BIDDEFORD – Margo Russell scored 23 points to lead top-seeded University of New England to a 74-46 victory over eighth-seeded Roger Williams University in the first round of The Commonwealth Coast Conference women’s basketball tournament.

Russell made 5 of 9 field-goal attempts, including 3 for 3 from beyond the 3-point arc. She was also 10 for 10 from the foul line and added five assists for the Nor’easters (21-5).

Kelley Paradis chipped in 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Kari Pelletier finished with 10 points.

Roger Williams (9-17) was paced by Alexandria Lanieri, who scored 20 points.

UNE ended the first half with back-to-back 3-pointers from Liz LeBlanc and another from Russell for a 43-19 lead.

The Nor’easters will face fourth-seeded Salve Regina in Thursday’s semifinals.

 

(7) NOTRE DAME 82, MARQUETTE 67: Melissa Lechlitner scored 23 points and Lindsay Schrader returned from an ankle injury to add 17, leading Notre Dame (24-3, 11-3 Big East) to a victory over Marquette (14-13, 5-9) at South Bend, Ind.

 

(8) WEST VIRGINIA 64, CINCINNATI 43: Liz Repella scored 20 points and Vanessa House made consecutive 3-pointers during a second-half surge that rallied West Virginia (25-3, 12-2 Big East) to a win at Cincinnati (11-15, 4-10).

 

(13) GEORGETOWN 70, VILLANOVA 54: Sugar Rodgers scored 23 points to lead Georgetown (23-4, 12-2 Big East) to a victory over Villanova (13-14, 2-12) at Philadelphia.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

CURRY 79, UNE 73: Mark Mastrullo scored 17 points as third-seeded Curry (14-12) held-off the sixth-ranked UNE (11-14) in the first round of The Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs at Milton, Mass.

Anthony Johnson had 17 points for the Nor’easters, including 13 in the second half as UNE tried to come back from a 47-27 halftime deficit.

Marcus Winn had four 3-pointers to finish with 14 points for UNE; Quentin Thompson added 12 points and 15 rebounds.

 

(4) SYRACUSE 99, PROVIDENCE 85: Rick Jackson scored 28 points, 17 in the second half, and visiting Syracuse (26-2, 13-2 Big East) recovered from an eight-point deficit to beat Providence (12-15, 4-11).

 

(6) KANSAS STATE 83, TEXAS TECH 64: Jacob Pullen scored 21 of his 28 points in the first half to lead Kansas State (23-4, 10-3 Big 12) past Texas Tech (16-11, 4-9) at Lubbock, Texas.

 

(11) GEORGETOWN 70, LOUISVILLE 60: Austin Freeman scored 24 of his 29 points in the second half and visiting Georgetown (19-7, 9-6 Big East) bounced back from consecutive losses to beat Louisville (18-10, 9-6).

 

FLORIDA 75, (19) TENNESSEE 62: Chandler Parsons and Erving Walker each scored 19 points, leading Florida (20-8, 9-4 SEC) past visiting Tennessee (20-7, 8-5).

 

EVANSVILLE 55, (25) NORTHERN IOWA 54: James Haarsma had 12 points and eight rebounds to lead Evansville (8-20, 2-15 Missouri Valley) over visiting Northern Iowa (24-4, 14-3).

FOOTBALL

MICHIGAN: The NCAA accused Michigan of five potentially major rules violations under Coach Rich Rodriguez, who admitted making ”mistakes” but will be back for a third season.

Incoming athletic director David Brandon disclosed the NCAA conclusions while expressing full support for his coach, who is just 8-16 in two seasons heading the nation’s winningest football program.

”Rich Rodriguez is our football coach, and he will be our football coach next year,” Brandon said.

In its notice of allegations, which Michigan received Monday, the NCAA said Rodriguez ”failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within the football program.”

He tracked neither what his staff was doing nor whether his players were following NCAA rules, particularly those limiting the time spent on practice and football-related activities, the report said.