>>College Basketball Roundup
(Undated) — Number-11 Tennessee upset top-ranked Alabama 68-59 without Josiah-Jordan James and Julian Phillips They head to Kentucky Saturday. Memphis play host to UCF tonight.
Cardinals Can’t Complete Upset in 61-58 Loss to No. 7/6 Virginia
A scoring drought in each half slowed Louisville men’s basketball’s momentum Wednesday, as the Cardinals came up just short in their upset bid against No. 7/6 Virginia with a 61-58 loss at the KFC Yum! Center. Louisville (3-23, 1-14 ACC) led by as much as nine in the first half and still led by one with 10:18 to go, but a key 9-0 run from the Cavaliers helped them make UofL keep chase the rest of the way. El Ellis paced Louisville with 21 points, while Jae’lyn Withers added 12 points and eight rebounds. Mike James finished with 10 points, and JJ Traynor had nine points and a career-high nine rebounds. Clark and Armaan Franklin led Virginia with 14 points apiece.
Kentucky Holds Off Mississippi State in Starkville
Wednesday’s game between Kentucky and Mississippi State was billed as a battle of two teams who were fighting to work their way into the NCAA Tournament. Two teams that were living on the proverbial bubble. Two teams that could use a quality win to help their resume. The game lived up to the hype. The Cats made just enough plays down the stretch to hold off the Bulldogs 71-68 inside a rowdy Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville. Kentucky (16-9, 7-5 SEC) got exactly what it needed in this game – a total team effort. The Cats had no clear star in the game, just a bunch of players who played hard and who made plays when UK needed them most. Oscar Tshiebwe scored 18 points, including three crucial free throws late, and grabbed 11 rebounds in the game. Jacob Toppin had 16 points and Antonio Reeves had 14. Chris Livingston had 13 points and Cason Wallace, despite struggling from the floor, dished out a career-high 11 assists.
Kentucky, Georgia Rematch Thursday Night in Memorial Coliseum
The University of Kentucky women’s basketball program will play host to Georgia on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. ET inside Memorial Coliseum. The game, which will mark the program’s second-to-last contest at home this season, will be broadcast on SEC Network+, with Jeff Piecoro and Christi Thomas on the call. Fans are encouraged to be in their seats early to catch Amiya Jenkins, a freshman guard from Lexington, Kentucky, receive her 2022 Miss Kentucky Basketball ring prior to tip.
Lady Toppers Return Home to Face Charlotte
WKU women’s basketball will play in Diddle Arena for the first time since Jan. 28, facing off against Charlotte on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Thursday’s game will be a Red Out. Fans are encouraged to wear red to support the Lady Toppers.
Tops Look to Extend Win Streak at Charlotte
WKU Hilltopper Basketball is looking to extend its winning streak to four as it takes on the Charlotte 49ers in Halton Arena on Thursday evening. The game will tip at 6 p.m. CT. In the first match-up between the teams, Jamarion Sharp was out with a hip injury while Luke Frampton tore his ACL within the first two minutes of the game and did not return. WKU most recently beat MTSU 93-89 a week ago while Charlotte lost at North Texas on Saturday. WKU is 23-13 all-time over the 49ers. Head coach Rick Stansbury is 10-5 in his career against Charlotte.
Racers Face Down Pressure Cooker at Illinois State
The Murray State Racers held off the Illinois State Redbirds to notch their third road win of the season 76-75 at CEFCU Arena in Normal. The Racers (14-13) improved to 9-8 in the Missouri Valley Conference as they come home to face the Evansville Purple Aces Saturday at the CFSB Center in a 3 p.m. tip. Rob Perry scored 22 of his game-high 25 points in the first half, while the Racers got excellent production off the bench from Kenny White, Jr. (16 points) and Quincy Anderson (15 points). Jamari Smith gave MSU four in double-figures with 11 points.
Govs battle Dolphins, Thursday, to kick off final weekend in The Dunn
Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team will play its penultimate game in the Winfield Dunn Center when it hosts a 7 p.m., ASUN Conference showdown against Jacksonville, Thursday, on African American Cultural Center and Black History Night. Austin Peay enters Thursday’s game at 2-12 in conference play and four spots back of a three-way tie for eighth place and the final three spots in the ASUN Conference Tournament. In their last four games of the season, the Governors will take on three teams – Jacksonville, North Florida, and Florida Gulf Coast – that they are chasing for a postseason spot. Jacksonville is 5-9 in ASUN action and is in 11th place in the conference standings, just one game back of the three-way tie for eighth place and the final three postseason spots.
Govs tip off Sunshine State road trip against Hatters
With the postseason just under three weeks away, Austin Peay State University women’s basketball travels to Florida for back-to-back ASUN Conference games beginning with a 6 p.m. (CT), Thursday contest against Jacksonville at the Edmunds Center in DeLand, Florida. Austin Peay (15-8, 10-3 ASUN) enters the antepenultimate week of the ASUN season fourth in the league standings after splitting last week’s games against North Florida and Jacksonville. Shamarre Hale leads Austin Peay with 11.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and is shooting a program-record 70.4 percent from the field. The Chicago, Illinois native has shot over 50 percent from the field in 17-straight appearances and at least 66.7 percent from the field in five-straight games. Stetson (11-15, 5-8 ASUN) is ninth in the ASUN and dropped back-to-back games against league-leading Florida Gulf Coast – who the Govs will face on Saturday – last week. Thursday’s contest is the second all-time meeting between APSU and Stetson, as the Govs earned a 50-46 win against the Hatters in their third conference game of the season last month.