Marquette tops UConn in Big East debut
Steve Novak had career highs of 41 points and 16 rebounds and Marquette won its first Big East game with a 94-79 upset of visiting No. 2 Connecticut (11-1, 0-1) on Tuesday night.
Novak set a record for the most points by a player in his Big East debut, breaking the record of 30 shared by Notre Dame’s Troy Murphy in 1998 and Georgetown’s Allen Iverson in 1994.
Jerel McNeal added 19 points and 12 rebounds for Marquette (11-3, 1-0).
(5) Florida 92, Morgan St. 49: Lee Humphrey scored 14 points and the Gators (13-0) extended the best start in school history with a win over the Bears (0-11).
The Gators, who made a season-high 12 3-pointers, are unbeaten for the first time entering Southeastern Conference play.
(11) Boston College 91, Massachusetts 62: Craig Smith scored 17 points to lead the host Eagles (11-2) to their sixth straight victory over the Minutemen (5-5).
(12) Oklahoma 50, SMU 47: David Godbold hit consecutive 3-pointers in the second half and then made two free throws with 34 seconds left to lead the visiting Sooners (9-2) past the Mustangs (7-5).
(13) N. Carolina St. 83, UNC-Greensboro 52: Tony Bethel was 8 for 9 from the field and scored 20 points to lead the Wolfpack (12-1) to their seventh straight win overall and 10th in a row at home over the Spartans (7-7).
(16) Indiana 70, Michigan 63: Robert Vaden scored 17 points, all in the second half, to lead the Hoosiers (9-2, 1-0 Big Ten) past the visiting Wolverines (10-2, 0-1).
(19) Kentucky 59, Central Florida 57: Rajon Rondo’s turnaround jumper with 1 second left helped the Wildcats (10-3) beat the visiting Knights (6-6).
(23) Wake Forest 58, East Carolina 54: Trent Strickland had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead the visiting Demon Deacons (11-2) past the Pirates (5-7).
(25) North Carolina 82, Davidson 58: Freshman Tyler Hansbrough scored a season-high 23 points and Reyshawn Terry added 16 points as the Tar Heels (8-2) beat the Wildcats (7-5).
Women
Michelle Campbell scored 21 points and Cappie Pondexter added 16 to help No. 8 Rutgers (10-1, 2-0 Big East) beat host Cincinnati 64-51.
Anne Stephens scored 17 points for Cincinnati (10-2, 0-1), which had its seven-game winning streak snapped.
(13) DePaul 81, Pittsburgh 75: Khara Smith had 29 points and 14 rebounds to lead the visiting Blue Demons (14-1, 1-1 Big East) to a win over the Panthers (10-3, 1-1).
Allie Quigley finished with 26 points and five assists for the Blue Demons.
(20) Vanderbilt 72, W. Kentucky 57: Liz Sherwood scored a career-high 28 points to help the Commodores (11-3) turn away the visiting Hilltoppers (10-3).
Kansas 70, (23) Texas 61: Crystal Kemp scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and the Jayhawks (12-0, 1-0 Big 12) beat the visiting Longhorns (6-5, 1-0).