Betting Odds – Graffiti Wall

Shane Vereen

(Saturday, November 21st)

Final Score: (1) Florida 62, FIU 3

Gainesville, FL – Tim Tebow ran for a touchdown and threw for a pair of scores, as top-ranked Florida extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 21 straight games with a 62-3 rout of Florida International at the Swamp. Tebow ran for 102 yards, including a career-long 55-yard score, on just seven carries and completed 17-of-25 passes for 215 yards in just 2 1/2 quarters of action for Florida (11-0), which will host Florida State next week in the annual grudge match before heading to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game against Alabama. Chris Rainey ran for a touchdown and caught a scoring pass in the victory, as Florida completely dominated with 584 yards to just 189 for FIU. Paul McCall threw for 134 yards with an interception for FIU (3-8), which was coming off a victory against North Texas last week. The Golden Panthers also played Alabama back in September and suffered a 40-14 setback in Tuscaloosa.

Final Score: (2) Alabama 45, Chattanooga 0

Tuscaloosa, AL – Mark Ingram had 102 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries in two quarters of action, as second-ranked Alabama thumped FCS foe Chattanooga, 45-0, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Greg McElroy played only the first half, completing 6-of-11 passes for 80 yards and one touchdown for the Crimson Tide (11-0), who rested many first-stringers on the offensive side after building a 35-0 lead at the break. Julio Jones had a touchdown reception in the win, and Javier Arenas set an SEC record with his seventh punt return for a touchdown, breaking the mark previously established by Kentucky’s Derek Abney. B.J. Coleman struggled immensely for an overmatched Chattanooga (6-5) squad, throwing for just 36 yards and two interceptions on 7-of-25 passing. The Mocs, who totaled 84 yards of offense, ended the regular season by dropping four of their last six games.

Final Score: (3) Texas 51, Kansas 20  TMAC Free Action Play Winner Over 57

Austin, TX – Colt McCoy threw for 396 yards and four touchdowns on senior day in his final home game to lead third-ranked Texas to a Big 12 South title and 51-20 victory over Kansas. Senior wideout Jordan Shipley caught 10 passes for 108 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown. James Kirkendoll hauled in a pair of scores during an eight-catch, 86-yard outing while Malcolm Williams totaled 103 yards and a score on six grabs. McCoy ended an efficient 32-for-41 and helped engineer eight scoring drives for the Longhorns (11-0, 7-0 Big 12), who own back-to-back 11-win campaigns for just the third time in school history. McCoy also set the NCAA record for most career wins with 43, having tied Georgia’s David Greene in last week’s blowout of Baylor. Texas, which concludes its regular-season schedule Thanksgiving night at Texas A&M, will square off with Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship by way of the ‘Huskers 17-3 victory over Kansas State Saturday.

Final Score: (4) TCU 45, Wyoming 10

Laramie, WY – Matthew Tucker ran for 134 yards and a pair of scores, as fourth-ranked TCU remained unbeaten with a 45-10 rout of Wyoming at War Memorial Stadium. Andy Dalton completed 10-of-19 passes for 168 yards and a score, with one interception. He also rushed for 88 yards for TCU (11-0, 7-0 MWC), which kept its BCS bowl hopes alive and moved to 11-0 for the first time since 1938, when the school won the national championship. The Horned Frogs, who have won 13 consecutive games dating back to last year, also clinched at least a share of the conference title. BYU, which plays Air Force, entered the day a game behind TCU in the Mountain West standings. TCU will close its 2009 regular season next weekend at home against New Mexico. Joseph Turner ran for 66 yards and two scores on nine carries, while Jeremy Kerley had a touchdown reception in the thorough victory, in which TCU totaled 507 yards and limited Wyoming to 178. Austyn Carta-Samuels completed just 4-of-10 passes for 83 yards and was intercepted once, as the Cowboys (5-6, 3-4) lost for the fourth time in five contests. Chris Prosinski returned a fumble 98 yards for a score to record Wyoming’s lone touchdown.

Final Score: (9) Ohio State 21, Michigan 10

Ann Arbor, MI – Daniel Herron ran for 96 yards and caught a touchdown pass, while Brandon Saine added 84 yards rushing with a score, as ninth-ranked Ohio State captured the outright Big Ten title with a 21-10 victory over arch-rival Michigan. Terrelle Pryor threw a touchdown pass and contributed 74 yards rushing, as the Buckeyes racked up 251 yards on the ground in their sixth straight win over Michigan. Ohio State (10-2, 7-1 Big Ten) won its final five games of the season to claim the outright conference title for the third time in the past four years. The Buckeyes, who have at least shared the last five Big Ten crowns, will head to the Rose Bowl on January 1. Michigan (5-7, 1-7), meanwhile, ended its season with five straight losses and will sit home during bowl season for a second consecutive year after its second losing record in as many seasons under Rich Rodriguez. Following last year’s 3-9 debacle, the Wolverines have lost at least seven games in consecutive seasons for the first time in the storied program’s history. Tate Forcier completed 23-of-38 passes for 226 yards with a touchdown, but was also picked off four times in defeat, and his fumble on the Wolverines’ opening drive was recovered in the end zone by Ohio State for a touchdown.

