Middle Tennessee edges South Alabama 68-67 in OT
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) -- Jacquez Rozier scored 12 points and hit the go-ahead layup with 42 seconds left in overtime, lifting Middle Tennessee over South Alabama 68-67 on Saturday.
The Blue Raiders (4-4) were trailing late in regulation when Edward Simpson Jr. and Jaqawn Raymond each hit 3-pointers in the final two minutes to force overtime.
Ken Williams hit a 3-pointer in overtime for South Alabama (2-4), but Rozier responded with a split pair of free throws, then took the lead for good with a layup. Raymond hit two free throws for a 68-64 lead with 13 seconds left.
Taishaun Johnson drilled a 3 and was fouled, but couldn't convert the four-point play. Reggie Upshaw Jr. missed two free throws, and Johnson's half-court heave was off as time expired.
Raymond finished with 11 points and Upshaw had 10 for Middle Tennessee.
Abdul Lewis led the Jaguars with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Washington State beats UTSA 91-71
PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) -- DaVonte Lacy has established himself as one of the best scorers in Washington State basketball history, but the senior guard is one of many Cougars who have struggled on offense this season.
Those struggles ended Saturday. Lacy scored 21 of his 31 points in the first 10 minutes, and the Cougars shot a season-high 60.8 percent from the field in a 91-71 romp over Texas-San Antonio.
"They shot the cover off it," UTSA coach Brooks Thompson said. "I thought our defense was very poor, but you've got to give them credit.
"They were making some big-time shots. I thought they played very well."
Ike Iroegbu scored 14 points for the Cougars (4-4), who led 52-26 at the half. Ryan Bowie topped UTSA (3-4) with 22 points.
The Cougars were coming off a 77-71 loss to Idaho, when Lacy hit just 5 of 18 shots, including 3 of 13 3-pointers. The 18th-leading scorer in WSU history headed to the gym after the game.
"I was in there until about 2 o'clock (a.m.)," Lacy said.
The extra practice paid immediate dividends. Lacy tied his season high for points, while tying career highs of 10 field goals (in 15 attempts) and eight 3-pointers (in 12 attempts).
"It's not our defense why he did that," Thompson said. "We definitely had some slip-ups, but I feel we guarded him well at times. He still made shots."
Lacy came into the game averaging a team-high 16.7 points despite shooting 34.9 percent from the field.
"My teammates do a great job -- they've done a great job all year -- of finding me and setting screens and stuff," Lacy said. "Finally, I'm upholding my duty of hitting shots."
The Cougars tied a school record by sinking 18 3-pointers (in 30 attempts). WSU hit just 5 of 30 treys against Idaho on Wednesday.
Lacy sank 5 of 6 shots from beyond the arc in the opening 10 minutes, when he outscored the Roadrunners 21-18.
"When he scores -- he's shooting the ball well -- it makes us all feel good," WSU coach Ernie Kent said.
Kent, in his first year as coach of the Cougars, said he's found that some of WSU's returning players still bear scars from the numerous losses in recent years.
"They're fragile at times," Kent said. "You really have to be careful how much you yell at them."
TIP-INS
Texas-San Antonio: The Roadrunners have allowed 89.0 points per game in the past three contests, including two losses and an 88-83 overtime win at Northern Arizona.
Washington State: The 91 points was the Cougars' highest total since a 93-55 loss over Santa Clara on Dec. 11, 2011. WSU's 52 first-half points topped their game totals in six games last season.
RANKING LOW
The Cougars started the day ranked far down the list of NCAA Division I teams with 37.8 percent shooting from the field and 28.1 percent from 3-point range. The Roadrunners rank among the nation's worst defensive teams with 80.3 points allowed per game and 40.3 percent shooting allowed on 3-pointers.
COMING UP EMPTY
WSU forward Junior Longrus, who has started in all but one game, did not attempt a shot in 17 minutes and went scoreless for the fifth time this season. He's averaging 2.0 points and 3.6 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Texas-San Antonio visits Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 15.
Washington State visits No. 9 Gonzaga on Wednesday.
Penn State holds on to beat Marshall 73-69
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- D.J. Newbill, John Johnson and Brandon Taylor each scored 17 points, leading Penn State to a 73-69 win over Marshall on Saturday night.
Penn State (8-1) is off to its best start since going 9-1 in the 2000-01 season. Newbill added seven rebounds with four assists and Ross Travis grabbed nine boards.
The Nittany Lions opened the second half with a quick 6-0 run, pushing their lead to 13 after Newbill's three-point play and a split pair of free throws from Jordan Dickerson.
Marshall stormed back to pull within one after Jay Johnson's free throws with 1:12 left. Donovan Jack followed with a putback and hit two free throws after Johnson's missed 3-pointer to withstand the rally.
