COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Georgia Tech Surprises North Carolina to Give Cremins No. 350

There’s something about the nation’s No. 1 team that brings out the best in Georgia Tech.

The 17th-ranked Yellow Jackets, riding a 27-point performance by Travis Best and clutch second-half shooting from Fred Vinson, crushed No. 1 North Carolina, 89-69, on Wednesday night at Atlanta.

It was Georgia Tech’s second victory in a row over the Tar Heels when they were ranked No. 1, the other coming in the finals of last year’s Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, 77-75.

The Yellow Jackets also beat Duke last season, 80-79, when the Blue Devils were ranked No. 1.

“We gave one of the finest performances I’ve seen since I’ve been coaching here,” said Yellow Jacket Coach Bobby Cremins after collecting his 250th victory at Georgia Tech and 350th overall in 19 years as a coach.

Said North Carolina Coach Dean Smith: “Tech played a tremendous game. That’s not just the coach talking. I think anyone who saw the game would say that. Maybe they’re better than we are every night, but I hope not.”

Best scored 10 of his 27 points in the final 2:45, eight of those on free throws as the Yellow Jackets, who never trailed, ended North Carolina’s 10-game winning streak.

The Tar Heels, 12-2 overall and 2-1 in the ACC, lost in their first game since climbing to No. 1 in the Associated Press poll on Monday.

Georgia Tech (10-3, 1-2) also got 22 points from James Forrest, eight of those in the last 3:10, when the Yellow Jackets took control after Eric Montross’ jump hook closed the deficit to 68-64 with 3:55 to play.

Montross led North Carolina with 20 points.

No. 8 Kentucky 98, Mississippi 64--Sophomore forward Walt McCarty, making his first start of the season, made five of his first six shots and scored 24 points to lead the Wildcats (12-2, 2-1) over the Rebels (5-6, 0-3) in a Southeastern Conference game at Louisville, Ky.

McCarty, who replaced Rod Rhodes in the lineup, helped Kentucky hand Mississippi its fifth consecutive defeat.

Rhodes, who lost his starting role because of poor rebounding in recent games, came off the bench to grab a team-high eight rebounds and score 18 points.

Kentucky led at halftime, 60-27, after scoring 26 points off 21 turnovers and making 21 of 36 shots.

No. 9 Purdue 89, Michigan State 77--Glenn Robinson scored 25 points to help the Boilermakers (14-0, 2-0) to a Big Ten Conference victory over the Spartans (10-5, 1-2) at West Lafayette,Ind.

No. 18 Minnesota 90, No. 12 Wisconsin 53--Voshon Lenard scored 23 points and Arriel McDonald had a school-record 16 assists to help the Gophers (11-3, 2-0) defeat the Badgers (11-1, 2-1) in a Big Ten game at Minneapolis.

Michael Finley scored 15 points for Wisconsin, which failed its first big test of the season.

Highly touted freshman Rashard Griffith managed only three points for the Badgers, who made only 41% of their shots and had a season-high 24 turnovers.

“No matter who we would have played tonight, we would have won,” Minnesota Coach Clem Haskins said. “It just happened to be the Badgers.”

It was the most lopsided game ever between the teams, which have played 159 times since 1900.

Seton Hall 61, No. 20 Boston College 53--Bryan Caver and Arturas Karnishovas scored the last 18 points for the Pirates (8-4, 1-3) in their Big East Conference victory over the Eagles (10-4, 2-2) at East Rutherford, N.J.

No. 22 Alabama Birmingham 88, Cal State Sacramento 46--Robert Shannon scored 19 points as the Blazers (12-1) romped over the Hornets (1-13) at Birmingham, Ala., for their 10th consecutive victory. Cal State Sacramento has lost 40 consecutive road games.

Alabama 73, No. 24 Vanderbilt 67--Jamal Faulkner, a transfer from Arizona State, scored 21 points to help the Crimson Tide (5-5, 2-1) defeat the Commodores (8-4, 1-2) in a Southeastern Conference game at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

No. 25 Xavier of Ohio 57, Dayton 46--Brian Grant scored 11 points in the second half to help the Muskateers (10-1) defeat the Flyers (4-8) at Cincinnati.

Notre Dame 77, No. 25 Missouri 73--Ryan Hoover made five three-point baskets and scored 25 points as the Irish (5-7) surprised Missouri (10-2) at South Bend, Ind., ending the Tigers’ nine-game winning streak.