ANAHEIM, Calif. Authentic Vernon Davis Jersey . - After first-round flameouts in their last two NCAA tournaments, the Marquette Golden Eagles vowed to stick around this time. Theyre headed to the second round after defeating Kentucky 74-66 in the South Regional opening round on Thursday. Jerel McNeal scored 20 points and Wesley Matthews hit eight free throws in the final 31 seconds to help the Golden Eagles survive a 35-point performance by Kentuckys Joe Crawford, who matched a career high before fouling out. Sixth-seeded Marquette (25-9) earned its first NCAA tournament victory since 2003, when it beat Kentucky in the regional final. That Marquette team had Dwyane Wade. This one has a group of tested veterans who have learned to play under pressure. Weve grown so much just since my first year here, said McNeal, a junior from Chicago who has started all 94 games of his college career. We had spurts through those 40 minutes that werent always the best Marquette team that we could put out there, but the most important thing, we just stayed with it. Nobody dropped their heads. Crawford may have felt like dropping his head when he fouled out in the final seconds. But Marquettes Dominic James walked over and offered consolation. I mean, you saw the performance out there, and he put his heart out there on the floor, James said. So out of respect for him and his teammates, I just told him to keep his head up and keep playing the game that he loves. Crawford, a senior, was disheartened to see his college career end in defeat. I came here to win, he said. Thats what I wanted to do. So Im just kind of sad right now because, you know, I feel like we had a good chance and Im just kind of down right now. For Kentucky (18-13), the loss caps an uneven season. The Wildcats overcame a 7-9 start, including a loss to Gardner-Webb, and won 11 of their last 14 to slip into the bracket It was a tough loss for us, first-year coach Billy Gillispie said. We came here intent on winning, like everybody else does. Ramel Bradley, another senior, added 19 for the Wildcats, whose record 49th NCAA tournament appearance was brief. Playing a combined 79 minutes, Crawford and Bradley scored 54 of Kentuckys 66 points. Only one other Wildcat - Perry Stevenson - made a field goal. Gillispie said the Wildcats will miss Crawford and Bradley. You hate to see those guys walking out of here for the last time, Gillispie said. Theyve made a definite mark on Kentucky basketball, which is the best tradition in the history of the sport. Marquettes tradition isnt bad, either, especially when it comes to beating Kentucky in March. The Wildcats and Golden Eagles met for the 10th time in the NCAA tourneys most-played matchup. Marquette is 6-4 in the series, and Crean has won both of his tournament games against Kentucky. The Wildcats played without leading rebounder and No. 2 scorer Patrick Patterson. Kentucky went 2-3 after losing the star freshman to a season-ending ankle injury. I thought the longer we played, the more wed miss Patrick, Gillispie said. As it turned out, Crawford was almost enough for the Wildcats. Kentucky cut it to 66-63 on Crawfords 3-pointer from the top of the key with 38 seconds left. After Matthews hit two free throws, Bradley hit a 3-pointer from the corner to get the Wildcats within two with 22 seconds remaining. Matthews made two more free throws, then stole the ball and hit two more from the line to ice the game. It was just a matter of going up there and making them, said Matthews, a career 77.6 shooter from the line. Its easy to make them when your whole team and coaches have this confidence in you, and coach is drawing up the play to give me the ball in that position. He earned his baskets, Crean said. Hes a great player. We will see him in Milwaukee. I dont know if hell be a Buck, but theres 29 or 30 other teams he can play for. In the end, though, Crawford needed a lot more help than he had. We had a lead and didnt want to lose it, Matthews said. They threw their punch and we threw ours right back. Justin Smith Jersey . -- The Los Angeles Kings have re-signed left wing Scott Parse to a two-year contract following his solid rookie season. Osi Umenyiora Jersey . Organizers were confident that Thursdays training session will still be held on schedule, with the forecast calling for better weather. Patrick Willis Womens Jersey . The world No. 39 Bondarenko handled Britains Anne Keothavong 6-2, 7-5, while Dulgheru stunned sixth-seeded Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 6-1 in Fridays semifinal action on the red clay at Legia Tennis Centre. 