Kentucky tops Cleveland State in makeshift gym

From combined dispatches

No. 5 KENTUCKY 73, CLEVELAND STATE 49: Once John Wall gained his footing, not even a warped court could slow down Kentucky.

The heralded freshman found his form in the second half and proved too much to handle in the open floor as the Wildcats (5-0) raced past the Vikings (3-2) on Tuesday in the Cancun Challenge in Mexico.

Wall scored a team-high 15 points, including 11 after halftime, as he zipped in and out of the Cleveland State defense. The nation’s top-rated recruit last year repeatedly took charge with the ball, drawing trips to the free throw line or setting up teammates for open looks at the basket.

The game was played in unconventional surroundings, with the main ballroom of the Moon Palace Resort being converted into a makeshift gymnasium.

Chandeliers hung from the low ceiling, two electronic scoreboards were connected to the ceiling by wire cables, and a food buffet sat just a few feet off the end of one baseline. Sections of the hardwood floor had gaps several inches wide and the baseline was a jagged line where the floor did not match up.

No. 8 WEST VIRGINIA 69, THE CITADEL 50: John Flowers came off the bench to score 13 points, and the Mountaineers (2-0) never trailed in a win over the Bulldogs (3-2) in Charleston, W.Va.

Kevin Jones added 11 points and Darrell Bryant and Casey Mitchell had 10 apiece for West Virginia.

Cameron Wells scored 19 points for The Citadel, which played for the fourth time in five days.

No. 10 SYRACUSE 88, CORNELL 73: Freshman guard Brandon Triche scored a season-high 21 points, Andy Rautins added 18 and the Orange (5-0) beat the upstate rival Big Red (2-2) in Syracuse, N.Y.

It was the 32nd straight win in the series for Syracuse, but the Orange didn’t settle it until the second half.

Chris Wroblewski led Cornell with 20 points.

No. 17 OHIO STATE 84, LIPSCOMB 64: David Lighty scored a career-high 22 points, and Evan Turner posted his second triple-double of the season to lead the Buckeyes (4-1) past the Bisons (0-4) in Columbus, Ohio.

Turner, who missed his first five shots, finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. In the season-opening 100-60 win over Alcorn State, he picked up only the second recorded triple-double at Ohio State with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.

Adnan Hodzic scored 18 points for Lipscomb, which was chasing its second straight win over a Big Ten team. The Bisons beat Indiana 74-69 last December.

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