AMHERST, Mass. -- Derrick Gordon became the first openly gay Division I men's basketball player to compete in a collegiate game Friday night, starting at shooting guard and helping Massachusetts defeat Siena 95-87 at the Mullins Center.

The 22-year-old, of Plainfield, N.J., scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. He made 11 of 12 free throws, including two with 18.2 seconds remaining that helped seal the victory for the Minutemen in their season opener.

"I went into it like a regular game," he said. "I've been here before, but it was good to see the support I had."

In April, the UMass junior acknowledged in an interview with ESPN that he is gay, making him the first Division I men's basketball player to come out publicly.

http://espn.go.com/boston/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/11877611/derrick-gordon-massachusetts-minutemen-becomes-first-openly-gay-player-division-1-game