Johnson led Marshall with 19 points. Tamron Manning scored 12 while Ryan Taylor and Aleksa Nikolic had 10 points apiece.
The Thundering Herd (3-5) lost their fifth straight under new coach Dan D'Antoni.
Williams helps Murray State to 93-81 victory
MURRAY, Ky. (AP) -- Jarvis Williams scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in leading Murray State to a 93-81 victory over Western Kentucky on Saturday night in the 152nd game between the rivals.
Both teams shot well, Murray State (5-4) making 56.7 percent, including 11 3-pointers, and Western Kentucky 52.8.
The double-double was Williams' third this season. Cameron Payne also scored 24 points and T.J. Sapp 19.
T.J. Price led WKU with 21 points. George Fant added 19.
The Racers were up 20 points two minutes into the second half before WKU stormed back, getting within four before Murray State pulled away.
WKU (3-4) shot 55 percent for their best first half in their last 26 games, but still trailed by 17 at the break thanks to an early 19-0 run by Murray State, which took 12 more first-half shots with the help of a 17-8 rebounding edge and 10 WKU turnovers.
Kyser, Louisiana Tech beat Jackson State 65-52
RUSTON, La. (AP) -- Michale Kyser had nine points, nine rebounds and seven blocks Saturday night, and Louisiana Tech won its sixth straight with a 65-52 victory over Jackson State.
Alex Hamilton had 13 points, Raheem Appleby added 11 points and Kenneth Smith had 10 assists for Louisiana Tech (7-1). The Bulldogs scored 10 straight early in the second half and stretched their lead to 18 with 4:45 to go.
Jackson State (1-7) closed the first half on a 12-3 run after Kyser's dunk midway through the half gave Louisiana Tech a 24-15 lead. Kaven Bernard's 3-pointer with 33 seconds left cut the Bulldogs' lead to 27-26 before halftime.
The Tigers outrebounded Louisiana Tech 49-32, but couldn't overcome 22 turnovers.
Bernard had 15 points and Derell Taylor had 11 rebounds to lead Jackson State.
Rhode Island rolls past Southern Miss 75-43
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) -- Hassan Martin scored 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting and Rhode Island rolled to a 75-43 victory over Southern Miss on Saturday night.
The Rams (5-2) shot 55.8 percent from the field, with 19 assists on 29 field goals. Jared Terrell had 12 points and E.C. Matthews added eight with five assists. T.J. Buchanan, Jarvis Garrett and Earl Watson each chipped in nine points for Rhode Island.
Southern Miss (4-3) was held to 15-of-38 shooting (39.5 percent) and committed 23 turnovers. Shadell Millinghaus led the Golden Eagles with 13 points and Matt Bingaya contributed 11.
Rhode Island jumped out to an early 14-5 lead as Martin hit two jumpers and a layup. A 13-4 surge sparked by two dunks and a three-point play from Watson made it 35-17 at halftime.
Southern Miss couldn't pull closer than 12 in the second half and trailed 53-31 after Garrett's 3-pointer with 10:57 left.
Rice holds off St Edwards, 54-49
HOUSTON (AP) -- Andrew Drone scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Rice to a 54-49 victory over St. Edwards on Saturday night.
With the game tied at 40 with just over seven minutes remaining, The Owls scored eight of the game's next nine points, capped off by a Bishop Mency jumper to push their lead to seven. St. Edwards would get within three after two Frankie Mgbolu free throws, but Rice's Max Guercy sealed it with two free throws.
Mency added 12 points off the bench for the Owls (2-6), while Marcus Jackson finished with 10 points.
Rice held the Hilltoppers to 31.7 percent shooting from the field and 4 of 17 from 3-point range.
Frankie Mgbolu scored 14 points and added five steals to lead St. Edwards. Quinton Lilley came off the bench to score eight points and grab 10 rebounds.
Barry leads New Mexico State past UTEP 71-64
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) -- Remi Barry had 15 points and DK Eldridge added 14 to lead New Mexico State to a 71-64 victory over UTEP on Saturday night.
Barry scored to give New Mexico State a 55-53 lead with 8:27 remaining, and the Aggies led the rest of the way.
Pascal Siakam added 12 point for New Mexico State (4-5), which has won 14-straight at home. The Aggies played without senior guard Daniel Mullings, who broke a finger on his right hand at practice on Thursday and will be out eight weeks.
C.J. Cooper and Cedrick Lang each scored 12 points, and Earvin Morris chipped in 10 to lead UTEP. Matt Willms had four blocks and nine rebounds for the Miners (4-3), who have lost three-straight games for the first time since November 2012.
