Florida St. Whips Forgotten Syracuse

NIT

After getting snubbed by the NCAA Tournament, Syracuse was looking for redemption in the NIT. The Orangemen didn’t get it.

Randell Jackson scored 20 points and LaMarr Greer added 16 as Florida State beat Syracuse 82-67 Wednesday night at Syracuse in the first round of the NIT.

The Orangemen (19-13), who reached the NCAA title game last season, failed to win 20 games for only the second time in Jim Boeheim’s 21 years as coach.

Otis Hill led Syracuse with 16 points. James Collins scored 14 points and Kirk Luchman had 13 for Florida State.

The Seminoles (17-11), making their first postseason appearance in four years, will play Michigan State in the next round.

Connecticut 71, Iona 66

At Storrs, Conn., Richard Hamilton scored nine of his 25 points down the stretch as the Huskies (15-14) held off the Gaels (22-8). Kevin Freeman added 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Huskies, while Bryan Matthew led Iona with 19 points.

Connecticut will play Bradley in the second round.

Mich. St. 65, Geo. Washington 50

At East Lansing, Mich., Ray Weathers scored 18 points as the Spartans (17-11) defeated the Colonials (15-14). Shawnta Rogers led GW with 18 points, but the 5-foot-4 guard was only 6 for 18 from the field.

W. Virginia 98, Bowling Green 95

At Morgantown, W.Va., Seldon Jefferson scored 29 points as the Mountaineers (20-9) beat the Falcons (22-10). Bowling Green had a chance to tie, but Antonio Daniels missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

West Virginia will play North Carolina State in the second round.

Pittsburgh 82, New Orleans 63

At Pittsburgh, Vonteego Cummings scored 25 points and the Panthers (18-14) used their height advantage to beat the Privateers (22-7).

Pittsburgh will meet Arkansas in the second round.

Notre Dame 74, Oral Roberts 58

At South Bend, Ind., Admore White scored 18 points and Pat Garrity added 16 to lead the Fighting Irish (15-13) over Oral Roberts (21-7). Tim Gill led Oral Roberts with 21 points.

The Irish meet TCU in the next round.

N.C. St. 77, SW Missouri St. 66

At Raleigh, N.C., Danny Strong scored 25 points, including seven free throws in the final 69 seconds, as North Carolina State beat Southwest Missouri State.

The Wolfpack (17-14) led by 20 points in the second half before the Bears rallied and pulled to 69-64 on a 3-pointer by Coleco Buie with 55 seconds remaining. But Strong made his free throws and Jeremy Hyatt added a breakaway layup to clinch N.C. State’s first postseason win since 1991.

Hyatt finished with 19 points and Clint Harrison added 15 for the Wolfpack, who advanced to the second round against West Virginia. The Mountaineers defeated Bowling Green 98-95.

Buie led Southwest Missouri State (24-9) with 22 points, and Danny Moore added 21.

N.C. State, which reached the final of the ACC tournament, shot 60 percent from the field in the first half and Strong made three 3-pointers as the Wolfpack took a 36-27 halftime lead.

Arkansas 101, N. Arizona 75

At Fayetteville, Ark., Pat Bradley scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half as the Razorbacks (16-12) downed the Lumberjacks (21-7). Andrew Mavis led Northern Arizona with 26 points.

Bradley 66, Drexel 53

At Peoria, Ill., Anthony Parker scored 15 points and the Braves (17-12) held the Dragons (22-9) to 32 percent shooting from the field.

TCU 85, Ala.-Birmingham 62

At Forth Worth, Texas, Mike Jones scored 18 points and reserve James Penny added 17 as the Horned Frogs (22-12) routed the Blazers (18-14). Carlos Williams and Credric Dixon each scored 16 points for UAB.

Nevada 97, Fresno St. 86

At Fresno, Calif., Faron Hand scored 27 points as the Wolf Pack (21-9) beat Fresno State (20-12).

Richard Brown added 22 points for Nevada.

Chris Herren and Daymond Forney each scored 20 for Bulldogs, which has recently been the subject of point-shaving rumors.

The Fresno Bee reported last week that authorities are investigating rumors that Fresno State players shaved points, an illegal practice where players try to keep the margin of victory inside the point spread.

UNLV 66, Memphis 62

At Las Vegas, The Runnin’ Rebels (21-9) defeated the Tigers and will play Hawaii.

Hawaii 71, Oregon 61

At Honolulu, Hawaii, the Ducks’ season ended after leading at the half 40-30. Hawaii outscored Oregon in the second half 41-21.