VIrgInIa tOPs FIghtIng IrIsh, 80-68

CHARLOTT E SVILLE, VA.» Jay Huff scored 18 points and Sam Hauser had 15 points and nine rebounds Wednesday as No. 18 Virginia beat Notre Dame 80-68 for its fourth consecutive victory.

Huff, who is 7-foot-1, made a career-best four 3-pointers in the first half as Virginia (8-2, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) opened an 18-10 lead and built it to 37-25 by halftime.

Cormac Ryan scored 16 and Trey Wertz 13 for the Fighting Irish (3-8, 0-5), who lost their fourth in a row and fell to 0-11 against Virginia in conference games. Nate Laszewski, who burned Virginia for 28 points in their first meeting, finished with 12.

Huff hit a pair of 3pointers in the first 8 1/2 minutes as Virginia took control right away and never let up. The Irish trailed 55-33 with 13 minutes left and used a 15-5 run to get within 66-56 with 5:41 to play, but Huff scored inside and Casey Morsell hit a 3-pointer.

No. 21 oHIo stAtE 81, NEBrAsKA 71.

COLU MBUS, OHIO» Duane Washington Jr. scored a career-high 23 points to lead No. 21 Ohio State to an 81-71 win over

Northwestern on Wednesday night.

The Buckeyes (10-3, 4-3) avenged a one-point loss to the Wildcats on Dec. 26.

Justin Ahrens added 12 points, hitting four 3pointers, including a timely one late in the second half to help preserve the Buckeyes lead.

Chase Audige kept Northwestern (6-5, 3-4) in the game, scoring 21 of his career-best 25 points in the first half. Audige, who was averaging 11.7 points per game, cooled off in the second half, just as Miller Kopp was heating up. He had 16 points in the second half to get Northwestern within one late in the second half.

Ohio State then went on a 12-0 run to secure the win.

No. 16 LoUIsVILLE 77, WAKE ForEst 65.

W INSTON-SALEM , N . C . » Carlik Jones scored a seasonhigh 23 points to help No. 16 Louisville beat Wake Forest 77-65 on Wednesday night, extending the Cardinals’ best start in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Samuell Williamson added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Cardinals (9-1, 4-0 ACC), who blew nearly all of a 16point second-half lead before finally putting this one away in the final 6 minutes as the Demon Deacons went cold.