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Wednesday, March 13, 2002

By Joe Kay, The Associated Press

Siena, the only NCAA tournament team with more losses than wins, has figured out how to pull them out at the right time.

	Alcorn State's Marcus Fleming goes over the top of Siena's James Clinton in their NCAA opening-round game in Dayton, Ohio, last night. (Al Behrman, Associated Press)

Prosper Karangwa scored a career-high 31 points last night and struggling Dwayne Archbold hit two free throws to clinch an 81-77 victory against Alcorn State in a play-in game in Dayton, Ohio.

The Saints (17-18) joined the 64-team bracket and won a trip to Washington to play Maryland, the East's No. 1 seed, Friday.

They also became the first team in 47 years to win an NCAA tournament game with a losing record. Bradley is the only other team sharing the distinction -- it won two in 1955.

Alcorn State (21-10) had been unbeaten in play-in games in Dayton, winning two in the 1950s under Coach Davey L. Whitney. The Braves spent a sleepless night getting to Dayton for this one, then faced elimination at the end of a back-and-forth game.

It might have been the last game for Whitney, a former Negro League shortstop completing his 26th year at the Mississippi school. Whitney, 72, hasn't decided whether to return for another season.

Siena didn't even figure to make the tournament. It won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's tournament on its home floor, with Archbold scoring 111 points in the four games.

Archbold was only 3 of 12 from the field for 12 points last night, but Karangwa took up the slack by hitting the biggest shots at the end.

Marcus Fleming led Alcorn State with 20 points and a career-high 17 rebounds.

Siena is only the 16th team in NCAA history to make the tournament with a losing record, and the first since Florida A&M in 1999. Florida A&M went on to lose to Duke, 99-58.

Siena had won only one other NCAA tournament game, upsetting Arkansas, 94-80, as a No. 14 seed in its first appearance in 1989. That was the year that Siena didn't have a nickname -- it was changing from Indians to Saints -- and had to play several home games in an empty gym because of a measles outbreak on campus.

NIT

Saint Joseph's 73, George Mason 64: Jameer Nelson scored 28 points to lead the Hawks (19-11) past the Patriots (19-10) in Fairfax, Va., in an opening-round game.

Nelson scored 15 of Saint Joseph's final 19 points. He shot 11 for 12 from the line in the final 3:51. Marvin O'Connor scored 14 points, and Bill Phillips added 10 points and 14 rebounds for the Hawks, who will play Ball State in the second round. John Larranaga led George Mason with 22 points. Jesse Young scored 13 of his 19 points in the first half and finished with eight rebounds.

Ball State 98, South Florida 92: Chris Williams scored a career-high 40 points and the Cardinals (21-11) used an 18-1 run to beat the Bulls (19-13) in Muncie, Ind.

Theron Smith added 26 points and 10 rebounds for Ball State, which trailed by 10 early in the second half but tied it, 60-60, midway through. Williams was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all the free throws for a 63-60 lead. Patrick Jackson hit a 3-pointer, then Williams added two free throws and a basket and the run was on. Altron

Jackson scored a season-high 30 points for the Bulls and Reggie Kohn had 18, including six 3-pointers.