Also in Birmingham, No. 2 seed Tennessee (29-4) will open against No.15 American University, 21-11 and making its first NCAA tournament appearance. The BJCC’s other first-round matchups are Louisville-Boise State and Oklahoma-Saint Joseph’s.

South Alabama received its second bid in three years.

UAB failed to receive a bid, making the Jaguars the only in-state team to make the field.

The Blazers went 22-10 with a victory over NCAA-bound Kentucky, but fell to Tulsa in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament. They also ended the regular season with a 38-point defeat at Memphis.

In Mobile, Ronnie Arrow, the Sun Belt coach of the year, has led South Alabama to an NCAA tournament for the third time after coaching the Jaguars from 1988-94.

He led the team to an upset of Alabama in the 1989 NCAA Southeast Regional.

Piston’s handle West-less New Orleans team

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Jarvis Hayes scored 29 points, including a career-high seven 3-pointers, to lead Detroit to the win.

Chauncey Billups finished with 17 points and Tayshaun Prince scored 13 for the Pistons, who have won four of five.

The Hornets lost for just the second time in seven games. New Orleans was missing David West, who sprained his right ankle Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers.

New Orleans got 21 points from Peja Stojakovic and Chris Paul added 14 points and 14 assists.

—From Staff and Wire Reports