BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kevin Jones scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half to lead second-seeded West Virginia to a 77-50 victory over No. 15 seed Morgan State in the the East Regional of the NCAA tournament on Friday.
Despite the margin of victory, it wasn’t an easy start for the Big East tournament champs after West Virginia missed its first 11 shots and trailed 10-0 before the game was five minutes old.
With leading scorer Da’Sean Butler handcuffed by a double-teaming Bears defense, Jones proved to be the difference. The sophomore forward went 4 for 4 for nine points during a decisive 21-4 run over a 6-minute stretch in the first half. Devin Ebanks had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Mountaineers (28-6).
Reggie Holmes scored 12 for Morgan State (27-10), the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champ, which followed up its first tournament appearance last year with another bid this season.
n No. 10 Missouri 86, No. 7 Clemson 78: In Buffalo, N.Y., Kim English and Keith Ramsey each scored 20 points, and Missouri’s swarming defense lived up to its reputation against Clemson.
Missouri (23-10), the 10th seed in the East Regional, has won five straight opening-round games and will play West Virginia in the second round Sunday.
n No. 12 Cornell 78, No. 5 Temple 65: In Jacksonville, Fla., Cornell lived up to its billing, showing why it’s the best team to come out of the Ivy League in more than a decade.
Down to their last chance to experience success on college basketball’s biggest stage, seniors Ryan Wittman, Louis Dale and Jeff Foote led 12th-seeded Cornell to its first win in five tournament appearances.
Dale scored 21 points, Wittman had 20 and Foote added 16 points and seven rebounds.
n No. 4 Wisconsin 53, No. 13 Wofford 49: In Jacksonville, Fla., Jon Leuer scored 20 points, including a jumper and two free throws in the final 17 seconds as Wisconsin eked out a win over Wofford.
Trevon Hughes added 19 points for Wisconsin, including 12 of the team’s first 21. The Badgers advanced to the second round for the fourth consecutive year and will play Cornell on Sunday.
SOUTH REGIONAL
n No. 1 Duke 73, No. 16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 44: In Jacksonville, Fla., Kyle Singler had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Jon Scheyer scored 13 as Duke rolled past Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Lance Thomas chipped in 12 points and Nolan Smith added 10 as the Blue Devils began their quest for a fourth national championship in dominating fashion.
n No. 4 Purdue 72, No. 13 Siena 64: In Spokane, Wash., Keaton Grant ignited a decisive 20-3 run with 11 points to begin the second half, and Purdue rallied past giant-killer Siena despite playing without do-it-all forward Robbie Hummel.
Grant, the senior who became a starter after Hummel injured his knee three weeks ago, opened up the inside for teammate JuJuan Johnson’s 23 points. Johnson, the tallest player on either team at 6-foot-10, tied his career high with 15 rebounds.
n No. 5 Texas A&M; 69, No. 12 Utah State 53: In Spokane, Wash., Khris Middleton scored a career-high 19 points as Texas A&M; (24-9) beat Utah State to advance to the second round for the fifth consecutive year. The Aggies will face Purdue on Sunday.
WEST REGIONAL
n No. 8 Gonzaga 67, No. 9 Florida St. 60: In Buffalo, N.Y., Matt Bouldin scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half to help onzaga hang on for a victory over Florida State.
Steven Gray scored 15 points while Robert Sacre had nine rebounds for the Bulldogs (27-6), who nearly squandered an 18-point lead.
n No. 6 Xavier 65, No. 11 Minnesota 54: In Milwaukee, Jordan Crawford scored 17 of his 28 points in the second half and Xavier kept up its run of tournament success by beating Minnesota.
Xavier (25-8) advanced to the second round for the fourth straight year, this time under first-year coach Chris Mack, and will face Pitt.
Mack has a star in Crawford, the Indiana transfer playing in his first NCAA tournament game in two years. But it was far from a one-man show.
Dante Jackson smothered the Gophers’ best shooters on defense, Jamel McLean had 14 rebounds and Crawford provided the highlight plays for the sixth-seeded Musketeers.
Lawrence Westbrook scored 19 points for Minnesota (21-14), but coach Tubby Smith’s 11th-seeded Gophers went cold from 3-point range late.
MIDWEST REGIONAL
n No. 5 Michigan State 70, No. 12 New Mexico State 67: In Spokane, Wash., Kalin Lucas scored a career-high 25 points and Raymar Morgan emerged from a quiet night by hitting key shots down the stretch as Michigan State edged New Mexico State.
Morgan broke a late tie with four straight points.
n No. 10 Georgia Tech 64, No. 7 Oklahoma St. 59: In Milwaukee, Gani Lawal scored 14 points, Derrick Favors added 12 points and nine rebounds and Georgia Tech made 24 of 25 free throws to hold off Oklahoma State.
