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Duke's Gerald Henderson , with assistants Steve Wojciechowski (left) and Johnny Dawkins, is ejected. Henderson played for Episcopal.
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Tyler Hansbrough had 26 points and 17 rebounds before suffering an ugly injury in the closing seconds of No. 8 North Carolina's 86-72 victory over 14th-ranked Duke yesterday in Chapel Hill, N.C. The win clinched the top seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Senior Reyshawn Terry added 15 points in his final home game for the Tar Heels (25-6, 11-5), who swept the regular-season series with the Blue Devils (22-9, 8-8) for the first time in 11 years, avoided their first three-game slide under Roy Williams, and gave the homespun coach his 100th victory at his alma mater.
But perhaps the lasting image of the latest renewal of college basketball's most intense rivalry will be Hansbrough's bloodied face. He leaped for a layup with 14.5 seconds left, but after the ball left his hand, he was struck in the face by Gerald Henderson's right elbow. Henderson was a four-year letter winner at Episcopal Academy.
Hansbrough crumpled to the ground, his nose bleeding profusely onto the floor and down his face, and he was restrained from the Duke players as he was being escorted to the locker room. The officials reviewed the play and ejected Henderson, then said he would be suspended for one game.
Florida 85, Kentucky 72 - Joakim Noah and Taurean Green scored 17 points apiece, and the fifth-ranked Gators (26-5, 13-3) rebounded from consecutive losses to beat Kentucky (20-10, 9-7) in Gainesville, Fla., becoming the first Southeastern Conference team to win six in a row against the Wildcats.
Creighton 67, Southern Illinois 61 - Anthony Tolliver had 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Creighton (22-10) upset the 11th-ranked Salukis (27-6) in St. Louis to win the Missouri Valley Conference title and earn its seventh NCAA tournament appearance in nine years.
Louisville 86, Seton Hall 71 - Edgar Sosa scored 18 points to lead five Louisville players in double figures, and the No. 16 Cardinals (22-8, 12-4) clinched second place in the Big East with a win over Seton Hall (13-16, 4-12) in Louisville, Ky.
Clemson 75, Virginia Tech 74 - K.C. Rivers scored 22 points, including the decisive basket with 18 seconds left, and the Tigers (21-9, 7-9) prevented the No. 21 Hokies (20-10, 10-6) from capturing a share of the ACC's regular-season title in Blacksburg, Va.
Tournaments
America East Conference - Chris Holm had 18 points and 15 rebounds and Mike Trimboli scored 20 to lift top-seeded Vermont (25-6) to a 72-63 victory over No. 5 seed Maryland-Baltimore County (12-19) in Boston and into the Catamounts' fifth straight conference-title game. . . . In the second game, conference player-of-the-year Jamar Wilson had 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists to lift defending champion and No. 2 seed Albany (22-9) to a 59-49 victory over Boston University (12-18).Sun Belt Conference - Kevin Kanaskie made a driving jumper with 33 seconds left as Middle Tennessee (15-16) beat top-seeded South Alabama (20-10), 63-60, in overtime in the quarterfinals in Lafayette, Ind. . . . North Texas (21-10) beat Louisiana-Monroe (18-13), 77-71 in overtime. . . . Arkansas State (17-14) held off a second-half charge by New Orleans (14-17) to take an 81-74 win.
Northeast Conference - Ryan Litke and Drew Shubik scored 16 points each as Sacred Heart (18-13) defeated Quinnipiac (14-15), 83-69, in the semifinals in Fairfield, Conn. . . . In the other game, Obie Nwadike had 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead Central Connecticut (21-11), 74-68, over Mount St. Mary's (11-20). The final will be on Wednesday at Central Connecticut.
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference - Kenny Hasbrouck scored 26 points to lead Siena (20-11) past Marist (24-7), 86-78, in the semifinals in Bridgeport, Conn. In the second game, Tyrone Lewis scored 23 points to lead Niagara (21-11) past Loyola of Maryland (18-13), 89-79.
Mid-Continent Conference - Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis (15-14) never relinquished an early lead in a 71-59 victory over Southern Utah (16-14) in a quarterfinal in Tulsa, Okla. Fourth-seeded IUPUI advanced to play regular-season champion Oral Roberts today in the semifinals.
