Villanova Outlasts Syracuse

Eric Eberz’s three-point basket 51 seconds into overtime gave No. 6 Villanova the lead for good and the Wildcats held off No. 18 Syracuse, 72-69, in a Big East Conference game Monday night at Syracuse, N.Y.

Syracuse, 14-6 overall and 5-5 in the Big East, which lost its first home game of the season, failed to score a field goal in the extra period and missed four of eight free throws.

The Orangemen, who trailed by nine points with 7:55 left in regulation, had one last chance to tie when Todd Burgan grabbed a missed free throw by John Wallace with 28 seconds to play and Syracuse trailing, 72-69.

Syracuse called two timeouts while running the clock down but Wallace missed a 25-footer as time expired.

Wallace had 21 of Syracuse’s 31 second-half points and finished with 31.

Kerry Kittles had 26 points to lead Villanova (17-3, 8-2), although he did not score after the 7:55 mark in the second half.

No. 13 Virginia Tech 85, St. Joseph’s 76--Damon Watlington scored 18 points and Ace Custis had 17 points and 12 rebounds as Virginia Tech withstood a late charge in an Atlantic 10 Conference game at Blacksburg, Va.

Terrell Myers, who finished with 23 points, rebounded a missed free throw and brought St. Joseph’s (7-8, 2-4) within 73-70 with three minutes remaining.

But on the Hawks’ next two possessions, Shawn Good blocked a three-point shot by Mark Bass into the stands and then stole a pass, drove from the point and drew a foul.

Good made both free throws and then made a jumper the next trip downcourt to put Virginia Tech (14-2, 7-1) ahead, 78-70, with 56 seconds to play, forcing St. Joseph’s to begin fouling.

OTHER GAMES

Chauncey Billups scored 27 points to lead Colorado (6-11, 1-5) to a 106-94 upset over Missouri (13-7, 3-3) in Big Eight action at Boulder, Colo. . . . Cordell Love had 24 points in leading Tulsa (13-3, 6-2) to an 89-79 victory over Northern Iowa (9-7, 3-5) in a Missouri Valley Conference game at Cedar Falls, Iowa. . . . Nevada (6-3, 13-6) moved into a second-place tie with UC Santa Barbara in the Big West with a 71-64 victory over Nevada Las Vegas (3-6, 6-11) at Las Vegas.

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College Basketball Notes

West Virginia forward Gordon Malone has been suspended indefinitely by Coach Gale Catlett for unspecified rules violations.