College Basketball: Top 25 Roundup

Associated Press

The Top 25 roundup ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Doron Lamb hit a 3-pointer with 3:18 left to put No. 1 Kentucky ahead to stay, and the Wildcats took a big step toward a Southeastern Conference regular-season title by beating Vanderbilt 69-63 Saturday night for their 17th straight win.

Kentucky (25-1, 11-0) disrupted Vanderbilt with aggressive defense in the first half, and the Wildcats held off a furious charge in a sold-out and electric Memorial Gym by scoring the final eight points of the game. The young and talented Wildcats wound up holding off the experienced Vanderbilt squad that had been predicted to be their best challenge this season.

Lamb finished with 16 points, Anthony Davis added 15 points and seven blocks, Terrence Jones scored 14 and Marquis Teague had 13.

Vanderbilt (17-8, 6-4) led 63-61 with 4:08 to go on a bucket by Brad Tinsley. The Commodores didn't score again and snapped a four-game home winning streak over No. 1 teams. They missed a chance to pull into a tie with Florida for second in the SEC.

NO. 2 SYRACUSE 85, UCONN 67

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Scoop Jardine sparked a game-deciding rally with 3-pointers on consecutive possessions in the closing minutes, and No. 2 Syracuse beat Connecticut.

Jardine had a season-high 21 points as Syracuse (25-1, 12-1 Big East) earned its fifth consecutive win since suffering its only loss of the season at Notre Dame.

Connecticut trailed the entire second half but closed to 63-61 on a free throw by Tyler Olander with 6:26 to go.

Jardine then hit 3-pointers from the right side as the Orange closed the game with a 19-3 surge.

Jeremy Lamb scored 18 points for Connecticut (15-9, 5-7), which has lost six of seven.

The crowd of 33,430 was the largest of the season and fourth largest in Carrier Dome history.

NO. 11 MICHIGAN STATE 58, NO. 3 OHIO STATE 48

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Adreian Payne scored 15 points, Draymond Green had 12 and Michigan State snapped Ohio State's 39-game home winning streak.

The Spartans (20-5, 9-3) pulled into a tie with the Buckeyes (21-4, 9-3) for first place in the Big Ten.

Keith Appling had 14 points for Michigan State, which rode its smothering pressure to a 10-point halftime lead and never relented down the stretch. Payne finished 6 for 6 from the field and 3 for 4 on free throws.

Jared Sullinger had 17 points and 16 rebounds for Ohio State, but was 5 for 15 from the field. Aaron Craft added 15 points, but Deshaun Thomas and William Buford, averaging a combined 30 points, totaled just 12.

NO. 4 MISSOURI 72, NO. 6 BAYLOR 57

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Phil Pressey scored 19 points, making four of Missouri's season-best 14 3-pointers.

Sixth man Michael Dixon also had four 3-pointers and Marcus Denmon added three for Missouri (23-2, 10-2 Big 12).

Missouri is 14-0 at home.

Quincy Miller had 20 points and Perry Jones III had just four on 2-for-12 shooting for Baylor (21-4, 8-4).

NO. 7 KANSAS 81, OKLAHOMA STATE 66

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Jeff Withey and Thomas Robinson each logged impressive double-doubles for Kansas, which wasted a big chunk of a 29-point second-half cushion before pulling away for the victory.

Withey finished with 18 points and a career-best 20 rebounds, while Robinson burnished his player of the year credentials with 24 points and 14 boards for his 18th double-double of the season.

Tyshawn Taylor added 12 points, Elijah Johnson had 11 and Travis Releford 10 for the Jayhawks (20-5, 10-2 Big 12).

Markel Brown had 21 points and Keiton Page added 19 for the Cowboys (12-13, 5-7).

NO. 9 MURRAY STATE 82, AUSTIN PEAY 62

MURRAY, Ky. — Isaiah Canaan had 23 points and six assists as No. 9 Murray State bounced back from its first loss of the season to beat Austin Peay 82-62 on Saturday night.

Ivan Aska and Jewuan Long added 12 points for the Racers (24-1, 12-1 Ohio Valley Conference). On Thursday night, Murray State became the last team in Division I to lose this season when it fell to Tennessee State.

Alton Williams scored 15 points for the Governors (9-18, 6-7), who lost to Murray State 87-75 on Jan. 7.

Murray State posted its most-lopsided win over Austin Peay since 1999.

NO. 14 UNLV 65, NO. 13 SAN DIEGO STATE 63

LAS VEGAS — Mike Moser scored 19 points and made a key steal late that helped UNLV to the close victory.

The Runnin' Rebels (22-4, 6-2 Mountain West) forced three turnovers in the final 42 seconds to win.

Moser's steal and pass set up Anthony Marshall for the go-ahead layup. The Aztecs' Chase Tapley had made a 3-pointer to put San Diego State up by one with less than two minutes to play.

San Diego State (20-4, 6-2) didn't score again.

NO. 18 MARQUETTE 95, CINCINNATI 78

MILWAUKEE — Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder scored 23 points each, leading Marquette to the home win.

Jamil Wilson added 15 points for the Golden Eagles (21-5, 10-3 Big East), who have won nine of their last 10 games.

JaQuon Parker and Dion Dixon scored 15 points each for the Bearcats (17-8, 7-5), who had won two straight coming into Saturday's game.

NO. 24 LOUISVILLE 77, WEST VIRGINIA 74

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Kyle Kuric scored 17 points to lead five Louisville players in double figures.

Louisville (20-5, 8-4 Big East) scored 13 of the game's final 16 points to extend its winning streak to six games.

Russ Smith had 16 points for the Cardinals. Chris Smith and freshman Wayne Blackshear added 13 apiece and Peyton Siva scored 10.

Kevin Jones had 22 points and 11 rebounds for West Virginia (16-10, 6-7). Deniz Kilicli added 17 points and Darryl "Truck" Bryant scored 13.