CONWAY (AP) — Elijah Wilson came off the bench to knockdown seven 3-pointers and score 29 points as No. 3 seed Coastal Carolina rallied from six points down early in the second half to post a 74-57 win over UNC-Asheville in a quarterfinal-round game at the Big South Conference tournament Friday night.
The highest remaining seed in the tournament, Coastal Carolina (22-9) found itself down by six, 35-29, with 17 minutes left in the game on a day that had already seen No. 1 seed Charleston Southern and No. 2 seed High Point lose.
Warren Gillis, Wilson and Shivaughn Wiggins converted three consecutive layups, with Wiggins turning his into a three-point play to take a 36-35 lead. Wilson knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Chanticleers the lead for good, 39-37.
Wilson was 10 of 15 from the field, including 7 of 10 from beyond the arc.
Ahmad Thomas scored 16 points to lead UNC Asheville (15-16).
Longwood 68, Charleston Southern 60
Shaquille Johnson scored 22 points with 15 rebounds and Longwood became the first No. 9 seed to reach the Big South semifinals by upsetting top-seeded Charleston Southern 68-60.
On Saturday, the Lancers (11-22) play Winthrop.
Quincy Taylor added 15 points and Leron Fisher 12.
Arlon Harper, though just 3 of 10 on 3-pointers, scored 17 points for the Buccaneers (19-11), who will play in the NIT. Cedrick Bowen added 14. Saah Nimley, the Big South player of the year who averaged 21.5 ppg, was only 2 of 10 on 3-pointers and finished with 13.
Charleston Southern opened the second half with a 12-0 run to take its first lead but Longwood responded with a 13-0 run for a 42-32 advantage with 10:56 left. Harper’s 3-pointer got the Bucs within six with a minute left but Darrion Allen made three free throws and Johnson a dunk.
Winthrop 67, Radford 66
Keon Moore scored 21 points and Andre Smith added 18, including eight free throws in the final minute, to help fifth-seeded Winthrop hold off No. 4 seed Radford 67-66 on Friday and advance to the Big South tournament semifinals.
After Smith made two free throws with four seconds left, Radford’s Rashun Davis hit a 3-pointer with a second remaining for the final score.
On Saturday, the Eagles (18-12) play ninth-seeded Longwood.
Javonte Green had 18 points and 12 rebounds and became Radford’s second all-time leading scorer at 1,870.
The Eagles went on a 12-2 run to lead 56-49 with a minute left. Radford (21-11), which went more than six minutes without a field goal in falling behind, had five baskets, including three 3-pointers in the final minute, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Winthrop making 11 of 12 free throws.
Winthrop made 18 free throws, all in the second half, on 21 attempts.
Jerome Hill slipped in for a layup, drew the foul and made the following free throw with 18 seconds left in overtime and seventh-seeded Gardner-Webb held on to upset No. 2 seed-High Point 72-71 in the Big South Conference tournament on Friday night.
Harold McBride scored 24 points to lead Gardner-Webb (20-13), which beat Campbell to reach the quarterfinals.
John Brown, who finished with 33 points and 10 rebounds for High Point, made seven straight in overtime to give the Panthers a 70-69 lead with 28 seconds left before Hill converted his three-point play. Brown split a pair of free throws with six seconds left for the final score.
Gardner-Webb will play the winner of the game between No. 6 UNC Asheville and No. 3 Coastal Carolina Saturday.
Harold McBride led the Bulldogs with 24 points, Hill had 19 and 14 boards and Tyrell Nelson added 17 points.
