Seton Hall celebrated its first Big East victory of the season the same day it honored its team that almost won it all 20 years ago.
"We talked for a couple of days with the kids about carving a piece of the pie for themselves," Pirates coach Bobby Gonzalez said of the hoopla surrounding the return of the 1988-89 team that lost to Michigan in overtime in the national championship game. "We felt we could get one."
They did by gutting out a 65-60 victory over No. 12 Georgetown yesterday to end a six-game losing streak.
"We scratched and clawed and fought and made it a blood-and-guts possession game. We were desperate for it and pulled it out," Gonzalez said. "The '89 team brought some magic to the building and gave us a great atmosphere."
The Pirates (10-9, 1-6) finished 0-for-13 from three-point range, the first time since Dec. 7, 1991, that they didn't make at least one three.
Georgetown (12-6, 3-4) lost its third straight by shooting a season-low 32.7 percent (17-for-52), including 3-for-22 from three-point range.
"We're in a rut. We're in a bad situation right now," Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. "We have to figure how to get everyone in that locker room out of it. There's a lot of time left, but in this league we have to quickly regroup."
No. 4 Pittsburgh 79, West Virginia 67: : Sam Young scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the visiting Panthers (18-1, 6-1 Big East), who have won two straight by double digits since falling at Louisville a week ago.
Da'Sean Butler led the Mountaineers (14-5, 3-3) with 21 points, and Alex Ruoff added 16.
No. 7 Michigan State 78, Ohio State 67: : Durrell Summers had 26 points to almost double his career high and the visiting Spartans (16-3, 6-1 Big Ten) dominated the boards in their victory.
Evan Turner had 19 points, B.J. Mullens and Jon Diebler had 12 apiece, and William Buford 11 for the Buckeyes (13-5, 3-4), who are 4-5 since opening with nine consecutive wins to climb to No. 15.
No. 9 Louisville 67, No. 8 Syracuse 57: : Earl Clark scored five of his 16 points in the last two minutes and the Cardinals held off the host Orange.
It was the seventh straight win for Louisville (15-3, 6-0 Big East). Syracuse (17-4, 5-3) lost its second straight.
No. 10 Clemson 73, Georgia Tech 59: : Terrence Oglesby hit five three-pointers and scored 18 points, and the host Tigers (17-2, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) ended a two-game losing streak.
The Yellow Jackets (9-10, 0-6) are the ACC's last winless team in league play.
No. 21 Minnesota 67, Indiana 63: : Damian Johnson had 18 points and six rebounds, and Ralph Sampson III finished with 13 points to help the visiting Golden Gophers (17-3, 5-3 Big Ten) end a two-game skid.
The Hoosiers (5-13, 0-6) lost their ninth straight.
No. 24 Florida 94, Vanderbilt 69: : Chandler Parsons hit seven three-pointers, including his first five, and finished with a career-high 27 points to lead the visiting Gators (17-3, 4-1 Southeastern), who won for the 11th time in 12 games.
The Commodores (12-7, 1-4) lost their third straight and fourth in five games.
More ACC men
Virginia Tech 88, Miami 83, OT: : Malcolm Delaney (Towson Catholic) scored 29 points and A.D. Vasallo added 28 to lead the visiting Hokies (14-5, 4-1) to their fifth straight victory.
Dwayne Collins scored 23 for the Hurricanes (14-5, 3-3).
State men
Susquehanna 83, Goucher 74: : Micah Perry scored a game-high 30 points in a losing effort for the visiting Gophers (4-12, 2-5 Landmark Conference).
The Crusaders (11-6, 5-2) - led by Spenser Spencer with 24 points - scored 50 points in the second half.
Johnson C. Smith 65, Bowie State 63: : Duke Crews (25 points, 14 rebounds) had a layup and a tip-in in the final minute, but the host Bulldogs (9-8, 6-4 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) came up short against the Golden Bulls (13-4, 6-4).
State women
Drexel 60, Towson 41: : The Tigers got 14 points from Shanae Baker-Brice, but a 15-4 run to start the second half helped lift the visiting Dragons (10-8, 5-2 Colonial Athletic Association) to a victory.
Towson (11-6, 3-4) saw its two-game winning streak end.
Canisius 64, Loyola 58: : The host Greyhounds (8-11, 3-6 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) pulled within four points twice in the final seven minutes, but the Golden Griffins (15-5, 7-2) held on to win.
Siobhan Prior (22 points) became the first Loyola woman to record four 20-plus point games in a season since Mary Anne Kirsch in 1997-98.
Susquehanna 67, Goucher 53: : The Gophers (5-11, 1-6) have the lowest field-goal percentage in the Landmark Conference (.361). Leia Roberts-Brown led visiting Goucher with 13 points.
Bowie State 53, Johnson C. Smith 43: : Bianca Lee had 20 points to power the host Bulldogs (8-8, 7-2 CIAA) past the Golden Bulls (10-7, 7-3).