LAFAYETTE WINS Patriot League, earns NCAA bid.

LAFAYETTE 65, AMERICAN 63

EASTON, Pa. — Nick Lindner scored 25 points and Lafayette held off several second-half runs by American to win the Patriot League Tournament title with a 6563 victory over the Eagles on Wednesday night.

The fourth-seeded Leopards (20-12) became the lowest seed to win the league tournament title — and its automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament — in its 25-year history.

After defending champion and sixth-seeded American (17-16) took 55-53 lead on Marko Vasic’s three-point play with 5:07 left, the Lafayette got consecutive three-pointers from Seth Hinrichs and Zach Rufer to regain the lead for good.

With Lafayette up 61-60, Lindner hit a driving shot with 38 seconds left. After American’s John Schoof missed a three-pointer, Lindner hit two free throws to seal it.

Lindner, a sophomore point guard, was named tournament MVP. Hinrichs added 16 points.

Vasic finished with 15 points to lead the Eagles.

BIG TEN

MINNESOTA 80, RUTGERS 68

CHICAGO — Joey King hit six three-pointers and scored 20 to lead Minnesota over Rutgers in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

The 11th-seeded Golden Gophers (1814) broke open a tight game on a 22-8 spurt midway through in the second half.

Carlos Morris scored 16 points for the Golden Gophers, while Nate Mason added 15 more.

Kadeem Jack led Rutgers (10-22) with 18 points.

In another Big Ten Tournament game Wednesday, D.J. Newbill scored 26 points, Shep Garner added 19 and Penn State hung on to beat Nebraska 68-65.

ATLANTIC COAST N.C. STATE 81, PITTSBURGH 70

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Anthony “Cat” Barber scored a career-high 34 points to help North Carolina State beat Pittsburgh in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

Trevor Lacey added 21 points for the seventh-seeded Wolfpack (20-12), who reached the 20-victory mark for the fourth time in as many seasons under Mark Gottfried.

In other Atlantic Coast Tournament games Wednesday, Sheldon McClellan scored 16 points and Miami beat Virginia Tech 59-49. … Brice Johnson scored 17 points to help No. 19 North Carolina beat Boston College 81-63. … Xavier Rathan-Mayes scored 30 points and Florida State held on for a wild 76-73 victory over Clemson.

BIG EAST MARQUETTE 78, SETON HALL 56

NEW YORK — Matt Carlino had all but two of his 26 points on three-pointers and ninth-seeded Marquette had its best game of the season from beyond the arc in a victory over eighth-seeded Seton Hall in the opening round of the Big East Tournament.

Luke Fischer had 14 points and Duane Wilson added 13 for Marquette. Derrick Wilson had seven points and a career-high 14 assists for the Golden Eagles.

Isaiah Whitehead had 12 points for Seton Hall (16-15).

PACIFIC-12

CAL 84, WASHINGTON ST. 59

LAS VEGAS — David Kravish missed his first six shots against Washington State but rarely missed again as Cal posted a decisive victory in the opening round of the Pac-12 Tournament.

Kravish scored a career-high 25 points, and the No. 8 seeded Bears (18-14) won for just the second time in the past seven games..

In other Pac-12 Tournament games Wednesday, Josh Scott had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Askia Booker added 20 points and Colorado pulled away for a 78-71 victory over Oregon State. … Elijah Stewart scored 27 points and hit two free throws with 3.4 seconds left after a big block by Nikola Jovanovic, helping Southern Cal rally for a 67-64 victory over Arizona State.

MOUNTAIN WEST

UNLV 67, NEVADA 46

LAS VEGAS — Christian Wood scored 28 points on 9-of-13 shooting to help seventh-seeded UNLV beat No. 10 seed Nevada in the opening round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

Jordan Cornish added 13 points, including 3 three-pointers, for UNLV (1814), which will play second-seeded San Diego State in the quarterfinals Friday.

The Runnin’ Rebels used a 12-3 run to close the first half and led 27-17 at the break.

Nevada Coach David Carter was fired after the game following losing records in four of the past five seasons.

In another Mountain West Tournament game Wednesday, Zach Kocur scored 20 points with four three-pointers and No. 9 seed Air Force beat eighth-seeded New Mexico 68-61.

ATLANTIC 10 FORDHAM 71, GEORGE MASON 65

NEW YORK — Christian Sengfelder scored a season-high 27 points and Fordham beat George Mason in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament for the second consecutive year.

Sengfelder, a freshman from Germany, was 10 for 13 from the field. Mandell Thomas added 13 points.

The 13th-seeded Patriots (9-22) finished their fourth season under Coach Paul Hewitt by losing 15 of 18 games. Marquise Moore and Isaiah Jackson led George Mason with 18 points each.

In another Atlantic 10 Tournament game Wednesday, Micah Mason had 19 points and eight rebounds and Duquesne beat Saint Louis 61-55 to end the Billikens’ first-to-worst season.

CONFERENCE USA WESTERN KENTUCKY 59, MARSHALL 45

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Ben Lawson converted a three-point play as fifth-seeded Western Kentucky began a 10-0 run to break away from No. 12 seed Marshall and claim a victory in the opening round of the Conference USA Tournament.

Chris Harrison-Docks led Western Kentucky with 18 points, T.J. Price added 13 and Trency Jackson 11.

In other Conference USA Tournament games Wednesday, Dennis Mavin scored 15, including a game-winning, half-court heave as time expired, to lift Florida International over seventh-seeded Texas-Antonio. … Perrin Buford had 11 of his 14 points in the second half and Middle Tennessee held off a late rally to beat Charlotte 63-60. … Marcus Jackson made four three-pointers and finished with 28 points to lead ninth-seeded Rice to an 82-54 victory over No. 8 seed North Texas.

MID-AMERICAN EASTERN MICHIGAN 73, BOWLING GREEN 67

CLEVELAND — Raven Lee scored 27, Mike Talley 21 and No. 8 seed Eastern Michigan beat Bowling Green in the Mid-American Conference Tournament’s second round.

Karrington Ward added 15 points and 10 rebounds for EMU, which had 18 offensive rebounds and only seven turnovers to get 14 more field-goal attempts than Bowling Green.

Richaun Holmes and Jehvon Clarke had 18 points each and Zack Denny scored 13 for the Falcons, who lost five of their last eight.

In another Mid-American Tournament game Wednesday, Kwan Cheatham Jr. had 11 points and 10 rebounds and Akron beat Western Michigan 58-45.