The Thursday Morning Rush for Feb. 9, 2012

CINCINNATI - IT'S THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012:

UC 76, ST JOHN'S 54: Revenge for the Bearcats who lost to St. John's at Fifth Third Arena back on Jan. 7. Sean Kilpatrick scored 10 points in a 12-3 second half spurt as the Cats ran away from the Red Storm.

POSTGAME QUOTES: "We executed more, we rebounded and we played defense," said Kilpatrick after the game. "Our kids were really focused," said Mick Cronin.

HOME SWEET HOME: Kilpatrick admitted that he was excited to be back playing close to his home and he was rushing his shots in the first half. Cronin told him to slow it down.  It's was a good way for UC to get used to Madison Square Garden where they'll be in four weeks at the Big East Tournament.

XAVIER 84  RHODE ISLAND 66: The Musketeers were all over a hapless Rhode Island team.  Tu Holloway had 20 points and 10 rebounds as Xavier improved to 16-8 and 7-3 in the A-10.

NOW IT GETS TOUGHER: Xavier has a showdown at Temple on Saturday with the first place Owls who are 7-2. "Our guys are very aware of the magnitude of the game Saturday," said Xavier coach Chris Mack. "It's a big game, we're not gonna shy away from it."

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 62, MIAMI 59: Miami led the game by 10 points in the second half in DeKalb. But then the Huskies went on a 17-5 run.

THE NATIONAL SCORES FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT:

Syracuse 64, Georgetown 61....Jim Boeheim got his 800th career coaching win

Duke 85, North Carolina 84...Austin Rivers won it with a three pointer at the buzzer

Notre Dame 55, West Virginia 51....Fifth straight Big East win for the Irish

THE LOCAL SCORES FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT:

Thomas More 75 , Westminster 71

Transylvania 67, Mount St. Joseph 58

Cincinnati State 106, Edison Community College 77

THE WOMEN'S GAME FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT :

Thomas More 79, Westminster  42

Mount St. Joseph 66, Transylvania  55

Cincinnati State 70, Edison 50

BASEBALL WEDNESDAY: The Reds signed outfielder Ryan Ludwick to a one-year contract and signed left-handed starter Jeff Francis to a minor league deal.

WESTWARD HO: It's feeling like spring already. The Reds load their equipment truck today at GABP. It departs for Goodyear, Arizona on Friday.

ON THE ICE: The Toledo Walleye beat the Cincinnati Cyclones 2-1.

THIS DATE: It was Feb. 9, 1964 that the Beatles made their first live appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show." An estimated 73 million people watched. All the boys started to grow their hair longer immediately.

Bundle up...it's going to feel like winter.

Popo