College Basketball Wrap

AROUND THE CITY

THE RUN

If you've watched Villanova under Jay Wright long enough, you anticipate "the run." When it comes, it usually ends the game.

Maryland really looked in control at the Wells Fargo Center, leading 59-47 with 9 1/2 minutes left. Terps big man Jordan Williams (25 points, 14 rebounds) was having his way.

Then it came like a flood. And it was over. The Wildcats scored 19 in a row. The Terps were throwing up wild shots and throwing the ball away. 'Nova was converting just about every time at the other end.

Maalik Wayns (22 points) was on the bench with four fouls. Dominic Cheek was unavailable because he had sustained a knee injury during the game. Maurice Sutton was suspended for a game for a throat-slashing gesture during Wednesday's game with Louisville. The 'Cats were about out of bodies.

No matter.

Corey Fisher (17 points) went wild. Antonio Pena (14 points, 10 rebounds) was everywhere. All shots were defended. All rebounds were gathered.

And Villanova (16-1) won going away, 74-66, over a team in Maryland (11-6) that never really knew what hit it.

The 17,477 in the house knew. They had seen it all before.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE TOUGHNESS?

Well, there is no number that can help with that question. But you know it when you see it. And Villanova has it.

The Wildcats also have good players, but there are no potential NBA superstars on this team or really any of Jay Wright's teams. So why do they win so much? They are tougher than almost all of their opponents, especially in those moments that decide who wins and who loses.

NEVER IN IT IN PITTSBURGH

Most people probably did not understand how good Duquesne was heading into its game with Temple. Still, nobody could have expected what went down.

The normally very steady Owls missed their first 14 shots, fell behind 19-1 and were never in what became a 78-66 loss.

Temple (12-4, 3-1 Atlantic 10) committed 16 turnovers. The Dukes (11-5, 3-0) scored 20 more points than the Owls had been giving up.

Temple shot just 30.9 percent. Ramone Moore (18 points) was the only Temple player in double figures. Juan Fernandez (knee) did not start and was just 2-for-9. The teams combined to attempt 78 free throws.

Temple really did not figure to lose many league games. And one loss is not a trend, but the way the Owls lost is a bit disconcerting. Two months from now, it might be a footnote. Time will tell.

STILL NO DEFENSE

It is a recurring theme with La Salle. The Explorers can't stop anybody.

Massachusetts (10-6, 2-1 A-10) shot 50.8 percent and beat La Salle (8-10, 0-3), 74-71, in Springfield, Mass.

Jerrell Williams, who is not elegant but is relentless, had 20 points and eight rebounds. Aaric Murray, who can be elegant, shot 5-for-15.

NO DEFENSE FOR DREXEL

Drexel is not going to win every game, but when the Dragons lose, they do not figure to lose by getting beaten on the glass and/or giving up a huge shooting percentage from the floor.

So much for conventional wisdom.

The Dragons (11-5, 3-3 Colonial) got crushed at William & Mary, 80-66. The Tribe (5-12, 1-5) rarely missed so there were very few rebounds for Drexel.

W&M shot 24-for-40 (60 percent). The Tribe was 13-for-17 (76 percent) in the second half. Thus, Drexel was only able to get 25 rebounds and was beaten on the glass by six.

Drexel wasted a terrific shooting game by Gerald Colds (22 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the arc).

HEADING SOUTH

The week did not start well for Saint Joseph's when its plane to Ohio was canceled on Tuesday. So the Hawks had to bus through a snowstorm to Dayton for a game on Wednesday. The Hawks played well enough, but lost in the end. They stayed on the road and eventually flew to Saint Louis. They returned yesterday.

So, two teams that were winless in the league and had limited experience on the roster would play to decide something that was not exactly clear.

Saint Louis shot 33.3 percent and won comfortably, 67-51. The Hawks (5-12, 0-4 A-10) had six assists and 14 turnovers. Saint Louis (6-11, 1-3) got to the foul line 29 times to just 12 for St. Joe's.

The young Hawks are starting to get a bit older with 17 games in their rearview mirror. But the bottom line is not getting any better yet.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY

CAN'T STOP COACH CAL

Kentucky is very young, very talented and getting better. The Wildcats crushed LSU, 82-44. The Tigers had two more field goals (17) than turnovers (15).

John Calipari is 27-0 at Rupp Arena in his season-and-a-half in Lexington. Freshman Brandon Knight has scored in double figures in all but one game.

THE COMEBACK

There were 143 games on Saturday, but nothing like Louisville-Marquette. Louisville trailed by 18 points with 5 1/2 minutes left. And promptly scored 24 of the game's next 29 points to win, 71-70.

THE FANS

There were 21,485 fans at the KFC Yum Center in Louisville and 24,330 at Rupp. That is more than 45,000 in two venues barely an hour apart for college hoops. Think these people like the game?

CAN'T MAKE A SHOT

Texas' last two opponents, Texas Tech and Oklahoma, have combined to miss 25 of 26 shots from the arc. That is either really good defense or really bad shooting. Or maybe both.

DICK JERARDI'S TOP 15

1. Syracuse (18-0): Blew away Cincinnati at start of the second half with 16 straight and won easily at the Dome, 67-52. Shot 56.3 percent and held Cincy to 30.5 percent. Serious test tonight at terrific Pittsburgh.

2. Ohio State (18-0): Needed a pair of Jared Sullinger and-ones in the final minute to hold off Penn State, 69-66. Nittany Lions lost despite shooting 55.6 percent.

3. San Diego State (19-0): If you have not seen Steve Fisher's team, you are missing out. Beat New Mexico, 87-77, at the Pit before 15,411. Aztecs have athletes all over the court, including D.J. Gay (30 points). Shot 13-of-25 from the arc.

4. Kansas (17-0): Still winning, but barely. Held off Nebraska, 63-60, for 69th straight at Allen after trailing by 10 in the second half. Marcus Morris had 16 points and 11 rebounds.

5. Pittsburgh (17-1): Did not look pretty in 74-53 win over Seton Hall. Had 11 of its shots blocked, but killed Hall by 19 on the glass.

6. Duke (16-1): Outscored Virginia, 43-18, over final 16 minutes in 76-60 win at Cameron. Nolan Smith had 29 for the Blue Devils.

7. Villanova (16-1): Keeps losing bodies and keeps winning games. Came from 12 down with under 10 minutes left to beat Maryland, 74-66, at the Wells Fargo Center.

8. Connecticut (14-2): Kemba Walker had 31 points as Huskies crushed DePaul, 82-62. Serious game with Villanova this afternoon.

9. Texas A&M (16-1): Outlasted Missouri, 91-89, in OT for 13th consecutive win, longest winning streak since 1916. Committed just nine turnovers vs. Mizzou pressure and got 28 from Khris Middleton.

10. BYU (17-1): Off over the weekend after my man Jimmer Fredette went off at Utah last Tuesday for 47 points.

11. Saint Mary's (16-2): Crushed Santa Clara as Villanova's favorite player, Mickey McConnell, had 18 points and 13 assists.

12. Texas (14-3): Beat sad-sack Oklahoma, 66-46. Sooners are 0-8 away from home.

13. Missouri (15-3): Shot 52.2 percent against Texas A&M, but lost because they could not get shots up at key moments.

14. Kentucky (14-3): Blew away poor LSU, 82-44.

15. Widener (9-6): DJ Smith banked in a 65-footer at the buzzer to beat Lebanon Valley, 71-70. His team had trailed by 16 in the second half. Smith did the same thing to LV last season when he hit a 35-foot runner at the buzzer to win the game.