Billet is hero again for Virginia in win over No. 12 Tarheels

Billet is hero again for Virginia in win over No. 12 Tarheels
AP Photos XCLM103-105
By The Associated Press
With Virginia in need of another big 3-pointer, it came as no surprise when Todd Billet took the shot.
And it certainly shocked no one when the ball went in the basket with 13 seconds remaining, giving the Cavaliers a 74-72 victory over No. 12 North Carolina on Tuesday night. It was his third decisive 3-pointer in four games.
"There was no doubt in his mind he was going to shoot it," coach Pete Gillen said. "He didn't even look at the other guy. I don't want to wake up."
Billet beat No. 18 Georgia Tech on Feb. 14 on a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left, then hit another with 16 seconds left at Clemson on Saturday, lifting the Cavaliers to a 58-55 victory.
Gillen's job might have been saved by three victories in four games, but Billet isn't taking credit for that. In fact, he won't even crow about his late-game magnificence.
"I've been fortunate enough to get some great situations where we executed perfectly and I've gotten great looks and fortunately they've been able to go down for me," he said.
This time, Virginia inbounded the ball with 23.8 seconds left, ran time off the clock and then Billet made his move. He came around a screen that got him loose from Raymond Felton and rattled the shot in.
"I just wanted to give it a shot," Billet said.
In other games involving ranked teams, it was: No. 3 Pittsburgh 68, Georgetown 58; Missouri 93, No. 6 Oklahoma State 92 in two overtimes; No. 8 Connecticut 71, St. John's 53; No. 13 Providence 73, Notre Dame 59; No. 16 Southern Illinois 68, Creighton 60; No. 19 Memphis 74, Southern Mississippi 56, and Nebraska 72, No. 25 Texas Tech 44.
The Cavaliers (15-10, 5-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) led briefly only twice in the second half before Billet's heroics, and even North Carolina coach Roy Williams admitted some appreciation for the drama.
"It's a thrilling time in his life, something he's going to remember forever," Williams said. "As a coach, you have to admire a player like that."
Devin Smith scored 12 of his 20 points in the second half for Virginia, and J.R. Reynolds scored 14. Billet finished with 12 on 3-for-8 shooting.
Sean May led North Carolina with 20 points, and Felton had 16.
No. 3 Pittsburgh 68, Georgetown 58
In Washington, Carl Krauser scored 19 of his career-high 26 points in the second half, and Pittsburgh overcame 23 turnovers and a 10-point second-half deficit.
Pittsburgh (25-2, 11-2 Big East) got its Division I-leading 25th win, even though the Panthers scored a season-low 20 points in the first half and trailed at one point by 13, matching their biggest deficit of the season.
Gerald Riley scored 25 points to lead Georgetown (13-11, 4-9).
Missouri 93, No. 6 Oklahoma St. 92, 2 OT
In Columbia, Mo., Missouri surrendered a nine-point lead in the final 3:08 of regulation, but won on Arthur Johnson's free throws with 30.3 seconds left.
A last-second jumper by Oklahoma State's John Lucas bounced off the rim, giving the Tigers (14-10, 8-5 Big 12) their fifth straight win. The loss ended an 11-game winning streak for Oklahoma State (21-3, 11-2) and dropped the Cowboys into a first-place Big 12 tie with Texas.
Rickey Paulding had 30 points, and Johnson 29 for Missouri. Lucas had 30 points, and Tony Allen 24 for the Cowboys.
No. 8 Connecticut 71, St. John's 53
In New York, Emeka Okafor had 22 points and 18 rebounds, and Rashard Anderson had 11 of his 17 points as Connecticut (22-5, 10-3 Big East) opened the second half with 17-4 run to go up 50-20 with 14:53 to play.
Daryll Hill had 21 points for St. John's (6-18, 1-12), which had five scholarship players -- nine total -- available. Five players were punished for their participation in a curfew-breaking visit to a Pittsburgh-area strip club.
No. 13 Providence 73, Notre Dame 59
In South Bend, Ind., Ryan Gomes scored 23 of his 25 points in the second half, and Rob Sanders added 17 points for Providence.
The Friars (19-5, 10-3 Big East) limited Notre Dame to 32-percent shooting, and used a 14-2 run early in the second half to take control.
Chris Thomas led Notre Dame (13-11, 7-7) with 23 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
No. 16 Southern Illinois 68, Creighton 60
In Carbondale, Ill., Darren Brooks had 14 points to lead Southern Illinois to its 15th straight victory.
Southern Illinois (23-2, 16-0 Missouri Valley) has already won its third straight conference title. The Salukis are two wins away from finishing with a perfect record in the league for the first time.
Nate Funk led Creighton (19-6, 11-5) with 15 points.
No. 19 Memphis 74, Southern Mississippi 56
In Memphis, Tenn., Sean Banks scored 22 points and Memphis got its 11th straight victory. Rodney Carney scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half for the Tigers (20-4, 11-2 Conference USA).
Jasper Johnson and Charles Gaines had 14 points each for Southern Mississippi (12-12, 5-8), which lost for the fourth time in five games.
Nebraska 72, No. 25 Texas Tech 44
In Lincoln, Neb., Nate Johnson had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Nebraska handed Texas Tech its worst loss in nearly two years.
The Cornhuskers (15-9, 5-8 Big 12) gave the Red Raiders (19-8, 7-6) their fifth straight loss on the road and their worst defeat since Kansas rolled over them 90-50 in the 2002 conference tournament.