Hillsman, Nichols help SJSU break through
Clutch shots end Spartans’ 16-game losing streak
Jaycee Hillsman scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Isaiah Nichols’ jumper with 53.1 seconds remaining — his only basket of the game — proved to be the difference as San Jose State edged Utah State 64-62 to snap a 16-game losing streak on Wednesday night at the Event Center.
The Spartans had last won on Dec. 21 at Santa Clara.
Ryan Welage added 16 points and six rebounds for the Spartans (4-24, 1-16 Mountain West Conference), who close out their season at Air Force on Saturday. Oumar Barry had nine points and six rebounds and Keith Fisher III had eight points and led the team with nine rebounds.
San Jose State shot 46 percent from the field compared to 36.5 percent for Utah State.
The teams were tied 37all at the break and Jalen James and Welage made 3-pointers early in the second half to help give the Spartans a 52-49 advantage with 11:43 to play. A jumper by Hillsman gave the Spartans the lead for good, 6058, with 5:38 left and they held on for the win.
Sam Merrill scored 26 points to lead the Aggies (14-16, 7-10) who have lost four straight. Daron Henson added 11.
GONZAGA TO MW? >> The Mountain West Conference has been in discussions with No. 7 Gonzaga about joining the league, possibly by next season.
Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson said on Wednesday that he has spoken with six university presidents or athletic directors since August about joining the conference. Gonzaga was the only school he identified.
Gonzaga has dominated the West Coast Conference, winning 17 regular-season championships and 14 tournament
titles since Mark Few became coach in 1999.
A move to a larger conference would boost the competition Gonzaga faces during the conference season and help with seeding in the NCAA Tournament. No. 11 Wichita State made a similar move last year, leaving the Missouri Valley Conference for the American Athletic Conference.
NO. 3 XAVIER 84, PROVIDENCE
74>> Trevon Bluiett scored 23 points in his final game at the Cintas Center as the Muskateers clinched at least a share of its first Big East championship.
Xavier (26-4, 14-3) can win it outright by beating DePaul on Saturday and end Villanova’s run of four straight regular season titles.
ARKANSAS 91, NO. 14 AUBURN 82>> Daniel Gafford had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Razorbacks (219, 10-7 Southeastern Conference), who won for the fourth time at home over a ranked team this season and have won six of the past seven overall.
The Tigers (24-6, 12-5) could have clinched at least a share of the regular season SEC title with a win.
NO. 4 VILLANOVA 69, SETON HALL 68 >> Mikal Bridges scored 23 points, and Jalen Brunson made big plays down the stretch as Villanova (26-4, 13-4 Big East) avoided conseutive losses for the first time since 201213.
ARIZONA >> The Arizona Board of Regents has scheduled a special meeting on Thursday to get legal advice and discuss the men’s basketball program at the University of Arizona and the contract of coach Sean Miller.
Miller has not been with the team since last Saturday, when ESPN reported that federal investigators had recorded the coach in a wiretap talking about a $100,000 payout involving star freshman Deandre Ayton.
Miller has said he’s confident he’ll be vindicated. Ayton and his family have denied the player received any money to attend Arizona.