Razorbacks Edge Indians To Open Nit

College basketball

Jesse Pate made seven straight free throws in the final 2:09 and 16th-ranked Arkansas hung on for a 75-67 victory Wednesday night over Northeast Louisiana in the first round of the Preseason NIT in Fayetteville, Ark.

The Razorbacks led by as many as 19 points midway through the second half, but it was 68-62 with 2:19 to play. Pate made two free throws for a 70-62 lead with 2:09 left, two more for a 72-65 edge and another pair for a 74-67 lead with 28 seconds to play.

(17) Michigan 73, DePaul 65

In another first-round NIT matchup, Maurice Taylor scored 16 points and freshman Robert Traylor scored five of his eight points down the stretch to give the Wolverines a win over the Blue Demons in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Weber St. 102, Fresno St. 86

In Fresno, Calif., Jerry Tarkanian returned with a thud as Jimmy DeGraffenried scored 30 points to lead the Big Sky Conference Wildcats over the Bulldogs in a Preseason NIT first-rounder.