Newton lifts Uconn into Big East title game
NEW YORK — Tristen Newton had 25 points and nine assists as No. 2 Uconn advanced to the Big East championship game with a rollicking 95-90 victory over St. John’s on Friday at Madison Square Garden.
Cam Spencer added 20 points and nine assists for the top-seeded Huskies (30-3), who will face 10thranked Marquette or seventh-seeded Providence on Saturday night.
It’s the 11th appearance in the Big East final for Connecticut and first since Kemba Walker carried the team to its most recent title in 2011. Uconn had been 0-3 in conference semifinals since rejoining the league for the 2020-21 season.
Fifth-seeded St. John’s (20-13) fell behind by 14 with 12:28 left and couldn’t climb all the way back. The Johnnies stayed in the game for much of the way against the reigning national champions, but they couldn’t quite keep up.
St. John’s point guard Daniss Jenkins poured in 27 points before a split crowd inside a rocking Garden for this matchup between original Big East members. Jordan Dingle scored 19 for the Red Storm.
Alex Karaban had 14 points for Uconn, which improved to 6-0 at MSG this season with its sixth consecutive victory overall and 20th in 21 games. No. 1 Purdue 67 Michigan State 62: At Minneapolis, Zach Edey had 29 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, as the Boilermakers recovered from a blown 12-point lead to beat the Spartans in a hard-nosed quarterfinal game in the Big Ten Tournament.
Lance Jones added 10 points for the Boilermakers (29-3), who advanced to play the Wisconsin-northwestern winner in the semifinals on Saturday. No. 5 Tennessee 56, Mississippi St. 73: At Nashville, Tenn., Cameron Matthews and Josh Hubbard each scored 18 points as the Bulldogs dominated the Volunteers in the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
This victory should push the Bulldogs (21-12) firmly off the NCAA Tournament bubble with their second win over No. 1 seed Tennessee this season. They will play in their first semifinal since winning this event in 2009.
No. 12 Auburn 85, No. 15 South Carolina 55: At Nashville, Tenn., Johni Broome had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead Auburn over South Carolina at the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.
Saint Peter’s 62, Quinnipiac 60: At Atlantic City, N.J., Mouhamed Sow score 15 point, including the winning putback at the buzzer, as the Peacocks knocked off the top-seeded Bobcats in the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament.
Women
No. 25 Fairfield 77 Canisius 64: At Atlantic City, N.J., Janelle Brown scored 19 points, Meghan Andersen added 16 as the Stags beat the Golden Griffins in the MAAC Tournament semifinals.
Fairfield (30-1) advances to the championship game for the second time in the last three seasons, and 12th overall, for a chance at the program’s fifth MAAC title. Canisius (17-14) was in the semifinals for the first time since 2009.