Here is the latest SEC sports news from The Associated Press
By AP
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing for their game against No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday. The veteran coach was responding to a question about Penn State’s backup quarterback situation after Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri before the playoff. Pribula’s decision highlighted some of the frustrating aspects of a new college football world in the Name, Image and Likeness era and the transfer portal, forcing players to make tough decisions at inopportune times.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Alijah Martin scored 18 points, Will Richard added 17 and No. 6 Florida remained unbeaten with an 85-45 victory over Stetson. Fellow guard Walter Clayton Jr. chipped in 12 points and seven assists as the 13-0 Gators extended their home winning streak to 15 and ended nonconference play without a blemish. Florida opened up a double-digit lead early and really started to pull away midway through the second half with an array of dunks and fast-break baskets. The Gators finished with 52 points in the paint and 34 on the break.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Cam Carter hit five 3-pointers and finished with 23 points, Vyctorius Miller added 20 points and LSU never trailed in a 110-45 win over Mississippi Valley State, the Tigers’ 21st consecutive victory when scoring at least 100 points. LSU’s 65-point margin of victory was its largest since the Tigers beat Grambling by 75 (112-37) on Nov. 20, 1999. The 110 points were the most by LSU since a 119-108 win over North Florida on Dec. 12, 2015. Mississippi Valley State (2-11) is averaging 46.2 points and is winless with a scoring margin of minus-44.2 in 11 games against Division-I opponents this season. Carter scored 11 points as LSU took an 18-6 lead with 14:09 left in the first half and led by double figures the rest of the way.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Junior Kyla Oldacre matched her career best with 21 points on near perfect shooting, and No. 5 Texas routed Texas Rio Grande Valley 94-35 on Sunday. Oldacre, a 6-foot-6 backup center, converted all six of her field goal attempts and 9 of 10 free throws. She also had seven rebounds and three of the Longhorns’ 21 steals. Madison Booker had 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals for Texas. Starting center Taylor Jones had 11 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Kade Hackerott led Texas Rio Grande Valley with seven points.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Tyrin Lawrence scored 13 of his 14 points in the second half as Georgia rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat South Carolina State 79-72 and run its win streak to seven in a nonconference finale for both teams. Lawrence had only a free throw to show for his efforts in the first half for Georgia’s Bulldogs (12-1), who improved to 9-0 at home. But he made 4 of 6 shots with a 3-pointer and all four of his foul shots after Georgia trailed 41-24 at intermission. RJ Godfrey also scored 14 for Georgia and he added six rebounds. Jayden Johnson topped South Carolina State’s Bulldogs (6-9) with 16 points.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Sara Puckett had 17 points and Ruby Whitehorn scored 16 as No. 15 Tennessee walloped Winthrop 112-50, earning the Lady Volunteers the seventh 12-0 start to a season in program history. Puckett made 6 of 10 shots with a 3-pointer and all four of her free throws, adding eight rebounds for Tennessee, which is unbeaten through 12 games in its first season under head coach Kim Caldwell — and for just the second time in the past 19 seasons. Whitehorn made 7 of 13 from the floor and both of her foul shots. Amourie Porter made all eight of her free throws and scored 14 to lead the Eagles (6-7), who fell to 1-5 on the road.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Raegan Beers had 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks to help No. 9 Oklahoma beat New Mexico State 82-64 on Sunday. Sahara Williams added 18 points and Payton Verhulst scored 15 as the Sooners won their 16th straight home game to close out their non-conference slate. It was Beers’ sixth double-double this season. Oklahoma (12-1) trailed by one at the end of the first quarter, but despite cold shooting, managed to go on a 6-1 run at the end of the first half to lead 31-26 at intermission. The Aggies (7-6) quickly wiped out that lead by starting the third quarter on a 7-0 run. The game went back and forth until the Sooners closed out the third with 10 straight points to go into the final quarter up 57-46.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Aaliyah Nye scored a career-high 30 points and matched her career-high with eight 3-pointers as No. 20 Alabama routed Jacksonville 93-46. Eris Lester added 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks off the bench for Alabama. Zaay Green scored 13 points and Sarah Ashlee Barker 12. Karly Weathers added four rebounds, five assists and four steals. Barker scored 10 points in the third quarter and a 12-0 run helped the Crimson Tide extend their 23-point halftime lead to 69-29 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining. Alabama led 76-40 at the end of the third then held the Dolphins to six points in the fourth quarter.
