Xavier Stuns No. 1 Cincinnati Again

Different year, same stakes, same outcome.

Forward Kevin Frey made a driving bank shot and then two free throws with 8.9 seconds left as Xavier of Ohio beat No. 1-ranked Cincinnati, 66-64, Saturday night at the Cincinnati Gardens, providing a bookend upset of its cross-town rival.

Three years ago, Xavier--a small Jesuit school--knocked off Cincinnati under nearly identical circumstances. The Bearcats were unbeaten, ranked No. 1 and playing on their home court when Lenny Brown’s jumper gave the Musketeers a stunning 71-69 victory.

The only differences this time were that Xavier (6-2) was playing at its home court and missed its final shot, but it didn’t matter. The Musketeers fed off the capacity crowd and beat a team that had a huge advantage in size, depth and experience.

“It’s been unreal,” said forward Darnell Williams, who was part of both victories. “Another one goes down, baby. Three years twice.”

Cincinnati (8-1) trailed most of the game as Xavier was the more aggressive of the teams and made free throws--23 of 30 in all. Frey’s two with 8.9 seconds left put Xavier ahead, 66-62.

“It’s just like when you’re growing up. You just step up to the line,” said Frey, who finished with 12 points. “You’re playing the No. 1 team in the nation. I just saw myself in the backyard or on the playground. You put yourself in your own little world.”

After Kenyon Martin scored inside with 6.1 seconds left, Lloyd Price was fouled and went to the line for two free throws with 3.3 seconds left.

He missed them both, but Alvin Brown slapped the rebound out to Price, who threw up an errant shot that drained the final few seconds from the clock and set off a rush of hundreds of fans onto the court.

“I’ve said from Day 1 that we’re on course to be good, not great,” Bearcat Coach Bob Huggins said. “We’re not No. 1. I’ve told them, but other people tell them different and they listen to them more than they listen to me.”

Maurice McAfee led Xavier with 17 points. The Musketeers played without leading rebounder Aaron Thomas, who was suspended because of academic problems.

No. 2 Stanford 78, Sacramento State 56--The Cardinal players, after another strong defensive effort on their home court, watched the final minutes of the Cincinnati-Xavier game in the locker room and got the result that should give Stanford (8-0) the No. 1 ranking in this week’s poll.

“We were watching the game like fans,” said swingman David Moseley. “When Xavier won, we all looked at each other and said, ‘Do we want to be No. 1? Can we handle it?’ And then we said, ‘Yeah, we can handle it.’ ”

Sacramento State (5-3) was held to 31% shooting--the sixth time this season a Stanford opponent has made less than a third of its shots.

No. 4 Arizona 80, Nebraska 59--Center Loren Woods scored nine of his 19 points during a 15-2 run by the Wildcats (9-1) to open the second half in the the Las Vegas Classic.

It was the first game between the schools in 30 years. Nebraska is 4-5.

No. 5 Michigan State 86, Oakland (Mich.) 51--Guard Charlie Bell, who along with forward Morris Peterson didn’t start after being late to a team meeting, still scored 20 points to lead the Spartans (8-2) to their 18th consecutive home-court victory at East Lansing, Mich. Oakland (2-8) played without leading scorers Dan Champagne and Brad Buddenborg because of injuries.

No. 7 North Carolina 78, Miami 68--Swingman Jason Capel had 20 points and 11 rebounds, and the Tar Heels (8-2) needed only two baskets in the final six minutes to defeat the Hurricanes (4-3) in the Orange Bowl Classic at Sunrise, Fla.

No. 20 Illinois 84, No. 8 Kansas 70--Guard Corey Bradford scored 19 of his 21 points in a second half in which the Illini (6-2) shot 57% and scored 53 points to defeat the Jayhawks (8-2) at Chicago. Kansas shot 32% in the second half, missing five shots in one possession.

No. 13 Tennessee 74, Memphis 69--Leading scorer Tony Harris, limited to 23 minutes because of foul trouble, made eight of eight free throws in the final 2:46 to lead the Volunteers (9-0) past the Tigers (4-5) at Memphis.

Harris finished with 14 points to lead five double-figure scorers for Tennessee, which trailed by as many as 15 points in a first half marred by fight that resulted in four ejections. Centers James Harris of Memphis and C.J. Black of Tennessee were ejected for fighting under the Tiger basket. Memphis had two other players--Kelly Wise and Paris London--ejected for leaving the bench during the fight.

No. 14 Oklahoma State 89, Nevada Las Vegas 75--Forward Glendon Alexander scored 10 of his 18 points in a 14-0 run in the second half that lifted the Cowboys (9-0) past the Runnin’ Rebels (6-2) in the second game of the Las Vegas Showdown.

Oklahoma State committed 15 turnovers in the first half, but was helped by Nevada Las Vegas making only one of its first 22 three-point shots in the game.

