Published: March 26, 2008 10:55 pm      

Crouch too much for Virginia in CBI semis

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Jeremy Crouch had 27 points, including a 3-pointer that sparked a run that blew open a close game, as Bradley beat Virginia 96-85 in the semifinals of the College Basketball Invitation Wednesday.

Crouch’s 3-pointer with 11:42 to play sparked a 19-5 run that ended with Bradley (20-15) up 80-63 with just under five minutes remaining. Crouch hit three of his five 3-pointers during that run, and he finished shooting 9-of-18 and a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line.

Virginia (17-16) led by as many as 14 in the first half before a 15-0 run sparked by back-to-back 3-pointers by Daniel Ruffin put Bradley up 31-30 with 5:44 remaining in the half. After some back-and-forth, Mamadi Diane’s tip-in at the buzzer tied it at 42 apiece.

Theron Wilson had 17 for Bradley, and Ruffin, Matt Salley and Andrew Warren each added 11. Salley also had 10 rebounds.

Jeff Jones had a career-high 26 points for Virginia, Sean Singletary had 17, Adrian Joseph 15 and Diane added 10. It was the final game for Singletary, Joseph and Ryan Pettinella, and when Singletary came out of the game with 48 seconds left he received a long standing ovation.

Bradley will face the winner of the Houston-Tulsa contest in the first game of a best-of-three championship on Monday.





BRADLEY (20-15)

Wilson 5-11 7-10 17, Salley 5-6 1-1 11, Crouch 9-18 4-4 27, Ruffin 4-14 0-0 11, Warren 3-8 4-5 11, Collins 3-4 0-0 6, Maniscalco 3-6 1-3 9, Austin 0-0 0-0 0, Singh 0-0 4-4 4. Totals 32-67 21-27 96.

VIRGINIA (17-16)

Tucker 0-5 0-1 0, Diane 4-10 2-3 10, Pettinella 3-5 0-3 6, Jones 9-14 2-3 26, Singletary 7-18 1-2 17, Baker 1-4 0-0 2, Mikalauskas 2-5 1-2 5, Joseph 6-7 0-0 15, Scott 2-6 0-0 4, Tat 0-0 0-0 0, Meyinsse 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-74 6-14 85.

Halftime—Tied 42-42. 3-Point Goals—Bradley 11-31 (Crouch 5-12, Ruffin 3-9, Maniscalco 2-3, Warren 1-4, Wilson 0-3), Virginia 11-27 (Jones 6-8, Joseph 3-4, Singletary 2-6, Baker 0-2, Tucker 0-3, Diane 0-4). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Bradley 43 (Salley 10), Virginia 38 (Diane 8). Assists—Bradley 17 (Ruffin 8), Virginia 16 (Singletary 8). Total Fouls—Bradley 14, Virginia 20. A—5,852