Stephen Curry will lead Davidson against James Madison in the opening round of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

The Wildcats are one of seven teams from last season's NCAA tournament in the field of 16, which was announced yesterday by the NIT Selection Committee.

Purdue and Oklahoma both reached the second round of the NCAA last season while Cornell, Arizona, Mississippi Valley State and Georgia all lost first-round games.

Curry, a junior who averaged 25.9 points last season and is the nation's leading returning scorer, carried the Wildcats into a regional final there they lost to eventual NCAA champion Kansas. Davidson will play James Madison in the South Regional at Norman, Okla., while Oklahoma faces Mississippi Valley State.

Boston College will host the East Regional and will play Loyola, Md., while Cornell faces St. John's.

Purdue hosts the North Regional and will play Eastern Michigan. Georgia will play Loyola, Ill., in the region's other game.

Arizona hosts the West Regional and will play Florida Atlantic, while Santa Clara faces UAB.

The first-round games will be Nov. 17, with the regional championship and third-place games on Nov. 18.

The four winners advance to Madison Square Garden with the semifinals on Nov. 26 and the championship game on Nov. 28.

The other 12 teams will play two more rounds of games on Nov. 24 and 25, at campus sites.

Smith stays hot, but Spiders fall in Spain

Redshirt freshman Conor Smith remained hot from 3-point distance, but the University of Richmond fell 103-79 to Ford Burgos yesterday in the third of UR's four-game exhibition tour of Spain.

Smith, a 6-9 wing who was held out of game activity in 2007-08 for developmental reasons, scored 21 points, all on 3-pointers. In three games, Smith is 15 of 23 from beyond the arc.

Sophomore guard Kevin Anderson scored 16 and sophomore wing Kevin Smith added 14.

But UR couldn't contain the professional team that shot 62.9 percent and hit 15 3-pointers.

Richmond sophomore forward Justin Harper (Meadowbrook High) rolled his ankle early in the game. Harper scored in double figures in each of the Spiders' first two exhibitions.

UR, 1-2 on this playing tour, completes its trip with a game today against Illescas Toledo.

Indiana gives Crean rich 10-year contract

INDIANAPOLIS -- New Indiana coach Tom Crean got the job security he wanted, signing a 10-year contract worth at least $23.6 million.

The deal includes an annual base salary of $600,000 and additional payments for promotional work, school officials said. He will receive $1.4 million this season from outside income, a total that will increase slightly each year of the contract.

"I left a very special situation at Marquette when Indiana offered me this opportunity," Crean said. "I wanted to make sure that if I left, I would be going to a place that would be a destination for my family and allow me to build a program for the long haul with the same security."

Crean could earn up to $685,000 in bonuses if he wins a national championship. He'd get $125,000 for a Big Ten regular-season title and $125,000 if the Hoosiers reach the Final Four.

His contract includes a provision that allows Indiana to fire him if he or staff members commit NCAA infractions.

When hired in April to replace the ousted Kelvin Sampson, Crean agreed to an eight-year contract, but the university added two more years last month.

UNC's Lawson enters guilty plea

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. -- North Carolina player Ty Lawson has pleaded guilty to underage drinking and driving.

Lawson, 20, appeared in court after completing community service and other terms of his plea agreement. Prosecutors agreed to drop charges of violating a noise ordinance and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

Lawson said he had learned his lesson and promised it wouldn't happen again.

Lawson is returning to school for his junior season after deciding not to stay in this year's NBA draft.