Surging Clemson outlasts Virginia Tech
Clemson 59, No. 11 Virginia Tech 51: Shelton Mitchell scored 22 points with a career-best five 3-pointers and host Clemson (15-8, 5-5 ACC) outlasted Virginia Tech (18-5, 7-4) on Saturday for the Tigers’ fourth straight victory.
The Hokies made just one field goal in the final 8:33 in losing consecutive games for the first time this season.
The Tigers were ranked when the season began but were written off by many when they opened ACC play at 1-5. Clemson is finally looking like the team that surprised many when it reached the NCAA Tournament’s round of 16 last March.
Virginia Tech had its chances and was down just 41-40 after Kerry Blackshear Jr.’s basket with 12:29 to go. But Clemson’s Marcquise Reed and Hunter Tyson followed with 3-pointers to build the lead.
No. 1 Tennessee 73, Florida 61: Grant Williams scored 16 points as host Tennessee (22-1, 10-0 SEC) defeated Florida to complete a season sweep of the Gators (12-11, 4-6) and extend its school-record winning streak to 18 games.
Tennessee owns the longest active winning streak of any Division I team. This also marks the biggest winning streak of Rick Barnes’ 32-year head coaching career, surpassing the 17-game string that started Texas’ 2009-10 season.
No. 2 Duke 81, No. 3 Virginia 71: RJ Barrett scored 26 points, Zion Williamson had 18 and Duke (21-2, 9-1 ACC) used an early barrage of 3-pointers to stun host Virginia (20-2, 8-2) and then held off the Cavaliers.
Barrett hit his first five tries from 3point range for the Blue Devils. His fifth one gave them a 29-15 lead after less than 12 minutes of play. Cam Reddish took over after that, hitting 5 of his first 6, the last three early in the second half as the Blue Devils rebuilt their lead to 52-41. He finished with 17 points.
No. 5 Kentucky 71, Mississippi State 67: PJ Washington scored 23 points, Keldon Johnson added 13 and Kentucky (20-3, 9-1 SEC) held on to beat host Mississippi State (16-7, 4-6).
Kentucky has won 10 straight games since losing to Alabama in its conference opener on Jan. 5.
No. 6 Nevada 91, New Mexico 62: Trey Porter had 20 points and nine rebounds as host Nevada (23-1, 10-1 Mountain West) avenged its only loss of the season in a dominating win over New Mexico (10-13, 4-7).
In a reversal of its 27-point defeat last month, Nevada jumped to a 25-4 lead and led 51-26 at halftime.
No. 7 Michigan 61, No. 19 Wisconsin 52: Jon Teske had 17 points and 12 rebounds, holding his own inside against Ethan Happ, and Charles Matthews scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half to lift host Michigan (22-2, 11-2 Big Ten) over Wisconsin (17-7, 9-4).
The Big Ten-leading Wolverines avenged one of their only losses this season despite going 0 for 10 from 3-point range in the second half. Michigan led 5150 in a tight defensive struggle before pulling away with eight straight points.
No. 8 North Carolina 88, Miami 85 (OT): Kenny Williams hit the go-ahead 3pointer with 2:08 left in overtime to help host North Carolina (19-4, 9-1 ACC) hold off Miami (10-13, 2-9).
No. 9 Michigan State 79, Minnesota 55: Nick Ward had 22 points and Matt McQuaid scored a season-high 18, leading host Michigan State (19-5, 10-3 Big Ten) to a win over Minnesota (16-8, 6-7).
No. 10 Marquette 66, No. 14 Villanova 65: Markus Howard scored 38 points and host Marquette (20-4, 9-2) hung on at the buzzer, edging Villanova (19-5, 10-1) and handing the Wildcats their first Big East Conference loss. Marquette led by 15 early in the second half. The Golden Eagles took a 66-63 lead on two free throws by Howard with 53 seconds left, but Phil Booth answered with a floater in the lane that made it a one-point game.
No. 13 Kansas 84, Oklahoma State 72: Dedric Lawson scored 25 points, Ochai Agbaji hit five 3s and had 23 points, and host Kansas (18-6, 7-4 Big 12) shrugged off a slow start to beat Oklahoma State (9-14, 2-8). Devon Dotson added 18 points while Mitch Lightfoot provided a big lift off the bench for the Jayhawks, who were playing their first game without starting guard Lagerald Vick. He left the team earlier in the week to deal with personal issues.
No. 15 Purdue 81, Nebraska 62: Carsen Edwards scored 27 points and Grady Eifert added a season-high 16 as Purdue rebounded from a lackluster first half to pull away for a victory over Nebraska.
No 22. Florida State 80, No. 16 Louisville 75 (OT): Mfiondu Kabengele scored 22 points and host Florida State (18-5, 6-4 ACC) erased a 10-point second-half deficit to force overtime, then knocked off Louisville (17-7, 8-3).
TCU 92, No. 17 Iowa State 83: Kendric Davis scored a season-high 22 points, and TCU (17-6, 5-5 Big 12) stunned host Iowa State (18-6, 7-4) for its first road win over a Top 25 team in 21 years.
No. 18 Texas Tech 66, Oklahoma 54: Davide Moretti scored 14 points to help Texas Tech (19-5, 7-4 Big 12) roll past host Oklahoma (15-9, 3-8).
No. 21 LSU 83, Auburn 78: Tremont Waters had 19 points and 10 assists and host LSU (19-4, 9-1 SEC) overcame a sluggish start to beat Auburn (16-7, 5-5).
No. 23 Buffalo 90, Central Michigan 76: Jeremy Harris had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and host Buffalo (20-3, 8-2 Mid-American) rallied to beat Central Michigan (16-7, 5-5).
Pac-12 men
Utah 93, UCLA 92: Parker Van Dyke hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer, completing a 22-point comeback and lifting Utah over UCLA.
Oregon State 79, California 71: Ethan Thompson scored 20 points with seven rebounds and six assists as Oregon State beat California.
Top 10 women
No. 1 Baylor 89, TCU 71: Kalani Brown scored a season-high 32 points on 11-of-12 shooting and Baylor stretched its Big 12 winning streak to 34 in a row with a victory over TCU.
No. 5 UConn 109, Temple 74: Napheesa Collier tied a season-high with 30 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, leading UConn to a rout of Temple.