Kentucky Deadly From Any Distance

Top 25

Kentucky was shooting 3s in a zone while LSU was in the twilight zone Saturday.

The fifth-ranked Wildcats sank a season-high 20 baskets from 3-point range at Lexington, Ky., in routing the Tigers 127-80, the second-worst men’s basketball loss in LSU history.

“It was a lot of fun throwing down the 3s today,” said senior guard Chris Harrison, who hit four 3s in finishing with a career-high 16 points. “The 3s seemed contagious, so everybody started trying.”

Kentucky was one shy of the school record set against North Carolina in 1989, but it did set a record for accuracy (57 percent, 20 for 35).

The Wildcats also set a scoring mark for Rupp Arena in shooting 57 percent (41 for 72) from the field.

“We just got on a run from the 3-point line,” Kentucky coach Rick Pitino said.

Seven Kentucky players made 3s - Tony Delk (6 for 8), Rodrick Rhodes (3 for -3), Anotine Walker (2 for 4), Mark Pope (1 for 1), Anthony Epps (3 for 4), Scott Padgett (1 for 1) and Harrison (4 for 9). Three others tried.

Kentucky’s percentage could have been better had center Andre Riddick, who had attempted only three in his career, not misfired on three more in the final minutes.

“The loss was embarrassing,” said forward Clarence Ceasar, who led LSU with 24 points. “Everyone has CBS, so everyone saw this game. When they were setting up Riddick for the 3s, that is when it got crazy.”

Kentucky (14-2 Southeastern Conference, 22-4) inflicted most of its long-range damage in the first half, making 12 of 18 3-pointers in building a 63-36 advantage. Tony Delk made 5 of 6 and had 21 of his 27 points.

During one stretch, Kentucky hit five consecutive 3s in pushing the lead from 46-29 to 61-34 with 58 seconds left in the half. Harrison hit two in the spurt.

LSU (6-10, 12-14), in losing for the seventh time in its last eight games, also received 22 points from Ronnie Henderson and 20 from Roman Rubchenko.

Rhodes scored 17 points, all in the second half, Epps had 15, Walker 11 and Walter McCarty 10.

Kentucky broke the game open with a 24-3 run after Henderson had scored on a layup to give LSU a 21-20 lead with 11:40 remaining in the half.

(2) N. Carolina 99, Duke 86

At Chapel Hill, N.C., Jerry Stackhouse had 24 points and Donald Williams added 21 as the Tar Heels (12-4, 22-4) beat the Blue Devils (2-14, 12-17), keeping alive their chance of winning the Atlantic Coast Conference title and extending one of college basketball’s most impressive streaks.

North Carolina still could finish in a four-way tie for the league championship with Wake Forest, Maryland and Virginia, if the latter beats Maryland today.

North Carolina’s fifth straight victory over Duke assures the Tar Heels of finishing no worse than third in the league, making it 31 consecutive seasons they have not finished below third in what is traditionally one of the country’s toughest conferences.

Duke tied a school record for losses in a season and is 3-14 since coach Mike Krzyzewski took a leave to rehabilitate from back surgery.

Trajan Langdon, who played baseball for the Spokane Indians last summer, tied a Duke record with six 3-pointers and led the Blue Devils with 23 points.

(4) Connecticut 75, Miami 67

The Huskies (16-2, 23-3) overcame the ejection of coach Jim Calhoun in the first half to beat the Hurricanes (9-9, 15-11) and win the Big East Conference title.

Calhoun departed after being whistled for two technical fouls when he argued a call. Kevin Ollie’s basket and assist on consecutive possessions helped Connecticut pull away in the final 2 minutes.

The Huskies, who went into the game assured of at least a share of the league title, became the first team in history to win back-to-back outright Big East championships.

The crowd of 11,263 was the largest in Hurricanes’ history and nearly four times their season average.

Miami, which went 0-18 in the league last season, remains in contention for its first postseason tournament berth in 31 years.

Referee Mike Kitts ejected Calhoun with 12:03 remaining in the first half. Calhoun was called for a technical foul while complaining about a foul called against the Huskies, then received a second technical - meaning mandatory ejection - when he continued to argue.

(7) Arkansas 68, Auburn 66

Corliss Williamson scored seven points in slightly more than 2 minutes and Elmer Martin made three free throws in the final 20 seconds as the Razorbacks (12-5 Southeastern, 25-5) came from 15 points down to beat the Tigers (7-9, 15-11) at Fayetteville, Ark.

