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No. 1 Houston 60, East Carolina 46
Marcus Sasser was playing again in March for top-ranked Houston, and the Cougars could have been in big trouble without him in the American Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals. Two days after being named the league's top player, Sasser scored 24 of his 30 points in the second half Friday as the Cougars overcame their worst-shooting game all season to beat East Carolina 60-46 for their 30th win of the season.
“It just shows his character and the type of person he is,” guard Jamal Shead said. “He never lets a lot of things get to him, and just showing out good he is that second half." Sasser was a starter on the Cougars' 2021 Final Four team but missed their run to the NCAA Elite Eight last year because of a broken bone in his left foot before Christmas.
“Just being back out there with my teammates during March is always a good experience, a fun experience," said Sasser, who was 9-of-15 shooting. The Cougars (30-2), a sure-bet No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, have back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time since their Phi Slama Jama era. Houston made three consecutive Final Four appearances from 1982-84 and were national runners-up in back-to-back seasons — winning 31 games in 1982-83 and 32 the next season.
Houston plays fourth-seeded Cincinnati in the AAC semifinals Saturday. East Carolina freshman forward Ezra Ausar had 18 points and a season-high 19 rebounds to set an AAC tourney record in his third double-double this season. The Pirates (16-17) had a season-low scoring total and shot 31.4% (16 of 51). Take out Sasser, and the rest of Cougars were 7-of-42 shooting to finish at 28.1% overall (16 of 57). Shead's 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting made him the only other Houston player with multiple made field goals. J'Wan Roberts had 12 rebounds but was scoreless missing his five shots.
“The shooting percentage isn't what bothered me. We missed 41 shots and got six offensive rebounds . ... somebody on our team got six misses," Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson said. “That's what disappointed me.”
The Pirates jumped out to an early 9-5 lead by making four of their first five shots before they started to struggle against Houston's tenacious defense. ECU made only four of its remaining 18 shots before halftime, and still only trailed by two because the Cougars were even worse from the field at 25.8% (8 of 31). After three Pirates turnovers in the first 2 1/2 minutes of the second half, Houston extended its lead to 29-21 when Sasser swished a 3 from the left wing. Another 3 by Sasser pushed it 42-28 with just over 12 minutes left.
The Cougars, who are moving to the Big 12 next season, are the only team in the nation that hasn't lost away from home this season. They were 11-0 in true road games and are now 3-0 in neutral games. Houston has never lost at Dickies Arena on the edge of downtown Fort Worth where the AAC Tournament is played. The Cougars are 10-0 in the building, including the past two AAC Tournaments and regular-season games in each of the past three seasons.
No. 3 Kansas 71, Iowa State 58
Jalen Wilson had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Gradey Dick made a couple of crucial baskets during a second-half run that gave Kansas control, and the third-ranked Jayhawks went on to beat Iowa State to reach the Big 12 Tournament title game.
Dick finished with 15 points for the top-seeded Jayhawks (27-6), who fell behind early in the second half before the defending champs rallied to reach tonight's title game against seventh-ranked Texas or No. 22 TCU. The Jayhawks were once again with Hall of Fame coach Bill Self, who is recovering after a hospital trip Wednesday night for what doctors with the University of Kansas Health System would only call “a standard procedure.” Longtime assistant Norm Roberts, serving as the acting coach.
Jaren Holmes had 16 points to lead the No. 5 seed Cyclones (19-13). Robert Jones finished with 11.
No. 4 Alabama 72, Mississippi State 49
Brandon Miller had 18 points and nine rebounds and Alabama never trailed in a quarterfinal victory over Mississippi State in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
The top-seeded Crimson Tide (27-5) set the pace in the first half hitting eightof-20 shots from long range. Charles Bediako and Noah Gurley added 11 points apiece for Alabama, and Jahvon Quinerly scored 10.
Alabama will face No. 25 Missouri, a 7971 winner over 17th-ranked Tennessee, in the semifinal today.
Tolu Smith led Mississippi State (21-12) with 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Dashawn Davis scored 13 points.
No. 5 Purdue 70, Rutgers 65
Mason Gillis had 20 points on 7-for-8 shooting, and Purdue held off Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. With Zach Edey drawing his usual attention inside, the top-seeded Boilermakers (27-5) got a big lift from Gillis and reserve guard David Jenkins Jr. Gillis grabbed nine rebounds. The 7-foot-4 Edey finished with 16 points and 11 boards.
Purdue will face Ohio State, a 68-58 winner over Michigan State, in the semifinals today.
Derek Simpson scored 18 points for Rutgers (19-14). Cam Spencer had 13 points, and Clifford Omoruyi finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
No. 21 Duke 85, No. 14 Miami 78
Kyle Filipowski had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Jeremy Roach hit a huge 3-pointer at the 1:32 mark and Duke held off Miami in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals. Roach's 3 from the left wing over Isaiah Wong with the shot clock going down proved to be the biggest shot, giving Duke a 78-71 lead that Miami couldn't overcome in a well-played matchup that often resembled a second-weekend NCAA Tournament game.
The fourth-seeded Blue Devils (25-8) did enough late to stay in control, closing out their eighth straight win and earning their 17th trip to the title game in the past 25 tournaments.
Wong had 22 points to lead the top-seeded Hurricanes (25-7), who suffered an immediate blow by losing starting forward Norchad Omier to an ankle injury just 66 seconds into the game.
No. 25 Missouri 79, No. 17 Tennessee 71
Nick Honor hit a 3-pointer with 1:45 left to put Missouri ahead to stay, and the Tigers reached the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time since joining the league. The Tigers (24-8), who joined the SEC in 2012, will play fourth-ranked Alabama today. Missouri won its fifth straight this season to snap a three-game skid in the SEC quarterfinals.
D'Moi Hodge led Missouri with 26 points, 17 in the second half. Kobe Brown added 24 and nine rebounds, and DeAndre Gholston had 10. Santiago Vescovi led five Vols (23-10) in double digits with 17 points. Tyreke Key had 16, Jahmai Mashack 14, Olivier Nkamhoua added 11 points and 10 rebounds and Julian Phillips 10.