Jan. 30, 2013

There were five games Wednesday night in the Atlantic 10, including the Xavier-Dayton rivalry game.

MASSACHUSETTS 61, LA SALLE 60

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Raphiael Putney scored 17 points and Chaz Williams made the game-winning layup with 8 seconds left to help Massachusetts edge La Salle 61-60 Wednesday night and snap a three-game losing streak against the Explorers.

Williams finished with six points, six assists and six rebounds for UMass, which improved to 6-1 on the road. Maxie Esho chipped in 11 off the bench for the Minutemen. His dunk with 4:30 left to play put UMass (14-5, 4-2 Atlantic 10 Conference) ahead 57-54.

La Salle held UMass to two points over the next 3 1/2 minutes and took a 60-59 lead on Tyreek Duren's layup with 38 seconds remaining. But Williams converted his game-winner on the Minutemen's ensuing possession.

Jerrell Wright and Ramon Galloway had 16 points apiece for La Salle (14-6, 4-3), which made 25 of 29 shots but got outrebounded 37-32. UMass turned 14 offensive boards in 15 second-chance points.


SAINT JOSEPH'S 66, FORDHAM 62

NEW YORK (AP) - Carl Jones tallied 19 points and hit key free throws down the stretch to help Saint Joseph's outlast Atlantic 10 Conference-foe Fordham 66-62 Wednesday night.

Halil Kanacevic added 12 points while Ronald Roberts and Chris Wilson chipped in 10 apiece. Kanacevic and Wilson grabbed seven boards each and Roberts had 10 for the Hawks (12-7, 3-3), who outrebounded their fourth opponent in their last five games.

There were eight ties and 21 lead changes before Fordham's Branden Frazier hit two free throws put the Rams (6-15, 2-4) up 62-61 with 47 seconds left to play. But Jones made five free throws in the final 33 seconds to seal the win.

Frazier, who led Fordham with 24 points, missed a free throw with 26 seconds left, committed a turnover with 7 seconds remaining and missed a 3-pointer with just 3 seconds showing. Ryan Canty had 14 rebounds for Fordham.

TEMPLE 71, RICHMOND 64

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Scootie Randall scored 21 points and Anthony Lee posted a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds to help Temple beat Richmond 71-64 Wednesday night in Atlantic 10 Conference play and snap a two-game losing streak against the Spiders.

Khaliff Wyatt, who entered the game as the A-10's leading scorer at 17.7 points per contest, finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson chipped in 11.

Temple (14-6, 3-3) made 15 of 27 first-half shots en route to a 38-30 lead at the break. Richmond rallied to take a 61-59 lead with 7:24 left to play but a Randall layup sparked a 10-3 run for the Owls. Richmond missed nine of its last 10 shots.

The Spiders (13-9, 3-4), led by Darien Brothers' 22 points, tallied just 24 rebounds. The Owls, who finished with 38 rebounds, turned 12 offensive boards into 18 second-chance points.

VCU 70, RHODE ISLAND 64

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) - Juvonte Reddic tallied a double-double and Treveon Graham posted his 15th straight game in double figures in Virginia Commonwealth's 70-64 win over Rhode Island on Wednesday.

Graham, a sophomore, scored eight of his 19 points from the free-throw line. Reddic, who leads the Atlantic 10 Conference in rebounding, finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds - seven on the offensive end.

Rhode Island trailed 43-41 before VCU reeled off seven straight to take a 50-41 lead. Rhode Island got no closer than five the rest of the way.

VCU (17-5, 5-2) has won 15 of their last 18 true road games dating back to December of 2011 and improved to 8-0 under head coach Shaka Smart coming off back-to-back losses.

Xavier Munford, who entered the game ranked second in the A-10 in scoring, finished with 17 points for Rhode Island (6-13, 1-5).

VCU converted 18 of 25 free throws.

XAVER 66, DAYTON 61

CINCINNATI (AP) - Dee Davis scored 14 points and hit a pair of key free throws late as Xavier held court against Atlantic 10 Conference-foe Dayton 66-61 Wednesday night.

The teams exchanged the lead four times in a 2-minute span late, ending with Xavier (12-8, 5-2) leading 62-61 on Semaj Christon's jumper with 59.4 second left.

The Flyers' Kevin Dillard missed a jumper and Xavier grabbed the rebound. Three times, Dayton sent the Musketeers to the foul line for one-and-ones. Xavier missed the first end on the first two trips, but grabbed the rebound and drew fouls after each whiff. Davis connected on both free throws after the third foul, and then Matt Derenbecker missed a 3-point try for Dayton to effectively end it.

Xavier has beaten Dayton (12-8, 2-4) at home 28 consecutive times dating back to 1981.

Vee Sanford scored 16 points and Dillard hit four 3-pointers for 12 points.