CBB

AP Sports WriterNo. 4 Xavier can topple No. 3 Villanova in Big East showdownBy JOE KAYCINCINNATI (AP) Xavier envisioned itself playing for the Big East regular-season championship when it moved into the reconfigured conference five years ago. The Musketeers finally have a chance to unseat four-time champion Villanova...

AP Sports WriterUp-and-down Alabama hoping to keep winning streak goingBy JOHN ZENORAvery Johnson heeded his wife's advice instead of breaking out the old psychology books.The Alabama coach, who has a degree in psychology, has been trying to build consistency in a team that has followed up big wins with...

AP Basketball WriterBUBBLE WATCH: Huskers' NCAA hopes uncertain despite 20 winsBy AARON BEARDRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) By any measure, Nebraska is having its best season since moving to the Big Ten, from its win total to its RPI and KenPom rankings. It's unclear whether that will be good enough...

AP Sports WriterSophomore Tyus Battle trying to keep Syracuse in the huntBy JOHN KEKISSYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Tyus Battle has trained his focus on one thing since summer - a postseason experience different from the first he had last year as a freshman at Syracuse. In other words, playing...

Aggies face big test at Arkansas; UK tries to end slideBy The Associated PressA look at the upcoming week around the Southeastern Conference:GAME OF THE WEEKEND: No. 21 Texas A&M at Arkansas: Texas A&M (17-9, 6-7 SEC) responded to its return to the Top 25 by losing at Missouri...

Duke-Clemson matchup could help decide 2nd place in ACCBy The Associated PressA look at the upcoming week around the Atlantic Coast Conference:GAME OF THE WEEKEND: No. 12 Duke at No. 11 Clemson. The weekend's only matchup of ranked ACC teams could help decide the race for the No. 2...

Associated PressSan Francisco rallies to upset No. 15 Saint Mary's 70-63By MICHAEL WAGAMANSAN FRANCISCO (AP) Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett is convinced of one thing with three games left before the postseason begins: The 15th-ranked Gaels better find a way to score when Jock Landale is on the...

UL Monroe rolls over UT Arlington 84-71MONROE, La. (AP) Michael Ertel and Sam McDaniel combined for 39 points as Louisiana-Monroe rolled over UT Arlington 84-71 to get its third straight Sun Belt Conference victory on Thursday night.Ertel finished with 20 points and McDaniel had 19, hitting 4 of...

West Virginia's trip to Kansas headlines Big 12 playBy The Associated PressA look at the upcoming weekend around the Big 12:GAME OF THE WEEKEND: West Virginia at Kansas. The Jayhawks enter the weekend a game behind league-leading Texas Tech with five games left to play. The Mountaineers are two...

Associated PressJohnson's 3-pointer lifts NC State over Syracuse, 74-70By MARK FRANKSYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) The ball felt great coming out of the hands of North Carolina State guard Sam Hunt, and now the Syracuse Orange has its hands full trying to make the NCAA tournament.Markell Johnson's 3-pointer from the...

UC Riverside gets 2nd Big West win, top CSU Northridge 69-62NORTHRIDGE, Calif. (AP) Dikymbe Martin scored 18 points, six of them in the final three minutes, as UC Riverside held off a late rally to beat Cal State Northridge, 69-62 in a Big West contest Wednesday night.Martin hit...

Associated PressGophers' Lynch drops appeal, denies sex assault allegationsBy STEVE KARNOWSKIMINNEAPOLIS (AP) Former University of Minnesota basketball standout Reggie Lynch dropped his appeal Thursday of his expulsion over allegations of raping two women, while insisting ''I did not commit any of the acts that I am being accused...