College Basketball Roundup : Georgetown Has Last Word on Pitt

When Pitt added insult to injury, it was too much for Georgetown to take.

The 11th-ranked Hoyas scored 20 straight points early in the second half and took a 65-52 victory over the No. 8 Panthers in a Big East Conference game Wednesday night at Landover, Md.

After Pitt (21-5 overall, 10-3 in the Big East) went on a 15-2 run to take a 39-27 halftime lead, the Panthers’ Rod Brookin saw Reggie Williams of Georgetown (20-4, 9-4) on the way to the locker room.

“Nice game,” Brookin said, insinuating that it was over.

Williams shared the comment with his teammates in the dressing room, and the Hoyas took the inspiration back onto the court.

“He didn’t know there were 20 minutes left in the game,” Williams said. “It appealed to our manhood.”

After a basket by Demetreus Gore gave the Panthers a 45-33 lead with 17:38 left, the Hoyas took control. Ronnie Highsmith and Mark Tillmon made consecutive baskets, then Perry McDonald scored eight straight points to tie the score, 45-45.

Williams made three straight baskets, and McDonald capped the run with a driving layup.

Pittsburgh scored just seven points in the final 17:38 and 13 in the entire second half. Brookin, who had 14 first-half points, made the Panthers’ initial basket of the second half and did not score again.

Brookin admitted he made the comment.

“After I thought about it, I wished I hadn’t said anything,” he said.

Williams scored 21 points for Georgetown, and McDonald added 19. Jerome Lane had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Pitt.

Iowa 82, Ohio State 80--Kevin Gamble hit a 15-foot jump shot with four seconds left to give the seventh-ranked Hawkeyes a Big Ten victory over the Buckeyes at Columbus, Ohio.

Ohio State (17-9, 8-6) had a chance to take the lead with 15 seconds left, but Jay Burson, an 81% free-throw shooter, missed two free throws. After Gamble’s shot, Burson missed a last-second shot from 25 feet.

Iowa (23-3, 10-3) was unbeaten and ranked No. 1 the last time the teams met, with Ohio State upsetting the Hawkeyes, 80-76, at Iowa City on Jan. 24.

Roy Marble scored 24 points for the Hawkeyes and Dennis Hopson scored 23 points for Ohio State to become the top single-season scorer in school history. Hopson has 753 points, 18 more than Gary Bradds scored in 24 games in 1964.

Oklahoma 108, Colorado 84--Darryl Kennedy scored 22 points, and the No. 13 Sooners used a 21-3 run early in the second half to down the Buffaloes in a Big Eight game at Norman, Okla.

Ricky Grace scored seven points and Kenned added six in the first 5:08 of the second half when Oklahoma (20-5, 8-3) stretched its 37-31 halftime lead to 58-34. The Sooners have won at least 20 games for six straight seasons.

Colorado (6-18, 1-10) attempted only two shots during Oklahoma’s game-breaking surge and turned the ball over 10 times.

TCU 70, Texas 54--Carven Holcombe and Jamie Dixon each scored 18 points as the Horned Frogs clinched the Southwest Conference title by turning back the Longhorns at Austin, Tex.

The victory by TCU (21-4, 12-1) coupled with Baylor’s 63-62 loss to Rice gave the Horned Frogs the title.

TCU led by as much as 24 points with Texas (13-14, 6-8) hampered by injuries to its two leading scorers, Patrick Fairs and Raynard Davis. Each played sparingly, Fairs scoring 10 points and Davis 4.

Tennessee 81, Florida 71--Tony White scored 29 points and the Volunteers upset the No. 18 Gators in a Southeastern Conference game at Knoxville, Tenn.

White, held to nine points in the team’s first meeting in Gainesville, hit three layups to boost Tennessee (12-12, 6-9) into a 61-54 lead with 5:50 left.

Andrew Moten scored 20 points Vernon Maxwell added 19 for Florida (20-7, 12-4).

Alabama 90, Mississippi 69--James Jackson and Michael Ansley scored 15 points each and the 12th-ranked Crimson Tide remained atop the SEC standings by beating the Rebels at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Alabama (20-4, 13-2) has beaten Mississippi (14-10, 7-8) eight straight times.

Charles Prater had 18 points for Ole Miss.

St. John’s 76, Connecticut 55--Mark Jackson scored 19 of his 29 points in the second half and the No. 20 Redmen coasted past the Huskies at New York.

Gerry Besselink had 17 points and 16 rebounds for Connecticut (8-16, 2-11), while Willie Glass added 14 for St. John’s (19-5, 9-5).

Clemson 87, Wake Forest 71--Horace Grant had 33 points and grabbed 20 rebounds as the 10th-ranked Tigers set a school record for victories by downing the Deacons at Clemson, S.C.

The Tigers (24-2, 9-2) exceeded the record for victories established by the 1980 team, which was 23-9.

Rod Watson scored 16 points for Wake Forest (12-12, 1-10).

North Carolina 118, East Tennessee State 65--J.R. Reid scored 18 points and the third-ranked Tar Heels raced past the Buccaneers at Chapel Hill, N.C.

Kenny Smith added 16 points for North Carolina (24-2). Carniel Manuel had 17 points for the Buccaneers (7-19).

DePaul 96, Iona 82--Rod Strickland scored 25 points and Dallas Comegys added 22 as the fourth-ranked Blue Demons defeated the Gaels at New York.

It was the eighth consecutive victory for DePaul (24-1).

Alvin Lott scored 23 points for Iona (13-13) and Richie Simmonds added 21.