Wildcats Capture Shootout

Top 25

Ron Mercer scored 22 points and No. 8 Kentucky shot 64 percent from the field Saturday night in a 92-65 victory over the College of Charleston in the Great Alaska Shootout championship game, at Anchorage, Alaska.

The Wildcats never gave the Cougars a glimpse of hope, taking the lead for good 2-1/2 minutes into the game and handing out the same treatment it gave No. 12 Syracuse and Alaska Anchorage earlier in the tournament.

Allen Edwards added 17 points and Nazr Mohammed had six rebounds for the defending national champs.

Charleston, which beat No. 21 Stanford to advance to the finals, got a game-high 24 points and five rebounds from Thaddeous Delaney. Stacy Harris added 13 points.

Six Wildcats reached double figures: Anthony Epps had 12, and Jared Prickett, Jamaal Magloire and Mohammed had 10 each.

(1) Cincinnati 105, Rutgers 65

At Cincinnati, Danny Fortson and Damon Flint, who had 19 points, led the Bearcats (2-1) over the Scarlet Knights (1-1).

The Bearcats are likely to lose their top ranking in the new poll because of the loss, but are looking ahead to the game Wednesday against current No. 2 Kansas in Chicago.

(4) Utah 74, CSU Fullerton 67

At Fullerton, Calif., Keith Van Horn scored 20 points and Michael Doleac added 18 as has the Utes (3-0) held off a late rally by the Titans (1-1).

Van Horn scored four straight points and David Jackson added a basket to give Utah its largest lead, 59-41, with 7:57 remaining in the game, before Fullerton scored the next 11 points.

(5) Villanova 62, Butler 54

Alvin Williams scored 17 points and Chuck Kornegay added nine points and 12 rebounds as the Wildcats (2-0) defeated the Bulldogs (2-1) in the Puerto Rico Shootout at Caguas, Puerto Rico.

(7) Michigan 80, Cleveland St. 74

At Cleveland, Louis Bullock had 19 points and Maurice Taylor added 17 as the Wolverines (2-0) escaped with a victory over the Vikings (1-2).

Taylor scored inside to give the Wolverines a 74-71 lead with 1:35 left. After a Cleveland State miss, Michigan guard Brandun Hughes fell along the baseline, and Malcolm Sims picked up the loose ball, stepped behind the 3-point line and hit the shot to cut the lead to 76-74 with 41 seconds to play.

Despite hitting only six of its last 13 foul shots, Michigan (2-0) clinched it when Maceo Baston made two free throws with 11 seconds left.

(10) Clemson 47, Missouri 45

Terrell McIntyre’s 3-pointer with 4 seconds to play lifted Clemson (4-0) over Missouri (2-1) in a second-round game of the San Juan Shootout at Caguas, Puerto Rico.

Missouri trailed 41-35 with 6:58 to play when it went on a 7-3 run to get within 44-42 with 2:22 left. Tyron Lee had five points in that run, including a 3-pointer. Derek Grimm’s 3-pointer with 1:27 left gave Missouri its 45-44 lead.

(12) Syracuse 73, UNC-Greensboro 56

At Anchorage, Todd Burgan and and Jason Cipolla each tossed in 16 points as the Orangemen (3-1) took fourth place and the Spartans (1-3) sixth at the Great Alaska Shootout.

(15) Fresno St. 84, Liberty 44

At Fresno, Calif., Dominick Young had three 3-pointers during an 18-point Fresno State run as the Bulldogs (4-0) defeated the Flames (3-1) to win their own Coors Light Classic.

(16) Arkansas 77, San Francisco 63

At Fayetteville, Ark., Guy Whitney scored six consecutive points and Derek Hood contributed two dunks during a 14-3 run as the Razorbacks (2-1) defeated the Dons (1-1).

(24) Minnesota 64, Creighton 63

At Caguas, Puerto Rico, Eric Harris’ jumper with four seconds to play gave the Golden Gophers (4-0) the victory over the Bluejays (2-2) in the San Juan Shootout.

Texas Tech 84, (25) G. Washington 75

At Washington, Tony Battie, Texas Tech’s only returning starter from last season’s Sweet Sixteen team, scored 12 of his 17 points in 15-6 run to start the second half as the Red Raiders (3-0) snapped the 14-game home winning streak of the Colonials (3-1).