Kansas State tops No. 6 Iowa State 65-58; No. 1 Houston claims Big 12 regular-season title
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Arthur Kaluma scored 23 points, Cam Carter added 21 and Kansas State beat sixth-ranked Iowa State 65-58 on Saturday, giving the Wildcats’ flickering NCAA Tournament hopes a big boost heading into the Big 12 Tournament.
David N’Guessan added 11 points and a career-high 16 rebounds on senior day for the Wildcats (18-13, 8-10 Big 12), who blew most of a 17-point, second-half lead before holding on for their third win over a top-10 team this season.
Kansas State also beat No. 4 Kansas and No. 9 Baylor at home, where it went 15-3 this season.
Curtis Jones had 16 points and Keshon Gilbert and Tamin Lipsey 13 apiece for the Cyclones (24-7, 13-5), who couldn’t replicate their rally from 14 down to beat BYU earlier in the week and had their four-game winning streak snapped.
NO. 1 HOUSTON 76, NO. 14 KANSAS 46
HOUSTON (AP) — Jamal Shead had 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Damian Dunn added 12 points and Houston claimed the Big 12 Conference regular-season title in its first season in the league.
L.J. Cryer scored 11 points and J’Wan Roberts had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars (28-3, 15-3), who shot 44% for the game and hit 11 of 29 shots from long distance, while forcing 18 turnovers and converting them into 30 points.
The Cougars closed out their regular season by winning their ninth straight game and extending their home winning streak to 22 games.
Hunter Dickinson had 11 points and six rebounds for Kansas (22-9, 10-8), but left with 11:08 remaining holding his right shoulder after battling for a rebound. Kevin McCullar Jr., who tweaked his knee earlier in the week against Kansas State, was scoreless in 15 minutes in the first half. He didn’t play in the second half.
NO. 2 UCONN 74, PROVIDENCE 60
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Alex Karaban scored 16 points and Tristen Newton had 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists as UConn bounced back after falling behind 15-2 early in the teams' regular-season finale.
Stephon Castle added 14 points for the Huskies (28-3, 18-2 Big East), who finished with four straight wins and 18 victories in their last 19 games.
Big East player of the year candidate Devin Carter ahd 24 points and 15 rebounds for Providence (19-12, 10-10). The Friars, who had won two straight home games against UConn, fell to 2-4 versus ranked teams this season.
NO. 15 KENTUCKY 85, NO. 4 TENNESSEE 81
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Antonio Reeves and Reed Sheppard each scored 27 points as Kentucky spoiled Tennessee’s late season run.
The Wildcats (23-8, 13-5 Southeastern Conference) have now five in a row and seven of eight. Sheppard came off the bench to hit six 3-pointers in the second half and seven for the game. Justin Edwards scored 16.
The Volunteers (24-7, 14-4) were led by SEC Player of the Year candidate Dalton Knecht, who had a career-high 40 points. Zakai Zeigler had 17 points and nine assists. Jonas Aidoo had 11 points, eight rebounds and five blocks.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 78, NO. 5 ARIZONA 65
LOS ANGELES (AP) — DJ Rodman and Kobe Johnson scored 19 points each and Southern California defeated Arizona for its first three-game winning streak of the season.
The Wildcats (24-7, 15-5 Pac-12) clinched their 18th regular-season league title outright at UCLA on Thursday and had won 10 of 11 coming in.
But the Trojans (14-17, 8-12) stopped Arizona cold.
With leading scorer Boogie Ellis having an off night offensively, USC got big efforts from Johnson, Rodman and freshman Isaiah Collier, who finished with 16 points and five assists.
Oumar Ballo and Keshad Johnson scored 17 points apiece for the Wildcats. Ballo had 10 rebounds.
NO. 7 NORTH CAROLINA 84, NO. 9 DUKE 79
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Cormac Ryan scored a season-high 31 points, including a huge 3-pointer with 1:38 left, as North Carolina beat Duke to claim the Atlantic Coast Conference’s regular-season title outright for the first time in seven years.
Ryan made 8 of 12 shots and 6 of 8 3s to help UNC turn away push after push from its fierce rival. Ryan closed out the game with two clinching free throws with 4.7 seconds left for the Tar Heels (25-6, 17-3 ACC). Harrison Ingram added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Kyle Filipowski had 23 points to lead the Blue Devils (24-7, 15-5), who had retired Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski making a rare courtside appearance.
NO. 8 MARQUETTE 86, XAVIER 80
CINCINNATI (AP) — Kam Jones scored 30 points and Oso Ighodaro added 24 as Marquette snapped a two-game losing streak.
The Golden Eagles (23-8, 14-6 Big East), who were without injured guard Tyler Kolek for the third straight game, secured the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Big East Tournament.
Quincy Olivari, a graduate transfer from Rice who was playing his final home game at Xavier, had 32 points, and Dayvion McKnight scored 16.
Xavier (15-16, 9-11) is trying to avoid its first losing season in 28 years.
