Tue Feb 09 2010
NEW YORK (AP) -- There was so much to talk about after No. 6 North Carolina held on for 77-73 victory over No. 15 Ohio State in the 2K Sports Classic semifinals Thursday night.
There was the Tar Heels' big early lead that dwindled to two points in the final minute, something that can happen even to a sixth-ranked team early in the season. There was the exceptional defensive job by Marcus Ginyard on Ohio State's Evan Turner, something that has become common for a player considered one of the top stoppers in the country. There was coach Roy Williams' halftime rant directed at Ginyard, something that never happens.
"I chewed his rear end out probably the hardest I've ever got on him," Williams said of the fifth-year senior. "If I'm going to chew him out, it scares the dickens out of the rest of the team. He's one of my pets."
The one-way halftime discussion worked as North Carolina was in control until the final minute.
"That was the worst I can remember," Ginyard said of Williams' yelling session. "But he was right. If I'm going to be a leader of this team I have to play better, and I did in the second half."
Ginyard finished with 13 points and was 3 of 5 from 3-point range. But it was his defense on Turner that made the difference in the win that sent the Tar Heels (4-0) into Friday night's championship game against Syracuse, which beat No. 13 California 95-73 in the tournament the benefits Coaches vs. Cancer.
"No question, I take challenges like tonight very personally, and I get really excited about facing players like him," Ginyard said of Turner, who had a triple-double in Ohio State's opening win over Alcorn State with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. He matched that feat against the Tar Heels, but it was a lot different as he finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 turnovers.
The 6-foot-7 junior swingman, who had 17 rebounds in each of the first two games, couldn't go anywhere on the court without Ginyard, who missed most of last season with a stress fracture in his left foot.
Turner's time was limited as well by foul trouble, and his second personal was an offensive drawn by Ginyard.
Deon Thompson had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels, who led by 19 points with 10:23 to play.
The Buckeyes (2-1) finally started hitting from the outside at the same time the Tar Heels starting missing free throws, and Ohio State was within 75-73 on a 3 by Jon Diebler with 11 seconds left. Larry Drew II, who missed four of his previous six free throws in the final minute, then made two from the line with 11 seconds left for the final margin.
Will Graves had 14 points for North Carolina, the defending national champions who have only one starter back from the team that beat Michigan State in April, and Drew finished with 11 points and eight assists and was 6 of 10 from the line.
Diebler had 17 points for Ohio State, which finished 6 of 21 from 3-point range after going 1 of 10 in the first half.
Top 25
No. 1 Kansas 94, Cen. Arkansas 44
LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Tyrel Reed hit four 3-pointers for 12 points and No. 1 Kansas scored 23 straight points in the first half to overwhelm Central Arkansas.
Coming off a tight victory over Memphis two days earlier, Kansas (3-0) dismantled Central Arkansas from the start. Spreading the ball around on offense, the Jayhawks shot 57 percent and had four players score 12 points for their 43rd straight home win.
No. 4 Kentucky 102, Sam Houston St. 92
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- DeMarcus Cousins had 27 points and 18 rebounds to help Kentucky outlast Sam Houston State.
Patrick Patterson had 20 points and nine boards and John Wall added 21 points and six assists as the Wildcats (3-0) overcame a record-setting shooting performance by the Bearkats (2-1). Senior guard Corey Allmond poured in 37 points and made a Rupp Arena record 11 3-pointers.
No. 5 Villanova 69, George Mason 68
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Freshman Isaiah Armwood hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 17 seconds left, rallying Villanova past George Mason in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off.
Scottie Reynolds scored 18 points and Corey Fisher had 17 for Villanova (3-0). Ryan Pearson led the Patriots (2-1) with 14 points and Cam Long added 13.
Syracuse 95, No. 13 California 73
NEW YORK -- Scoop Jardine scored a career-high 22 points, Wes Johnson had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Syracuse raced past California in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic.
Cal star Jerome Randle finished with 25 points, while Jamal Boykin had 14 and Patrick Christopher 12.
No. 18 Dayton 63, No. 21 Georgia Tech 59
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Sophomore guard Paul Williams scored seven of his 13 points in the final minute, including a go-ahead 3-pointer, in Dayton's win in the opening game of the O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off.
Chris Johnson scored 19 points for Dayton (2-0), going 4 for 8 from behind the 3-point line, and Luke Fabrizius added 12 points.
No. 24 Minnesota 76, Utah Valley 51
MINNEAPOLIS -- Freshman Rodney Williams had 17 points, six rebounds and four steals in his first career start, helping Minnesota pull away from Utah Valley in the second half.
Missing senior leader and top scorer Lawrence Westbrook to a stomach virus, the Gophers (3-0) finished 5 for 19 from 3-point range and were outrebounded 34-29 by a team in its first year as a full-fledged Division I program. Damian Johnson had 15 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals, though, to lead another strong defensive effort.
Big 10
Mississippi 89, Indiana 71.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Murphy Holloway had 26 points and nine rebounds, leading Mississippi over Indiana in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Chris Warren scored 16 points and Eniel Polynice had 10 and seven assists for the Rebels, who shot 50 percent (35 for 70). Ole Miss (3-0) blocked 12 shots to Indiana's two.
Maurice Creek scored 18 points, Verdell Jones had 17 and Jeremiah Rivers scored 14 but committed six of Indiana's 21 turnovers. The Hoosiers (2-1) had 13 assists.
MAC
Buffalo 63, Navy 53
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Calvin Betts scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds and had four steals for Buffalo. Mitchell Watt scored 13 points, John Boyer added 10 and Jawaan Alston had 10 rebounds for the Bulls (1-1).
Chris Harris scored 15 points, Romeo Garcia 12 and Mark Veazey 10 for the Midshipmen (1-2), who lost their fourth straight against teams from the Mid-American Conference.
Ohio Colleges
Cleveland State 78, Florida A&M 64
CLEVELAND -- Norris Cole scored 38 points to lead Cleveland State.
Cole made 11 of 16 field goal attempts, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and made all 13 of his free throw attempts. Trevon Harmon added 14 points for the Vikings (2-1) and Aaron Pogue had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the Cancun Classic.
Others
Notre Dame 82, Long Beach St. 62
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Luke Harangody had 29 points and 12 rebounds and Notre Dame took control with a 13-2 run to open the second half.
Tory Jackson added 13 points and Ben Hansbrough and Tim Abromaitis added 11 points each for the Irish (3-0), who outscored Long Beach State 50-36 inside. Notre Dame outshot the 49ers (2-1) 64 percent to 38 percent in the second half.
Washington State 89, IPFW 70
PULLMAN, Wash. -- Klay Thompson went 15-for-20 and scored a career-high 37 points as Washington State beat IPFW.
Freshman Reggie Moore added nine points for Washington State (3-0). IPFW (1-2) was led by Deilvez Yearby, who had 17 points and nine rebounds. Zach Plackemeier and Nick Daniels had 13 each for IPFW.
Women
No. 3 Ohio State 92, West Virginia 69
COLUMBUS -- Samantha Prahalis had 14 points and 12 assists, and Ohio State scored the first 17 points to roll past West Virginia in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT. The Buckeyes (3-0) will host Oklahoma State on Sunday in the championship game.
Jantel Lavender led Ohio State with 19 points and freshman Tayler Hill added 14 for the balanced Buckeyes, who shot 60 percent from the field.
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