COLLEGE BASKETBALL NATIONAL ROUNDUP : Monroe Sparks N.C. State

Rodney Monroe scored a career-high 48 points and led a second-half rally that carried North Carolina State to a 90-83 victory Sunday over 24th-ranked Georgia Tech in Raleigh, N.C.

Monroe, who started the game with a 27.2-point average, was within nine points of David Thompson’s school single-game record. Thompson scored 57 points against Buffalo State in 1974.

“I’m much more happy to be 2-0 in the (Atlantic Coast Conference) than to have 48 points,” said Monroe, whose team was expected to struggle in the ACC.

Before Monroe went on his binge--he scored 31 points in the second half on 13-of-21 shooting--N.C. State (8-3 overall, 2-0 in the conference) trailed, 50-38, at halftime. The Wolfpack missed its last 14 shots of the first half and could not stop Georgia Tech inside.

The Yellow Jackets’ first-half inside game was powered by Malcolm Mackey, who had 17 points in the half. His short jump shot at the beginning of the second half boosted Georgia Tech’s lead to 52-38 with 18:52 left.

From there, Monroe began his assault with a jump shot from 15 feet and a three-point basket. When he connected on another three-point basket with 9:07 left, the Wolfpack tied the score, 70-70.

Ivano Newbill completed a three-point play with 4:40 remaining to give Georgia Tech (9-5, 1-2) a 77-75 lead. But Monroe scored the next five points to put the Wolfpack ahead with 3:45 left.

Jon Barry hit a three-point basket to give Georgia Tech an 81-80 lead at 2:55, but Tom Gugliotta followed his miss with a basket and Monroe scored with 57 seconds left to give the Wolfpack the lead for good.

No. 10 St. John’s 72, No. 9 Connecticut 59--Malik Sealy scored 26 points as the Redmen ended UConn’s 22-game home winning streak.

St. John’s (11-2, 2-2) became the first team to beat the Huskies in 10 games at Gampel Pavilion, which opened last season. The streak also included games played at Connecticut’s other home courts, the Hartford Civic Center and its old campus fieldhouse.

Connecticut (12-2, 3-1) had been the last unbeaten team in Big East competition.

St. John’s broke from a 33-30 halftime lead with a 13-5 run. Sealy had the final nine points of the run.

REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

SOUTH

Marvin Eackles led a balanced scoring effort with 16 points as South Alabama withstood a late North Carolina Charlotte rally for a 95-88 victory at Charlotte, N.C. The Jaguars are 9-5 overall and 3-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. Charlotte is are 7-7 and 0-3. . . . Alabama Birmingham’s Andy Kennedy set a school single-game scoring record with 41 points as the Blazers (11-5) defeated St. Louis, 98-80, at Birmingham. Kennedy made eight three-point baskets. St. Louis is are 8-8.