Report: LSU coach recorded by FBI

LSU coach Will Wade is declining comment on a Yahoo report detailing a phone conversation recorded by the FBI in which Wade discusses his efforts to lure a recruit to the Tigers.

The report says the FBI recording is of a conversation with Christian Dawkins, who is one of several people convicted in October of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for funneling illegal payments to families of recruits to Louisville, Kansas and North Carolina State.

In the report, Wade is described expressing his frustration with an unidentified third party handling the recruitment of player referred to only as “Smart.” LSU has a freshman guard named Javonte Smart who is a former Louisiana high school player of the year.

The report also states that it is not clear if the offer Wade discusses would violate NCAA rules, or if the player and his family knew of, or accepted, the offer.

The Tigers finish up their regular season Saturday at home against Vanderbilt with a chance to win the SEC regularseason title.

Wade says his players have been good at blocking out distractions and focusing on basketball, and that is how he expects them to move forward.

LSU athletic officials have not commented.

Happ ending:

Ethan Happ had 21 points and 14 rebounds in his final home game to help No. 21 Wisconsin beat Iowa 65-45 in Madison, Wis.

Fellow senior Khalil Iverson added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Badgers (21-9, 13-6 Big Ten).

The Hawkeyes (21-9, 10-9) played without coach Fran McCaffery as he completed a twogame suspension for an outburst at an official Feb. 26. They had a season-low points total — 20 below their previous low.

Iowa’s post players couldn’t stay on the floor. Luka Garza went to the bench in the first half after being whistled for his second foul with nearly 9 minutes left. Nicholas Baer followed a few minutes later. Then it was Jared Cook’s turn in the second half. He was whistled for his third foul less than 4 minutes into the half, came back five minutes later and was promptly hit with his fourth. After scoring 19 and grabbing 15 rebounds in the teams’ first meeting Nov. 30, Cook was scoreless and had seven rebounds.

UCF clamps down:

B.J. Taylor scored 22 points, and No. 25 UCF held off No. 19 Cincinnati 58-55 in Orlando, Fla.

Tacko Fall added 10 points and six rebounds for the Knights (23-6, 13-4 AAC). They held Cincinnati to 37.1 percent shooting and had a 39-33 rebounding edge.

Trevon Scott had 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting and added nine rebounds for the Bearcats (25-5, 14-3). Jarron Cumberland contributed 10 points and five assists.

Taylor broke a tie with two free throws with 1:16 left and made it 57-53 with a layup with 17 seconds to go. Cumberland cut it to two with a layup with 10 seconds left, and Chad Brown completed the scoring for UCF with a free throw with 9 seconds to go.