Last team still undefeated this season (15-0), #1 Baylor thought it was heading for a quiet 16th victory on its floor. Quickly in the lead by 15 points in the first half, notably under the impetus of “senior” James Akinjo, the defending champions delivered a convincing and authoritative first half.
But the “Red Raiders” have heart and little by little, they are catching up to pick up the score. The second half is much more indecisive and the two teams go blow for blow until “money-time”. The “junior” Kevin McCullar plants a 3-point saver 3 minutes from the final buzzer to allow his team to take a 7-point lead.
Baylor will not recover and #19 Texas Tech signs a second consecutive prestigious victory, after the victory against #6 Kansas last week.
” [Cela montre] our determination, our character” liked Mark Adams, the Texas Tech coach. ” I’m very proud of these guys, and grateful to be their coach.“
#2 Duke also falls on his floor
The Blue Devils, runners-up to Baylor in the AP rankings, also lost at home to Miami in their third ACC conference game. Despite 20 points from star “freshman” Paolo Banchero, and a three-point lead with 45 seconds remaining, the “Coach K” team shot themselves in the foot throughout the match by losing 17 balls, and quite logically bowed.
The Hurricanes were able to count on 18 points and 7 (!) interceptions from “senior” Charlie Moore.
Everything rolls for #18 Kentucky
John Calipari’s men have just won back-to-back SEC conference games against Georgia and Vanderbilt. Enough to forget the defeat on the floor of LSU last Tuesday, while starting point guard Sahvir Wheeler was injured and Tyty Washington Jr was handicapped by cramps.
Tyty Washington Jr also beat, against Georgia, the “all-time” record of the University of Kentucky for the number of assists made in a single game. With his 17 units, he exceeded the 16 units of… John Wall.
Record for a “junior” from North Carolina
In North Carolina’s victory against Virginia (74-58), the “junior” and leader of the team, Armando Bacot, delivered an XXL performance, a “double-double-double”: 29 points and 21 rebounds! Caleb Love also shone with a 16-point, 5-assist outing.
Jabari Smith on demonstration
The “freshman” interior, among the favorites for a Top 3 in the next Draft, took out the warm-up blue to allow #4 Auburn to overcome #24 Alabama on his floor (77-81): 25 points , 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 blocks!
The talented Jahvon Quinerly delivered a complete match (14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists), despite some clumsiness (4/19) and not always the sharpest decision-making (4 lost balls).
