No. 24 TCU loses 12-point lead late, tops Texas Tech by 1
>> JaKobe Coles made two free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining, and No. 24 TCU held on for an 83-82 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday despite blowing a 12-point lead in the final eight minutes.
After De’Vion Harmon’s steal and layup put the Red Raiders in front by one with 12 seconds remaining, Coles caught a pass from Emanuel Miller in the lane and was fouled by Fardaws Aimaq going up for the shot. The Horned Frogs (19-10, 8-8 Big 12) weren’t in the bonus.
Harmon’s desperation 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded wasn’t close, ending a four-game winning streak Texas Tech (16-13, 5-11), which is trying to stay in the hunt for an NCAA Tournament berth despite an 0-8 start in Big 12 play.
Mike Miles Jr. scored 24 points for the Horned Frogs, who had lost five of six and were coming off a loss to No. 3 Kansas at home. Miller had 14 points and 12 rebounds for TCU, while Xavier Cork scored 10 points despite foul trouble.
Aimaq scored 19 points, Harmon had 18 and Kevin Obanor finished with 17 points and nine rebounds for Texas Tech.
NO. 18 UCONN 95, ST. JOHN’S 86 >> Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points, Adama Sanogo added 18 points and nine rebounds, and UConn beat St. John’s.
Andre Jackson Jr. had 15 points, Joey Calcaterra also scored 15 to lead a strong effort by Connecticut’s bench and the resurgent Huskies (22-7, 11-7 Big East) avenged an 11-point loss to St. John’s at home last month.
UConn won for the sixth time in seven games, closing in on a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament.
AJ Storr had 20 points and Posh Alexander added 18 for the Red Storm (1713, 7-12), who had won three of four. David Jones scored 15 off the bench — all in the second half — and Joel Soriano marked Senior Day with 12 points and 11 rebounds for his 22nd double-double this season, most in Division I. OKLAHOMA 61, NO. 23 IOWA STATE 50 >> Jacob Groves led Oklahoma with 16 points as the Sooners knocked off Iowa State.
The Sooners (14-15, 4-12 Big 12) had lost nine of their previous 11 games but erased an early 11-point deficit and seized control with a 17-2 run in the second half.
Groves made 4 of 5 from the 3-point line. Tanner Groves added 9 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
The Cyclones (17-11, 8-8) shot just 31%. Gabe Kalscheur led Iowa State with 12 points.