Dec 1, 2013 3 min read

Chad Frazier scored 25 points and host Alabama-Birmingham made three free throws over the final 6.6 seconds to preserve a 63-59 upset of No. 16 North Carolina Sunday.

Jordan Swing hit two free throws and Robert Williams made 1 of 2 to help the Blazers (6-2) hold on after losing most of a 14-point second half lead.

Marcus Paige missed two contested 3-pointers in one late possession and the Tar Heels (4-2) fouled Swing, who gave the Blazers a 62-57 lead.

Brice Johnson drove for a quick basket but Williams effectively put the game away when he made the second of two free throw attempts.

The Tar Heels were coming off a win over No. 9 Louisville to end the defending champions’ 21-game winning streak.

UAB second-year coach Jerod Haase played for North Carolina’s Roy Williams at Kansas and was a longtime assistant.

No. 12 Wichita State 70, St. Louis 65: Ron Baker had 22 points, six rebounds and four steals and No. 12 Wichita State got a pair of key plays from Fred VanVleet in the closing seconds to edge Saint Louis 70-65.

Chadrack Lufile hit a layup off VanVleet’s pass for a 68-65 lead with 14 seconds to go, and VanVleet added a pair of free throws with 3.2 seconds left. Cleanthony Early missed eight of 12 shots but hit a pair of key 3-pointers late and had 12 points for the Shockers (8-0).

Saint Louis missed two 3-point attempts and Jake Barnett missed a second free throw with a chance to tie it at 66 with 30.1 seconds to go.

VCU 81, Belmont 68: It was a game with a feeling of March Madness in the air, even though it was just the first of December.

Virginia Commonwealth, led by Juvonte Reddic’s 18 points and 11 rebounds, ended Belmont’s nation-leading 23-game home win streak 81-68. The two successful mid-major programs have each made six NCAA tournament appearances in the past decade.

“Their crowd was into it, our crowd was into it,” VCU senior Melvin Johnson said. “That’s a great team, they’ve got some great players. We just had to respond to adversity, and that’s what we’re going to face all year on the road.”

Johnson, who hit four 3-pointers, and Treveon Graham each scored 16 points for the Rams (6-2), who fell behind 12 points in the first half. VCU had fallen from the AP Top 25 last Monday after two losses the previous week.

Johnson sank three 3-pointers during a 22-2 run that gave VCU a 66-52 advantage with 6:05 remaining. The Rams had hit three straight treys, the other by JeQuan Lewis (12 points), to retake the lead 53-50 after Belmont went ahead 50-44.

“I appreciate VCU playing this game,” said Bruins Coach Rick Byrd, whose team hosted a near-capacity crowd. “It’s just hard for us to get quality opponents. They’re an established program, and they didn’t have to do it. It created a tremendous atmosphere here today.”

Blake Jenkins and J.J. Mann each scored 14 points for Belmont (7-2), which has received a program-best 31 votes in the AP poll after earlier wins at then-No. 12 North Carolina and against Indiana State. Drew Windler scored 13 points for the Bruins, Caleb Chowbay, 12, and Evan Bradds added 10.