COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Eberz Rolls Dice, Villanova Wins Gamble Over UConn

Tough defense kept Villanova in the game against No. 3 Connecticut. A gamble at the end sealed the upset victory.

With two seconds to play and the Wildcats trailing by two points at Villanova, Pa., Eric Eberz stopped outside a clear lane and sank a three-pointer for a 64-63 victory Tuesday night.

“The whole game our defense was doing it,” said Eberz, who had 12 points and was two for eight from three-point range. “But at the end, I was almost too open and the ball just came to me. Somehow it just happened.”

UConn (21-3, 11-2 Big East) was the highest-ranked team the Wildcats (11-9, 7-6) have beaten in their nine years at duPont Pavilion.

UConn had a 42-28 rebound advantage and shot 50% in the second half but committed 22 turnovers.

“We were living on the edge,” Coach Jim Calhoun said. “These things happen when you do that.”

St. Joseph’s 81, No. 10 Massachusetts 80--Kevin Connor’s free throw with 0.2 seconds to play at Philadelphia gave St. Joseph’s an upset victory and UMass its first Atlantic 10 loss this season.

St. Joseph’s (11-11, 3-9) had lost seven in a row to Massachusetts (19-5, 10-1) by an average of 16.7 points, the Hawks’ last victory coming on Feb. 17, 1990.

Carlin Warley, who injured his neck Sunday against Rhode Island, led St. Joseph’s with 23 points. Lou Roe had 22 points for Massachusetts.

No. 14 Syracuse 79, Providence 74--Adrian Autry put back his own missed free throw with 55 seconds to play to cap a 14-point comeback for the Orangemen at home.

Syracuse (17-4, 9-4 Big East) added six consecutive free throws in the final 33 seconds to lock up its 10th home victory in a row.

Providence (12-8, 5-7) led, 52-38, with 16:41 to play before wilting.

No. 22 Marquette 55, Virginia Tech 48--Jim McIlvaine had 18 points, nine rebounds and five blocks at Blacksburg, Va., as the Warriors (17-6) held Virginia Tech (13-8) without a field goal over the final 5:58.