922-23. Igor Milicic Jr. added 13 points and a career-best 18 rebounds for the Volunteers, who had a 51-29 advantage in rebounds, including a 24-9 lead in offensive rebounds.

D.J. Wagner led Arkansas (11-3, 0-1) with 17 points. Boogie Fland scored 12 points and had three steals for the Razorbacks, who shot just 37.7 percent from the field and made 6-of-29 from 3-point range.

No. 2 Auburn 84, Missouri 68

Johni Broome scored 24 points and blocked four shots as Auburn opened SEC play with a strong home win over Missouri.

Chad Baker-Mazara and Chaney Johnson each added 13 points for Auburn (13-1, 1-0 SEC), which started the second half with a 12-1 run to extend its lead to 57-34. Bruce Pearl earned his 213th coaching victory at Auburn, tying him for the all-time lead at the school with Joel Eaves.

Marques Warrick led Missouri (11-3, 0-1) with 19 points. Marcus Allen had nine points and five rebounds as Missouri coach Dennis Gates rotated 14 players, with 11 scoring in the game.

No. 3 Iowa State 74, No. 25 Baylor 55

Keshon Gilbert scored 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had five assists to help Iowa State pull away from Baylor in a Big 12 Conference matchup in Ames, Iowa.

Milan Momcilovic added 15 points for Iowa State (12-1, 2-0 Big 12), which won its ninth straight game and stayed perfect at home with an 8-0 record. Curtis Jones contributed 14 points on 6-for-13 shooting in the dominant win.

Jeremy Roach led Baylor (9-4, 1-1) with 16 points. Josh Ojianwuna scored 13, and Robert Wright III had 10 points despite making only 4 of 17 shots. Ojianwuna also added 10 rebounds and three steals, and Norchad Omier had nine points and 10 rebounds.

No. 4 Duke 89, SMU 62

Freshman Cooper Flagg scored 24 points as Duke defeated SMU in Dallas without their coach, Jon Scheyer, who missed the game due to illness.

Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor each scored 14 points for Duke (12-2, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). Flagg also had 11 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in the win. Associate head coach Chris Carrawell filled in for Scheyer.

Boopie Miller, who played against Duke last season at Wake Forest, led SMU (11-3, 2-1) with 21 points. Matt Cross added 11 points, and Samet Yigitoglu finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds, but SMU shot just 34.3 percent from the field.

No. 5 Alabama 107, No. 12 Oklahoma 79

Mark Sears scored 22 points and had 10 assists to lead Alabama to a win over Oklahoma in the SEC opener for both teams in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Labaron Philon scored 16 points, Grant Nelson added 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Clifford Omoruyi and Aden Holloway each contributed 10 points for Alabama (12-2, 1-0 SEC).

Jalon Moore led Oklahoma with 20 points. Jeremiah Fears added 16 points, and Sam Godwin had 15 points. Kobe Elvis scored 13 points, and Duke Miles added 10 points for Oklahoma (13-1, 0-1 SEC).

No. 13 Texas A&M 80, Texas 60

Zhuric Phelps scored 18 points, including seven during a 15-2 run in the second half, as Texas A&M defeated Texas in College Station, Texas.

Pharrel Payne scored 15 points, and Wade Taylor IV added 13 points for Texas A&M (12-2, 1-0 SEC), which extended its winning streak to eight games.

Tramon Mark led Texas (11-3, 0-1) with 14 points. Arthur Kaluma scored 13, Jordan Pope had 12, and freshman Tre Johnson scored 11 points despite shooting just 2-of-13 from the field. Texas made only 6 of 24 shots in the second half.

No. 14 Houston 86, BYU 55

Emanuel Sharp scored 18 points, and Terrance Arceneaux added 15 points off the bench as Houston defeated BYU in its Big 12 home opener.

Sharp and Arceneaux combined for 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting in a strong first half for Houston (10-3, 2-0 Big 12), which extended its home winning streak to 30 games. L.J. Cryer and Milos Uzan made back-to-back 3-pointers to extend Houston’s lead to 57-32 with 12:43 remaining.

Trevin Knell led BYU (10-3, 1-1) with 12 points. Richie Saunders, who scored a career-high 30 points against Arizona State, only had nine points on 3-of-8 shooting.

Nebraska 66, No. 15 UCLA 58

Brice Williams scored 16 points, and Andrew Morgan added 12 as Nebraska defeated UCLA at home in Lincoln, Neb.

Rollie Worster had 11 points, and Juwan Gary scored 10 for Nebraska (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten), which won its 20th consecutive home game, tying a program record. This includes victories over No. 1 Purdue and No. 6 Wisconsin from last season.

Tyler Bilodeau scored 15 points for UCLA (11-3, 2-1), which suffered its first conference loss as a Big Ten member. The Bruins made only 4 of 28 3-pointers (14.3 percent).

Arizona 72, No. 16 Cincinnati 67

Jaden Bradley led Arizona with 15 points as they held off a late rally by Cincinnati to win on the road.

