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Day Three:
Close calls and clutch shots By The
Associated Press
CLOSE CALL
Arizona got to see what makes Gonzaga such a scary team to
play in the NCAA tournament. The top-seeded Wildcats survived a
double-overtime thriller, 96-95, to advance to the West Regional semifinals.
Salim Stoudamire hit a floater in the lane with 2:03 left in the second
overtime for the game's final points, but ninth-seeded Gonzaga had several
chances to win it. Tony Skinner missed an open 3 with 4 seconds to play, and
Blake Stepp missed a 5-foot follow-up bank shot just before the buzzer
sounded. The Zags went to the round of 16 three of the last four years, and
to the regional finals in 1999.
STILL ROLLING
Perennial powers Duke and Kansas were both convincing in
second-round wins. Duke gave coach Mike Krzyzewski his 60th NCAA tournament
victory, second only to Dean Smith's 65, with an 86-60 win over Central
Michigan. The Blue Devils advanced to the regional semifinals for the sixth
year in a row and the 20th time in their 28 NCAA appearances. Meanwhile,
Kansas dominated Arizona State right from the opening tipoff and won 108-76
to advance to the round of 16 for the third straight year. The Jayhawks are
in the round of 16 for the ninth time in coach Roy Williams' 15 seasons.
CLUTCH SHOT
No one really knew whether Wisconsin's Freddie Owens would
play against Tulsa on Saturday because of a sprained right ankle. Good thing
for the Badgers that he did. Owens hit a 3-pointer with 1 second to play,
capping a late rally and lifting fifth-seeded Wisconsin to a 61-60 victory
over No. 13 Tulsa. The Badgers advanced to the round of 16. Owens was
injured in Wisconsin's opening-round win over Weber State and his status was
unclear until tipoff. Until hitting the game-winning shot, Owens was
4-of-16.
CAN'T MISS
Steve Novak and Marquette were perfect when they had to be �
in overtime. The freshman made three 3-pointers and the Golden Eagles hit
all of their shots in the extra period to pull away from Missouri 101-92.
Third-seeded Marquette advanced to the Midwest Regional semifinals in
Minneapolis � its first trip to the round of 16 since 1994 and second since
Al McGuire coached the 1977 team to the national title. The Golden Eagles
made six straight baskets and all six free throws in overtime.
CONFERENCE PRIDE
Big East teams are 6-0 through the first three days of the
NCAA tournament � the best record of any conference. Ben Gordon scored 29
points, and Emeka Okafor had 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead fifth-seeded
Connecticut to an 85-74 victory over No. 4 Stanford and into the South
Regional semifinals Saturday. Notre Dame also advanced to the round of 16
with a 68-60 win over Illinois. The Big Ten is right behind at 6-1, with
Wisconsin having already advanced to the regional semifinals.
ON TARGET
Dan Miller matched a career high with 23 points as Notre
Dame moved into the round of 16 for the first time since 1987 with a 68-60
win over Illinois in the West Regional. The Fighting Irish shot 13-for-24
from 3-point range, including 11-of-16 in the first half. Miller sank his
first five 3s and finished 5-for-7. Chris Thomas and Matt Carroll each hit
three from beyond the arc.
STEPPING UP
A couple of freshman helped make sure Oklahoma senior Hollis
Price gets to keep playing in the NCAA tournament. Kevin Bookout scored a
career-high 22 points and De'Angelo Alexander had 15 as the top-seeded
Sooners reached the East Regional semifinals with a 74-65 victory over
eighth-seeded California. Price, the Big 12 player of the year, is bothered
by a left groin injury that limits his quickness. After playing 11 minutes
in the first round against South Carolina State, he logged 30 minutes
against Cal but scored just five points.
LOOKING AHEAD
GAMES TO WATCH: Two rematches of recent national
championship games. Top-seeded Kentucky takes on No. 9 seed Utah on Sunday
in the second round of the Midwest Regional, a rematch of the 1998 final won
by the Wildcats. Second-seeded Florida faces No. 7 Michigan State in the
South Regional. The Spartans beat the Gators for the 2000 title.
UPSET SPECIAL: No. 10 seed Auburn over second-seeded Wake
Forest in the East Regional. The Demon Deacons, regular-season champions of
the ACC, barely got by No. 15 East Tennessee State in the first round. They
struggled to slow down 5-foot-9 freshman Tim Smith and could have even more
trouble with Auburn forward Marquis Daniels, who scored 25 points in an
overtime victory against Saint Joseph's. The Tigers seem determined to make
a run in the tournament after critics said they didn't belong.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior guard Drew Nicholas saved
Maryland's season with a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat North
Carolina-Wilmington in the first round of the South Regional. Next, he and
the rest of the defending national champions try to contain Xavier's David
West, the three-time Atlantic 10 player of the year.
QUOTABLE
``Of all the teams I've had at Gonzaga, I've never been more
proud.'' � Bulldogs coach Mark Few after his team was knocked out by
top-seeded Arizona in double overtime Saturday, 96-95.
Copyright 2003
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02/23/2007 10:46:53 AM
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