College basketball
Refs eventually give win to Texas
By Associated Press
Published January 6, 2004
[Last modified January 6, 2004, 01:33:37]
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - P.J. Tucker's shot in the lane at the overtime buzzer was ruled good after officials watched the replay for several minutes, and No. 18 Texas beat No. 25 Providence 79-77 Monday night in one of the wildest games of the season.
"It was a funny feeling," Texas' Royal Ivey said. "I was saying if we have to play another five minutes, let's play."
Donnie McGrath hit a 3-pointer with 3.7 seconds left in overtime for Providence to tie it at 77. Texas inbounded the ball under its basket after a timeout and Tucker, a freshman, took the pass at the 3-point line.
He dribbled behind his back near midcourt and continued on to the lane, letting the ball go as the red light on the backboard went on and the buzzer sounded.
The officials went to the scorer's table to watch the replay, and they watched it repeatedly. Referee Tim Higgins finally strode to midcourt and ruled the basket good, drawing the ire of the crowd of 12,993, who had seen the Friars come back from a 21-point deficit in the first half and from nine down with 5:18 left in regulation.
"By rule, any basket at the buzzer had to be reviewed," Higgins said. "The first eight times we watched it we couldn't see the light go off because of the ball, and three zeros does not end a game, the light does. We finally saw a side view and after 10, 15 times it was clear the ball was out of his hand at the light."
At first there was a crowd around the monitor, then the officials chased away the coaches and several players. With Higgins on his knees in front of the monitor and wearing headphones, the crowd was growing restless.
"The refs huddled and told us to go away. We both felt it was going to go another five minutes," Providence coach Tim Welsh said. "I stayed away and one of the refs told me it was no good. When he said that I went and started coaching my team for five more minutes. Then I look up and there's a heated four-way conversation going on. Then they told me the ball was released before the red light came on but the red light and clock weren't in synch. The ball was definitely in his hand when the clock showed three zeros, there was no dispute about that."
Texas led 32-11 in the first half as the Friars went 13:22 before getting their first field goal on their 10th shot of the game, before which they committed 10 turnovers. The Friars got within 41-33 at halftime.
Ryan Gomes had six points in a 12-0 run that gave Providence a 74-71 lead on two free throws by McGrath with 30 seconds left. Ivey hit a 3 with 15 seconds left to tie it, and both teams missed a shot over the final 9.5 seconds.
NO. 13 KANSAS 77, COLORADO 62: Wayne Simien had 21 points and 14 rebounds and the visiting Jayhawks won their 13th straight conference opener.
Keith Langford had 18 points, J.R. Giddens 15 and Aaron Miles 12 for Kansas, which used two 7-0 runs in the second half to keep the Buffaloes at bay.
UVA 84, WILLIAM & MARY 71: The host Cavaliers used a 15-2 run in the final minutes to pull away. Devin Smith had 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds, and Elton Brown added 22 points for Virginia.
FSU: Senior guard Tim Pickett, who averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals in games against Stetson and Florida, was named the ACC player of the week.
GEORGIA: The school will not contest the NCAA's finding of four rules violations, according to Ed Tolley, the Athens attorney who headed the university's investigation.
The NCAA outlined its findings in a letter recently sent to university president Michael Adams, former coach Jim Harrick and Harrick's attorneys.
Tolley said all the violations were self-reported. Charges of academic fraud and improper benefits were known in March when Harrick was suspended, then forced to resign.
State
UCF 60, MERCER 56: Dexter Lyons scored 18, including two free throws with 6.5 seconds left, to lead the host Golden Knights to their seventh straight victory.
COPPIN ST. 69, B-CC 63: Jimmy Boykin had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead the host Eagles.
FAMU 106, MORGAN ST. 72: Sam Brand had 27 and nine rebounds for the visiting Rattlers.
GEORGIA ST. 79, FAU 76: Nate Williams had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the visiting Panthers.
BELMONT 77, STETSON 58: Adam Mark had season highs with 31 points and 11 rebounds as the Bruins won their fourth in a row and fifth straight at home.
JU 82, LIPSCOMB 65: Haminn Quaintance had 19 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out for the visiting Dolphins.
Huskies hold position
Connecticut held the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press poll for a fourth straight week. Duke stayed at No. 2. Connecticut's run follows a month that saw the No. 1 ranking change four times.
Providence was the only newcomer, replacing Missouri, which became the second team this season to get as high as No. 3, then fall out. Michigan State was third in the preseason poll and the first two regular-season polls.
Georgia Tech fell from third to No. 8, the week's biggest drop.
- Times staff writer Brian Landman contributed to this report.
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