Bradley made a layup with 43 seconds left to give Arizona a 66-64 lead. After Cincinnati’s Dan Skillings Jr. missed a 3-pointer, Bradley made two free throws to extend the lead to 68-64 with 24 seconds remaining.

Carter Bryant, a freshman, scored a season-high 14 points, and Caleb Love had 12 points and six rebounds for Arizona (8-5, 2-0 Big 12), which won its fourth straight game. Skillings led Cincinnati (10-3, 0-2) with 18 points, and Dillon Mitchell had 13 points and seven rebounds.

No. 17 Mississippi State 85, South Carolina 50

Josh Hubbard scored 21 points as Mississippi State defeated South Carolina in SEC play in Starkville, Miss.

Hubbard made 7 of 13 shots and hit five 3-pointers after shooting just 31.4 percent in his previous four games. Claudell Harris added 17 points and nine rebounds, while Riley Kugel and Keshawn Murphy each scored 12 points for Mississippi State (13-1, 1-0 SEC), which won its seventh straight game.

Zachary Davis scored 22 points for South Carolina (10-4, 0-1), but Collin Murray-Boyles, the team’s leading scorer, only had five points and committed six turnovers. South Carolina shot just 29.1 percent overall and went 2-of-19 from 3-point range.

No. 19 Gonzaga 96, Loyola Marymount 68

Graham Ike scored 27 points, and Khalif Battle added 26 points to lead Gonzaga to a win over Loyola Marymount in West Coast Conference play.

Ike made 12 of 16 shots, and Battle was 10-of-12, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Michael Ajayi added 15 points, and Ryan Nembhard had 10 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds for Gonzaga (12-4, 3-0 WCC).

Will Johnston scored 18 points, and Jevon Porter had 17 points and eight rebounds for Loyola Marymount (9-7, 1-3), which lost 13 straight home games to Gonzaga and 33 of the last 35 matchups.

No. 24 Ole Miss 63, Georgia 51

Jaemyn Brakefield and Matthew Murrell each scored 15 points to help Ole Miss defeat Georgia in Oxford, Miss.

Dre Davis added nine points for Ole Miss (12-2, 1-0 SEC), which bounced back from a loss at Memphis on Dec. 28.

Asa Newell had 13 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals for Georgia (12-2, 0-1), but the Bulldogs shot just 29.3 percent (17-for-58) from the field and 11.1 percent from 3-point range. Georgia’s seven-game winning streak ended.

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Duke won 92-90 on Wednesday night after coming back from a late double-digit deficit and making key plays in the final moments.

“One play goes this way instead of that way,” said Tar Heels guard Marcus Paige, “we’re having a different conversation right now.”

Kennedy Meeks threw away a long inbounds pass. Paige missed a jumper at the regulation buzzer. J.P. Tokoto missed a short jumper late in overtime that could have tied the game, and Paige missed a final attempt after a missed free throw.

“The little things add up,” said Tokoto.

Meeks and Brice Johnson each scored 18 points to lead North Carolina (18-8, 8-5). Nate Britt made one free throw to bring the Tar Heels within two with 3.5 seconds left, but he missed the second attempt. Marcus Paige grabbed the rebound but couldn’t get a shot off as the buzzer sounded.

“My teammates came to battle,” said Paige, who had five points on 2-of-11 shooting. “They played fantastic the whole game. And I didn’t really give them anything.”

Quinn Cook scored 22 points, and freshman Tyus Jones also scored 22 points for Duke (23-3, 10-3). “It’s tough for this game to always live up to the hype,” said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. “But I think tonight’s game exceeded it.”

In a thrilling game between the fierce rivals, Duke let an early 13-point lead slip away and trailed by 10 with less than four minutes remaining in regulation. However, they rallied for their sixth straight win and their ninth win in 12 meetings with the Tar Heels.

Duke’s freshmen stars had big games: Jones added eight assists, Justise Winslow scored 16 points, and Jahlil Okafor had 12 points and 13 rebounds.

Amile Jefferson scored 13 points for Duke. They took a 90-89 lead with just under two minutes left in overtime after Okafor made a layup.

Cook gave Duke a two-point lead with a free throw with 31.8 seconds left. After missing the second free throw, the Tar Heels had a chance.

North Carolina worked the clock and passed to J.P. Tokoto, whose short jumper from the left baseline hit the rim. Cook grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 5.2 seconds remaining.

Cook missed the first free throw but made the second to put Duke up 92-89. North Carolina called a timeout after gaining possession, but Britt was fouled before they could attempt a 3-pointer.

Tokoto had 15 points, Isaiah Hicks scored 12, and Britt finished with 11 points. Johnson added 12 points before fouling out early in overtime for the Tar Heels, who have lost four of their last five games.

In the final moments of regulation, North Carolina held the ball and gave it to Paige, who took a long jumper. The shot bounced off the rim and into the lane, where a scramble for the rebound ensued but no fouls were called.

