WASHINGTON — John Thompson III kept saying over and over that he’d never been a part of a game like it. Then he finally thought of one.

“I think I was 8,” the Georgetown coach said. “Playing with St. Anthony’s. The game ended 13-11.”

“I had 10,” he added with a chuckle and sly glance at one of his players. “And we won that game, too.”

Thompson’s No. 20 Hoyas prevailed in this one 37-36 over Tennessee on Friday night in the SEC/Big East Challenge.

“If you just look at the numbers and the stat sheet and say we won the game - before the game, I’d say you’re crazy,” Thompson said. “I’d think it’s virtually impossible.”

It was Georgetown’s worst scoring total in the shot clock era, its lowest since a 37-36 victory over SMU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 1985. It was Tennessee’s second-lowest since the shot clock went into effect in the 1985-1986 season, better only than a 43-35 loss to Auburn in 1997.

It was so bad even the free throws weren’t falling. The teams made just 7 of 20 combined. Georgetown’s Mikael Hopkins had an especially tough time, missing three easy lay-ins and four free throws in the first 20 minutes as the Hoyas shot 36 percent from the floor, which was still better than the Vols’ 33 percent.

“We were getting easy shots that we were missing,” Thompson said. “We were getting the ball right at the rim, and the ball just wasn’t going in.”

No player scored 10 or more points for either team.It was hard to believe it was the same Georgetown (5-1) that had a stretch last week that moved into The Associated Press Top 25, beating then-No. 11 UCLA and losing in overtime to top-ranked Indiana on back-to-back nights. Tennessee (4-2) was riding a two-game winning streak after a mid-November loss to Oklahoma State.

Neither team looked like a winner Friday night. No one scored in the final four minutes. The winning basket was Markel Starks’ jumper with 4:10 to play.

The Vols had a couple of opportunities at the end after Georgetown’s Otto Porter took his eyes off a pass near midcourt to give the Vols a final possession. The result: a three-point air ball by Tennessee’s Skylar McBee and a three-pointer at the buzzer by Jordan McRae that clanged off the rim.

“We just couldn’t come up with shots,” Tennessee Coach Cuonzo Martin said.

Georgetown starter Nate Lubick hurt his left elbow in the first half did not play after halftime. Thompson said the junior forward had a tingling sensation in the arm and would have it X-rayed upon returning to campus.

The Vols started 4 for 22 from the field and late in the first half had nearly as many fouls (10) as points (11). The half ended with McRae putting up an air ball on a baseline runner. The rebound went to teammate Trae Golden, who hit a bank shot at the buzzer to complete a half-ending 7-0 run and give the Vols an 18-16 lead.

Georgetown, meanwhile, went without a field goal for the last 10:13 of the half.

The Hoyas got some momentum early in the second half, using their defense to spur a 15-5 run capped by a baseline move by Starks, making the score 31-23 with 12 minutes to play.

Then the Vols found a rhythm, converting back-to back transition baskets and taking the lead when McBee’s three-pointer ended a 9-0 run.

From there it was back and forth, with the teams trading fouls, turnovers and the occasional basket.

But, as Thompson pointed out, at least there was some good defense.

“As frustrating as an offensive day that I can remember being a part of, we still got stops,” Thompson said. “And that’s not the worst thing in the world.”

NO. 10 KANSAS 84, OREGON STATE 78

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Ben McLemore scored 21 points, Travis Releford added 20 and No. 10 Kansas held off repeated Oregon State rallies to beat the Beavers.

Jeff Withey had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks for the Jayhawks (6-1), who were meeting Oregon State for the first time in the long basketball history of the two schools, who rank No. 2 and No. 20 on the Division I all-time victory list.

Nelson had 17 points for Oregon State (4-2) while Eric Moreland had five points and 16 rebounds.

SEC MEN

SOUTH FLORIDA 64, GEORGIA 53

TAMPA, Fla. - Anthony Collins had 17 points and 10 assists to lead South Florida past Georgia.

The Bulls’ sophomore point guard returned to the lineup after sitting out Monday night’s 63-54 victory at Stetson to rest a lingering calf injury.

“When he’s in the game, it changes ... the way he controls games,” South Florida guard Shaun Noriega said. “He’s a game changer.”

Shaun Noriega scored 15 points and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick added 13 for South Florida (5-2).

Georgia (2-5) got 19 points from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The sophomore guard has been the Bulldogs’ leading scorer in all seven games this season.

“I don’t think we sustained our defense,” Georgia Coach Mark Fox said. “They started to break down our defense a little bit there late, and we ended up giving up a percentage that you just can’t win with. You just can’t allow a team to shoot 47 percent from the field and win.”

DEPAUL 80, AUBURN 76

AUBURN, Ala. - Cleveland Melvin scored 21 points and made a steal and two free throws late to lift DePaul over Auburn in the SEC/Big East Challenge.

Melvin swiped a pass from Rob Chubb as the Tigers tried to set up for at least a tying basket. He drove for a layup with 13 seconds left but was fouled by Noel Johnson and put the game away for the Blue Demons (4-3). Brandon Young scored 19 points and had five assists for DePaul.

Frankie Sullivan scored a career-high 28 points for Auburn (2-5), which has lost four in a row. Chubb had 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Sports, Pages 24 on 12/01/2012