No. 21 Wichita State tops Redbirds to win MVC

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Conner Frankamp scored 19 points, Markis McDuffie added 16 and No. 21 Wichita State beat Illinois State 71-51 in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship game Sunday, earning an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.

After splitting their regular-season series and sharing the conference championship, Wichita State left no doubt as to top team in the MVC was this season.

The Shockers (30-4) have won 15 straight games since losing at Illinois State on Jan. 14. The Redbirds (27-6) had won eight straight games since losing at Wichita State on Feb. 4.

Landry Shamet added 14 points for Wichita State. Paris Lee, the MVC's player of the year, led Illinois State with 18 points, and MiKyle McIntosh had 16.

NO. 16 PURDUE 69, NORTHWESTERN 65 EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Vincent Edwards scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half and Caleb Swanigan added 20 points and 14 rebounds to help Purdue beat Northwestern.

Purdue (25-6, 14-4 Big Ten) clinched the outright regularconference title earlier in the week, but had to hold on in the final seconds to fend off Northwestern (21-10, 10-8) in front of a raucous sellout crowd.

Bryant McIntosh had 25 points and six assists for Northwestern. The Wildcats have lost six of nine.

NO. 18 CINCINNATI 67, CONNECTICUT 47 STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Gary Clark had 17 points and 14 rebounds, leading Cincinnati past short-handed Connecticut in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Jarron Cumberland added 15 points for the Bearcats (27-4, 16-2 American Athletic Conference).

Rodney Purvis scored 15 points for UConn (14-16, 9-9). The loss dropped the Huskies into the play-in round of the AAC Tournament.

NO. 22 WISCONSIN 66,

MINNESOTA 49 MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Senior guard Bronson Koenig scored 17 points in his final home game, combining with D'Mitrik Trice to give Wisconsin's offense a second-half boost.

The Badgers (23-8, 12-6 Big Ten) secured the second seed in the conference tournament and got a sorely needed confidence boost to end the regular season after having lost five of their previous six games.

Nate Mason had 17 points for Minnesota (23-8, 11-7). The Golden Gophers had won eight straight.