Dec 1, 2001

Box Score

By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. - Shannon Crooks scored a season-high 20 points as undefeated Massachusetts took advantage of North Carolina State's cold shooting in a 69-62 victory Saturday afternoon.

The Minuteman (4-0) is off to the school's best start since winning 26 straight to start the 1995-96 season, holding its first four opponents to 62 points or less.

The Wolfpack (5-2) won its first five, but have had consecutive miserable shooting games in two losses. N.C. State shot 27.3 percent in a 14-point loss at Ohio State on Tuesday and managed just 34 percent this time.

N.C. State scored five points in a span of 8{ minutes to fall behind 54-46 with 3:58 left and twice pulled within four down the stretch. But each time UMass responded with a clutch hoop.

Willie Jenkins hit a reverse layup to hold off the first Wolfpack rally, then with 1:12 left Micah Brand sank a short baseline jumper with two seconds left on the shot clock.

UMass then salted it away at the foul line, making 9-of-12 in the final 50.7 seconds.

Brand added 14 points for UMass, while Archie Miller led N.C. State, which hit just 5-of-25 3-pointers, with 18 points.

Anthony Grundy's 3-pointer tied it at 23-23 before the Wolfpack went cold from the outside, getting one basket over the final 8:33 of the first half. During that stretch, N.C. State missed nine straight 3-pointers and finished 3-for-14 from beyond the arc on the opening 20 minutes.

While the Wolfpack had a difficult time finding baskets, UMass had a tough time against the trapping press, turning it over six times in the final 6:40 of the period to forge a three-point lead at the break.

UMass ended up with 18 turnovers.