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Florida Uses Bench To Topple No. 2 Michigan State, 77-74

2009-11-28T03:12:29Z

by Mel Evans - AP

1 day ago: Florida's Kenny Boynton, right, takes a shot over Michigan State's Raymar Morgan, left, and Kalin Lucas during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Nov. 27, 2009, in Atlantic City, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

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Celebrate the Spartans win at SB Nation's Michigan State blog, The Only Colors. Celebrate...uh, Tim Tebow at our Florida blog, Alligator Army.

Morgantown, WV (Sports Network) - Tyler Bitancurt made a game-winning 43-yard field goal as time expired, and West Virginia got some revenge against No. 8 Pittsburgh in a 19-16 victory in the Backyard Brawl.

Bitancurt made four field goals, while Noel Devine ran for 134 yards and a score for the Mountaineers (8-3, 4-2 Big East), who in 2007 were ranked second when they were upset by Pitt to see their national title game hopes disappear.

Two years later, West Virginia paid its rival back, as the Panthers (9-2, 5-1) suffered their first Big East loss and are now looking up in the conference standings.

Cincinnati, which topped Illinois earlier Friday to stay undefeated, is 6-0 in the conference and can clinch the title with a win at Pittsburgh on December 5.

Bitancurt's kick came nearly three minutes after Pitt had rallied to tie the contest. The Panthers trailed by 10 shortly into the fourth quarter, but got a 36-yard field goal from Dan Hutchins with 7:37 to play to get within 16-9.

West Virginia had to punt on its next series, and Pitt took over at its own 25 with just over four minutes to play. Quarterback Bill Stull led the Panthers downfield in just three plays, first completing a 15-yard pass to Jonathan Baldwin before finding Mike Shanahan for 10.

Stull then aired out a pass for an open Baldwin for a 50-yard touchdown, as Pittsburgh evened the game.

But with 2:54 on the clock, West Virginia had plenty of time to move into field goal position. The Mountaineers faced a 3rd-and-10 at the Pitt 45 before quarterback Jarrett Brown was stopped a yard short of the first down. But Ryan Clarke picked up the necessary yard on the next play to move the chains, and Devine ran for seven yards to get the ball to the 28-yard line.

Clarke moved it two yards closer before West Virginia called a timeout with three seconds to play, and Bitancurt lined up and booted the ball through the uprights to give the hosts the win.

Brown finished 19-of-31 for 164 yards for West Virginia, with seven of those passes going to Alric Arnett for 71 yards.

Dion Lewis matched Devine's big rushing day for Pitt, going for 155 yards on 26 carries. Stull completed 16-of-30 passes for 179 yards and the TD, and was intercepted twice. Baldwin ended with eight catches for 127 yards.

Hutchins missed a 46-yarder on Pittsburgh's opening drive, and West Virginia missed out on a scoring chance late in the first quarter. The Mountaineers had a 1st-and-goal at the 10-yard line, and after Clarke was thrown for a one-yard loss, Jock Sanders ran for eight on the last play of the frame.

Brown then ran for two yards to make it a 4th-and-goal at the one, but Brown was sacked for a 10-yard loss as Pitt took over.

The Mountaineers failed to convert a 4th-and-9 in Pittsburgh territory later in the quarter, and the Panthers turned the ensuing possession into the first points of the game, as Hutchins kicked a 37-yarder with 3:21 left in the half.

West Virginia then had to punt, but got the ball back after Keith Tandy intercepted Stull in Pittsburgh territory. The Mountaineers took over at the Panthers' 40 and again advanced the ball inside the 10.

A nine-yard rush by Devine made it a 1st-and-goal at the one, but an incomplete pass and false start gave the Mountaineers a 2nd-and-goal from the six with time running down. Brown ran for three yards before Bitancurt kicked a 20-yarder, and the teams went into the break tied.

Bitancurt put WVU ahead with a 43-yarder a little under six minutes into the third quarter, though Pitt responded with a 30-yard kick by Hutchins to make it a 6-6 game.

On the first play from scrimmage on the ensuing drive, Devine ripped off an 88-yard TD as the Mountaineers took a 13-6 lead with 4:34 left.