Final Score: Ole Miss 25, (10) LSU 23

Oxford, MS – Dexter McCluster ran all over a stout LSU defense and also threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Shay Hodge early in the fourth quarter, as Ole Miss thwarted a late rally to upend the 10th-ranked Tigers, 25-23, in a wild finish at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The Rebels went ahead, 25-17, on Joshua Shene’s fourth field goal of the game with 3:42 remaining. Jordan Jefferson quickly led the Tigers down the field and hit an open Rueben Randle with a 25-yard scoring strike with 1:17 left. A jump ball to Terrance Toliver for the two-point conversion fell incomplete, but LSU recovered the ensuing onside kick to stay alive. Brandon LaFell caught a 26- yard screen pass to move the ball to the Ole Miss 32-yard line, but a sack and a seven-yard loss on another screen on second and third down, respectively, moved the ball back to the 48 and wasted LSU’s final two timeouts, the last coming with nine seconds showing. A long delay in getting the final timeout called proved costly, as Toliver caught a 42-yard bomb at the Ole Miss six. Toliver came down with the ball with one second on the clock, but an unorganized Tigers offense failed to get a final snap off. McCluster finished with 148 yards on 24 carries, Jevan Snead was an efficient 14-of-21 for 206 yards, and Hodge had seven catches for 117 yards for the Rebels (8-3, 4-3 SEC), who outgained the Tigers, 426-290, for their third straight win. Jefferson, who missed last week’s win over Louisiana Tech due to a right ankle sprain, connected on 19-of-37 tosses for 250 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for LSU (8-3, 4-3), which lost for the second time in three weeks.

Final Score: (11) Oregon 44, Arizona 41 (2-OT)

Tucson, AZ – Jeremiah Masoli accounted for six total touchdowns — three throwing and three rushing — and his one-yard run on third down in the second overtime lifted 11th-ranked Oregon to a critical 44-41 win over Arizona to remain in control of the Pac-10. Masoli completed 26-of-47 passes for 284 yards with an interception and added 61 rushing yards on 16 carries for Oregon (9-2, 7-1 Pac-10), which can secure a bid to the Rose Bowl with a win over Oregon State on December 3. The Oregon-Oregon State game is a de facto conference championship game by virtue of Oregon’s win on Saturday coupled with Stanford’s loss to California. LaMichael James added 117 yards on the ground on 19 carries, and Jeff Maehl had 12 receptions for 114 yards and two scores. Ed Dickson had five catches for 63 yards and a game-tying touchdown with six seconds remaining in regulation. Nick Foles threw for 314 yards with four touchdowns and a pick on 30-of-46 passing for Arizona (6-4, 4-3), which would have been in the driver’s seat in the conference had it won the game. Instead, the Wildcats lost their chance to advance to the first Rose Bowl in school history.

Final Score: (13) Penn State 42, Michigan State 14

East Lansing, MI – Daryll Clark threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns, as 13th-ranked Penn State used an explosive third quarter on the way to a 42-14 win over Michigan State in both teams’ regular-season finale. Three of Clark’s touchdown throws came during the third quarter, in which the Nittany Lions (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten) outscored the Spartans 28-0. Clark completed 19-of-27 passes, while Evan Royster ran for 114 yards on 13 carries for Penn State, which closed the 2009 campaign with two consecutive wins. The Lions now await a bowl selection, though they won’t be making a return trip to the Rose Bowl, as Ohio State claimed the conference title and had already claimed the Big Ten’s spot in that bowl. Graham Zug and Andrew Quarless each caught two touchdown passes in the victory. Kirk Cousins completed 16-of-28 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown. He was also picked off twice as the Spartans (6-6, 4-4) had a two-game win streak broken, but are likely headed for a third consecutive bowl appearance.

Final Score: California 34, (14) Stanford 28

Palo Alto, CA – Shane Vereen, playing in place of the injured Jahvid Best, ran 42 times for a career-high 193 yards with three touchdowns, leading the California Golden Bears to a crucial 34-28 win over 14th-ranked Stanford in the annual “Big Game” to shake up the Pac-10 standings. Kevin Riley completed 17-of-31 passes for 235 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Oregon (8-3, 5-3 Pac-10), which trailed, 14-0, early in the game but still won for the fifth time in six games. Riley added 27 yards rushing, and Marvin Jones had four catches for 45 yards and a score in the win. Toby Gerhart ran for 136 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries for Stanford (7-4, 6-3), which was coming off a dominant 55-21 win at USC last weekend. Andrew Luck was not very efficient behind center, throwing for only 157 yards on 10-of-30 passing while throwing a game-ending interception inside the red zone with under two minutes to play. The loss eliminated the Cardinal from Rose Bowl contention, as it is a certainty that the conference winner — either Oregon, Arizona or Oregon State — will have two or fewer losses in the Pac-10.