Auburn led 61-48 with 6:30 to play, but Arkansas scored the next 15 points. Arkansas, which earned a share of the SEC Western Division title with Mississippi State, won despite horrendous shooting.

Scotty Thurman put Arkansas in front for good 65-63 when he drove the lane and made a left-handed layup with 47 seconds to play.

(9) Wake Forest 83, N.C. St. 68

Randolph Childress closed out his regular season with 21 points and a career-high 10 rebounds, leading the Demon Deacons (12-4 ACC, 21-5) over the Wolfpack (4-12, 12-14) at Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Demon Deacons, winners of their last seven games, have to wait and see where they’ll wind up in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season race. Maryland leads Wake Forest by one-half game.

Should the regular season end in a four-way tie, Wake Forest would be awarded first place and top seed for the ACC tournament.

Childress also had his jersey No. 22 retired, the sixth Wake Forest basketball player to be so honored.

Todd Fuller scored a career-high 30 points for North Carolina State.

Providence 71, (11) Villanova 70

In their last regular-season game, seniors Franklin Western scored 18 points and Eric Williams added 17 as the Friars (7-11 Big East, 15-11) edged the Wildcats (14-4, 22-7) at Providence, R.I., for their second upset of a ranked team during the week.

Troy Brown’s free throw with 14 seconds left gave the Friars a 71-68 lead. Villanova’s Alvin Williams hit two free throws with 7 seconds remaining to cut the lead to the final margin.

Jonathan Haynes had a chance to win the game, but his 10-foot jumper from the right side missed at the buzzer and the Wildcats lost for just the second time in 16 games.

On Monday, Providence upset No. 4 Connecticut 72-70.

(14) Miss. St. 71, (21) Alabama 67

Darryl Wilson scored a career-high 35 points as the Bulldogs (12-4, 20-6) beat the Crimson Tide (10-6, 20-8) at Starkville, Miss., to complete a 20-win regular season and capture a share of the Southeastern Conference Western Division title.

Wilson set a school record with eight 3-pointers, but his two free throws with 11 seconds left finally put the game out of reach for the Bulldogs, who earned a bye in this week’s league tournament.

(19) Missouri 83, (16) Okla. 81 (OT)

Paul O’Liney hit a leaning 15-foot jumper with 1.5 seconds left in overtime at Columbia, Mo., as the Tigers (8-6 Big Eight, 19-7) ended a run of four consecutive victories over ranked opponents for the Sooners (8-5, 22-7).

O’Liney also forced overtime by making two free throws with 3.1 seconds to go, capping a 10-3 run in the final 2 minutes.

He scored five of Missouri’s nine points in the extra period and finished with 20 points, but had made only 4 of 14 shots before hitting the winner.

(17) Purdue 69, Illinois 56

At Champaign, Ill., Cuonzo Martin scored 29 points, and the Boilermakers (13-3, 22-6) took over first place in the Big Ten with their victory over the Illini (8-8, 17-11).

Purdue moved a half-game ahead of Michigan State, which has occupied first place most of the Big Ten season. The Spartans play today at home against Indiana.

(22) Syracuse 90, Boston College 62

Michael Lloyd scored 26 points to lead the Orangemen (12-6 Big East, 19-8) past the Eagles (2-16, 8-18) at Syracuse, N.Y.

Lawrence Moten, a senior and Syracuse’s career leading scorer, added 23 points in his final appearance in the Carrier Dome. Lucious Jackson scored 18 points, hitting 5-of7 shots from 3-point range.

Wright St. 71, (25) Xavier 70

Delme Herriman took a full-court pass and hit a turnaround jumper at the buzzer to give the Raiders (12-16) their upset triumph over the Musketeers (23-4) in the quarterfinals of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference tournament in Dayton, Ohio.

OTHER GAMES

Fla. International 68, Mercer 57

Florida International won the Trans America Athletic Conference at Orlando, Fla., and will enter the NCAA Tournament with an 11-18 record, the worst since 1961.

Matt Tchir scored 17 points and James Mazyck added 11 points and 10 rebounds to lead Florida International over Mercer (15-14) in the championship game of the conference tournament.

N. Carolina A&T 66, Coppin St. 64

William Floyd’s dunk in the final seconds earned the Aggies (15-14) a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, as they rallied to defeat the top-seeded Eagles (20-9) in the Mid-Eastern Conference Championship game.