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UNDATED (AP) — Baylor, Kansas, Gonzaga and San Diego State are the top seeds in the NCAA's preliminary rankings. The Bears are the No. 1 overall seed in rankings released by the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. The preliminary rankings are based on games through Friday. They are designed to be a sneak peek at the selection process before the official seeds are revealed on Selection Sunday, which is March 15. The Final Four is March 27-29 in Atlanta.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points as No. 15 Kentucky defeated Tennessee 77-64 on Saturday to win for the sixth time in seven games and end its recent history of frustration in this building. The Wildcats (18-5, 8-2 SEC) beat Tennessee in Knoxville for the first time in Rick Barnes’ five-season tenure as the Volunteers’ coach. Tennessee (13-10, 5-5) had won their last four home games with Kentucky. Quickley was one of five Kentucky players in double figures. Santiago Vescovi scored 18 points for Tennessee.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Reggie Perry had 25 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high six assists to lead Mississippi State to an 80-70 win over Vanderbilt. Perry was 7 of 10 from the floor and 8 of 9 at the free throw line. Nick Weatherspoon added a season-high 21 points for the Bulldogs. Saben Lee had 20 points for Vanderbilt and Ejike Obinna had 12.
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Breein Tyree scored 23 points and sparked Mississippi to what proved to be an insurmountable early lead as the Rebels defeated Florida 68-51. Devontae Shuler and KJ Buffen scored 14 points apiece as Ole Miss won consecutive league games for the first time and snapped a two-game winning streak by the Gators. Buffen had a team-high nine rebounds, while Shuler added a game-high five assists. Florida was led by Keyontae Johnson and Kerry Blackshear Jr. with 16 and 11 points, respectively. The Gators trailed 21-8 after nine minutes, 33-27 at halftime and did not cut the margin to single digits in the final 10 minutes.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Kira Lewis Jr. scored a career-high 37 points, including two free throws in overtime to give Alabama a lead that would stand, and the Crimson Tide beat Georgia 105-102 to end a three-game losing streak. Alabama improved to 13-10 overall and 5-5 in the Southeastern Conference. The Crimson Tide rallied after trailing by 12 points early in the second half. Georgia fell to 12-11 overall and 2-8 in the SEC. The Bulldogs have lost six of their last seven games and have lost double-digit leads in their last three losses. Sahvir Wheeler scored a career-high 24 points to lead the Bulldogs. Rayshaun Hammonds had 20 points.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Xavier Pinson scored a career-high 24 points to lead Missouri to an 83-79 overtime victory over Arkansas on Saturday. Pinson, a sophomore guard, went 12 of 13 from the free throw line in a foul-plagued game in which the teams combined to shoot 83 free throws. Javon Pickett scored 14 points and Reed Nikko finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Tigers (11-12, 3-7 Southeastern Conference). Mason Jones and Jimmy Whitt Jr. scored 17 points each for the Razorbacks (16-7, 4-6). Reggie Chaney added 15 points and 11 rebounds.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Jermaine Couisnard scored 19 points and AJ Lawson 18 as South Carolina used a big first-half run to put away Texas A&M 74-54 on Saturday. Couisnard and Lawson combined for six of the Gamecocks' eight 3-pointers to win their fourth straight over the Aggies. South Carolina has won six of its past eight league games after starting SEC play at 0-2. And this time, the Gamecocks did it with a first-half charge where they went from trailing by nine points to up 41-23 at the half. Quenton Jackson had 16 points to lead the Aggies.
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