College Basketball Roundup : Moten Leads Florida to Upset Over LSU, 74-65

Andrew Moten made three free throws and a layup after a steal in the final minutes to lead Florida to a 74-65 upset of 14th-ranked LSU in a Southeastern Conference game Wednesday night at Gainesville, Fla.

Moten scored five of his 17 points in an 18-6 spurt by the Gators (9-6 overall, 4-3 in the SEC) that decided the game in the final minutes.

The game was tied, 54-54, with with 6:30 remaining when Moten went to work, and Florida built a 72-60 lead with 1:28 left.

John Williams scored 20 points for LSU (16-3, 4-3).

Auburn 73, Mississippi 61--Chuck Person scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half, and the Tigers turned back the Rebels in an SEC game at Oxford, Miss.

After leading, 29-28, at halftime, Auburn (11-6, 5-2) reeled off the first 16 points of the second half for a 45-28 lead with 15:35 left.

Eric Smith had 13 points for Mississippi (9-7, 5-2).

Alabama 85, Vanderbilt 72--Michael Ansley had 20 points and 17 rebounds as the Crimson Tide rolled past the Commodores in an SEC game at Nashville, Tenn.

The Crimson Tide (12-4, 5-2) had little problem with the Commodores (8-7, 3-4), despite playing without forward Buck Johnson, the SEC’s top rebounder and No. 2 scorer, who has a thigh injury.

Sophomore forward Derrick McKey picked up the slack with 23 points and nine rebounds.

Syracuse 95, Providence 73--Rafael Addison sank his first nine shots from the floor and scored 29 points as the ninth-ranked Orangemen trounced the Friars in a Big East Conference game at Syracuse, N.Y.

The Orangemen (14-2, 5-1) ended a two-game skid against Georgetown and Louisville on the road and improved their season record in the Carrierdome to 12-0. Syracuse hasn’t lost to the Friars (9-8, 1-5) in 12 Big East meetings.

St. John’s 56, Fordham 47--Walter Berry scored 17 points at New York, and the eighth-ranked Redmen beat the Rams for the 16th straight time.

The 6-8 Berry scored 11 of his points in the first half as the Redmen (18-2) built a 29-19 lead. The Rams (7-11) reduced the lead to 31-22, but the Redmen went on a 10-2 spree to break open the game and had a 51-33 lead with 3:58 left.

Pittsburgh 64, Boston College 62--Darryl Shepherd scored eight of the Panthers’ last 10 points as Pitt rallied for a Big East victory over the Eagles at Pittsburgh.

Shepherd scored 18 points, all but six after halftime, and Demetreus Gore added 10 of his 14 in the second half as Pitt (13-5, 4-3) rallied to win from six points down. Dominic Pressley scored 16 points for the Eagles (11-6, 2-4).

Houston 76, Texas A&M; 69--Greg Anderson scored eight of his 12 points in the final 4:18 at Houston, and the Cougars handed the Aggies their first Southwest Conference defeat after five victories.

It was the first game for the Cougars (9-7, 3-3) since Coach Guy Lewis announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season, ending a 33-year career at Houston.

Alvin Franklin had 24 points for the Cougars.

Don Marbury scored 18 points for Texas A&M;, but fouled out with 5:20 left with the Aggies (11-7, 5-1) leading, 63-60.

SMU 61, Texas Tech 57--Kevin Lewis scored 20 points, mostly on corner jumpers, and the Mustangs outlasted the Red Raiders in a Southwest Conference game at Dallas.

Bobby Moore made three free throws and Johnny Fuller added two in the final minutes and SMU (12-5, 4-2) thwarted a final rally by Tech (9-8, 4-2).

Virginia 54, Wake Forest 47--Olden Polynice had 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Cavaliers stretched their winning streak to five games with an Atlantic Coast Conference victory over the Demon Deacons at Charlottesville, Va.

The Cavaliers (13-4, 3-2) have won eight of their last nine games.

Rod Watson scored 20 points and Tyrone Bogues added 19 for Wake Forest (6-12, 0-7).

Virginia Tech 79, North Carolina A&T; 75--Dell Curry scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half as the 20th-ranked Hokies shook off the Aggies at Blacksburg, Va.

The lead changed hands throughout the second half until Bobby Beecher’s layup gave the Hokies (15-3) a 63-61 lead with 5:49 left and the Aggies (7-6) never caught up.

Notre Dame 67, American 56--Ken Barlow scored 18 points as the 16th-ranked Irish struggled past the Eagles at South Bend, Ind.

Frank Ross had 23 points for American (7-9), including 13 in the second half when the Eagles drew to within 43-39 with 13:40 left. Jim Dolan scored six straight points to help the Irish (12-2) open a 56-43 lead with 2:38 left.