Late tip-in helps Providence upend 10th-ranked Villanova
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — David Duke made a tiebreaking tip-in with 2.8 seconds left on Saturday and Providence held on after blowing a 20-point lead to beat No. 10 Villanova 54-52.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl 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.
Already without point guard Collin Gillespie, who tore his MCL on Wednesday, the Big East champion Wildcats lost backup Justin Moore to an ankle injury in the first half.
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). The Friars have won five of their last seven games against ranked teams.
NO. 4 ILLINOIS 73, NO. 7 OHIO STATE 68
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ayo Dosunmu returned after missing three games with a concussion and facial injuries to score 19 points, and Illinois rallied to beat Ohio State.
Andre Curbelo also had 19 points as Illinois got its second straight road win over a top 10 team after routing No. 2 Michigan on Tuesday. The Illini have won 11 of 12 and enter next week’s Big Ten Tournament with a double-bye.
E.J. Liddell led the Buckeyes with 19 points, and Duane Washington Jr. and Justice Sueing each had 15.
NO. 17 OKLAHOMA STATE 85, NO. 6 WEST VIRGINIA 80
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Sophomore Avery Anderson III scored a career-high 31 points to lead Oklahoma State over West Virginia in their Big 12 regular-season finale.
The Cowboys (18-7, 11-7 Big 12) made up for the loss of two starters by finding holes in the defense for easy layups, shooting 58% from the floor and outhustling West Virginia for rebounds.
Oklahoma State was without star freshman Cade Cunningham, who injured his left ankle late in a loss to No. 3 Baylor on Thursday. Isaac Likekele also sat out for the sixth time in seven games with a hand injury.
NO. 8 ALABAMA 89, GEORGIA 79
ATHENS, Ga. — Herbert Jones had two baskets in a 9-0 run to open the second half that gave Alabama the lead, and the SEC champion Crimson Tide beat Georgia.
Jahvon Quinerly led five Alabama scorers in double figures with 18 points. John Petty Jr. had 15 and Jaden Shackelford finished with 14.
Alabama (21-6, 16-2) matched its school record for Southeastern Conference wins in the 1986-87 season. The Crimson Tide will take a three-game winning streak into next week’s SEC Tournament in Tennessee.
NOTRE DAME 83, NO. 11 FLORIDA STATE 73
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Prentiss Hubb scored 22 points, Dane Goodwin had 15 and Notre Dame beat Florida State.
The Fighting Irish (10-14, 7-11 ACC) had five players score in double figures. They also went 28 for 34 at the free-throw line, compared to 15 for 20 for the Seminoles (15-5, 11-4).
NO. 12 ARKANSAS 87, TEXAS A&M 80
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Moses Moody scored 28 points, Jalen Tate added 22 and Arkansas beat Texas A&M to match the program’s longest Southeastern Conference winning streak at 11 games.
The Razorbacks also won 11 straight SEC games in 1993-94 en route to a national championship.
NO. 21 VIRGINIA 68, LOUISVILLE 58
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sam Hauser scored 24 points, Trey Murphy III added 17 and Virginia beat Louisville to win the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship.
Assured of least a No. 2 seed entering the regular-season finale, the Cavaliers (17-6, 13-4) received a huge opening for bigger things when first-place and No. 11 Florida State lost 83-73 earlier in the day at Notre Dame. Virginia then methodically took care of the Cardinals (13-6, 8-5) to leapfrog the Seminoles despite a blowout loss at FSU in the season’s lone meeting on Feb. 15.
NO. 22 LOYOLA CHICAGO 65, INDIANA STATE 49
ST. LOUIS — Cameron Krutwig had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Loyola Chicago beat Indiana State to advance to the Missouri Valley Conference tournament final.
Krutwig also had four assists and blocked three shots. Fellow senior Lucas Williamson scored 14 points for the Ramblers (23-4), and Keith Clemons had 12.
NO. 23 PURDUE 67, INDIANA 58
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Zach Edey scored 20 points and Jaden Ivey added 17 as Purdue beat Indiana for its ninth straight win in the in-state rivalry, the Boilermakers’ best run in the series since John Wooden played for them.
The Boilermakers beat Indiana nine in a row from 1929-35 boosted by Wooden, a star player who went on to coaching fame. Purdue beat the Hoosiers a school-record 12 straight from 1908-14.