Michigan tops Purdue for title

Zavier Simpson was a catalyst on both ends of the floor, running Michigan’s efficient offense and leading its lock-down defense, and backup big man Jon Teske scored 14 points as the 15th-ranked Wolverines beat No. 8 Purdue 75-66 to repeat as Big Ten tournament champions Sunday in New York.

Fifth-seeded Michigan (28-7) became the first team to repeat as Big Ten tournament champs since Ohio State in 2010 and ’11.

Simpson finished with 10 points, five assists and five rebounds, and Moe Wagner led Michigan with 17 points despite playing only 17 minutes because of foul trouble.

That’s where Teske stepped up. The 7-foot-1 sophomore scored 12 points in the first half and picked up the slack guarding 7-2 Purdue center Isaac Haas.

Purdue (28-6) chipped away late with Michigan missing free throws, but it was way too late. Haas led the Boilermakers with 23 points. Automatic bids: Loyola earned its first NCAA tournament appearance in 33 years with a 65-49 win over Ilinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game in St. Louis. Donte Ingram scored 18 for the Ramblers (28-5). ... Lipscomb is headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time after Garrison Mathews scored 33 points and the second-seeded Bisons (23-9) beat topseeded Florida Gulf Coast 108-96 in the Atlantic Sun title game in Fort Myers, Fla. ... Carlik Jones made a long 3-pointer at the buzzer and Radford beat Liberty 55-52 in the Big South championship in Radford, Va., earning the Highlanders (22-12) their first NCAA berth since 2009. Bearcats clinch title: Jacob Evans scored 19 points to lead No. 10 Cincinnati to a 62-61 victory over No. 11 Wichita State, giving the visiting Bearcats the American Athletic Conference regular-season title.

Cincinnati (27-4, 16-2) survived a slugfest of a second half as the teams combined for just two baskets in the final five minutes. Landry Shamet and Shaquille Morris each scored 16 points for Wichita State (24-6, 14-4), which needed a victory to share the conference title.