No. 17 North Carolina holds off No. 10 Tennessee 100-92 in ACC/SEC Challenge #North #Carolina #holds #Tennessee #ACCSEC #Challenge

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — RJ Davis scored 27 points while No. 17 North Carolina built a huge lead and then held off a second-half push by No. 10 Tennessee for a 100-92 win on Wednesday night in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge.

Armando Bacot added 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Tar Heels (6-1), who dominated the opening 20 minutes to lead by as many as 23 and score 61 points by halftime.

The Volunteers (4-3) flirted with a comeback behind a huge performance from Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht. The 6-foot-6 guard scored 22 of his career-best 37 points after halftime, though he was injured while being fouled on a drive with 1:39 left. He did not return.

Josiah-Jordan James added 20 points for Tennessee, which shot 56% for the game while making 8 of 16 3s after halftime to get back in this one.

Harrison Ingram added 20 points for North Carolina, which made 32 of 38 free throws compared to 13 of 16 for Tennessee.

VIRGINIA 59, NO. 14 TEXAS A&M 47

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Andrew Rohde scored 13 points and Virginia took command with a 17-2 run spanning the halves to beat Texas A&M.

Rohde, a transfer from St. Thomas and the Summit League’s top freshman last year, made three of Virginia’s nine 3-pointers, including one he banked in to beat the shot clock during the surge. All five starters for Virginia (6-1) scored in double figures, with Reece Beekman, Ryan Dunn and Jake Groves all scoring 12.

Henry Coleman III led Texas A&M (6-2) with 16 points and 14 rebounds. The Aggies’ point total was their lowest this season; they arrived averaging 79.3.

ST. JOSEPH’S 78, NO. 18 VILLANOVA 65

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Erik Reynolds II scored 24 points, Xzayvier Brown added 16 to lift Saint Joseph’s over Villanova.

Rasheer Fleming had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Lynn Greer III scored 15 for St. Joe’s (5-2), which advanced to the first-ever Big 5 Classic championship game on Saturday night. The Hawks will play the winner of Wednesday’s contest between La Salle and Temple.

Justin Moore scored 17 and Eric Dixon had 14 for the Wildcats (6-2), who struggled on offense all night. Villanova shot 22 of 56 and committed 17 turnovers.

Villanova was playing for the first time since reentering the Top 25 following its title in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas, with wins over Texas Tech, North Carolina and Memphis in the championship game on Friday.

NO. 22 JAMES MADISON 81, BUFFALO 66

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — TJ Bickerstaff scored 18 points and James Madison remained unbeaten with a victory over Buffalo.

Terrence Edwards added 15 points as the Dukes (7-0) cruised to their second straight blowout victory. Bickerstaff finished with seven rebounds and four assists.

Sy Chatman scored 19 points for Buffalo (1-6).