BASKETBALL

past Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.

Bam Adebayo had 10 points and nine rebounds to send top-seeded Kentucky (28-5) to Sunday’s championship game against Arkansas.

Dazon Ingram had 17 points for No. 5 seed Alabama (19-14), which outrebounded Kentucky 33-28 but couldn’t get the basket when needed.

No. 23 IOWA STATE 80, No. 11 WEST VIRGINIA 74

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Monte Morris scored 17 points, Deonte Burton and Matt Thomas helped him deal with West Virginia’s attacking defense, and Iowa State beat the Mountaineers for its third Big 12 Tournament title in four years.

Burton had 16 points and Thomas finished with 12 for the fourth-seeded Cyclones (23-10), who will enter the NCAA Tournament as one of the nation’s hottest teams. They’ve won nine of their last 10 games, with their only loss during that stretch coming a week ago in Morgantown.

They avenged that defeat in a big way at the Sprint Center.

Iowa State has never lost in four appearances in the Big 12 title game, while the second-seeded Mountaineers (26-8) remain without a conference tournament title of any kind since winning the Big East in 2010.

Jevon Carter had 18 points for West Virginia, which will no doubt rue its 8-for-17 shooting from the foul line.

No. 12 SMU 70, UCF 59

HARTFORD, Conn. — Sterling Brown scored 22 points and SMU beat UCF in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament.

Semi Ojeleye added 17 points, and Shake Milton had 14 of his 16 points in the second half for the Mustangs (29-4). They are back in the championship game after missing last year’s tournament because of NCAA sanctions. The Mustangs won the title in 2015. This time, they will face No. 15 Cincinnati for the crown.

SMU has won 15 straight games and 25 of its last 26 after a 4-3 start to the season.

B.J. Taylor had 20 points, and Nick Banyard 16 for the Knights (21-11). They had won six in a row.

No. 15 CINCINNATI 81, CONNECTICUT 71

HARTFORD, Conn. — Gary Clark scored 25 points to lead Cincinnati over UConn in the American Athletic Conference semifinals.

Jacob Evans added 21 points and Troy Caupain had 18 for the Bearcats (294), who will be seeking their first AAC title Sunday against SMU.

Jalen Adams scored 20 points and Christian Vital had 18 for UConn. The Huskies finished 16-17, their first losing season in 30 years.

It was a typically chippy game between the teams, whose rivalry dates to the old Big East. They combined for 56 fouls, 32 committed by UConn.

Cincinnati was 38 of 46 from the foul line. UConn made 20 of its 25 free throw attempts.

No. 24 WISCONSIN 76, NORTHWESTERN 48

WASHINGTON — Wisconsin revved up the defense against weary Northwestern and got the desired result, a victory that earned the Badgers a berth in the Big Ten Tournament championship game for the third time in five years.

Nigel Hayes scored 18 points and Ethan Happ added 16 for the second-seeded Badgers. They never trailed in their third straight victory — second in the tournament — following a run of five losses in six games.

Wisconsin (25-8) will vie for its fourth Big Ten title Sunday against No. 8 seed Michigan.