Hutchins missed a 53-yard attempt on the next Pitt series, and early in the fourth quarter Stull was intercepted by Robert Sands. West Virginia started a drive at its own 39 and reached the Pitt 22 before Bitancurt's 39-yard kick made it a 16-6 game with 10:05 to play.

WVU totaled 369 yards compared to 325 for Pitt...Pitt had won the last two editions of the Backyard Brawl. The Panthers have not won three in a row in the series since winning seven straight from 1976-82. Pitt still holds a 61-38-3 lead in the series...The Mountaineers play at Rutgers on December 5.

- Via Sports Network.

Manny Harris Just Misses Triple-Double As No. 15 Michigan Tops Creighton

2009-11-26T23:38:29Z

by Phelan M. Ebenhack - AP

2 days ago: Michigan's guard Manny Harris (3) celebrates after scoring in front of Creighton's Kenny Lawson Jr. during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game in the Old Spice Classic tournament in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. Michigan won 83-76. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

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For more on Michigan basketball, check out SB Nation's Wolverines blog, Maize and Brew.

(Sports Network) - Manny Harris had 20 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to help 15th-ranked Michigan hold off Creighton in overtime, 83-76, in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic.

Laval Lucas-Perry had 18 points, DeShawn Sims added 16 points and 11 rebounds while Zack Novak donated 14 points for the Wolverines (3-0), who will play Marquette on Friday.

Justin Carter had a game-high 21 points with eight rebounds while Darryl Ashford added 16 points for the Bluejays (2-2).

In the extra session after Creighton got the first basket, Michigan got a bucket from Sims and a three-point play from Harris for a three-point lead with 3:44 left in overtime.

Antoine Young then hit a jumper, but a slam from Harris, a Novak three-pointer followed by Novak hitting one-of-two from the line gave Michigan a seven-point lead with 1:19 to play as the Wolverines cruised to the win.

The game see-sawed in the first several minutes of the second half and Michigan had a 53-50 lead with 13 1/2 minutes to play on a Lucas-Perry three- pointer.

Creighton got consecutive three-balls from Carter and Kaleb Korver to take the lead back and, after Harris put in a layup, P'Allen Stinnett hit a three- pointer and Kenny Lawson Jr. put in a layup for a 61-55 lead with just over eight minutes to play.

With Creighton holding a five-point lead and under three minutes to play, Michigan got two free throws from Lucas-Perry and a three-pointer by Stu Douglass to tie the contest and Harris' layup with under 90 seconds to play gave the team a 67-65 lead.

After Creighton missed a shot, the teams exchanged turnovers and Harris was fouled as he drove the lane with 40.3 seconds to play, but he missed both free throws.

Creighton called timeout on its next touch and a finger roll by Ashford tied the game with 14.8 left. However, Harris was fouled and hit two from the line for a two-point lead with 5.7 left.

Young, though, took the in-bounds pass, drove down the court uncontested and put in a layup with 0.2 seconds left to force overtime.

Michigan took the early lead in the game thanks to a 6-0 run and later in the first half had a 19-8 advantage on a Harris layup with a bit over 11 minutes to play.

However, the Bluejays ripped off an 11-3 run to help cut their deficit to 24-21 as Lawson capped the burst on a layup with just over six minutes to play in the first half.

The Wolverines again built their lead to double digits, but Creighton scored the final seven points of the first half and Ashford's three-pointer at the buzzer made it a 37-34 game at the break.

Michigan has won both meetings against Creighton...The Bluejays committed 18 turnovers in the game, compared to 11 by Michigan...Creighton hit 50.0 percent of its shots and had 37 rebounds while Michigan made 43.5 percent of its shots with 39 rebounds.

No. 7 Duke Set To Meet No. 13 UConn In NIT Final After Edging Arizona State

2009-11-26T15:06:20Z

by Julie Jacobson - AP

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No. 25 Oklahoma Upset In Alaska By San Diego, 76-64

2009-11-26T15:03:11Z

by Michael Dinneen - AP

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Gonzaga Takes Maui Title Back To Mainland With 61-59 Win Over Cincinnati

2009-11-26T15:00:21Z

by Rajah Bose - AP

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Maui, HI (Sports Network) - Robert Sacre had the go-ahead dunk in overtime as Gonzaga edged Cincinnati, 61-59, to win the championship game at the Maui Invitational.

