CHARLOTTE, N.C. » In one week, No. 7 Tennessee has followed one of the most impressive wins of the college basketball season with two clunkers full of missed shots and late-game breakdowns.

The woes allowed struggling Charlotte to give first-year coach Alan Major his first signature win.

Three days after top scorer Shamari Spears was kicked off the team, Charlotte dressed eight scholarship players and closed on a 7-0 run, with Derrio Green feeding an open Phil Jones for the go-ahead layup with 7.4 seconds left in a stunning 49-48 victory last night over the sputtering Volunteers.

"It takes a big-time effort to beat teams like that," said Major, a former Ohio State assistant. "I could not be prouder of this group of guys in that locker room."

As for that dominant-looking Tennessee team that rolled past then-No. 3 Pittsburgh on the road last weekend? It’s disappeared along with its offense in losses this week to Oakland and Charlotte.

Cameron Tatum only hit glass on a desperation heave at the buzzer for the Volunteers (7-2), who shot 35 percent from the field.

"I thought we didn’t play well, but it wasn’t about the fact that we weren’t excited about playing, ready to play," Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said. "We knew we were in a tough environment, that’s why you take these games on. I didn’t like what I saw out there with our offensive execution and our poise."

Jamar Briscoe scored 14 points and Green had 13 for the 49ers (5-6) who overcame 30 percent shooting by using a zone defense that stymied the Vols into 2 of 17 shooting from 3-point range.

Tennessee also hit only 2 of 7 free throws, including Melvin Goins’ miss on the front end of a 1-and-1 to set up Charlotte’s winning basket.

"I don’t think I’ve ever coached in a game where we only made two free throws," Pearl said.

WAC

Utah 86, Boise State 84

Will Clyburn scored 22 points and hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to boost the host Utes to a comeback victory over the Broncos.

The Utes (7-3) trailed by 16 points in the second half but allowed just three field goals in the last 8 minutes while their offense came to life.

Chris Hines scored 13 points, and Jason Washburn, Josh Watkins and Shawn Glover each contributed 12. The Utes have won four of their last five.

Daequon Montreal scored a career-high 28 points and Robert Arnold added 16 for the Broncos (6-4), who have suffered four straight losses by a total of 11 points after winning their first six.

Arizona State 78, Nevada 75

Rihards Kuksiks scored 20 points as the Sun Devils held off the host Wolf Pack.

Ty Abbott added 17 points for the Sun Devils (5-4), including a 3-pointer with 59 seconds remaining that stopped a Nevada run that cut the lead to 67-66. Trent Lockett had 15 points and helped seal Arizona State’s first road victory of the season with four free throws in the final 21 seconds.

Malik Story had 19 points and Deonte Burton 18 for the Wolf Pack (2-8).