No. 2 UConn survives Gonzaga


Associated Press

SEATTLE — A.J. Price scored a season-high 24 points — including the 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime — and Jerome Dyson scored six of his 21 points in the extra period to rally No. 2 Connecticut to a wild, 88-83 victory over eighth-ranked Gonzaga on Saturday.

Dyson and Price rallied the Huskies (10-0) from 11 down with 12 minutes left.

Steven Gray scored a career-high 23 points for the Bulldogs (8-2), who fought through the foul trouble of leading scorer Josh Heytvelt but still lost for the second time in three games.

Gavin Edwards had 14 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and a key steal late in regulation, while Price added a career-best 10 assists for Connecticut, which had only two opponents finish within a dozen points of them this season until Saturday.

No. 1 North Carolina 85, Valparaiso 63

CHICAGO — Tyler Hansbrough scored 25 points to help the Heels overcome a poor start.

Hansbrough, who became North Carolina’s career scoring leader Thursday night in a victory over Evansville, sparked runs at the end of the first half and beginning of the second.

North Carolina (11-0) won by double figures for the 11th straight game, tying a school record also held by the 1992-93 team that won the national championship.

Valparaiso (3-7) was facing the No. 1 team for the fifth straight season and the seventh time in school history. The Crusaders are now 0-7 in those games.

Urule Igbavboa and Michael Rogers led Valparaiso with 16 points each.

No. 19 Michigan State 67, No. 5 Texas 63

HOUSTON — Durrell Summers hit a 3-pointer with 18.6 seconds left, and the Spartans smothered Texas star guard A.J. Abrams to pull the upset at the Toyota Center.

Summers finished with 14 points and Goran Suton had 18 for the Spartans (8-2), who went 8-for-17 from the free-throw line and were outrebounded 37-34.

Gary Johnson scored a career-high 20 for Texas (9-2). Abrams, who averaged 28.5 points over his previous four games, went 3-for-10 from the field and scored eight points.

Minnesota 70, No. 9 Louisville 64

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Al Nolen scored 18 points, 13 from the free throw line, and the Golden Gophers improved on their best start in more than three decades.

Blake Hoffarber came off the bench to score 15 for Minnesota, which hadn’t won its first 10 games since starting 11-0 in 1976-77.

Terrence Williams scored 17 points and Earl Clark 16 for Louisville (7-2), which looked weary after crossing the country to play less than 48 hours after a game in Cincinnati.

The game was a reunion for Louisville’s Rick Pitino and his former Kentucky assistant, Tubby Smith, who succeeded him at the helm in Lexington.

No. 13 Purdue 76, No. 22 Davidson 58

INDIANAPOLIS — Robbie Hummel had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and the Boilermakers rolled to a 21-0 lead before hanging on in the Wooden Tradition.

Davidson star Stephen Curry, who entered the game averaging 31.9 points, scored 13 and made just five of 26 field goal attempts in one of the worst shooting games of his career.

Keaton Grant scored 15 points, JaJuan Johnson scored 14 and E’Twaun Moore scored 11 for the Boilermakers (9-2). It was Purdue’s first win over a ranked team in three tries this season.

Will Archambault scored 13 points and Andrew Lovedale scored 10 for Davidson (8-2).

No. 15 Georgetown 69, Mount St. Mary’s, Md. 58

WASHINGTON — Chris Wright scored 19 points, including seven during a decisive second-half run to help the Hoyas avoid an upset.

The Hoyas shot a season-low 38 percent to beat the pesky Mountaineers, and the game was in doubt until Wright led an 11-1 spurt to take a 47-33 lead with 11:01 left. His off-balance 3-pointer with the shot clock expiring game the Hoyas’ their biggest lead of the game.

DaJuan Summers added 13 points for the Hoyas (8-1).

Kelly Biedler had 16 points for Mount St. Mary’s (3-7), which lost its fifth straight.

No. 16 Tennessee 79, Belmont 77

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Bobby Maze hit a key 3-pointer the Volunteers rallied from a six-point second-half deficit to get by a senior-laden Bruins team that its chances.

Belmont cut a 75-69 deficit to one with 2:10 remaining, but Maze buried a 3-pointer to give the Vols (8-2) a 78-74 cushion. Senior guard Alex Renfroe had a career-high 30 points for the Bruins (4-4), but missed a couple of crucial free throws that would have given Belmont a chance.

Tyler Smith had a season-high 23 points for the Vols, who pushed their home winning streak to 36 straight. Maze finished with 13 points and Wayne Chism a team-high 12 rebounds.

No. 20 Arizona St. 76, BYU 75

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Referees overturned a basket by BYU’s Charles Abouo at the buzzer to preserve the Sun Devils’ come-from-behind victory.

James Harden made the last of his 21 free throw attempts with nine seconds left to give Arizona State (9-1) its first lead of the second half. Harden scored 21 of his 30 points after halftime, and finished 16-of-21 at the line.

Jonathan Tavernari scored 24 for BYU (10-1). Jeff Pendergraph had 22 points and nine rebounds for the victorious Sun Devils.

2008, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.