No. 2 Duke holds off UNC

BY Associated Press
Thursday, February 14, 2013
2/14/13 at 5:47 AM


Mason Plumlee had 18 points and 11 rebounds to help Duke beat North Carolina 73-68 in Durham, N.C., on Wednesday night.

Quinn Cook scored 18 points and Rasheed Sulaimon finished with 13 for the Blue Devils (22-2, 9-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).

They shot 44 percent - 52 percent after halftime - and used a big run in the second half to erase a slow start and win their sixth straight this season and sixth in eight meetings in college basketball's fiercest rivalry.

P.J. Hairston scored 20 points and Reggie Bullock had 15 points with four 3-pointers for North Carolina (16-8, 6-5), which led for the first 26 minutes but went on to lose its second straight.

No. 1 Indiana 76, Nebraska 47: In Bloomington, Ind., Cody Zeller scored 16 points and Christian Watford finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds to help Indiana pull away from Nebraska.

The Hoosiers (22-3, 10-2 Big Ten) have won seven of eight and regained a share of the league lead. They are tied with Michigan State.

But it wasn't easy early against Nebraska (12-13, 3-9), which frustrated Indiana by limiting possessions and repeatedly taking the shot clock inside of 10 seconds in the first half. Dylan Talley scored 10 of his 16 points in the first half to lead the Cornhuskers.

No. 3 Miami 74, Florida State 68: In Tallahassee, Fla., Shane Larkin scored 13 of his 22 points in the final 7 1/2 minutes to help Miami hold off Florida State for its 12th straight victory.

Reggie Johnson added 15 points for Miami (20-3, 11-0), which became the first ACC team to start league play 11-0 since North Carolina in 2001. Two years earlier, Duke was the lone team in conference history to go 16-0.

The ACC has gone to 18 conference games now because of expansion.

Durand Scott had 13 points and Julian Gamble 10 for the Hurricanes.

Okaro White led the Seminoles (13-11, 5-6) with 15 points before fouling out with 2:04 left.

Connecticut 66, No. 6 Syracuse 58: In Hartford, Conn., freshman Omar Calhoun scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers in the deciding second-half run, and Connecticut beat Syracuse in the last scheduled game between the national powers.

Syracuse (20-4, 8-3 Big East) will play next season in the Atlantic Coast Conference while Connecticut will stay in the realigned Big East, although the Huskies (17-6, 7-4) could be enticed to head to another conference if asked.

Their last game was a close one until Calhoun started the run with a 3 that gave the Huskies the lead for good at 45-42 with 9:49 to play.

Ryan Boatright had 17 points for Connecticut while Shabazz Napier had 10 points and seven assists.

Charlotte 71, No. 11 Butler 67: In Indianapolis, Pierria Henry scored 17 points to help Charlotte hold off a late charge by Butler.

Chris Braswell and Willie Clayton each had 11 points for the 49ers, who ended a two-game skid.

Former Verdigris High School star Rotnei Clarke scored 18 and Roosevelt Jones had 17 points and nine rebounds to lead the Bulldogs (20-5, 7-3 Atlantic 10), who hadn't lost at home in 12 games.

The 49ers (18-6, 6-4) went on a 7-1 run late in the game and then held on after Butler closed within one.

No. 21 Notre Dame 82, DePaul 78, OT: In South Bend, Ind., Jerian Grant scored 21 points, including a big three-point play in overtime, to lift Notre Dame past DePaul in overtime for the second time in 11 days.

It appeared the Fighting Irish (20-5, 8-4 Big East) might cruise to victory until the Blue Demons (10-14, 1-10) used an 11-1 run to take the lead. Notre Dame then rallied to force overtime - four days after beating Louisville in five overtimes.

Jack Cooley added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Irish, who beat DePaul for the eighth straight time.

Cleveland Melvin led DePaul with 23 points and Brandon Young added 20, but the Blue Demons lost their ninth straight.

No. 22 Memphis 93, UCF 71: In Memphis, Tenn., Joe Jackson had 21 points and 10 assists, four other Memphis players scored in double figures and the Tigers beat Central Florida for their 15th straight win.

Jackson was 10-of-12 from the field, hitting his only 3-pointer. Geron Johnson had 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Memphis (21-3, 10-0 Conference USA), while Adonis Thomas added 17 points.

Isaiah Sykes led the Knights (17-7, 7-3) with 17 points and six rebounds. Keith Clanton, UCF's leading scorer at 16 points per game, was limited to 10 on 3-of-10 shooting.
Associated Images:

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Duke's Rasheed Sulaimon is guarded by North Carolina's Marcus Paige (left) and Jackson Simmons during the first half of Wednesday's game in Durham, N.C. GERRY BROOME/Associated Press



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