Starkville, Miss. ? Corey Brewer scored 20 points, including five during a game-turning 10-1 run early in the second half, and top-ranked Florida survived a scary Southeastern Conference road game Wednesday night by beating Mississippi State, 70-67.
The Gators (18-2, 5-0) won their 11th straight with a dominant second half that featured big plays from Brewer and Lee Humphrey, who was scoreless in the first half but scored all eight of his points during a second key run that gave Florida an edge.
Brewer provided the big plays in the first of two key second-half drives, and Humphrey powered the 17-2 run that gave the Gators a 56-45 lead with 8:50 remaining in the second half.
Jamont Gordon scored 17 for the Bulldogs (11-7, 2-3), despite playing with four fouls much of the second half, and two-time reigning SEC freshman of the week Barry Stewart scored 16.
Taurean Green had 11 for the Gators, including a key three-pointer with less than four minutes to play, and Joakim Noah scored 10.
No. 2 Wisconsin 71, Michigan 58
Madison, Wis. – Brian Butch and Alando Tucker scored 16 points each, and the Badgers extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games, breaking a 56-year school record.
The victory also matches Wisconsin’s best start in school history at 20-1 as the Badgers improved to 6-0 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 1913-14 team was 12-0.
Courtney Sims scored 16 points for Michigan (16-5, 4-2).
No. 4 North Carolina 88, Wake Forest 60
Winston-Salem, N.C. – Wayne Ellington scored 18 points, fellow freshman Ty Lawson added all 15 of his in the second half, and the Tar Heels won their second straight against the Demon Deacons.
Tyler Hansbrough added 13 points for the Tar Heels (18-2, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Kyle Visser had 16 points to lead Wake Forest (9-10, 1-6), which lost its fifth straight to fall deeper into the ACC cellar.
No. 5 Ohio State 59, Northwestern 50
Evanston, Ill. – Freshman Greg Oden had 17 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, and the Buckeyes (17-3, 5-1 Big Ten) hung on to beat the Wildcats for their fourth straight win.
Tim Doyle scored 15 points for Northwestern (11-9, 1-6).
No. 9 Pittsburgh 67, Cincinnati 51
Cincinnati – Levance Fields made a career-high six three-pointers, leading a long-range spree that carried the Panthers (18-3, 6-1 Big East) past the Bearcats.
John Williamson scored 15 points to lead Cincinnati (10-9, 1-4).
No. 11 Memphis 72, Tulsa 59
Memphis, Tenn. – Joey Dorsey had 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks to lead the Tigers (16-3, 6-0 Conference USA).
Ray Reese led Tulsa (12-6, 2-3) with 17 points, and Ben Uzoh added 10.
No. 15 Marquette 89, Seton Hall 76
Milwaukee – Sophomores Wesley Matthews and Jerel McNeal scored 22 points apiece, and the Golden Eagles (18-4, 5-2 Big East) had little trouble with the Pirates.
Jamar Nutter scored 18 points for Seton Hall (11-8, 3-4).
No. 17 Arizona 71, Arizona State 47
Tucson, Ariz. – Freshman Chase Budinger had 21 points and 10 rebounds, and the Wildcats (14-5, 5-4 Pac-10) snapped a three-game losing streak.
Christian Polk scored 11 points for Arizona State (6-14, 0-9).
Vanderbilt 64, No. 21 LSU 53
Baton Rouge, La. – Derrick Byars scored 18 points to lead the Commodores (14-6, 4-2 SEC) to victory.
Tasmin Mitchell and Garrett Temple fueled an 18-6 LSU run to get the Tigers (13-6, 2-3) as close as 55-49 with 2:56 left.
