COLLEGE BASKETBALL : Temple Handed Its First Loss

Travis Best scored 19 points Monday night, including seven of Georgia Tech’s last nine, and the 15th-ranked Yellow Jackets handed fourth-ranked Temple its first loss of the season, 57-51, in the opening round of the ECAC Holiday Festival at New York.

Both teams played poorly after a week of inactivity.

Georgia Tech (8-1), which will play St. John’s for the title on Wednesday night, had the better shooting night despite making only 43% (22 of 51) of its shots.

Temple (4-1) made only 27%.

“We can play better. Temple can play better,” Georgia Tech Coach Bobby Cremins said. “We’re happy to win.”

No. 13 Indiana 81, Texas Christian 65--Kurt Thomas scored a tournament-record 38 points, but it wasn’t enough to lift the Horned Frogs (2-5) over the Hoosiers (6-2) in the opening round of the Hoosier Classic at Indianapolis.

No. 17 Wisconsin 80, Stanford 73--Michael Finley scored 21 points and Rashard Griffith had 19 points and 12 rebounds to help the Badgers (7-0) hold off the Cardinal (6-1) at Madison, Wis.

No. 21 George Washington 87, Coastal Carolina 68--Kwane Evans scored 24 points to help the Colonials (6-1) defeat the Chanticleers (4-2) in the opening round of the Sugar Bowl tournament at New Orleans.

No. 25 Western Kentucky 59, Princeton 45--Chris Robinson scored 13 points to lead the Hilltoppers (4-2) over the Tigers (5-5) in the opening round of the Hoosier Classic at Indianapolis.