Associated Press
BOSTON ó Joe Trapani scored 20 points and Tyrese Rice returned from a suspension to score 16 to lead Boston College to a 90-57 victory over Loyola of Maryland in the opener of the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament on Monday night.
Trapani, who transferred from Vermont and sat out last season, scored 15 in the first half, when BC (2-0) opened a 22-5 lead. Rice, BC’s only returning senior, was suspended from the season opener for an unspecified violation of team rules.
Rice finished with six assists and no turnovers.
BC had nine turnovers in the first half, when Rice played just eight minutes because he had two fouls, and one turnover in the second.
“He’s definitely the leader of this team,” Trapani said of Rice. “You have a question, you go to him.”
St. John’s beat Cornell 86-75 to earn a second-round matchup with BC, a former Big East foe that has beaten the Red Storm six straight times.
Virginia Tech 62, Mount St. Mary’s 57
BLACKSBURG, Va. ó Malcolm Delaney scored 18 points, including 13 of Virginia Tech’s last 16.
A.D. Vassallo had 15 points and Jeff Allen added 13 for the Hokies, who closed it out with a 16-5 run.
UNC Wilmington 107, Troy 95
WILMINGTON ó Chad Tomko scored 33 points, and Dominique Lacy had 21 points and 12 rebounds.
UNC Greensboro 90, Webber 78
GREENSBORO ó Landon Clement scored a game-high 26 points, and Mikko Koivisto had 18.