Big Apple NIT Roundup : Purdue, Georgia Tech Win Easily

Second-ranked Purdue, behind Todd Mitchell’s 22 points, crushed Arkansas Little Rock, 102-88, Friday night in an opening-round game of the Big Apple NIT college basketball tournament.

Also advancing with first-round victories were No. 8 Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Seton Hall, New Mexico and UCLA.

Georgia Tech had no problems with Alcorn State, 114-71; Iowa State downed Texas, 100-83; Seton Hall defeated George Mason, 85-63, and New Mexico beat Weber State, 88-72.

The first round concludes today with Virginia Tech at Middle Tennessee and Jacksonville at Florida.

At West Lafayette, Ind., Mitchell scored seven straight points late in the first half as the Boilermakers used a 9-1 spurt to take a 51-37 lead over the Trojans with 43 seconds left in the half. Purdue had four players in double figures, including senior guard Troy Lewis, who scored 18 points and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds.

Forward James Dawn led Arkansas Little Rock with 27 points.

At Atlanta, Tom Hammonds and Brian Oliver each scored a career-high 29 points as Georgia Tech crushed Alcorn State to move into the second round.

Tech never trailed and held its biggest lead at 103-61 with five minutes remaining.

Ferrell added 20 points for Tech, while Roosevelt Tate led the Braves with 25 points, 19 in the second half.

In Ames, Iowa, Jeff Grayer scored 36 points and center LaFester Rhodes, making his first start, added a career-high 27 to lead Iowa State over Texas.

Travis Mays, Texas’ lone returning starter, led the Longhorns with 27 points.

At Piscataway, N.J., forward Daryll Walker scored 20 points and Martin Salley added 18 as Seton Hall downed George Mason.

Kenny Sanders and Earl Moore combined for George Mason’s first 26 points. Moore finished with 24 points and Sanders with 22.

At Albuquerque, N.M., forward Charlie Thomas, a 6-foot 7-inch, 220-pound transfer from Wake Forest, led New Mexico with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Sophomore point guard Darrell McGee scored 15 points, and forward Hunter Greene added 16. Greene, leading scorer in the Western Athletic Conference last season, scored 14 of his points in the second half.

The second round will be played Monday and Tuesday, with the survivors advancing to the semifinals and final at New York’s Madison Square Garden next weekend.