NEW YORK
--Jerome Dyson and backcourt mate Kemba Walker each scored 20 points, and No. 13 Connecticut routed previously unbeaten LSU 81-55 last night in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off.Gavin Edwards added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Huskies, who advanced to play No. 7 Duke or Arizona State for the championship on Friday at Madison Square Garden. Stanley Robinson finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
UConn (4-0) had been underwhelming during its first three games this season, even trailing Hofstra by nine late in the second half in the tournament quarterfinals.
The Huskies were simply overwhelming in this one.
REGION
William & Mary 62, Hampton 61
WILLIAMSBURG
--Quinn McDowell scored 11 points, including two free throws down the stretch as William & Mary defeated Hampton.The Tribe (3-2) broke a 57-57 tie on a free throw by Danny Sumner with 3:40 left. Steven Hess then put William & Mary ahead 60-57 on a jump shot with 1:44 remaining.
The Pirates (0-4) pulled within one with 1:22 remaining on Charles Funches' jump shot.
With 47 seconds left, McDowell made both of his free throws as the Tribe went ahead 62-59.
On the Pirates' next possession, Mike Tuill hit two free throws with 44 seconds to pull within 62-61. But Hampton couldn't score on its next possession as Darrion Pellum missed a 3-pointer with 8 seconds to play.
David Schneider scored 16 points and Sumner added 15 as the Tribe won their third consecutive game.
Pellum led Hampton with 21 points, going 7-of-11.
Fairfield 81, Howard 60
WASHINGTON
--Yorel Hawkins scored 16 points to lead five Fairfield players in double figures as the Stags knocked off Howard.Hawkins, who missed the first four games of the year with appendicitis, scored 18 in his season debut on Monday and was 6-for-10 from the field with four free throws against Howard.
The Stags (4-1), whose only loss was at Maryland, were 16-for-30 from the field (53.3 percent) in the first half, going 6-of-12 from the 3-point line (50 percent), to roll to a 41-21 halftime lead.
Ryan Olander scored 14 points, Derek Needham added 13, and Lyndon Jordan and Mike Evanovich had 12 points each for Fairfield.
Howard (0-6) shot only 37.5 percent from the field (21 of 56) and 60.9 percent from the line (14 of 23).