BIG TEN Minnesota holds off rally

Iowa and Illinois won convincingly.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS -- Rick Rickert scored 26 points, and Maurice Hargrow added 21, allowing No. 24 Minnesota to hold on for an 87-81 victory over UNC Asheville on Sunday.
Rickert, last season's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, went 5-for-6 from 3-point range and also played strong perimeter defense as the Gophers improved to 4-0 in season openers under coach Dan Monson.
Andre Smith led Asheville (0-2) with 27 points.
Holding the lead
Minnesota, which was ranked in the preseason for the first time in six years, struggled when Asheville put together a late rally.
Asheville trailed 82-66 when it put together a 13-3 run. But Maurice Hargrow made two foul shots for Minnesota, and the Bulldogs could only manage two more points.
Michael Bauer finished with 20 points for Minnesota, which finished last season 18-13 and lost to Richmond in the second round of the NIT.
The Bulldogs were able to cut into their deficit because of poor free-throw shooting by the Gophers, who were known last season for blowing late leads. Minnesota shot 23-of-40 from the line and was outrebounded 42-35.
Iowa 79, Florida Atlantic 52
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Chauncey Leslie scored 20 points and three others scored in double figures to lead Iowa. It was the 25th straight season opening victory for Iowa (1-0).
The game also marked the regular season debut for Iowa's two highly touted freshmen, Jeff Horner and Greg Brunner.
Horner scored 15 points, dished out four assists and was key to the Hawkeyes' ability to break Florida Atlantic's backcourt press, which the Owls used most of the second half in an attempt to erase a 16-point halftime deficit.
Iowa also got 15 points and 14 rebounds from Jared Reiner, while Brunner chipped in 12 points and six rebounds.
Florida Atlantic, led by 16 points from guard Earnest Crumbley, got no closer than 16 points in the second half.
Illinois 90, Lehigh 56
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Sophomore Roger Powell had 15 points and nine rebounds to lead five underclassmen in double figures for Illinois.
Illinois (1-0) started three freshman and two sophomores in its first regular season game because of injuries and suspensions to two of its players, and the inexperience showed early on. But after a few rocky minutes, the Illini's youngsters eventually settled down and easily pulled away from Lehigh (1-1).
Forward Brian Cook and reserve guard Jerrance Howard sat out while serving two-game suspensions for playing in a non-sanctioned summer tournament. Illinois guards Dee Brown and Deron Williams, both freshmen, combined for 26 points and had four assists apiece.
Zlatko Savovic and Matt Logie led Lehigh with 18 points each.