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Hunter, who didn’t score in the first half, finished with a game-high 27 points. This included a running, off-balance three with 0.3 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. With Clemson trailing by three at the end of overtime, Hunter got the ball near half-court, dribbled toward the top of the key, and took another long shot, but it missed.

Murray-Boyles made two free throws to start a 6-0 run, helping South Carolina (8-3) pull away in the extra period. He finished with 22 points and nine rebounds to lead the Gamecocks, while Myles Stute scored 19 points and Nick Pringle had 18.

Ian Schieffelin added 23 points and 12 rebounds for Clemson (9-3) before fouling out with 3:17 left in overtime.

No. 1 Tennessee 84, Western Carolina 36

Zakai Zeigler had 10 points, nine assists, and a career-high 10 rebounds on Tuesday night as the Volunteers stayed perfect with a huge win over Western Carolina in Knoxville, Tenn.

Tennessee (11-0) led by 23 at halftime thanks to tough defense that held Western Carolina (3-7) to no 2-point field goals in the first half. Chaz Lanier scored a game-high 19 points, along with seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

Bernard Pelote scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Western Carolina.

No. 2 Auburn 100, Georgia State 59

Chaney Johnson stepped in for an injured Johni Broome and scored a career-high 26 points to help Auburn win big over Georgia State.

Chad Baker-Mazara and Denver Jones also had season-highs, scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively, for Auburn (10-1). Broome left the game less than 2 1/2 minutes in due to a shoulder injury. Coach Bruce Pearl said postgame that Broome is doubtful for the next game, Saturday against No. 16 Purdue in Birmingham, Ala.

Nick McMullen led Georgia State with 15 points and 16 rebounds, while Cesare Edwards added 15 points and seven rebounds.

No. 5 Duke 68, George Mason 47

Cooper Flagg scored 24 points to lead Duke to its fifth straight victory against George Mason in Durham, N.C.

Flagg hit 7 of 20 shots, adding nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals to lead Duke (9-2), which is now 7-0 at home. Isaiah Evans was second in scoring for Duke with nine points.

Jalen Hayes led George Mason (7-4) with 18 points on 9-of-19 shooting, along with seven rebounds. Darius Maddox added 12 points.

No. 7 Florida 90, North Carolina 84

Will Richard scored four of his 22 points in the final minute to help Florida remain undefeated with a victory over North Carolina at the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, N.C.

Alijah Martin had 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists for Florida (11-0), while Walter Clayton Jr. scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds. Denzel Aberdeen also scored 12 points, and Alex Condon contributed nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

RJ Davis led North Carolina (6-5), who lost to a Top 10 team for the fourth time this season, with a game-high 29 points and eight rebounds. Elliot Cadeau (seven assists), Seth Trimble (seven rebounds), and Ian Jackson each scored 11 points for the Tar Heels.

No. 17 Ole Miss 74, Southern 61

Jaylen Murray scored 18 points as Ole Miss held off Southern in Oxford, Miss.

Jaemyn Brakefield added 15 points and Dre Davis scored 14 for Ole Miss (10-1), which earned its fourth consecutive win.

Southern (5-5) played 13 players, 11 of whom scored. Derrick Tezeno and Michael Jacobs were the only ones to score in double figures, finishing with 11 points each. Tezeno grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

No. 18 UCLA 111, Prairie View A&M 75

Dylan Andrews scored a season-high 21 points to lead five UCLA players in double figures, as the Bruins stayed perfect at home with a blowout win over Prairie View A&M.

UCLA (10-1) jumped out to a 12-2 start in the first 3:22 and never trailed, sending Prairie View (1-10) to its 10th straight loss. Each of the Bruins’ starting five scored at least eight points, including Tyler Bilodeau with 18 points.

Prairie View’s Jordan Tillmon led all scorers with 24 points, hitting 6 of 7 from three-point range. Teammate Nick Anderson added 19 points and eight rebounds before fouling out.

No. 20 Michigan State 77, Oakland 58

Xavier Booker, a sophomore, scored a career-high 18 points to help Michigan State beat Oakland in Detroit.

Booker shot 5 of 9 and made 3 of 5 from three-point range, surpassing his previous high of 12 points. Jaden Akins scored 16 points, and Jaxon Kohler had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Michigan State (9-2), which won its fourth straight game.

DQ Cole scored 17 points, and Malcolm Christie added 15 for Oakland (3-6), which is 0-23 all-time against Michigan State.

No. 22 Dayton 66, UNLV 65

Malachi Smith’s three-point play with eight seconds remaining saved Dayton, giving them a win against UNLV at home.

Nate Santos scored 14 points, Zed Key had 13, Smith finished with 11 points and five assists, and Amael L’Etang added 10 points in Dayton’s first game as a ranked team this season. Dayton (10-2) overcame a four-point deficit in the last 1 1/2 minutes to extend their homecourt winning streak to 25 games.

Dedan Thomas Jr. scored 16 points, and Jaden Henley had 15 for UNLV (5-5). Julian Rishwain made his fourth 3-pointer of the night with 23 seconds left to score 12 points.

