Here is the latest SEC sports news from The Associated Press
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Ja’Kobe Walker scored 15 of his 28 points in the second half to help No. 20 Baylor rally to an 88-82 win over Auburn on Tuesday night at the Sanford Pentagon. Baylor used a 22-10 run over the final 8 minutes of the game to overcome an eight-point deficit. Trailing 72-66 with, the Bears started their spurt on Langston Love’s 3-pointer. With just under three minutes to play, Baylor’s Yves Missi stole an Auburn inbounds pass and drove the length of the floor for a dunk that gave the Bears a 79-77 lead, their first since 24-23 midway through the first. Denver Jones hit a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left to cut Auburn’s deficit to three, but Baylor went 3-for-4 from the line down the stretch to seal the win.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Crosby James scored all 11 of his points in about two minutes midway through the second half to help spark Presbyterian to a 68-62 victory over Vanderbilt in a season opener for both teams. Presbyterian trailed 28-24 at halftime but tied it at 38-all with 11:11 remaining. James then hit the first of three 3-pointers with a layup and the Blue Hose led 49-38 9:03 to play. 聽Vanderbilt used a late 10-5 surge to cut the deficit to 64-59 with 26 seconds left but didn’t get closer. Ezra Manjon scored 19 points to lead Vanderbilt.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jewel Spear and Karoline Striplin each scored 20 points and No. 11 Tennessee opened its season with a 93-64 victory over Florida A&M to spoil a homecoming for new Rattlers head coach Bridgette Gordon. Spear made five 3-pointers and Striplin was 8-of-9 shooting, including three baskets in the final 4:13. Rickea Jackson added 13 points and Kaiya Wynn had 12 for Tennessee. Jillian Hollingshead grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to help the Lady Vols hold a 47-25 advantage on the glass. Spear made a wide open 3-pointer from the corner, off a nice drive and assist from Destinee Wells, just before the halftime buzzer to extend Tennessee’s lead to 47-30 at halftime. Spear was 5 of 9 from 3-point range in the first half and scored 16 points.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Billy Napier insisted he would “get to the bottom” of one of the most egregious sideline screwups in Florida football history. So he talked to everyone involved, dug in on what went wrong and vowed to never let it happen again, right? Not quite. Napier says “I think ultimately we made a mistake there.” That part was indisputable. Two days later, Napier provided little insight and even less clarity about his team’s special teams gaffe in crunch time against Arkansas. It was a costly mistake in a 39-36 loss to the Razorbacks and the latest in a growing list of special teams miscues for the Gators this season.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Dartmouth opened its men’s basketball season with Monday night’s loss at No. 2 Duke. That comes roughly two months after players began an attempt to unionize. Captains Romeo Myrthil and Robert McRae III said the team has kept basketball as its focus with the unionization effort to the side. College conferences and schools have opposed efforts to pursue unionization for college athletes, arguing it would fundamentally change the way college sports operate if athletes are considered employees. Myrthil and McRae spoke after the Duke loss. Previously the team had released a statement to Dartmouth’s student newspaper.