COLUMBIA, Mo. — Intimidated by its own fans early, No. 17 Missouri settled down in time to knock off bitter border rival Kansas.

Zaire Taylor hit a 10-footer from just outside the lane with 1.3 seconds to go, capping the Tigers' comeback from a 14-point halftime deficit in a 62-60 victory over No. 16 Kansas last night.

"We didn't come out playing Mizzou basketball, because we had several guys who had never played in this atmosphere before," Taylor said. "I never knew until today how serious this rivalry is. It's amazing."

DeMarre Carroll had 22 points and seven rebounds for the Tigers (21-4, 8-2 Big 12), who won their 16th in a row at home against a bitter border rival that had beaten them five straight times. Fans from a raucous sellout crowd of 15,061 mobbed the floor after Cole Aldrich's desperation shot banged off the backboard at the buzzer as he was being knocked to the floor.

"I was scared I might get hurt," Taylor said. "I've never been a part of anything like this."

Aldrich had 15 rebounds, five blocked shots and eight points for Kansas (19-5, 8-1), which entered with an eight-game winning streak and as one of only six Division I schools unbeaten in conference play. Tyshawn Taylor added 11 points but leading scorer Sherron Collins was held to nine points, nine below his average, on 4-for-13 shooting.

"The thing about it is if we say we played poorly, it takes away from Missouri," coach Bill Self said. "Missouri's effort was fabulous. We had the game and we didn't finish."

Missouri called timeout after Mario Little's basket from the baseline tied it with 29 seconds to go, then used almost all the time before Taylor popped free for his second winning shot in three games.

Taylor, who finished with only seven points, also got the go-ahead basket in a victory at Texas on Wednesday and pump-faked a defender in the air before taking the shot.

Missouri has won eight of nine, a run that enabled them to crack the Top 25 for the second time this season. The Tigers lasted only one week the first time after getting blown out by Illinois in St. Louis on Dec. 23.

NO. 4 PITTSBURGH 70, WEST VIRGINIA 59

PITTSBURGH — Sam Young scored 20 points as the Panthers (22-2, 9-2 in Big East) seized the lead with a late first-half run and went on to beat the Mountaineers (16-8, 5-6). Young followed up a 22-point game in Pitt's 79-67 win at West Virginia two weeks ago, making 7 of 12 shots and adding seven rebounds. Levance Fields had 13 points and seven assists to help the Panthers win their fourth in a row and sixth in seven games.WAC MEN

FRESNO STATE 88, BOISE STATE 82

FRESNO, Calif. — Paul George scored a career-high 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help the Bulldogs (10-14, 2-7 Western Athletic Conference) hold off the Broncos (16-7, 6-4) and snap a three-game WAC skid. Sylvester Seay added 23 points for Fresno State, including an open 3-pointer with 2 minutes, 50 seconds left and four consecutive free throws in the final 1:24.

TOP 25 WOMEN

NO. 8 N. CAROLINA 75, NO. 4 DUKE 60

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Rashanda McCants scored 19 of her 22 points in the second half to help the Tar Heels (21-3, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat the Blue Devils (19-3, 7-2). Jessica Breland added 14 points and a career-high 23 rebounds for the Tar Heels. North Carolina held a 54-38 rebounding advantage against the Blue Devils, who shot just 30 percent for the game.No. 11 Maryland 85, Boston College 81

BOSTON — Kristi Toliver scored 19 points with seven assists, and picked up a loose ball and hit a 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down in the final minute, to lead the Terps (19-4, 7-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) over the Eagles (17-7, 5-4 ACC).

NO. 23 S. DAKOTA ST. 64, IUPUI 48.

INDIANAPOLIS — Maria Boever scored 19 points and Jennifer Warkenthien added 18 to help the Jackrabbits (23-2, 12-1 Summit) beat the Jaguars (12-12, 7-6) for their ninth straight win.

ELSEWHERE

Louisiana Tech women: Louisiana Tech fired coach Chris Long yesterday and promoted former WNBA star Teresa Weatherspoon to the top spot on an interim basis. Long, who was an assistant at Tech for six seasons before he became the head coach in 2005, went 71-44 with the Lady Techsters. Louisiana Tech is 12-11 this season and in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year after a run of 25 straight appearances.