NEW ORLEANS – Travis Curley scored 23 points Wednesday night to lead the Clark University men’s basketball team to an 82-62 victory over the University of Southern Maine at The Big Easy Challenge.

The Cougars, who led 42-28 at the half, also got 15 points from Mitch Renshaw, 13 from D.J. Bailey and 10 from Tucker Esborn.

Jeremy Jackson paced the Huskies with 17 points. Brandon Tomah added 13.

(1) SYRACUSE 75, SETON HALL 49: Fab Melo had 12 points and 10 blocks, both career highs, and Syracuse (14-0) stifled visiting Seton Hall (11-2) in the Big East opener for both teams.

Syracuse gained control with a staunch defensive performance in the opening half in building a 34-15 lead.

(2) OHIO STATE 87, NORTHWESTERN 54: William Buford had career highs of 28 points and five 3-pointers as Ohio State (13-1) showed off its perimeter against Northwestern (10-3) in the Big Ten opener for both teams at Columbus, Ohio.

Jared Sullinger added 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Buckeyes, who dominated the boards, 49-30.

(3) KENTUCKY 86, LAMAR 64: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 18 points and Kentucky (12-1) beat Lamar (8-5) at Lexington, Ky., in the Wildcats’ final game before facing No. 4 Louisville.

Kentucky opened the game on an 11-2 run and maintained its first-half lead because of its free-throw shooting. The Wildcats were 14 of 17 from the foul line in the first half and finished 27 of 33 overall.

(12) GEORGETOWN 71, (4) LOUISVILLE 68: Markel Starks scored 16 of his career-high 20 points in the second half and Georgetown (11-1) snapped a 20-game home winning streak for Louisville (12-1) in the Big East opener for both teams.

Louisville had been one of the six Division I teams without a loss. The Cardinals held a tenuous lead through most of the first half and early into the second. But Starks hit all four of his 3-point attempts in the second half as Georgetown built an 11-point lead before having to survive a rally to win for the ninth consecutive time.

(6) BAYLOR 54, (15) MISSISSIPPI STATE 52: Pierre Jackson drove for a layup with 28 seconds left as Baylor (13-0) beat Mississippi State (12-2) at Dallas.

The Bears are off to their best start in school history.

(9) CONNECTICUT 60, SOUTH FLORIDA 57: Jeremy Lamb scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half, helping Connecticut (11-1) hold off South Florida (7-7) in a Big East opener at Tampa, Fla.

Lamb led a game-ending surge with a jumper and three free throws in the final 1:46 to help the Huskies close out their sixth consecutive victory.

(16) MICHIGAN STATE 80, (13) INDIANA 65: Keith Appling scored a career-high 25 points and sparked a 20-0 second-half run to help Michigan State (12-2, 1-0 Big Ten) beat Indiana (12-1, 0-1) at East Lansing, Mich.

Appling, who had 18 points in the second half, added seven assists for the Spartans, winners of 12 straight.

MISSOURI STATE 77, (21) CREIGHTON 65: Kyle Weems scored 25 of his career-high 31 points in the second half, Anthony Downing scored a career-high 26 and Missouri State (8-5) opened defense of its Missouri Valley Conference title by beating Creighton (10-2) at Omaha, Neb.

Downing’s 23-footer as the shot clock ran out with 1:11 left gave the Bears a six-point lead.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

(3) NOTRE DAME 92, LONGWOOD 26: Devereaux Peters scored 19 points and Notre Dame (12-1) opened with a 27-0 run, going on to beat Longwood (2-12) at South Bend, Ind.

Skylar Diggins added 11 points and 10 assists, Natalie Novosel also scored 11 points and Fraderica Miller had 10 for the Fighting Irish, who forced 33 turnovers.

(5) MARYLAND 84, LAFAYETTE 36: Brene Moseley scored 12 points and Maryland (12-0) beat Lafayette (4-8) in the first round of the Terrapin Classic at College Park, Md.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE 70, (6) KENTUCKY 58: Icely Elie scored 23 points and Ebony Rowe added 21 and 12 rebounds as Middle Tennessee (9-5) upset Kentucky (11-2) at Murfreesboro, Tenn., in the Wildcats’ final game before diving into the Southeastern Conference schedule.

(7) TENNESSEE 90, OLD DOMINION 37: Glory Johnson had 16 points and 11 rebounds as Tennessee (8-3) cruised past Old Dominion (3-10) at Knoxville, Tenn.

(12) MIAMI 89, HOLY CROSS 49: Riquna Williams scored 18 points to lead Miami (10-2) over Holy Cross (6-6) in the first round of the Miami Holiday Classic at Coral Gables, Fla.

(14) LOUISVILLE 70, TENNESSEE MARTIN 57: Shoni Schimmel scored 16 points to lead Louisville (12-2) past visting Tennessee Martin (6-6).

(17) GEORGIA 83, FURMAN 58: Anne Marie Armstrong scored 19 points and led Georgia (11-2) over Furman (8-4) at Athens, Ga.

(19) DELAWARE 60, EAST CAROLINA 40: Elena Delle Donne scored 22 points and Delaware (10-0) downed East Carolina (6-5) in the first round of the Terrapin Classic at College Park, Md.

(22) TEXAS 89, DELAWARE STATE 35: Ashleigh Fontenette scored 10 of her 14 points in the first half to lead Texas (10-2) past Delaware State (3-11) at Austin, Texas.

FOOTBALL

MILITARY BOWL: An attempt at a 2-point conversion by Air Force (7-6) went awry with 52 seconds remaining as Toledo (9-4) won 42-41 at Washington.