College basketball: Roy Williams gets 800th coaching victory in UNC’s rout of Syracuse

Hall of Fame Coach Roy Williams earned his 800th career victory when Isaiah Hicks scored 20 points to lead No. 9 North Carolina to an 85-68 victory over Syracuse on Monday night in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The win made Williams just the ninth Division I coach to reach 800 wins.

Kennedy Meeks added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels (17-3, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who shot 52% and dominated the boards. UNC never trailed after the game’s opening possession, led 42-30 at halftime and then stayed a step ahead of the hot-shooting Orange after the break.

Syracuse (11-8, 3-3) got as close as three early in the second half, but never pushed ahead. The Tar Heels ultimately ran off a 7-0 flurry in the final five minutes to stretch the lead back out to 15. Tyler Lydon scored 26 points for the Orange.

at No. 1 Villanova 76, Seton Hall 46: Kris Jenkins scored 16 points and Jalen Brunson added 13 for the Wildcats, who looked every bit like a team that could win back-to-back national championships in their return to the top ranking after a one-week hiatus.

Villanova (18-1, 6-1 Big East) fell from the top spot to third in the poll following a Jan. 4 loss at Butler. But wins over Marquette and Xavier vaulted the Wildcats over the Kansas Jayhawks and back into the top spot.

Led by four three-pointerss from Jenkins, the Wildcats set a school record 47 straight wins at the Pavilion. Under Coach Jay Wright, Villanova has been nearly unbeatable at home for most of the last 10 years. Seton Hall (12-6, 2-4) was just the latest to go down in front of the 177th straight sellout crowd.

No. 2 Kansas 76, at Iowa State 72: Frank Mason III had 16 points, Landen Lucas scored 14 and for the Jayhawks, who snapped a two-game skid in Ames with their 17th consecutive win of the season.

Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 for Kansas (17-1, 6-0 Big 12), which never had a comfortable lead. Iowa State star Monte Morris drilled a long three-pointer and made two free throws to the the Cyclones’ deficit to 75-72 with 14.6 seconds left. But then Devonte Graham’s free throw made it a two-possession game and Morris missed a three-pointer that would’ve made for an interesting finish.

Morris finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Iowa State (11-6, 3-3).

No. 7 Creighton 72, at No. 22 Xavier 67: Cole Huff got a pivotal rebound and made a pair of free throws with 16.7 seconds left to help the Bluejays earn their best start in their history. Creighton (18-1, 5-1 Big East) scored the final six points after Xavier (13-5, 3-3) pulled ahead 67-66.

The Bluejays, who have won five straight since an 80-70 home loss to No. 1 Villanova on Dec. 31, suffered a significant setback when point guard Maurice Watson Jr. — the national leader with 8.8 assists a game — hurt his left knee when he hit the court hard after scoring on a layup in the first half. He was on crutches for the second half. Watson will get an MRI when the team goes home.

RaShid Gaston had a career-high 17 rebounds for Xavier, and Trevon Bluiett scored 17 points.

at No. 13 Butler 88, Marquette 80

Kelan Martin scored 22 points and Butler rallied from an 18-point deficit early in the second half.

The Bulldogs (16-3, 5-2 Big East) put up 63 points after the break without a single turnover. Markus Howard had 26 points for Marquette (12-6, 3-3).

SOUTHLAND

Tuesday’s schedule

Men

UC Irvine at Cal Poly, 7 p.m.

UC Riverside at Cal State Fullerton, 7 p.m.

Cal State Northridge at Hawaii, 10 p.m.

Women

No. 13 UCLA at USC, 8 p.m.