KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Grant Williams scored 25 points and went 10 of 11 from the floor to lead a strong shooting performance for No. 3 Tennessee in a 96-53 blowout of Tennessee Tech on Saturday.
Tennessee shot a season-high 63.8 percent (37 of 58), aided by 12 dunks. The Volunteers were shooting above 70 percent for much of the game before missing seven of their last eight attempts.
The Vols (11-1) have won seven straight overall and 16 consecutive home games ahead of Southeastern Conference competition next weekend. Tennessee's only loss of the season was an 87-81 setback against No. 5 Kansas in the NIT Season Tip-Off on Nov. 23.
Tennessee hasn't fallen at home since a 94-84 loss against Auburn last season on Jan. 2.
Jordan Bone had 16 points and 10 assists with only one turnover for Tennessee. Admiral Schofield also scored 16 points and shot 7 of 8. John Fulkerson had a career-high 15 points and shot 6 of 7 with four dunks.
Jr. Clay scored 16 points to lead Tennessee Tech (4-9).
NO. 5 KANSAS 87, EASTERN MICHIGAN 63
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Udoka Azubuike had 23 points and nine rebounds in his return from an ankle injury, and No. 2 Kansas cruised over Eastern Michigan.
Azubuike hit the ground running after missing four games, scoring seven points in the first six minutes, highlighted by a couple of and-one dunks. He finished with 14 in the first half and added nine in the second before being sat to rest.
The 7-footer's presence opened things up offensively for the Jayhawks (11-1) as they racked up a season-high 25 assists and had 10 players score. Quentin Grimes was second on the team with 16 points, and Devon Dotson added 15.
John Thompson IV led the way for the Eagles (6-7), finishing with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Paul Jackson had 15 points as well.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Caleb Martin scored a career-high 33 points, Jordan Caroline added 17 and No. 6 Nevada beat Utah.
Jazz Johnson went 4 for 4 from the beyond the arc as the Wolf Pack (13-0) made 12 3s and shot 46 percent from long range. Coming into the game, the Wolf Pack had made just 27 of their last 112 3-pint attempts.
Nevada, which forced Utah into 18 turnovers, remained just one of five undefeated NCAA Division I teams.
Sedrick Barefield countered with a season-best 33 points for the Utes (6-6), who couldn't bounce back from Nevada's big run early in the second half. Donnie Tillman had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Utah, which lost for the first time at home this season.
NO. 8 MICHIGAN STATE 88, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 60
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Cassius Winston matched a career high with six 3-pointers and scored 24 points, leading No. 8 Michigan State over Northern Illinois.
The Spartans (11-2) have won six straight, heading into the Big Ten season.
The Huskies (7-6) have alternated between winning and losing for much of the season.
Northern Illinois coach Mark Montgomery returned to the school where he played point guard from 1988-92 and was one of Tom Izzo's assistants from 2001-11.
NO. 13 OHIO STATE 82, HIGH POINT 64
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — C.J. Jackson scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half and Kaleb Wesson added 17 points as No. 13 Ohio State beat High Point.
Luther Muhammed had a career-high 15 points to help the Buckeyes (12-1) get their sixth consecutive win.
Ricky Madison scored 12 points and Curtis Holland III had 11 for the Panthers (6-7), who have lost two straight.
Ohio State shot 70.8 percent in the second half when it outscored the Panthers 45-36.
NO. 14 NORTH CAROLINA 82, DAVIDSON 60
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Cameron Johnson scored 17 points, Luke Maye had 11 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 14 North Carolina beat Davidson.
Kenny Williams added 12 points and Garrison Brooks had 11 to help the Tar Heels (9-3) bounce back from their 80-72 loss to No. 16 Kentucky on Dec. 22 — the first time since 2014 that North Carolina had three losses before Christmas.
Freshman Nassir Little finished with 10 for UNC, which shot 44 percent, had just seven turnovers while pulling away in the final 27 minutes and led by 26 in winning its 10th in a row in the instate series.
Jon Axel Gudmundsson had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Luke Frampton scored 15 points to lead Davidson (9-4).
NO. 16 KENTUCKY 71, LOUISVILLE 58
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Tyler Herro had a career-high 24 points, Keldon Johnson added 15 and No. 16 Kentucky beat Louisville.
A close game for 10 minutes quickly swung toward the Wildcats (10-2) behind an 11-0 run for a 31-17 lead. The spurt typified their success on both ends. They kept the Cardinals (9-4) from passing and driving inside and grabbed offensive rebounds leading to second and third chances.
Herro thrived the most, making 10 of 13 from the field with four 3-pointers to pass his previous best of 18 achieved twice, most recently on Dec. 1 against UNC Greensboro.
NO. 19 MISSISSIPPI STATE 103, BYU 81
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Aric Holman scored a career-high 28 points and Quinndary Weatherspoon had 27, leading No. 19 Mississippi State past BYU for the Bulldogs' ninth straight victory.
In closing its nonconference schedule, Mississippi State (12-1) also got 16 points from Tyson Carter and 11 each from Nick Weatherspoon and Reggie Perry.
BYU (8-7) dropped its third straight game and is 0-3 against ranked opponents this season. Yoeli Childs led the Cougars with 25 points and Zac Seljass and TJ Haws each had 14.