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Gainey came off the bench to score 18 of his season-high 23 points in the second half for the Volunteers (10-0). Chaz Lanier scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half before fouling out with 3:42 remaining, while Igor Milicic Jr. had seven points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Freshman Kasparas Jakucionis scored 22 points for Illinois (7-3), but missed a pair of free throws with 5.7 seconds left, setting up Gainey’s game-winning layup. Tre White scored 11 points, and Kylan Boswell and Will Riley each added 10 for Tennessee, whose defense limited Illinois to 29 percent shooting.

Illinois tied the game for the seventh and final time on Jakucionis’ free throw. With Zakai Zeigler and Lanier both fouled out, the Volunteers passed the ball to Gainey, who raced down the middle of the court; his layup went in just as the buzzer sounded.

No. 2 Auburn 91, Ohio State 53

Johni Broome had 21 points, a career-best 20 rebounds, and also six assists as the Tigers dominated the Buckeyes in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta.

Broome, a top contender for national player of the year, controlled the game as Ohio State was missing 7-foot-1 center Aaron Bradshaw. Denver Jones added 14 points, shooting 4 of 5 from beyond the arc for Auburn (9-1), while Dylan Cardwell had 10 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks. Jakhi Howard scored 11 points, all in the second half.

Devin Royal (14 points) and Micah Parrish (10 points) led Ohio State (6-4) in scoring. Bruce Thornton, the team’s leading scorer, had just three points on 1-of-8 shooting.

No. 5 Kentucky 93, Louisville 85

Lamont Butler returned to the lineup in style, scoring a career-high 33 points to lead the Wildcats past the Cardinals in Lexington, Ky.

Butler had missed the last two games for Kentucky (10-1) due to an ankle injury. He went 10-for-10 from the field, including six 3-pointers, to prevent the undermanned Cardinals (6-5) from pulling off an upset.

Butler became the fourth player in Kentucky history to make 10 or more shots without missing. Louisville never led after the first minute but stayed competitive thanks to Chucky Hepburn, who scored 26 points, and Terrence Edwards Jr., who added 23. Edwards reached 20 points for the third straight game, all as a reserve.

Dayton 71, No. 6 Marquette 63

Zed Key and Javon Bennett each had 15 points and led a second-half comeback that helped Dayton erase a 13-point deficit and beat Marquette.

Key had four dunks in the second half for Dayton (9-2), who shot 55.6 percent from the field after halftime, improving from 36 percent in the first half, where they trailed 36-26. Enoch Cheeks added 14 points as Dayton’s defense held Marquette (9-2) to 35.7 percent shooting in the second half, while Dayton outscored them 21-10 in second-chance points.

Chase Ross scored 19 points, and star Kam Jones added 18 points for Marquette, which was the highest-ranked team to visit Dayton since No. 6 Pittsburgh lost there in December 2007.

No. 7 Alabama 83, Creighton 75

Mark Sears scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds to help Alabama beat Creighton at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Labaron Philon added 16 points and five rebounds, and Derrion Reid scored 12 points for Alabama (8-2). Grant Nelson grabbed 10 rebounds as Alabama dominated the boards with a 46-32 advantage.

Steven Ashworth had 20 points and nine assists, and Ryan Kalkbrenner added 18 points and seven rebounds for Creighton (7-4), who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.

No. 18 UConn 77, No. 8 Gonzaga 71

Liam McNeeley scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds as UConn defeated Gonzaga in New York.

Tarris Reed Jr. added 12 points, six rebounds, and three blocked shots, and Jaylin Stewart scored 10 points for UConn (8-3), who won their fourth straight game. UConn improved to 6-2 against Gonzaga, including an 82-54 victory in the Elite Eight of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Khalif Battle scored 21 points for Gonzaga (7-3), who lost their second straight game. Ryan Nembhard had 16 points and seven assists, while Michael Ajayi scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds. Gonzaga star Graham Ike had just three points and no rebounds in 12 minutes of play due to foul trouble.

No. 9 Florida 83, Arizona State 66

Walter Clayton Jr. scored 25 points, and Florida used early 3-point shooting to defeat Arizona State in a Holiday Hoopsgiving game in Atlanta.

Will Richard added 16 points, and Alijah Martin contributed 15 for Florida (10-0), who tied the second-best start in program history. The last time they started 10-0 was in 1951-52.

Adam Miller led Arizona State (8-2) with 18 points, and Jay Quaintance scored 14 points with eight rebounds and four steals. Basheer Jihad added 13 points.

No. 10 Kansas 75, NC State 60

Zeke Mayo scored a season-high 26 points, and Hunter Dickinson had 21 points and 14 rebounds as Kansas defeated NC State in Lawrence, Kan.

Kansas (8-2) also got 15 points and six assists from Dajuan Harris. The win extended their streak to 13 consecutive victories over NC State.

NC State (7-4) was led by Ben Middlebrooks with 14 points and eight rebounds. Bradley Huntley-Hatfield added 12 points off the bench, and Marcus Hill scored 10 points.

