HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Jordan Hawkins scored 22 points to help No. 2 UConn edge Villanova 74-66 on Wednesday night.
Freshman Alex Karaban added 15 points and Andre Jackson Jr. had 10 for the Huskies (14-0, 3-0 Big East).
Hawkins scored in double figures for the sixth straight time and had his fourth 20-point game of the season.
Caleb Daniels led Villanova (7-6, 1-1) with 23 points. Eric Dixon had 18 and Brandon Slater finished with 10.
A 16-3 run early in the second half helped the Huskies create some separation, taking a 49-39 lead with 12:13 left.
NO. 7 TENNESSEE 63, MISSISSIPPI 59
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Santiago Vescovi scored 22 points and combined with Zakai Zeigler to convert six free throws in the final 1:09, helping Tennessee to the win in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
Vescovi converted two free throws to make it 63-57 with 19 seconds remaining. Zeigler added 13 points as Tennessee (11-2) rallied from an early 10-point hole and a 34-28 halftime deficit.
Ole Miss (8-5) was led by Jaemyn Brakefield with 18 points, including four 3-pointers in the second half. Matthew Murrell, averaging 15.6 points per game, was held to five points on 1-for-11 shooting.
Jonas Aidoo had a game-high 13 rebounds as the Vols outrebounded Ole Miss 38-28.
NO. 10 GONZAGA 120, EASTERN OREGON 42
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Drew Timme had 18 points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes, and Gonzaga raced past NAIA member Eastern Oregon for a program record for the largest margin of victory.
It was Gonzaga’s first time beating an opponent by 70-plus points. Gonzaga’s previous best was a 61-point victory against Denver in the 2018-19 season, and the Zags also beat Eastern Oregon by 60 points in 2001.
All five Gonzaga starters finished in double figures — with each playing less than 21 minutes.
Gonzaga (11-3) also extended the nation’s longest home winning streak to 73 games.
Malachi Afework had 11 points for Eastern Oregon, which played the game as an exhibition.
NO. 13 VIRGINIA 66, ALBANY 46
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Armaan Franklin scored 20 points, Jayden Gardner had 16 and Virginia ended a two-game skid.
Coming off losses at home to Houston and on the road to Miami that sent it tumbling from the No. 2 spot in the AP Top 25, Virginia (9-2) went on a 30-4 run spanning the halves to pull away in its final nonconference game.
The Cavaliers played without starting guard Reece Beekman, who is battling a right hamstring injury.
Da’Kquan Davis led the Great Danes (5-10) with 11 points. They shot 31% overall (16 of 52).
NO. 18 TCU 103, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 57
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Emanuel Miller had 20 points with 10 rebounds, and TCU extended its winning streak to nine games.
Mike Miles Jr. added 21 points as the Horned Frogs (11-1) hit triple digits in scoring for the first time since a 100-63 win over Tennessee Tech on Nov. 13, 2017. Damion Baugh had 13 points, while Shahada Wells and JaKobe Koles each had 12.
TCU, which outscored the Bears 40-0 on fast-break points, hit the century mark on Eddie Lampkin’s layup with 3:37 left that made it 100-56.
Eddy Kayouloud had 14 points and Carl Daugherty 10 for Central Arkansas (5-8), which shot a season-low 29% (20 of 69) while losing its fourth game in a row.
MISSOURI 89, NO. 19 KENTUCKY 75
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Kobe Brown scored 30 points in a dominant performance, and Missouri earned the win in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
D’Moi Hodge added 15 points for the Tigers (12-1), who roared past then-No. 16 Illinois 93-71 last week and are off to their best start since the 2013-14 season. DeAndre Gholston and Sean East II had 12 points apiece.
Missouri led by 12 at halftime and stretched it to more than 20 down the stretch, handing Kentucky coach John Calipari just his third loss in 14 SEC openers. The Wildcats had been 306-58 against unranked teams under him.
Oscar Tshiebwe led Kentucky (8-4) with 23 points and 19 rebounds. Cason Wallace added 19 points.
NO. 20 AUBURN 61, FLORIDA 58
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Chris Moore got a steal in the final seconds and Wendell Green Jr. made a layup at the buzzer to cap Auburn’s victory in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
Moore stole the ball from Gators star Colin Castleton, who was attempting to get away a potential game-winner before Jaylin Williams got in his way in the paint. He passed to Green to set up the uncontested final basket for the Tigers (11-2).
Johni Broome’s layup gave Auburn a 59-58 lead with 1:16 left and Myreon Jones’ missed 3-point attempt went out of bounds for the Gators (7-6).
Kowacie Reeves led Florida with 15 points. Castleton finished 1-of-6 shooting for six points, 10 below his season average.
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