If you’ve got to play a defending league champion, this is the way to do it. Chattanooga, which meets the University of Richmond at 5 p.m. at the Robins Center, lost the top four scorers off last season’s Southern Conference title-winning team. Additionally, two starters and two top reserves are out until next month, because of injuries and an academic issue in one case. The Mocs had eight healthy scholarship players as their season began.

CHARLOTTESVILLE—Mike Scott scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Sylven Landesberg added 14 points to lead Virginia to a 76-55 win over Oral Roberts in the final states-side game of the Cancun Challenge yesterday. “It’s baby steps, as they say,“ said first-year Virginia coach Tony Bennett, when asked about his team’s progress. “I thought we reeled it back in and defensively didn’t let it get out of hand in the second half.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Gani Lawal had 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead Georgia Tech over George Mason 70-62 yesterday in the consolation round of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Lawal scored six of his team’s last 15 points as the Yellow Jackets (2-1) held off a late rally by the Patriots. Derrick Favors scored 18 points for Georgia Tech. He had six points in a 13-0 run that gave the Yellow Jackets a 43-23 lead with 15 minutes to play.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Corey Fisher scored 18 points to lead No. 5 Villanova past No. 18 Dayton 71-65 yesterday in the second round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Fisher was 10 for 12 from the free-throw line and converted his last four shots in the final minutes to help the Wildcats (4-0) hold off a late rally from the Flyers. NO. 2 MICHIGAN STATE 75, TOLEDO 62: Draymond Green had 15 points, and the Spartans (3-0) kept up their home court mastery with a victory over the Rockets (0-3) in the Legends Classic.

NEW YORK—Brandon Triche and Arinze Onuaku combined for 13 points in Syracuse’s 22-1 run to open the second half and the Orange went on to an 87-71 victory over No. 6 North Carolina last night in the championship game of the 2K Sports Classic. The Orange (4-0) were the only unranked team in the semifinals of the tournament that benefits Coaches vs. Cancer but they left Madison Square Garden with blowout wins over No. 13 California and the Tar Heels (4-1).

BLACKSBURG—Lindsay Biggs recorded 18 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead Virginia Tech to a 70-41 victory over George Mason last night. Utahya Drye registered a double-double for the Hokies, scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 boards. Nikki Davis and Abby Redick added seven points apiece. Ashleigh Braxton had 11 points and five rebounds for the Patriots, Brittany Eley added 10 points and three steals and Angelee LaTouche grabbed nine boards.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Paul Williams scored seven of his 13 points in the final minute, including a go-ahead 3-pointer, in Dayton’s 63-59 win over No. 21 Georgia Tech in the opening game of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-Off yesterday. Chris Johnson scored 19 points for the Flyers (2-0), going 4 for 8 from behind the 3-point line. Luke Fabrizius added 12 points.

Thirty-five seasons after Bob McCurdy brought the University of Richmond’s basketball program recognition as the nation’s leading scorer, the Spiders will face his son. Sean McCurdy starts for William and Mary, where UR (2-0) plays tonight. During the 1974-75 season, a dozen years before the arrival of the 3-point shot in the college game, Bob McCurdy averaged 32.9 points as a 6-7 Spiders’ senior. McCurdy, a left-hander, featured a terrific outside touch and interior moves with both hands. As a senior, he had 11 assists in 26 games.

Where: William and Mary Hall (cap. 8,600), Williamsburg
  Radio: WXGI (950), WLFV (93.1), 6:30
  Projected starting lineups:
*2007-08 stats
  Notable: These teams last played two seasons ago, when UR came back from an eight-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to win 58-55 at the Robins Center. Spiders guard David Gonzalvez hit seven 3-pointers. . . . UR (2-0) has had four and five players in double-figures in wins over Lehigh and VMI, respectively. . . . UR had a school-record 31 assists vs. VMI in a 103-59 win. . . . W&M (0-2) shoots 41.2 percent, and was picked to finish 10th in the 12-team CAA. . . . Guard David Schneider was second team all-CAA preseason.

CHARLOTTESVILLE—Chelsea Shine had a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 12 Virginia to a 110-63 victory over South Carolina Upstate last night. The sophomore forward, celebrating her 20th birthday, shot 10 for 13 from the field. Monica Wright and Simone Egwu added 19 points each to help the Cavaliers (3-0) to their highest scoring output in nine years.

LEXINGTON—Nick Gore scored 20 points off the bench, pacing six Keydets in double figures, as VMI rolled to an easy home victory. Michael Sparks score 19, Austin Kenon 14, Ron Burks 13 and Stan Okoye and Keith Gabriel 12 each for VMI (2-1). Justin Caldwell scored 25 to lead West Virginia Wesleyan (0-1). WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN (0-1)