FIBA Basketball
USA - UConn hold off Kentucky
PHILADELPHIA (NCAA) - Maurice Williams and Rudy Gay led Connecticut to a narrow victory over upset-minded Kentucky on Sunday to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Williams and Gay went six of six from the line in the final 29 seconds
PHILADELPHIA (NCAA) - Maurice Williams and Rudy Gay led Connecticut to a narrow victory over upset-minded Kentucky on Sunday to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Williams and Gay went six of six from the line in the final 29 seconds as the top-seeded Huskies survived eighth-seeded Wildcats, 87-83, in a second-round matchup in the Washington Region.
Williams collected 20 points and eight assists and Gay added 19 points for the Huskies (29-3), who will meet fifth-seeded Washington in the regional semi-finals.
Connecticut, who lost in the second round to North Carolina State last year, held a 58-45 lead after a jumper by Hilton Armstrong with just over 13 1/2 minutes to play, but Kentucky rallied, pulling within 74-72 on a three-pointer by Rajon Rondo with 3:06 left.
The Huskies pushed their advantage back to 81-74 on a layup by Craig Austrie with 1:51 to go, but Patrick Sparks countered with a three-pointer. After UConn committed a shot-clock violation, Sheray Thomas made a layup with 52 seconds to go to make it 83-81.
Williams sank two free throws with 29 seconds left to give the Huskies a four-point lead, but Bobby Perry halved the deficit when he followed a missed three-pointer by Sparks with a layup with 18.7 seconds left.
After two more free throws by Williams, Rondo missed a three-pointer but Perry grabbed the rebound and scored to make it 85-83 with 4.8 seconds to play. UConn barely got off the inbounds pass on time to Gay, who was fouled with 3.3 seconds to go and sank both attempts, icing the contest.
Playing his final collegiate game, Sparks scored 28 points for Kentucky (22-13).
George Mason fight back to beat Young Heels
Lamar Butler scored six of his 18 points down the stretch to snap a tie as George Mason overcame a 14-point first-half deficit for a 65-60 victory over defending national champion and third-seeded North Carolina.
The 11th-seeded Patriots (25-7), who surprised Michigan State on Friday for their first NCAA Tournament win, will play seventh-seeded Wichita State in the regional semi-finals.
After falling behind, 16-2, in the first four and a half minutes, George Mason dug in on the defensive end and started crawling back. They pulled within 27-20 at half-time and scored the first four baskets of the second half to take the lead.
With Butler leading the way, the Patriots held the advantage for most of the second half. After David Noel's three-pointer from the left corner pulled North Carolina into a 54-54 tie with just over three minutes left, Butler was fouled on a drive and
converted two free throws with 2:52 left.
His driving layup with 66 seconds to play pushed the lead to four and his two free throws with 26 seconds remaining made it 62-57.
North Carolina (23-8), who lost their top seven scorers from last year's championship team, got 22 points from Noel, a senior captain. Outstanding freshman Tyler Hansbrough was shut down, scoring just two of his 10 points after the break.
Bradley eliminate Pitt
Patrick O'Bryant had 28 points and seven rebounds as the 13th-seeded Braves knocked off fifth-seeded Pittsburgh, 72-66, in the Oakland Region to become the second Missouri Valley Conference team to reach the Sweet 16.
Wichita State, the regular-season MVC champion, beat second-seeded Tennessee on Saturday to advance to the regional semi-finals.
"We wanted to play with intensity, take it to them and show everybody what the Missouri Valley Conference is all about," O'Bryant said. "I hope this shuts up all the naysayers that said the Missouri Valley Conference shouldn't have gotten four teams. I think we've represented well."
Bradley (22-10) are the first 13th-seeded team since Oklahoma in 1999 to advance to a regional semi-final and next will play the winner of top-seeded Memphis and ninth-seeded Bucknell.
The 7ft O'Bryant, who came into the game averaging 13 points, shot 10 of 17 from the field and eight of nine from the line. He blocked just one shot but his presence inside affected several Panther attempts.
Pittsburgh shot 41% (25 of 61) against the Braves.
"It's a great feeling," Bradley coach Jim Les said. "We have unbelievable players who stayed together and worked hard. Our players have bought into playing defense, into denying the passing lanes, pressuring the ball. And it's nice to have the big fella (O'Bryant) back there blocking shots."
O'Bryant outplayed Pittsburgh center Aaron Gray, who had just 12 points and four rebounds - six fewer than his season average.
"(Gray) is a big boy. He made some nice moves on me, but thankfully we came out on top," O'Bryant said.
The 7ft Gray played just eight minutes in the first half because of foul trouble and picked up his third on a technical foul three minutes into the second half.
Marcellus Sommerville, who had five three-pointers and 21 points in a win over fourth-seeded Kansas on Friday, scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half. Lawrence Wright added 14 points for the Braves.
