Sophomore guard Dan Miller scored 15 of his team-best 17 points in the second half Saturday afternoon to lift the Rutgers Scarlet Knights past host Seton Hall Pirates, 66-60. Miller added 10 rebounds to earn a double-double. Freshman forward Gilvydas Biruta tallied 12 points and snagged 11 boards to help the Scarlet Knights (12-7, 3-4 Big East) to their best conference record through seven games since 2003-04.
The Pirates (8-12, 2-6) scored the game's first two points but Rutgers went a quick 5-0 run to take a lead they'd never give up. Junior forward Herb Pope compiled a team-best 15 points and 16 rebounds for SHU, which trailed 29-15 at halftime. Senior guard Jeremy Hazell scored 15 points while teammate senior forward Jeff Robinson added 12.
The Rutgers basketball schedule features the Scarlet Knights traveling to the Cincinnati Bearcats Wednesday (9 p.m.) then hosting the Pittsburgh Panthers Saturday night (8 p.m.). The Seton Hall basketball schedule has the Pirates at the Syracuse Orange on Tuesday night (7 p.m.) and then hosting the Providence Friars next Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.).
No. 25 Cincy edges St. John's
Junior forward Yancy Gates completed a 3-point play with eight seconds remaining to help the AP polls No. 25 Bearcats squeak by host St. John's Red Storm, 53-51. Gates finished the game with 13 points and eight rebounds for Cincinnati, which trailed 51-50 after St. John's senior forward D.J. Kennedy made one of two free throws with 1:57 to go. St. John's, which trailed 28-22 at the half, couldn't overcome the deficit because of poor shooting from the foul line (12 of 24).
Cincinnati's bench scored 21 of its 25 points in the first half. Senior point guard Dwight Hardy scored 10 points for the Red Storm.
The St. John's basketball schedule features the Johnnies traveling to the Georgetown Hoyas on Wednesday (7 p.m.) and then hosting the Duke Blue Devils next Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden (1 p.m.). This week, the Red Storm will complete a eight-game stretch that showcased all ranked teams. St. John's is currently 2-4 in that span.
Hansbrough propels Fighting Irish
Freshman guard Ben Hansbrough scored a collegiate-best 28 points to lead the No. 16 Notre Dame Fighting Irish past visiting the Marquette Golden Eagles, 80-75.
Hansbrough went 10 for 15 from the field and 6 for 6 from charity stripe to lead the Irish (16-4, 5-3). Junior guard Darius Johnson-Odom netted a team-best 25 points for Marquette (13-7, 4-3).
Pittsburgh dominates DePaul
Pitt's senior forward Gilbert Brown scored a team-best 17 points and teammate senior guard Ashton Gibbs added 13 to help the Panthers defeat DePaul Blue Demons, 80-50. Pittsburgh (19-1, 7-0) has won nine straight games while the Blue Demons lost its 20th straight conference game.
Freshman guard Cleveland Melvin earned a team-best 11 points for last-place DePaul (6-13, 0-7).
Providence finally wins conference game
Senior guard Marshon Brooks scored 20 of his game-best 27 points in the second half to help the Providence Friars defeat visiting Louisville Cardinals (No. 15 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll and No. 19 in the AP poll), 72-67. The Cardinals led 43-39 at halftime but Brooks made a pair of 3-pointers in the beginning of the second to give the Friars (12-8, 1-6) an advantage they'd never lose. Louisville (15-4, 4-2), the league's best 3-point shooting team, made 4 of 23 3-point shots.
Junior guard Chris Smith scored a season-best 19 points and seven boards for Louisville.
Kemba Walker nets season-low but UConn wins
The Connecticut Huskies got a season low from junior guard Kemba Walker, who scored just 16 points in a 72-61 victory over visiting Tennessee Volunteers. Freshman guard Jeremy Lamb added 16 points for UConn, which made 9 of 19 3-pointers in its five straight win.