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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Top 25 Capsules: Josh Hart helps No. 2 Villanova survive late Georgetown run

Villanova’s Josh Hart, left, pass the ball around Georgetown’s L.J. Peak, center, and Bradley Hayes during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, in Villanova, Pa. (Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
Associated Press

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Josh Hart scored 25 points and No. 2 Villanova held off a late Georgetown run in a 75-64 victory Tuesday night.

With Hart on a second-half scoreless skid, the Hoyas (13-12, 4-8 Big East) sliced a 17-point deficit to two and had the Wildcats reeling at the Pavilion. L.J. Peak buried a 3 and Rodney Pryor hit a jumper to key a 17-4 run that pulled the Hoyas to 60-58 with 3:49 left.

The Hoyas, swept by Villanova in three games last season, seemed poised to pull off the upset they needed to try and make a run at the NCAA Tournament.

The Hoyas just couldn’t stop Hart in the clutch. Hart, a national player of the year candidate, scored 17 points in the first half and missed his first seven shots in the second. But he buried a 3 to make it a seven-point lead and turned a steal into a layup that made it 70-60 and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The Wildcats (23-2, 10-2) held on and won the 79th game in the series between these decades-long rivals.

Peak led Georgetown with 21 points and Pryor had 20.

No. 15 Kentucky 92, LSU 85

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wenyen Gabriel scored a career-high 23 points and Malik Monk also had 23 for Kentucky.

The Wildcats (19-5, 9-2 Southeastern Conference) won for just the second time in five games and had to withstand the Tigers’ late rally that got them within 91-85 with 14 seconds remaining. Monk’s free throw with 8 seconds left sealed a win that followed Kentucky’s 22-point loss at No. 17 Florida on Saturday.

Gabriel provided the initial offensive boost and finished 7 of 11 from the field including three 3-pointers to beat his previous career best of 15. He also grabbed eight rebounds, including three offensive, as Kentucky controlled the boards 40-26.

Monk bounced back from an 11-point outing to make 8 of 15 from the field with four 3s. De’Aaron Fox had 16 points and Isaiah Briscoe 14 for Kentucky.

Antonio Blakeney had a season-high 31 points and Brandon Sampson added 17 for the Tigers (9-14, 1-10), who have lost 10 straight for the first time since 2011.

No. 17 Florida 72, Georgia 60

ATHENS, Ga. – Chris Chiozza scored 15 points and Florida recovered after blowing a 16-point lead.

Kasey Hill had 12 points for Florida (19-5, 9-2 Southeastern Conference), which has won five straight.

Yante Maten led Georgia (13-11, 4-7) with 19 points. The Bulldogs suffered their third straight loss, each to a ranked opponent.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Devin Robinson and Justin Leon helped Florida stretch the advantage to 30-14.

Alabama 90, No. 19 South Carolina 86, 4OT

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Riley Norris scored six of his 11 points in the fourth and final overtime, including the go-ahead free throws with 56 seconds left, and Alabama overcame a career night by South Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell.

Thornwell finished with career highs of 44 points and 21 rebounds. He made 25 free throws, surpassing LSU great “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s mark of 21 in a Southeastern Conference game. But it was not enough for South Carolina (19-5, 9-2).

Alabama (14-9, 7-4) had a 17-point lead in the first half and a 12-point edge with less than 5 minutes to go, watching the Gamecocks rally back to force the extra periods.

Avery Johnson Jr. and Ar’Mond Davis had career highs of 23 points and 19 points for Alabama, which beat a ranked SEC opponent on the road for the first time since winning at No. 4 Mississippi State, 77-73, on Feb. 21, 2004.

Penn St. 70, No. 21 Maryland 64

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Lamar Stevens scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half for Penn State.

Tony Carr added 14 points and Mike Watkins had 10 for the Nittany Lions (13-12, 5-7 Big Ten) who snapped a two-game skid and beat their fourth Top 25 opponent since last February.

Justin Jackson and Kevin Huerter scored 12 points each and Melo Trimble added 11 for the Terrapins (20-4, 8-3) who lost their second in a row.

The Nittany Lions played stingy defense early and led for all but 1:48 and by as many as 14 points with 9:59 remaining.

No. 22 Butler 68, Marquette 65

MILWAUKEE – Andrew Chrabascz scored 13 of his 21 points in the second half and Avery Woodson scored 17 points in his first start in more than three weeks for Butler.

The Bulldogs (19-5, 8-4 Big East) snapped a two-game losing streak after tweaking their starting lineup, with regulars Tyler Lewis and Kelan Martin coming off the bench. Kethan Savage joined Woodson in the starting lineup.

Chrabascz followed two free throws with a layup with 49 seconds left to give Butler an eight-point lead.

Markus Howard had 19 points for Marquette (15-9, 6-6), including a 3 with 1 second left. But the Golden Eagles couldn’t force a turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass for one last shot.