Loyola sputters in defeat

Loyola shot a season-low 33.3 percent (15-for-45) from the field in a 68-39 loss to Indiana State on Wednesday in Terre Haute.

The Ramblers went over seven minutes without a field goal in the second half as the Sycamores expanded their lead to 62-29 before a Bruno Skokna free throw snapped the drought.

The Ramblers (15-9, 7-4 MVC) shot just 37.5 percent (9-for-24) from the field in the first half, while the Sycamores (14-8, 7-4) made 66.7 percent (18-for-27) of their attempts, including 6 of 9 from threepoint range to take a 43-23 lead into halftime.

Cameron Krutwig and Lucas Williamson led the Ramblers, who have lost three of their last four, with eight points apiece.

Notre Dame 80, Pittsburgh 72

T.J. Gibbs had 21 points and John Mooney (17 points and 10 rebounds) recorded his 18th doubledouble of the season for the Irish in South Bend, Indiana. Juwan Durham and Nate Laszewski each had 11 points for the Irish (14-8, 5-6 ACC). Gibbs was 8-for-13, including 5-for-8 from the three-point line, as the Irish shot 46 percent and outrebounded the Panthers 40-34.

Notre Dame led by 19 points late in the second half.

Justin Champagnie had a team-high 20 points for the Panthers (14-9, 5-7).

Purdue 104, Iowa 68

Evan Boudreaux had a seasonhigh 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting to lead five Boilermakers in double figures. He also had a team-high eight rebounds.

The host Boilermakers (13-10, 6-6 Big Ten) shot a season-high 63 percent and reached the 100-point mark for the first time this season.

Luka Garza led the No. 17 Hawkeyes (16-7, 7-5) with 26 points and was their only player in double figures.

Minnesota 70, Wisconsin 52

Payton Willis scored a careerhigh 21 points with 5-for-7 shooting from three-point range to lead the host Gophers to a romp of the rival Badgers.

The Gophers (12-10, 6-6 Big Ten) led the entire game and posted their largest margin of victory over the Badgers in 26 years.

The Badgers (13-10, 6-6) had their worst shooting performance of the season at 28.4 percent (19for-67).

Izzo rips critics of his players

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo came out on the offensive at his postgame news conference Tuesday night after the Spartans dropped consecutive games for the first time this season, firing back at critics of his players.

“If there’s any Michigan State people out there that are abusing some of my players on that frickin’ Twitter . . . I’m sick of it,” Izzo said.

“So if there are Michigan State fans, I’d be more than happy to buy their tickets, and I mean that.”