MEN'S TOP 25 ROUNDUP Connecticut cruises past Sacred Heart

The Huskies had four players score 20 or more points in the victory.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun stressed defense. He got that, and plenty of offense as well.
Top-ranked UConn combined a dazzling fast break and a strong game from its big three of Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor and Denham Brown on Saturday in a 111-64 rout of Sacred Heart.
Gordon scored 27 points, Okafor had 23 and Brown 20 for Connecticut (3-0), which shot 71 percent in the first half in bolting to a 60-28 lead. It was the Huskies' largest margin of victory since a 50-point win over UNC Asheville last December.
"We obviously have more talent and we're bigger and stronger," said Calhoun, who notched his 650th coaching win. "But I think they also got caught up playing our game.."
Rashad Anderson added 18 points for the Huskies and freshman Marcus Williams had 13 assists, one short of the school record.
Sacred Heart, playing its season opener, was led by guards Omar Wellington and Maurice Bailey with 15 points each.
Gordon, coming off a career-high 37 points three days ago against Nevada, made 10 of 13 shots, including all four of his 3-pointers. Brown hit seven of nine, including four of five 3-pointers. Okafor had 10 rebounds for his third double-double this season.
No. 9 North Carolina 90,Old Dominion 64
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Perennial power North Carolina -- which lost a combined 36 games the last two seasons -- looked like a different team under new coach Roy Williams.
Rashad McCants had 18 points and a career-high eight assists against an Old Dominion team that returned four of its six best players. Sean May, who missed most of last season with a stress fracture in his left foot, was back in form with 17 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
Williams, who left Kansas after 15 seasons to replace Matt Doherty, was greeted with a standing ovation as entered the Smith Center floor. Abdi Lidonde led Old Dominion with 15 points in the opener for both teams.
No. 19 Wake Forest 97, Elon 55
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Eric Williams scored 16 points as Wake Forest overwhelmed Elon.
Jamaal Levy and Justin Gray added 13 points each for the Demon Deacons (2-0), who won their 15th consecutive home opener.
Jackson Atoyebi scored 11 for Elon (0-3), and Carlos Moeira added 10.
Wake Forest was without junior forward Vytas Danelius, who sprained his ankle in practice Friday. His absence allowed the Deacons to play Gray, Taron Downey and Chris Paul, their trio of talented guards, at the same time.
They deferred to the inside game early when Elon clearly couldn't defend Levy and Williams, who combined for Wake Forest's first 11 points.
The guards then got involved, especially Paul, a highly touted freshman.
Although he had just six points and four rebounds, he led the Demon Deacons with five assists. Paul also contributed two blocks and two steals, plus he forced many of Elon's turnovers.
Downey scored eight points and had two assists, and Gray finished with three assists.
No. 23 Marquette 75,Valparaiso 70
MILWAUKEE -- Travis Diener scored 26 points, including a key driving layup with 23 seconds remaining, as Marquette rallied.
Valparaiso (1-1) scored the first 11 points, but missed four free throws in the final 49 seconds.