RJ COLE

Teddy Allen scored 37 points and New Mexico State won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time almost three decades, upsetting fifth-seeded Connecticut 70-63 to become the second No. 12 seed to advance out of the first round.

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Former UConn star James Bouknight of the Charlotte Hornets was tossed from his courtside side by a game official in the second half as the No. 24 Huskies held off Xavier 72-61.

Tyler Polley scored a career-high 24 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:58 left in the second overtime to help No. 22 UConn beat No. 19 Auburn 115-109 in Wednesday’s first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Adama Sanogo scored 20 points and No. 24 UConn opened the season with a 99-48 rout of in-state rival Central Connecticut.

17 Creighton held Connecticut without a field goal over the final six minutes to beat the Huskies 59-56 Friday night in the Big East Tournament semifinals. Bouknight scored 14 to lead the third-seeded Huskies, who were playing in their first Big East Tournament since 2012 after returning to the conference this season. Creighton will look for its first Big East Tournament championship a little more than a week after coach Greg McDermott was suspended by the school for making racially insensitive remarks to his team. Creighton has reached the Big East final twice previously since it joined the league for the 2013-14 season, but has yet to win the championship. Creighton: Zegarowski struggled to find his groove most of the game against UConn's tough perimeter defense.

Posh Alexander scored 18 points to lead five players in double figures and the Red Storm came from behind to upset No. The Red Storm chipped away and Alexander tied the game at 59 with a pair of free throws. A 3-pointer by Earlington gave the Red Storm their first lead, 64-62, with just over four minutes left. BIG PICTURESt. John's: The Red Storm's defense, which had been forcing an average of 18 turnovers a game, got 18 on Monday. UP NEXTSt. John's: The Red Storm do not have another game scheduled until Jan. 27, when they visit DePaul.