Top 25 roundup: No. 16 Kentucky gets by Georgia

Jan 1, 2018 - 4:48 AM LEXINGTON, Ky. -- For the second consecutive game, freshman guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came off the bench to score more than 20 points and lead 16th-ranked Kentucky to a victory.

On Sunday, he had 21 points to pace a 66-61 Wildcats win over Georgia in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 on Friday during a 90-61 rout of rival Louisville.

Kentucky (11-2, 1-0 SEC) trailed 53-49 with 5:18 to play, but a 7-0 run put the Wildcats on top to stay. A 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander topped the run.

Georgia (9-3, 0-1) got 17 points from senior forward Yante Maten. The Bulldogs shot 39.7 percent from the floor and only 2 of 21 from 3-point range.



No. 2 Michigan State 108, Savannah State 52

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State used a 14-2 run in the final 4:22 of the first half to break open a tight game and get its 13th straight win since a loss to Duke.

Savannah State led 20-18 with 11:17 remaining in the first half and was only down 37-36 with 4:22 left before the Spartans took over.

Sophomore center Nick Ward scored 21 points on 9-of-9 shooting from the field and added 10 rebounds, and Cassius Winston scored 16 points and had a career-high 13 assists. Savannah State (3-12), which has already played six ranked opponents, was led by Dexter McClanahan, who had 14 points.



No. 21 Cincinnati 82, Memphis 48

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. -- Jarron Cumberland scored 15 points and Gary Clark added 13 points and 10 rebounds, lifting Cincinnati to its fifth straight victory.

Jacob Evans III and Trevor Moore each scored 12 points for the Bearcats (12-2, 1-0 American). Memphis (9-5, 0-1) was led by Kareem Brewton Jr., who scored 17 points.

Cincinnati held the Tigers to 32 percent shooting and 4-of-22 success from 3-point range. The Bearcats also forced 13 turnovers.



No. 23 Seton Hall 75, St. John's 70

NEWARK, N.J. -- Khadeen Carrington scored 24 points and Desi Rodriguez added 23 points and nine rebounds to lead Seton Hall.

Angel Delgado recorded the 61st double-double of his career with 12 points and 12 rebounds for Seton Hall (13-2, 2-0 Big East). He also had six assists.

St. John's (10-4, 0-2) was without its leading scorer, Shamorie Ponds, who was sidelined due to an injured knee he sustained against Providence on Thursday. Tariq Owens paced the Red Storm with 19 points and 14 rebounds.



No. 25 Creighton 83, Providence 64

OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton bounced back from a Thursday loss at Seton Hall with a convincing Big East win.

Marcus Foster led five Creighton players in double figures with 18 points. Providence center Nate Watson led all players with 20 points.

Creighton (11-3, 1-1 Big East) broke open a tight game with a 9-0 run in the middle of the first half that turned a two-point lead to a 25-14 advantage. Providence (10-5, 1-1) went 6:18 between baskets and was 5 of 22 (22.8 percent) from the field for the first 13-plus minutes of the game.