UNLV, Utah Knock Off Ranked Foes

From News Services and Staff Reports
Thursday, January 1, 2009

Oscar Bellfield hit an acrobatic layup with 16.1 seconds remaining to lift UNLV to a 56-55 win at No. 18 Louisville (8-3) last night.

Bellfield beat Louisville's Samardo Samuels to the basket and banked the ball over the outstretched hands of the 6-foot-9 center to give the Runnin' Rebels the lead. Louisville's Terrence Williams missed a layup with three seconds remaining, and UNLV grabbed the rebound to hold on.

Rene Rougeau led UNLV (12-2) with 17 points and seven rebounds and Tre'Von Willis added 16 points as the Runnin' Rebels won their seventh straight despite playing without leading scorer Wink Adams, who missed the game with a strained abdominal muscle.

· UTAH 66, GONZAGA 65: Luke Nevill scored 15 points to help the Utes (8-6) send the No. 16 Bulldogs to their third straight loss for only the second time in the last eight years.

Trailing by one, Gonzaga (8-4) had two chances to pull out the win in Salt Lake City in the final seconds when Matt Bouldin stole an inbounds pass. He missed a runner and Austin Daye couldn't convert the rebound.

· PITTSBURGH 78, RUTGERS 72: Sam Young had 18 points and Brad Wanamaker scored 13 of his career-high 15 in the second half to help the No. 3 Panthers beat the Scarlet Knights (9-5, 0-1 Big East) in Piscataway, N.J.

Pittsburgh (13-0, 1-0) kept up its best start since going 15-0 in 2005-06.

· DUKE 92, LOYOLA (MD.) 51: Kyle Singler scored 20 points to help the No. 5 Blue Devils (11-1) beat the visiting Greyhounds (4-9) despite playing much of the game without starting point guard Nolan Smith, who injured his left knee midway through the first half and didn't return.

Smith, the sophomore who replaced senior Greg Paulus in the starting five, banged knees with another player while going up for a rebound. He hopped to the edge of the court and was examined by team medical personnel, though the sophomore said afterward it appears to be only a bone bruise.

· NOTRE DAME 92, DEPAUL 82: Luke Harangody scored 26 points and had 16 rebounds and Zach Hillesland scored a career-high 17 to lead the No. 7 Fighting Irish (10-2, 1-0 Big East) over the Blue Demons (8-6, 0-1) in Rosemont, Ill.

· MICHIGAN STATE 70, MINNESOTA 58: Kalin Lucas scored a career-high 24 points, Chris Allen added 13 and the visiting No. 10 Spartans (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten) handed the 21st-ranked Gophers (12-1, 0-1) their first loss of the season.

Michigan State wore down Minnesota by repeatedly attacking the basket and clogging the lane defensively. The Spartans outrebounded the Gophers, 49-27, and Minnesota shot a season-low 39.6 percent from the floor.

· BAYLOR 113, JACKSON STATE 78: Kevin Rogers scored 21 points and Henry Dugat had 20 to help the No. 19 Bears (12-1) coast at home against the Tigers (1-11).

· XAVIER 78, ROBERT MORRIS 57: Jason Love and Brad Redford each scored a career-high 15 points as the No. 22 Musketeers (10-2) handled the Colonials (6-7).

· WISCONSIN 73, MICHIGAN 61: Marcus Landry and Trevon Hughes each scored 16 points, and the Badgers (10-3, 1-0 Big Ten) beat the No. 23 Wolverines (10-3, 0-1) in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Jon Leuer added 12 points for Wisconsin. Freshman Zack Novak scored a season-high 20 points and DeShawn Sims had 14 for Michigan.

· OHIO STATE 68, IOWA 65: Jon Diebler scored a career-high 27 points and Evan Turner hit three late free throws to lead the host No. 24 Buckeyes (10-1, 1-0 Big Ten) past the Hawkeyes (10-4, 0-1).

· HOUSTON BAPTIST 69, HOWARD 59: Paul Kirkpatrick had 20 points and 13 rebounds, but the Bison (1-11) fell to the Huskies (1-14) in the Duel in the Desert tournament in Logan, Utah.