Colonials unravel late in NEC loss

RMU hits one FG in final 5:47, falls to No. 1 seed

From local and wire dispatches

Elijah Long scored 22 points, including a decisive 3-pointer in the final minute, and Mount St. Mary’s pulled away late for a 75-66 win against visiting Robert Morris Saturday in the Northeast Conference tournament semifinals.

Long, who added five assists and five rebounds, pulled up from the top of the key and buried a 3 to give the Mountaineers (18-15) a 68-64 lead with 50 seconds left. After both teams made two free throws, Matty McConnell missed a 3 for Robert Morris, and Long’s rebound and outlet pass to a streaking Junior Robinson made for an uncontested layup and a 72-66 lead with 24 seconds remaining.

Isaiah Still and McConnell led the Colonials (1419) with 19 points apiece. McConnell’s 3 with 5:47 left capped a quick 5-0 run and gave Robert Morris a 60-58 lead with 5:47 to play, but the Colonials went just 1 for 6 from the field thereafter.

More NEC

Keith Braxton, NEC rookie of the year, hit a 3 from the wing at the buzzer to send No. 4 Saint Francis, Pa., to the championship. The Red Flash (16-15) topped host No. 3 Wagner (16-14), 71-70. Isaiah Blackmon led Saint Francis with 20 points and Braxton added 15.

Horizon

Cameron Morse hit Jorden Kaufman for the winning layup at the buzzer as No. 9 Youngstown State (13-20) beat top-seeded Oakland (24-7), 81-80, in the quarterfinals in Detroit. … Cody Winchmann scored 11 points as No. 10 Milwaukee (10-23) edged No. 2 Valparaiso (24-8), 43-41.

Ohio Valley

Erik Durham scored 17 points as No. 4 Jacksonville State (20-14) put away No. 2 Tennessee Martin (2112), 66-55, to claim the title in Nashville, Tenn., and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Missouri Valley

MiKyle McIntosh scored 15 points and No. 1 Illinois State (27-5) never trailed in a 63-50 win against fourthseeded Southern Illinois (17-16) in St. Louis to advance to the final. … Shaquille Morris scored 21 points to help No. 2 Wichita State (29-4) beat Missouri State (17-15), 78-63.

West Coast

Jared Brownridge scored 28 points to lead No 4. Santa Clara (17-15) to a quarterfinal victory, beating No. 5 San Francisco (2012), 76-69. … A week after handing Gonzaga its first loss, No. 3 BYU (22-10) beat No. 6 Loyola Marymount (15-15), 89-81.

PSAC

Dustin Sleva’s 33 points led Shippensburg (25-3), No. 2 in the East, past No. 1 IUP (27-3) with a 90-87 overtime victory in the semifinals in Indiana, Pa. … Anthony Lee scored 24 points to help Kutztown (26-2), No. 1 in the West, put away No. 2 Gannon (18-10), 91-85.