Final Score: (15) Iowa 12, Minnesota 0

Iowa City, IA – Brandon Wegher scored the lone touchdown of the game, as 15th-ranked Iowa blanked the Minnesota Golden Gophers for the second straight season, 12-0, at Kinnick Stadium. Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg, making his second start in place of injured starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi, completed 11-of-24 passes for 117 yards with one interception for the Hawkeyes (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten), who snapped a two-game skid and retained Floyd of Rosedale, a statue of a bronzed pig. Adam Robinson had 72 yards on 12 carries for Iowa, which posted a 55-0 drubbing last year at Minnesota and has taken eight of the last nine meetings overall. Adam Weber was 14-of-40 for 153 yards and fumbled twice for the Golden Gophers (6-6, 3-5), who lost two of three to end the regular season.

Final Score: (16) Virginia Tech 38, North Carolina State 10

Blacksburg, VA – Ryan Williams powered his way to 120 yards and four touchdowns on 32 carries as 16th-ranked Virginia Tech downed North Carolina State, 38-10, at Lane Stadium. Tyrod Taylor finished 9-of-17 for 197 yards and threw for a score for the Hokies (8-3, 5-2 ACC), who have won three in a row and conclude their season at Virginia next Saturday. Russell Wilson was 15-of-26 for 234 yards, one score and one interception for the Wolfpack (4-7, 1-6), losers in six of their last seven. Owen Spencer notched 74 yards and NC State’s lone touchdown on three receptions.

Final Score: Northwestern 33, (17) Wisconsin 31

Evanston, IL – Mike Kafka threw a pair of touchdown passes to Andrew Brewer, as Northwestern held on to upend 17th-ranked Wisconsin, 33-31, at Ryan Field. Kafka finished with 326 yards on 26-of-40 efficiency for the Wildcats (8-4, 5-3 Big Ten), who ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak. Brewer made six grabs for 102 yards, while Sidney Stewart had 94 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. Scott Tolzien completed 19- of-30 passes for 235 yards with two touchdowns to Garrett Graham and an interception that sealed Wisconsin’s fate. John Clay had 100 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries for the Badgers (8-3, 5-3), but his fumble in late in the fourth quarter proved to be very costly.

Final Score: (18) Clemson 34, Virginia 21

Clemson, SC – Kyle Parker completed 19-of-26 passes for 234 yards with two touchdowns, as 18th-ranked Clemson secured the ACC Atlantic Division title after defeating Virginia, 34-21, in a conference matchup. C.J. Spiller totaled 97 yards from scrimmage, including a rushing score for Clemson (8-3, 6-2 ACC), which clinched the top spot in the Atlantic even before stepping onto the field, as Boston College lost to North Carolina earlier on Saturday. The Tigers, who have won six straight, will play Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship game on December 5. Jacoby Ford had a huge game, catching six passes for 106 yards and a touchdown, while Andre Ellington carried the ball five times for 29 yards and a TD. Jameel Sewell completed 11-of-17 throws for 160 yards and a TD, and also ran for a score for Virginia (3-8, 2-5), which has dropped five straight after a three- game winning streak. Vic Hall tossed a touchdown pass and Mikell Simpson added a scoring grab.

Final Score: (19) BYU 38, Air Force 21

Provo, UT – Max Hall tossed five touchdowns as 19th-ranked BYU easily handled Air Force, 38-21, in a Mountain West Conference battle at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Hall went 33-for-45 with 377 yards and two interceptions to win his 30th game at BYU and surpass former Heisman Trophy-winner Ty Detmer for most wins in school history. Harvey Unga also set two school records as he passed Curtis Brown for most carries and most yards in school history thanks to an 11-carry, 67-yard performance for the Cougars (9-2, 6-1 MAC), who have won their past three games. Dennis Pitta caught two scores while O’Neill Chambers, Andrew George and Luke Ashworth each had a touchdown catch in the win. Ben Cochran went just 5- for-18 with 88 yards, one touchdown and one interceptions while Savier Stephens and Jonathan Warzeka each had a rushing touchdown for the Falcons (7-5, 5-3), who had a three-game winning streak coming into the game, their last of the regular season.

