COLLEGE HOOPS
The middle of the MAAC got messier after yesterday’s doubleheader at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport.
Iona’s 92-88 victory over Marist in the opener put both teams even with Manhattan at 8-8 in the league, good for fifth place. In the second game, St. Peter’s upset Fairfield 84-78, making both teams 9-7 in the MAAC and tied for third.
The MAAC’s top four teams earn a bye through the league tournament’s first round. Each conference team has two regular-season games left.
Steve Burtt’s career-high 38 points paced the Gaels (12-14), who played yesterday without starter Ricky Soliver. Soliver suffered a concussion late in Friday’s night loss at St. Peter’s and, as of yesterday’s final buzzer, remained in a Jersey City hospital.
Coach Jeff Ruland said he expects Soliver, an All Hallows alum who averages 13 points and six rebounds per game and leads Iona in assists, to miss the rest of the season.
“[Soliver’s] such a big part of this team,” Burtt said. “Coach asked everyone on the team to step up without him here, and everyone did.”
Keydren Clark, the nation’s leading scorer, had 31 points for St. Peter’s (14-11), which rallied from 16 points down to win the nightcap.
“We got together and said, ‘It’s now or never,’ ” said Clark, whose Peacocks have won eight of their last nine games. “We knew something good would happen if guys made the extra pass and didn’t force things.”
Oklahoma 71, Kansas 63
At Norman, Terrell Everett scored 19 points and freshman David Godbold added a career-high 15 to help No. 22 Oklahoma (20-6, 9-4 Big 12) beat No. 8 Kansas, handing the Jayhawks (20-4, 10-3) their first three-game losing streak in nearly 11 years.
St. Francis 110, FDU 103
In Brooklyn, Tory Cavalieri had 30 points and 10 assists to lead St. Francis over Fairleigh Dickinson (15-11, 11-4).
Christian Brown added 22 points, and Allan Sheppard had 17 to help the Terriers (13-12, 9-7 NEC) win their fourth straight game.
UConn 88, Notre Dame 74
At Hartford, Charlie Villanueva matched his career high with 25 points and sophomore point guard Marcus Williams was a rebound shy of a triple-double in No. 17 Connecticut’s victory over Notre Dame (16-8, 8-6 Big East).
The Huskies (18-6, 10-3) won for the sixth time in seven games and lifted Jim Calhoun within two wins of becoming the sixth active coach with 700.
-With AP reports
