DAYTON, Ohio — Jeremy Underwood came off the bench to score 19 points, leading North Carolina A&T past 21-loss Liberty 73-72 on Tuesday at the First Four, ending an NCAA winless streak at nine games.
DAYTON, Ohio — Jeremy Underwood came off the bench to score 19 points, leading North Carolina A&T past 21-loss Liberty 73-72 on Tuesday at the First Four, ending an NCAA winless streak at nine games.
The Flames — only the second team ever to make the NCAA tournament with 20 losses — had a chance to win it. John Caleb Sanders drove coast to coast and flipped up a left-handed layup in heavy congestion that just missed. A&T (20-16) rebounded and, while Sanders rolled in pain on the baseline, began to celebrate an end to more than 30 years of disappointment.
Bruce Beckford added 16 points for the Aggies, and Lamont Middleton scored 14.
Saint Mary’s 67, Middle Tennessee 54
DAYTON, Ohio — Matthew Dellavedova scored 22 points, and Saint Mary’s got a good start on its second straight NCAA tournament appearance.
The Gaels (28-6) make a quick trip to Auburn Hills, Mich., to play sixth-seeded Memphis on Thursday.
Gaels were too much for Middle Tennessee (28-6), which was making its first NCAA tournament appearance in 24 years. Dellavedova went 7 of 14 from the field, including 5 of 7 behind the arc, and had four assists and six rebounds.
Tweety Knight led Middle Tennessee with 16 points. The Blue Raiders went only 4 of 12 from behind the arc.