Kittles Still Hurting but Shows Finer Points to North Carolina

Villanova guard Kerry Kittles says he’s still hurting, but it would be difficult to convince North Carolina of that.

Kittles, who had been slowed because of a groin injury the last two games, scored 23 points and put the defensive clamps on North Carolina’s second-leading scorer Dante Calabria in Villanova’s 76-56 victory Saturday at the Spectrum before 18,524--the largest crowd ever for a basketball game in Philadelphia.

It was the second victory over No. 10 North Carolina (13-4) this season for No. 7 Villanova (14-3), which beat the Tar Heels for the Maui Invitational championship on Nov. 22.

Kittles had played only one minute at West Virginia last Saturday and didn’t start Wednesday against Seton Hall. The Wildcats lost both games, but with Kittles at increased speed, they played their best game of the season.

Kittles made 10 of 18 shots but was more impressive on defense in holding Calabria to two-of-11 shooting and seven points--half of his season average.

“I’m still nursing the injury,” said Kittles. “It’s a nagging kind of thing that I just have to deal with.”

North Carolina Coach Dean Smith had a different view. “I thought Kerry Kittles was back to what I remember him,” Smith said. “He looked like his old self, and then some. Maybe if we had Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Billy Cunningham and Bobby Jones it would have been different.”

The point total was the Tar Heels’ lowest since a 70-52 loss to Arizona in the 1988 NCAA West Regional.

No. 1 Massachusetts 93, Duquesne 89--Guard Carmelo Travieso scored 25 of his 33 points in the first eight minutes of the second half as the Minutemen (16-0, 5-0) tied a school-record winning streak in an Atlantic 10 Conference game at Pittsburgh.

It was also Massachusetts’ third victory in a row without center Marcus Camby, who collapsed before last Sunday’s game at St. Bonaventure. Camby was cleared to play by doctors Thursday, but did not attend the game. He could play against Pittsburgh Tuesday.

Travieso, averaging 10.4 points with a previous career high of 17, made nine of 10 shots in scoring all but five of Massachusetts’ first 30 points of the second half that increased a three-point halftime lead to 19. The Minutemen’s poor free-throw shooting (13 of 25 in the second half and five misses in the final 32 minutes) let Duquesne (5-9, 0-5) make the game close.

No. 2 Kentucky 124, Texas Christian 80--The Wildcats (15-1) made season-high 15 three-point baskets, led by Tony Delk’s school-record nine, in moving their winning streak to 14 in a nonconference game at Lexington, Ky.

Kentucky went over 100 points for the fourth time this season and had five double-figure scorers, led by Delk with 27. The Wildcats were almost as accurate on three-point shots (15 of 27 for 55.5%) as it was on two-point attempts (23 of 40 for 57.5%).

Texas Christian (9-9) trailed, 63-33, at halftime.

No. 4 Kansas 80, Colorado 78--The Buffaloes (5-10, 0-4) had a four-point lead over the Jayhawks (14-1, 2-0) with 2:46 to play but finished the Big Eight game at Boulder, Colo., with three turnovers and two missed shots.

The game was the first as head coach at Colorado for Ricardo Patton, who was an assistant until Joe Harrington made his surprising resignation Tuesday.

Forward Martice Moore, a transfer from Georgia Tech, had a game-high 29 points and made all four of his three-point shots for Colorado, which has lost 12 games in a row to Kansas.

Center Scot Pollard, who played the final nine minutes with four fouls, led Kansas with 18 points--including a three-point play at 1:48 that put the Jayhawks ahead for good. Pollard also deflected Matt Daniel’s shot as time ran out.

No. 8 Georgetown 82, Seton Hall 62--The Hoyas (16-2, 6-1) used a 26-6 run to start the Big East game at East Rutherford, N.J., and stayed in control.

Georgetown, which had shot less than 40% in its last three games, improved to 49%, with guard Allen Iverson leading the scoring with 24 points. Iverson had 40 points earlier this season in a victory over Seton Hall (8-7, 4-4).

Marquette 59, No. 9 Memphis 55--Center Amal McCaskill provided accurate shooting (nine of 11) while his teammates struggled (12 for 40) as the Golden Eagles (12-3, 3-1) beat the Tigers (12-3, 3-1) for the seventh consecutive time at Milwaukee. Marquette is 11-0 at home this season.

McCaskill had 19 points and 11 rebounds, including key sequence of a fadeaway jump shot, steal and dunk in the final minute that gave Marquette a four-point lead. Memphis center Lorenzen Wright had 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Neither team led by more than four points.

No. 15 Utah 88, Wyoming 65--The Utes (14-3, 6-1), who lead the nation in field-goal percentage defense, held the Cowboys (8-9, 2-5) to 33% shooting in a Western Athletic Conference game at Salt Lake City.

Forward Keith Van Horn led five double figure scorers with 18 points for Utah, which shot 61%.

Michigan State 62, No. 16 Iowa 60--Forward Quinton Brooks’ tip-in with 5.6 seconds left gave the Spartans (9-8, 2-2) the Big Ten Conference victory at East Lansing, Mich.

