Senior Anfernee McLemore tied a career high with 19 points, including a big 3-pointer before fouling out in the first overtime, and guard Samir Doughty scored all 17 of his points after halftime as No. 17 Auburn survived Mississippi's upset bid for an 83-82 victory in two overtimes Tuesday night in Oxford, Miss.
The Tigers (18-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) trailed the Rebels (10-10, 1-6) by double digits for much of the night. Auburn was down by 17 points at halftime, faced a 19-point deficit early in the second half and trailed by 10 in the last six minutes.
They also were down 82-78 in the second overtime before going on a 5-0 run, capped by Isaac Okoro's driving bank shot and ensuing free with 1:41 remaining that ended the scoring.
Junior Devontae Shuler scored a career-high 26 points, and Blake Hinson added 16 for the Rebels, who were without Breein Tyree, the SEC's leading scorer at 18.9 points per game, for the extra periods. He fouled out with 5:15 left in regulation after scoring just eight points.
Virginia 61, No. 5 Florida State 56
Mamadi Diakite scored 19 points, hitting all three of his 3-point attempts, and added nine rebounds as the Cavaliers scored the last eight points to snap the Seminoles' 10-game winning streak in their Atlantic Coast Conference matchup in Charlottesville, Va.
Kihei Clark added 15 points and Braxton Key scored 13 for the Cavaliers (14-6, 6-4 ACC), who earned their second win against a top-10 team this season. The defending national champs defeated then No. 7 North Carolina on Dec. 8.
Devin Vassell scored 17 points to lead the Seminoles (17-3, 7-2), who lost for the first time since Dec. 3 at Indiana. Florida State missed its chance to tie No. 6 Louisville for most wins in the ACC. First-place Louisville is 8-1 while Florida State and Duke are 7-2.
No. 8 Villanova 79, St. John's 59
Saddiq Bey scored 23 points and Collin Gillespie added 17 as the Wildcats overcame a sluggish start to defeat the Red Storm in Big East action at New York City.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl had 13 points and 14 rebounds while Gillespie added 13 rebounds and six assists. Justin Moore and Cole Swider scored 11 points each as the Wildcats (17-3, 7-1 Big East) earned their seventh consecutive victory and remained one game behind conference-leading Seton Hall in the loss column.
Rasheem Dunn scored 24 points, and LJ Figueroa added 12 as St. John's (13-9, 2-7) lost for the fourth time in the past five games. The Red Storm's only conference victories have come against DePaul.
No. 9 Duke 79, Pittsburgh 67
Vernon Carey Jr. poured in 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Blue Devils withstood a second-half rally from the Panthers in Durham, N.C.
Tre Jones added 14 points and eight assists, Jordan Goldwire had 13 points, and Cassius Stanley provided 11 points for Duke (17-3, 7-2 ACC), which hadn't played in a week. Au'Diese Toney scored a career-high 27 points to pace Pittsburgh (13-8, 4-6).
The contest marked the return of former Duke player and former assistant coach Jeff Capel, the second-year Pittsburgh coach who brought the Panthers to Cameron Indoor Stadium for the first time. Capel was assessed a first-half technical foul, leading to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski scolding the home fans at halftime after they had chanted Capel's name late in the opening half.
No. 16 Butler 69, Georgetown 64
Sean McDermott's seventh 3-pointer of the game with 49 seconds left snapped a tie and lifted the Bulldogs to a Big East Conference win over the Hoyas in Washington.
Kamar Baldwin added two free throws with 32 seconds remaining as the Bulldogs (17-4, 5-3 Big East) overcame a 43-29 deficit late in the first half to win their second consecutive game. McDermott finished with a game-high 25 points on 9-for-12 shooting while Baldwin scored 13 and dished out six assists.
Omer Yurtseven scored 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Hoyas (12-9, 2-6), and Mac McClung added 12 points but made only 4 of 16 shots. Jagan Mosely chipped in 11, and Qudus Wahab hit for 10 points.
No. 25 Rutgers 70, Purdue 63
Caleb McConnell scored 16 points and sank six free throws in the final 1:49 as the Scarlet Knights held on to beat the Boilermakers in Piscataway, N.J.
Rutgers improved to 15-0 at home in front of its fifth straight sellout crowd, also beating Purdue for the first time since 1975 and improving to 2-12 in the all-time series by surviving a fierce comeback attempt.
Jahaad Proctor led Purdue (11-10, 4-6) with 19 points. Trevion Williams (NYSE:WMB) added 17 for the Boilermakers.
--Field Level Media