No. 13 Oklahoma 80, Oklahoma State 65

Sam Godwin posted game highs of 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Kobe Elvis added 15 points as Oklahoma defeated Oklahoma State 80-65 in Oklahoma City.

In their first nonconference game since 1958, Oklahoma led for all but 25 seconds and shot 49.2 percent from the field. They also had a 42-26 edge in points in the paint. Jeremiah Fears contributed 17 points for Oklahoma, which held Oklahoma State (6-3) to 39.3 percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers.

Oklahoma State struggled, hitting only 5-of-18 from 3-point range and committing 16 turnovers that led to 21 points for Oklahoma. Marchelus Avery scored 19 points off the bench for Oklahoma State, but the team only got 23 points from their starting players.

No. 17 Texas A&M 70, No. 11 Purdue 66

Zhuric Phelps and reserve Pharrel Payne each scored 16 points as Texas A&M defeated Purdue in the Indy Classic in Indianapolis.

Wade Taylor IV added 15 points, five assists, and five steals for Texas A&M (9-2), who forced 16 turnovers that resulted in 22 points. Taylor left the game with a leg injury in the final minute.

Braden Smith led Purdue (8-3) with 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Fletcher Loyer scored 12 points, all in the first half, and Trey Kaufman-Renn added 11 points before fouling out. C.J. Cox had 10 points off the bench.

Memphis 87, No. 16 Clemson 82 (OT)

Tyrese Hunter scored 23 points, including seven 3-pointers, to lead Memphis to an overtime win over Clemson.

Colby Rogers added 22 points, while PJ Haggerty had 12 points, eight rebounds, and six assists for Memphis (8-2), who rebounded from a 13-point loss to Arkansas State. Dain Dainja scored 11 points off the bench.

Viktor Lakhin scored 23 points with 11 rebounds for Clemson (9-2), who saw their six-game winning streak end. Ian Schieffelin and Chase Hunter each scored 17 points, while Jaeden Zackery added 11 points, and Dillon Hunter scored 10.

No. 19 Ole Miss 77, Southern Miss 46

Sean Pedulla hit six 3-pointers and scored 18 points as Ole Miss defeated Southern Miss in Biloxi, Miss.

Pedulla, a transfer from Virginia Tech, also had four assists with just one turnover in 31 minutes for Ole Miss (9-1). Jaylen Murray added 14 points, shooting 4-of-8 from 3-point range as Ole Miss made 13 of 32 shots from behind the arc.

Denijay Harris led Southern Miss (4-6) with 16 points, but the team struggled with shooting, making only 32.7 percent of their field-goal attempts and 4-of-23 from 3-point range. They also had 17 turnovers, which led to 24 points for Ole Miss.

No. 20 Wisconsin 83, Butler 74

Wisconsin ended a three-game losing streak with a win over Butler in the Indy Classic in Indianapolis.

Nolan Winter scored a career-high 20 points, Steven Crowl added 18 points and six rebounds, and Max Klesmit scored 11 points for Wisconsin (9-3). The Badgers thrived inside, scoring 40 points in the paint, although they hit only six 3-pointers after averaging 9.2 per game.

Jahmyl Telfort had eight points and seven rebounds for Butler (7-4). Pierre Brooks II led Butler with 23 points on 5-of-6 shooting inside the arc, plus two 3-pointers.

No. 22 Cincinnati 68, Xavier 65

Simas Lukosius scored 14 points, 11 of them in the second half, as Cincinnati rallied to defeat Xavier.

Cincinnati (8-1) ended a five-game losing streak to Xavier. Dillon Mitchell added 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Aziz Bandaogo had 12 points with three dunks and a layup.

Xavier’s Zach Freemantle had 16 of his team-high 18 points in the first half. Ryan Conwell added 17 points for Xavier (8-3), whose last-second 3-point attempt by Freemantle missed.

No. 24 UCLA 57, Arizona 54

Tyler Bilodeau scored 17 points as UCLA came from behind to defeat Arizona in Phoenix.

UCLA trailed 49-36 with 10:49 left but finished the game by outscoring Arizona 21-5. UCLA (9-1) has now won eight straight games, while Arizona (4-5) fell to 0-5 against power-conference teams. Skyy Clark added 15 points, and Kobe Johnson scored seven points with seven rebounds.

Jaden Bradley scored 12 points with seven rebounds and six assists for Arizona. Trey Townsend scored 10 points, while Arizona’s Caleb Love was held to seven points on 3-for-10 shooting.

No. 25 Mississippi State 66, McNeese 63

RJ Melendez scored 18 points, and Josh Hubbard added 16 as Mississippi State defeated McNeese in Tupelo, Miss.

Mississippi State (9-1) overcame a slow first half, outscoring McNeese 37-34 after the break.

Joe Charles led McNeese (5-5) with 19 points, and Sincere Parker added 16. Javohn Garcia and Brandon Murray each scored 10 points.

