NCAA - West

Kansas survives upset bid

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Apparently, it takes Kansas a while to get going in the NCAA Tournament.

One year after surviving a scare against 16th-seeded Holy Cross, Kansas held on to beat No. 15 seed Utah State 64-61 Thursday night at the West Region.

The second-seeded Jayhawks (26-7) questioned their seeding after winning the Big 12 regular-season title but got more than just a tuneup from Utah State (24-9).

They found a way to win, though. Utah State missed two 3-point tries in the final 10 seconds.

Keith Langford scored 22 and Nick Collison 18 for the Jayhawks. Desmond Penigar had 25 points for Utah State.

After a Kansas turnover, Utah State called a timeout with 10.3 seconds left. Penigar missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key and, after a scramble, Cardell Butler missed another 3 as the buzzer sounded.

The Aggies, after falling behind by 13 in the first half, closed within four at halftime and twice got within a point in the second half.

Langford had two baskets in a 6-0 run that gave Kansas a 42-35 lead after Utah State cut it to 36-35 on a 3-pointer by Toraino Johnson. The Aggies lost two baskets on charging calls during the Kansas run and had a 3-pointer roll around the rim and out.

GONZAGA 74, UC 69: Bob Huggins was sent packing, as was his team. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are back to their old tricks at tournament time.

Ronny Turiaf had 22 points, tying a school record with 16 free throws, and added 10 rebounds as ninth-seeded Gonzaga (24-8) held off the late-charging Bearcats (17-12) in Salt Lake City.

"We have a flair for the dramatic," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "They made a run at us and we were lucky to hang on."

Huggins wasn't at courtside for the close finish.

Cincinnati's coach was ejected with about 16 minutes left, along with team radio announcer Chuck Machock, for arguing a traveling call on Jason Maxiell.

CENTRAL MICH. 79, CREIGHTON 73: The Mid-American Conference magic is back for another run.

Central Michigan, the only school representing the MAC this season, added to the league's history of upsets. Mike Manciel scored a season-high 29 points for the 11th-seeded Chippewas, who hung on after nearly blowing a 26-point lead in Salt Lake City against the Bluejays (29-5).

Central Michigan (25-6) allowed the lead to dwindle to two before sealing the victory by making 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch.

It was the Chippewas' second first-round win in four NCAA trips. They hadn't been in the NCAA field since 1987.

It marks the fourth time in five years a MAC team has reached the second round of the tournament. Last year, No. 10 seed Kent State made it within one win of the Final Four, and Miami of Ohio made it to the round of 16 in 1999, also as a 10th seed.

NOTRE DAME 70, WIS.-MIL. 69: The Irish won this one for the Clipper.

A day after shaving the heads of his teammates as a show of unity, Chris Thomas scored 27 to lead them in Indianapolis

The 12th-seeded Panthers had a great chance to pull off the upset, but Dylan Page missed a layup just before the buzzer after getting a terrific pass from Clay Tucker.

The fifth-seeded Irish (23-9) are in the second round for the third straight season, though they haven't advanced to the round of the 16 during that stretch.

The Panthers (24-8) were making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in their 107-year history and first postseason appearance since the 1989 Division II tournament.

DUKE 67, COLO. ST. 57: The Blue Devils barely survived a shaky night in Salt Lake City thanks largely to big Shelden Williams.

The 6-foot-9 freshman scored on an offensive rebound with 1:21 to play, then sank two free throws with 44.2 seconds left to lift Duke.

The second-seeded Blue Devils (25-6) scored the last eight after the Rams (19-14), the sixth-place team in the Mountain West, went on a 14-7 run to cut the lead to 59-57 on Brian Greene's 16-footer with 2:59 to play.

Colorado State, upset winner of its conference tournament, had a chance to tie, but freshman Shelton Johnson, a 52 percent free-throw shooter, missed two with 1:54 remaining.

ARIZONA 80, VERMONT 51: The Catamounts spent more time in the Denver airport than they did in the NCAA Tournament.

The top-seeded Wildcats (26-3), uninspired but vastly superior in talent and depth, ousted weary Vermont in Salt Lake City.

Stranded overnight by the snowstorm in Denver en route to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 103 years of playing basketball, the Catamounts (21-12) didn't get to Utah until 11 p.m. Wednesday. Thirteen hours later, they tipped off against one of the best teams in college basketball.

ASU 84, MEMPHIS 71: Ike Diogu was the Sun Devils' freshman sensation all season. He led the way again.

The Pac-10 freshman of the year scored 22, 10 in a key second-half run, to lead Arizona State in Oklahoma City.

Diogu led 10th-seeded Arizona State (20-11) in scoring in the regular season. He didn't miss a beat in his first NCAA Tournament game.

Diogu did it all against Memphis (23-7), shooting 9-of-11 from the floor with a variety of post moves and stepping out to hit two 3-pointers in a 13-0 second-half run that opened a 10-point lead.

ILLINOIS 65, W. KY. 60: The Illini freshmen showed no signs of nervousness in their first NCAA Tournament game.

First-year starters James Augustine, Deron Williams and Dee Brown combined for 37 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists, and Brown hit two free throws with 22.8 seconds left to seal it in Indianapolis.

Big Ten player of the year Brian Cook, a senior, had his typical game with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

But it was the emergence of the freshman trio that was the big surprise and proved to be the difference. They made big plays at critical moments, and when Cook fouled out with 2:03 to go, they closed out the victory for Illinois (25-6) against the 13th-seeded Hilltoppers (24-9).

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