49ers Steve Young Jersey . The provisional ban applies to Austins activities with CONCACAF and in his native Barbados. CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean, is also asking FIFA to extend Austins suspension to soccer duties worldwide until his full hearing July 13. Jason Pierre-Paul Jersey . Compatriots across the Straits are of the same family and blood bond. We believe only the harmony among family members will benefit everyone, Fan Liqing, spokeswoman of the State Councils Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a regular press conference in Beijing.EDMONTON - This is what the Edmonton Rush were hoping for when they traded for Zach Greer. After three sub-par games for the Rush, Greer broke out against his former team for five goals, including the game-winner with 3.5 seconds remaing as the Rush edged the Minnesota Swarm 14-13 in National Lacrosse League play on Friday night. Greer also added three assists as the Rush, who hold the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, took a big step towards securing post-season action. "It was fun. Anytime you play your old squad you want to put on a good showing," said Greer, acquired in early March from Minnesota for a first round draft choice in 2013. "Obviously the most important thing is we got the win. We need to go on a little run here before the playoffs." Rush head coach Derek Keenan was thrilled to see Greer have a breakout game. "For him, its all about opportunity. Hes going to get an opportunity here and he is a special player. He will be in this league for a long time. Hes an athlete. He wants the ball on his stick at crunch time, thats his M.O." Scott Evans and Ryan Ward scored two apiece and Brodie Merrill, Alexander Kedoh-Hill, Andy Secore, Mike McLellan and John Lafontaine also counted for the Rush (3-9), who snapped a four-game losing skid. Ryan Benesch had a four goal game, Mat Giles and Callum Crawford three goals, Aaron Wilson scored twice and Andrew Watt had the additional goal for the Swarm (5-5) who saw a two-game winning streak come to an end and missed out on a chance to lock down a post-season berth. "It was a disappointing loss," said Swarm head coach Mike Lines. "We battled back to tie the game and then took the lead. But we could never go on a run to get a couple goals up on them. I dont want to blame the layoff but we came out pretty flat after having the last three weeks off. We just didnt play well defensively. We gave up a lot of open looks and made a lot of mistakes." The Swarm started the scoring a minute and a half in as Wilson cleanly beat Edmonton goaltender Matt Disher with a quick shot. Edmonton responded on a power two minutes later as Greer put a long shot past Swarm starter Nick Patterson. Minnesota jumped back in front midway through the first quarter as Crawford undressed Disher with a crafty move, but Edmonton came back to tie the game less than a minute later as Ward was able to walk in unopposed to score and make it 2-2. Edmonton went up by two with a pair of goals just 12 seconds apart as both Merrrill and Kedoh Hill were able to pick corners and then took a 5-2 lead a minute later on a long shot by Greer. 49ers Ronnie Lott Jersey. Wilson bounced in his second of the game to make it 5-3 but Edmonton bounced back on a goal by Secore to hold a three-goal lead at the end of the first. The Swarm got another long range goal three and a half minutes into the second by Giles, who scored his second of the game just over a minute later to cut the Rush lead to 6-5. The two teams traded goals just 29 seconds apart with four minutes left before the Swarms Benesch scored a bit of an ugly goal after Disher wiped out in the crease to tie the game 7-7 at the half. Edmonton went back into the lead on an early Evans power play goal to start the third and then went up 9-7 on Greers hat trick goal. The Rush regained their three-goal edge on another Evans power-play marker but the Swarm remained in it by getting one back on a beautiful diving behind the back shot by Crawford with five minutes to play in the third frame. Minnesota battled back to tie it up 10-10 heading into the fourth with two goals less than a minute apart as Disher waved at hat trick goals from both Giles and Crawford. The two teams traded goals 28 seconds apart to start the second before Minnesota took a 12-11 lead on Beneschs third goal of the game. Edmonton came back to tie it on a real highlight reel goal from Greer, as he fought off a pair of defenders and scored on an over the shoulder shot. The Rush surged back onto the lead with just 1:35 remaining after Lafontaine scored on a two-on-one break, but the Swarm made it 13-13 just 11 seconds later on Beneschs fourth goal, setting up the dramatic final play. The Swarm will take another shot at qualifying for the postseason on Sunday when they host Buffalo. The Rush are off until next Friday when they welcome Colorado to town. Notes: Minnesota won the only other meeting between the two teams 9-8 in January... Both of Edmontons victories this season came against the defending NLL champion Washington Stealth... Edmonton plays three of its remaining four games at home, and has three games remaining against the one team they are ahead of in the standings, the Colorado Mammoth... The Swarm were coming off of a three-week break... Former Rush member Benesch came into the game second in the league in scoring with 27 goals in nine games and led the Swarm with 54 points... Edmonton fans got their first look at newcomers Mike McLellan and Kyle Sweeney, acquired via trade just over a week ago. ' ' '