COLLEGE BASKETBALL NATIONAL ROUNDUP : Valvano Honored; Duke Prevails, 91-82

A capacity crowd at Raleigh, N.C., payed tribute to Jim Valvano Sunday in an emotional ceremony honoring the former North Carolina State coach and team that won the 1983 national championship.

Despite rumors that his health would keep him from joining in the celebration, Valvano, who has cancer, made the show.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Valvano said to the crowd at Reynolds Coliseum before No. 7-ranked Duke defeated the Wolfpack, 91-82. “You know that’s not true.”

Valvano, who broadcast the game for television, had not seen North Carolina State play in person at home since he coached the Wolfpack in 1990. One month after that season ended, Valvano reached an agreement with school officials to step down. It ended a two-year saga which started with allegations of wrongdoing in Valvano’s program that were published on the dust jacket of the book, “Personal Fouls.”

With his wife, Pam, at his side, Valvano hugged each of the players who helped the Wolfpack to the NCAA title. He also greeted another group of former players, as well as Northwestern Coach Bill Foster, who coached Valvano at Rutgers, and the man who succeeded Valvano, Les Robinson.

Bobby Hurley tied his school record with 15 assists and also made two key three-point baskets as Duke improved its record to 20-5 overall and 8-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

North Carolina State (7-15, 1-11) pulled to within 83-80 with one minute to play, but Duke eliminated any doubt by scoring the next eight points.

No. 1 Indiana 93, No. 14 Purdue 78--Greg Graham made 26 of 28 free throws and scored 32 points for the Hoosiers (24-2, 13-0) in a Big Ten Conference victory at Bloomington, Ind.

Graham, who made two three-point baskets, broke the Big Ten record of 25 free throws set by former Hoosier Don Schlundt against Ohio State in 1955. Indiana made 34 of 40 free throws.

Cuonzo Martin scored 32 points for Purdue (15-6, 6-6), which shot only 17 free throws.

No. 3 North Carolina 78, No. 23 Virginia 58--Eric Montross had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Tar Heels (22-3, 11-2) before fouling out with 6:58 to play in an ACC game at Charlottesville, Va.

Junior Burrough scored 19 points for Virginia (16-6, 8-5), which made only five of its first 25 shots.

No. 4 Arizona 70, No. 8 Cincinnati 60--The Wildcats extended their school-record winning streak to 17 games by holding the Bearcats scoreless during the final three minutes of a nonconference victory at Phoenix.

Chris Mills scored 23 points for Arizona (19-2).

Nick Van Exel scored 31 points for Cincinnati (20-3).

No. 16 Seton Hall 66, Georgetown 56--Terry Dehere scored 15 points and became Seton Hall’s all-time leading scorer in a Big East Conference with the victory at East Rutherford, N.J.

Seton Hall (20-6, 10-4) reached 20 victories for the third consecutive season.

Othella Harrington had 16 points for Georgetown (13-9, 6-8).

Houston 89, No. 22 Louisville 81--The Cougars made 75% of their shots during the first half and held on for the nonconference victory at Houston.

David Diaz scored 22 points for Houston (16-6).

Dwayne Morton scored 24 points for Louisville (14-8).

OTHER GAMES

Marcel Capers made four consecutive free throws in the final 41 seconds as Arizona State (14-7) beat Memphis State (17-8), 89-76, in a nonconference game at Phoenix. . . . Tom Kleinschmidt scored 28 points as DePaul (14-11) rallied for a 70-62 nonconference victory over Notre Dame (9-14) at Rosemont, Ill.

Jamar Johnson made a tiebreaking free throw with two seconds left as Nebraska (17-8, 5-5) beat Missouri (15-10, 4-6), 76-75, in a Big Eight Conference game at Columbia, Mo.