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D.J. Wagner added 16 points, and Trevon Brazile contributed 15 points, three steals, and a crucial blocked shot in the Razorbacks’ (8-2) biggest win under John Calipari. Adou Thiero scored 13 points, while James Aidoo posted 11 points and seven rebounds. Arkansas has now won three consecutive games.

Roddy Gayle Jr. of Michigan had a 15-foot shot bounce off the front rim at the buzzer, ending Michigan’s (8-2) seven-game winning streak.

Vladislav Goldin led Michigan with 17 points and nine rebounds. The Wolverines had fallen behind by 18 points in the second half but mounted a late rally. Danny Wolf scored 14 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and had nine assists. Will Tschetter scored all of his 13 points in the first half. Gayle also finished with 13 points, and Nimari Burnett added 10 points.

No. 1 Tennessee 75, Miami 62

Chaz Lanier scored 22 points, and Igor Milicic Jr. had 16 points and nine rebounds as Tennessee defeated Miami in the Jimmy V Classic in New York.

The Volunteers (9-0) ended the first half with 14 unanswered points, setting up Miami’s (3-7) seventh consecutive loss. Lanier, a transfer from North Florida and a three-point specialist, made 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. Zakai Zeigler contributed 13 points, nine assists, and five rebounds.

Lynn Kidd, a transfer from Virginia Tech, led Miami with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Nijel Pack scored 12 points, and A.J. Staton-McCray added 11 points and four steals.

No. 4 Duke 72, Incarnate Word 46

Khaman Maluach scored 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting, leading Duke to a comfortable victory over Incarnate Word in Durham, N.C.

Isaiah Evans made four 3-pointers in the second half, scoring all of his 14 points after halftime, as the Blue Devils (8-2) won their fourth straight game. Kon Knueppel added 10 points. Duke dominated the second half, outscoring Incarnate Word 44-25 after a slow start in the first half.

Jalin Anderson and Dylan Hayman each scored 11 points to lead Incarnate Word (5-5).

No. 15 Houston 62, Troy 42

L.J. Cryer scored 22 points, including six 3-pointers, as Houston defeated Troy with a strong first-half defense.

Emanuel Sharp added 14 points, and the Cougars (6-3) extended their home win streak to 27 games, the longest active streak in the nation. Houston led 33-11 at halftime, setting a school record for fewest points allowed in the first half.

Thomas Dowd scored 10 points for Troy (5-4), who shot just 24 percent and missed 16 of their 18 three-point attempts. Myles Rigsby, Troy’s leading scorer at 14 points per game, was held to just three points.

Illinois 86, No. 20 Wisconsin 80

Freshman Kasparas Jakucionis scored a career-high 24 points, and Tre White added a season-high 23 points as Illinois defeated Wisconsin in Champaign, Ill.

Kylan Boswell contributed 19 points and six assists for the Fighting Illini (7-2, 1-1 Big Ten), who outrebounded Wisconsin 40-29 and made 22 of 25 free throws.

Nolan Winter tied a career-high with 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Wisconsin (8-3, 0-2), which lost its third straight game. John Tonje scored 14 points, while Max Klesmit had 13 points, and John Blackwell scored 10 points before fouling out.

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Mark Mitchell added 17 points for Missouri (8-1), while Anthony Robinson II scored 11 as the Tigers defeated their “Border War” rival for the first time since February 2012. Robinson and Bates each had five steals, and Missouri forced 22 turnovers from Kansas.

Josh Gray also contributed seven points and 10 rebounds for Missouri, which had a 24-point lead that was cut down to two but managed to pull away in the end. Missouri’s eight wins matched their total from last season.

Hunter Dickinson led Kansas (7-2) with 19 points and 14 rebounds. After losing their second straight game, Kansas will drop in the AP Top 25. David Coit added 14 points, followed by Dajuan Harris Jr. with 13 and KJ Adams Jr. with 11.

No. 2 Auburn 98, Richmond 54

Miles Kelly and Tahaad Pettiford each scored 15 points to help Auburn win easily over Richmond.

Auburn (8-1) bounced back after a loss to ninth-ranked Duke, placing six players in double figures. Kelly and Pettiford combined for 8 of 15 shooting, including four 3-pointers each. Auburn led by double digits most of the game.

Mikkel Tyne scored 16 points to lead Richmond (4-5), which fell to 0-27 all-time against top-five teams. Dusan Neskovic added 12, and Delonnie Hunt scored 10. Richmond shot just 27.1% (16 of 59) and could not secure a win over a top-10 opponent.

No. 6 Iowa State 100, Jackson State 58

Curtis Jones came off the bench to score 19 points and make several 3-pointers as Iowa State beat Jackson State.

Jones made 6 of 12 shots, including 5 of 10 from three-point range. Milan Momcilovic added 18 points for Iowa State (7-1), making 6 of 10 shots, including 4 of 6 from three.

Dorian McMillian led Jackson State (0-10) with 20 points, while Juan Reyna III added 15 points and six assists.

No. 8 Purdue 83, Maryland 78

Braden Smith scored 24 points and had 10 assists to lead Purdue to a win over Maryland in West Lafayette, Ind.

