College basketball: No. 1 North Carolina shellacs Kent State
1/3/2008CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Tyler Hansbrough scored 25 points to lead No. 1 North Carolina to a 90-61 rout of Kent State last night.
Wayne Ellington and Ty Lawson each had 17 points for the Tar Heels (14-0), who never trailed in their fourth straight victory by least 25 points.
Despite being without three members of the rotation, North Carolina displayed enough depth to extend its best start since opening with 17 victories a decade ago. The Tar Heels also matched their longest winning streak under coach Roy Williams - whose 2004-05 team won 14 straight on its way to the school's last national championship.
Hansbrough was 11-for-11 from the free-throw line in his seventh straight 20-point game for the Tar Heels.
North Carolina shot 52.3 percent, made 17 of its 20 free throws and held the Golden Flashes to 3-for-18 shooting from 3-point range.
Haminn Quaintance tied a career high with 20 points for Kent State (10-3), which had its seven-game winning streak snapped.
No. 13 Pittsburgh 96, Lafayette 75
PITTSBURGH - Keith Benjamin and Tyrell Biggs, playing much more for Pittsburgh with two starters injured, led the Panthers' comeback.
Benjamin scored 20 points and Biggs and Sam Young both had 19 to help the Panthers (12-1) bounce back from an 80-55 loss at No. 20 Dayton on Saturday and overcome Lafayette's 17 3-pointers, a record for a Pitt opponent.
Gilbert Brown, Pitt's other new starter, scored 10 points and Ronald Ramon, shifted to point guard with Lavance Fields out, had 11 points and 10 assists. Ramon was 3-for-3 as Pitt went 8-of-9 on 3s in the second half after going 2-of-7 while falling behind 41-39 at halftime.
Matt Betley was 6-of-6 on 3s and had 20 points for the Leopards (8-5), who hit seven of their first nine 3-point attempts.
No. 14 Texas 67, TCU 59
AUSTIN - Damion James scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Texas.
D.J. Augustin added 20 points for the Longhorns (12-2), who snapped a two-game losing streak.
No. 18 Mississippi 86, Alabama A&M 50
OXFORD, Miss. - David Huertas scored 17 points and Mississippi won its school-record 13th straight game.
No. 20 Dayton 83, Akron 81
DAYTON - London Warren scored six points in the second overtime, including a big free throw, for Dayton.
The Flyers (12-1), who entered the Top 25 for the first time this season on Monday, extended their winning streak to 11 games.
With four seconds remaining in the second overtime, Warren hit a free throw to give Dayton an 82-79 lead.
Kurt Huelsman led the Flyers with 18 points, while Brian Roberts added 17 and Marcus Johnson 16.
Jeremiah Wood led the Zips (10-3) with 21 points, while Nick Dials had 19.
No. 23 Rhode Island 94,
Fairleigh Dickinson 63
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. - Jimmy Baron scored 22 points to lead five Rhode Island players in double figures and the Rams extended their winning streak to nine games.