Final Score: (20) Oregon State 42, Washington State 10

Pullman, WA – Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, as the No. 20 Oregon State Beavers pounded lowly Washington State, 42-10, to keep their Pac-10 title hopes alive. Sean Canfield connected on 22-of-29 passes for 231 yards with an interception and touchdown passes to Damola Adeniji and Joe Halahuni for the Beavers (8-3, 6-2 Pac-10), who will next play a de facto conference championship game on December 3 against rival Oregon. The Ducks beat Arizona, 44-41, in double overtime on Saturday to add extra fuel to the annual Civil War slugfest. Jovan Stevenson and Markus Wheaton each scored once and added 61 and 38 rushing yards, respectively, for a ground game that outrushed WSU, 283-59. Dwight Tardy rushed for 37 yards and the Cougars’ lone score on 10 carries. Kevin Lopina connected on 15-of-32 passes for 133 yards for Washington State (1-10, 0-8), which has lost eight straight since its lone win against SMU.

Final Score: (21) Miami-Florida 34, Duke 16

Miami, FL – Jacory Harris threw for 348 yards with two touchdowns, as 21st-ranked Miami-Florida used a big fourth quarter to claim a 34-16 win over Duke in an ACC clash at Land Shark Stadium. Harris finished 25- of-43 with an interception, and Leonard Hankerson had eight catches for a career-high 143 yards and a score for Miami-Florida (8-3, 5-3 ACC), which suffered a 33-24 setback at North Carolina last Saturday. The Hurricanes have won three of their last four. Damien Berry rushed for 76 yards on 16 touches with a touchdown. Jimmy Graham had five catches for 73 yards. Thaddeus Lewis completed 20-of-37 throws for 303 yards with a TD and a pick for Duke (5-6, 3-4), which was hammered 49-10 by Georgia Tech last weekend.

Final Score: (23) Utah 38, San Diego State 7

Salt Lake City, UT – Eddie Wide had two touchdowns on the ground as 23rd-ranked Utah crushed San Diego State, 38-7, in a Mountain West Conference matchup. Wide finished the game with 16 carries for 84 yards while Jordan Wynn was 14-for-28 with 195 yards and a score for the Utes (9-2, 6-1 MWC), who bounced back from last week’s 55-28 loss at TCU to win their 17th straight home game. Ryan Lindley was 17-for-37 with 207 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while Dominique Sandifer had seven catches for 74 yards and a score for the Aztecs (4-7, 2-5), who have dropped their past three games.

Final Score: (24) Houston 55, Memphis 14

Houston, TX – Case Keenum threw for 405 yards with five touchdowns, as 24th-ranked Houston routed Memphis, 55-14, in Conference USA play at Robertson Stadium. Keenum finished 29-of-39 passing before Cotton Turner came in for mop up duty and completed 13-of-16 tosses for 173 yards and a score for Houston (9-2, 5-2 C-USA), which regrouped after suffering a 37-32 loss to UCF in Orlando last weekend. Charles Sims rushed for 90 yards on 15 carries with a pair of scores, while L.J. Castile pulled in two TD catches for the Cougars, who have won six of their last seven overall. Chaz Rodriguez had six grabs for 98 yards and a score, while Tim Monroe almost equaled those totals with seven receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown. Patrick Edwards also got in on the action, catching four balls for 81 yards and a score. Curtis Steele supplied the bulk of the offense, rushing for 160 yards on 28 touches with two scores for Memphis (2-9, 1-6), which has now dropped five in a row, including last weekend’s 31-21 setback to UAB.

Final Score: Syracuse 31, (25) Rutgers 13

Syracuse, NY – Antwon Bailey, Averin Collier and Delone Carter each ran for a touchdown, as Syracuse upended 25th-ranked Rutgers, 31-13, to pick up its first Big East victory of the season. The Orange (4-7, 1-5 Big East) racked up 213 yards on the ground in a balanced attack that also saw Greg Paulus throw for 142 yards and a score on 13-of-16 completions. Ryan Nassib completed four passes for 69 yards, as Syracuse snapped a three-game slide. Syracuse linebacker Doug Hogue had a huge game, breaking the school record for tackles for loss in a game (6 1/2). Hogue also notched 3 1/2 sacks. The Orange had nine total sacks of Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage and held the Scarlet Knights (7-3, 2-3) to 130 total yards. Savage completed just 7-of-17 passes for 66 yards and was intercepted twice. Wideout Mohamed Sanu threw the only touchdown pass for Rutgers, which had won its last three contests.

