Gonzaga Is One Stepp Ahead

Junior guard Blake Stepp scored a career-high 33 points to lead Gonzaga to a 95-89 overtime victory over Washington on Monday night at Spokane, Wash.

The Bulldogs (3-2), who dropped out of the top 25 this week, trailed for much of the game.

Sophomore guard Will Conroy led Washington (0-3) with a career-high 32 points, including a last-second three-point field goal to send the game into overtime.

Stepp was eight for eight from the free-throw line to account for all of Gonzaga’s points in the last two minutes of overtime.

Washington fell to 0-3 for the first time since an 0-5 start in 1993-94.

TOP 25

Notre Dame 92, No. 13 Marquette 71 -- Sophomore guard Chris Thomas had 32 points and 10 assists to lead the Fighting Irish at South Bend, Ind.

Thomas matched his career high for points set last season against Rutgers.

Danny Miller had 20 points and seven rebounds for Notre Dame (5-1), which shot 50% and had five players score in double figures.

Dwyane Wade led Marquette (4-1) with 19 points.

No. 15 Missouri 98, Cal State Sacramento 60 -- Arthur Johnson scored a career-high 24 points and Rickey Paulding scored 17 at Columbia, Mo., and the Tigers handed the Hornets their 39th consecutive road loss.

Johnson, who had 10 rebounds, scored 12 of Missouri’s first 20 points in the second half after the Tigers (3-0) took a 10-point lead at halftime.

Center Tony Champion had all but two of his career-high 16 points in the first half for the Hornets (1-3).

No. 24 Mississippi State 100, Alabama A&M; 58 -- Timmy Bowers scored 19 points and Marcus Campbell had a career-high 16 for the Bulldogs at Starkville, Miss.

The Bulldogs (3-1) played their fourth consecutive game without center Mario Austin, who is being held out pending an NCAA ruling on his eligibility.

Garik Nicholson scored 14 points for Alabama A&M; (1-2).

OTHER GAMES

Auburn 77, Southeastern Louisiana 47 -- Marquis Daniels scored 22 points and the Tigers (3-1) held the Lions (0-3) to under 30% shooting at Auburn, Ala.

It was the 299th victory for the Tigers at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.

South Carolina 66, Temple 47 -- Carlos Powell tied a career high with 20 points to help lift the Gamecocks (4-0) at Columbia, S.C.

The Owls, starting three freshmen, are 0-3 for the first time since 1988.

Cincinnati 76, Valparaiso 50 -- Field Williams scored 17 points in a balanced offense to lead the Bearcats (3-1), playing unranked for the first time in nearly a year, at Cincinnati.

San Diego State 87, UC San Diego 57 -- Steve Sir scored 18 points, all on three-point field goals, and host San Diego State (2-2) set a school record for three-pointers with 13.

Oregon State 81, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 60 -- Philip Ricci scored 21 points to lead the Beavers (2-1) at Corvallis, Ore. Varnie Dennis scored 24 points for the Mustangs (0-2).

San Francisco 82, Southern 71 -- Darrell Tucker scored 33 points at San Francisco and the Dons won their first game.