Colleges

N.C. State survives a scare

By TIMES WIRES
Published November 11, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. - Sidney Lowe couldn't enjoy his debut as North Carolina State's coach until the horn finally sounded.

Engin Atsur scored 24 and hit the go-ahead layup in the final minute Friday to help the Wolfpack hold off Wofford 92-88, givng Lowe a successful start with the program he helped lead to a national title as a player.

Ben McCauley scored 17 of his 26 points in the second half for the Wolfpack, which rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit.

In other ACC games:

NO. 15 BC 86, N. HAMPSHIRE 47: Shamari Spears scored 23 in his first college game, going 8-for-10 from the floor, in Boston.

NO. 23 GA. TECH 83, ELON 49: Javaris Crittenton scored 17 and fellow freshman Thaddeus Young added 13 for the host Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.

ST. JOHN'S 74, N. FLORIDA 53: Avery Patterson went 8-of-14 from 3-point range and scored 24 for the Red Storm in the first round of the New York regional of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

VA. TECH 94, COPPIN ST. 43: Zabian Dowdell scored 16 for the host Hokies in Blacksburg.

CLEMSON 83, ARKANSAS ST. 44: K.C. Rivers scored 15 for the Tigers at the Cox Communications Classic in Norfolk, Va.

Big East

NO. 18 UCONN 53, QUINNIPIAC 46: The host Huskies escaped against in-state Quinnipiac as Jerome Dyson, one of eight UConn freshmen, had 16 in Storrs.

NO. 20 SYRACUSE 83, ST. FRANCIS, N.Y. 51: Demetris Nichols scored 15 for the host Orange.

CINCINNATI 70, HOWARD 39: John Williamson scored 18 in a win over poor-shooting Howard in the Jim Thorpe Classic.

SEC

NO. 11 ALABAMA 96, JACKSON ST. 65: Alonzo Gee scored on a dunk in the first minute and scored 16 for the host Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.

NO. 25 TENN. 83, MIDDLE TENN. 52: JaJuan Smith scored 16 for the host Vols in Knoxville.

AUBURN 71, TROY 68: Frank Tolbert scored on a tip-in with 18 seconds left and hit two free throws for the host Tigers.

GEORGIA 97, SOUTHERN 37: Billy Humphrey scored 23 and the host Bulldogs got 21 steals in Athens.

ARKANSAS 92, SE MISSOURI 52: Patrick Beverley scored 29, leading the host Razorbacks in Fayetteville.

S. CAROLINA 55, S.C. ST. 52: Tre Kelley scored 15, including the go-ahead free throw with 1:03 left for the host Gamecocks in Columbia.

MISSISSIPPI 72, MVSU 49: Bam Doyne scored 19 to lead the host Bulldogs in Oxford.

Top 25

NO. 7 OHIO STATE 107, VMI 69: Daequan Cook scored 22 as the Buckeyes opened with a record-setting point-total in Columbus.

NO. 13 TEXAS A&M 81, PRAIRIE VIEW 49: Joseph Jones and Antanas Kavaliauskas scored 16 apiece for the Aggies in College Station.

NO. 21 TEXAS 92, CHICAGO STATE 66: A.J. Abrams scored 28, including eight 3-pointers, as host Texas won the Austin regional of the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament.

[Last modified November 11, 2006, 02:09:01]