Butler boumces back with 19 points

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) -- Two days after going 0-for-8, Lamar Butler scored 19 points and drilled the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:24 to play Friday night to give George Mason a 66-60 victory over Austin Peay in the NIT.

Jai Lewis added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Patriots (23-9), who have won back-to-back postseason games for the first time in school history.

George Mason, which has already broken a school record for victories in a season, will play Oregon on the road Tuesday night. The 23rd victory also is a best for coach Jim Larranaga, who previous top season was 22-10 in his last year at Bowling Green in 1996-97.

Adrian Henning had 20 points and seven rebounds to lead Austin Peay (22-10) in a game between two teams unused to success this late in March. George Mason's opening round victory over Tennessee on Wednesday was its first postseason win in 18 years, while the Governors ended a drought of 17 years by beating Belmont on the same night.

In other NIT games, it was West Virginia 79, Rhode Island 72, and Nebraska 78 Niagara 70.

Austin Peay finished 0-8 in nonconference road games this season.

Butler missed all eight of his shots -- including six 3-pointers -- against the Volunteers, but he was 6-for-13 from the field and made 5 of 12 3-pointers against the Governors. His 3-pointer broke a 57-57 tie with 1:24 remaining, and his teammates made six free throws in the final minute to seal the victory.

George Mason jumped to leads of 8-0 and 18-7, but the Patriots made only one field goal in the final 10 minutes of the first half and were tied at 29 at the break.

Henning was the only Governors player to score in the game's first 8{ minutes. He was 5-for-6 in the first half and had 11 of Austin Peay's 29 points at the half.< ^West Virginia 79, Rhode Island 72=

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- D'or Fischer blocked nine shots to set a school record and lead West Virginia over Rhode Island.

Tyrone Sally scored 17 points for the Mountaineers (17-13), and Fischer added 11. Rhode Island (20-14), led by Brian Woodward with 20 points, also was stymied by West Virginia's decision to alternate between man and 1-3-1 zone defenses nearly every possession.

Rhode Island didn't figure out Sally or the zone until West Virginia held a 64-43 lead with 8:50 left. By then Sally had 12 of his points.

West Virginia plays a second-round game Monday at Rutgers.< ^Nebraska 78, Niagara 70=

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- John Turek and Nate Johnson had 17 points apiece for Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers (18-12) advance to a game Monday at Hawaii.

Juan Mendez scored 27 points to lead Niagara (22-10). James Reaves had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Purple Eagles.

Brian Conklin, who made three 3-pointers, added 14 points for the Huskers.

Nebraska held Niagara to 40-percent shooting. Tremmell Darden, who had 26 points in the Eagles' win over Troy State on Tuesday, was held to 11.