March 8, 2003

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - Jameer Nelson scored 28 points as St Joseph's beat Massachusetts, 52-49, despite going the final 12 minutes without a field goal.

Nelson added 12 rebounds and five steals for St. Joseph's (22-5, 12-4), the Atlantic 10 East Division champion.

UMass had a chance to send the game into overtime when forward Jeff Viggiano stole an inbounds pass with five seconds left. But Viggiano's off-balance 3-pointer from the right corner hit the rim as the buzzer sounded.

UMass (11-17, 6-10) was led by point guard Anthony Anderson, who scored 18 points. UMass lost 17 games in a season for the first time since dropping 18 in the 1988-89 season.

The Hawks shot just 4 for 21 in the second half, scoring their final 15 points on free throws, 10 of them by Nelson.

Nelson's constant drives to basket caused three UMass guards - Anderson, Mike Lasme and Marcus Cox - to foul out. Coach Steve Lappas was forced to use walk-on junior guard Paco Kotaridis in the final minute, the first time in his 15-year career that Lappas could recall using a walk-on in a game that was still competitive.

Jackie Rogers scored 13 points and Micah Brand added 11 for Massachusetts.

The Hawks were playing without leading scorer Delonte West, who was out with a stress fracture in his right fibula. West is expected to play in next week's Atlantic 10 tournament.