Miami Stuns Uncc

Top 25 men

Tim James scored 23 points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked six shots Friday night as host Miami upset No. 17 North Carolina Charlotte 89-72.

The unranked Hurricanes held the 49ers to less than 40 percent shooting from the field.

Johnny Helmsley tossed in 18 points, while Lucas Barnes scored a career-high 17 points for the Hurricanes (3-0). Point guard Kevin Norris added 11 points, nine assists and six steals.

DeMarco Johnson led the 49ers (0-1) with 25 points, while Kevin Price added 18 points and nine rebounds.

The loss was especially tough for NC-Charlotte, which may have lost starting small forward Versile Shaw for most of the season with a torn posterior cruciate ligament to his left knee.

(2) Kansas 92, UNLV 68

In Lawrence, Kan., Paul Pierce had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Billy Thomas made 5 of 7 3-pointers as the Jayhawks (4-0) weathered an off night by Raef LaFrentz to defeat the Runnin’ Rebels (2-1) in the second round of the Preseason NIT.

After falling behind by 16 at halftime, the Runnin’ Rebels (2-1) made a charge behind the outside shooting of Tyrone Nesby and the inside muscle of Kaspars Kambala, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman who more than held his own against the 6-11 LaFrentz, an All-American last year as a junior.

(5) Clemson 79, Iona 49

In Fairbanks, Alaska, Greg Buckner scored 18 points and the Tigers (2-0) shot 67 percent from the field to rout the Gaels (0-1) at the Top of the World Classic.

The Tigers (2-0) built a 15-point halftime lead, and increased the margin to 33 at one point in the second half.

(6) South Carolina 77, Citadel 58

In Columbia, S.C., guards Melvin Watson and BJ McKie combined for 29 points as the Gamecocks (2-0) defeated the Bulldogs (0-3).

(11) New Mexico 90, Texas Southern 67

In Albuquerque, N.M., Clayton Shields scored 22 points and Kenny Thomas again was a force inside as the Lobos (3-0) beat the Tigers (0-1) in the opening round of the Lobo Classic.