Michigan remains hot, knocks off Wisconsin
WASHINGTON — Michigan completed a magical run to its first Big Ten Tournament title, using a swarming defense and accurate shooting to beat No. 24 Wisconsin 71-56 on Sunday for its fourth victory in four days.
The eighth-seeded Wolverines (2411) began their journey with a scary skid off the airport runway in Michigan and ended it by overwhelming the second-seeded Badgers, who had won three straight — including the regular season finale against Minnesota — by a total of 55 points.
Between the aborted flight and their final unexpected victory, the Wolverines beat Illinois, eliminated top-seed Purdue and sent home No. 4 seed Minnesota.
And so, the first Big Ten Tournament in the nation’s capital ended with a surprise champion cutting down the nets at Verizon Center. Michigan won the title in 1998 but had it vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
No. 8 KENTUCKY 82, ARKANSAS
65: In Nashville, Tenn., De’Aaron Fox scored 18 points, and No. 8 Kentucky won its third straight Southeastern Conference Tournament championship by beating Arkansas.
The Wildcats (29-5) added their 30th tournament title all-time to their 48 regular season championships in convincing fashion.
The Razorbacks couldn’t string together points the way they usually do, not with Kentucky answering every big bucket with its own run. The big spurt came as Kentucky scored 13 straight points to end the first half and into the opening minute of the second that turned a threepoint lead to a 46-30 edge.
Arkansas (25-9) fell to 1-6 in this championship, having lost to Kentucky for the second time in three years.. No. 12 SMU 71, CINCINNATI 56: In Hartford, Conn., Sterling Brown scored 18 points to help send No. 12 SMU streaking into the NCAA Tournament with a victory over No. 15 Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference championship game.
Tournament MVP Simi Ojeleye added 14 points, Jarrey Foster had 13 and Ben Moore scored 12 for Mustangs (30-4), who won their 16th straight game and second AAC title in three years. The Mustangs took the championship in 2015, but missed last year’s postseason under NCAA sanctions.
Ivy League
PRINCETON 71, YALE 59: In Philadelphia, Myles Stephens had a careerhigh 23 points and eight rebounds and Princeton (23-6) won the inaugural Ivy League Tournament, beating Yale to clinch its first berth in the NCAA Tournament since 2011.