Brook Lopez

Final Score: New York 98, New Jersey 91

East Rutherford, NJ – Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington each scored 17 points, as the New York Knicks held on to defeat the winless New Jersey Nets, 98-91. The setback extended the worst start in Nets history, as they fell to 0-13. They are now four losses away from matching the worst start in NBA history, as both the 1988-89 expansion Miami Heat and 1999 Clippers began with 17 consecutive losses. David Lee ended with 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who won just their third game of the season, but second in a row. Six Knicks finished in double figures. New Jersey lost despite getting star guard Devin Harris back in the lineup. Harris had not played since October 30 because of a groin injury, and came off the bench to score 12 points in a little under 26 minutes. Chris Douglas-Roberts totaled 24 points for the Nets, while Brook Lopez had 18 points, 12 boards and four blocks in the loss.

Final Score: Cleveland 97, Philadelphia 91

Cleveland, OH – LeBron James tallied 32 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and the Cavaliers benefited from a cold-shooting 76ers club in the fourth quarter to come away with a 97-91 victory. Mo Williams chipped in 18 points, eight boards and five helpers for the Cavs, winners in seven of their last eight games. J.J. Hickson and Zydrunas Ilgauskas finished with 14 and 13 points, respectively, in the winning effort. Lou Williams paced the Sixers with 22 points, but the team’s 4-for-23 shooting performance in the final 12 minutes sealed their fourth loss in five games. Thaddeus Young added 21 points, while Elton Brand recorded a double-double with 18 points and 14 caroms in the setback.

Final Score: Milwaukee 103, Memphis 98

Memphis, TN – Rookie Brandon Jennings finished with a game- high 26 points, as the Milwaukee Bucks kept rolling with a 103-98 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Ersan Ilyasova ended with 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who were coming off a win at home against Charlotte on Friday and began a four-game road trip that also has stops in San Antonio, New Orleans and Oklahoma City. Milwaukee has won three in a row and seven of eight overall, with the only loss in that stretch being a two-point overtime loss against Dallas on Monday. Charlie Bell added 19 points, while Luke Ridnour ended with 13 points and 12 assists in the victory. Rudy Gay had 24 points and 10 boards to pace Memphis, which had won three in a row, including a victory at Philadelphia on Friday. Marc Gasol added 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Zach Randolph totaled 18 points in the setback.

Final Score: New Orleans 96, Atlanta 88

New Orleans, LA – Darren Collison produced game-highs of 22 points and 11 assists, as New Orleans ended the Atlanta Hawks’ seven-game winning streak with a 96-88 triumph. Collison, filling in for the injured Chris Paul (ankle), and fellow backcourt rookie Marcus Thornton finished 1-2 in scoring with the latter pouring in 21 points. Peja Stojakovic checked in with 17 points and David West scored 12 with 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who have strung together three straight wins under new coach Jeff Bower, who took over the head coaching duties after Byron Scott was fired last week. Jamal Crawford had 20 points and Marvin Williams 17 for Atlanta, which entered Saturday’s action with the NBA’s best record at 11-2. It was the Hawks’ best start since kicking off the 1997-98 season with 11 straight victories. Josh Smith chipped in 14 points as did Joe Johnson in the club’s first loss since a 20-point setback in Charlotte on November 6.

Final Score: Houston 113, Sacramento 106

Houston, TX – Luis Scola poured in 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, as the Houston Rockets used a late fourth-quarter run to take down the Sacramento Kings, 113-106, at Toyota Center. Carl Landry added 20 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Rockets, who have alternated wins and losses in 11 straight games. Trevor Ariza ended with 19 points, while Shane Battier chipped in with 14 points for the victors. Spencer Hawes tied a career high with 24 points and added nine boards for the Kings, who have dropped three in a row. Beno Udrih had 18 points and eight assists, and Omri Casspi tallied 17 points and eight rebounds off the bench in defeat.

Final Score: San Antonio 106, Washington 84

San Antonio, TX – Tony Parker returned to the Spurs lineup and led the club with 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds, as San Antonio rolled to a 106-84 drubbing of Washington. Tim Duncan finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and seven helpers for the Spurs, who snapped a three-game slide. Richard Jefferson checked in with 15 points, while Matt Bonner and Roger Mason chipped in 12 and 11, respectively, off the bench. Gilbert Arenas ended with a game-high 18 points for the Wizards, who have lost 10 straight at AT&T Center. Antawn Jamison logged 15 points and seven rebounds in the setback, Washington’s second straight.

Final Score: Denver 112, Chicago 93

Denver, CO – Carmelo Anthony just missed a triple-double, finishing with 30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, as Denver used a big fourth quarter to upend Chicago, 112-93. J.R. Smith scored 12 of his 19 points in the final stanza, which Denver won, 37-22. Chauncey Billups chipped in 21 points, and Nene had 10 points and nine boards for the Nuggets, who rebounded from a loss to the Clippers on Friday. Derrick Rose posted 28 points for the Bulls, who received a 22-point effort from Luol Deng. Joakim Noah logged 10 points and eight rebounds in the loss, the club’s second straight.

