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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, January 15, 2007

Late banker by Brooks lifts Oregon over Arizona

Associated Press

TUCSON, Ariz. — Aaron Brooks will always remember his 22nd birthday.

Oregon's star point guard banked a shot over two defenders with 2 seconds left to give No. 15 Oregon a 79-77 victory over 10th-ranked Arizona last night.

Brooks finished with 21 points to lead the Ducks (16-1, 4-1 Pac-10) to their second victory over a Top 10 team in eight days. Oregon beat then-No. 1 UCLA on Jan. 6.

"Down the stretch, we put the ball in the hand of Mr. Big Shot," said Oregon guard Malik Hairston, who scored 18 points. "We call him that because he makes the big shots just like Chauncey Billups (of the Detroit Pistons)."

Brooks hit a couple of biggies to help lead the Ducks to their first road sweep of the Pac-10's Arizona schools.

He nailed a 3-pointer to tie it at 77 with 1:50 to play. After Arizona senior point guard Mustafa Shakur turned the ball over, Oregon coach Ernie Kent called timeout and set up a play that calls for Brooks to penetrate. If he can't get a shot, Brooks is supposed to dish to one of Oregon's 3-point snipers.

But Brooks said he never thought about passing after he made his initial move, driving the right side of the lane and banking a shot high off the glass.

"I had a ball screen and I came off it and it was one-on-one after that," Brooks said. "I was in position to take the shot and it went in. Coach put a lot of trust in me."

Arizona coach Lute Olson said the Wildcats knew what was coming and still couldn't stop it.

"We knew he was going to go right," Olson said. "The thing he does so well, he shoots that runner way up on the top of the board. He made a great shot."

The Wildcats will be happy to see the senior from Seattle graduate. This is the second time the Ducks have beaten Arizona on his birthday; Brooks scored 17 as Oregon knocked off the Wildcats, 73-68, on Jan. 14, 2006, in Eugene, Ore.

"There was no doubt in my mind who we were giving the last shot to," Kent said. "It was great execution by everyone. It was an incredible play."

Kent reached 180 career victories, moving into a tie with W.J. Reinhart for second place on the school's wins list. The leader is Howard Hobson with 212.

NO. 11 DUKE 85, MIAMI 63

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Freshman Jon Scheyer scored a season-high 25 points and the Blue Devils (14-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) shot a season-best 68 percent in its first conference victory of the season. Greg Paulus scored 15 points, and DeMarcus Nelson 14 for the Blue Devils, who easily surpassed their season average of 72 points. The Hurricanes (9-9, 2-2) lost for the fifth time in six games.

NO. 22 NOTRE DAME 88, SETON HALL 76

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Russell Carter had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Rob Kurz added 15 points and nine rebounds to lead the Fighting Irish (15-2, 3-1 Big East) over the Pirates (10-6, 2-2).

Zach Hillesland added a career-high 12 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Notre Dame improved to 13-0 at home.

TOP 25 WOMEN

NO. 4 TENNESSEE 52, NO. 15 GEORGIA 41

ATHENS, Ga. — Alexis Hornbuckle and Nicky Anosike scored 14 points apiece for the Lady Vols (16-1, 3-0 Southeastern Conference), who knocked off their seventh ranked team this season.

Tennessee held the Lady Bulldogs (14-4, 2-2) to their fewest points since their inaugural season in 1974. Georgia shot only 32 percent from the field (15 of 47).

NO. 5 LSU 77, MISSISSIPPI ST. 50

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Sylvia Fowles had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and the Tigers (16-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) held the Bulldogs (10-7, 1-2) without a field goal for more than 12 minutes in the first half.

Allison Hightower added 14 for LSU and Quianna Chaney scored 13 for the Tigers, who forced 19 turnovers that led to 20 points.

NO. 6 OHIO ST. 70, NORTHWESTERN 42

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jessica Davenport had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and the Buckeyes (15-1, 4-0) stretched their Big Ten winning streak to 21 games with a victory over the Wildcats (6-12, 0-5).

Star Allen added 18 points for the Buckeyes, who matched the school record for best record through 16 games.

NO. 12 GEORGE WASH. 61, MASSACHUSETTS 48

WASHINGTON — Kenan Cole had a season-high 19 points as the Colonials (14-2, 3-0 Atlantic 10) defeated the Minutewomen (10-8, 0-3).

Jessica Adair added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Colonials, who have won seven straight and gave coach Joe McKeown his 400th win in 18 seasons at George Washington.

NO. 13 PURDUE 73, INDIANA 51

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Katie Gearlds scored 20 points, FahKara Malone added 15 and the Boilermakers (16-3, 5-0 Big Ten) beat the Hoosiers (13-6, 2-4) in Sharon Versyp's first game against her former team and nine players she either coached or recruited last year.

Erin Lawless added 14 points for the Boilermakers, who lost at Mackey Arena when Versyp was the Indiana coach a year ago.

NO. 14 VANDERBILT 82, FLORIDA 69

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Christina Wirth scored 20 points to lead the Commodores (16-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) over the Gators (6-12, 0-3).

Wirth scored 12 points in the second half and sparked an 11-0 run that led to a 44-40 lead for Vanderbilt.

NO. 20 MICHIGAN ST 83, IOWA 63

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Allyssa DeHaan had 20 points and six rebounds to help the Spartans (13-4, 4-1 Big Ten) beat the Hawkeyes (11-8, 3-3).

Five Spartans scored in double figures and Michigan State shot 53.6 percent from the field.

CINCINNATI 62, NO. 24 DEPAUL 44

CINCINNATI — Michelle Jones had 19 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bearcats (11-5, 2-3 Big East) over the Blue Demons (11-6, 1-3).

Treasure Humphries had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Carla Jacobs added 14 for Cincinnati.

NO. 25 ARKANSAS 65, AUBURN 62

AUBURN, Ala. — Dominique Washington scored 24 points and Lauren Ervin had 19 to lead the Razorbacks (16-3, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) over the Tigers (14-5, 1-2).

Washington was 7 of 11 from 3-point range for Arkansas.