Returning star helps No. 4 Illinois triumph
Ayo Dosunmu returned to the lineup after missing three games to score the final five points and break a 68-68 tie as No. 4 Illinois defeated host No. 7 Ohio State 7368 on Saturday.
He and Andre Curbelo each had 19 points for the Fighting Illini (20-6, 16-4 Big Ten), who have won four straight.
The Buckeyes (18-8, 12-8) were led by E,J. Liddell with 19 points. Ohio State has lost four in a row.
A 3-pointer by Liddell gave the Buckeyes a 68-64 lead with 3:48 left.
Dosunmu’s foul shot and a 3-pointer by Da’Monte Williams made it 68-68 with 90 seconds left before Dosunmu made a basket and free throw after he was fouled with 44 seconds left to make it 71-68.
Dosunmu added two more free throws with 25 seconds left.
National player of the year candidate Dosunmu had been out of action with facial injuries sustained against Michigan State on Feb. 23. Illini coach Brad Underwood said that Dosunmu, who averages 21.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists, had also been in concussion protocol.
NO. 17 OKLAHOMA STATE 85, NO. 6 WEST VIRGINIA 80 » Sophomore Avery Anderson III scored a career-high 31 points to lead the visiting Cowboys in their Big 12 regular-season finale.
Oklahoma State (18-7, 11-7 Big 12) was without star freshman Cade Cunningham, who injured his left ankle late in a loss to No. 3 Baylor on Thursday.
Freshman Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe added 18 points for Oklahoma State.
Taz Sherman led the Mountaineers (18-8, 11-6) with 20 points.
NO. 8 ALABAMA 89, GEORGIA 79 » Herbert Jones had two baskets in a 9-0 run to open the second half that gave the SEC champion Crimson Tide the lead.
Jahvon Quinerly led five Alabama scorers in double figures with 18 points.
Alabama (21-6, 16-2 SEC) matched its school record for SEC wins set in the 1986-87 season.
Georgia (14-11, 7-11) led by 14 in the first half but couldn’t maintain the pace.
PROVIDENCE 54, NO. 10 VILLANOVA
52» David Duke made a tiebreaking tip-in with 2.8 seconds left and the Friars held on after blowing a 20-point lead to surprise the Wildcats.
Villanova’s Jeremiah RobinsonEarl had an open look at a 3-pointer after a long inbounds pass, but the shot hit the front of the rim, and the buzzer sounded before Jermaine Samuels tipped it in.
Duke and Nate Watson scored 20 points apiece, and Noah Horchler had 10 points and 13 rebounds for Providence (13-12, 9-10 Big East).
Samuels scored 21 points for Villanova (16-5, 11-4).
NOTRE DAME 83, NO. 11 FLORIDA
STATE 73 » Prentiss Hubb scored 22 points, Dane Goodwin had 15 and the Fighting Irish upset the visiting Seminoles.
Notre Dame (10-14, 7-11 ACC) went 28 for 34 at the free-throw line, compared to 15 for 20 for Florida State (15-5, 11-4). Notre Dame had dropped four in a row.
Scottie Barnes led Florida State with 17 points.
NO. 12 ARKANSAS 87, TEXAS A&M 80 » Moses Moody scored 28 points, Jalen Tate added 22 and the Razorbacks matched the program’s longest SEC winning streak at 11 games.
Arkansas (21-5, 13-4) also won 11 straight SEC games in 1993-94 en route to a national title.
Quenton Jackson and Emmanuel Miller each had 23 points for Texas A&M (8-9, 2-8).
NO. 14 CREIGHTON 93, BUTLER 73
» Marcus Zegarowski scored 32 points and the Bluejays (18-7, 14-6 Big East), under interim coach Alan Huss, beat the Bulldogs.
Creighton head coach Greg McDermott is suspended indefinitely for making racially insensitive remarks to his team following a Feb. 27 loss.
Chuck Harris had 29 points for Butler (9-14, 8-12).
Women
NO. 1 UCONN 77, ST. JOHN’S 41 »
Freshman Paige Bueckers scored 17 points and the Huskies opened their postseason with a win in the Big East quarterfinals.
UConn (22-1) has won 158 straight games against conference opponents since losing to Notre Dame in the 2013 Big East title game.
NO. 16 GEORGIA 74, NO. 2 TEXAS
A&M 68 » Maya Caldwell scored 17 points and the Bulldogs (205) reached their first SEC Tournament final in 17 years.
Georgia will play No. 7 South Carolina in the title game.
N’dea Jones led the regularseason champion Aggies (23-2) with 16 points.
NO. 3 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 66,
GEORGIA TECH 61 » Elissa Cunane had 23 points and nine rebounds and the Wolfpack won the ACC Tournament semifinal.
Defending champion N.C. State (19-2) will face No. 5 Louisville (23-2) in today’s final.