Turnovers spell doom for Utah
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Larry Krystkowiak didn’t sound all that bothered by the defense for No. 16 Utah in a blowout loss to Miami.
Turnovers, however, were another matter.
“You can’t defend turnovers,” the coach said after Friday’s 90-66 loss in the Puerto Rico Tipoff. “It just puts too much strain on your basketball squad to have to do that and it’s really hard to overcome.”
Miami certainly didn’t need a lot of help considering it shot 53 percent from the field, but the Utes’ 16 turnovers were what turned the game into a romp. Miami had a 16-0 edge in points off turnovers by halftime and finished at 23-4.
BAYLOR 77, JACKSON ST. 60
Al Freeman scored 20 points and the No. 20 Bears overcame a slow start to defeat the Tigers in Waco. Freeman, a sophomore guard, hit 4 of 7 3-point shots.
Jackson State made its first six shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, and was ahead 12-2. The Tigers then missed 19 of 22 the rest of the half, going scoreless for more than 10 minutes as Baylor (2-1) used a 13-0 run for a 29-24 lead at the break.
BRYANT 71 PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 58
Gus Riley scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting, Shane McLaughlin had a career-high 14 assists and the Bulldogs beat the Panthers in Smithville, R.I.
Admassu Williams had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Tevin Bellinger scored 15 to lead Prairie View (0-3).
TEXAS TECH 74 MISSISSIPPI ST. 72
Devaugntah Williams scored 15 points to help the Red Raiders beat the Bulldogs in the consolation bracket at the Puerto Rico Tipoff in San Juan.
Keenan Evans added 13 points for Texas Tech (21), which did just enough in the final three minutes to squeeze out a victory.
KENTUCKY 78 WRIGHT ST. 63
Tyler Ulis scored a career-high 21 points, and the No. 2 Wildcats beat the visiting Raiders.
MARYLAND 65, RIDER 58
Freshman Diamond Stone fueled a second-half surge that brought the No. 3 Terrapins back from a 14-point deficit, and Jake Layman had 11 points and 11 rebounds in a victory over the visiting Broncos.
Maryland (3-0) trailed 43-29 with 15:56 remaining and grabbed the lead for the first time when Rasheed Sulaimon scored on a runner in the lane with 5:19 left to make it 52-50.
DUKE 79, VCU 71
Grayson Allen bounced back from an off game against Kentucky by scoring a career-high 30 points, and the No. 5 Blue Devils beat the Rams in the opening round of the 2K Classic at Madison Square Garden.
VIRGINIA 87 LONG BEACH ST. 52
Marial Shayok had a career-high 17 points, London Perrantes added 15 and the No. 6 Virginia powered past the 49ers to reach the Charleston (S.C.) Classic final.