Associated Press
The college roundup …
CHARLOTTE ó Freddie Riley scored 18 points and Massachusetts pulled away after halftime to secure its best Atlantic 10 start in four years with a 73-54 victory over cold-shooting Charlotte on Wednesday night.
Anthony Gurley added 17 points and Javorn Farrell had 11 for the Minutemen (11-6, 3-1), who snapped Charlotteís six-game home winning streak with stifling defense.
Derrio Green had 12 points on 2-of-10 shooting and Chris Braswell had 11 points and seven rebounds for the 49ers (9-9, 1-3), who were done in by long scoring droughts in each half.
Charlotte, which shot 32 percent from the field, went more than 71/2 minutes without scoring in the first half as UMass built a 35-27 lead. Then the 49ers went more than 7 minutes without a field goal after halftime to thwart a comeback bid.
“For sure we got tested today mentally and physically,” Braswell said. “We just couldn’t get nothing going on the offensive end.”
Riley’s 3-pointer with 5:42 left made it 59-45 and the rest of the game turned into an “old fashioned woodshed” beating, according to Charlotte coach Alan Major.
It was another successful trip to Charlotte for UMass, which last March beat the 49ers in the first conference tournament victory for the school since 2002 in what turned out to be 49ers coach Bobby Lutz’s final game before he was fired.
Down to eight scholarship players due to discipline, academic and eligibility issues, the 49ers were outrebounded 40-32 and managed just 14 points in the paint.
Major coached barefoot to raise awareness for Samaritan’s Feet, a nonprofit organization that provides shoes to impoverished people around the world.
ECU 74, Central Florida 62
ORLANDO, Fla. ó Jontae Sherrod scored 21 points and had nine rebounds as East Carolina handed Central Florida its third straight defeat, beating the Knights 74-62.
Erin Straughn hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 points for the Pirates (10-8, 2-2 Conference USA).
Isaac Sosa led the Knights (14-3, 0-3) with 16 points, Keith Clanton contributed 12 and Marcus Jordan 11.
Straughn drilled his fourth 3-pointer to cap a 16-4 run that gave East Carolina a 62-45 lead with 10:47 left.
South Carolina 81, Arkansas 74
COLUMBIA, S.C. ó Sam Muldrow scored five of his 20 points in overtime to lead South Carolina to an 81-74 victory.
The Gamecocks (12-5, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) trailed by nine points midway through the second half and were still down 70-65 with 2:30 left before the comeback.
South Carolina’s Ramon Galloway had a 3-pointer and Malik Cooke a pair of foul shots to tie the game in regulation and Bruce Ellington put the Gamecocks up for good with a foul shot to start the extra period.
Ahead 73-70, Muldrow iced the game with a 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:38 to go.
Arkansas (12-5, 2-2) couldn’t get closer than five points the rest of the way. Marshawn Powell had a career high 21 points for the Razorbacks.
Hofstra 66, UNC-Wilmington 57
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. ó Charles Jenkins scored 22 points, including seven consecutive points late in the game, as Hofstra rallied for a 66-57 win over North Carolina-Wilmington on Wednesday night.
Mike Moore added 18 points and David Imes had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Pride (12-6, 6-1 CAA), who have won six straight against the Seahawks (9-9, 3-4).
Old Dominion 64, JMU 58
NORFOLK, Va. ó Frank Hassell scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Old Dominion (14-4, 5-2 Colonial Athletic Association) over James Madison 64-58.
Hassell, who also had three blocks, crossed the 1,000-point mark for his career (1,002).