Villanova shuts down Durant, Texas, 76-69

Villanova had the best freshman on the court Saturday at Philadelphia and did quite a job containing one of the country’s best first-year players.

Scottie Reynolds scored 26 points in his second consecutive outstanding game and the Wildcats held Texas freshman Kevin Durant to 12 in their 76-69 victory over the 21st-ranked Longhorns.

“That was a great defensive effort,” Villanova Coach Jay Wright said. “We’re getting better and better. This is going to help us, especially defensively.”

Reynolds, who set his career high with 27 points in the Wildcats’ win over No. 20 Notre Dame on Wednesday, was 12 for 13 from the free-throw line, including making five of six over the final 43 seconds after the Longhorns closed a 13-point deficit to two.

The Wildcats (13-5) played without leading scorer and rebounder Curtis Sumpter, who was kicked in the leg during the Notre Dame game and suffered a bruise below his knee.

Shane Clark started in Sumpter’s place and had 11 points and 12 rebounds in addition to being one of the several Wildcats who were assigned to cover Durant.

“It didn’t bother us,” he said of Sumpter’s absence. “We’re always ready to step up. I was happy to do what I could for the team.”

Durant came in averaging 34 points over the last four games and Villanova used a number of players, including the 6-foot-2 Reynolds -- who was giving up seven inches -- in holding him under 20 points for only the third time this season.

Durant made four of 15 shots from the floor and missed all six of his shots in the second half.

No. 7 Ohio State 82, Iowa 63 -- Freshman Greg Oden scored 29 points -- making 12 of 13 shots -- to lead the Buckeyes (16-3, 4-1 Big Ten) at Columbus, Ohio.

The Hawkeyes (10-9, 2-3) have lost three of four after a season-best four-game winning streak.

In addition to being almost perfect from the floor, Oden made all five of his free throws while shooting left-handed. He still wears an elastic brace on his shooting hand -- which he occasionally uses while shooting -- but he continues to use his off hand at the line. He also had 10 rebounds.

No. 8 Texas A&M; 67, No. 12 Oklahoma State 49 -- The win at College Station, Texas, is the Aggies’ first over a ranked opponent this season and their ninth in a row since losing to then top-10 teams Louisiana State and UCLA in consecutive games in early December.

The Aggies (16-2, 4-0), who never trailed, also got their 18th consecutive home win in front of a school-record crowd of 13,187, and it was their 11th Big 12 win in a row, also an A&M; record.

Texas A&M; led by as many as 15 in the first half and 10 at halftime, but Oklahoma State (16-3, 2-2) went on a 9-2 run to open the second half and cut the lead to 40-37. The Cowboys didn’t get any closer.

New Mexico State 80, No. 15 Nevada 73 -- Justin Hawkins scored a career-high 29 points and the Aggies (15-4, 5-1 Western Athletic Conference) used their quickness and second-chance shooting to upset the Wolf Pack (17-2, 5-1) at Las Cruces, N.M.

The Aggies also had 23 offensive rebounds -- Hawkins had nine -- and turned them into points to give second-year Coach Reggie Theus his first victory over a top-25 team.

It was the Aggies’ first win over a ranked team since January 1999, when they beat No. 12 New Mexico.