Smith made five 3-pointers, including four in the second half, to help Purdue (8-2, 1-1 Big Ten) recover after a loss to Penn State.

Derik Queen finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, both game-highs, and Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 18 points for Maryland (8-2, 1-1).

No. 9 Duke 76, Louisville 65

Cooper Flagg scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to help Duke come from behind to beat Louisville.

Duke (7-2, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) trailed 30-16 in the first half but recovered to win. Flagg fouled out in the final minute. Tyrese Proctor scored 13 points, and Kon Knueppel added 12.

Terrence Edwards Jr. led Louisville (5-4, 0-1) with 21 points. Reyne Smith added 13, and Khani Rooths posted 10 points and six rebounds. Louisville only had seven players due to multiple season-ending injuries.

UCLA 73, No. 12 Oregon 71

Dylan Andrews made a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to give UCLA the win over Oregon.

Oregon (9-1, 1-1 Big Ten) led 71-70 after Jackson Shelstad’s 3-pointer, but Andrews’ shot won the game for UCLA (8-1, 2-0). Eric Dailey Jr. led UCLA with 19 points, shooting 7 of 8 from the field.

Nate Bittle led Oregon with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Keeshawn Barthelemy added 13 points, and Shelstad scored 11.

No. 14 Cincinnati 84, Howard 67

Simas Lukosius scored 18 points as Cincinnati used a strong second half to defeat Howard.

Aziz Bandaogo added 17 points for Cincinnati (7-1), and Dillon Mitchell contributed 14 points. The top three scorers for Cincinnati combined to make 20 of 26 shots.

Howard (3-6) lost its fourth straight game. Freshman Blake Harper recorded his first double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Marcus Dockery added 14 points.

Arkansas State 85, No. 16 Memphis 72

Joseph Pinion scored 22 points, and Dyondre Dominguez added 19 to help Arkansas State upset Memphis.

Arkansas State (7-3) made 12 of 36 3-pointers, while Memphis (7-2) made 7 of 22.

PJ Haggerty scored 29 points for Memphis. Dain Dainja added 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, while Colby Rogers scored 11 points.

No. 22 Texas A&M 72, Texas Tech 67

Wade Taylor IV scored 19 points, including 8 in the final 3:22, to help Texas A&M defeat Texas Tech in Fort Worth, Texas.

Texas A&M (8-2) had an 11-point lead in the first half, and Texas Tech (7-2) came back to lead early in the second half. Down by 3, Texas A&M went on an 11-0 run to take control of the game. Jace Carter added 16 points for Texas A&M.

Chance McMillian led Texas Tech with 23 points, and Kevin Overton added 17.

No. 25 UConn 76, Texas 65

Alex Karaban scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his return from a head injury to help UConn beat Texas.

Karaban had missed UConn’s last two games due to concussion protocol. Solo Ball added 16 points for UConn (7-3), and Tarris Reed Jr. and Samson Johnson each scored 12 points.

Tre Johnson scored 24 points for Texas (7-2), but no other Texas player scored more than six points.

The post Top 25 recap: Missouri delivers second consecutive defeat to No. 1 Kansas appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

Jaxson Robinson scored 18 points, and Otega Oweh added 13 for Kentucky (8-1), who defeated Gonzaga after losing to them in the past two seasons. Amari Williams contributed 12 points, and Brandon Garrison had 10 points and nine rebounds for Kentucky, which made an impressive comeback from an 18-point deficit in the second half.

Graham Ike scored a season-high 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Gonzaga (7-2). Ben Gregg had 14 points, Ryan Nembhard added 13 points and 10 assists, and Khalif Battle also scored 13 points for the Bulldogs.

With Kentucky leading by one point, Carr missed two free throws with 4.3 seconds left in overtime. Dusty Stromer grabbed the rebound for Gonzaga, but Carr managed to knock the ball away from behind during the fast break, preventing Gonzaga from getting a final shot.

No. 5 Marquette 88, No. 11 Wisconsin 74

Kam Jones matched his season-high with 32 points, and David Joplin added 13 as Marquette pulled away in the second half to defeat Wisconsin in a nonconference game in Milwaukee, Wis.

Marquette (9-1) was trailing 39-37 at halftime but took the lead 61-53 with 12:17 left when Jones made a 3-pointer and converted the free throw after being fouled. Marquette extended the lead to 70-55 following a three-point play by Stevie Mitchell at the 8:49 mark.

Max Klesmit ended a shooting slump by leading Wisconsin with 22 points, hitting 6 of 11 from three-point range. Klesmit had been shooting just 25.4% from beyond the arc before this game.

No. 17 Houston 79, Butler 51

LJ Cryer scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half, and Emanuel Sharp finished with 16 points as Houston dominated Butler.

Cryer helped Houston (5-3) gain control in the second half, scoring 10 of the team’s first 14 points after the break. The Cougars extended their 26-game home win streak, which is tied for the longest in the nation.

