Watts scores 23, No. 8 Michigan State survives Detroit Mercy

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Rocket Watts scored a career-high 23 points and No. 8 Michigan State started out flat against Detroit Mercy but avoided a huge upset, winning 83-76 on Friday night.

The Spartans (4-0) were coming off a road win over No. 6 Duke earlier this week.

The Titans (0-1) led by five points midway through the second half of a closely contested game with 10 lead changes and nine ties. Detroit Mercy’s last win over a Top 10 team on the road was in 1979 at Marquette.

Detroit Mercy was led by Antoine Davis, who scored 24 points on 10-of-26 shooting. Matt Johnson scored a career-high 20 points, Marquell Fraser had 11 points and 12 rebounds and Bud Kuol fouled out with 12 points for the Titans.

Michigan State’s Gabe Brown scored 16 points, Aaron Henry had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Joey Hauser added 10 points.

NO. 9 CREIGHTON 93, KENNESAW STATE 58

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Marcus Zegarowski and Ryan Kalkbrenner scored 14 points apiece to lead Creighton past Kennesaw State.

Creighton coach Greg McDermott went nine deep into his bench in the first half and 13 of his players got minutes in a game in which the Bluejays (3-0) led by as many as 43 points.

Zegarowski, the Big East preseason player of the year, also had four rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Kalkbrenner, a 7-foot freshman reserve, went 7 for 8 from the floor while the Bluejays were on an early 23-4 run. He had six rebounds, blocked two shots and had a steal in his 15 minutes.

Alex Peterson led the Owls (2-2) with 14 points.

NO. 15 VIRGINIA 71, KENT STATE 64, OT

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Sam Hauser scored six of his 18 points in overtime and Virginia outlasted Kent State.

Hauser scored the first five points of the extra period as the Cavaliers kept the Golden Flashes from scoring until the final minute. Jay Huff also finished with 18 points and had 11 rebounds for Virginia (3-1), which was upset by San Francisco in its second game this season.

Mike Nuga scored 20 points, Danny Pippen had 13 and Justyn Hamilton had 12 for Kent State (1-1). Pippen’s third try from 3-point range swished through the net at the buzzer to force overtime.

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