The Associated Press

STORRS, Conn. - Ben Gordon scored a career-high 37 points and Emeka Okafor grabbed 14 rebounds Wednesday night to lead No. 1 Connecticut to a 93-79 victory over Nevada and into the semifinals of the Preseason NIT.

Denham Brown had a career-high 22 points for the Huskies (2-0), who will play the winner of today's Georgia Tech-Hofstra second-round game. The semifinals are in Madison Square Garden in New York on Nov. 26.

Gordon was 12-of-20 from the field and hit all four of his 3-point attempts, rescuing the Huskies time and again from the stubborn Wolf Pack (1-1). With Gordon out after picking up his third foul, Nevada cut a 15-point deficit to nine on Todd Okeson's 3-pointer with three minutes to play in the game.

Enter Gordon.

The junior coolly stroked a 3-pointer and the Huskies had all the breathing room they would need. Brown converted a three-point play on the Huskies' next possession to cap the scoring.

Okafor finished with 13 points and had solid help in the post from freshman Josh Boone, who finished with eight points and 11 rebounds. The Huskies dominated inside, outscoring Nevada 42-28 in the paint and had a 42-29 rebounding edge.

Kirk Snyder led Nevada with 22 points and Okeson added 16.

TENNESSEE: Coach Buzz Peterson has had his contract extended by one year, giving him a package reportedly worth more than $900,000 a year through 2008-09.

The new contract increases his base salary from $200,000 to $220,000, athletic director Mike Hamilton said. He is also guaranteed $329,500 in radio and television contracts and $220,000 in endorsements, Hamilton said.

Camps and bonuses based on performance on and off the court would increase the overall worth, Hamilton said without giving specific amounts.

An amendment to the previous contract signed by Peterson on Oct. 22 and obtained by the Associated Press on Wednesday did not include information or amounts for bonuses and incentives.

Peterson's previous contract was worth about $785,000 a year.

MURRAY STATE: Two teammates from a Texas junior college signed Wednesday to play basketball at Murray State next season, coach Mick Cronin said.

Issian Redding is a 6-foot-6 forward from Sandusky, Ohio. He averaged 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game for South Plains last season.

Charles Johnson, a 6-7 forward from Atlanta, is joining South Plains after transferring earlier this year from Dixie State College in Utah.