NCAA-WOFFORD-ARKANSAS
Arkansas hangs on to beat Wofford 56-53, avoids 5-seed woes
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) β Michael Qualls scored 20 points, Southeastern Conference player of the year Bobby Portis added 15 points and 13 rebounds, and fifth-seeded Arkansas held off No. 12 seed Wofford 56-53 in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
The Razorbacks (27-8) escaped a back-and-forth game in the West Region that featured 18 lead changes, 10 ties and neither team ahead by more than five points.
Arkansas advanced to play fourth-seeded North Carolina on Saturday. The Tar Heels edged Ivy League champion Harvard earlier in the night.
Arkansas at times looked as though it might become the latest No. 5 seed to get upset in the NCAAs, but Wofford (28-7) missed three 3-pointers in the final minute-plus, helping the Razorbacks hang on.
Spencer Collins led the Terriers with 16 points and nine rebounds.
NCAA-COASTAL CAROLINA-WISCONSIN
No. 16 seed Coastal Carolina won’t sneak up on Bo’s Badgers
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) β Considering the scare Coastal Carolina gave Virginia last year, Wisconsin fans can be assured the Badgers are giving their opening opponent in the NCAA Tournament their full attention.
The Chanticleers are back as a No. 16 seed, and they will be taking aim at the West Region’s top-seeded Badgers on Friday. A No. 16 seed has never won a game in the round of 64.
Coastal Carolina led by 10 points in the first half against Virginia last March and by five at halftime before losing 70-59.
Badgers coach Bo Ryan said Coastal Carolina (24-9) has shown it’s capable of playing against anybody.
The Badgers (31-3) swept the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles after reaching the Final Four last year.
S CAROLINA FOOTBALL HALL
Shell, Richardson head up latest hall class
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Shell and Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson among the four newest inductees into the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame.
Hall organizers announced the latest class Thursday. Joining Shell and Richardson are former NFL quarterback and coach Dan Reeves and ex-Philadelphia and Denver safety Brian Dawkins. The group will be inducted during ceremonies next month.
Shell was born in Charleston and was named to eight Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls with the Raiders. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Richardson became the first NFL player since George Halas to own an NFL franchise.
Reeves coached Denver to three Super Bowls and Atlanta to one.
Ex-Clemson standout Dawkins was a nine-time Pro Bowler.
HURRICANES-CANADIENS
Price makes 31 saves, leads Canadiens past Hurricanes 4-0
MONTREAL (AP) β Carey Price made 31 saves for his league-leading and career-best 39th win of the season, lifting the Montreal Canadiens past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-0 on Thursday night.
Price also earned his eighth shutout for the Canadiens, who got goals from Dale Weise, Brendan Gallagher, David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty.
Anton Khudobin stopped 18 of 22 shots for Carolina, which has lost five of its last six.
Montreal has won five straight against the Hurricanes.
NCAA-LSU-NC STATE
Anya last-second leaner lifts NC State rally past LSU 66-65
PITTSBURGH (AP) β BeeJay Anya’s hook shot rolled around and in with a second to play, lifting North Carolina State to a stunning 66-65 victory over LSU in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
The eighth-seeded Wolfpack (21-13) trailed by as much as 16 but rallied to earn a date with top-seeded Villanova in the round of 32 on Saturday.
Cat Barber led N.C. State with 17 points and Abdul-Malik Abu added 13, but Anya came up with the biggest play of the game. Senior Trevor Lacey tried to work for a shot with the clock winding down before giving up and feeding Anya in the block. The burly sophomore got off a left-handed hook and it caromed in.
Tim Quarterman scored 17 points, but the Tigers (22-11) collapsed late. LSU missed its last 12 field goals and six crucial free throws in the final 4 minutes.
NCAA WOMEN’S SWIMMING
Cal’s Missy Franklin wins 200-yard IM at NCAAs
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) β Missy Franklin of California won the 200-yard individual medley at the NCAA women’s swimming and diving championships Thursday night in her final college meet.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist finished first in 1 minute, 52.11 seconds β third-fastest in history β on the first night of competition at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. Franklin plans to turn pro after the three-day meet ends Saturday, having completed two years of college. She aims to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Franklin swam a leg on Cal’s winning 200 freestyle relay. Kaylin Bing, Franklin, Olympic gold medalist Rachel Bootsma and Farida Osman touched first in 1:26.41. Stanford was second and Georgia third.