Andre Woolridge missed a short jump shot for Iowa (14-4, 3-3) with two seconds left.

Brooks had 18 points and helped Michigan State compile a 38-26 rebounding advantage with 10.

Illinois 71, No. 17 Purdue 67--Guard Kiwane Garris, playing for the first time in four games, scored a basket and made two free throws in the final 30 seconds as the Illini (12-6, 1-5) ended its longest losing streak since 1979 at five in a Big Ten game at West Lafayette, Ind.

Purdue (14-3, 5-1) had its Big Ten win streak end at 12 games.

Arkansas 80, No. 21 Mississippi State 68--Freshman guard Kareem Reid made nine free throws in the final minutes to secure a Southeastern Conference victory at Fayetteville, Ark. for the Razorbacks, who had lost previous games by 22 and 25 points.

Arkansas (10-6, 3-2) used a 16-0 run in the first half to take a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

Center Erick Dampier had 18 points and seven rebounds for Mississippi State (11-4, 3-3).

Tennessee 67, No. 22 Georgia 62--The Volunteers (9-7, 2-4) played strong man-to-man defense in holding the Bulldogs (11-4, 2-3) 23 points below their average in a Southeastern Conference game at Knoxville, Tenn.

Center Steve Hamer had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Tennessee, which beat a nationally ranked team for the first time since 1993 and ended a losing streak at six games against Georgia. The Bulldogs are 0-3 in SEC road games.

No. 24 Boston College 91, St. John’s 78--Forward Danya Abrams had 21 points and made all 11 of his free throws for the Eagles (12-3, 5-2) in a Big East Conference game at Newton, Mass.

St. John’s (7-7, 1-5) took a 14-3 lead to start the game but quickly came unraveled. Guard Felipe Lopez missed 12 of 15 shots and had only eight points.

No. 25 Texas Tech 95, Houston 76--Forward Jason Sasser scored 10 of his 24 points during a 23-4 run that gave the Red Raiders (14-1, 4-0) a 20-point halftime lead in a Southwest Conference game at Lubbock, Texas. Houston is 8-7 and 2-1.

OTHER GAMES

Virginia Military Institute officials postponed a Southern Conference game against Davidson as a precaution after a student died of a contagious form of meningitis. . . . Notre Dame (6-8, 1-6) beat Rutgers, 79-67, at South Bend, Ind., for its first Big East victory. Rutgers (6-8, 1-6) beat Notre Dame earlier this season for its first Big East victory. . . . Georgia Tech (11-8, 4-1) played its first game of the season at renovated Alexander Memorial Coliseum and was a 90-70 winner over Virginia (7-7, 2-4) in an Atlantic Coast Conference game. Freshman guard Stephon Marbury scored 16 of his 24 points in a first half, helping the Yellowjackets build a 23-point lead. . . . Forward Keith Booth was one of five double-figure scorers and had a career-high 14 rebounds for Maryland (8-6, 1-3) in a 77-74 overtime victory over against North Carolina State (11-6, 1-4) in an ACC game at College Park, Md. Wolfpack center Todd Fuller, the ACC’s leading scorer (22.3 points a game), had a season-low eight points on three-of-14 shooting. Duke (11-6, 2-4) was an 85-65 winner over Florida State (10-5, 2-3) at Durham, N.C., giving the Blue Devils back-to-back ACC victories for the first time since February of 1994.

South Carolina (10-4, 4-2) scored its most-lopsided victory since joining the Southeastern Conference four years ago in a 90-67 decision over Alabama (10-4, 4-2) at Columbia, S.C. . . . Tulane (9-5) shot 52% from against one of the nation’s top defensive teams in a 67-59 nonconference victory over Temple (8-7) at New Orleans. Temple opponents had been shooting 37%. . . . Northwestern (6-8, 1-4) ended a Big Ten losing streak at 14 games with a 62-52 victory over Wisconsin (11-7, 3-3) at Evanston, Ill. . . . Kansas State (12-4, 3-1) held high-scoring Ryan Minor without a point in the first half of a 75-60 victory over Oklahoma (10-6, 2-2) in a Big Eight game at Norman, Okla. Minor finished with 11 points and missed 15 of 18 shots. . . . Nebraska (14-4, 2-1) made only one basket in the final 10 minutes but still managed to shot 56% for the game in a 66-57 victory over Oklahoma State (10-5, 0-3) in a Big Eight game at Stillwater, Okla.

Guard Dominick Young made all seven of his three-point shots and had 24 points as Western Athletic Conference co-leader Fresno State (12-5, 6-1) posted an 84-80 home-court victory over Hawaii (4-12, 1-7). Guard Tes Whitlock, returning from academic suspension, had 26 points for Hawaii. . . . Brigham Young (10-6, 4-3) had its home win streak ended at 24 games as Bryan Christiansen’s three-point shot with three seconds left gave Colorado State (10-6, 4-3) at 78-76 WAC victory. . . . Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (9-8) ended a road losing streak of 31 games in a 102-86 victory over Cal State Sacramento (4-14) in a America West Conference opener.