Sacre had a team-leading 14 points for the Bulldogs (5-1), who beat Colorado and then Wisconsin earlier in the tournament. Elias Harris and Steven Gray each posted 13 points for Gonzaga, while Demetri Goodson scored 12. Matt Bouldin had 11 rebounds in the win.

Lance Stephenson scored 15 for the Bearcats (4-1), who topped ranked teams Vanderbilt and Maryland prior to the Wednesday loss. Yancy Gates added 11 points in defeat.

It was a wild end to regulation. Stephenson's layup gave the Bearcats a 55-53 edge with 1:50 left, but he couldn't seal the win. Stephenson missed a three- pointer with under a minute remaining, and Sacre's bucket in the lane wtih 15.6 ticks left tied the game.

Sacre then blocked a possible alley-oop bucket on a pass from Stephenson to Gates. There was contact by Sacre, but no foul was called as the game went into OT tied at 55.

His go-ahead jam came with 2:45 remaining and Harris' one free throw made it a three-point margin with 1:35 to go. Deonta Vaughn missed a three-pointer for the Bearcats with just over a minute remaining, but a Gates dunk with 12.6 to go made it a one-point margin.

Sacre made 1-of-2 at the line with 9.8 seconds left and then the Bulldogs survived when Cashmere Wright's lean-in shot went off the backboard and rim in the closing seconds.

Cincy held a 23-19 halftime lead and gained a 10-point edge in the second half until Gonzaga rallied late.

This marked Gonzaga's third trip to the Maui Invitational. The Bulldogs advanced to the 2005 title game in their last appearance in Maui, falling to Connecticut, 65-63.

-- Via Sports Network

Wall Powers Kentucky To Overtime Win Over Stanford

2009-11-26T06:31:43Z

by Israel Leal - AP

3 days ago: Kentucky 's John Wall shoots during the final of the Cancun Challenge NCAA basketball game against Stanford in Cancun, Mexico, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)

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John Wall ended with a game-high 26 points, including two free throws late in regulation to send the contest into overtime, where No. 5 Kentucky earned a 73-65 victory over Stanford.

No. 13 UConn Cruises To 81-55 Win Over LSU

2009-11-26T03:53:07Z

by Julie Jacobson - AP

3 days ago: Connecticut's Alex Oriakhi reacts after scoring against LSU during the first half of a semifinal college basketball game in the NIT Season Tip-off tournament Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

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Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker each scored 20 points, as 13th-ranked Connecticut had its way with LSU, 81-55, in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament at Madison Square Garden.

Different Night, Same Result: No. 21 Terps Lose In Maui Again, This Time To Wisconsin

2009-11-26T00:01:53Z

by Eugene Tanner - AP

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Texas Guard Varez Ward Suffers Torn Quad; Injury Won't Be Season-Ending

2009-11-25T19:40:08Z

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Texas guard Varez Ward suffered a freak injury during pregame warm-ups before Tuesday night's victory over Pitt, which resulted in the starting sophomore being taken off the court on a stretcher.

Initial reports after the game indicated that Ward would likely be out for the season with a knee injury. However, Fox Sports' Jeff Goodman reports via Twitter that Ward has a torn tendon in his quad, which will require non-season ending surgery. Ward is expected to be out 6-10 weeks.

All things considered, this is good news for Texas, which may get Ward back by February. In the meantime, Texas has plenty of depth to help fill the void with freshman J’Covan Brown, who started in Ward's place Tuesday night, and Dogus Balbay.

No. 3 Texas Cruises Past Revamped Pitt, 78-62

2009-11-25T14:23:13Z

by Charlie Riedel - AP

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Maryland Fails First Test, Falls To Talented Cincinnati

2009-11-25T02:39:33Z

by Eugene Tanner - AP

4 days ago: Cincinnati forward Lance Stephenson (33) puts up a shot while being defended by Maryland forward Jordan Williams (20) and guard Sean Mosley (14) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday Nov. 24, 2009 at the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

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No. 3 Texas, No. 6 Purdue & No. 11 UNC Highlight Monday College Basketball Action

2009-11-24T03:48:27Z

by Brennan Linsley - AP

5 days ago: Purdue's Chris Kramer holds the tournament trophy as he celebrates with teammate E'twuan Moore, right, after narrowly defeating Tennessee to win the Paradise Jam final game in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. Moore, who led scoring with 22 points for the game, was awarded MVP for the tournament. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

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As the Paradise Jam wraps up with a showdown between Purdue and Tennessee, plenty of ranked teams are in action Monday.

