The Associated Press

STORRS, Conn. - Emeka Okafor had a hard time hiding a smile. That happens when you and your team play a game that has people throwing around superlatives and compliments.

Okafor fell one blocked shot short of a triple-double and No. 1 Connecticut put on one of the most impressive defensive displays of the season, knocking No. 6 Oklahoma from the ranks of the unbeaten, 86-59 Sunday.

"That's easily the best defense we played all year and we did it against a quality opponent," Okafor said. "Everything's contagious. The great defense led to our offense and it just keeps on going. We were all in synch and it showed out on the court."

Okafor, the leading vote-getter on the Associated Press preseason All-America team, had 21 points, 10 rebounds and nine blocked shots for the Huskies (13-1).

Connecticut shot 52.3 percent for the game (34-for-65) and finished with a 50-37 rebound advantage.

OKLAHOMA (10-1)-Bookout 2-7 0-0 4, J.Brown 0-6 1-2 1, Lavender 7-16 3-3 22, Detrick 6-17 4-4 16, Alexander 2-9 0-0 6, McKenzie 1-5 1-2 4, J.Williams 1-4 0-0 3, Foust 1-4 1-2 3, Gilbert 0-4 0-0 0, Turner 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 20-73 10-15 59.

CONNECTICUT (13-1)-Boone 1-3 0-0 2, D.Brown 5-12 2-2 14, Okafor 10-14 1-1 21, Gordon 4-11 0-0 11, T.Brown 3-4 0-0 6, Swaller 1-1 0-0 2, Villanueva 3-5 3-3 11, M.Williams 2-3 0-0 4, Armstrong 0-0 0-0 0, Baisch 0-2 0-0 0, Tolles 1-1 0-0 2, Anderson 4-8 3-4 13, Evanovich 0-1 0-1 0. Totals 34-65 9-11 86.

Halftime-Connecticut 39, Oklahoma 20. 3-Point goals-Oklahoma 9-24 (Lavender 5-8, Alexander 2-5, McKenzie 1-3, J.Williams 1-4, Foust 0-1, Detrick 0-3), Connecticut 9-21 (Gordon 3-9, Villanueva 2-2, Anderson 2-4, D.Brown 2-5, M.Williams 0-1). Fouled out-Lavender. Rebounds-Oklahoma 37 (Alexander 8), Connecticut 50 (Okafor 10). Assists-Oklahoma 12 (Lavender 7), Connecticut 27 (T.Brown 8). Total fouls-Oklahoma 14, Connecticut 15. A-10,167.

No. 2 Duke 93, Virginia 71

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Shelden Williams scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half and Duke (12-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) had five other players score in double figures.

He also totaled 12 rebounds, helping Duke to a 43-30 advantage.

Duke's J.J. Redick, a Roanoke native, set an ACC record for most consecutive free throws made - 50 - dating to last season, breaking the record of 48 set by Virginia's Jeff Lamp during the 1979-80 season.

DUKE (12-1)-Randolph 5-7 2-3 12, Williams 6-12 9-10 21, Redick 4-8 2-2 14, Ewing 3-7 3-3 11, Duhon 6-11 3-3 15, Deng 6-13 0-2 12, Horvath 1-2 0-0 2, Melchionni 0-0 0-0 0 Dockery 2-4 0-0 4, Borman 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 34-65 19-23 93.

VIRGINIA (10-3)-Byars 0-3 0-0 0, Smith 6-11 2-2 19, Brown 3-7 7-9 13, Billet 1-5 2-2 4, Forbes 3-8 2-8 8, Reynolds 2-6 2-2 7, Bannister 2-5 0-0 4, Cain 2-4 0-0 4, Clark 0-1 0-0 0, Minter 6-12 0-1 12. Totals 25-62 15-24 71.

Halftime-Duke 46-38. 3-Point goals-Duke 6-18 (Redick 4-5, Ewing 2-5, Randolph 0-1, Dockery 0-1, Duhon 0-3, Deng 0-3), Virginia 6-17 (Smith 5-6, Reynolds 1-4, Forbes 0-1, Byars 0-2, Billet 0-2, Bannister 0-2). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Duke 43 (Williams 12), Virginia 30 (Smith, Minter 6). Assists-Duke 15 (Duhon 8), Virginia 13 (Bannister 5). Total fouls-Duke 22, Virginia 22. A-8,392.

No. 12 North Carolina 103, No. 8 Georgia Tech 88

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Raymond Felton had 25 points and nine assists and No. 12 North Carolina never trailed in beating No. 8 Georgia Tech.

Sean May had 28 points for the Tar Heels (10-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who have won 10 of the last 12 meetings in the series. Rashad McCants added 17 as the Tar Heels earned a big win before an important stretch that includes a trip to Maryland and a home game against No. 1 Connecticut.

Jarrett Jack scored 22 points to lead the Yellow Jackets (12-2, 0-1), who haven't won at the Smith Center since February 1996. Georgia Tech has lost five straight conference openers.

GEORGIA TECH (12-2)-McHenry 0-0 0-2 0, Schenscher 3-5 2-2 8, Lewis 5-17 5-5 17, Elder 3-9 3-4 12, Jack 7-14 7-9 22, Moore 1-2 0-0 3, Muhammad 3-5 3-4 9, Tarver 1-2 2-2 4, Bynum 4-10 5-6 13, West 0-1 0-0 0, Brooks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-65 27-34 88.

NORTH CAROLINA (10-2)-Williams 2-4 1-2 5, McCants 6-17 4-6 17, May 11-20 6-8 28, Scott 2-7 2-4 7, Felton 7-11 10-12 25, Noel 2-4 3-6 7, Manuel 5-8 2-4 12, Sanders 0-0 0-0 0, Bohlander 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 35-71 30-44 103.

Halftime-North Carolina 53-39. 3-Point goals-Georgia Tech 7-22 (Elder 3-7, Lewis 2-7, Moore 1-2, Jack 1-4, Bynum 0-2), North Carolina 3-11 (Felton 1-2, Scott 1-4, McCants 1-5). Fouled out-McHenry, Jack, Moore, Manuel. Rebounds-Georgia Tech 43 (Schenscher 8), North Carolina 40 (May, Noel 8). Assists-Georgia Tech 13 (Jack 7), North Carolina 22 (Felton 9). Total fouls-Georgia Tech 28, North Carolina 24. A-21,750.