Blue Raiders fend off Bulldogs for shot at title

ANCHORAGE – Middle Tennessee forward Darnell Harris scored 15 points, including a clutch three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining, to help his team hold on for a 63-61 win over UNC Asheville in the semifinals of the GCI Great Alaska Shootout at the Alaska Airlines Center on Friday night.

The Blue Raiders (3-1) also got 11 points and four assists from point guard Edward Simpson as they advanced to meet Toledo in Saturday night's championship game.

The Bulldogs (2-4) were led by 14 points and three assists from freshman guard Dylan Smith, but they could not quite complete their comeback from a 19-point deficit with 13 minutes remaining.

Middle Tennessee led virtually the entire game and seemed to have things in control in the second half before UNC Asheville used a 7-0 run to pull within 51-39. A layup by Asheville's Sam Hughes made it 53-47 at the 7:31 mark, and Smith forged a 55-55 tie on a jumper with 4:18 left.

Simpson answered 26 seconds later with a trey of his own to give the Blue Raiders a lead they would not relinquish, but it wouldn't be easy. Asheville got two free throws from Dwayne Sutton with 2:22 on the clock to draw within 60-59, and the Big South Conference club had a chance to take the lead, but guard Kevin Vannatta stepped on the midcourt line for a backcourt violation with 56 seconds remaining.

With the shot clock running down on Middle Tennessee's next possession, Harris got the ball and calmly knocked down a three-pointer over a defender's outstretched hand for a 63-59 advantage.

Smith quickly answered with a jumper at the 22-second mark, but the Bulldogs could not chase down a Blue Raider to foul until Smith hacked Giddy Potts with just 1.8 seconds remaining. Potts missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Asheville's last-second heave from three-quarters court bounced hard off the backboard.

Potts, Reggie Upshaw and Perrin Buford tallied 10 points apiece in the winning effort, while guard Jaqawn Raymond dished six assists.

The Blue Raiders will play Toledo (4-1) for the title of the 38th annual tournament at 8:30 p.m. Saturday in a game nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.

UNC Asheville will meet Loyola Chicago (4-2) for third place Saturday at 5:30 p.m. AST.

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