Appalachian State at No. 16 Louisville

Game Thread at Card Chronicle

Gardner-Webb at No. 11 North Carolina

Game Thread at Carolina March

Winthrop at No. 22 Clemson

Game Thread at Shakin The Southland

No. 6 Purdue vs. No. 9 Tennessee (Paradise Jam)

Game Thread at Hammer and Rails

Game Thread at Rocky Top Talk

Iowa vs. No. 3 Texas (CBE Classic)

Game Thread at Black Heart Gold Pants

Game Thread at Burnt Orange Nation

No. 21 Maryland vs. Chaminade (Maui Invitational)

Game Thread at Testudo Times

College Basketball Top 25: Syracuse Moves Up 20 Spots; UNC Falls Out Of Top 10

2009-11-23T20:48:14Z

by Julie Jacobson - AP

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The latest AP college basketball rankings are out and Syracuse is this week's big winner. The Orange go from 30th to No. 10 after starting off 4-0, including wins over Cal (which fell out of the rankings this week) and UNC. LeMoyne has quickly become a distant memory.

Speaking of UNC, the Heels dropped from No. 6 to 11 this week after losing to 'Cuse. Although UNC is the highest ranked team with a loss.

Here's how the rest of the top 25 shakes out:

1. Kansas (56) 3-0 1,613

2. Michigan State (7) 2-0 1,538

3. Texas (1) 2-0 1,439

4. Villanova 3-0 1,397

5. Kentucky 3-0 1,333

6. Purdue 1-0 1,314

7. Duke 3-0 1,163

8. West Virginia 1-0 1,133

9. Tennessee 2-0 1,040

10. Syracuse (1) 3-0 1,013

11. North Carolina 4-0 914

12. Butler 2-0 872

13. Connecticut 3-0 850

14. Washington 3-0 844

15. Michigan 1-0 672

16. Louisville 1-0 486

17. Ohio State 2-1 466

18. Georgetown 2-0 418

19. Clemson 2-0 408

20. Illinois 2-0 366

21. Maryland 2-0 296

22. Minnesota 3-0 292

23. Notre Dame 3-0 117

24. Vanderbilt 1-0 108

25. Oklahoma 2-0 107

Caribbean Kings: Recapping Action From Puerto Rico, Paradise Jam Tourneys

2009-11-23T05:20:10Z

by Ricardo Arduengo - AP

Villanova's teammates show their championship trophy after defeating Ole Miss University during the Puerto Rico Tip-off tournament college basketball final game in San Juan, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)

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Seven ranked teams were in action Sunday, including No. 2 Michigan State, No. 5 Villanova, No. 7 Purdue and No. 10 Tennessee.

Seven ranked teams were in action Sunday, including No. 2 Michigan State, No. 5 Villanova, No. 7 Purdue and No. 10 Tennessee. The Coliseo de Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam hosted much of the action on the day.

Izzo Now Tied For All-Time Wins At MSU As Spartans Down Crusaders

2009-11-23T03:10:43Z

by Al Goldis - AP

6 days ago: Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, left, congratulates Korie Lucious who comes out of the game during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Valparaiso, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State won 90-60. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

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Chris Allen scored 22 points and Kalin Lucas added 15, as second-ranked Michigan State gave head coach Tom Izzo a record-tying victory in a 90-60 rout of Valparaiso at the Breslin Center.

87-71, Final: No. 24 Syracuse Throttles No. 4 UNC In Second Half

2009-11-21T00:56:57Z

by Julie Jacobson - AP

8 days ago: Syracuse's Wes Johnson (4) shoots against North Carolina's Ed Davis, left, and Deon Thompson during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Johnson scored 25 points in Syracuse's 87-71 win. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

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Two basketball word plays which you can have for free: if you're an Orange fan, "make a drive" for our Syracuse blog, Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. And if you're a Tar Heels fan, "turn" your browser "over" to Carolina March. I'm terribly sorry.

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Wesley Johnson was 10-of-17 shooting for 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds, as Syracuse continued an impressive start to the season with an 87-71 thumping of sixth-ranked North Carolina in the championship game of the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden.

