Georgia Hangs On, Upsets No. 3 Florida

For the first time in several days, Jim Harrick could smile.

The embattled Georgia coach was right in the middle of things when the crowd stormed the court, celebrating wildly after the No. 25-ranked Bulldogs defeated No. 3 Florida, 82-81, Tuesday night at Athens, Ga.

“The people of Athens, all the fans and students, they were 100% behind us,” Harrick said. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that.”

Jarvis Hayes banked in a 12-foot shot with 14 seconds remaining, providing a respite from the trouble engulfing the Georgia program.

The NCAA is investigating charges made by former player Tony Cole, who claims assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr. paid some of his bills and committed academic fraud.

Florida, 24-5 overall and 12-3 in the Southeastern Conference, had a chance at a final shot, but Matt Walsh slipped trying to penetrate and David Lee couldn’t get the ball off before the buzzer.

Georgia (18-8, 10-5) was playing its second game against a top-three team in three days. Sunday, the Bulldogs lost to No. 2 Kentucky.

No. 4 Texas 74, Kansas State 60 -- James Thomas had 22 points and 15 rebounds to help the Longhorns (21-5, 12-3) improve to 14-0 at home after the victory at Austin, Texas. Kansas State (12-16, 3-12) lost its 16th consecutive conference road game.

No. 5 Oklahoma 76, Nebraska 51 -- Hollis Price scored 20 points and Oklahoma (21-5, 12-3 Big 12) cruised at Norman, Okla., using a 25-0 run to run its home winning streak to 37 games, longest in the nation. Andrew Drevo had 24 points for Nebraska (11-17, 3-12).

No. 12 Syracuse 92, No. 16 Notre Dame 88 -- Billy Edelin had a season-high 26 points and Carmelo Anthony scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half to help the Orangemen win at South Bend, Ind. Matt Carroll, who had 28 points, including a school-record eight three-point baskets, helped the Irish (21-8, 9-6 Big East) make it close after trailing by 21 points in the first half. Syracuse is 22-4, 12-3.

WOMEN

No. 1 Connecticut 78, West Virginia 58 -- Jessica Moore scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lift the Huskies (29-0, 16-0 Big East) at Hartford, Conn. Connecticut extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 68 games and is 20 victories shy of tying the men’s NCAA record of 88 in a row set by UCLA from 1971 to 1974.

No. 24 Boston College 72, No. 18 Rutgers 71 -- Clare Droesch scored 17 points and Amber Jacobs scored on a layup with six seconds remaining to give the Eagles (20-7, 12-4 Big East) a four-point lead on the way to a victory at Piscataway, N.J. Cappie Pondexter made a three-point basket at the buzzer for the final score for Rutgers (20-6, 13-3).

No. 20 Villanova 83, Providence 48 -- Katie Davis scored 26 points, making five first-half three-point baskets, and Trish Juhline scored 22 points to help the Wildcats (22-5, 12-4 Big East) win at Villanova, Pa.