College Basketball Roundup : Tulsa Upsets Bradley for MVC Crown

Dick Versace said it was the Tulsa crowd as much as the Tulsa Hurricanes who brought down his Bradley Braves.

Tulsa was in command almost from the outset in upsetting the ninth-ranked Braves, 74-58, and breaking their 22-game winning streak Wednesday night in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament at Tulsa, Okla.

“We had three games in three days and needed the adrenaline boost from the crowd, and of course we didn’t have that,” Versace said after Tulsa earned an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

“It was a combination of how well they played and the crowd. But I am proud to be associated with a team that has tasted defeat only twice this season.”

Bradley (31-2) also is expected to receive a tournament bid. The Braves’ other defeat came against Clemson on Dec. 28.

David Moss had 22 points and 9 rebounds for Tulsa (23-8), and Brian Rahilly also had 22 points. Hawkins had 16 points and 7 rebounds for Bradley.

Indiana 97, Michigan State 79--Steve Alford scored 31 points, and freshman Ricky Calloway added 19 as the No. 16-ranked Hoosiers (21-6, 13-4) turned back the 17th-ranked Spartans at East Lansing, Mich, to take sole possession of first place in the Big Ten.

Scott Skiles scored 33 points for Michigan State (20-7, 11-6) and became the Spartans’ all-time leading scorer with 2,029 points. He pulled even with former leader Greg Kelser (1976-79) with 21 in the first half.

Mississippi 73, Tennessee 56--Joe Ayers and Curtis Richmond scored 18 points each, and the Rebels routed the Volunteers in the qualifying round of the Southeastern Conference tournament at Lexington, Ky.

The Rebels (12-16) moved into tonight’s quarterfinals against third-ranked Kentucky.

Mississippi State 62, Vanderbilt 54--The Bulldogs overcame a 10-point deficit to upend the Commodores and extend Coach Bob Boyd’s final season at Mississippi State.

The victory advanced the Bulldogs (7-21) into a quarterfinal match tonight against Auburn.

Boyd announced during the season that he was resigning at the end of this campaign, his 20th as a coach and his fifth at State.

Seton Hall 76, Connecticut 66--Mark Bryant had 18 points and 11 rebounds as the Pirates beat the Huskies in the first round of the Big East Tournament at New York.

The Pirates (4-17) will meet fifth-ranked St. John’s in tonight’s quarterfinal matchup.