COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Iverson Scores 40, but Arizona Wins

Allen Iverson appeared to take on Arizona alone and nearly pulled it off for Georgetown.

The sophomore point guard was everywhere Friday night, pouring in a career-high 40 points and adding six assists in a most-valuable-player show in the championship game of the Preseason NIT at New York.

It came up short, however, as No. 19 Arizona used some sizzling shooting to surprise No. 5 Georgetown, 91-81.

“Iverson is outstanding,” Wildcat Coach Lute Olson said. “His 12 for 27 doesn’t beat our 60%.”

Playing with a heavily taped right thumb, Iverson performed brilliantly, virtually picking up Georgetown and pulling the Hoyas back from a 17-point first-half deficit. But after his two free throws tied the score at 63 with 9:44 to play, Ben Davis went on a tear of his own, scoring seven consecutive points to trigger an 18-6 Arizona run that decided the game.

“Arizona plays with chemistry,” Thompson said. “They penetrated well, and we didn’t play in sync.”

Davis’ late run gave him 17 points. Miles Simon and Joseph Blair also had 17 for the Wildcats, who had six players in double figures. No other Georgetown player had more than seven points.

No. 1 Kentucky 96, No. 14 Maryland 84--The Wildcats had a rough start and weren’t smooth near the finish, but opened the season with a hard-earned victory over the Terrapins behind Mark Pope’s 26 points in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic at Springfield, Mass.

The Wildcats trailed, 20-9, 5:10 into the game. Then came the familiar swarming defense that ended the Terrapins’ easy baskets on length-of-the-court passes. Another strong run to start the second half, again triggered by defense, got Kentucky a 55-38 lead with 14:46 left.

Maryland wasn’t done, however, closing within 86-80 with 2:15 to play. The Wildcats had enough left to again pull away, though, as Tony Delk (21 points) scored eight of their final 10 points.

Johnny Rhodes led Maryland with 30 points.

No. 10 Iowa 101, No. 6 Connecticut 95--Kenyon Murray scored three key points in the last minute of overtime and the Hawkeyes (2-0) beat back a determined Husky comeback in the Great Alaska Shootout at Anchorage. Connecticut fell to 1-1.

Iowa’s Chris Kingsbury scored 30 points, including 27 in the second half and overtime, and made five three-point baskets to pace Iowa.

But it was Murray who made the timeliest shots, first tying the game on a free throw at the end of regulation then putting it out of reach with two free throws at the end.

Duke 70, No. 23 Indiana 64--Jeff Capel had 19 points to lead the Blue Devils to victory over the Hoosiers (2-0) at the Great Alaska Shootout. Duke will face Iowa in the finals today.

The Blue Devils have won two of the three lifetime meetings from Indiana. Their last meeting was at the 1992 Final Four, with Duke winning, 81-78, on the way to a national championship.

No. 13 Louisville 90, American 86--De Juan Wheat scored 20 points and made a three-point basket with 10 seconds left as the Cardinals held off American despite Joel Curbelo’s school-record 47 points at the Puerto Rico Shootout at Bayamon.

Georgia Tech 77, No. 16 Michigan 61--Freshman Stephon Marbury celebrated his return to New York by scoring 26 points and sparking a second-half Yellow Jacket (3-1) comeback that led to a victory over the Wolverines (2-2) and third place in the Preseason NIT.

Marbury made consecutive three-point shots and scored 10 of 12 points at the start of the second half as Georgia Tech went on a 14-4 tear to seize control.

No. 17 Virginia 84, Tennessee-Martin 65--Scott Johnson had 11 points and 11 rebounds, and Norman Nolan added 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Cavaliers beat the Skyhawks at Charlottesville, Va.

No. 18 Stanford 92, Stetson 60--Brevin Knight scored 20 points, and Tim Young added 18 points and 14 rebounds as the Cardinal routed the Hatters in the first round of the Fry’s Invitational tournament at Palo Alto.

Stetson did not attempt a free throw, tying an NCAA record.

OTHER GAMES

Greg Stolt scored 11 of his team-high 14 points in the first half to lead Florida to an 83-65 season-opening victory over Charleston Southern at Gainesville, Fla. . . . Erick Strickland scored 23 points to lead Nebraska to a 72-59 victory over Toledo in the opening round of the Big Island Invitational at Hilo, Hawaii. . . . Center Leon Carter scored a career-high 21 points to lead San Diego State to an 83-63 victory over Northwestern at San Diego. . . . Lance Weems scored 17 points and made three key three-point baskets in the second half to lead Auburn past La Salle, 70-60, in the first round of the San Juan Shootout at Bayamon, Puerto Rico. . . . Charles Smith and Clayton Shields scored 18 points apiece and New Mexico (2-0) pulled away in the second half for a 76-56 victory over Texas-Arlington (0-1) in the first round of the Lobo Classic at Albuquerque, N.M.