Gamecocks Get Past No. 5 Gators

South Carolina ended a nine-game losing streak to No. 5-ranked Florida with a 68-62 victory Wednesday night at Columbia, S.C., the Gators’ second straight loss after opening the season with 17 wins.

The Gators (17-2 overall, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) had failed to extend the best start in school history with a 80-76 loss to Tennessee on Saturday.

Joakim Noah made three quick inside baskets to help Florida take a 15-6 lead, but the Gamecocks (11-8, 2-4) followed with a 20-6 run to take control.

No. 1 Connecticut 66, St. John’s 50 -- Rudy Gay had 20 points, eight rebounds, five blocked shots and two steals, and the host Huskies (17-1, 5-1 Big East) routed the Red Storm (10-7, 3-3).

No. 8 Illinois 77, Minnesota 53 -- The Illini (18-2, 4-2 Big Ten) extended their home winning streak to a school-record 32 games by routing the Golden Gophers (9-8, 0-6). The win ties them with No. 7 Gonzaga for the second-longest home streak in the country. Southern Illinois has won 33 in a row.

Marshall 58, No. 9 West Virginia 52 -- The Thundering Herd (8-9) clinched the victory at Charleston, W.Va., by making six free throws in the last 25 seconds. In ending the nation’s longest Division I winning streak at 12 games, they beat the Mountaineers (14-4) for only the fourth time in the last 11 meetings.

Michigan 72, No. 11 Michigan State 67 -- The Wolverines (14-3, 4-2 Big Ten) led by seven points with 2:37 left at Ann Arbor. The Spartans (15-5, 3-3) pulled to within two, but Paul Davis had a shot blocked and missed a three-point attempt in the final minute.

No. 14 George Washington 94, Duquesne 78 -- Pops Mensah-Bonsu scored 29 points at Pittsburgh for the Colonials (15-1, 5-0 Atlantic 10), who are off to the second-best start in school history. The 1953-54 team won 19 of its first 20. The Dukes (2-15, 0-6) lost their ninth in a row.

Seton Hall 83, No. 15 North Carolina State 65 -- The Pirates (11-6) started the second half at Raleigh N.C., with a 14-3 run to take command against the Wolfpack (15-4).

No. 18 Maryland 86, Georgia Tech 74 -- The Terrapins (14-4, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) overpowered the Yellow Jackets (9-8, 2-4), who have their first four-game losing streak since a five-game skid in 2002-03.

No. 19 Tennessee 88, Mississippi State 65 -- The Volunteers (13-3, 4-1 SEC) never trailed at Starkville, Miss., and led by as many as 25 points. The Bulldogs (11-8, 1-5) have lost five of their first six league games for the first time in 16 seasons.

No. 20 Boston College 81, North Carolina 74 -- Freshman Tyler Hansbrough scored 26 points to lead the Tar Heels (11-5, 3-3 ACC), who cut a 12-point halftime deficit to two late in the game but couldn’t overtake the Eagles (15-4, 3-3).

No. 22 Louisville 67, Cincinnati 50 -- Taquan Dean, who had sat out all but 12 minutes of the Cardinals’ previous five games because of a sprained ankle, keyed a 13-0 run early in the second half at Louisville, Ky., and the Cardinals (14-5, 2-4 Big East) pulled away from the Bearcats (14-6, 3-3).

No. 23 Wisconsin 72, Penn State 43 -- The host Badgers (15-4, 5-1 Big Ten) were eight of 16 from three-point range in the first half, including Alando Tucker’s shot at the buzzer that gave them a 40-18 lead over the Nittany Lions (10-7, 2-4).

No. 24 Oklahoma 82, Baylor 52 -- The Sooners (12-4, 3-2 Big 12) have won three in a row since losing their first two conference games. The host Bears (0-5) have lost their games by an average of 23 points after being banned by the NCAA from nonconference games this season.