NIT roundup
North Carolina 76, Miss. St. 74
Point guard Larry Drew II hit a shot over center Jarvis Varnado with 2 seconds to play to give North Carolina a 76-74 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday in the second round of the NIT.
Drew, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, drove to the basket and was able to get the shot over the 6-9 Varnado, who was second in the nation this season with 4.8 blocks per game.
North Carolina (18-16) will face UAB on Tuesday, with a trip to New York and the semifinals on the line.
Will Graves made a contested 3-pointer - his fourth of the game - with 31 seconds left to give the Tar Heels a 74-72, Barry Stewart tied it for the Bulldogs (24-12) with two free throws, setting the stage for Drew's game-winner.
Mississippi State was only able to get off a halfcourt heave at the final buzzer.
Stewart led the Bulldogs with 18 points while Dee Bost and Varnado added 14 points each and Ravern Johnson had 13.
Texas Tech 69, Jacksonville 64
Brad Reese scored 19 points to lead Texas Tech past Jacksonville.
The Red Raiders (19-15) overcame an 11-point first-half deficit and didn't take the lead until 14:51 remained, when a dunk and free throw by D'wayln Roberts made it 45-42.
Jacksonville tied it 62 on a basket by Ben Smith with 2:11 remaining, but the Red Raiders got stops and made free throws to close out the Dolphins.
Reese was 5 of 11 from the field, and 3 of 4 on 3-pointers.
Tech will play Mississippi in Oxford on Tuesday. The Rebels beat No. 3 Memphis 90-81 Friday.
Smith scored 17 points to lead the Dolphins (20-13).
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