Top 25 roundup: No. 14 North Carolina handles No. 20 Arkansas

(Photo credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

RJ Davis scored 21 of his career-high-tying 30 points in the second half to lead No. 14 North Carolina to an 87-72 win over No. 20 Arkansas in the Battle 4 Atlantis third-place game Friday afternoon at Paradise Island, Bahamas.

Harrison Ingram contributed 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Tar Heels (5-1), who squandered a 12-point first-half lead only to build another one after the break. Seth Trimble added 12 points for the Tar Heels.

Houston transfer Tramon Mark poured in a career-high 34 points for the Razorbacks (4-3) before being wheeled off the floor on a stretcher with 1:12 to play. Mark was driving to the basket and landed hard on his back after passing the ball to the corner.

Mark was later released from the hospital, and the school announced that an MRI found no major damage to his back.

No. 5 UConn 90, Manhattan 60

The Huskies improved their record to 6-0 by beating the Jaspers in Hartford, Conn., and moved closer to making history in the process.

It was the 23rd straight nonconference game UConn has won by double digits. That tied North Carolina's record of consecutive double-digit nonconference wins by a Division I school set in 2008-09. UConn can break the record against New Hampshire on Monday.

UConn's Tristen Newton contributed 15 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in the win. The Huskies received a game-high 18 points from Cam Spencer. Seydou Traore led Manhattan (3-2) with 13 points and eight rebounds.

No. 6 Houston 79, Montana 44

LJ Cryer had more points than the visiting Grizzlies for parts of the game in the Cougars' romp. Cryer finished with 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field with five 3-point baskets.

J'Wan Roberts and Jamal Shead scored 13 points apiece and reserve Emanuel Sharp posted 11 points for Houston (7-0). Shead provided seven assists.

Money Williams notched 15 points off the bench, with six of his points coming on free throws, for Montana (2-3), which shot 32.6 percent from the field and 3-for-17 on treys. The Grizzlies got more points from their reserves (27) than their starters (17).

No. 9 Duke 80, Southern Indiana 62

Kyle Filipowski produced his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and the Blue Devils scored the first 11 points of the second half to overcome the Screaming Eagles in Durham, N.C.

Duke trailed by 10 points at several junctures of the first half and faced a 35-31 hole at the half. Jeremy Roach had 18 points, Tyrese Proctor posted 11 points and Jared McCain had 10 points for the Blue Devils (5-1).

Jeremiah Hernandez racked up 15 points for the Southern Indiana (1-6), which went on an early 12-0 run.

No. 12 Florida Atlantic 96, No. 19 Texas AM 89

Johnell Davis poured in 26 points, Alijah Martin scored 25 and the Owls topped the Aggies in the semifinal round of the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla.

FAU moves on to play Virginia Tech for the championship. Texas AM will play Iowa State in the consolation final. Both games are Sunday.

Jalen Gaffney and Bryan Greenlee added 12 points apiece while Vladislav Goldin and Brandon Weatherspoon finished with 10 apiece to fuel a balanced attack for the Owls (4-1). Wade Taylor IV scored a career-high 35 points for the Aggies (5-1), who trailed by as many as 18 in the second half.

No. 13 Baylor 95, Florida 91

RayJ Dennis scored 22 of his 24 points in the second half to carry the Bears past the Gators to win the NIT Season Tip-Off championship at New York.

Dennis made 10 of 17 shots from the floor and added eight assists with three steals in the game at Brooklyn. Jalen Bridges scored 23 points, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range for Baylor (6-0), which went 14 of 25 (56.0 percent) from long range, well above its 37-percent average entering the game.

The Bears broke a 61-61 tie with back-to-back 3-pointers from Jonathan Tchatchoua Tchamwa and Bridges then held the lead the rest of the way. Riley Kugel led Florida (4-2) with 25 points and nine rebounds, and Zyon Pullin added 17 points.

No. 16 Kentucky 118, Marshall 82

D.J. Wagner scored a season-high 28 points and Antonio Reeves added 23 to lift the Wildcats to a victory over the Thundering Herd in Lexington, Ky.

Tre Mitchell had 18 points for the Wildcats (5-1), who shot a robust 65 percent from the floor (26 of 40) in the first half and 72.7 percent from 3-point range (8 of 11) to seize a 69-41 lead. The 69 points set a Rupp Arena record for a single half.

Marshall's Obinna Anochili-Killen scored 12 of his 22 points in the first half. Nate Martin collected 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Thundering Herd (2-4), who have lost two in a row for the second time this season.

Ohio State 92, No. 17 Alabama 81

The backcourt duo of Roddy Gayle Jr. and Bruce Thornton combined for 52 points as the Buckeyes toppled the Crimson Tide in the first round of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla.

Thornton (29 points) and Gayle (23), both sophomores, each set a career scoring high, and Zed Key added 11 for the Buckeyes (4-1).

Grant Nelson scored 20, Aaron Estrada had 19 and Mark Sears contributed 17 for the Crimson Tide (4-1). The tournament concludes Saturday when Ohio State plays Santa Clara for the title. Alabama will meet Oregon in the consolation game.

Oklahoma 72, No. 23 Southern California 70

Otega Oweh's tip-in just before time expired elevated the Sooners over the Trojans in the championship game of the inaugural Rady Children's Invitational in San Diego.

Oweh was one of four Sooners to score in double figures. His 16 points combined with Javian McCollum's game-high 18 points, John Hugley IV's 14 points and 10 points from Milos Uzan as Oklahoma (6-0) held off a late-game rally.

Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson scored 16 points apiece for USC (4-2). DJ Rodman and Isaiah Collier added 10 points apiece.

No. 25 Mississippi State 74, Nicholls 61

Jimmy Bell Jr. produced 11 points and 10 rebounds and Josh Hubbard scored a team-high 15 as the Bulldogs remained unbeaten with a victory over the Colonels in Starkville, Miss.

Cameron Matthews added 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting for the Bulldogs (6-0), who are 8-0 lifetime against Nicholls (3-4), which came in hoping to earn its second win over an SEC team after beating LSU on Nov. 10.

The last two games between the schools were decided by single digits, including last year's 68-66 contest. The Colonels weren't able to keep this one as close despite a double-double from Jamal West Jr. (17 points, 13 rebounds) and 10 points from Byron Ireland.