College Basketball | Gamecocks edge Friars in tourney

Devan Downey scored 21 points and Mike Holmes had 12 to lead South Carolina to a 68-67 win over Providence last night in the Big East/SEC Invitational at the Wachovia Center.

The Gamecocks (5-4) held on even though they had a nearly six-minute stretch without a field goal late in the second half that allowed the Friars to knock a double-digit deficit all the way down to one.

Weyinmi Efejuku was fouled with 0.2 seconds left on a driving layup and the Friars trailing by two.

With a chance to send the game into overtime, Efejuku made only one of two free throws and South Carolina finally escaped with the victory.

Geoff McDermott had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Providence (5-3).

Butler 53, Detroit 46 -

Matt Howard scored 20 points and Julian Betko hit a late 3-pointer to help the No. 13 Bulldogs (8-0) beat the Titans (4-4) in Detroit.

Jon Goode had 21 points and seven assists for Detroit.

Niagara 89, Rider 77 -

Charron Fisher (Roman Catholic) scored a career-high 36 points to lead the Purple Eagles (4-2, 1-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) past the Broncs (5-4, 0-1) at Lewiston, N.Y.

Jason Thompson had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Rider.

Holy Family 80, West Chester 61 -

Michael Sturns scored 26 points and Ryan Lancaster added 22 to lead the Tigers (5-3) past the Golden Rams (3-4) in a nonleague game in West Chester. Aaron Smith led West Chester with 19 points.

Moravian 71, Delaware Valley 57 –

Raheem Wiggins scored 19 points but the Aggies (0-7) fell to the Greyhounds (5-2) in a nonleague game in Bethlehem, Pa.

Maryland 89, Morgan State 65 -

Eric Hayes scored a career-high 19 points, Greivis Vasquez had 17 points and 11 assists, and the Terrapins (6-3) pulled away to an easy victory over the Bears (4-4) in College Park, Md.

Duke 49, Rutgers 44 -

Carrem Gay's free throw with 30 seconds left put the No. 17 Blue Devils (6-3) ahead to stay in their victory over the fourth-ranked Scarlet Knights (5-2) in Durham, N.C.

The win snapped Duke's three-game losing streak and ended Rutgers' five-game winning streak.

Chante Black and Gay each scored 11 points to lead Duke. Epiphanny Prince had 15 points and Kia Vaughn added 11 rebounds for Rutgers.

Syracuse 72, Penn State 53 -

Nichole Michael scored 16 points, and Chandrea Jones and Erica Morrow added 15 apiece to lead the Orange (6-1) over the Nittany Lions (6-3) at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.

Penn State was led by Mashea Williams with 18 points.

Haverford 54, Immaculata 45 -

Sarah Cram had 15 points and the Fords (2-5) won the nonleague game over the visiting Macs (2-5). Nina Cammarano scored 17 points for Immaculata.

Delaware Valley 68, Marywood 64 –

Brooke Dittmar had 21 points and 16 rebounds as the Aggies (3-4) beat the Pacers (6-1) in a nonleague game in Doylestown.

Shepherd 83, Cheyney 41 -

Lillian Penn scored 10 points but the Wolves (0-4) lost to the Rams (3-3) in a nonleague game in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Bloomfield 80, Philadelphia University 70 -

Jessica Romano scored 26 points but the Rams (3-3) fell to the Deacons (3-2) in Bloomfield, N.J.