Oregon Capitalizes to Beat Minnesota
The fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks took advantage of their opportunities even though they weren’t at their best.
Ian Crosswhite scored 18 points and Luke Ridnour had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists to lead the Ducks to a 90-81 victory over No. 25 Minnesota on Sunday at Eugene, Ore.
Oregon capitalized on first-half foul trouble for Gopher star Rick Rickert. The Ducks went on an 18-3 run -- including 14-0 at one point -- to take the lead for good with Rickert on the bench with three fouls.
“We were a very tired basketball team,” Oregon Coach Ernie Kent said. “This team needed to let its character rise up and show through the adversity.”
Luke Jackson had 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Ducks (8-1), who won their 22nd consecutive home game, one off the school record set from 1937 to ’39. The streak is the fifth-longest in the nation.
“The key to this game was the team effort,” Crosswhite said. “We stuck together, even when it was getting tough. I just go out and do whatever I can to help.”
Steve Esselink led the Gophers (6-2) with 18 points, all on three-point baskets. Jerry Holman had 17 points and Rickert, who had a career-high 28 points last year against Oregon, scored eight points in 16 minutes before fouling out.
“When you’re on the road against a team of this caliber, you’ve got to take some chances,” said Minnesota Coach Don Monson, who formerly coached Oregon.
McArthur Court was sold out for a nonconference game for the first time since Notre Dame visited in 1984. The Gophers are the first ranked nonconference opponent to appear in Eugene since 1996, when then-No. 13 Fresno State was upset, 87-75.
No. 9 Notre Dame 93, Canisius 75 -- Matt Carroll scored 25 points on 10-for-12 shooting and Dan Miller had a career-high 23 points for the Irish (10-1), who defeated the Golden Griffins (5-4) at South Bend, Ind.
Notre Dame shot 57% from the field and made 12 of 26 three-point shots.
The Irish (10-1) are off to their best start since going 12-1 to start the 1978-79 season, when they were ranked No. 1 for a month.
No. 10 Texas 57, Princeton 54 -- Chris Ogden made the go-ahead three-pointer and T.J. Ford made four free throws in the last 21 seconds to help the Longhorns (7-2) hold off the Tigers (3-5) at Austin, Texas.
Ogden swished his only basket from deep in the right corner to put Texas up, 51-48, with 3:57 left.
Brandon Mouton led Texas with 21 points.
No. 23 North Carolina 69, Florida State 48 -- Jawad Williams scored 10 of his 16 points in the second half at Tallahassee, Fla., to help the Tar Heels (7-2) defeat the Seminoles (6-2) in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.
North Carolina started the second half with a 9-2 run to go up, 39-32. The Tar Heels went ahead, 54-38, with 11:24 left and held their largest lead, 69-44, in the final minute.
Tim Pickett led Florida State with 15 points and 11 rebounds, but he was one for 10 from three-point range. The Seminoles were one for 16.
WOMEN
No. 3 Connecticut 82, St. Joseph’s 48 -- Diana Taurasi and freshman Barbara Turner scored 17 points apiece for the Huskies (9-0) in a victory over the Hawks (3-5) at Hartford, Conn.
No. 8 Vanderbilt 101, Tennessee Martin 77 -- Ashley McElhiney nearly had a double-double by halftime and finished with 15 points and 13 assists to help the visiting Commodores (7-1) past the Skyhawks (3-6).
No. 11 Minnesota 69, Northern Iowa 62 -- Lindsay Whalen scored 27 points for the Gophers (9-0) in a win over the Panthers (4-4) at Cedar Falls, Iowa.
DePaul 64, No. 21 George Washington 46 -- Khara Smith had 13 points and 10 rebounds as the Blue Demons (9-3) upset the Colonials (4-3) at Chicago.
No. 23 Arizona 101, Nevada Las Vegas 73 -- Dee-Dee Wheeler scored 19 points, Shawntinice Polk had 18 points and 17 rebounds and the Wildcats (6-2) beat the Rebels (6-3) at Las Vegas.
