DALLAS, Sporting Alert – All the ranked teams secured wins in their respective games in the college basketball AP Top 25 fixtures on Wednesday.
Leading the way were a pair of Top 10 teams – No. 2 UCLA and No. 4 Baylor – with both programs picking up double-digit wins on the night.
NO. 2 UCLA 102, UC SANTA BARBARA 62
The second-ranked Bruins stayed undefeated this season with a 102-62 victory over UC Santa Barbara.
Talented freshman forward T.J. Leaf collected a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds to go with eight assists, and sophomore guard Aaron Holiday jumped off the bench to poured in 20 points, six assists and four steals for UCLA.
Leaf shot 11 of 17 from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range and also blocked two shots in his 30 minutes on the court.
Bryce Alford scored 15 points and freshman Lonzo Ball added a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with seven assists, as the Bruins extended its winning streak to 11 games to open the season.
Leading scorer Isaac Hamilton finished with 13 points, which all came in the first half, as UCLA led 54-30 at the interval.
Ami Lakoju had 11 points and 12 rebounds, Gabe Vincent finished with 10 points and Jalen Canty collected nine points and seven boards for UC Santa Barbara (1-7), which was losing for the fifth time in a row away from home.
The Bruins, who led 54-30 shot 55 percent from the floor, the Gauchos shot 30 percent and were just 5 for 20 from long-range.
UC Santa Barbara won the rebounding battle 50-46, but was outclassed in the assist column 27-9.
NO. 4 BAYLOR 89, SOUTHERN 59
Fourth-ranked Baylor also stayed unbeaten this season after the Big 12 outfit used a strong first half to secure an 89-59 win over Southern at Ferrell Center in Waco.
Johnathan Motley collected a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Ishmail Wainright added 14 points, six rebounds and five steals for the Bears.
Al Freeman ended with 14 points and Jo Lual-Acuil and King McClure each scored 10 apiece for Baylor (9-0), which shot 57 percent and won six straight at home.
Jared Sam and Shawn Prudhomme scored 24 points apiece and combined to shoot 18 for 27 from the field to lead Southern (4-6).
The Jaguars overall was 23 of 56 from the floor in the defeat.
In another men’s college basketball AP Top 25 score on Wednesday, Nigel Hayes scored 24 points, Ethan Happ added 14 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists and No. 14 Wisconsin beat Green Bay 73-59.
In other scores, No. 19 Arizona topped Grand Canyon 64-54 and No. 20 Saint Mary’s beat Western Kentucky 73-51.
College Basketball AP Top 25 Scores
Wednesday, 14 December 2016
No. 2 UCLA 102, UC SANTA BARBARA 62
No. 4 BAYLOR 89, SOUTHERN U. 59
No. 14 WISCONSIN 73, GREEN BAY 59
No. 19 ARIZONA 64, GRAND CANYON 54
No. 20 SAINT MARY’S 73, WESTERN KENTUCKY 51
