No. 22 Butler rallies to stun No. 2 Villanova, 74-66
VILLANOVA, Pa. — Kelan Martin scored 22 points and fueled a stunning second-half rally to lead No. 22 Butler past No. 2 Villanova 74-66 on Wednesday night, snapping the Wildcats’ on-campus home winning streak at 48 games.
Kamar Baldwin added 15 points for the Bulldogs (22-6, 11-5 Big East), who have handed the defending national champion Wildcats two of their three losses this season.
Jalen Brunson scored 24 points and Josh Hart had 18 for Villanova (26-3, 13-3), which came into the game having already clinched at least a share of their fourth straight Big East regular-season championship.
The game marked the first time Hart and fellow seniors Kris Jenkins and Darryl Reynolds lost a game at the Pavilion in their fouryear careers.
NO. 6 OREGON 68, CALIFORNIA 65
In Berkeley, Calif., Dillon Brooks hit a 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds to play to cap a comeback from 16 points down and Oregon kept its hopes alive for a Pac-12 title.
The Ducks (25-4, 14-2) trailed by 16 points early in the second half and were down 10 with just over 4 minutes left before rallying for the win that moved them a half-game behind Arizona for first place in the conference. Oregon holds the tiebreaker.
Brooks led the Ducks with 22 points and Chris Boucher added 18.
Jabari Bird scored 20 points to lead the way for the Golden Bears (18-9, 9-6), whose hopes for an NCAA Tournament berth were dealt a big blow with this loss.
NO. 3 KANSAS 87, TCU 68
In Lawrence, Kan., Frank Mason III scored 20 points, Carlton Bragg provided a big lift off the bench and Kansas pulled away in the second half and clinched a share of its 13th consecutive Big 12 championship.
Devonte Graham added 17 points and seven assists, and Bragg and Josh Jackson scored 15 points apiece, as the Jayhawks (25-3, 13-2) cruised to their NCAA-leading 60th conference title.
Their streak dating to coach Bill Self’s second season in Lawrence matches the Division I record of 13 straight league titles UCLA set in the 1960s and ’70s.
Kansas can clinch the outright title with a victory at Texas on Saturday.
Alex Robinson had 15 points for the Horned Frogs (17-11, 6-9), who have lost four straight and still have never won in Allen Fieldhouse.
NO. 8 NORTH CAROLINA 74, NO. 7 LOUISVILLE 63
In Chapel Hill, N.C., Justin Jackson scored 21 points and North Carolina pulled away after halftime.
Kennedy Meeks added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar Heels (24-5, 12-3), who strengthened their hold on first place in the league.
The Tar Heels took over with a 13-3 secondhalf run to break a 40-all tie and led by 17 points late.
Donovan Mitchell scored 21 points for the Cardinals (22-6, 10-5), who didn’t shoot well after halftime and struggled to make much of anything outside the paint.
Louisville made just 5 of 20 3-point attempts and 4 of 13 free throws.
SYRACUSE 78, NO. 10 DUKE 75
In Syracuse, N.Y., John Gillon hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer for Syracuse.
With just 7.5 seconds left on the clock after a Duke miss, Gillon drove to the top of the key and banked in a desperation shot to send the huge crowd into a frenzy as they stormed the court.
Syracuse (17-12, 9-7 Atlantic Coast Conference) had lost three straight and needed another signature victory to go with its two top10 wins to bolster its resume for a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Duke (22-6, 10-5 ACC) had won seven straight and entered the game tied for second in the ACC with Louisville.
Gillon finished with 26 points and Tyus Battle had 18 for Syracuse in a game that featured 11 ties, half of them in the closing minutes.
Luke Kennard led Duke with 23 points and Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 13 rebounds.
PROVIDENCE 68, NO. 23 CREIGHTON 66
In Omaha, Neb., Kyron Cartwright made a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left to give Providence the victory.
Cartwright’s shot from the right wing was the Friars’ first field goal in more than 5 minutes and gave them their first lead since the opening 4 minutes of the second half.
Khyri Thomas’s 3-point try ahead of the buzzer for Creighton bounced off the rim.
Emmitt Holt scored all 18 of his points in the second half for the Friars (17-11, 7-8 Big East), who won their third straight.
Marcus Foster had 18 points and Justin Patton added 17 for the Bluejays (22-6, 9-6).
MINNESOTA 89, NO. 24 MARYLAND 75
In College Park, Md., Dupree McBrayer scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half and Minnesota won its sixth straight victory.
The Golden Gophers (21-7, 9-6 Big Ten) are undefeated since losing to Maryland (22-6, 10-5) on Jan. 28. It was Minnesota’s third consecutive road win, its longest run in the conference since 1989-90.
Down 53-50, the Gophers got 12 points from McBrayer in a 20-7 run that broke open a game that had gone back and forth to that point.
Nate Mason scored 17 points and Akeem Springs added 16 for Minnesota, which committed only six turnovers — two after halftime.
Maryland standout guard Melo Trimble went 4 for 12 from the field and the Terrapins went 7 for 27 beyond the arc in losing for the fourth time in six games.