Freshman Levance Fields led the way for Pittsburgh (25-8) with 18 points and Carl Krauser finished his Pitt career by scoring 15 of his 17 points in the second half.
By PA Sport
Williams and Gay went six of six from the line in the final 29 seconds as the top-seeded Huskies survived eighth-seeded Wildcats, 87-83, in a second-round matchup in the Washington Region.
Williams collected 20 points and eight assists and Gay added 19 points for the Huskies (29-3), who will meet fifth-seeded Washington in the regional semi-finals.
Connecticut, who lost in the second round to North Carolina State last year, held a 58-45 lead after a jumper by Hilton Armstrong with just over 13 1/2 minutes to play, but Kentucky rallied, pulling within 74-72 on a three-pointer by Rajon Rondo with 3:06 left.
The Huskies pushed their advantage back to 81-74 on a layup by Craig Austrie with 1:51 to go, but Patrick Sparks countered with a three-pointer. After UConn committed a shot-clock violation, Sheray Thomas made a layup with 52 seconds to go to make it 83-81.
Williams sank two free throws with 29 seconds left to give the Huskies a four-point lead, but Bobby Perry halved the deficit when he followed a missed three-pointer by Sparks with a layup with 18.7 seconds left.
After two more free throws by Williams, Rondo missed a three-pointer but Perry grabbed the rebound and scored to make it 85-83 with 4.8 seconds to play. UConn barely got off the inbounds pass on time to Gay, who was fouled with 3.3 seconds to go and sank both attempts, icing the contest.
Playing his final collegiate game, Sparks scored 28 points for Kentucky (22-13).
George Mason fight back to beat Young Heels
Lamar Butler scored six of his 18 points down the stretch to snap a tie as George Mason overcame a 14-point first-half deficit for a 65-60 victory over defending national champion and third-seeded North Carolina.
The 11th-seeded Patriots (25-7), who surprised Michigan State on Friday for their first NCAA Tournament win, will play seventh-seeded Wichita State in the regional semi-finals.
After falling behind, 16-2, in the first four and a half minutes, George Mason dug in on the defensive end and started crawling back. They pulled within 27-20 at half-time and scored the first four baskets of the second half to take the lead.
With Butler leading the way, the Patriots held the advantage for most of the second half. After David Noel's three-pointer from the left corner pulled North Carolina into a 54-54 tie with just over three minutes left, Butler was fouled on a drive and
converted two free throws with 2:52 left.
His driving layup with 66 seconds to play pushed the lead to four and his two free throws with 26 seconds remaining made it 62-57.
North Carolina (23-8), who lost their top seven scorers from last year's championship team, got 22 points from Noel, a senior captain. Outstanding freshman Tyler Hansbrough was shut down, scoring just two of his 10 points after the break.
Bradley eliminate Pitt
Patrick O'Bryant had 28 points and seven rebounds as the 13th-seeded Braves knocked off fifth-seeded Pittsburgh, 72-66, in the Oakland Region to become the second Missouri Valley Conference team to reach the Sweet 16.
Wichita State, the regular-season MVC champion, beat second-seeded Tennessee on Saturday to advance to the regional semi-finals.
"We wanted to play with intensity, take it to them and show everybody what the Missouri Valley Conference is all about," O'Bryant said. "I hope this shuts up all the naysayers that said the Missouri Valley Conference shouldn't have gotten four teams. I think we've represented well."
Bradley (22-10) are the first 13th-seeded team since Oklahoma in 1999 to advance to a regional semi-final and next will play the winner of top-seeded Memphis and ninth-seeded Bucknell.
The 7ft O'Bryant, who came into the game averaging 13 points, shot 10 of 17 from the field and eight of nine from the line. He blocked just one shot but his presence inside affected several Panther attempts.
Pittsburgh shot 41% (25 of 61) against the Braves.
"It's a great feeling," Bradley coach Jim Les said. "We have unbelievable players who stayed together and worked hard. Our players have bought into playing defense, into denying the passing lanes, pressuring the ball. And it's nice to have the big fella (O'Bryant) back there blocking shots."
O'Bryant outplayed Pittsburgh center Aaron Gray, who had just 12 points and four rebounds - six fewer than his season average.
"(Gray) is a big boy. He made some nice moves on me, but thankfully we came out on top," O'Bryant said.
The 7ft Gray played just eight minutes in the first half because of foul trouble and picked up his third on a technical foul three minutes into the second half.
Marcellus Sommerville, who had five three-pointers and 21 points in a win over fourth-seeded Kansas on Friday, scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half. Lawrence Wright added 14 points for the Braves.
Freshman Levance Fields led the way for Pittsburgh (25-8) with 18 points and Carl Krauser finished his Pitt career by scoring 15 of his 17 points in the second half.
By PA Sport