N.C. State Upsets Tar Heels

Men’s Top 25

C.C. Harrison scored 24 of his career-high 31 points in the first half and North Carolina State was clutch from the foul line down the stretch Saturday in upsetting No. 1 North Carolina 86-72 in Chapel Hill, N.C.

For the second time in four seasons, the Wolfpack (15-11, 5-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) defeated the Tar Heels while they were No. 1. North Carolina State upset top-ranked North Carolina 80-70 on Jan. 4, 1995, in Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

North Carolina (26-2, 12-2) saw its nine-game winning streak end and, with two league games to play, the Tar Heels fell a full game behind ACC-leading Duke. North Carolina plays at No. 2 Duke next Saturday.

The Wolfpack won despite making only seven baskets in the second half, including two over the final 13:24.

(4) Kansas 71, Iowa St. 54

At Lawrence, Kan., Paul Pierce’s 19 points helped the Jayhawks (29-3, 13-1) clinch their second consecutive Big 12 championship with a win over the Cyclones (12-15, 5-9), their 59th straight home victory.

Penn St. 74, (5) Purdue 63 At State College, Pa., Pete Lisicky scored 15 of his 19 points on perfect shooting from behind the 3-point line as the Nittany Lions (14-12, 7-7 Big Ten) upset the Boilermakers (22-6, 10-4) for their first win over a Top 5 team in 50 years.

(6) Utah 55, Air Force 41

At Salt Lake City, Andre Miller scored 20 points and the Utes (22-2, 9-2 WAC) held the Falcons (9-14, 2-10) scoreless for the final 4:20.

(7) Connecticut 83, Villanova 76

At Philadelphia, Richard Hamilton scored 29 points and the Huskies (24-4, 13-3 Big East) withstood the Wildcats’ (10-15, 7-9) late rally.

(9) Princeton 74, Dartmouth 53

At Princeton, N.J., Steve Goodrich had 17 points as the Tigers (23-1, 11-0 Ivy League) trounced the Big Green (6-18, 3-9) for their 16th straight win.

(19) TCU 95, (11) New Mexico 64

At Fort Worth, Texas, Lee Nailon scored 31 points and Mike Jones added 29 as the Horned Frogs (24-4, 12-0 Western Athletic Conference) avenged an earlier loss to the Lobos (21-4, 11-1).

(13) South Carolina 79, Florida 74

At Gainesville, Fla., BJ McKie scored 31 points and was involved in a heated second-half exchange as the Gamecocks (20-5, 10-4 SEC) beat the Gators (13-11, 6-8).

(14) Michigan St. 56, Wisconsin 47

At Madison, Wis., Mateen Cleaves scored 14 points and the Spartans (20-5, 13-2) rallied past the Badgers (11-16, 3-11) to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten championship.

(15) Mississippi 82, Mississippi St. 78

At Starkville, Miss., Ansu Sesay scored 25 points and Keith Carter added 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Rebels (19-5, 10-4 Southeastern Conference) defeated the Bulldogs (14-13, 3-11) for their fifth consecutive victory.

(16) Arkansas 107, Auburn 83

At Fayetteville, Ark., Tarik Wallace made 5 of 6 3-point attempts in the first half and his shooting was instrumental in a 13-0 run that helped the Razorbacks (22-5, 11-3 Southeastern Conference) defeat the Tigers (15-10, 7-7).

(17) Cincinnati 75, DePaul 38

At Cincinnati, Kenyon Martin had career highs with 24 points, 23 rebounds and 10 blocks as the Bearcats (21-5, 12-2 Conference USA) beat the Blue Demons (7-20, 3-11).

(18) Massachusetts 82, St. Joseph’s 79 (OT)

At Amherst, Mass., Charlton Clarke hit a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left in regulation and the Minutemen (20-7, 12-2 Atlantic 10) defeated the Hawks (9-15, 2-12).

Rutgers 62, (21) Syracuse 58

At Piscataway, N.J., the Scarlet Knights (12-13, 6-11 Big East) posted their first win at home over a ranked team since 1991 by defeating the Orangemen (20-6, 10-5).

(25) Maryland 81, Georgia Tech 69

At College Park, Md., Laron Profit scored 19 points and the Terrapins (16-9, 9-6) clinched a third-place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference by defeating the Yellow Jackets (17-10, 6-8).