Butler (7-2) had their six-game winning streak snapped. Patrick McCaffery and Augusto Cassia scored 11 points each for Butler. Jahmyl Telfort, who had been averaging 22.3 points in the previous three games, scored just four points in this game.

No. 18 Pitt 64, Virginia Tech 59

Jaland Lowe scored 19 points, including the go-ahead layup in the final minute, and Guillermo Diaz Graham made a key block to help Pitt overcome Virginia Tech in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener in Blacksburg, Va.

Diaz Graham finished with nine points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. Ishmael Leggett added 17 points for Pitt (8-2, 1-0 ACC).

Toibu Lawal scored 16 points, and Jaden Schutt added 14 points for Virginia Tech (3-6, 0-1), who lost their sixth straight game.

No. 20 North Carolina 68, Georgia Tech 65

Seth Trimble led North Carolina with 19 points, helping them defeat Georgia Tech in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener in Chapel Hill, N.C.

RJ Davis scored 16 points, and Ian Jackson came off the bench to add 15 points for North Carolina (5-4, 1-0 ACC), who snapped a three-game losing streak. North Carolina struggled with their shooting, making only 39% of their field goals and 20.8% of their three-pointers, while Georgia Tech shot 31.2% from the field and 29.6% from beyond the arc.

Lance Terry led Georgia Tech (4-5, 0-1) with 22 points, while Baye Ndongo contributed 19 points and 12 rebounds. Naithan George added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Yellow Jackets, who lost their second straight game.

No. 23 Ole Miss 86, Lindenwood 53

Sean Pedulla scored 19 points to lead Ole Miss to a dominant second-half performance that resulted in a victory over Lindenwood in Oxford, Miss.

Mikeal Brown-Jones added 14 points for Ole Miss (8-1), who outscored Lindenwood 47-20 in the second half. Ole Miss shot 57.7% from the field in the second half and 51.7% for the game, setting a season-best shooting performance.

Reggie Bass was the only player in double figures for Lindenwood (3-6), scoring 10 points. Lindenwood shot 32% from the floor in the second half and 35.3% for the game, while Ole Miss committed just seven turnovers compared to 15 for Lindenwood.

No. 21 Oklahoma 94, Alcorn State 78

Jalon Moore scored 19 of his 20 points in the second half, helping Oklahoma shake off a slow start to defeat winless Alcorn State in Norman, Okla.

Moore made all eight of his shots in the second half, finishing 8 of 9 overall. Jeremiah Fears and Dayton Forsythe each added 14 points and seven assists for Oklahoma (9-0). Mohamed Wague scored 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting, and Brycen Goodine contributed 12 points, including four three-pointers. Oklahoma shot 54.7% from the field and was 12 of 37 from three-point range.

Omari Hamilton scored 16 points for Alcorn State (0-10), while Davian Williams added 13 points and seven assists. Michael Pajeaud had 12 points, and Keionte Cornelius scored 11 points.

No. 24 San Diego State 74, San Diego 57

San Diego State used a strong second half to defeat cross-town rival San Diego at home.

Nick Boyd led San Diego State (6-2) with 17 points. Miles Byrd and Jared Coleman-Jones each added 13 points, and freshman Pharaoh Compton contributed 12 points off the bench.

Bendji Pierre scored 17 points for San Diego (3-6), but the Toreros struggled offensively, shooting just 30.9% from the field, including 6 of 32 from three-point range. San Diego also committed 16 turnovers in the loss.

The post Top 25 recap: No. 4 Kentucky survives and defeats No. 7 Gonzaga in overtime appeared first on Sports Al Dente.

Throughout the first ten minutes, UConn found itself plagued by numerous touch-foul calls, putting key players like Samson Johnson and Liam McNeeley in early foul trouble.

The mounting whistles set the tone for a night of officiating that left Huskies head coach Dan Hurley visibly furious from the opening tip.

Hurley’s frustration only grew as the game progressed, eventually culminating in an intense overtime period.

In the final minute of regulation, with the game tied, McNeeley was whistled for an over-the-back foul while attempting to secure an offensive rebound.

The call left Hurley incredulous, and he dramatically fell to the floor in disbelief, resulting in a technical foul being assessed against him.

After the game, Hurley did not hold back his thoughts on the controversial foul call or the officiating.

“That (call) was a joke,” Hurley said. “I just watched it … that over-the-back call at the end of the game … there was no attempt to block out.

There was a player on Memphis who made a (poor) effort to rebound that basketball, and Liam McNeeley high-pointed that rebound.”

“That call being made at that point in the game was a complete joke. As for me, I don’t know what happened—I might’ve lost my balance from the absurdity of the call, or maybe I tripped.”

Hurley continued, addressing his reaction to the call: “But if I made that call at that point, I would’ve ignored the fact that I was on my back … I’ve never seen the one ref before. I didn’t even know he was a college ref … so I’m not surprised.”

The controversial officiating added another dimension to an already challenging game for the Huskies, leaving fans and players alike to question the consistency of the calls throughout the night.

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