Hoosiers Maintain Market Value

Indiana ended a perfect run at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis.

Playing their last game in the 25-year-old building, the eighth-ranked Hooisers (13-2) beat Ball State, 72-62, Monday night to win the Hoosier Classic.

Luke Recker scored 17 points for Indiana, which improved to 42-0 at Market Square, including 34-0 in the Hoosier Classic by beating the Cardinals (6-4). The arena is scheduled to be torn down when the Conseco Fieldhouse is completed in 1999.

No. 15 New Mexico 93, New Hampshire 67--Kenny Thomas grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds despite playing with an injured right thumb to lead New Mexico (9-1) over New Hampshire (2-6) in the first round of the Lobo Invitational at Albuquerque.

The senior season of the 6-foot-8, 260-pounder started late because he was forced to sit out the first semester by the NCAA as part of an agreement that settled a dispute over his eligibility in his freshman season.

In four games since his return, Thomas has had three double-doubles, totaling 75 points and 53 rebounds.

No. 6 Arizona 89, Holy Cross 41--The Wildcats (7-0) have never lost in the Fiesta Bowl Classic, a holiday tournament played on their homecourt in Tucson. But few of the wins have been easier than this rout of Holy Cross (3-9). The Wildcats are 27-0 in the 14-year-old tournament.

Jason Terry scored 13 points for Arizona, while Richard Jefferson and Rick Anderson added 11 apiece.

Arizona State 84, Navy 72--Eddie House scored 24 points and Mike Batiste added 19 as the Sun Devils won at Tempe in the first round of the ASU-Fiesta Bowl Holiday Classic.

It was the fifth consecutive win for the Sun Devils (7-4), who advanced to tonight’s championship game against Alaska-Anchorage.

Navy (8-3) got a season and career-high 21 points from Chris Williams.

Texas El Paso 76, Washington State 66--Brandon Wolfram scored 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Miners (8-4) past the Cougars (5-5) in the first round of the Sierra Providence Sun Classic at El Paso.

Oregon 87, Saint Martin’s Washington 67--Freshman Frederick Jones scored 16 points and A.D. Smith and Skouson Harker added 15 each as Oregon (8-1) concluded its nonconference schedule with the rout of Saint Martin’s (8-5) at Eugene, Ore.

WOMEN

Ohio State 72, No. 12 Penn State 54--Jamie Lewis scored 16 points at State College, Pa., making all 10 of her free throws, to help Ohio State (8-3) beat No. 12 Penn State (8-2).

No. 5 Louisiana Tech 130, Cleveland State 55--Amanda Wilson scored 29 points to lead the Techsters (9-2) to a school single-game scoring record in the opening round of the State Farm Holiday Classic at Ruston, La. Cleveland State dropped to 5-5.

No. 16 Virginia Tech 80, Akron 59--Nicole Jones scored 17 points in the first round of the Diamond Club Classic at Blacksburg, Va., to lead the Hokies, who are off to the best start in school history at 10-0. Akron is 4-6.

No. 19 Nebraska 78, Kent 72--Nicole Kubik scored 25 points at Louisville for the Cornhuskers (11-1), who overcame a 10-point second-half lead by Kent (6-4) in the first round of the Seelbach Tournament.

No. 20 Florida 94, W. Michigan 59--Brandi McCain scored 19 points at Gainesville as Florida (10-4) beat Western Michigan (7-3) in the first round of the State Farm Classic.

No. 22 Virginia 111, Brown 49--Monick Foote scored 15 of her 20 points in the first half at Charlottesville, Va., as the Cavaliers (7-2) cruised to a victory over Brown (4-5) in the Nationwide Cavalier Classic.

No. 21 Kansas 79, Houston 54--Brooke Reves scored 22 points and had 12 rebounds at Lawrence, Kansas, to lead the Jayhawks (10-3) over the Cougars (4-6) for Kansas’ sixth straight victory.