College Basketball Roundup : Nevada Las Vegas Holds Off Rally by Utah State, 87-83

Keith James scored 21 points, and Clint Rossum hit four free throws in the final 17 seconds to lift eighth-ranked Nevada Las Vegas past Utah State, 87-83, in a Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. game Tuesday night at Logan, Utah.

UNLV led, 75-65, with five minutes to play, but Utah State’s Reid Newey, who had a game-high 30 points, scored 7 of the next 10 points, including a three-pointer with 3:11 left to tie the score, 75-75.

The teams traded baskets until James’ tip-in with 53 seconds left gave the Runnin’ Rebels an 84-79 lead. Newey hit a pair of free throws to cut the margin, but the Aggies were forced to foul, and Rossum hit four straight free throws.

UNLV, which played without second-leading scorer Jarvis Basnight, out with a groin infection, is 15-1 overall and 5-1 in the PCAA. Utah State is 10-6 and 5-2.

Seton Hall 82, Providence 80--John Morton sank a pair of free throws with three seconds left to cap the Pirates’ comeback rally from a 20-point first-half deficit in the Big East Conference game at East Rutherford, N.J.

Mark Bryant blocked a layup by Providence’s Chris Watts at the buzzer to help Seton Hall improve to 13-6 and 2-3. Providence dropped to 8-6 and 2-2.

St. Joseph’s 73, La Salle 63--Rodney Blake had 21 points, and Brian Leahy scored 16 of his 20 in the second half as the Hawks won in the rivalry of Philadelphia at the Palestra.

St. Joseph’s (8-8) holds a 46-41 series edge.

La Salle, led by Lionel Simmons’ 18 points and 15 rebounds, is 9-9.