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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ucla Rallies To Wrap Up Title

Associated Press

TOP 25

Freshman Toby Bailey scored a career-high 24 points and No. 1 UCLA rallied in the second half to put away Southern Cal 85-66 Wednesday night at Los Angeles and clinch its first Pac-10 championship since 1992.

The Bruins (14-2 Pac-10, 22-2) became the first team to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. They have a 2-game lead over No. 12 Arizona with two conference games remaining.

The victory was UCLA’s 10th straight and its first sweep of crosstown rival Southern Cal (2-14, 7-19) since the 1988-89 season. The Trojans’ 12th straight defeat left them four losses short of the school record set in 1976-77.

(5) Kentucky 97, Georgia 74

The Wildcats wrapped up their 37th Southeastern Conference championship as Tony Delk scored 16 points and helped the Wildcats rout the Bulldogs at Athens, Ga.

The Wildcats (13-2, 21-4) took control during a 98-second span as Delk scored seven points in a 9-0 run that gave Kentucky a 33-18 lead 4:23 before the half.

Georgia (8-7, 17-8) never came closer than 11 points the rest of the way and trailed by 30 with 6:24 to play when Andre Riddick converted a three-point play to make it 81-51.

Carlos Strong, scoreless in the first half when he sat for 10 minutes with two fouls, led Georgia with 21 points. Katu Davis added 13.

Kentucky needed a victory to clinch at least a tie for its first SEC title since 1986, and it got the title outright when Auburn upset No. 14 Mississippi State.

(6) Maryland 94, Duke 92

Joe Smith scored a career-high 40 points, including the game-winning follow at the buzzer, as the Terrapins (12-3, 23-5) Maryland survived the absence of coach Gary Williams to beat the Blue Devils at Durham, N.C.

Maryland set a school record for Atlantic Coast Conference victories and moved the within one win of its first regular-season league crown since 1980. A victory Sunday at No. 11 Virginia would clinch the crown and give Maryland the No. 1 seed in next week’s ACC tournament at Greensboro, N.C.

Billy Hahn, holding back tears during his postgame comments, gained the victory as interim coach. Williams was hospitalized with pneumonia Tuesday.

Auburn 76, (14) Mississippi St. 69

At Auburn, Ala., the Tigers (7-8, 15-10), the only team to beat the Bulldogs (11-4, 19-6) in the last 5 weeks, did it again and knocked them out of the Southeastern Conference title chase as Pat Burke connected for a career-high 21 points.

The loss prevented Mississippi State from achieving its sixth 20-win season and gave Kentucky, which defeated Georgia, its first official SEC title since 1986.

(16) Oklahoma 71, (24) Iowa St. 68

Ryan Minor scored 21 points and hit two late free throws as the Sooners (9-4 Big Eight, 22-6) marked up their fifth straight victory by downing the Cyclones (5-8, 19-9) at Ames, Iowa.

(17) Purdue 92, Iowa 85

Cuonzo Martin hit six 3-pointers and scored a season-high 29 points at West Lafayette, Ind., and the Boilermakers (12-3, 21-6) used a 17-point streak in the closing minutes to beat the Hawkeyes (7-8, 17-10) and move into a first-place tie in the Big Ten Conference.

Colorado 81, (19) Missouri 76

Donnie Boyce scored 27 points, including 17 in the first half, to help the Buffaloes (4-9 Big Eight, 14-11) upset the Tigers (7-6, 18-7) at Boulder, Colo.

(21) Alabama 69, Mississippi 50

At Tuscaloosa, Ala., Jason Caffey had 17 points and 12 rebounds in his final home game, and the Crimson Tide (10-5, 20-7) kept alive hopes for a share of the Southeastern Conference Western Division title by beating the Rebels (8-17, 3-12).

St. John’s 82, (22) Syracuse

James Scott scored 26 points, eight in the final 1:30, and the Red Storm (6-11 Big East, 13-12) held on to its slim postseason hopes by dealing the Orangemen (11-6, 18-8) their sixth loss in eight games, at New York.

(23) Georgetown 96, Seton Hall 92

Jerome Williams scored 27 points and the Hoyas (11-6 Big East, 18-7) hit critical foul shots down the stretch to beat the Pirates (7-10, 16-11) at Landover, Md.