COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NATIONAL ROUNDUP : Nebraska at Home in Oklahoma, 111-99

Lloyd Noble Arena is a difficult place for visiting teams to win when they play Oklahoma.

Since 1982-83, the Sooners had not lost more than two games at home in a season.

But Saturday night, Oklahoma lost its second consecutive home game--and third of the season--as No. 14 Nebraska defeated the No. 13 Sooners, 111-99, in a Big Eight Conference game at Norman, Okla.

Nebraska, 17-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Eight, rebounded from a 17-point loss to Colorado with an outstanding effort against the Sooners.

A school-record eight players scored in double figures for the Cornhuskers, who led 25-8 after 6 1/2 minutes and were never seriously threatened.

“Everything clicked for us and went into place,” Nebraska Coach Danny Nee said. “I think we would’ve beaten the Knicks tonight, the way we were playing.”

Oklahoma (14-5, 3-2) lost consecutive games at home for the first time since 1980-81, Billy Tubbs’ first season as coach.

It was Oklahoma’s first conference home loss in 25 games and its widest margin of defeat under Tubbs since a 100-88 loss to Oklahoma State in 1981.

The Sooners have won 117 of the past 122 games at their home arena.

“There’s really not much for me to say other than that Nebraska played as good as I’ve ever seen anybody play in this arena,” said Tubbs, whose team had lost to Southwestern Louisiana on Tuesday night.

Tony Farmer scored 22 points and had 12 rebounds to lead the Cornhuskers, who had lost nine consecutive games to Oklahoma.

Nebraska led, 48-37, at halftime and increased their lead to 20 points with 12:38 left. Oklahoma got no closer than the final margin after that.

No. 2 Arkansas 73, Baylor 68--The Razorbacks became the first Division I team to reach 20 victories with the Southwest Conference victory at Waco, Tex.

Baylor (9-7, 2-5) closed to within 68-66 with 34 seconds left, but Arkansas made five free throws to preserve the victory.

Oliver Miller scored 22 points for Arkansas (20-1, 8-0).

No. 3 Indiana 97, No. 22 Michigan State 63--Freshman Damon Bailey scored a season-high 19 points and the Hoosiers shut down Steve Smith in a Big Ten Conference victory at Bloomington, Ind.

Bailey started a 15-7 run with consecutive three-point baskets as Indiana (18-2, 6-1) built a 58-35 lead with 15:26 left.

Smith, who was averaging 27.6 points a game, scored a season-low 14 points for Michigan State (12-6, 5-3).

Providence 92, No. 6 Syracuse 82--Eric Murdock scored 23 points to lead the Friars to the Big East Conference victory at Providence, R.I.

Providence (12-7, 3-5) turned a 45-33 halftime lead into a 19-point margin with 15:31 left and went on to gain only their third victory in 26 games against Syracuse (17-3, 5-3).

Alabama 88, No. 8 Kentucky 83--The Crimson Tide ended Kentucky’s 10-game winning streak with the Southeastern Conference victory at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

John Pelphrey scored a game-high 28 points for Kentucky (15-3, 7-1), which pulled to within 82-80 before Alabama’s James Robinson, Robert Horry and Gary Waites each made two free throws in the final seconds to clinch the victory.

Melvin Cheatum scored 26 points for Alabama (11-6, 5-3).

No. 9 Duke 99, Clemson 70--Christian Laettner scored 13 points and had 10 rebounds as the Blue Devils dominated the boards during an Atlantic Coast Conference victory at Clemson, S.C.

Duke (16-4, 5-2) outrebounded the Tigers, 48-27, and made 15 of 18 shots during a 38-14 run that gave the Blue Devils a 44-31 lead with 2:49 left in the first half.

David Young scored 21 points for Clemson (9-9, 0-6).

No. 10 St. John’s 58, Villanova 55--Lou Carnesecca earned his 499th victory when Jason Buchanan scored on a fadeaway jump shot with 16 seconds left to lift the Redmen over the Wildcats in a Big East game at Philadelphia.

Arron Bain scored 27 points for Villanova (10-8, 3-4), which rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to go ahead, 55-54, on a basket by Chris Walker with 1:34 left.

Malik Sealy scored 19 points for St. John’s (15-2, 6-2).

No. 12 East Tennessee State 97, VMI 66--In a Southern Conference game at Lexington, Va., Keith Jennings scored 28 points as the Buccaneers dealt the Virginia Military Institute its worst home loss in seven years.

East Tennessee State (15-2, 5-1) built a 45-27 halftime lead and was not challenged in the second half.

VMI (7-11, 2-4) suffered its most lopsided loss at Cameron Hall since a 38-point defeat against Marshall in 1983-84.

Cincinnati 76, No. 15 Southern Mississippi 69--Herbert Casey scored 24 points as the Bearcats ended the Golden Eagles’ 10-game winning streak in a Metro Conference game at Hattiesburg, Miss.

Southern Mississippi (12-2, 6-1) had pulled to within 69-67, but Cincinnati (11-6, 4-2) broke the press for two easy dunks and made three free throws in the final 23 seconds.

