College basketball

Big East: Perfect Pitt passes its first big test

By wire services
Published January 1, 2006

PITTSBURGH - Carl Krauser scored 22 and provided a steadying hand to a mostly freshman Pittsburgh lineup, and the Panthers remained unbeaten by holding off No. 24 Wisconsin 73-64 on Saturday in their first game against a ranked team.

Krauser, a senior who planned to turn pro after last season but changed his mind, led a 13-0 run midway through the first half that gave the Panthers an 18-10 lead. Krauser also scored on a succession of key possessions in the second half whenever Wisconsin (10-2) tried to make a charge.

Alando Tucker, Wisconsin's only returning starter, scored 25, but no other Badger had more than nine. The Badgers shot 37.5 percent in the first half and 42.1 percent overall, including 3-of-15 from 3-point range. Pitt shot 55.1 percent and got 35 points from its bench to 16 for Wisconsin.

Freshmen Sam Young, Levance Fields and Tyrell Biggs made major contributions to help Pittsburgh start 11-0 for the second time in three seasons.

NO. 3 VILLANOVA 75, TEMPLE 53: Allan Ray scored 20, Mike Nardi 17 and Kyle Lowry 15, and the visiting Wildcats opened 9-0 for the first time since 1961-62 when they won their first 12. Villanova opens conference play Thursday at Louisville.

NO. 10 LOUISVILLE 58, MIAMI 43: Juan Palacios scored 19 to lead the Cardinals in the Orange Bowl Classic at Sunrise. Taquan Dean had 13 points and David Padgett 11 points and 13 rebounds for Louisville (11-1).

RUTGERS 54, PRINCETON 44: Quincy Douby scored 23, 12 in the final 7:21 after the Tigers tied it at 37, to lift the host Scarlet Knights (10-3).

SETON HALL 73, IONA 59: Kelly Whitney scored 22 and Donald Copeland added 17 points and six assists for the host Pirates (8-3), who opened with a 20-5 run.

DePAUL 72, FIU 60: Sammy Mejia had 23 points and eight rebounds and Draelon Burns added 15 points to lead the host Blue Demons (7-4).

USF: Junior walk-on and starting point guard Chris Capko could miss the Bulls' Big East debut Thursday against No. 25 West Virginia with a laceration above his nose sustained in Friday's loss to UAB. Capko, who leads the Big East in assists, took an elbow in the second half and was hospitalized after trainers couldn't get the cut above the bridge of his nose to stop bleeding. Coach Robert McCullum said the team wouldn't know the severity of the injury until Monday.

Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.

[Last modified January 1, 2006, 00:29:14]