Week three of the men's basketball season featured multi-team tournaments across North America. Here's everything you need to know about what happened during an eventful Feast Week.
No. 2 Purdue's win over No. 11 Gonzaga highlights first round of Maui Invitational
Week three started with a bang on Monday with a top-15 matchup in Honolulu in the Maui Invitational. Purdue won the game in comeback fashion, as the Zags led throughout the first half.
The Boilermakers were clearly the better team in the second half, leading to their 73-63 victory . That wasn’t the only big game in the Maui Invitational, though. No. 7 Tennessee battled Syracuse and first-year coach Adrian Autry. The Volunteers won 73-56. They were dominant from start to finish and Dalton Knecht led with 17 points.
Later, No. 1 Kansas defeated Division II opponent Chaminade handily 83-56 with Hunter Dickinson having another sensational performance. In the nightcap, No. 4 Marquette beat UCLA in a thriller, 71-69. The Bruins led by as many as 12 points, but the Golden Eagles battled back and they were great in clutch time, leading to their victory.
No. 5 UConn defeats No. 15 Texas to win the Empire Classic
The Empire Classic finals featured UConn and Texas after their semifinal wins over Indiana and Louisville, respectively.
The Huskies controlled the first half but the Longhorns had a few runs in the second, cutting the UConn lead to only four with five minutes to go. Dillon Mitchell led the way on offense for Texas, scoring 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting. Tyrese Hunter and Max Abmas complemented his efforts as both guards scored in double figures.
UConn's Alex Karaban and Cam Spencer both had great performances, too. The two combined for 36 points and six 3-pointers while leading their team to an 81-71 win in the Empire Classic championship. The Huskies continued their undefeated start to the young season.
The first, second, fourth, and seventh-ranked teams all battle in the Maui Invitational semifinals
Tuesday's Maui Invitational semifinals featured four highly ranked teams. No. 1 Kansas faced No. 4 Marquette and No. 2 Purdue matched up against No. 7 Tennessee.
Tennessee led for most of the first half but Purdue got it together right before halftime. That trend continued in the second half with Purdue taking the lead for the rest of the game. Guard Fletcher Loyer was sensational, scoring 27 and leading his team to a 71-67 win.
After that thriller of a game, Kansas faced Marquette. The Golden Eagles controlled the entire game, not allowing the Jayhawks to mount a comeback, and they won comfortably. Hunter Dickinson didn't have his best performance, which was his first off-night of the season and played a role in the Marquette victory. Oso Ighorado led the Golden Eagles with 21 points and nine rebounds, culminating in the 73-59 win for Marquette. That result set up a Purdue-Marquette final in Maui.
Purdue wins Maui Invitational, Battle 4 Atlantis starts during a packed Wednesday
A matchup between Michigan and Memphis highlighted the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis. It was close throughout but the Tigers pulled out the victory 71-67.
No. 14 North Carolina, Villanova, and No. 20 Arkansas also won to advance to the semifinals.
In the third-place game of the Maui Invitational, Kansas avoided its second loss in a row with a 69-60 win over Tennessee. The main event of the day, though, was Purdue and Marquette battling for the Maui Invitational championship. It was a thrilling game from the tip to the buzzer.
The Boilermakers had a slight lead throughout the game but Marquette never let them pull away. The result was a nail-biter finish. Purdue center Zach Edey was the difference as he scored 28 points, along with 15 rebounds. His clutch rebounds and late points decided the game, as well as the tournament, for Purdue. Edey received tournament MVP honors.
Villanova, No. 3 Arizona, Memphis get big wins on Thanksgiving
On Thanksgiving, Villanova faced North Carolina in a matchup between two schools that met in the all-time great 2016 national championship game. Just like in 2016, Villanova ended up with a slim win. The Wildcats won in overtime 83-81.
In the other Battle 4 Atlantis semifinal, Memphis defeated Arkansas in a back-and-forth game. It was extremely close the entire time but the Tigers pulled ahead and won 84-79.
In Palm Springs, Arizona dominated the first half against No. 21 Michigan State but the Spartans stormed back to take the lead late. The lead did not last long, though, as Michigan State let it slip away, resulting in a win 74-68 for Arizona.
In a shocking result, Colorado State destroyed No. 8 Creighton in the Hall of Fame Classic.
Villanova wins Battle 4 Atlantis
A few great matchups on Black Friday followed a great day of Thanksgiving basketball.
No. 12 Texas A&M faced No. 19 Florida Atlantic in the semifinals of the ESPN Events Invitational.
The Owls took charge offensively and led throughout the game. The Aggies attempted a comeback but it wasn’t enough and the Owls won 96-89. Florida Atlantic then won win the championship of the ESPN Invitational, beating Virginia Tech handily on Sunday.
In the Rady Children’s Invitational, Oklahoma shocked No. 23 USC with a 72-70 victory. Otego Oweh had the game-winning tip-in for the Sooners.
In the Battle 4 Atlantis final between Villanova and Memphis, Villanova had a blistering hot start and did not let up. The Wildcats led by 30 points at one point. Villanova ultimately won 79-63.
In the final big game of the day, No. 13 Baylor faced Florida in the NIT Season Tip-Off championship. This one was tied at the half. It was close during the second half as well. Baylor guard RayJ Dennis and the Bears were great in clutch time. They won 95-91.
Elms' Essentials: Week 12
