The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - B.J. Elder and Marvin Lewis combined for nine points in a 13-0 first-half run and Isma'il Muhammad's high-wire dunk shifted the momentum in the second half to lead No. 13 Georgia Tech over Ohio State 73-53 Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

It was Ohio State's worst loss ever in its six years in Value City Arena, where the Buckeyes came in with a 69-13 record, including 13-3 against ranked opponents.

Elder finished with 18 points, Lewis had 15 and Jarrett Jack 14 for the Yellow Jackets (6-0), who matched their best start since the 1994-95 season.

The Yellow Jackets' win was the fifth in six games for the ACC in the challenge. Georgia Tech came in having won just one of four games in the annual head-to-head meetings with the Big Ten, while Ohio State was 1-1.

Ricardo Billings and Velimir Radinovic each scored 12 points and J.J. Sullinger added 10 for Ohio State (2-3), which shot just 32.7 percent from the field and had 20 turnovers.

The Yellow Jackets led 10-8 when the Buckeyes didn't score for 9 1/2 minutes, missing all seven of their shots from the field with four turnovers as the lead expanded to 23-8.

Ohio State, down 34-23 at halftime, drew as close as 44-36 when Tony Stockman hit three free throws after he was fouled by Muhammad.

Muhammad, who finished with nine points, took away the momentum the Buckeyes had gained when he dunked while jumping over Billings, and was fouled on the play. Even a partisan crowd of 13,859 oohed and aahed after Muhammad soared in for the three-point play.

Muhammad, averaging 15 points off the bench, then hit a rebound follow to make it 49-36.

GEORGIA TECH (6-0)-McHenry 1-5 0-2 2, Schenscher 4-9 0-0 8, Elder 6-11 4-4 18, Jack 4-7 5-6 14, Lewis 4-9 4-6 15, Muhammad 3-7 3-3 9, West 0-0 2-2 2, Nystrom 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0, Brooks 1-2 0-0 2, Moore 1-5 0-0 3, Nelson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-55 18-23 73.

OHIO ST. (2-3)-T.Dials 3-8 2-2 8, Radinovic 4-4 4-6 12, Sullinger 4-10 1-2 10, Fuss-Cheatham 0-3 0-1 0, Stockman 1-11 5-5 7, Harris 0-2 0-0 0, N.Dials 1-1 0-0 2, Billings 3-7 5-6 12, Sylvester 0-2 2-2 2, Jenkins 0-1 0-0 0, Marinchick 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-49 19-24 53.

Halftime-Georgia Tech 34-23. 3-point goals-Georgia Tech 7-17 (Lewis 3-5, Elder 2-4, Moore 1-3, Jack 1-3, McHenry 0-2), Ohio St. 2-14 (Billings 1-2, Sullinger 1-3, Fuss-Cheatham 0-3, Stockman 0-6). Fouled out-T.Dials. Rebounds-Georgia Tech 37 (Jack, Lewis, Schenscher 6), Ohio St. 33 (Radinovic 9). Assists-Georgia Tech 13 (Moore, Jack 4), Ohio St. 7 (Fuss-Cheatham 3). Total fouls-Georgia Tech 21, Ohio St. 22. A-13,859.

No. 16 Syracuse 87,

St. Bonaventure 78

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Hakim Warrick scored 27 points and Billy Edelin added 20 to lead Syracuse.

Syracuse (2-1), which dropped nine spots in the AP poll after losing its season opener to Charlotte and defeating Rhode Island by only four points, beat St. Bonaventure (2-2) for the 11th straight time.

Gerry McNamara had 19 points, Josh Pace 11 and Craig Forth finished with a career-high 12 rebounds for the Orange.

Marques Green led St. Bonaventure with 24 points, while Ahmad Smith had 17, Patrick Lottin 13 and Yankuba Camara 10.

The Orangemen were not outrebounded for the first time this season, but they also didn't have an edge against the smaller Bonnies as both teams finished with 37.

SYRACUSE (2-1)-Warrick 10-17 7-10 27, Pace 4-6 3-4 11, Forth 3-6 2-5 8, McNamara 6-15 4-5 19, Edelin 8-16 4-7 20, Nichols 0-0 0-0 0, Roberts 0-1 0-0 0, McNeil 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 32-62 20-31 87.

ST. BONAVENTURE (2-2)-Dumbliauskas 1-2 1-2 3, Young 2-8 0-0 5, Camara 5-9 0-0 10, Ah.Smith 7-14 3-6 17, Green 9-19 2-3 24, Carter 0-0 0-0 0, An.Smith 2-4 2-2 6, Lottin 5-14 1-2 13, Lewis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-70 9-15 78.

Halftime-Syracuse 44-37. 3-Point Goals-Syracuse 3-9 (McNamara 3-9), St. Bonaventure 7-29 (Green 4-9, Lottin 2-8, Young 1-7, Andy Smith 0-2, Ahmad Smith 0-3). Fouled out-Ah.Smith. Rebounds-Syracuse 37 (Forth 12), St. Bonaventure 37 (Camara 9). Assists-Syracuse 10 (Edelin 4), St. Bonaventure 16 (Ahmad Smith 4). Total Fouls-Syracuse 15, St. Bonaventure 23. A-11,650.

No. 20 Purdue 76, Clemson 64

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Kenneth Lowe scored 24 points and Purdue, the only team that had never won a game in the five-year history of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, beat Clemson.

The Boilermakers (5-0), off to their best start in six years and coming off an upset of then-No. 2 Duke in the championship game of the Great Alaska Shootout last week, took control with an 18-4 run early in the first half.

Mount St. Joseph 67,

Thomas More 64

Moeller graduate Tom Luther scored 19 points as the Lions improved to 4-1 and won the basketball version of the "Bridge Bowl."

Luther shot 6-of-12 from the floor and made seven of 10 foul shot attempts.

Conner grad Marcus Johnson also scored 19 points for the Saints (2-3).

CINCINNATI: Junior center Robert Whaley, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Wednesday, is expected to be on crutches through the weekend. UC associate athletic director Brian Teter said the surgery went well, but that it's too early to know how long Whaley will be out of action. Preliminary estimates were that he would miss two to four weeks.

Women

Cincinnati 81, Evansville 43

Debbie Merrill's 21 points helped the Bearcats improve to 5-1, and Cincinnati's defense shut down the Purple Aces at Fifth Third Arena.

UC forced Evansville (2-2) into 29 turnovers, which the Bearcats converted to 42 points.

Treasure Humphries added 14 points for UC and Valerie King 13. Humphries also recorded five of the Bearcats' 17 steals.

Middle Tennessee 67,

Xavier 65

Patrice Holmes scored a game-high 29 points and Middle Tennessee forced the Muskies into 25 turnovers at Cintas Center.

Xavier (2-2) shot 66.7 percent for the game, including 70 percent in the second half, but couldn't overcome an eight-point halftime deficit, nor 16 steals by Middle (4-1).

Tara Boothe was a perfect 9-of-9 from the field and also went 6-of-8 on foul shots to lead XU with 24 points.

Thomas More 58,

Mount St. Joseph 48

The Saints remained perfect, at 5-0, behind 19 points from Allison Byars.

Virginia Grace (Colerain) led the Mount (2-3) with 17 points.