Upstart Mississippi Stuns No. 3 Kentucky

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Mississippi is making a strong case for its first Top 25 ranking. The Rebels certainly have Kentucky’s attention.

Reserve Joezon Darby scored 19 points, including two free throws with 6 seconds left, and Ole Miss (11-3, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) shocked third-ranked Kentucky 73-69 Saturday in Oxford, Miss., to end the Wildcats’ 14-game winning streak.

“If we would have won, we wouldn’t have deserved it,” said Kentucky coach Rick Pitino. “Ole Miss deserved it because of their play for 40 minutes. This is a fine basketball team. They certainly have my respect and admiration for the building process that they have gone through.”

The defending national champion Wildcats (14-2, 2-1 SEC) were playing their fourth game in eight days.

Kentucky’s Derek Anderson and Ron Mercer, the SEC’s top two scorers, averaging a combined 38 points a game, had just 10. Anderson, who strained his back Thursday, played 10 scoreless minutes. Mercer was just 4 of 15 and scored 10 points.

(1) Kansas 87, Baylor 68

Jerod Haase, Raef LaFrentz and Scot Pollard led top-ranked Kansas on a 16-0 second-half run that powered the Jayhawks (16-0, 3-0 Big 12) past the Bears (12-3, 1-2) in Waco, Texas.

(2) Wake Forest 81, (10) Duke 69

Tim Duncan scored a season-high 26 points, but it was Wake Forest’s clutch 3-point shooting in the second half that enabled the Demon Deacons (12-0, 4-0 ACC) to defeat the Blue Devils (11-4, 2-2) in Durham, N.C.

(4) Iowa St. 82, Oklahoma 55

At Ames, Iowa, Dedric Willoughby scored 21 points and the Cyclones (11-1, 2-0 Big 12) shut down the Sooners (9-3, 1-1) in the second half.

(5) Clemson 76, Florida St. 70

At Tallahassee, Fla., Greg Buckner scored 21 points and Merl Code sank six free throws in the final 1:31 as the Tigers (14-1, 3-0 ACC) defeated the Seminoles (9-3, 1-3).

Miami 61, (8) Villanova 59

At Philadelphia, Kevin Norris made two free throws with less than a second left after Villanova’s Tim Thomas was assessed a technical foul for calling an improper timeout, lifting the Hurricanes (9-5, 3-3 Big East) over the Wildcats (12-3, 3-2).

(9) Utah 61, Brigham Young 51

At Provo, Utah, Keith Van Horn scored 22 points and the Utes (10-2, 2-0 WAC) pulled comfortably ahead in the second half against their arch rivals, the Cougars (1-11, 0-2).

(11) Minnesota 70, (16) Michigan 64

At Minneapolis, Bobby Jackson had 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Golden Gophers (15-1, 4-0 Big Ten) extended their winning streak to 10 games with the victory over the Wolverines (11-4, 2-2).

(12) Xavier, Ohio 75, Fordham 64

At New York, James Posey scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and the Musketeers (11-1, 2-1 Atlantic 10) defeated the Rams (5-7, 0-2).

Virginia 75, (13) North Carolina 63

At Charlottesville, Va., Norman Nolan scored 20 points and the Cavaliers (11-4, 2-2 ACC) held the Tar Heels (9-4, 0-3) to 38.5 percent shooting, leaving North Carolina 0-3 in the ACC for the first time in the 44-year history of the league.

(14) Louisville 60, Georgia Tech 56

At Louisville, Ky., B.J. Flynn hit a free throw with 6.2 seconds left as the Cardinals (13-1) defeated the Yellow Jackets (6-7) for coach Denny Crum’s 600th career victory.

Crum, who has a 600-225 mark in his 26th season at Louisville, is the 19th major college coach to reach the milestone.

(18) New Mexico 78, SMU 58

At Albuquerque, N.M., freshman Lamont Long scored 19 points and the Lobos (13-2, 2-1 WAC) defeated the Mustangs (10-3, 2-1) for their 20th consecutive home victory.

Colorado 80, (20) Texas Tech 78

At Lubbock, Texas, Chauncy Billups, who scored 29 points, made a leaning jump shot in the lane with a half-second left as the Buffaloes (12-3, 3-0 Big 12) snapped the 35-game home winning streak of the Red Raiders (10-3, 2-1).

(23) Boston College 73, Notre Dame 61

At South Bend, Ind., Scoonie Penn and Antonio Granger were 7 of 9 from 3-point range in the first half, and the Eagles (10-2, 5-1 Big East) survived a late rally to beat the Fighting Irish (7-6, 1-4).

(25) Illinois 85, Penn St. 70

At Champaign, Ill., Kiwane Garris scored 22 points as the Illini (12-4, 2-2 Big Ten) overcame 31 percent first-half shooting to defeat the Nittany Lions (7-5, 0-3).