Earlier in the week, Chris Hill had no idea he would be playing point guard when No. 9 Michigan State opened its regular season.
It proved to be a good move from his usual shooting guard position as he scored 18 points Friday night to lead the Spartans to a 66-52 victory over North Carolina-Asheville in the season opener for both schools.
“Actually, I think I could have done a lot better,” said Hill, who also had five assists and two steals. “Offensively, there were lots of shots that I missed and have to make later in the season. And defensively, I made quite a few errors.”
Hill is being called on to replace last year’s point guard, Marcus Taylor, who opted to leave the Spartans early for the NBA draft. Hill got the word that he would get the start at the point from Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.
“It’s a position that I can get comfortable with,” Hill said.
It’s easy for Eagles
Dwyane Wade scored 24 points as No. 16 Marquette defeated Coppin State 64-46 in the Pepsi Blue and Gold Classic in Milwaukee.
Marquette will play Texas-San Antonio in Saturday’s championship, while Coppin State will play Idaho State in the consolation game.
Robert Jackson, a 6-foot-10-inch senior who transferred from Mississippi State, added 13 points and helped the Golden Eagles dominate the boards by a 41-20 margin.
On to New York
Nick Collison scored 25 points as No. 2 Kansas beat North Carolina-Greensboro 105-66 in the second round of the Preseason NIT. The Jayhawks advanced to the semifinals in New York and will play North Carolina, coach Roy Williams’ alma mater and the school that tried to hire him two years ago.
Stanford and Florida will meet in the other semifinal.
RESULTS, FRIDAY’S SYNOPSIS
N.C.-Greensboro 66 at Kansas 105
Kansas sophomore Keith Langford made 10-of-11 shots and scored career-high 24 points. He is 17-for-19 in 2 games.
Alabama State 56 at Alabama 82
Mo Williams scored 20 points as Alabama won 20th straight home game. Crimson Tide hit 10-of-20 3-point shots.
UC-Irvine 65 at Oklahoma 87
Ebi Ere scored 14 points, and Sooners broke it open with 17-1 second-half run. Irvine committed 23 turnovers.
N.C.-Asheville 52 at Michigan State 66
Aloysius Anagonye had 11 points and 6 rebounds for Spartans, who haven’t lost a season opener since 1976.
Coppin State 46 at Marquette 64
Marquette had a 40-10 advantage on points in the paint and held Coppin State to 16 points in the second half.
American 57 at Missouri 72
Ricky Clemons, a transfer from College of Southern Idaho, had 25 points and five rebounds in his Missouri debut.
Hofstra at Gonzaga, late
Host Bulldogs start new era with NBA 1st-round draft pick Dan Dickau in Atlanta; Hofstra has 2 starters suspended.
