College basketball

Balanced Wolfpack wins opener with ease

By Asssociated Press
Published November 18, 2004

RALEIGH, N.C. - Julius Hodge led a balanced attack with 21 points, and No. 19 North Carolina State jumped on New Orleans early in a 92-58 victory Wednesday night in the first round of the BCA Invitational.

Jordan Collins scored a career-high 17, Engin Atsur had 14 and four others had at least eight.

The Wolfpack made its first five shots and scored the first 11, never giving the Privateers and coach Monte Towe a chance. Towe starred at N.C. State during the 1970s, leading a team that included David Thompson and Tommy Burleson to the 1974 NCAA championship.

Thompson and Burleson sat behind the scorer's table for this one, watching as their former teammate tried in vain to keep New Orleans in the game. The Privateers had more turnovers than baskets well into the second half, and they even resorted to running down the shot clock.

OREGON ST. 69, SIENA 67: Sasa Cuic's three-point play with four seconds left lifted the Beavers in the first round of the BCA Invitational. Oregon State advances to play East Carolina.

ECU 80, PEPPERDINE 58: Mike Cook scored a career-high 21 and freshman Josh King made three 3-pointers during a decisive run, helping the Pirates rally in the BCA Invitational.

MICHIGAN 69, COLORADO 60: Dion Harris scored a career-high 24 and Lester Abram added 12 for the host Wolverines in the second round of the Preseason NIT.

USF: Three days before its season opener, USF got much-needed good news on senior center Brandon Brigman, who will not need surgery for a fractured orbital bone near his right eye and will be able to play in Saturday's home game against Stephen F. Austin.

"We had an inkling that it wasn't going to (need surgery), but it still was a remote possibility," said coach Robert McCullum, who had Brigman back at practice wearing protective goggles.

Freshman guard Montavious Waters, who sat out Friday's preseason game against Saint Leo, showed little effects of his injured knee in workouts, though freshman guard Collin Dennis remained sidelined by a hip flexor.

NO. 11 NOTRE DAME 76, NO. 6 DUKE 65: Jacqueline Batteast scored 17, 10 during a decisive three-minute run in the second half, to lead the host Irish in a WNIT semifinal.

NO. 10 OHIO ST. 78, NO. 24 ARIZONA 45: Caity Matter made four 3-pointers and scored 20 to lead the host Buckeyes in the WNIT.

UF: Jessica Jackson, a 6-4 center from Collierville, Tenn., became the fourth player to commit to the Gators during the early period, signing a national letter of intent.

- Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.

[Last modified November 18, 2004, 00:15:17]