COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NATIONAL ROUNDUP : Michigan Impresses in Big Ten Opener

For the first time this season, Michigan freshman Jalen Rose did not start a game for the No. 11 Wolverines.

Rose was benched for the first few minutes of Thursday night’s Big Ten Conference opener against Iowa because he was late for an AIDS seminar earlier this week.

Rose, however, came off the bench and scored 34 points as Michigan defeated Iowa, 80-77, in overtime at Iowa City.

Rose, a 6-foot-8 guard, scored 20 points after halftime, including four in overtime. He converted a three-point play midway through the overtime to give Michigan (9-1) a 78-73 lead and also made a free throw for the game’s final point.

Rose made 12 of 19 shots, including three three-point baskets, and seven of nine free throws.

“Jalen was brilliant,” said Michigan Coach Steve Fisher, whose team relies heavily on five freshmen. “For those who have seen him play, you know he’s got a feel for how to play--maybe as well as any player we’ve ever had at Michigan.”

Junior Michael Talley scored 16 points for the Wolverines, who never trailed in the overtime after Talley’s layup put them ahead, 75-73, with 3:56 left.

Trailing 78-77, Iowa (8-3) had a chance to take the lead in the final minute, but Kevin Smith missed a jump shot with 20 seconds left. After freshman Juwan Howard made one of two free throws to make the score 79-77, Talley partially blocked another jump shot by Smith. Rose made a final free throw with 3.4 seconds left.

Smith then misfired again, but Iowa got the rebound and Wade Lookingbill made what appeared to be a three-point basket. However, the officials ruled he released the ball after the buzzer and waved off the basket.

“The key was, we countered every move they made,” Rose said. “We just kept that edge. We have to be happy with the win. We’re 1-0 in the Big Ten, and that’s the bottom line.”

Said Fisher, whose team made 53% of its shots: “They fought hard and hung in and got a victory on the road in the Big Ten, which is hard. So I’m elated and I know the kids are, too.”

Acie Earl scored 19 points for Iowa, which outrebounded Michigan, 49-33.

The Hawkeyes, however, made only 35% of their shots. They missed all five of their shots from the field in the overtime.

Michigan led, 38-35, at halftime despite 12 turnovers.

No. 8 North Carolina 103, Clemson 69--Five North Carolina players scored more than 10 points in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at Chapel Hill, N.C., as Clemson remained winless in 38 road games against the Tar Heels.

Hubert Davis scored 18 points for North Carolina (10-1, 1-1), which took a 21-9 lead while holding Clemson scoreless during a four-minute stretch in the first half.

Clemson (6-3, 0-2) made only 20% of its shots in the first half--27% in the game--and extended the futility streak that dates back to Jan. 15, 1926.

No. 10 Indiana 96, Minnesota 50--Freshman center Alan Henderson scored 20 points in a Big Ten opener at Bloomington, Ind., as the Hoosiers handed the Gophers (8-6, 0-1) their worst defeat.

Minnesota’s previous worst defeat was a 58-16 loss to Chicago in 1920.

Henderson scored 14 points in the first half, including two baskets that started a 22-3 run that helped Indiana (10-2, 1-0) take a 44-18 halftime lead en route to its eighth consecutive victory.

Ariel McDonald scored 13 points for Minnesota (8-6, 0-1), which has lost three games in a row.

No. 24 Tulane 95, Central Connecticut State 68--Anthony Reed and Carlin Hartman led a 20-0 run early in the second half at New Orleans to help the Green Wave (11-0) stay unbeaten.

Central Connecticut (3-12) cut Tulane’s lead to 48-45 with 14:05 left before Reed made two free throws to start the four-minute run.

David Whitmore, who played at Playa del Rey St. Bernard High and Georgia Tech before transferring to Tulane, scored 18 points to lead the Green Wave.

OTHER GAMES

Virginia Commonwealth held Louisville to two field goals in the final 13 minutes and outscored the Cardinals, 21-5, in the final 9:50 en route to a 66-57 Metro Conference victory at Richmond, Va. It was the first Metro game for Virginia Commonwealth (7-4), which joined the conference in May. Erevick Sullivan and Dewayne Morton each had 13 points for Louisville (7-3, 0-2). . . . Elmer Bennett scored 24 points to lead Notre Dame (3-5) to an 87-79 victory over La Salle (4-5) at Philadelphia.

Eric Traylor scored 14 points as New Mexico State (10-1, 2-0) won its seventh consecutive game, a 72-63 Big West Conference victory over UC Santa Barbara (8-3, 2-1) at Las Cruces, N.M. Lucius Davis scored 20 points for Santa Barbara. . . . Eddie Rivera scored 33 points to lead Texas El Paso (11-1, 1-0) to an 89-69 Western Athletic Conference victory over Brigham Young (9-2, 0-1) at El Paso. Gary Trost led BYU with 21 points.

Aaron Atkinson scored 16 points as Colorado State (7-7, 1-0) held off Air Force (5-7, 0-1) for a 66-64 Western Athletic Conference victory at Air Force Academy, Colo. . . . Tim Breaux scored 23 points to help Wyoming (9-3) take control early in an 85-72 victory over San Diego State (2-10) in a WAC opener at San Diego. Reginald Slater added 20 points and 11 rebounds for Wyoming.

Benford Williams scored 21 points, leading Texas (8-6) to an 86-75 victory over Houston (10-3) in a Southwest Conference opener at Austin. . . . Darrin Dafney, a transfer from UCLA, scored 12 points to lead Drake (4-6, 1-2) to a 51-41 victory over Bradley (3-9, 0-3) in a Missouri Valley Conference game at Des Moines, Iowa. It was the least points allowed by Drake in a conference game since 1948, when the Bulldogs beat Creighton, 51-35.