COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Vanderbilt Clinches a Tie for SEC Crown

It took an overtime for Vanderbilt to defeat Tennessee on Tuesday night, 90-82, in Nashville.

But that was nothing compared to the time the Commodores (24-4, 13-2 SEC) have waited to return to the top of the Southeastern Conference.

The victory enabled the No. 7-ranked Commodores to clinch a share of the conference title (with Kentucky) for the first time in 19 years. Billy McCaffrey scored six of his 24 points in overtime to lead Vanderbilt past the Volunteers (12-15, 4-11).

The Commodores, after trailing most of the night, outscored Tennessee, 8-0, to start the overtime. Vanderbilt made 10 of 12 free throws in the extra period.

The Commodores last won a piece of the SEC title in 1974 when they shared the championship with Alabama.

No. 4 Michigan 82, No. 15 Iowa 73--Iowa proved it could beat Michigan earlier this season, defeating the Wolverines, 88-80, at Iowa.

Winning in Ann Arbor, however, has not been so easy for the Hawkeyes. In fact, it has proved impossible for more than a decade.

Led by Juwan Howard’s 19 points and Jalen Rose’s 16, Michigan defeated Iowa for the 12th consecutive time at home, dating to 1981-82.

The Big Ten Conference victory was the seventh in eight games for the Wolverines (23-4, 12-3) since the loss to Iowa (19-7, 8-6).

No. 18 Xavier 73, LaSalle 58--Xavier clinched the regular-season championship of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference by defeating host LaSalle (13-12, 8-5).

Brian Grant scored 23 points for Xavier (21-3, 12-1), winners of nine in a row. The Musketeers have won 12 in a row.

OTHER GAMES

Askia Jones and Vincent Jackson sank crucial free throws in the final minutes, offsetting Mark Atkins’ three-point barrage, as Kansas State (17-8, 7-6) held on for a 78-67 victory over Missouri (15-13, 4-9) at Manhattan, Kan. It was the Tigers’ seventh consecutive Big Eight defeat. Atkins, who had only two points in the first half, made five three-pointers to keep the game close and finished with 25 points. . . . Charles White scored 17 points in his final home game to lead Bradley (11-15) to a 59-53 victory over DePaul (15-13), ending the Braves’ 15-game losing streak to the Blue Demons. It was Bradley’s first victory over DePaul since the 1953-54 season.