Arinze Onuaku scored 15 while Andy Rautins had 11 points, seven steals, seven boards and seven assists for Syracuse (4-0), which reached the 2K Sports final with a convincing 95-73 rout of 13th-ranked California on Thursday.

The Orange turned the contest on its head to begin the second half with an incredible 22-1 run that saw a two-point halftime deficit morph into a 19- point lead.

A balanced scoring effort for the Orange also included Kris Joseph's 12 points and 11 from Brandon Triche. The team shot a combined 54.4 percent from the field and nailed 9-of-21 three-point attempts.

Ed Davis posted 16 points and 10 rebounds while Marcus Ginyard notched 15 and eight for the Tar Heels (4-1), who gained a berth in the championship by beating No. 15 Ohio State on Thursday, 77-73.

Deon Thompson checked in with 11 points and seven boards in the loss as UNC shot 38.1 percent from the floor and connected on just 4-of-16 shots from beyond the arc.

- Via Sports Network.

No. 21 Georgia Tech Bounces Back From Loss, Beats Mason, 70-62

2009-11-20T20:55:01Z

by Gregory Smith - AP

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San Juan, PR (Sports Network) - Gani Lawal finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds, while Derrick Favors went for 18 points and seven boards, as 21st- ranked Georgia Tech got by George Mason, 70-62, in the consolation round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.

Iman Shumpert netted 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range for Georgia Tech (2-1), which suffered a 63-59 setback to 18th-ranked Dayton in the tournament's opening round on Thursday. D'Andre Bell and Mfon Udofia each ended with eight points.

Kevin Foster went for a team-high 15 points and nine boards off the bench, while Andre Cornelius added 11 points for George Mason (2-2), which lost by a 69-68 score to Villanova on Thursday.

George Mason led 17-9 just past the midway point of the first half, Udofia sank a layup to spark a 15-0 run. Udofia closed it with a three-point play for a 24-17 edge with 3 1/2 minutes left, and Georgia Tech went into halftime with a 27-19 lead.

The Yellow Jackets then turned up the defense on the Patriots early in the second half, beginning the frame with 16-4 burst. Georgia Tech closed the run with a Shumpert three and a dunk from Favors to make it a 43-23 contest. Favors accounted for six points in the stretch, while Shumpert drained a pair of three-pointers.

George Mason took advantage of some poor Yellow Jackets foul shooting in the closing minutes and was able to get within 66-60 after Luke Hancock's layup with about half a minute to play, but Bell sank a pair of free throws to help ice the Georgia Tech victory.

This was the first-ever meeting between Georgia Tech and George Mason on the hardwood...Hancock ended with eight points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

No. 6 Tar Heels Hold Off No. 16 Buckeyes 77-73, Advance To 2K Sports Finals

2009-11-20T05:34:48Z

by Julie Jacobson - AP

9 days ago: North Carolina's Marcus Ginyard (1) reacts after hitting a three-point shot late in the game against Ohio State during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. North Carolina won 77-73. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

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Deon Thompson led four Tar Heels in double figures with 15 points to go along with 12 rebounds, as sixth-ranked North Carolina built a comfortable edge then held on late to down No. 15 Ohio State 77-73.

The youthful Tar Heels (4-0) now have a date with Syracuse in Friday's championship game.

Will Graves added 14 points, Marcus Ginyard contributed 13 and Larry Drew added 11 points and eight assists for North Carolina, which used its length to disrupt Ohio State's perimeter shooters. The Buckeyes didn't make a three- pointer until Jon Diebler's trey with just under two minutes left in the first half was the first after nine misses.

Evan Turner led all scorers with 23 points and 11 rebounds, but he also committed 10 turnovers. Miscues are still a problem for the new Tar Heel guards, as the winners racked up 19 turnovers.

Diebler supported Turner's effort with 17 points and David Lighty added 11 points and four rebounds for the Buckeyes (2-1).

Graves layup capped a 9-0 stretch to put the Tar Heels in front, 26-11, with just over seven minutes left in the first half. The Buckeyes cut into the deficit and had a shot at drawing within single digits before the half but a missed open look led to an extra Tar Heel possession. Ginyard's rainbow from the left corner found the bottom of the net for a 38-24 halftime edge.

