UMass overruns Savannah State

Rashaun Freeman hit a layup 11 seconds into the game, and the University of Massachusetts men's basketball team never trailed en route to a 72-49 victory over host Savannah State last night.

Freeman had 14 points and seven rebounds to lead the Minutemen (6-1) in a balanced attack with four players in double figures. James Life had 13 points and Gary Forbes and Brandon Thomas scored 10 apiece.

Savannah State (5-4), which won its first five but has lost four in a row since, was led by Joseph Flegler's 12 points.

UCLA 88, Long Beach St. 58 -- Josh Shipp scored a career-high 24 points, Arron Afflalo added 20 and host UCLA won in its first game as the nation's No. 1 team since 1995.

The Bruins (5-0) hit 13 3-pointers, led by Shipp's career-high six and Westbrook's 3-of-3 from long-range. Sterling Byrd led Long Beach State (2-3) with career highs of 15 points and 16 rebounds.

Florida 83, Southern 27 -- Al Horford scored 12 points, Walter Hodge added 9 in place of Corey Brewer, and the fourth-ranked Gators rebounded from their first loss with a rout of winless Southern, extending their home winning streak against nonconference opponents to 19 games.

Brewer, the best defender and most versatile player for Florida (7-1), sat out with mononucleosis. Hodge started in his place against Southern (0-6) and was 4 for 6 from the field, with six assists and two rebounds.

Kansas 83, Dartmouth 32 -- Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson each scored 13 points as the No. 5 host Jayhawks (6-1) handed Dartmouth one of its worst losses.

Alabama 75, La.-Monroe 61 -- Mykal Riley and Alonzo Gee each scored 22 points and the No. 6 Crimson Tide, who trailed by 5 points early in the second half, rallied to beat Louisiana-Monroe.

Duke 54, Indiana 51 -- DeMarcus Nelson scored 19 points as the No. 11 Blue Devils (6-1) held on to beat visiting Indiana in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, extending their nonconference home winning streak to 45 games and remaining the only unbeaten team in the eight-year history of the challenge. The win also gave Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski his 759th career victory, tying him with Western Kentucky's Ed Diddle for 10th on the all-time list.

Providence 81, Columbia 55 -- Weyinmi Efejuku had 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting as the host Friars (4-1) recorded their third straight nonconference victory.

Connecticut 84, BU 51 -- Mel Thomas hit all four of her 3-pointers, Charde Houston had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and the No. 7 host Huskies (3-0) beat the Terriers (3-2) in their final tuneup before a showdown with No. 9 Purdue. UConn (3-0) opened with a 14-4 run and never let BU (3-2) into the game. Thomas finished with 14 points, one of five Huskies to hit double figures.

Tennessee 71, La. Tech 50 -- Dominique Redding scored 13 points and Alberta Auguste added 11 as the No. 4 Volunteers (6-0) dominated the Lady Techsters from the start, getting a double-digit lead after less than seven minutes.

Texas A&M 64, Arizona 44 -- Takia Starks scored 20 points and Morenike Atunrase added 18 to help the 10th-ranked host Aggies (6-0) beat the Wildcats (4-3).

Providence 79, UNH 53 -- Shauna Snyder scored a season-high 26 points to propel the Friars (7-1) over the host Wildcats (2-3). UNH's Danielle Clark scored her 1,000th point in the second half.

UNH 5, Merrimack 0 -- South Boston's Kevin Regan recorded his fourth career shutout, making 26 saves to lead the host Wildcats to a Hockey East victory over the Warriors. UNH (10-2-1, 8-1-1) had five scorers and was bolstered by special teams play. Thomas Fortney and Craig Switzer recorded multiple points with two assists each. Regan, a junior, made 10 of his 26 saves in the second period. Andre Brathwaite stopped 37 shots for Merrimack (1-10-1, 1-6-0 HE).