No. 16 Louisiana State 76, Florida 66--Shaquille O’Neal scored 31 points, grabbed 21 rebounds and blocked 10 shots to lead the Tigers to a SEC victory at Baton Rouge, La.

Florida (7-10, 3-5) closed a 28-point deficit to 69-64 with 1:13 left, but LSU (13-4, 7-2) got a free throw and dunk from O’Neal and four other free throws to stave off the Gators’ rally.

No. 18 Virginia 68, Notre Dame 67--Bryant Stith scored Virginia’s last 19 points, including two free throws with seven seconds left, as the Cavaliers overcame a 12-point deficit for the nonconference victory at South Bend, Ind.

Stith finished with 28 points for Virginia (14-4).

Daimon Sweet scored 21 points for Notre Dame (7-11), which led, 65-57, with 1:40 left.

Seton Hall 76, No. 19 Connecticut 62--Anthony Avent scored 22 points and had 16 rebounds in a Big East game at East Rutherford, N.J., to help the Pirates hand the Huskies their fifth consecutive loss.

Seton Hall (13-4, 5-3) built a 40-23 halftime lead. The closest the Huskies were able to get was 48-41 with 12:49 left.

Connecticut (12-6, 3-5) has lost as many games as it did last season, when the Huskies won 31 games on the way to the NCAA’s final eight.

No. 20 Utah 62, Air Force 56--The Utes’ Western Athletic Conference victory at Salt Lake City was their 16th consecutive win, tying a 78-year-old school record.

Josh Grant scored 20 points, including four free throws in the final minute for Utah (19-1, 8-0).

Air Force is 6-11 and 0-6.

Memphis State 60, No. 25 South Carolina 52--Elliot Perry scored 23 points and moved into second place on the Memphis State career-scoring list as the Tigers (11-7, 4-2) beat South Carolina (14-5, 3-3) in a Metro Conference game at Memphis, Tenn.

Perry, with 1,822 career points, trails Keith Lee, who scored 2,408 points in 1981-85.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

EAST

Mik Kilgore scored 18 points and Mark Macon added 16 as Temple (13-4, 7-1) defeated St. Bonaventure, 77-66, in Atlantic 10 Conference game at Philadelphia. St. Bonaventure is 4-14 and 0-10.

MIDWEST

Larry Smith of Illinois scored 28 points, including two free throws with 9.7 seconds left that ensured a 72-67 Big Ten victory over Michigan at Ann Arbor, Mich. Illinois is 13-6 and 3-3. Demetrius Calip scored 25 points for Michigan (9-9, 2-6). . . . Freshman Randy Carter scored 29 points to lead Minnesota (10-7, 3-4) to an 85-68 Big Ten victory Northwestern (5-12, 0-7) at Evanston, Ill.

Anthony Peeler scored 21 of his 25 points in the second half as Missouri beat Iowa State, 82-78, in a Big Eight game at Columbia, Mo. Missouri is 12-5 and 4-1. Victor Alexander scored 26 points for Iowa State (7-13, 1-3). . . . Kansas dealt Colorado its 54th consecutive Big eight road loss by defeating the Buffaloes, 95-62, at Lawrence, Kan. Terry Brown scored 27 points for Kansas (13-4, 2-2). Colorado (12-5, 2-2) has not won a regular season Big Eight road game since beating Kansas in February 1983.

DePaul (10-7) used runs of 14-3 and 13-1 to beat Duquesne, 75-62, at Rosemont, Ill. Duquesne is 6-11.

SOUTH

Garfield Smith of Maryland made two free throws with seven seconds left to clinch a 104-100 ACC victory over North Carolina State at College Park, Md. Matt Roe scored 29 points for Maryland (11-7, 2-4). Rodney Monroe scored 31 points for North Carolina State (10-5, 3-2). . . . Joe Harvell scored 26 points and had 11 rebounds as Mississippi broke a seven-game Southeastern Conference losing streak with a 75-72 victory over Tennessee at Oxford, Miss. Mississippi is 7-10 and 1-7. Allen Houston scored 31 points for Tennessee (8-11, 2-6).

SOUTHWEST

New Mexico took only 38 shots, but made 71% in an 83-67 WAC victory over Hawaii (10-9, 2-6) at Albuquerque, N.M. Luc Longley scored 21 points for New Mexico (14-6, 4-4). . . . Marlon Maxey scored 22 points and had nine rebounds to lead Texas El Paso (13-5, 5-3) to a 73-67 WAC victory over San Diego State (8-10, 3-5) at El Paso.

WEST

Wyoming (15-3, 5-1) made nine of 10 free throws in the final three minutes to secure a 77-72 WAC victory over Brigham Young (11-10, 5-3) at Provo, Utah. Paris Bryant scored 21 points for Wyoming. . . . Ron Reis scored 23 points and had 11 rebounds to lead Santa Clara to a 75-69 victory over Portland in a West Coast Conference game at Portland. Santa Clara is 13-8 and 4-3. Portland is 4-15 and 2-4.

Wayman Strickland scored 23 points and Kelvin Woods added 22 to lead San Diego (13-6, 6-1) to an 89-80 WCC victory over Gonzaga (11-8, 2-4) at Spokane, Wash.