NIT Roundup : Vanderbilt Beats Florida State; Washington Advances

The Southeastern Conference, which has three teams still playing in the NCAA Tournament, had a fourth--Vanderbilt--advance to the third round of the National Invitation Tournament Monday night with a 109-92 win over Florida State at Nashville, Tenn.

Will Perdue, Barry Goheen and Barry Booker each scored 22 points to lead the Commodores to a season-high point total and improve their record to 18-15.

Florida State, a member of the Metro Conference, ended its season at 19-11.

The Commodores sealed the victory midway through the second half by outscoring the Seminoles in eight minutes, 23-7, after leading 60-58 with 14:08 left to play.

Center Randy Neff scored 10 points during the spurt and closed it with two free throws with 6:03 left for an 83-65 lead.

The Commodores hit 20 of 23 free throws in the final six minutes to keep Florida State at bay.

Seminole guard Pee Wee Barber led all scorers with 23 points, George McCloud came off the bench to add 18 and forward Randy Allen finished with 16.

Washington 73, Boise State 68--Senior guard Greg Hill put the Huskies into the third round of the tournament by scoring 18 of his team’s last 22 points at Seattle.

Hill scored 22 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. He made two three-point goals and was 8 for 8 from the free-throw line in the second half.

Hill took control of the Washington offense after center Chris Welp and forward Kevin Vidato each scored four points in an 8-2 spurt that gave the Huskies a 35-32 lead early in the second half.

Boise State (22-8) stayed in the game on three three-point shots from all-Big Sky Conference guard Chris Childs in the last 14 minutes.

In the last 25 seconds, however, Childs had a three-point attempt blocked by Eldridge Recasner and then traveled during the Broncos’ last possession.

Childs finished with 21 points.

Washington (20-14) will play the winner of tonight’s California-Oregon State game at Corvallis, Ore.

Illinois State 79, Cleveland State 77--The Vikings, who advanced to the Final 16 in last year’s NCAA Tournament and easily won their first-round game, were upset on their home court by the Redbirds.

Derrick Sanders, who averaged 15 points this season, scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half to help hold off a Cleveland State rally,

Illinois State (19-12) led, 60-47, with 13:00 left to play, but Cleveland State (25-8) rallied to tie, 62-62, on Eddie Bryant’s two free throws with 9:51 to go.

The Redbirds moved out to a 71-62 lead with 7:19 left, and Cleveland State got no closer than three points until Bryant hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Tony Holifield scored 18 points for Illinois State. Ken McFadden led Cleveland State with 20 points and Bryant finished with 17.

Arkansas Little Rock 54, Stephen F. Austin 48--Sophomore center Daron Hoges and junior forward James Dawn led the Trojans (25-9) to a 40-26 lead with 14:09 left, and they held on to win at Little Rock, Ark.

The Lumberjacks, who committed eight turnovers in the first half, got no closer than three points in the second half and finished their first season in Division I play with a 21-8 record.