Vermont, South Florida advance in NCAA

Associated Press

DAYTON

Freshman Four McGlynn came off the bench to score 18 points and Vermont grabbed an early lead and hung on to beat Lamar 71-59 on Wednesday night in a first-round NCAA tournament game.

Matt Glass added 11 points, Sandro Carissimo 10 and Brian Voelkel had 12 rebounds to help the Catamounts earn a spot against top-seeded North Carolina on Friday in Greensboro, N.C.

Their only previous NCAA tournament win was a stunning 60-57 upset of fourth-seeded Syracuse by the 13th-seeded Catamounts in the first round of the 2005 tournament.

The Catamounts (24-11) shot 50 percent from the field on Wednesday, blending an inside presence with McGlynn’s touch from the perimeter.

McGlynn, the only player in all of Division I to lead his team in scoring (12.0) without starting a game and yet playing in every contest, provided punch to Vermont’s offense.

He entered in the first half and immediately ignited a 13-0 rally that gave the Catamounts a lead that they never relinquished.

Devon Lamb and Mike James each had 16 points for Lamar (23-12), which had won six in a row since first-year coach Pat Knight ripped his seniors after a loss in late February.

But after the NCAA loss, an emotional Knight fought back tears as he spoke about players who he said would turn the Lamar program around.

“I think these guys have done a heck of a job. If people disagree, they’re morons,” he said, sounding a lot like his father, Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight. “They’re down right now. Losing hurts. But what a ride. I’ll be talking about them until the day I die, these guys.”

SOUTH FLORIDA 65, CALIFORNIA 54

South Florida introduced the NCAA tournament to the Big East’s nastiest defense, allowing only 13 points in the first half.

South Florida (21-13) plays No. 5 seed Temple in Nashville on Friday.

California (24-10) didn’t score over the last 8:55 of the first half, missing 10 shots and turning it over twice while South Florida pulled ahead 36-13.

Victor Rudd led theBulls with 15 points and freshman point guard Anthony Collins added 12.