College Basketball Roundup : Maryland Ousts North Carolina in ACC, 85-75

Jeff Baxter scored 21 points, and Len Bias had 20 as unranked Maryland beat fourth-ranked North Carolina, 85-75, Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament at Greensboro, N.C.

The Tar Heels (26-5), who have lost four of their last five games, hadn’t been knocked out of the first round of the ACC tournament since losing to Wake Forest, 54-52, in overtime in 1983.

The Terrapins (18-13) will face Georgia Tech in today’s semifinals. Duke and Virginia will meet in the other semifinal.

Maryland, trailing 34-28, got an 18-3 jump on the Tar Heels to start the second half, hitting eight of their first nine shots, then held off North Carolina by making 12 of 14 free throws in the last 2:39.

Georgia Tech 79, Clemson 61--Guard Mark Price and Duane Ferrell each scored 20 points as the No. 6-ranked Yellow Jackets (24-5) beat Clemson (17-14) in a game marred by two altercations. One started when Price fell after getting tangled up with Clemson’s Grayson Marshall, then threw the ball at him.

Duke 68, Wake Forest 60--No. 1-ranked Duke had a tougher time than expected. Wake Forest (8-21) was 0-14 in regular ACC play.

Duke (30-2) was led by Mark Alarie, who scored 22 points and sparked a second-half rally.

Virginia 64, No. Carolina St. 62--Virginia’s John Johnson hit a driving layup with 1:19 remaining for the winning basket. Virginia (19-9) had to hang on as the Wolfpack (18-12) rushed back from a 58-51 deficit and missed an opportunity to send the game into overtime when a corner jumper by Bennie Bolton bounced off the back of the rim as time ran out.

OTHER TOURNAMENTS BIG EAST

Syracuse 75, Georgetown 73 (OT)--Rafael Addison made seven of eight free throws in overtime to lead No. 8-ranked Syracuse (25-4) over No. 14 Georgetown (23-7) in the semifinals at New York. The Orangemen will play fifth-ranked St. John’s in today’s final.

Regulation ended at 65-65 after Georgetown’s David Wingate hit a jumper with nine seconds left.

St. John’s 75, Villanova 64--Fifth-ranked St. John’s (29-4) was led by Walter Berry, who scored 29 points and had 14 rebounds against Villanova (22-13).

SEC

Kentucky 61, LSU 58--James Blackmon ignited a rally in the final four minutes with two baskets and a steal to set up the go-ahead score as third-ranked Kentucky (28-3) got past Louisiana State (22-11) and into today’s Southeastern Conference title game against Alabama.

Alabama 77, Mississippi St. 65--Buck Johnson scored 29 points to lead Alabama in what was Mississippi State Coach Bob Boyd’s final game of a 20-year coaching career. Boyd, former USC coach, announced his retirement in January.

BIG EIGHT

Kansas 74, Kansas State 51--Greg Dreiling scored 19 points to lead No. 2-ranked Kansas (29-3) past the Wildcats in a quarterfinal game at Kansas City. This was probably the last game for Kansas State Coach Jack Hartman, 60, who is retiring. The Wildcats (16-14) are through unless they get an NIT bid.

Oklahoma 78, Missouri 75--The Sooners, ranked No. 15, survived a scare from unranked Missouri (21-13). Oklahoma (25-7) was trailing, 75-74, when Tim McCalister’s steal set up David Johnson’s layup. Linwood Davis then clinched the Sooner victory as he stole the inbounds pass with six seconds to play. McCalister was fouled and converted two free throws for the final margin.

Other first-round winners were Nebraska, which beat Oklahoma State, 82-75, and Iowa State, which topped Colorado, 78-60.

METRO

Memphis St. 100, So. Carolina 59--No. 10 Memphis State (26-4) got 18 points from Vincent Askew, and Andre Turner had 14 points and 15 assists as the Tigers beat South Carolina (12-16) in the quarterfinals at Louisville.

Florida St. 77, Virginia Tech 76--PeeWee Barber banked in a 25-foot shot at the buzzer to give Florida State (12-16) an upset victory over Virginia Tech (22-8). The Seminoles will face Memphis State in today’s semifinals. Barber led Florida State with 22 points, 16 in the second half.

Florida State will face Memphis State in one semifinal today, while Cincinnati, a 75-74 winner over Southern Mississippi, will meet Louisville, which had a bye.

WAC

Texas El Paso 78, San Diego St. 76--Quintain Gates scored 22 points, and Hernell Jackson came through with some clutch free throws as UTEP held off the Aztecs in a semifinal game.