Final Score: Utah 100, Detroit 97 (OT)

Salt Lake City, UT – Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko totaled 22 points each and combined to score all 10 points in overtime, as the Utah Jazz pulled out a 100-97 win against the Detroit Pistons. After Paul Millsap missed a potential game-winning 10-foot fadeaway jumper at the horn in regulation, things were all tied up two minutes into the extra frame. Kirilenko then buried a jumper, and after a missed three by Ben Gordon, Boozer buried a jump shot of his own for a 98-94 lead with 1:39 left. Detroit’s Will Bynum was sent to the line twice over the next 45 seconds and hit 3-of-4, but that still left the Pistons down one. Kirilenko went to the line and made both to make it a three-point game with 9.8 ticks to go. Gordon air-balled a contested three-pointer at the buzzer as Utah escaped with the win, the team’s ninth straight over Detroit. Gordon ended with a game-high 25 points, and Rodney Stuckey went for 18 and six assists for the Pistons, who fell to 0-3 on a four-game road trip and lost for a fourth straight time.

Final Score: Portland 106, Minnesota 78

Portland, OR – Martell Webster topped six Portland players in double figures with 21 points while bringing down 13 rebounds, as the Trail Blazers handed Minnesota its 12th straight loss in a 106-78 blowout at the Rose Garden. Brandon Roy posted 18 points, and Greg Oden scored 16 for the Blazers, who have won two of the last three. Steve Blake and Joel Przybilla each notched 14 points and LaMarcus Aldridge 10 in the win. Al Jefferson had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who shot a brutal 37.7 percent from the field but made all 18 foul shots. Oleksiy Pecherov added 12 points and 10 boards to the setback. It was the Trail Blazers’ 11th consecutive win over the hapless T’Wolves.

Mike Krzyzewski

Final Score: (4) Kentucky 92, Rider 63

Lexington, KY – Freshman John Wall scored 21 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed six rebounds to help fourth-ranked Kentucky cruise to a 92-63 win over Rider at Rupp Arena. Patrick Patterson totaled 19 points and 18 rebounds for the Wildcats (4-0), while DeMarcus Cousins had 18 points, six boards and recorded five blocks. Ryan Thompson had 16 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Broncs (2-2), who have dropped two straight after opening the season with back-to-back victories over Mississippi State and Lehigh. Novar Gadson and Mike Ringgold donated 14 and 12 points, respectively, in defeat.

Final Score: (9) Duke 104, Radford 67

Durham, NC – Nolan Smith had 20 points and seven assists, as ninth-ranked Duke thumped Radford, 104-67, at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Andre Dawkins scored 20 points off the bench for the Blue Devils (4-0), who eclipsed the century mark for the second straight game. Jon Scheyer chipped in 18 points and seven assists, while Kyle Singler finished with 13 points, seven assists and seven boards. Artsiom Parakhouski recorded a double-double with game-highs of 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Highlanders (2-1), who opened the season with victories over Navy and Lynchburg.

Final Score: (20) Louisville 69, East Tennessee State 56

Louisville, KY – Edgar Sosa scored a team-high 16 points and Samardo Samuels added 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, as 20th-ranked Louisville downed East Tennessee State, 69-56, at Freedom Hall. Preston Knowles finished with nine points and five boards for Louisville (2-0), which got off to an impressive start in its season opener by crushing Arkansas, 96-66, on Tuesday. Justin Tubbs led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed seven boards for East Tennessee State (1-3), which has dropped three straight since opening the season with a victory over Appalachian State. Micah Williams donated 12 points.

Final Score: (11) Butler 64, Evansville 60

Evansville, IN – Shelvin Mack scored 17 points to help No. 11 Butler take a 64-60 win over Evansville at Roberts Stadium. Gordon Hayward had 14 points and six rebounds while Willie Veasley added 11 and Matt Howard 10 for the Bulldogs (3-0), who have taken 11 of the last 12 games in the series. Colt Ryan had 17 points while James Haarsma added 11 points and five rebounds for the Purple Aces (2-1), who were coming off lopsided wins over Oakland City and SIU-Edwardsville to start their season.

Final Score: VCU 82, (17) Oklahoma 69

Richmond, VA – Jay Gavin recorded a game-high 20 points as VCU toppled 17th-ranked Oklahoma, 82-69. Larry Sanders posted 17 points and four assists for the Rams (2-1), who spoiled former head coach and current Oklahoma head man Jeff Capel’s return to Richmond. Tony Crocker had 19 points and Tiny Gallon added 15 points and 11 rebounds in the loss for the Sooners (2-1), who opened the season with wins over Mount St. Mary’s and Louisiana- Monroe.

