Asheville kicks off NCAAs with OT win
John Williams #23 of the North Carolina-Asheville Bulldogs dunks the ball against Arkansas Little Rock Trojans during the first round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at UD Arena. (March 15, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
DAYTON, Ohio -- Matt Dickey and North Carolina Asheville injected a little customary March drama into the NCAA's new-look tournament.
Dickey led a late run that brought overtime, and J.P. Primm hit five free throws and had a steal in the closing seconds last night, sending UNC Asheville to an 81-77 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock in a dramatic "First Four" opener.
"We don't have any quit in this team," UNC Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach said.
The Bulldogs (20-13) will play Pittsburgh, the top seed in the Southeast, Thursday in Washington, D.C.
Asheville pulled it out with a tournament-worthy performance by its best player. The Bulldogs led for only 51 seconds in regulation, before Dickey asserted himself. He scored 14 of the Bulldogs' last 18 points in regulation, including a three with 10.5 seconds to go that tied it.
"I hit one in the corner and it was a good time for it to fall," Dickey said.
Primm and Dickey had 22 points apiece.
Alex Garcia-Mendoza matched his career high with 21 points for Arkansas-Little Rock (19-17). The Trojans played overtime without Solomon Bozeman, the Sun Belt's player of the year who fouled out in the final minute of regulation. He finished with 18 points.
Each year, the tournament turns into a big stage looking for a star. Dickey became the first to take the spotlight.
The shooting guard asserted himself with nine minutes left, leading the late surge that culminated in his three-pointer from the left corner. Arkansas-Little Rock's Matt Mouzy missed a three at the buzzer, sending it to overtime.
There were five lead changes in overtime, the last on Primm's two free throws that made it 78-77 and put the Bulldogs in position to win yet another overtime tournament game in Dayton.
The Bulldogs also opened the tournament in a play-in game in Dayton in 2003, beating Texas Southern, 92-84 in overtime.
Clemson 70, UAB 52: In the other game in Dayton, Jerai Grant scored a career-best 22 points and Clemson (22-11) ran out to a 21-2 lead in the first half and never let up.
Clemson hurried out after the game to catch a flight to its second-round game against fifth-seeded West Virginia (20-11) tomorrow afternoon in Tampa, Fla.
-- AP
