Jayhawks Chip Away At Bearcats

Top 25/Pac-10

Top-ranked Kansas, slowed by Cincinnati’s attacking defense for a half, rallied from a 16-point deficit Wednesday night in Chicago and used the play of Paul Pierce to beat the fourth-ranked Bearcats 72-65.

Pierce scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and Kansas (6-0) rode a 36-14 run to wipe out the large deficit before 21,062 fans in the final game of the Great Eight basketball tournament.

Scot Pollard added 14 points for Kansas.

Cincinnati (2-2), which lost the No. 1 ranking earlier this season after a loss to Xavier, got 25 points and 11 rebounds from Danny Fortson. But Fortson managed only nine second-half points before fouling out with 45 seconds to go.

With Cincinnati leading 37-23 early in the second, Fortson left the game with his third foul. While he sat out for 5 minutes and 17 seconds, the Jayhawks got back in the game, finally solving Cincinnati’s defense.

Billy Thomas and Pierce made consecutive 3-pointers to cap an 18-2 run, a spurt that also included a spectacular stuff by Pierce, as Kansas took its first lead at 41-39.

Cincinnati had its last lead at 43-42 with 11:43 remaining, before Kansas went on another scoring binge.

(3) Utah 60, S. Utah 40

At Salt Lake City, Keith Van Horn scored 14 points and had 15 rebounds to lead the Utes (4-0) past the Thunderbirds (2-2).

(5) Villanova 75, Providence 64

At Villanova, Pa., highly touted freshman Tim Thomas scored a game-high 29 points in the Wildcats’ win over the Friars (4-2).

Texas Tech 77, (11) N. Mexico 68

At Lubbock, Texas, Cory Carr scored 25 points and had seven assists to lead the unbeaten Raiders (5-0) over the Lobos (5-1).

(12) Clemson 82, Furman 55

At Clemson, S.C., Greg Buckner scored 15 points and the Tigers (5-1) clobbered the Paladins (2-2) despite losing starters Terrell McIntyre and Harold Jamison to injuries.

(18) Texas 82, Florida 64

Kris Clack scored 20 points and Brandy Perryman finished with 12 for the visiting Longhorns, who are 3-0 for the first time since 1990, the year they reached the final eight of the NCAA Tournament. The Gators fell to 3-3.

W. Virginia 101, (19) Syracuse 79

At Syracuse, N.Y., Gordon Malone scored 25 points off the bench, and Damian Owens and Adrian Pledger added 24 apiece as the Mountaineers (2-1) beat the Orangemen (3-2) in the Big East opener for both teams.

(20) B.C. 73, Rutgers 64

Antonio Granger scored 19, making five of seven 3-pointers, to lead the Eagles (3-0) past the Scarlet Knights (1-2).

Houston 79, (21) Tulsa 77, 2OT

At Houston, Damon Jones scored a career-high 35 points, including a jump shot and a free throw in the closing seconds of the second overtime, lifting the Cougars (3-1) over the Hurricanes (4-2).

(25) Virginia 75, Wm. & Mary 64

At Williamsburg, Va., Norman Nolan scored 22 points and Courtney Alexander had 14 as the Cavaliers (4-1) overcame a sluggish start and beat the Tribe (3-3).

Pac-10

Oregon 85, Portland St. 66

At Portland, Kenya Wilkins scored 23 points, 12 in the second half, as the Ducks (3-0) defeated the Vikings (0-4) in a non-conference game at the Rose Garden.