COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Free Throws End Up Sparking Kentucky

Kentucky was short two starters, a top reserve and about 28 points a game at Knoxville, Tenn., where the Volunteers have been short all season.

Travis Ford, Jared Prickett and Gimel Martinez were back in Lexington, Ky., suspended by Coach Rick Pitino for one game because of some gamesmanship--they had been detected shooting free throws for lesser-talented teammates in a victory over Vanderbilt four days before.

What better time for a Tennessee upset?

The Volunteers (5-18, 2-11 Southeastern) gave it a shot, leading by 14 points in the second half before falling, 77-73, to seventh-ranked Kentucky (21-5, 10-3).

The reason? Free throws.

Rodrick Rhodes scored all 13 of his points from the line, including Kentucky’s last seven, with at least three teammates breathing a collective--and long-distance--sigh of relief.

The three can step lighter thanks to Tony Delk (21 points), Andre Riddick (18 points) and Rhodes.

“I’m almost as proud of this team as I was for our 31-point comeback at LSU,” Pitino said. “Offensively we were stymied. We didn’t have a sub at the (guard) positions. We had some scary combinations out there.”

No. 2 Duke 84, Florida St. 72--Sparked by the outside shooting of Chris Collins and Marty Clark, the Blue Devils (20-3, 11-3 Atlantic Coast) rallied in the second half at Tallahassee, Fla.

Behind, 45-40, at halftime, Duke adjusted to a four-guard lineup by Florida State (12-12, 5-9) and used a 26-4 advantage at the foul line for the victory.

No. 4 North Carolina 80, Notre Dame 71--Eric Montross scored 23 points at South Bend, Ind., to lead the Tar Heels (22-5) in what was, for him, a sort of homecoming.

North Carolina tries to play a game near the home town of each of its seniors and ran into a problem with the Irish (10-16), near Montross’ home in Indianapolis, until the final four minutes, when Notre Dame went without a field goal.

No. 6 Missouri 83, SE Missouri 61--Melvin Booker scored 17 points, including 11 in a span of 1:35, in a nonconference victory for the Tigers (21-2) over the Indians (9-15) at Columbia, Mo.

Nebraska 96, No. 10 Kansas 87--Eric Piatkowski scored 33 points, including four in the final seconds, and the Cornhuskers (15-8, 5-6 Big Eight) sent the Jayhawks (21-6, 6-5) to their third consecutive loss, fourth in a row at Lincoln, Neb.

No. 13 Louisville 82, Louisiana State 64--Clifford Rozier had 23 points and 15 rebounds at Louisville, Ky., as the Cardinals (21-4) snapped a two-game losing streak. It was the fifth consecutive loss for LSU (11-12).

No. 14 Purdue 95, Ohio St. 85--Glenn Robinson scored 40 points, 20 on free throws, and the Boilermakers (22-4, 10-4 Big Ten) held the Buckeyes (11-14, 4-10) to five points in the last four minutes at Columbus, Ohio.

No. 18 Syracuse 91, Seton Hall 69--Lawrence Moten had 25 points and Lucious Jackson broke out of a seven-game scoring slump with 19 for the Orangemen (18-5, 10-5 Big East) over the Pirates (13-11, 6-10) at Syracuse.

No. 19 Saint Louis 70, Cincinnati 67--Erwin Claggett hit a three-pointer from the corner with 1:40 to play and the Billikens (21-3, 7-3 Great Midwest) overcame 33 points by LaZelle Durden of Cincinnati (17-9, 5-5) at St. Louis.

Michigan St. 85, No. 20 Minnesota 68--Shawn Respert tied a school record with eight three-point baskets and scored 43 points to lead the Spartans (16-10, 7-7 Big Ten) over the Gophers (18-9, 8-6) at East Lansing, Mich.

No. 22 Marquette 63, Dayton 58--Tony Miller scored the last five points of the game for the Warriors (19-7, 8-2 Great Midwest) in a victory at Dayton (5-17, 1-9).