Vaughn Gives Kansas Big Assist

Jacque Vaughn, Kansas’ assist specialist-turned scorer, had 17 points Monday night as the third-ranked Jayhawks turned back a Missouri challenge early in the second half and went on to score an 87-65 victory at Lawrence, Kan.

Kansas, 24-2 overall and 12-1 in the Big Eight, saw its 53-35 lead trimmed in half when the Tigers scored nine unanswered points in the first four minutes of the second half. But Vaughn made a three-point shot and a free throw as the Jayhawks pulled away.

Sammie Haley led the Tigers (16-12, 6-7) with 12 points.

No. 15 Syracuse 92, St. John’s 79--John Wallace had 30 points and Lazarus Sims had a triple-double as the Orangemen squandered half of a 20-point halftime lead before holding off the Red Storm in a Big East game at New York.

The Orangemen (21-7, 11-6) made a season-high 10 three-point shots in 19 attempts and Sims finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

St. John’s (10-15, 4-13) got 26 points and 10 rebounds from Zendon Hamilton and Felipe Lopez had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

No. 24 George Washington 81, Xavier (Ohio) 77--J.J. Brade’s 19 points and Kwame Evans’ three-point play with 32 seconds left gave the Colonials an Atlantic 10 victory at Cincinnati.

George Washington (19-5, 12-2) lacked the firepower and defensive intensity it showed Saturday in an 86-76 victory over previously unbeaten Massachusetts, but gritted it out.

Xavier (11-13, 7-7) was led by Lenny Brown with 24 points.

OTHER GAMES

Davidson (23-3, 14-0) recorded an 88-79 overtime victory over Furman (10-16, 6-8) at Greenville, S.C., for its 17th consecutive win as the Wildcats (23-3, 14-0) became the Southern Conference’s first undefeated team in regular-season conference play since Furman in 1974-75.

College Basketball Notes

Kentucky (24-1), the preseason choice at No. 1, returned to the top spot in the Associated Press poll, ending Massachusetts’ nine-week run at No. 1. The Wildcats garnered all but two of the 66 first-place votes and totaled 1,648 points. UMass (26-1), the only team to beat Kentucky, got the other two first-place votes and 1,563 points. UCLA is 17th.

Loyola Marymount Coach John Olive was named West Coast Conference Coach of the Year. Lion center Ime Oduok and guard Jim Williamson, and Pepperdine guard Gerald Brown were named to the all-conference team. Santa Clara guard Steve Nash was named Player of the Year.