Final Score: (19) Georgetown 63, Savannah State 44

Savannah, GA – Jason Clark made 4-of-5 from three-point range and finished with a game-high 14 points, as 19th-ranked Georgetown downed Savannah State, 63-44, at Tiger Arena. Greg Monroe netted 13 to go along with eight rebounds, while Austin Freeman and Chris Wright added 13 and 11 points, respectively for Georgetown (3-0), which opened its season with wins over Tulane and Temple. Darius Baugh went for a team-best 10 points for Savannah State (2-2), which has dropped two in a row. Tracy Rankins ended with nine points.

Final Score: (23) Illinois 94, Presbyterian 48

Champaign, IL – D.J. Richardson hit 4-of-6 from three-point range and finished with 15 points to lead No. 23 Illinois past Presbyterian, 94-48, in the opening round of the Las Vegas Invitational at Assembly Hall. Mike Davis ended with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Alex Legion posted 11 points for the Fighting Illini (3-0), who have won their first three games by an average of over 30 points. Tyler Griffey chipped in nine points and nine boards in the lopsided affair. Jake Troyli paced the Blue Hose (0-3) with 15 points, while Zach Faircloth ended with 10 points, five assists and five rebounds in the loss.

Panthers Win

Final Score: Calgary 5, Los Angeles 2

Los Angeles, CA – Jarome Iginla’s first hat trick of the season propelled Calgary past Los Angeles, 5-2, at Staples Center. Daymond Langkow and David Moss also scored and Jay Bouwmeester added a pair of assists for the Flames, who had dropped three of four coming in. Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 23 shots for his 12th win of the season. Drew Doughty and Alexander Frolov each tallied once for the Kings, who have dropped two straight at home. Jonathan Quick suffered his second straight loss and fifth in seven starts by allowing all five goals on 32 shots.

Final Score: Ottawa 5, Buffalo 3

Ottawa, ON – Daniel Alfredsson scored twice and added an assist as Ottawa took down Buffalo, 5-3, at Scotiabank Place. Filip Kuba had a goal and three assists while Chris Kelly and Milan Michalek also registered goals for the Senators, who matched their longest winning streak of the season at three games. Pascal Leclaire stopped 24-of-25 shots through two periods before Brian Elliot came out for the final 20 minutes. Leclaire was lifted after the fact due to an unknown injury, which may have occurred when he did the splits to cover both posts on a breakaway in the second period. Elliot ended with 14 saves and got the win. Thomas Vanek, Patrick Kaleta and Jason Pominville got the goals for the Sabres, who have lost three games in a row for the first time this season. Patrick Lalime got the start in net with Buffalo appearing in back-to-back games and was blitzed for all five scores on 26 shots.

Final Score: Detroit 3, Montreal 2 (SO)

Montreal, QC – Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg both scored in the shootout to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Datsyuk also tallied in regulation for the Red Wings, who snapped a two-game slide. Brad Stuart also scored, while Jimmy Howard made 16 saves in the win. Mike Cammalleri scored twice in the third period for Montreal, which had its two-game win streak broken. Andrei Kostitsyn had two assists, while Carey Price made 32 saves in the setback. In the shootout, Cammalleri went first, but his wrist shot was denied by Howard. After Datsyuk beat Price, Tomas Plekanec’s shot went off the goalpost. Zetterberg then buried a wrister past Price to seal the Detroit victory.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 3, Atlanta 2

Atlanta, GA – Martin Skoula scored twice as the Pittsburgh Penguins downed the Atlanta Thrashers, 3-2, at Philips Arena. Evgeni Malkin had the other goal while Marc-Andre Fleury made 31 saves for the Penguins, who have won three of four. Chris Thorburn and Maxim Afinogenov each scored a goal while Johan Hedberg stopped 31 shots for the Thrashers, who have dropped their past two after a four-game winning streak.

Final Score: Toronto 2, Washington 1 (SO)

Toronto, ON – Phil Kessel scored the game-winning goal in the first round of the shootout, as the Toronto Maple Leafs ended a five-game skid with a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals at Air Canada Centre. Kessel, the first shooter, fired a wrister that deflected off the inside of the left post and into the net. Vesa Toskala then stopped Eric Fehr and Alex Ovechkin before Niklas Hagman sealed the win when he found the back of the net to start the third round. Hagman scored the lone goal in regulation for the Maple Leafs, who won for the first time since a 5-1 victory over Detroit on November 7. Toskala turned aside 31-of-32 shots for Toronto. Ovechkin tallied the only score for the Capitals, who have lost three of four. Semyon Varlamov stopped 38-of-39 shots in defeat.

