Top 25/Big 12 Roundup: Gaels shock Tar Heels
New York ? Iona coach Jeff Ruland had a chance to relive a great night from a long time ago. North Carolina coach Matt Doherty had the worst night of a turnaround season.
Courtney Fields scored 18 points, helping Iona (5-3) beat No. 22 North Carolina 65-56 Friday night in the opening round of the Holiday Festival, the Gaels’ first win over a ranked team in almost 23 years.
The loss kept the Tar Heels (7-3) from matching last season’s win total and Sean May, one of the freshmen who had helped the turnaround, will be out 8-to-10 weeks after breaking his foot early in the second half.
Rashad McCants had 15 points for North Carolina, which shot 32 percent (18-for-56), and fellow freshmen David Noel and Raymond Felton added 12 and 11. The Tar Heels also committed 23 turnovers as Iona registered 17 steals.
“You can’t have that many turnovers and shoot 32 percent and expect to beat a team like Iona,” Doherty said.
Nebraska 60, UCSB 57
Tempe, Ariz. — Jake Muhleisen had 13 of his 15 points in the second half, helping Nebraska rally from an 11-point deficit in the first game of the ASU/azcentral.com Hoops Classic.
Andrew Drevo had 13 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a career-high four blocks, and Jason Dourisseau scored seven of his nine points in the final 8:48 for Nebraska (5-4).
Branduinn Fullove had 18 points and Mark Hull 13 for UCSB (3-6).
Colorado 75, Louisiana-Lafayette 56
Charlotte, N.C. — Blair Wilson scored 20 of his career-high tying 24 points in the second half, leading Colorado to a win in the Pepsi Classic. David Harrison added 16 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for the Buffaloes (6-3) in the opener of the three-day, four-team round-robin event.
Anthony Johnson had 20 points and seven rebounds and Laurie Bridges scored 11 for the Ragin’ Cajuns (5-4).