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Burries scores 28 points as No. 1 Arizona rallies from halftime deficit to beat No. 12 Alabama 96-75

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Brayden Burries scored 28 points, 20 of those coming during a 14-minute second-half flurry, and No. 1 Arizona roared back from its first halftime deficit of the season to beat No. 12 Alabama 96-75.

The Wildcats (9-0) trailed by two points at halftime before seizing command with a 14-1 run, highlighted by Burries making three consecutive baskets. Burries was 5 for 10 from 3-point range, mitigating a quiet night for fellow freshman Koa Peat, who was saddled by foul trouble and scored six points — far off his 15.9 points-per-game average.

Labaron Philon Jr. scored 24 points, including a twisting pullup in the lane that gave Alabama (7-3) a 41-39 lead at the half. That was the final highlight for the Tide, which couldn’t match Arizona’s intensity over the final 20 minutes.

Motiejus Krivas, Arizona’s 7-foot-2 Lithuanian center, finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Point guard Jaden Bradley added 14 points and seven assists, haunting the former Crimson Tide program that he helped earn the top overall seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Arizona (9-0) stretched the lead to 23 on three occasions, beating their fifth ranked opponent of the nonconference schedule following wins over UConn, Florida, Auburn and UCLA.

Badly outrebounded during losses to Purdue and Gonzaga, the Tide struggled again on the boards, where Arizona dominated 52-32. Tobe Awaka’s 15 rebounds padded the margin.

Latrell Wrightsell Jr. scored 21 for Alabama, which shot 12 for 32 from deep but couldn’t approach its 95-point average. Aiden Sherrell blocked eight shots but had little help from the Tide’s frontcourt.

Anthony Dell’Orso added 13 points off the bench for Arizona.

Up next

Alabama hosts South Florida next Wednesday.

Arizona hosts Abilene Christian next Tuesday.

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Hawkeyes are set to play Vanderbilt in a November women’s basketball game in Sioux City, Iowa

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Vanderbilt and Iowa, both ranked in the top 10 late last season, will meet in a women's basketball game early next season in northwest Iowa, the schools announced Tuesday. The neutral-site game is set for Nov. 15 at the Tyson Events Center, which is 290 miles from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Vanderbilt is 4-0 all-time against the Hawkeyes. This will be the teams' first meeting since 1997. The Commodores are expected to return national scoring leader Mikayla Blakes. She averaged 27 points per game and was Southeastern Conference player of the year. Vanderbilt was ranked as high as No. 5 and finished No. 10 with a 29-5 record after reaching the NCAA Sweet 16.
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