MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 24 points, and No. 1 Memphis remained the country’s only undefeated team Saturday by pulling out a 70-64 victory over Texas-El Paso.
The Tigers (21-0, 7-0 Conference USA) are enjoying their best start ever, topping the 20-win start by the 1985-86 squad. They also extended the nation’s longest home-court winning streak to 44 in the first of a four-game homestand.
This was the tightest game this season for a team that had been winning league games by an average of 25.7 points. Credit goes to UTEP coach Tony Barbee and his Miners (13-7, 4-3), who constantly switched defenses and flustered the Tigers.
The teams swapped the lead five times with nine ties, and Randy Culpepper hit a 3-pointer that gave the Miners a 60-58 lead – their first since 21-17 – with 3:44 left.
Derrick Rose tied the game with a layup. Then Stefon Jackson missed a shot, got his own rebound and turned it over. Douglas-Roberts then scored to put Memphis ahead to stay.
No. 6 Georgetown 73, Seton Hall 61
WASHINGTON (AP) – Jessie Sapp had 17 points, reserve Patrick Ewing Jr. scored 11 of his career-high 16 in the second half, and the Hoyas won their fifth straight.
Roy Hibbert added 16 points and nine rebounds for Georgetown (18-2, 8-1 Big East), which committed a season-high 21 turnovers but still improved to 11-0 at home with their fourth straight win over the Pirates. Georgetown has won 10 of 11 overall.
Brian Laing led Seton Hall (15-7, 5-4) with 24 points, but couldn’t extend the Pirates’ winning streak to six games. Eugene Harvey added 13 points.
No. 10 Texas 80, No. 25 Baylor 72
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Damion James came off the bench to score 17 points and grab eight rebounds, and the Longhorns rallied from 14 down early to beat the Bears.
A.J. Abrams added 20 points for the Longhorns (17-4, 4-2 Big 12), who have won 21 in a row over the Bears. Texas hasn’t lost to Baylor since the 1997-98 season.
Baylor (16-4, 4-2), ranked in consecutive weeks for the first time in school history, dropped its second straight. It was also Baylor’s first loss on an opponent’s court this season.
Kevin Rogers scored 20 to lead the Bears.
Texas also got a big game from freshman Gary Johnson, who had 12 points and seven boards.
No. 17 Marquette 75, Cincinnati 60
CINCINNATI (AP) – Lazar Hayward scored 19 points and the Golden Eagles finally picked up a road win in the Big East.
Marquette (16-4, 6-3) rallied from a nine-point deficit in the first half. Hayward led the way, scoring 14 after the break as Marquette built a 15-point lead and held on.
Four Marquette players finished in double figures in a balanced attack that has carried the Golden Eagles to three straight wins. Ousmane Barro added a season-high 19 points.
Cincinnati (10-12, 5-5) didn’t get much more than Deonta Vaughn’s 23 points. The Bearcats’ defense repeatedly broke down under the basket, giving up 38 points in the paint.
Connecticut 60, No. 18 Pittsburgh 53
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – A.J. Price scored 21 points and the Huskies closed the game on a 9-2 run for their fifth straight win, three of them coming against ranked teams.
Craig Austrie’s 3-pointer with 2:03 to play gave Connecticut (16-5, 6-3 Big East) a 54-51 lead. After Gilbert Brown made two of three free throws for the Panthers (17-5, 5-4), Price scored on a drive and then added two free throws with 37 seconds left for a 58-53 lead.
Sam Young, who led the Panthers with 18 points, missed a 3-point attempt and Jeff Adrien closed the scoring with two free throws with 25 seconds to go.
Adrien added 14 points for the Huskies and Austrie had 13.
Freshman DeJuan Blair had 13 points and 13 rebounds, nine offensive, for the Panthers.
Missouri 77, No. 22 Kansas St. 74
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – J.T. Tiller scored a career-high 20 points, including two key free throws with 6 seconds left, helping short-handed Missouri shock the Wildcats.
Kansas State (15-5, 6-1 Big 12) failed to capitalize on momentum gained from ending a 24-game homecourt losing streak to No. 2 Kansas three days earlier, and couldn’t overcome 16 turnovers and off-games from freshman stars Michael Beasley and Bill Walker.
Beasley had 17 points, eight below his average, and 10 rebounds. Walker, who averages 16 points, was held to 11 and missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Five Missouri players, including three starters, were suspended Tuesday after a nightclub altercation left leading scorer Stefhon Hannah with a broken jaw. Leo Lyons, reinstated along with reserve forward Marshall Brown before the game, had 13 points for Missouri (13-9, 3-4).
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