College Basketball Roundup : Top-Ranked Iowa Loses Marble, but Nothing Else, 79-76

Iowa lost scoring leader Roy Marble and seemed on the verge of losing its first game of the season, its Big Ten lead and No. 1 ranking in one swoop.

But Kevin Gamble stepped forward to score 19 points as the Hawkeyes, who ascended to No. 1 earlier in the day, got past fifth-ranked Purdue, 79-76, Monday night at West Lafayette, Ind.

Gamble hit 9 of 10 shots from the field and filled in after Marble scratched the cornea of his right eye in the first half.

“When Roy went down, we weren’t sure how we would react,” Iowa Coach Tom Davis said. “But we came through once again. (Gamble) more than anybody had to step in.”

Purdue (14-2 overall, 5-1 in the Big Ten) moved to a 48-40 lead just 2:15 into the second half. But Iowa went on a 14-4 run over the next 4:08 as Bill Jones scored six points, and Gamble and Ed Horton each added four to give the Hawkeyes a 54-52 lead with 13:32 remaining.

Gamble said the team did not discuss Marble’s absence.

“We knew what we had to do,” Gamble said. “I knew I had to fill his shoes. He’s a great player. I see myself as a role player, doing whatever we need to win.”

Iowa (17-0, 5-0) tied the longest winning streak in school history, set 31 years ago, with the victory.

The Hawkeyes led, 67-65, after Gamble scored with 4:08 left. Purdue missed two three-point shots in the final minutes, and Horton’s three-point shot pushed Iowa’s lead to 70-65 with 27 seconds left.

Purdue’s Troy Lewis, who scored 20 points, missed a pair of three-pointers in the final seconds.

St. John’s 63, Pitt 62--Shelton Jones scored 23 points, including two free throws with 21 seconds left that lifted the No. 14 Redmen to a Big East Conference victory over the 16th-ranked Panthers at Pittsburgh.

Charles Smith had a chance to win the game for Pitt (13-4, 2-2), but he missed an eight-foot shot with three seconds to play. Willie Glass rebounded for St. John’s (13-2, 4-2) and held the ball as the final buzzer sounded.

DePaul 61, Indiana State 49--Dallas Comegys scored 19 points and awoke the No. 6 Blue Demons midway through the second half of a victory over the Sycamores at Rosemont, Ill.

Comegys hit three clutch baskets, and Andy Laux had two three-pointers and four steals to spark the rally. The Blue Demons (15-0) erased a 38-34 deficit with 11 straight points early in the second half.

After the Sycamores (6-11) moved to within 45-43 with 7:02 remaining, Rod Strickland hit a jumper and a free throw. Comegys made a six-foot shot, and Laux hit his second three-pointer to give DePaul a 10-point lead.

Strickland added 18 points, and Darrion Applewhite scored 12 for Indiana State.

Navy 84, Delaware 60--David Robinson scored 32 points, blocked 7 shots and became Navy’s all-time leading rebounder as the 18th-ranked Midshipmen trounced the Blue Hens at Annapolis, Md.

Robinson had eight rebounds, giving him a career total of 1,122. That surpassed Vernon Butler’s school record of 1,114, set last season. Robinson is Navy’s scoring, rebound and blocked shots leader.

Robinson made 11 of 16 field goal attempts and 10 of 16 from the line, going over 30 for the ninth time this season.

Barry Berger led Delaware (8-6) with 14 points, and Carl Liebert added 12 points for Navy (12-3).

TCU 52, Texas 37--Jamie Dixon, filling in for injured Carl Lott, scored 13 points as the No. 19 Horned Frogs gained sole possession of the Southwest Conference lead by smothering the Longhorns at Fort Worth, Tex.

The Horned Frogs (14-3, 5-0) have won 10 straight games, their longest winning streak in 35 seasons.

Raynard Davis led Texas (9-10, 2-4) with eight points.

Texas A&M; 57, Houston 45--Winston Crite had 15 points and 14 rebounds at College Station, Tex., as the Aggies handed the Cougars their first SWC defeat.

It was the eighth straight home victory for A&M; (12-4, 4-1) this season, and it broke a five-game winning streak by Houston (10-4, 3-1).

Virginia 82, Jacksonville 81--John Johnson scored 20 points, including a pair of free throws in the final 21 seconds, and the Cavaliers overcame the Dolphins at Jacksonville, Fla.

The Cavaliers (11-4) had a 76-61 lead with 3:35 left, but needed Johnson’s free throws with 21 seconds and 7 seconds left. Ronnie Murphy, who scored 31 points, hit a three-pointer for Jacksonville (10-6), with two seconds left.

Arizona 77, Stanford 70--Sean Elliott scored 22 of his 35 points in the second half as the Wildcats beat the Cardinal in a Pacific 10 Conference game at Tucson, Ariz.

Tom Tolbert added 17 points for Arizona (10-5, 5-2), and Todd Lichti scored 17 for Stanford (10-7, 4-4).

California 85, Hofstra 55--Jon Wheeler had 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Bears (12-7) past the Flying Dutchmen (6-9) at Berkeley.