College Basketball Roundup : Michigan Barely Holds On at Purdue, 80-79

Antoine Joubert and Richard Rellford each made a pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds as seventh-ranked Michigan held off Purdue, 80-79, to protect its Big Ten lead Thursday night at West Lafayette, Ind.

The Wolverines (20-2, 8-2) were leading, 59-54, when the Boilermakers (16-7, 5-5) ran off seven straight points for their only lead of the second half.

Purdue’s Todd Mitchell, who scored 21 points, made a free throw following a technical foul to tie the score, 59-59, with 10:45 left and added a pair of free shots 11 seconds later to push the Boilermakers in front.

But Purdue went scoreless until Mitchell’s basket with 5:10 left.

The Wolverines opened a 75-67 lead with 2:31 left, and only their inability to make free throws kept it close at the finish.

Purdue scored six straight points and got within 76-74 on Mark Gadis’ field goal with 34 seconds left before Joubert and Rellford finally connected at the line and sent the Boilermakers to their fourth straight defeat.

Roy Tarpley scored 18 points for Michigan.

Indiana 78, Wisconsin 69--Steve Alford had 16 of his 23 points in the second half and the No. 18 Hoosiers came from behind to beat the Badgers in a Big Ten game at Bloomington, Ind.

The Hoosiers (15-5, 7-3), who defeated the Badgers (10-10, 2-8) for the ninth consecutive time at Assembly Hall, were on the short end of a 34-31 halftime score.

Two free throws by Courtney Witte tied the score, 48-48, and a 20-foot jumper by Alford put the Hoosiers ahead to stay with 12:18 left. Stew Robinson followed with a pair of free throws for Indiana, and minutes later Indiana scored six straight points for a 60-52 lead with 9:34 left.

When Wisconsin pulled within 66-63, Alford hit three jumpers in a 12-4 burst that settled the issue.

Michigan State 84, Illinois 80--Scott Skiles scored 25 points as the Spartans knocked off the Illini in a Big Ten game at Champaign, Ill.

Skiles, held to a pair of free throws in the first 13 minutes of the second half, tied the score, 76-76, on a jumper after Michigan State let a 53-45 halftime lead slip away.

Michigan State (15-5, 6-4) took the lead for good, 80-78, on Vernon Carr’s jumper, and Larry Polec iced the victory with four free throws in the final 16 seconds.

Ken Norman scored 24 for Illinois (14-7, 5-5).

Ohio State 83, Northwestern 60--Brad Sellers had 26 points and 15 rebounds as the Buckeyes overwhelmed the Wildcats in a Big Ten game at Columbus, Ohio.

The Buckeyes (11-9, 5-5) surged to a 30-11 lead in the first 13 1/2 minutes and coasted to a 43-24 halftime lead. Northwestern (7-13, 1-8) couldn’t get closer than 16 points in the second half.

Dennis Hopson added 19 points for Ohio State, while Shon Morris had 16 for Northwestern.

Duke 77, Virginia 65--Johnny Dawkins and David Henderson scored 20 points each the fourth-ranked Blue Devils held off the Cavaliers in the second half of an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Charlottesville, Va.

Dawkins scored 14 points in the first half as the Blue Devils (21-2, 8-2), taking advantage of Virginia’s 7-for-25 shooting, took a 34-20 lead. Duke built its lead to 56-38 on Mark Alarie’s 12-foot baseline jumper with 11:45 to play before Virginia (14-6, 4-4) rallied.

Kevin Morgan scored seven straight points to pull the Cavaliers within 56-45 on his three-point play with 10:29 remaining, and Virginia kept coming until it was 66-61 with three minutes left.

Duke sank nine free throws to seal the victory.

Georgia Tech 87, North Carolina Charlotte 76--Freshman Tom Hammonds scored 24 points and the second-ranked Yellow Jackets overcame the 49ers’ five-point halftime lead at Atlanta.

UNC Charlotte (5-15) held a 42-37 lead before Tech (18-3) opened the second half with nine straight points and took command with a 13-2 spurt that sent North Carolina Charlotte toward its 10th loss straight defeat.

Mark Price added 18 points and Duane Ferrell had 14. Bruce Dalrymple had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Virginia Commonwealth 63, Alabama Birmingham 57--Michael Brown scored 19 points and the Rams came from seven points down to upset the Blazers in a Sun Belt Conference game at Richmond, Va.

The Blazers (20-7, 8-4) held a 31-24 lead when Anthony Gordon scored the first basket of the second half. But the Rams (10-12, 5-5) outscored the Blazers, 23-7, over the next 10:15 to take a 47-38 lead with 7:36 left. Brown scored eight points during the run.

The Blazers cut the lead to 47-43 on a three-point play by Jerome Mincy, who scored 22 points, and a jump shot by James Ponder with 6:56 remaining, and pulled within 57-55 with 59 seconds left. Virginia Commonwealth moved out of trouble on baskets by Nicky Jones and Phil Stinnie.

Louisville 103, Virginia Tech 68--Billy Thompson scored 21 points and Herbert Crook added 19 as the 16th-ranked Cardinals trounced the No. 15 Hokies in a Metro Conference game at Louisville, Ky.

The Cardinals (15-6, 4-2) built leads up to 38 points in winning their fourth straight game.

Virginia Tech (18-5, 4-3) was ahead, 23-22, when the Cardinals took the lead for good with a 14-1 surge and never cooled off, building a 47-30 halftime lead.

Old Dominion 74, Western Kentucky 61--Kenny Gattison had 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Monarchs beat the 19th-ranked Hilltoppers in a Sun Belt Conference game at Norfolk, Va.

Old Dominion (15-5, 8-2) blew the game open early, racing to a 37-23 lead, and the Hilltoppers (18-4, 7-2) got no closer than 11 points in the second half.

Navy 81, George Mason 68--David Robinson had 33 points and 21 rebounds as the Midshipmen beat the Patriots in a Colonial Athletic Assn. at Fairfax, Va.

Kylor Whitaker added 14 points for the Midshipmen (18-4, 9-1). Kenny Sanders and Ricky Wilson had 19 each for George Mason (12-10, 6-4).