LEXINGTON, Ky. — Patrick Patterson and John Wall scored 17 points each to help No. 3 Kentucky hold off Georgia 76-68 on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
DeMarcus Cousins added 16 points and seven rebounds for the Wildcats (16-0), who are off to their best start since winning 23 games to open the 1965-66 season.
It wasn’t easy. There were 12 lead changes and nine ties as Georgia hung around despite turning it over 26 times against Kentucky’s unrelenting press.
The Bulldogs nearly pulled off their second consecutive upset behind a season-high 20 points from Travis Leslie and 17 points and 13 rebounds from Trey Thompkins.
Georgia pulled to 63-62 on a 3-pointer by Thompkins with just over six minutes to play, but made just one field goal the rest of the way.
No. 17 Wisconsin 73, No. 4 Purdue 66
MADISON, Wis. — Jordan Taylor scored a career-high 23 points and Jason Bohannon tied a career high with 20 as the Badgers beat a top-10 team at home for the second time this season and improved to 130-10 at home in coach Bo Ryan’s nine seasons.
No. 20 Georgia Tech 71, No. 5 Duke 67
ATLANTA — Gani Lawal scored 21 points, including a crucial shot with just over a minute remaining, for the Yellow Jackets, who made up for their 73-66 loss to state rival Georgia on Tuesday night.
No. 6 Villanova 78, Marquette 76
VILLANOVA, Pa. — Corey Stokes scored 16 points for the Wildcats, who surged to a 22-point lead early in the second half.
Notre Dame 70, No. 8 West Virginia 68
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Da’Sean Butler’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer rolled around the rim and fell out as the Fighting Irish held on for the upset.
No. 10 Michigan State 71, Iowa 53
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Draymond Green had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Spartans, who opened the second half with a 12-0 run.
No. 12 Georgetown 72, No. 13 Connecticut 69
WASHINGTON — Austin Freeman scored 28 of his career- high 33 points in the second half as the Hoyas erased a 15- point halftime deficit.
Mississippi State 80, No. 14 Mississippi 75
OXFORD, Miss. — Dee Bost matched his career high with 25 points for Mississippi State.
No. 19 Gonzaga 81, Portland 78
PORTLAND, Ore. — Matt Bouldin, a ThunderRidge High School graduate, had 20 points and nine assists as the Bulldogs beat Portland for the 13th straight time.
The Associated Press
