College basketball: No. 7 Gonzaga starts with 29-1 run in win over North Alabama

Zach Norvell Jr. scored 20 points and No. 7 Gonzaga started with a 29-1 run against North Alabama in a 96-51 victory on Friday night, the Bulldogs’ 13th straight win at home.

Brandon Clarke had 16 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and three steals for Gonzaga (12-2), which was ranked No. 1 for two weeks earlier this season. Rui Hachimura added 14 points, Josh Perkins scored 13 and Corey Kispert had 10.

Christian Agnew scored 18 for North Alabama (3-11), which is in its first year of Division I basketball and is still seeking its first win over a D-I opponent.

The Zags went ahead 29-1 in the first seven minutes, making nine of their first 12 shots. North Alabama did not make a field goal until nearly eight minutes were gone in the first, when Agnew scored.

No. 10 Virginia Tech 85, Maryland-Eastern Shore 40: Ahmed Hill scored 20 points and Virginia Tech shot nearly 66 percent as it drubbed Maryland-Eastern Shore for the Hokies’ sixth consecutive victory.

Kerry Blackshear Jr. added 15 points and Wabissa Bede scored 14 for the Hokies (11-1), who continued their best start to a season in 100 years.

The Hawks (1-13) were led by Dontae Caldwell with 10 points as they lost their eighth in a row and 30th consecutive game on the road.

The Hokies played without scoring leader Nickeil Alexander-Walker (18.5 points per game) because of a sprained right ankle.

at No. 11 Texas Tech 71, Texas-Rio Grande Valley 46: Jarrett Culver scored 19 points, first-time starter Deshawn Coprew had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Texas Tech pulled away from Texas-Rio Grande Valley in the Red Raiders’ final tuneup before Big 12 Conference play.

Culver and the Red Raiders (11-1) cranked up their signature defense in the second half, turning a close game into a rout with 12 minutes to go as Texas Tech bounced back from its first loss of the season, 69-58 to top-ranked Duke in New York eight days earlier.

Terry Winn led the Vaqueros (8-7) with 17 points.

at No. 18 Marquette 84, Southern 41: Markus Howard scored 23 of his 26 points in a hot-shooting first half, and No. 18 Marquette overpowered Southern.

Howard was 8 for 8 from the field in the opening half, including 5 of 5 from the 3-point arc. The Golden Eagles (11-2) won their eighth straight game, their longest streak since 2015-16.

Sidney Umude had 10 points for Southern (1-12), which was held to 26 percent shooting (14 of 54).

at No. 20 North Carolina State 97, Loyola-Maryland 64: Torin Dorn scored 17 points and North Carolina State wrapped up its nonconference schedule by beating Loyola-Maryland.

Freshman Jericole Hellems matched his season high with 16 points for the Wolfpack (12-1) in the team’s first game with an AP Top 25 ranking in nearly six years. N.C. State shot 63 percent and used a 13-0 run spanning halftime to stretch out the lead. Andrew Kostecka scored 27 points for the Greyhounds (4-9), who closed a five-game road swing with a third straight loss by at least 18 points.

SOUTHLAND

MEN

at Air Force 72, UC Riverside 60: Ryan Swan scored 16 points, Lavelle Scottie added 13 and the Falcons (5-7) cruised to a victory over the Highlanders (5-9).

at Loyola Marymount 77, UC Davis 59: Mattias Markusson scored 22 points to spark the Lions (12-1) to a bounce-back win over the Aggies (3-9) in their final nonconference game.

WOMEN

at UCLA 81, Cal Poly 35: The Bruins took a 31-point lead into the locker room and never looked back in a victory over the Mustangs. UCLA (7-5) held Cal Poly (3-8) to 17.5% shooting.