Majerus Plans, Gets a Victory

Utah Coach Rick Majerus was honest about why he scheduled Azusa Pacific against his ninth-ranked Utes on Friday in Salt Lake City.

“We booked this game because it’s final exam week for our kids next week,” Majerus said. “There was no question we would win this game.”

The Utes (9-0) did, 78-58, but Azusa Pacific (7-2) tried to make Majerus eat his words, staying within striking distance through the first half, trailing, 37-28, at the intermission.

But Andre Miller opened the second half with 13 of his game-high 17 points as Utah built a 64-34 lead. Utah opened the second half with a 21-4 run to end the NAIA school’s dreams of an upset.

No. 8 Purdue 87, Tennessee Martin 56--Chad Austin and Jaraan Cornell scored 25 points each in the Boilermakers’ (7-2) victory over Martin (3-4) in the opener of their tournament at West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue will play San Francisco (6-1), an 85-56 winner over Idaho State (1-4).

OTHER GAMES

Matt Santangelo had 26 points and seven assists for Gonzaga (8-2), an 87-80 winner over Montana (4-6) at Missoula. . . . Rico Alderson scored 17 points for South Alabama (2-1), a 52-42 winner over Alcorn State (4-3) at Bloomington, Ind., in the first round of the Indiana Classic. South Alabama will play Indiana (4-3), a 72-58 winner over Wisconsin Green Bay (2-2). . . . Lee Nailon scored a school-record 53 points and Coach Billy Tubbs got his 500th victory in Texas Christian’s (8-0) 106-83 win over Mississippi Valley (0-4) at Fort Worth.