NO. 10 CREIGHTON 66, VILLANOVA 67
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trey Alexander hit a fadeaway jumper with 0.2 seconds left and finished with 17 points as Creighton survived a furious late rally and beat Villanova.
Baylor Scheierman scored 11 of his 18 points in Creighton’s dominating first half. Ryan Kalkbrenner added 14 points for Creighton (23-8, 14-6 Big East), which clinched the No. 2 seed in the Big East Tournament.
Eric Dixon scored 25 points and Justin Moore had 17 points for Villanova (17-14, 10-10), which lost a game that it needed in an effort to better its chances at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Now, the Wildcats likely will need a deep run in the conference tournament.
TEXAS TECH 78, NO. 11 BAYLOR 68
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Pop Isaacs scored 20 points, including the first of Texas Tech’s four consecutive 3-pointers after Baylor had taken its only lead after halftime, and the Red Raiders went on to win in their regular-season finale.
The Red Raiders (22-9, 11-7 Big 12) had missed their first five 3s of the second half before Issacs connected with 7:03 left for a 56-54 lead. RayJ Dennis then made a tying layup for Baylor before Tech scored 11 points in a row, going ahead on a 3 by Darrion Williams.
Williams had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and like Isaacs played most of the second half with four fouls. Chance McMillian finished with 11 points off the bench.
Ja’Kobe Walter had 15 points for Baylor (22-9, 11-7), while Jayden Nunn scored 14.
NO. 13 AUBURN 92, GEORGIA 78
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Denver Jones scored a season-high 21 points, making 7 of 9 3-pointers, and Auburn closed the regular season with a win.
The Tigers (24-7, 13-5 Southeastern Conference) secured the No. 4 seed and a double bye in next week’s SEC Tournament with their third straight victory.
Johni Broome had 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for Auburn. Jaylin Williams scored 13 points and Dylan Cardwell added 10.
Silas Demary Jr. led Georgia (16-15, 6-12) with 15 points and made all three attempts on 3s. Russel Tchewa added 14 points and 10 rebounds while Noah Thomasson scored. 12.
NO. 16 ALABAMA 92, ARKANSAS 88, OT
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Mark Sears scored 22 points and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. had 20, including a game-tying 3-pointer with 22 seconds to go to force overtime as Alabama rallied past Arkansas.
Sam Walters scored seven of his 10 points in OT, including a go-ahead 3-pointer, for Alabama (21-10, 13-5 Southeastern Conference), which never led in regulation and secured a double bye in the SEC Tournament with the win.
Khalif Battle led Arkansas (15-16, 6-12) with 22 points and Makhi Mitchell scored 18. Tramon Mark scored 13 and Travon Brazille had 12.
NO. 17 SOUTH CAROLINA 93, MISSISSIPPI STATE 89, OT
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — B.J. Mack had 25 points and Collin Murray-Boyles scored 19 to lead South Carolina.
Mack had seven points in overtime for South Carolina (25-6, 13-5 Southeastern Conference), which won for the second time in ovetime. Meechie Johnson had 16 points.
Freshman Josh Hubbard had 28 points for the Bulldogs (19-12, 8-10), who dropped their fourth straight game. Cameron Matthews had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Dashawn Davis added 16 points and Tolu Smith had 14 points and 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season.
NO. 20 BYU 85, OKLAHOMA STATE 71
PROVO, Utah (AP) — Fousseyni Traore scored 19 points and Jaxson Robinson added 17 to lead BYU over Oklahoma State.
Spencer Johnson had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Cougars. BYU (22-9, 10-8 Big 12) earned its sixth straight home win and clinched the fifth seed in the upcoming Big 12 Tournament.
Javon Small led Oklahoma State with 34 points, including 29 of his team’s 42 in the second half. The Cowboys (12-19, 4-14) dropped their fifth straight game and will be the 13th seed in the league tournament.
NO. 22 UTAH STATE 87, NEW MEXICO 85
LOGAN, Utah (AP) — Darius Brown II hit the winning 3-pointer with five seconds to play, Ian Martinez scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Utah State secured its first outright Mountain West regular-season title.
The game was tied 84-all when Brown hit the decisive 3-pointer for an 87-84 lead. New Mexico’s Jaelen House hit a free throw with two seconds to go.
Great Osobor had 21 points — his 12th 20-point game of the season — and Brown finished with 19 for Utah State (26-5, 14-4), which has been a member of the conference since 2013.
Mustapha Amzil led the Lobos (22-9, 10-8) with 18 points and Donovan Dent had 17.
TULSA 76, NO. 24 SOUTH FLORIDA 67
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Freshman PJ Haggerty scored 26 of his career-high 32 points in the second half and Tulsa stopped South Florida's 15 game winning streak.
Cobe Williams added 23 points for Tulsa (16-14, 7-11 American Athletic Conference), which held USF to 30% shooting in the second half and rallied from a 37-31 halftime deficit.
South Florida (23-6, 16-2) was led by Kasean Pryor's 29 points and 11 rebounds. Chris Youngblood had 12 points and Selton Miguel 11 for the Bulls.
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