Top 25 roundup: Cooper Flagg, No. 12 Duke down No. 17 Arizona

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Flagg and Duke Dominate Arizona, 69-55

Cooper Flagg showcased his brilliance with 24 points as No. 12 Duke secured its first victory against a power-conference opponent this season, topping No. 17 Arizona 69-55 in Tucson.

Kon Knueppel added 13 points, largely fueled by three 3-pointers, in Duke’s first true road game of the season. The Blue Devils redeemed themselves after last year’s home loss to Arizona. Despite shooting just 8-of-13 from the free-throw line, Duke controlled the pace of the game.

Jaden Bradley led Arizona with 18 points and five steals, while KJ Lewis chipped in 12 points. Former North Carolina transfer Caleb Love struggled, shooting 3-of-13 from the field and managing only eight points.

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Houston Overwhelms Hofstra, 80-44

No. 7 Houston cruised to victory behind a stellar bench performance from Joseph Tugler, who scored 17 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting night. Emanuel Sharp drained all five of his 3-point attempts to finish with 16 points for the Cougars (3-1).

Cruz Davis led Hofstra (4-2) with 18 points, but the Pride struggled to keep pace as Houston controlled the game from start to finish.


Kentucky Stays Unbeaten, Rout Jackson State 108-59

No. 9 Kentucky used an electrifying fast-break offense and strong 3-point shooting to trounce Jackson State at the BBN Invitational in Lexington. Koby Brea led the Wildcats with 22 points as they hit 17 3-pointers and recorded 43 fast-break points.

Kentucky (5-0) scored in triple digits for the third time this season. Marcus Watson Jr. paced the winless Tigers (0-6) with 12 points.


North Carolina Outlasts Hawaii, 87-69

No. 10 North Carolina pulled away in the second half behind RJ Davis‘s 18 points and Elliot Cadeau, who scored 12 of his 17 points in the latter period. The Tar Heels (3-1) unleashed an 11-0 run early in the second half to cement their control over Hawaii (4-1) in Honolulu.

Gytis Nemeiksa led Hawaii with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Tanner Christensen contributed another double-double.


Tennessee’s Lanier Shines in Blowout Win Over Baylor

Chaz Lanier‘s 25 first-half points, including seven 3-pointers, lifted No. 11 Tennessee to a commanding 77-62 victory over No. 13 Baylor in the title game of the Baha Mar Hoops Championship in Nassau.

Tennessee (6-0) built a lead as large as 28 points, shooting 52.2 percent from the floor. Norchad Omier led Baylor (4-2) with 22 points and 10 rebounds.


Nebraska Upsets No. 14 Creighton, 74-63

Juwan Gary and Brice Williams each scored 16 points as Nebraska stunned No. 14 Creighton in Omaha. Nebraska’s defense stifled Creighton star Ryan Kalkbrenner, holding him to just four points on 0-for-1 shooting.

Pop Isaacs scored 25 points to lead Creighton (4-1), but Nebraska’s smothering defense dictated the game.


Wisconsin Stays Hot, Defeats UCF 86-70

No. 19 Wisconsin extended its unbeaten run as John Blackwell led with 17 points and John Tonje added 15 in a comfortable victory over UCF at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia.

Wisconsin (6-0) advances to face Pitt in the final, while UCF (4-1) will play LSU in the consolation game.


Arkansas Survives Late Surge by Little Rock

No. 20 Arkansas leaned on Adou Thiero‘s 23 points and six steals to fend off Little Rock, 79-67. Boogie Fland added 21 points and seven assists for the Razorbacks (4-1).

Mwani Wilkinson led Little Rock (3-3) with 18 points.


Martin’s Career Night Fuels Florida Over Southern Illinois

No. 21 Florida cruised to a 93-68 victory behind Alijah Martin, who drained eight 3-pointers en route to a game-high 32 points. Thomas Haugh chipped in 19 points off the bench for the Gators (6-0).

Southern Illinois (2-3) struggled offensively, with leading scorer Elijah Elliott limited to four points before exiting with an injury.

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St. John’s Dominates Virginia, 80-55

No. 22 St. John’s rebounded from a heartbreaking loss to Baylor with a decisive win over Virginia in the Baha Mar Championship consolation game. RJ Luis Jr. scored nine of his 18 points during a pivotal first-half run.

Deivon Smith nearly recorded a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists for the Red Storm (5-1). Virginia (3-2) struggled offensively, with Elijah Sanders leading with just 12 points.

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