COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Smith Takes Maryland Higher

Joe Smith scored a career-high 40 points, including the game-winning follow at the buzzer Wednesday night, as No. 6 Maryland survived the absence of Coach Gary Williams to post a 94-92 victory over Duke at Durham, N.C.

The Terrapins, 23-5 and 12-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, set a school record for ACC victories, moving within one win of its first regular-season league title since 1980.

A victory Sunday at No. 11 Virginia would clinch the crown and give Maryland the No. 1 seeding in next week’s ACC tournament at Greensboro, N.C.

Billy Hahn, holding back tears during his postgame comments, got the victory as interim coach after Williams was admitted to the hospital Tuesday with pneumonia.

The game featured 14 ties, 26 lead changes and a succession of big plays by Smith, who atoned for a season-low six points in Maryland’s earlier two-point victory over Duke (12-16, 2-13) at College Park, Md.

“He was an animal. He was just too much for us,” said Cherokee Parks, who lead Duke with 20 points.

No. 5 Kentucky 97, Georgia 74--The Wildcats (21-4, 13-2) wrapped up their 37th Southeastern Conference championship as Tony Delk scored 16 points in a rout of the Bulldogs (17-8, 8-7) at Athens, Ga.

It was Kentucky’s first SEC title since 1986.

Auburn 76, No. 14 Mississippi State 69--Auburn (15-10, 7-8), the only team to beat the Bulldogs (19-6, 11-4) in the last 5 1/2 weeks, did it again behind a career-high 21 points from Pat Burke in an SEC game at Auburn, Ala.

No. 16 Oklahoma 71, No. 24 Iowa State 68--Ryan Minor scored 21 points and made two late free throws to help the Sooners (22-6, 9-4) to their fifth victory in a row in beating the Cyclones (19-9, 5-8) in a Big Eight game at Ames, Iowa.

No. 17 Purdue 92, Iowa 85--Cuonzo Martin made six three-pointers and scored a season-high 29 points at West Lafayette, Ind., moving the Boilermakers (21-6, 12-3) into a first-place tie with Michigan State in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa fell to 17-10, 7-8.

Colorado 81, No. 19 Missouri 76--Donnie Boyce scored 27 points, including 17 in the first half, to lead the Buffaloes (14-11, 4-9) to an upset of the Tigers (18-7, 7-6) in a Big Eight game at Boulder, Colo.

St. John’s 82, No. 22 Syracuse 78--James Scott scored 26 points, eight in the final 1:30, and St. John’s (13-12, 6-11) handed the Orangemen (18-8, 11-6) their sixth loss in eight games in Big East action at New York.

No. 21 Alabama 69, Mississippi 60--Jason Caffey had 17 points and 12 rebounds in his final home game to help the Crimson Tide (20-7, 10-5) keep alive hopes for a share of the SEC Western Division title against the Rebels (8-17, 3-12) at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

No. 23 Georgetown 96, Seton Hall 92--Jerome Williams scored 27 points and the Hoyas (18-7, 11-6) made critical foul shots down the stretch to edge the Pirates (16-11, 7-10), extending their winning streak to four games in Big East action at Landover, Md.

OTHER GAMES

Gary Trent had 24 points and 19 rebounds as Ohio University (22-7, 13-4) moved into sole possession of second place in the Mid-American Conference with a 75-60 victory over Eastern Michigan (18-7, 12-5) at Athens, Ohio. . . . Glenn Sekunda scored 17 points and Penn State (16-9, 8-8) kept its slim NCAA tournament hopes alive night with a 75-68 Big Ten victory over Ohio State (6-20, 2-13) at State College, Pa. . . . Ray Jackson and Maurice Taylor scored 18 points apiece to lead Michigan (16-11, 10-5) to an 81-64 Big Ten victory over Northwestern (5-20, 1-15) at Ann Arbor, Mich.