NIT Roundup : Trojans of Little Rock Defeat Cal; Washington Is Eliminated

Arkansas Little Rock guard Juric Brown, a nonstarter who was averaging 8.8 points per game, scored a career-high 27 in 35 minutes to lead the Trojans past California, 80-73, Saturday night in the quarterfinals of the National Invitation Tournament.

Little Rock (26-9), along with Nebraska, La Salle and Southern Mississippi, advanced to the NIT Final Four at New York. The semifinals are Tuesday night.

Brown made 8 of 11 shots from the field, including three of four from three-point range and was good on all eight of his free throws.

Cal, which advanced by beating Cal State Fullerton, 72-68, in overtime and then edging Oregon State, 65-62, in the NIT’s second round, finished with a record of 20-15.

Nebraska 81, Washington 76--Brian Carr scored seven points in the final minute as the Cornhuskers won at Lincoln, Neb.

Carr, who finished with 17 points, made a three-point shot with 33 seconds left to put Nebraska (20-11) ahead to stay, 75-73.

The Huskies (20-15) were led by Greg Hill, who had 25 points.

La Salle 70, Illinois State 50--Freshman Lionel Simmons scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and Tim Legler added 17 points as the Explorers (19-12) won easily at Philadelphia.

Illinois State’s Derrick Sanders had a game-high 26 points.

S. Mississippi 95, Vanderbilt 88--Southern Mississippi’s Randolph Keys scored 26 points, and Casey Fisher and John White each added 21 as the Golden Eagles (21-11) defeated the Commodores at Nashville, Tenn.