Jayhawks Rebound To Down Cyclones
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Top-ranked Kansas responded to its first loss by doing what it does best: win.
Five days after its double-overtime loss at Missouri, Kansas rebounded with the type of gritty defensive performance that has carried the Jayhawks most of the season and beat No. 6 Iowa State 69-62 Sunday in Ames, Iowa.
Raef LaFrentz scored 21 points, and Jacque Vaughn and Paul Pierce led a key run at the start of the second half as Kansas withstood Dedric Willoughby’s career-high 36 points for Iowa State.
(2) Wake Forest 73, Missouri 65
Second-ranked Wake Forest denied Missouri a rare feat, getting 20 points and 20 rebounds from Tim Duncan and pulling away at the start of the second half for victory in Columbia, S.C.
Missouri (12-11) upset top-ranked Kansas 96-94 in double overtime Tuesday and had a chance to beat the No. 2 team. Wake Forest (19-2), was coming off a loss to Duke on Wednesday that might have cost the school its first-ever No. 1 ranking.
(3) Kentucky 93, (16) Villanova 56
Ron Mercer had 23 points and 11 rebounds as Kentucky drubbed Villanova.
Kentucky (22-3) shot 55 percent from the field, including 8 of 19 from 3-point range, outrebounded Villanova (17-6) 42-17 and forced the visitors into a season-high 24 turnovers, including 11 by point guard Alvin Williams.
Memphis 79, (11) Louisville 59
Cedric Henderson scored 27 points and the Tigers jumped on the Cardinals from the start for an upset, Louisville’s third straight loss.
Memphis (12-11, 6-3 Conference USA) never trailed and shocked Louisville (18-5, 5-3) by opening the game with a 16-0 run.
(14) Arizona 81, (21) Tulane 62
Miles Simon had 30 points and 10 assists, figuring in a key run in each half as the Wildcats routed the Green Wave at Phoenix.
Bramlett had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Arizona (15-5), while Lawrence Nelson led the Green Wave (16-7) with 15.
Illinois 66, (25) Iowa 51
Kiwane Garris scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, as the host Illini beat the Hawkeyes.
Illinois (17-6, 7-4 Big Ten) started the second half with a 17-6 run to take a 20-point lead, 50-30. Iowa slid to 16-6, 7-3.