COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Opportunity Knocks, but LSU Fails to Answer in Loss to Georgia

No. 16 Louisiana State missed the front end of 10 consecutive one-and-one free-throw opportunities, and Georgia made the free throws it needed to beat the Tigers, 94-92, in overtime Wednesday in a Southeastern Conference game at Baton Rouge, La.

Although LSU’s Chris Jackson scored 45 points, he couldn’t offset the Tigers’ (12-4, 4-3 in conference play) poor free-throw shooting in the last seven minutes of regulation and first three minutes of overtime.

“We knew that free-throw shooting was our Achilles’ heel,” LSU Coach Dale Brown said. “And last year, we were the best free-throw shooting team in the league and No. 4 in the nation.

“Maybe they should get their tails out there a little early and practice shooting free throws.”

Jackson missed a 48-foot shot at the end of regulation and two three-point attempts with 20 seconds left in overtime.

Georgia (11-5, 4-3) sent the game into overtime tied at 79-79 when Rod Cole made three free throws with four seconds left. Cole was fouled on a three-point attempt that missed and, under Southeastern Conference rules, was awarded three free throws.

The Bulldogs got 27 points from Alec Kessler.

No. 8 Duke 85, North Carolina State 82--Phil Henderson scored 25 points and the victorious Blue Devils made their first three shots in overtime in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Durham, N.C.

Christian Laettner of Duke (15-3, 5-1), scored on a tip-in with 17 seconds left in regulation to tie it, 74-74. N.C. State (13-5, 2-3), which rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half, never led in overtime. The Wolfpack was led by Rodney Monroe, who hit only six of 26 attempts but scored 19 points.

No. 9 Oklahoma 107, Iowa State 96--Damon Patterson and Skeeter Henry sparked a late 10-3 run at Norman, Okla., that helped the Sooners (13-2, 2-1) win a Big Eight Conference game over the Cyclones (6-9, 1-2).

Michigan State 75, No. 12 Indiana 57--Kirk Manns scored 25 points and the Spartans became the winningest visiting team at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.

Michigan State won for the sixth time at Assembly Hall, where Indiana is 229-31 overall and 134-25 in Big Ten play.

The Spartans (15-3, 4-1) used a 29-11 spurt in the first half to take a 35-27 lead at halftime. Indiana is 13-3, 3-3.

No. 15 St. John’s 83, Providence 75--Boo Harvey hit 10 of 12 free throws in the final five minutes to help the Redmen hold off the Friars in the Big East at Providence, R.I.

St. John’s (17-3, 6-1) broke a first-place tie with Georgetown in the conference. Providence is 11-5, 4-3.

No. 20 Connecticut 99, Central Connecticut 77--The Huskies’ Chris Smith scored 19 points, including five three-point shots, at Storrs, Conn.

Connecticut is 16-3; Central Connecticut is 3-13.

Notre Dame 88, Wichita State 78--LaPhonso Ellis’ 15 points led six Irish players in double figures at South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame is 9-6; Wichita State is 5-12.

Auburn 74, Kentucky 70--Derrick Dennison scored 27 points, including two on free throws after a steal with 13 seconds remaining, as the Tigers rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit for a Southeastern Conference victory at Auburn, Ala.

Auburn (6-11, 3-4) tied the score, 70-70, on two free throws by Chris Brandt with 26 seconds to play. Kentucky (8-9, 4-4) set up for a potential game-winning shot, but Dennison stole a pass, was fouled and made both shots.

Vanderbilt 71, Florida 64--Morgan Wheat’s three-point basket with 2:42 left broke open a tight contest as the Commodores (11-5, 4-3) won a Southeastern Conference game at Gainesville, Fla.

The Gators (6-8, 2-5), playing without suspended 7-foot-2 center Dwayne Schintzius, lost their third consecutive game.

Schintzius got the haircut that Coach Don DeVoe had demanded as a condition of his return to the team, but DeVoe has not announced whether Schintzius has been reinstated.

Houston 64, Southern Methodist 47--Houston’s Byron Smith scored 19 points and Carl Herrera had 19 rebounds and blocked six shots as the Cougars (13-6, 4-3) won a Southwest Conference game over the Mustangs (6-9, 1-5).

Virginia 77, Virginia Tech 59--Cavalier forward Bryant Stith scored 22 points, including 10 in a row early in the second half, to lead the Cavaliers (11-5) over the Hokies (9-9) at Roanoke, Va.