COLLEGE BASKETBALL NATIONAL ROUNDUP : Instant Replay Gives Oklahoma State Edge

It was fight night in Manhattan, Kan., and No. 16 Oklahoma State won the main event.

The Cowboys defeated Kansas State, 76-65, Tuesday night in a Big Eight Conference game, and it took instant replay to decide who would be knocked out.

Oklahoma State (19-5 overall, 8-3 in the conference) held a 26-24 lead with 1:49 left before halftime when tempers flared between Byron Houston and Kansas State’s Wylie Howard.

As the players pushed for position under the Oklahoma State basket, Houston threw an elbow and Howard retaliated with a punch to the back of Houston’s head. Houston clinched his fist but restrained himself as players, coaches and officials quickly stepped in to break up the scuffle.

Officials reviewed an instant replay of the fight before ruling. Houston was called for an intentional foul, but was allowed to stay in the game, in which he scored 22 points. Howard was called for a fighting foul and ejected.

“We wanted to show that we had the facts correct,” official Ron Spitler said. “If we were going to eject a player, we wanted to be sure we had the facts correct.”

Kansas State (12-12, 2-9) was tied, 43-43, when Oklahoma State’s John Potter hit a three-point shot that ignited a 14-4 Oklahoma State run.

Georgia Tech 73, No. 20 Virginia 60--Kenny Anderson scored 20 of his 33 points in the second half and Georgia Tech held off a Virginia rally in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Charlottesville, Va.

Matt Geiger added 16 points and Jon Barry 11 as the Yellow Jackets (15-9, 6-6) beat Virginia for only the second time in 13 games at University Hall.

Kenny Turner scored 22 points and Bryant Stith added 21 for Virginia (19-8, 6-6).

Anderson scored 12 points when Georgia Tech broke from a 37-34 lead with 15:05 remaining to a 54-40 advantage at the 9:03 mark.

No. 24 Seton Hall 76, Niagara 61--Terry Dehere scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half, when Seton Hall finally shook off Niagara at South Orange, N.J.

The victory was the fourth in a row for Seton Hall (17-7) and the first in that stretch that wasn’t over a top 25 team.

The Purple Eagles (7-19) led, 30-22, with 7:10 left in the first half before Oliver Taylor hit two three-point shots to trigger a run that put Seton Hall ahead, 36-34, at halftime. REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS EAST

Scott Pikiell made four consecutive free throws in overtime as Connecticut (16-8, 7-6) beat Providence, 70-66, in a Big East game at Providence, R.I. The Friars are 14-11, 5-9. . . . Brian Gilgeous’ basket with three seconds to play helped American University (13-12, 8-6) in a 71-68 victory over George Mason (12-14, 8-5) in a Colonial Athletic Assn. game at Washington. . . . Freshman Andre Samuel’s only basket of the game, with 17 seconds, left gave Rhode Island (11-14, 6-10) a 63-62 victory over Temple (18-7, 11-4) in an Atlantic 10 game at Philadelphia. SOUTHWEST

Dana Hardy scored 28 points as Rice (12-12, 6-7) won a Southwest Conference game, 69-57, over Texas Christian (15-9, 6-7) at Houston. SOUTH

Ronnie Battle scored 18 points, including seven free throws in the final two minutes for Auburn (12-12, 5-10) during a 74-65 victory over Tennessee (9-17, 3-12) in a Southeastern Conference at Auburn, Ala. . . . Garfield Smith scored 24 points as Maryland (14-11) defeated Virginia Tech, 82-67, at Blacksburg, Va. The Hokies are 8-14. . . . Billy Coles scored 14 points in the first 14 1/2 minutes, starting James Madison (17-8, 11-2) to a 106-86 romp over Navy (6-20, 2-12) in a Colonial Athletic Assn. game at Harrisonburg, Va. MIDWEST

Bill Edwards scored 27 points and capped a key first-half run as Wright State (16-7) won its 25th consecutive game at home, 91-83, over Xavier of Ohio (16-9).