COLLEGE BASKETBALL / POSTSEASON TOURNAMENTS : WEST REGIONAL : DePaul Upset, 81-73, by New Mexico State

New Mexico State, third-place finisher in the Big West Conference and the No. 12 seeded team in the West Regional, upset fifth-seeded DePaul, 81-73, Friday during the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The Aggies never trailed after opening a 4-2 lead. They improved to 24-7 behind junior Sam Crawford, a 5-foot-8 point guard from Westchester High and Moorpark College who had 21 points, 11 assists and four steals.

“Obviously, it’s a disappointing loss,” DePaul Coach Joey Meyer said. “We had some bad ballhandling early and some silly turnovers. We were sluggish at the start and spent the rest of the game trying to recover.”

Making its third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, New Mexico State--which lost during the first round the last two years--increased its 41-34 halftime lead to 14 points early in the second half and held off the Blue Demons, who twice cut their deficit to three points.

Crawford, most valuable player in the Big West Conference tournament, made 14 of 16 free throws, 11 of 13 during the second half.

“Sam played a great game,” New Mexico State Coach Neil McCarthy said. “They had to put people on him and foul him, and we took advantage.”

Forward David Booth led DePaul (20-9) with 19 points.

Southwestern Louisiana 87, Oklahoma 83--Sophomore guard Bryon Starks scored 21 points, making 10 of 14 shots, as the 13th-seeded Ragin’ Cajuns, champions of the Sun Belt Conference tournament, upset the fourth-seeded Sooners.

“I’m not shocked or surprised with the way they played,” Oklahoma Coach Billy Tubbs said of Southwestern Louisiana, which defeated Oklahoma, 103-101, last season in a nonconference game at Norman, Okla. “They shot extremely well. Maybe that’s due to (us), but they have some pretty good players.

“They capitalized and made big plays down the stretch. They got the lead at a certain time, and we didn’t get back in it.”

Oklahoma (21-9) never led again after a driving jump shot by Michael Allen gave Southwestern Louisiana (21-10) a 64-63 lead with 10:44 to play.

Two free throws by Todd Hill with 1:48 to play broke a 75-75 tie and started a 6-0 run by the Ragin’ Cajuns, who made all 12 of their free throws in the last two minutes.

Sophomore forward Jeff Webster scored 23 points for Oklahoma, which played without the No. 1 rebounder in the Big Eight Conference, junior center Bryan Sallier, who was sidelined because of a knee injury.

Louisville 81, Wake Forest 58--Dwayne Morton scored 18 of his 20 points during the second half and keyed an unusual four-point play for the eighth-seeded Cardinals (19-10).

Wake Forest went on a 9-4 run to start the second half and was within 44-40 with 13:40 left when Morton, a 6-foot-6 sophomore, made a three-pointer from the right side of the basket. Cornelius Holden was fouled underneath on the play and made the first of a one-and-one free-throw opportunity to give Louisville control for good at 48-40.

Everick Sullivan had 17 points to lead four Cardinals scoring in double figures.

Rodney Rogers led ninth-seeded Wake Forest (17-12) with 21 points.

The Demon Deacons shot 30% from the field during the first half and 36% for the game.

Louisville never got to the free-throw line during the first half, but the Cardinals made 19 of 23 during the second.