Saint Louis tops NC State in OT

Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla.

Fifth-seeded Saint Louis worked five extra minutes to stay alive in the NCAA tournament.

Rob Loe scored 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, helping St. Louis wipe out a late double-digit deficit and beat North Carolina State 83-80 in the second round of the Midwest Regional on Thursday night.

Atlantic-10 Conference player of the year Jordair Jett overcame a slow start to score 18, doing most of his damage while the fifth-seeded Billikens (27-6) were erasing a 59-45 deficit over the last five minutes of regulation.

With better free throw shooting, Saint Louis would have won without having to work overtime against a team playing its second game in three nights.

No. 12 seed NC State (22-14) beat Xavier in an opening round game in Dayton and fatigue very well could have been a factor in the Wolfpack missing 17 attempts from the foul line.

T.J. Warren scored 28 points for NC State, but the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year made just six of his 14 free throw attempts. He missed one that could have tied it in the final minute of OT.

Warren fouled out with 27.9 seconds remaining, leaving Ralston Turner to try to rescue the Wolfpack with a desperation 3-point attempt that clanked off the rim as time expired.

Saint Louis advanced to the third round to play either fourth-seeded Louisville or No. 13 Manhattan in a Midwest Region matchup on Saturday.

The Billikens did it despite trailing by as many as 16 and going 12 of 26 from the foul line.

Warren scored at least 20 for the 19th consecutive game.