Kansas continues nation's longest winning streak
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Xavier Henry's 15 points Saturday led a balanced offense and top-ranked Kansas cruised to an 84-52 rout of 19th-ranked Temple.
The Jayhawks eliminated any chance of a closer contest between the Top 25 foes by sprinting to a 40-23 halftime bulge.
The lead grew to 81-50 when Elijah Johnson sank two free throws with 1:28 remaining.
The sold-out game at Temple's Liacouras Center attracted 10,206 mostly deflated Owl fans.
Sherron Collins scored 14, Marcus Morris 13 and Cole Aldrich had 10 with 10 rebounds for the Jayhawks (13-0), who own a 51-game winning streak, the nation's longest.
They also had a 41-29 rebounding advantage.
Ryan Brooks land Juan Fernandez led Temple with 11 points each, and Lavoy Allen added 10 points.
The Owls (11-3) saw their seven-game winning streak end.
Pittsburgh upsets Syracuse
SYRACUSE, N.Y. Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Ashton Gibbs's 24 points and eight rebounds Saturday keyed Pittsburgh's 82-72 upset of unbeaten and fifth-ranked Syracuse.
Gibbs burned the Orange by sinking 6-of-9 3-pointers.
Jermaine Dixon's 3-pointer had given Pittsburgh a 43-34 halftime lead.
A Wes Johnson layup drew Syracuse within 46-44 with 11:14 left, but Pitt responded by building a 76-61 lead on two free throws by Brad Wanamaker with 2:23 remaining and maintained a double-digit advantage.
Dixon scored a career-high 21 points with five steals. Wanamaker added 12 and Dante Taylor had 10 points for the Panthers (12-2, 2-0 Big East), who have won five straight and eight of nine.
Johnson paced Syracuse with 19 points and six rebounds. Scoop Jardine scored 15 and Kris Joseph scored 10 for the Orange (13-1, 1-1), who sank just 1-of-13 3-point attempts.
Running back Jahvid Best to turn pro
BERKELEY, Calif., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- California running back Jahvid Best said Saturday he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2010 NFL Draft.
The explosive 5-foot-10, 195-pound native of Vallejo, Calif. rushed for 867 yards on 141 carries with 12 touchdowns before a serious concussion forced him to miss the Bears' final four games, including a 37-27 loss to Utah on Dec. 23 at the Poinsettia Bowl.
"Over the past couple of weeks and over the past month, my family and I have been offered the opportunity to enter the NFL and now we have a decision," Best said in a statement. "We sat down with Coach (Jeff) Tedford and talked about the pros and cons. It wasn't an easy decision (but) we decided to enter the draft.
When Best was injured on Nov. 7 against Oregon State, he landed on his back after leaping into the end zone and was hospitalized.
Singer Twain carries Olympic torch
TIMMINS, Ontario, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Country music singer Shania Twain said Saturday it was a pleasure to carry the official Olympic torch into her Canadian hometown of Timmins, Ontario.
The Canwest News Service reported Twain was the final individual to carry the torch on Day 64 of the Olympic symbol's 106-day journey across Canada that began Oct. 30 in Victoria, British Columbia.
"I think this is so fantastic," Twain said of those who braved numbing cold to watch the torch come to Timmins. "What it shows is the spirit of the people from the north to be standing out there on the road for all these hours in the freezing cold; all of you, it really does show your spirit."
Twain said wind chills down to minus 31 degrees Fahrenheit Saturday only made her feel more at home.
"It just feels really beautiful to be back up north in the cold," she said. "It wouldn't be Timmins ... you know, 40 below with the wind chill!"
Canwest said the Olympic torch is expected to arrive in Vancouver, British Columbia, by Feb. 12 for the 2010 Olympic Games.
