NCAA basketball top 25: Freshman leads Wildcats past Rider

Associated Press

Published: Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009 12:17 a.m. MST

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Freshman John Wall had 21 points and 11 assists as No. 4 Kentucky dominated Rider 92-63 on Saturday in the Cancun Challenge.

Patrick Patterson added 19 points and a career-high 18 rebounds for the Wildcats (4-0). The team hardly looked like the one coach John Calipari called the "worst" defensive team he's seen in 20 years after wins over Miami (Ohio) and Sam Houston State earlier in the week.

Kentucky held Rider (2-2) to 31 percent shooting, blocked 10 shots and forced the Broncs into 20 turnovers.

Ryan Thompson led Rider with 16 points, but the Broncs couldn't find the shooting stroke that helped them win at Mississippi State last week. Rider made just 4-of-17 3-pointers and was never really in it after Wall took over midway through the first half.

NO. 9 DUKE 104, RADFORD 67: At Durham, N.C., freshman Andre Dawkins scored a season-high 20 points and Duke matched a school record with 18 3-pointers in a romp against Radford. Nolan Smith added 20 points and Jon Scheyer had 18 for the Blue Devils (4-0). They overwhelmed Radford during a first half in which they shot 50 percent, matched the school record with 13 3s in a half.

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VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH 82, NO. 17 OKLAHOMA 69: At Richmond, Va., Jay Gavin scored 20 points, Larry Sanders 17 and Virginia Commonwealth never trailed in an upset of Oklahoma on Saturday night. The victory spoiled the return of Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel, who used to coach the Rams. Leading by one early on, the Rams (2-1) used a 20-8 spurt to take control of the game.

NO. 19 GEORGETOWN 63, SAVANNAH STATE 44: At Savannah, Ga., Jason Clark scored a career-high 14 points and four Hoyas were in double figures as Georgetown rolled to a victory against overmatched Savannah State.

NO. 20 LOUISVILLE 69, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 56: LOUISVILLE, Ky., Edgar Sosa scored 13 of his 16 points in the first half.

NO. 23 ILLINOIS 94, PRESBYTERIAN 48: At Champaign, Ill., freshman D.J. Richardson scored 15 points, hitting four 3-pointers, to help Illinois overcome a sluggish start and beat Presbyterian in the Las Vegas Invitational.