Mihm’s the Word for Texas in Win

Seven-foot Texas star Chris Mihm, who hurt his right leg early against Arizona State, wasn’t about to let anything keep him out of Thursday’s game for long.

“I know what a big game this was for us and how we needed to win,” said Mihm, who scored 19 points in the 20th-ranked Longhorns’ 88-71 victory in the Puerto Rico Shootout at Bayamon. “I wasn’t going to sit out.”

N. Gabe Muoneke led Texas (2-0) with 29 points. Shawn Redhage led the Sun Devils (1-1) with 17.

Mihm couldn’t finish a driving layup near the game’s start and then sat several times in the opening half as trainers iced his right leg. He grimaced as he stepped back onto the court after halftime.

But once play began, Mihm’s injury wasn’t apparent. He converted an inside bucket, then followed with a three-point play to give Texas a 48-34 lead.

No. 3 Michigan State 82, Providence 58--The Spartans (2-0), led by Morris Peterson’s 17 points, played up to their Final Four reputation, defeating the Friars (1-2) in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Shootout.

No. 10 Kansas 88, Georgia 78--The Jayhawks (2-0) got 18 points apiece from Jeff Boschee and Kenny Gregory to defeat the Bulldogs (0-2) in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout at Anchorage.

No. 18 DePaul 114, American University-Puerto Rico 69--Paul McPherson used an array of dunks en route to 23 points, 17 in the first half, as the Blue Demons won in the first round of the Puerto Rico Shootout.

Xavier 81, Louisville 79--Darnell Williams scored 22 points to lead the Musketeers (2-0) to a come-from-behind victory over the Cardinals (0-2) in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout. The Musketeers (2-0) trailed by as many as five early in the second half.

South Carolina 73, Virginia 71--The Gamecocks’ size trumped the Cavaliers’ quickness as Antonio Grant scored 13 points and Tony Kitchings had nine--all in the second half--in a victory at the Puerto Rico Shootout. South Carolina improved to 3-0, Virginia dropped to 2-1.

Texas El Paso 74, Jackson State 58--Freshman forward Roy Smallwood scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Miners (2-0) past the Tigers (1-2) at El Paso.

Colorado 65, Yale 50--Jaquay Walls had 16 points and four assists and Jamahl Mosley added 15 points and nine rebounds as the Buffaloes (3-0) remained unbeaten with a victory over the Bulldogs (1-2) at Boulder, Colo.