Morris helps Kansas hand UCLA another loss

LOS ANGELES — Markief Morris scored a career-high 19 points and No. 1 Kansas pulled away in the second half to beat UCLA 73-61 on Sunday, sending the Bruins to their fourth consecutive loss.

Xavier Henry added 16 points and Sherron Collins had 14 for the Jayhawks (7-0), who led the entire game but allowed UCLA to get within four early in the second half.

Michael Roll scored 16 points and Nikola Dragovic added 14 for the Bruins (2-5), who haven’t lost four in a row since 2003-04, coach Ben Howland’s first season in Westwood.

The defeat capped a rocky week for the struggling Bruins, who lost forward Drew Gordon when he quit the team. The sophomore averaged 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds.

No. 14 Connecticut 79, Harvard 73

STORRS, Conn. — Jerome Dyson scored 24 points and came within an assist of a triple-double as No. 14 Connecticut held off Harvard.

The 6-foot-4 Dyson, who has scored over 20 points in five of UConn’s seven games, grabbed 14 rebounds.

No. 18 Clemson 72, South Carolina 61

CLEMSON, S.C. — Tanner Smith and Demontez Stitt scored 14 points each and No. 18 Clemson won its sixth straight game over rival South Carolina.

The Tigers (7-2) used a late 18-6 run to pull away — and bounce back from a bad defeat to Illinois on Wednesday night when they surrendered a 23-point second-half lead and lost 76-74.

No. 21 Florida St. 82, Fla. International 62

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Deividas Dulkys scored a career-high 19 points and No. 21 Florida State overcame a slow start and poor first-half shooting to defeat outsized Florida International.

The taller Seminoles rode a 26-3 run to a 34-17 halftime lead, allowing first-year coach Isiah Thomas’ visiting Panthers

WOMEN

No. 3 Ohio State 70, Wisconsin 55

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jantel Lavender scored 16 of her 23 points in the second half, powering slow-starting No. 3 Ohio State to a victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

The Buckeyes (9-1), coming off a devastating 83-67 loss at No. 11 Duke on Wednesday, trailed by eight points at halftime as the Badgers (7-2) controlled the tempo.

No. 4 North Carolina 83, St. John’s 73

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Italee Lucas scored 17 points to help No. 4 North Carolina defeat St. John’s.

Cetera DeGraffenreid scored six of her 16 points during a decisive 12-2 run down the stretch for the Tar Heels (6-1). Tierra Ruffin-Pratt added 13 points and Chay Shegog scored 12 points for North Carolina.

No. 6 Tennessee 78, No. 17 Texas 58

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Angie Bjorklund had 15 points and No. 6 Tennessee cruised to a victory over No. 17 Texas.

The Lady Volunteers (7-0) limited the Longhorns (5-3) to 30 percent shooting from the field, the lowest figure by any opponent this season. Tennessee shot 52.5 percent.

No. 9 Xavier 69, Cincinnati 38

CINCINNATI — Amber Harris scored 17 points and Xavier extended its season-opening winning streak to a school-record seven games.

No. 10 Texas A&M 68, No. 20 California 61

BERKELEY, Calif. — Danielle Adams scored eight of her 15 points over the final 3:18 and No. 10 Texas A&M rallied late for a hard-fought victory over No. 20 California in the Colliers International Classic final.

No. 11 Duke 78, Southern California 72

DURHAM, N.C. — Jasmine Thomas scored 28 points to lead four players in double figures for Duke.

Joy Cheek and Karima Christmas added 12 points each and Allison Vernerey had 10 for Duke (7-1), which trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half and 10 in the second.

No. 12 Florida St. 78, Alcorn St. 50

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Jacinta Monroe scored 14 points to lead No. 12 Florida State to a victory over Alcorn State.

The Seminoles (8-0) held the Braves (0-5) to 27.3 percent shooting from the field and blocked eight shots, including five by Monroe.

No. 13 Georgia 56, No. 23 Georgia Tech 50

ATHENS, Ga. — Porsha Phillips scored 14 points, including two free throws with 5.6 seconds left, to lead Georgia, which won despite shooting 38 percent from the free throw line.

James Madison 75, No. 14 Virginia 73

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Dawn Evans matched her career high with 38 points and James Madison beat No. 14 Virginia

Evans, a junior guard, scored 18 points in the second half, including a jumper in the lane that banked in with 52 seconds left to give the Dukes (6-0) a 75-71 lead.

No. 16 Vanderbilt 79, Western Kentucky 73, OT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jence Rhoads and Meredith Marsh both scored 17 points to lead No. 16 Vanderbilt past Western Kentucky in overtime.

Rhoads had seven points and her backcourtmate Marsh added six in the overtime for the Commodores (7-1).

Rhoads, who had nine assists, was 5 of 6 from the free throw line over the final 36 seconds to seal the win as Vanderbilt rebounded from its first loss.

No. 21 DePaul 73, Loyola of Chicago 30

CHICAGO — Reserve freshman Katherine Harry scored 16 points to lead No. 21 DePaul to a rout of Loyola-Chicago in the annual meeting of the Chicago schools.