Associated Press
The college basketball roundup …
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas ó Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb each scored 23 points to help No. 4 Connecticut run its winning streak to 16 games with a 73-63 victory over UNC Asheville on Thursday night in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Napier made four 3-pointers, including a late 4-point play, and also had seven assists and three steals for the defending national champion Huskies (5-0). Connecticut shot 52 percent (25 of 47) from the field and 40.9 percent (9 of 22) from 3-point range to easily overcome 19 turnovers.
Matt Dickey led Asheville (2-3) with 18 points, and Jeremy Atkinson added 18.
No. 22 Florida State 73, UMass 53
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) ó Michael Snaer had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Florida State took advantage of Massachusettsí dismal shooting in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Luke Loucks added 12 points, and Bernard James had nine points and five blocks for the Seminoles (5-0).
Raphiael Putney scored 11 points for Massachusetts (4-1). The Minutemen were 19 of 68 from the field and 2 for 23 from 3-point range.
Harvard 75, Utah 47
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamasó Keith Wright and Corbin Miller scored 13 points apiece Thursday night to lead Harvard to a romp over Utah in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Kyle Casey added 11 for the Crimson (4-0), which will play Florida State in the semifinals Friday. Wright also blocked three shots.
Josh Watkins and Blake Wilkinson scored 12 each and Chris Hines 11 for the Utes (1-3), who dropped their third game in a row and will face Massachusetts.
Harvard broke out to early leads of 5-0 and 15-2. It took Utah 14:31 to break into double figures. The Crimson used two 10-0 runs in the first half and led 49-24 at the break.
The gap reached 33 points when Laurent Rivard sank consecutive 3-pointers in the final minutes.
UCF 74, College of Charleston 63
NASSAU, Bahamas ó Keith Clanton scored 28 points, tying his career high, and grabbed 14 rebounds and Central Florida used a second-half surge to pull away from College of CharlestonThursday in the opener of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Charleston (3-1), coming off a 72-69 win at Clemson, was led by Trent Wiedeman with 19 points. Central Florida will face defending national champion Connecticut in the second round today.
St. Louis 62, Boston College 51
ANAHEIM, Calif. ó Brian Conklin scored 18 points to lead Saint Louis past Boston College in the opener of the 76 Classic on Thursday.
Conklin had 16 points on 6 of 8 shooting in the second half, while Kwamain Mitchell scored 16 points for the Billikens (4-0).
Freshman Ryan Anderson led the Eagles with 12 points. Matt Humphrey and Dennis Clifford added 10 points apiece for Boston College (1-3), which dropped its third straight.
Saint Louis led 29-23 at halftime. Boston College got to 33-28 on a Humphrey 3-pointer two minutes into the second half. Mitchell and Kyle Cassity then connected on 3-pointers to spark a 12-2 run that resulted in a 45-30 lead.
The Billikens forced 16 turnovers, leading to 16 points.
Santa Clara 79, New Mexico 76 (OT)
ANAHEIM, Calif. ó Niyi Harrison hit two go-ahead free throws with 1:59 left in overtime to lift Santa Clara past New Mexico on Thursday night in the 76 Classic.
Kevin Foster scored 26 points and Evan Roquemore 24, and they combined for nine of the Broncosí 11 3-pointers. Harrison added 19 points for Santa Clara (3-1).
Tony Snell scored 18 points for New Mexico (2-2). Hugh Greenwood added 14.
Harrison broke an overtime tie to make it 76-74 with his free throws. Raymond Cowels was fouled moments later and hit two free throws to give the Broncos a four-point cushion.
Minnesota 86, DePaul 85
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. ó Trevor Mbakwe recorded his fourth double-double of the season, but it was his late defensive play that really stood out.
Mbakwe had 16 points and 12 rebounds as Minnesota rallied in the opening round of the Old Spice Classic on Thursday.
ěHeís a world class athlete in any league, thereís no question about that,î DePaul coach Oliver Purnell said.
Minnesota (5-0) also got 18 points from Rodney Williams. The Golden Gophers will play Indiana State in a winnerís bracket game today.
Fairfield 55, Arizona State 44
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. ó Rakim Sanders scored 21 points and Fairfield beat Arizona State in the first round of the Old Spice Classic on Thursday night.
ěHeís a big-time player,î Fairfield coach Sydney Johnson said. ěI think we all know that, and Iím just happy heís able to show how skilled he is.î
Sanders, who entered averaging 17 points, also had seven rebounds.
Fairfield (3-2) will play Dayton, which beat Wake Forest 80-76, in a winnerís bracket game Friday.
Trent Lockett scored 15 points for Arizona State (1-3). The Sun Devils, who had 22 turnovers, will face Wake Forest in a consolation-round matchup today. Arizona State has lost three in a row.
ěWe didnít play very well,î Arizona State coach Herb Sendek said. ěOnce again, the turnovers overwhelmed us.î