Another team of Tigers escape: Roburt Sallie scored 35 points, and second-seeded Memphis (32-3) beat Cal State-Northridge (17-14) 81-70 today in Kansas City, Mo., to avoid what would have been one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history. Sallie, who was averaging barely four points for the Tigers, sank 10-of-15 3-pointers, a first-round tournament record. The Matadors, who were 19-point underdogs, took advantage of miserable shooting by most of the other Tigers and led by six points with 10:08 to play. But a few minutes later, Antonio Anderson led Memphis on a 9-0 run and last year’s NCAA national runners-up finally took control. Since the NCAA went to a 64-team format in 1985, only four No. 2 seeds have lost to a No. 15 in the first round.
Aggies advance: Bryan Davis scored 21 points and Donald Sloan added 14 to lead No. 9 seed Texas A&M (24-9) to a 79-66 victory over No. 8 Brigham Young (25-8) in Philadelphia, handing the Cougars their seventh straight opening-round loss in a rematch from last year. The teams drew the same seeds last March, when the Aggies won 67-62. Jimmer Fredette scored 18 points, and Lee Cummard added 17 for BYU.
