College Basketball Roundup : Kentucky Rallies to Defeat Vanderbilt, 81-74

Rex Chapman’s accurate shooting late in the game helped second-ranked Kentucky defeat Vanderbilt, 81-74, in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams Thursday night at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.

Chapman scored 13 of Kentucky’s final 16 points as the Wildcats overcame a nine-point deficit in the last eight minutes.

Vanderbilt (7-2) took a 65-56 lead with 8:01 remaining in the game on Barry Booker’s sixth three-point shot of the game. But Kentucky (8-0) then scored 11 straight points. Ed Davender, who had a game-high 24 points, and Chapman, who finished with 21, capped the rally with consecutive steals and baskets to put the Wildcats ahead, 67-65, with 4:26 left.

Rhode Island 94, Manhattan 80--Carlton Owens and Tom Garrick scored 32 and 24 points, respectively, as the Rams rallied past the Jaspers to finish third in the Chaminade tournament at Honolulu.

Manhattan (5-9) led at halftime, 44-43, but Garrick started the second half by scoring five straight, giving the Rams (8-2) their first lead, 48-44, since the opening minutes of the game.

With about 10 minutes left to play, Owens made a jumper to spark an 18-4 spurt that gave the Rams an 83-69 lead.

North Carolina St. 83, Arizona St. 71--The Wolfpack scored 11 straight points, including 9 by center Charles Shackleford, to take a 61-53 lead with eight minutes left and went on to beat the Sun Devils Wednesday night and win the Rainbow tournament at Honolulu.

Shackleford, the tournament MVP, scored 25 points, and guard Chucky Brown added 19 to lead North Carolina St. (6-2). Arizona St. (8-3), which never got closer than six points after the Wolfpack’s rally, was led by guard Arthur Thomas’ 21 points.

Kansas State 81, Utah State 69--Forward Mitch Richardson scored 25 points to lead the Wildcats past the Aggies at Logan, Utah. Kansas State snapped a three-game losing streak and raised its record to 6-3. Utah State is 5-4.