Michigan beats No. 6 North Carolina in Battle 4 Atlantis
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Eli Brooks matched his career high with 24 points and Michigan ran off 19 straight points in the second half to upset No. 6 North Carolina 73-64 on Thursday to reach the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game.
Isaiah Livers added 12 points for the Wolverines (6-0), who led by five early in the second half before pulling away with the big run for first-year coach Juwan Howard’s first marquee victory. Michigan will face No. 8 Gonzaga in the final Friday.
The 19-0 burst included a dazzling run of five straight baskets. At one point, Brooks buried a 3-pointer to push the lead to 19 and left Tar Heels coach Roy Williams standing on the sideline with both hands resting on top of his head.
Yet Franz Wagner followed with another, then Brooks added a runner that pushed the lead to 60-36 with 11:18 left and finally forced the timeout-hoarding Williams to burn one.
The Tar Heels (5-1) managed a long push to get back in it, twice getting as close as eight on interior buckets by Garrison Brooks in the final 3 1/2 minutes. But Eli Brooks made a 3 with 1:12 left, pushing the margin back to double figures.
Freshman Cole Anthony had 22 points and seven rebounds for North Carolina.
NO. 8 GONZAGA 73, NO. 11 OREGON 72, OT
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Drew Timme hit a free throw with 20.6 seconds left in overtime and Gonzaga survived Payton Pritchard’s shot for the win to beat Oregon in the Battle 4 Atlantis semifinals.
Pritchard missed a jumper against Ryan Woolridge, and Gonzaga’s Filip Petrusev tied up the rebound during a tussle in the paint. The possession arrow favored the Bulldogs with 0.2 seconds left, allowing them to secure the win by inbounding to Joel Ayayi.
Petrusev had 22 points and 15 rebounds for Gonzaga (8-0). The Bulldogs blew a 17-point first-half lead in a matchup of neighboring-state programs playing three time zones away from their Pacific Northwest campuses.
Pritchard led the Ducks (6-1) with 17 points.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Anthony Cowan Jr. scored five of his career-high 30 points in the final 3 minutes, helping Maryland overcome a slow start against Temple in the opening game of the Orlando Invitational.
Eric Ayala had 13 points and Jalen Smith finished with 12 points and nine rebounds for the Terrapins (6-0).
Alani Moore II led Temple (4-1) with 22 points. J.P. Moorman II had 14 points and nine rebounds.
IOWA 72, NO. 12 TEXAS TECH 61
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jordan Bohannon had 20 points and six assists, Luka Garza added 17 points and 12 rebounds and Iowa held off Texas Tech to reach the Las Vegas Invitational championship game.
Iowa will face San Diego State for the title.
Joe Wieskamp had 16 points and six rebounds for the Hawkeyes, and CJ Fredrick scored 10 points. His 3-pointer off a broken play as the shot clock expired put Iowa up 64-59 with 1:29 left. He followed that up with two free throws with 1:07 remaining to put it away.
Chris Clarke had 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Texas Tech (5-1). The Red Raider lost Big 12 leading scorer Jahmi’us Ramsey to a leg injury with 10:06 to play. He finished with seven points.
NO. 13 SETON HALL 81, SOUTHERN MISS 56
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Myles Powell scored 18 points to help Seton Hall beat Southern Mississippi in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Sandro Mamukelashvili added 14 points for the Pirates, who were playing in the losers’ bracket after blowing a 19-point lead in the second half against No. 11 Oregon on Wednesday. This time, Seton Hall (5-2) shot 51% and led by double figures throughout the second period.
Gabe Watson had 18 points for the Golden Eagles (2-5), who trailed by a bucket in the final three minutes before halftime. Seton Hall stretched its lead to 40-31 at the break, then pushed it to 60-44 on a three-point play by Myles Cale with 9:49 left.
Seton Hall lost starting point guard Quincy McKnight to cramping in his right leg with 12:51 left. He did not return to the bench.
NO. 14 ARIZONA 93, PEPPEDINE 91
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Nico Mannion’s fast-break layup with 4 seconds remaining gave Arizona a hard-fought victory over Pepperdine at the Wooden Legacy.
Colbey Ross’ off-balance jumper tied it at 91 before Mannion drove the floor for the winning basket. Ross’ heave from halfcourt went off the glass as time expired.
The game featured 24 ties and 13 lead changes as both teams shot 50 percent or better from the floor. Arizona was 18 of 25 in the second half.
Josh Green led the Wildcats (7-0) with 24 points, while Mannion, Dylan Smith and Zeke Ninaji scored 16 apiece. Ninaji added 11 rebounds and Mannion dished out 11 assists.
Kameron Edwards was Pepperdine’s leading scorer with 21 points. Skylar Chavez and Ross had 20 apiece.
NO. 16 MEMPHIS 83, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 78
NEW YORK (AP) — Boogie Ellis scored 21 points to help No. 16 Memphis beat North Carolina State in the Barclays Center Classic.
Precious Achiuwa added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Tyler Harris had 14 for Memphis (6-1).
Markell Johnson led North Carolina State (5-2) with 22 points. Jericole Hellems added 17, and DJ Funderburk had 14.