Justin Watts' acrobatic bank shot in the lane gave North Carolina its biggest lead at 53-34 and Thompson's layup moments later again made it a 19-point game at 55-36 with a little more than 10 minutes on the clock.

From there, the Buckeyes slowly cut into the large deficit. Graves' jumper made the score 66-51 with just over four minutes to go, but Turner scored four straight and Lighty followed a Thompson bucket with a trey for a 68-58 game.

William Buford's three-pointer, his only of the game, moments later made the score 71-63. Buford struggled at Madison Square Garden, making just 3-of-16 from the floor for eight points.

Drew missed three straight free throws, as Turner converted a layup and Lighty a trey for a 73-68 game before Drew finally connected on one free throw. Lighty's bucket in the lane with 20 ticks left made the score 74-70, and after Drew made just 1-of-2 foul shots, Diebler drained a straight-on trey for a one-possession game, 75-73 with 11 seconds to go.

When it counted most, Drew calmly sank two free throws to end the proceedings.

North Carolina shot 49.1 percent from the floor and made 7-of-15 from beyond the arc...The Buckeyes made 42.6 percent of their shots and struggled to 6-of-21 from beyond the arc...The Tar Heels hold a 10-2 edge in the all-time series.

Via Sports Network

Orange Crush: Syracuse Dominates No. 13 Cal, 95-73

2009-11-20T03:36:30Z

by Julie Jacobson - AP

9 days ago: Syracuse's Wes Johnson loses control of the ball while driving the baseline against California's Patrick Christopher during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Syracuse won 95-73. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

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Scoop Jardine and Syracuse rolled past Cal in Thursday's Coaches vs. Cancer semis.

New York, NY (Sports Network) - Scoop Jardine scored 22 points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out six assists and added four steals, as Syracuse dominated from the start in an emphatic 95-73 rout of 13th-ranked California in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.

Wesley Johnson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Arinze Onuaku added 12 points for the Orange (3-0), who advanced to Friday's title game against the North Carolina-Ohio State winner.

Jerome Randle kept California (2-1) competitive with 25 points, including five treys, while Jamal Boykin added 14 points and eight rebounds. Patrick Christopher chipped in 12 points.

California jumped out with the game's first five points before Syracuse's active zone and length turned the tables. Rick Jackson's slam capped a 9-0 burst for a 9-5 lead, then Jackson finished off another scoring onslaught of eight successive points with a transition lay-in for a 26-14 advantage.

The Golden Bears slowly worked their way back under double digits, trailing at one time by 14 before drawing within 41-33 on Randle's trey with just over 1:30 to play in the first half.

Syracuse went back up by double figures, 44-33, heading into the locker room.

The Orange came out in the second half with the same formula for success, pushing out to a 56-39 lead behind a Johnson trey and an underhanded layup by Jardine.

Brandon Triche's conventional three-point play capped an 8-0 stretch moments later as Syracuse raced to a 64-41 lead on the Bears. The Orange maintained its comfortable edge with a heavy dose of scoring on the interior as Onuaku's slam made the score 75-54 with just over eight minutes to play.

Syracuse shot 57.1 percent from the floor and made nine three-pointers...The Bears connected on just 40 percent of their shots, and other than Randle, made only 1-of-11 from beyond the arc...California grabbed 15 offensive rebounds...This was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

- Via Sports Network

Cal's Depleted Frontcourt Now Without Theo Robertson Indefinitely With Foot Injury

2009-11-20T03:23:40Z

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Cal forward Theo Robertson could miss weeks thanks to a foot injury.

Mike Montgomery's Golden Bears already went into their trip to the Coaches vs. Cancer semifinals without 6-8 forward Harper Kamp, who's still recovering from a knee injury. Then came the news that 6-5 forward Theo Robertson would also miss the game because of an injury he suffered to his right foot on Tuesday.

Now it appears that California will be without Robertson for more than just the trip to New York. Seth Davis reported via Twitter that the injury was a stress reaction. That means Robertson, who scored an average 18 points in the first two contests of the year, will miss several weeks of the Bears' campaign. Losing that kind of production would be a major blow to Cal, and If Kamp remains out, the Bears' frontcourt depth will be significantly challenged.