No. 15 Texas 89, Wofford 57--The struggling Longhorns (6-2) went to a three-guard offense against the Terriers (2-5) at Austin, Texas, and had their highest scoring scoring game of the season.

Texas Coach Rick Barnes started 6-1 Ivan Wagner, 6-2 William Clay and 6-1 Lawrence Williams, who combined for 29 points, and 6-0 Chris McColpin came off the bench to get 12 by making all four of his three-point shots. Seven-footer Chris Mihm, who rotated with 6-7 forwards Chris Owens and Gabe Muoneke, had 18 points and 12 rebounds.

No. 21 Indiana 99, Wyoming 80--The victory at Bloomington, Ind., was the 750th of Bob Knight’s career, making him the sixth coach in NCAA Division I history to reach that milestone. Knight, who has 282 losses, coached six seasons at Army before coming to Indiana, where he has 648 victories.

The Hoosiers (7-1) bounced back from a loss to Indiana State--the first in the 26 years of their Indiana Classic--as guard A.J. Guyton made 12 of 20 shots and scored 29 points. Guyton made only four of 21 shots against Indiana State.

Guard Bradley Mann led Wyoming (6-3) with 18 points.

No. 23 Oklahoma 102, Georgia Southern 63--Guard Kelley Newton scored 18 points and center Victor Avila had 17 points and 12 rebounds at Norman, Okla., as the Sooners (9-0) had their highest point total of the season and held the Eagles (5-4) to their lowest.

Southern Conference scoring leader Julius Jenkins, who came in averaging 20.9 points, had nine.

Ball State 72, No. 24 Purdue 52--Freshman forward Theron Smith had 16 points and 11 rebounds at Indianapolis as the Cardinals (6-1) defeated the instate rival Boilermakers (6-3) for only the second time in seven games.

Purdue played without starting forward Brian Cardinal, who is sidelined two to four weeks because of a broken thumb suffered in last Saturday’s victory over Coppin State.

OTHER GAMES

Georgetown (6-3) increased its win streak to four with an 83-75 victory over Houston (5-5) at Washington. During the game, Georgetown fans chanted “1984.” That was the year the Hoyas defeated Houston in the NCAA championship game. Ironically, had Georgetown’s Anthony Perry made the second of his two free throws with three seconds to play, the score would have been identical to that game. . . . Senior guard Speedy Claxton scored a career-high 39 points as Hofstra defeated Iona, 90-69, in the final game at its Physical Fitness Center in Hempstead, N.Y. Claxton’s total was one short of the scoring record in the building in which Hofstra played since 1970 and compiled a 212-126 record--including victories in its last 16 games there. Hofstra will play its first game in the 5,124-seat Hofstra Arena on Jan. 2 against Boston.

Kentucky, unranked for the first time in nine years, responded with best-shooting game of the season (59.6%) to defeat Louisville, 76-46, at Lexington, Ky. Forward Tayshaun Prince had 20 points to lead Kentucky (5-4). Louisville (5-3) made only three of 27 shots in the second half in getting outscored, 41-12. Kentucky’s 30-point margin was the biggest over Louisville since an 85-51 victory at Freedom Hall in 1986. Center Jamaal Magloire, with three blocked shots, became Kentucky’s career leader with 229, passing Melvin Turpin (226 from 1981-84). . . . Dayton had its season-opening win streak end at eight with a 75-60 loss at Cleveland State (4-5). The Flyers’ last 9-0 start was in 1955-56, when they won their first 14 games. . . . Center Dan Langhi made 10 of 13 shots and had 30 points to lead Vanderbilt (7-0) to a 101-77 victory over Western Kentucky (2-6) at Nashville, Tenn. Western Kentucky’s leading scorer, Lee Lampley, made only one of 13 shots and had two points--16 below his average.

Forward A.D. Smith had 14 points to lead seven Oregon players in double figures as the Ducks (5-1) handed Minnesota its first loss under new Coach Dan Monson, 82-75, at Portland. Monson’s father Don, who coached at Oregon nine years before he was fired in 1992, attended the game. Oregon led by eight at halftime and stretched it to 54-39 when Darius Wright made four free throws after Minnesota center Joel Przybilla got two technicals and ejected for cursing at an official. The Golden Gophers (6-1) got a career-high 29 points and six-of-seven three-point shooting from junior guard Terrance Simmons. . . . Center Dan McClintock had 23 points and 12 rebounds and sophomore forward Joel Rieck had a career-high 19 points as Northern Arizona (4-4) defeated Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (5-3) for the second time this season, this time by a 97-68 score at Flagstaff, Ariz. Guard Courtney Alexander had eight of his 21 points in overtime to lead Fresno State (7-5) to a 69-63 victory over Pacific (3-5). Guard Clay McKnight, from Santa Ana Mater Dei, had 20 points for Pacific, but didn’t score in the final 12 minutes.