Colson, Notre Dame hold off Pitt
COLLEGE BASKETBALL HIGHLIGHTS
Bonzie Colson scored 19 points in 33 minutes, getting a full day’s work in his third game back from injury, and Notre Dame needed its star forward to hold off Pittsburgh 67- 64 in its Atlantic Coast Conference tournament opener Tuesday in New York.
Jared Wilson- Frame made a three from the left wing for last- place Pitt with 1: 34 left to cut the lead to 61- 58, and he missed another 32 seconds later. After a couple free throws by Notre Dame’s T. J. Gibbs Jr., Marcus Carr hit another three to draw the 15thseeded Panthers within 63- 61.
Colson made two from the line with 22.3 seconds left after a loose- ball foul on Carr that drew loud complaints from Pitt coach Kevin Stallings. Carr lost the ball on Pitt’s next possession, and 10th- seeded Notre Dame managed to close it out without any more drama.
The Irish play seventhseeded Virginia Tech on Wednesday.
Wright State 74, Cleveland State 57
Grant Benzinger had 19 points and nine rebounds to help the second- seeded Raiders beat the eighth- seeded Vikings to win the Horizon League tournament title and earn an NCAA Tournament bid. The Raiders will play in college basketball’s showcase for the third time in school history and the first since 2007.
Gonzaga 74, BYU54
Killian Tillie scored 22 points, and theNo. 6 Bulldogs raced to their sixth straight West Coast Conference title. The Zags went on a half time spanning 36- 6 run and won their 17th straight conference tournament game.
College of Charleston 83, Northeastern 76 ( OT)
Joe Chealey had 32 points, and the Cougars rallied from 17 points down in the second half to win the Colonial Athletic Association title and reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999.
LIU Brooklyn 71, Wagner 61
Joel Hernandez had 32 points and seven rebounds, and the Blackbirds shocked their New York City rival to win the Northeast Conference tournament title and earn their first NCAA Tournament bid in five years.
South Dakota State 97, South Dakota 87
David Jenkins scored 29 points and Mike Daum 25 as the Jackrabbits won the Summit League tournament title and clinched a third straight NCAA Tournament berth.