S. Carolina claims SEC title with victory over Kentucky

Washington upsets UCLA 74-68

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, Feb 24, (AP): Zia Cooke scored 20 points, and No. 1 South Carolina held 14th-ranked Kentucky to 30% shooting to win 67-58, earning its 21st consecutive victory.

The win, coupled with Mississippi State’s loss to Alabama earned the Gamecocks the Southeastern Conference regular season championship.

The Gamecocks (27-1, 14-0 Southeastern Conference) trailed early before outscoring the Wildcats 17-1 over the final 5:14 of the first quarter. Kentucky mounted several small rallies and got within 49-40 midway through the third, but South Carolina closed with a 10-3 spurt that included consecutive transition baskets by Cooke.

Kentucky (20-6, 9-5) outscored the Gamecocks 15-8 in the fourth but didn’t get within single digits until Rhyne Howard’s 3-pointer with 3 seconds remaining.

Washington 74, UCLA 68 In Seattle, Amber Melgoza scored 20 points, Rita Pleskevich added 15 and Washington upset UCLA.

The Huskies (13-14, 5-11 Pac-12) started the day by celebrating GiGi Garcia on senior day with an emotional opening tip, then hammered and harassed the Bruins (22-4, 12-4) behind Melgoza’s gritty play.

Washington put a red mark on the Bruins postseason resume as they fight

South Carolina’s Zia Cooke (1) shoots while defended by Kentucky’s Ogechi Anyagaligbo (21) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lexington,

Kentucky, on Feb 23. (AP)

first three quarters thanks to the 3-point shot. The Crimson Tide made seven of their first 12 from behind the arc. Jasmine Walker’s 3-pointer cut a 10-point halftime deficit to two at 47-45.

The Bulldogs (23-5, 10-3) had a double-double from Jessika Carter with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Colorado 50, Arizona 38 In Boulder, Colorado, Jaylyn Sherrod scored seven of her 12 points in a gameending 15-0 run and Colorado pulled away from Arizona for a win.

Aubrey Knight added 10 points for the Buffaloes (16-11, 5-11 Pac-12 Conference), who were playing the third of four straight ranked opponents and got their first win against a Top 25 team since November of 2017. Mya Hollingshed had a career-high 13 rebounds and eight points.

Quinessa Caylao-Do’s layup with 6:11 to play started the run and Sherrod followed with a layup to put Colorado up 39-28. Sherrod added five free throws.

Arizona, playing its second straight game without the Pac-12’s leading scorer Aari McDonald (20.5 ppg), who has a lower leg injury, missed its last 10 shots.

The Wildcats (22-5, 11-5) had a fourgame winning streak snapped

Louisville 79, Pittsburgh 47 In Pittsburgh, Kylee Shook scored 17 points to lead Louisville to a rout of Pitt.

Louisville (25-3, 14-2 ACC) led by just one point at the end of the first quarter, but took over, using a 50-17 margin over the middle two periods to turn the game into a rout.

Shook shot 7 of 10 from the floor and was 2 of 3 from 3-point range while also grabbing a team-high 10 rebounds. The double-double was her sixth of the season and third in four games.

Junior Gabbie Green scored 11 points to lead the Panthers (4-23, 1-15), who have dropped seven straight.

Villanova 76, DePaul 58 In Philadelphia, Cameron Onken had the second triple-double in Villanova history, freshman star Madison Siegrist had a big double-double and the Wildcats pulled away in the second half to upset DePaul.

It made for a memorable sendoff in the last official home game for coach Harry Perretta, who is retiring after 42 years.