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Penn State’s Jeff Brooks shoots against Michigan State’s Keith Appling during the first half of an NCAA basketball game Thursday in East Lansing, Mich.
AP PHOTO
NEW YORK — Dwight Hardy scored a career-high 33 points and St. John’s took command in the second half in an 89-72 victory over No. 10 Connecticut on Thursday night, the Red Storm’s fourth win over a top-13 team this season at Madison Square Garden.
Hardy was coming off a 32-point effort in a loss to UCLA on Saturday.
D.J. Kennedy matched his season high with 20 points and had 11 rebounds for St. John’s (14-9, 6-5 Big East), which added Connecticut to a list that includes then-No. 13 Georgetown, then-No. 9 Notre Dame and then-No. 3 Duke, all of whom are currently in the top 10. The Red Storm are 6-1 at the Garden, their second home court.
The Huskies (18-4, 6-5) had trouble all game with St. John’s matchup zone, which trapped ballhandlers repeatedly. They rarely attacked the basket, passing the ball around the perimeter usually settling for a rushed jumper.
The Red Storm closed the first half with two 3-pointers by Hardy and Malik Boothe, the second a 35-footer banker from straight on as the buzzer sounded for a 35-31 lead.
Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun walked on to the court complaining that Boothe walked before he shot. Calhoun was called for a technical foul — his first of the season — so St. John’s started the second half with two free throws by Hardy, and Kennedy scored on a layup on the ensuing possession.
Dwayne Polee II and Kennedy scored around four missed shots by the Huskies and the Red Storm had a 43-31 lead 2 minutes into the half.
Things got worse for the Huskies who kept missing shots and didn’t get back quick enough on defense as the lead grew to 24 points, 69-45, on Hardy’s third 3-pointer in a 5-minute span — and he also had two traditional three-point plays in the run. The 89 points were the most allowed this season by Connecticut.
Michigan State 75, Penn State 57
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Draymond Green had 15 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists to become the third Michigan State player to have a triple-double in a win over Penn State.
Green joined Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Charlie Bell in school history, but it might’ve been costly. He threw a long pass to Delvon Roe with 21 seconds left for his 10th assist. Roe was fouled hard on the layup and limped off the court after the game.
Kalin Lucas scored 15 of his 24 points in the first half as Michigan State built a 20-point lead.
The Spartans (14-10, 6-6 Big Ten) avoided losing three straight for the second time in less than a month. The Nittany Lions (13-11, 5-7) have lost a season-high three straight.
Penn State’s Talor Battle scored 19 points and Jeff Brooks had 15 points after missing a game with a dislocated right shoulder.
Butler 71, Wright State 63
INDIANAPOLIS — Shelvin Mack scored 20 points and Andrew Smith and Sean Vanzant added 15 each as Butler beat Wright State.
The Bulldogs (17-9, 9-5 Horizon League) won their third straight despite playing without center and leading scorer Matt Howard, who sat out with a mild concussion he suffered against Illinois-Chicago on Monday.