Sports

(AP) Mighty, mighty Duke let teeny, tiny Belmont play with the big boys. And, for stretches, get the better of them.

No. 2-seeded Duke actually trailed in the final 15 seconds before barely avoiding the monumental upset, using every last one of Gerald Henderson's 21 points to edge No. 15 Belmont 71-70 in the first round of the West Regional on Thursday night.

While Belmont couldn't quite pull off the stunner, it was surprising enough how close this game was. In a matchup between a school with three NCAA titles -- that would be Duke, of course -- and another that never has won a game in the tournament, it was Henderson's driving basket with 11.9 seconds left that erased Belmont's final lead.

After ACC defensive player of the year DeMarcus Nelson stole the ensuing inbounds pass, he was fouled, but he missed at the line.  Belmont got the rebound, and one final chance to make history, with 2.2 seconds left. The Bruins' leading scorer, Justin Hare, got a good look at the basket from about 35 feet away, but his shot clanged off the iron. He winced, and Duke celebrated as though it had won far more than an opening-round game -- something it actually failed to do a year ago.


Kansas State 80, USC 67


Midwest Region, Omaha
Turns out, Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo weren't the only freshmen on the court.

Redshirt freshman Bill Walker scored 22 points, true freshmen Jacob Pullen and Ron Anderson also reached double figures, and Kansas State's Kiddie Corps moved on in the NCAA tournament, beating Mayo-led USC 80-67 in the opening round Thursday night.

Beasley overcame early trouble to have another big game for the Wildcats (21-11), scoring 23 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for the 27th double-double of his brilliant -- and likely only -- college season. The NBA beckons, after all.

But 11th-seeded Kansas State is used to big things from Beasley.

It was his supporting cast that made the difference.

Walker carried the load in the early going, scoring 17 in the first half and hitting a dagger of a 3-pointer in the closing minutes. Pullen, a lightning-quick guard, scored 11 points and doled out five assists. Anderson, averaging only 3.1 a game, scored 10 and grabbed eight rebounds to help the Wildcats dominate the boards.


Wisconsin 71, Cal State Fullerton 56
Midwest Region, Omaha

The bullies of the Big Ten won, but not before little ol' Cal State Fullerton gave them a scare.

Wisconsin couldn't shake the 14th-seeded Titans until deep into the second half Thursday night, before winning 71-56 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Badgers move to a Saturday game against Kansas State in the second round of the Midwest Regional.

The Badgers shot 42 percent and committed 17 turnovers, but they blocked seven shots and outrebounded the Titans 50-27.

That was enough to overcome a career-high 31-point night by Fullerton's Josh Akognon, whose five 3-pointers always seemed to come just when it looked as if the Badgers were about to pull away.

Brian Butch scored 14 points and Joe Krabbenhoft and Jason Bohannon 13 apiece for the Badgers (29-4), who won for the 24th time in 26 games.

Frank Robinson added 11 points for the Titans (24-9).


Washinton State 71, Winthrop 40
East Regional, Denver

After so many years serving as the Pac-10's doormat, the Washington State Cougars enjoyed being the big, bad bully for a change. The fourth-seeded Cougars broke away from a halftime tie to whip Winthrop 71-40 Thursday night in the East Regional behind 19 points and eight rebounds from Aron Baynes.

Kyle Weaver and Robbie Cowgill each had 14 and Derrick Low scored 11 for Washington State (25-8), which will play the Notre Dame-George Mason winner in the second round on Saturday at the Pepsi Center.

The Cougars, who are 51-16 under Tony Bennett, broke open a 29-29 halftime tie with a 23-4 run to cruise to their second straight opening-round win in the NCAA tournament.

Notre Dame 68, George Mason 50
East Regional, Denver

Looking for the next George Mason? Sad to say, but it won't be George Mason. America's NCAA darling two years ago was just another first-round underdog this time around — overmatched and never really in it Thursday night in a 68-50 loss to Notre Dame in the East Regional.

Luke Harangody had 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead the fifth-seeded Irish (25-7) to their first tournament victory in five years and a meeting Saturday against Washington State, an earlier 71-40 winner over Winthrop.

The 12th-seeded Patriots (23-11) had two starters left from their magical run to the Final Four in 2006, a string of games that showed little guys still can break through and turn March Madness into a true free-for-all for more than just a game or two.

One of those players, Will Thomas, had a great game — 10-for-14 for 25 points and seven rebounds, and had his head buried in a towel as the clock ran down. But really, this George Mason was nothing like that George Mason, and the first day of the tournament ended with its big-name underdog on the way home.

The Patriots fought hard, but this game really wasn't close.

UCLA 70, Mississippi Valley State 29
East Regional, Anaheim



Mississippi Valley State probably wishes the ball had stayed stuck behind the backboard.

Freshman Kevin Love scored 20 points and dislodged the trapped ball as top-seeded UCLA cruised to 70-29 victory against the overmatched Delta Devils in the NCAA tournament on Thursday night.

Seeking a third consecutive Final Four berth, the Bruins (32-3) advanced to a second-round West Region game against No. 9 Texas A&M (25-10), a 67-62 winner over BYU.

Texas A&M 67, BYU 62
West Regional, Anaheim



After blowing an 11-point first-half lead, Texas A&M needed someone to bail it out.

Josh Carter did the honors.

Carter scored 26 points, matching his career high, as the Aggies defeated Brigham Young 67-62 in the West Region's first round on Thursday, handing the Cougars their sixth straight opening-round loss. 

Joseph Jones added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the ninth-seeded Aggies, who will face UCLA on Saturday.

Jonathan Tavernari led BYU with 15 points.

The Cougars erased their big early deficit, and they nearly climbed out of a six-point hole in the final minute. Jimmer Fredette's 3-pointer with 59 seconds to play sliced the Aggies' lead to 63-60.

But Dominique Kirk answered with a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left, and Jones hit a free throw 11 seconds later to put the game away.

West Virginia 75, Arizona 65
West Regional, Washington D.C.



West Virginia's prowess from long range made Arizona's 24th consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament another one-and-done performance. Alex Ruoff scored 21 points, Da'Sean Butler had 19, and the Mountaineers won 75-65 Thursday night in the opening round of the West Regional.

West Virginia (25-10) took the lead for good on a 3-pointer by Ruoff with 17:43 left, and another jumper by Rouff from beyond the arc made it 48-39. After Arizona closed to 60-59, two 3-pointers by Darris Nichols and another by Ruoff sealed the victory.

The Mountaineers went 11-for-19 from 3-point range, led by Ruoff (5-for-7) and Nichols (4-for-7). The 11 3-pointers tied a season high.

West Virginia, the No. 7 seed, on Saturday will face second-seeded Duke, which squeezed past Belmont 71-70.

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