Final Score: Carolina 3, Tampa Bay 1

Raleigh, NC – Chad LaRose had a goal and an assist, and the Carolina Hurricanes recorded back-to-back wins for the first time in over a month with a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen also scored for the Hurricanes, who had not won two in a row since October 6-9. Carolina has also won three of four overall since ending a franchise-record 14-game losing streak. Manny Legace needed to make just 20 saves to earn the victory. Martin St. Louis netted the only goal for the Lightning, who had a seven-game point streak snapped. The team had been 4-0-3 in its last seven games and had points in 11-of-12 contests entering Saturday’s action. Mike Smith allowed all three goals on 27 shots to receive the loss.

Final Score: Florida 3, NY Rangers 2

New York, NY – Tomas Vokoun stopped 32 shots to post his seventh win of the season, as Florida edged the New York Rangers, 3-2, at Madison Square Garden. Steven Reinprecht, Jordan Leopold and Nathan Horton scored for the Panthers, who won their fifth game out of six. Florida has won three straight games on the road — in Buffalo, Detroit and New York. Vinny Prospal and Marian Gaborik tallied for the Rangers, who have dropped four of five. Henrik Lundqvist took the loss after yielding three goals on 28 shots.

Final Score: Dallas 5, New Jersey 3

Dallas, TX – Stephane Robidas tallied two goals and two assists, and the Dallas Stars defeated the New Jersey Devils, 5-3, at American Airlines Center. Mike Ribeiro had a goal and an assist, and Brad Richards contributed four assists for the Stars, who have split the first two games in their four-game homestand. Tom Wandell and Warren Peters also scored in the victory. Marty Turco made 31 saves for Dallas to receive the win. Brian Rolston scored twice, and Zach Parise’s six-game goal streak was snapped for the Devils, who have lost three straight road games after winning nine in a row to begin the season. Travis Zajac also scored, and Yann Danis allowed three goals on nine shots in the first period before Martin Brodeur gave up two goals on 17 shots in the final two periods to receive the loss.

Final Score: St. Louis 4, NY Islanders 1

St. Louis, MO – David Perron scored a pair of insurance goals in the third period, as the St. Louis Blues scored four unanswered goals to defeat the New York Islanders, 4-1, at Scottrade Center. Eric Brewer and Patrik Berglund also lit the lamp for the Blues, who improved to 3-2-0 on a six-game homestand. Chris Mason stopped 23-of-24 shots for the victors. Josh Bailey scored the lone goal for the Islanders, who dropped to 2-2-2 on a seven-game road trip. Dwayne Roloson turned aside 22-of-26 shots in defeat.

Final Score: Phoenix 3, Philadelphia 1

Glendale, AZ – Ilya Bryzgalov made 23 saves and the Phoenix Coyotes benefited from a pair of questionable calls in the third period to top Philadelphia, 3-1. Matthew Lombardi posted a goal and one assist while Keith Yandle and Shane Doan also tallied for the Coyotes, who have won two of three. Scott Hartnell notched the only goal for the Flyers, who have dropped back-to-back road tilts in the middle of a five-game road swing. Ray Emery played well in defeat, allowing just two goals on 20 shots.

Final Score: Nashville 4, Columbus 3 (SO)

Nashville, TN – David Legwand netted the game-winner in the shootout as the Nashville Predators downed the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-3, at Sommet Center. In the second round, Legwand buried a wrister past Steve Mason to give his team the advantage. Jakub Voracek was the last chance for Columbus, but Pekka Rinne made a pad save on the shot to give his team the win. Legwand had a goal and an assist in regulation as did Martin Erat while Rinne stopped 26 shots for the Predators, who have won five straight games. R.J. Umberger had two goals while Anton Stralman had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who had won five of six coming into the game. Mason finished the game with 45 saves.

Final Score: Chicago 5, Edmonton 2

Edmonton, AB – Jonathan Toews scored a pair of goals and dished out an assist, as the Chicago Blackhawks won their sixth straight game with a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to nine games for the Blackhawks, who have six consecutive games for the first time since the club ripped off nine victories in a row from December 7-28 of last year. John Madden and Kris Versteeg also scored for Chicago, which got 25 saves from Cristobal Huet. Dustin Penner had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who have lost five of six. Sheldon Souray had the other score for Edmonton, which got 25 saves from Jeff Deslauriers.

Final Score: San Jose 3, Anaheim 2

Anaheim, CA – Joe Thornton’s goal with 11:11 remaining in the game proved to be the difference, as the San Jose Sharks continued their recent road dominance of the Anaheim Ducks with a 3-2 win at Honda Center. Thornton and Dany Heatley finished with a goal and an assist apiece for the Sharks, who have won four straight in Anaheim. Ryan Clowe also scored, while Evgeni Nabokov earned the win with 28 saves. Ryan Whitney and James Wisniewski tallied for Anaheim, which fell to 1-1-0 in the midst of a seven- game homestand. Jonas Hiller allowed three goals on 36 shots to take the loss. Corey Perry extended his longest active points streak to 14 games by registering an assist.