COLLEGE BASKETBALL NATIONAL ROUNDUP : Duke Makes It No Challenge

Top-ranked Duke started with a 14-2 run, built a 31-point lead and was never challenged Thursday night in a 91-81 victory over No. 7 St. John’s in the ACC-Big East Challenge at Greensboro, N.C.

The three-year series between two of the nation’s best basketball conferences finished in an overall tie as the ACC won 6-2 this year, the Big East won 6-2 last year and the inaugural Challenge was split.

Duke converted every St. John’s miss or turnover into points during its opening run.

Christian Laettner, who had 26 points, capped the run with a three-point basket and a layup off a lob pass 4:59 into the game.

Malik Sealy scored 33 points for St. John’s.

No. 13 Utah 65, Bradley 41--Utah held Bradley without a basket for nearly 14 minutes in the first half for the easy victory at Salt Lake City.

Virginia 76, No. 18 Georgetown 66--Bryant Stith scored 24 points and made up for a late miss in regulation by scoring four points in overtime in the ACC-Big East Challenge at Greensboro, N.C.

Virginia (3-1) scored the first six points in overtime. Georgetown (2-1) got a free throw from Charles Harrison and a basket by Alonzo Mourning to pull within 69-66, but did not score again in the extra session.

No. 24 Nevada Las Vegas 80, James Madison 73--James Madison held the lead until J.R. Rider made a three-point shot from the top of the key to put the Rebels ahead to stay at 68-66 with 7:02 left at Harrisonburg, Va.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

WEST

UC Santa Barbara limited St. Mary’s to 12 points in the first half en route to a 77-56 victory at Santa Barbara. . . . Clyde Jordan scored 17 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead Oregon to a 71-63 victory over Fresno State at Eugene, Ore.

Lester Neal, a transfer from Ventura College, scored 20 points and had 18 rebounds as Arizona State defeated Texas San Antonio, 87-62, at Tempe, Ariz. . . . Darrick Brooks scored 26 points as Western Michigan beat Oregon State, 87-76, at Kalamazoo, Mich.

Terrence Lewis scored 34 points to lead Washington State over Idaho, 81-49, at Pullman, Wash.