COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Last-Second Tip Saves Kentucky

A spectacular night of three-pointers ended with a tip-in at the buzzer that lifted No. 5-ranked Kentucky to a 93-92 victory over No. 13 Arizona Thursday night in the championship game of the Maui Invitational at Lahaina, Hawaii.

Jeff Brassow reached out and put back Rodrick Rhodes’ last-second miss and set off a pre-Christmas celebration that may not be topped until NCAA Tournament games are played in March.

“That was a fabulous game,” Arizona Coach Lute Olson said. “There was so much intensity and tremendous guard play both ways. We got killed in the end by an offensive board. The thing that beats you isn’t the desperation shot but the follow-up.”

Khalid Reeves had given Arizona (8-1) a 92-91 lead with two free throws with 5.5 seconds to play. He had that chance only after television replays had to be used to determine that the ball belonged to Arizona after a 35-second shot clock violation by Kentucky with 9.6 seconds remaining.

Kentucky (7-1), out of timeouts, worked the ball downcourt quickly, and Rhodes took the three-pointer from the right side with just over a second remaining. It bounced off the rim and Brassow tapped it in from the left side.

Travis Ford scored 25 points for Kentucky, and Tony Delk, the team’s other guard, finished with 18 points.

Reeves made all four three-pointers he attempted in the second half, when he scored 26 of his 31 points.

Arkansas 93, Tulsa 91--With Lee Wilson and Darnell Robinson out because of injuries and Dwight Stewart having fouled out with nearly 17 minutes left, all the Razorbacks had to offer inside was Corliss Williamson.

It was barely enough.

Williamson hit a jump hook from the baseline with three seconds left in overtime as Arkansas (7-0) survived a night in Tulsa (4-2).

Williamson, who finished with 27 points, and Clint McDaniel scored all of the Razorbacks’ points in overtime.

No. 15 Connecticut 75, Fairfield 57-- Donyell Marshall scored 24 points to lead four teammates in double figures as the Huskies (7-0) overcame a flat first half at Hartford and beat the Stags (1-4) for the ninth time in a row.

No. 16 Minnesota 66, San Jose State 53--David Grimm scored 15 points to lead the Golden Gophers (7-2) past San Jose State. The Spartans (3-4) were led by Terry Canon with 16 points.

No. 17 Wisconsin 115, Miss. Valley 79--Michael Finley scored 21 points and Rashard Griffith added 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead the the Badgers (6-0) at Madison, Wis. The Delta Devils (2-4) were led by Dendrius Rucker with 28 points.

Ohio State 69, No. 18 Boston College 67--Derek Anderson and Lawrence Funderburke combined to make seven free throws in the final 35 seconds as the Buckeyes (6-3) beat the Eagles (7-2) for third in the Maui Invitational.

OTHER GAMES Jason Kidd tied his school record with 14 assists to lift California (5-2) to an 85-78 victory over Richmond (3-3) at Berkeley . . . Maurice Woods scored 18 points to lead Washington (1-5) to a 61-60 victory over Idaho State (3-2) at Pocatello, Ida. . . . B.J. Tyler scored 27 points, and Texas (4-4) took fifth place in the Maui Invitational with an 89-72 victory over Notre Dame (3-5) . . . Maurice Houston scored 22 points to lead Tennessee Tech (3-5) to seventh place in the Maui Invitational with an 83-78 victory over Chaminade (0-6) . . . Anthony Parker scored 26 points to lead Bradley (5-2, 1-0) to a 71-63 victory over Drake (2-4, 0-2) in a Missouri Valley Conference game at Des Moines, Iowa. . . . Exree Hipp scored 35 points to lead Maryland (6-1) in a 109-71 rout of Towson State (4-5) at Baltimore.