Posted: Saturday, November 22, 2008 12:00 am
IRVINE, Calif. - Junior guard Tajuan Porter scored 23 points to lead Oregon past UC Irvine, 84-77, at the Bren Events Center Friday night.
Porter was 4 of 7 from the field, including 3 of 5 on threes, and hit all 12 of his free-throw attempts.
UC Irvine senior forward Kevin Bland led all scorers with a career-high 26 points, hitting 12 of 14 from the field.
Oregon led 39-34 at halftime and both teams shot 62.5 percent from the field in the second half.
The Anteaters made a run, closing to within 72-66 on a layup by Bland with 1:44 remaining. But Porter hit 10 of 10 free throws in the final 53 seconds to seal the victory.
Oregon shot 50.9 percent from the floor for the game and UCI shot 50.8 percent from the field.
(4) UCLA 77, Southern Illinois 60
NEW YORK - Alfred Aboya gave Southern Illinois fits.
He also gave coach Ben Howland a scare.
The Bruins' senior forward had 22 points and eight rebounds, helping fourth-ranked UCLA rebound from a disheartening loss to beat Southern Illinois on Friday night in the consolation game of the 2K Sports Classic.
Aboya helped lead a 20-2 run in the second half that put the game out of reach, but landed hard taking a charge in the closing minutes. Howland feared Aboya may have broken his left hand, but X-rays and a CT scan at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases came back negative.
A team spokesman said Aboya would have a precautionary MRI when he returns to Los Angeles.
(19) Southern Cal 73, Chattanooga 46
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Taj Gibson scored 17 points to lead Southern Cal to a win against Chattanooga in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.
Gibson also grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked five shots for the Trojans (3-1), who played a strong second half to claim the win. Southern Cal was upended by unranked Seton Hall 63-61 on Thursday night.
Dwight Lewis scored 16 points, DeMar DeRozan chipped in 13 and Daniel Hackett had 10 points and nine assists.
Leonard Washington also scored nine points and had 12 rebounds for Southern Cal, which outrebounded Chattanooga 57-32.
Washington St. 76, Sacramento St. 55
PULLMAN, Wash. - Taylor Rochestie and freshman Klay Thompson each scored 17 points as Washington State defeated Sacramento State.
Rochestie hit five of six from behind the 3-point line and added 10 assists for his first double-double as a Cougar.
Thompson connected on five of nine from 3-point range, with four of those
3-pointers coming in the first half for Washington State (3-0).
Mike Edwards scored 10 points for Sacramento State (0-3).