Watts, Henry lift Michigan State over No. 2 Michigan 70-64
EAST LANSING, Mich. - EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Rocket Watts scored 21 points and Aaron Henry had 18 to lead Michigan State to a 70-64 victory over No. 2 Michigan on Sunday that seems to seal coach Tom Izzo’s 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.
The Spartans (15-11, 9-11 Big Ten) have won five of their last seven games, beating No. 4 Ohio State, No. 5 Illinois and their second-ranked rivals during the late-season surge.
The Wolverines (19-3, 14-3) closed the regular season getting routed at home by the Fighting Illini, beating Michigan State handily to seal the Big Ten title and losing the rematch three days later.
And, Michigan might have lost more than that.
Senior guard Eli Brooks hurt his left ankle early in the game at the Breslin Center and did not return in what potentially could be a problem going into the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. Brooks ranks fourth on the team with eight-plus points per game, averages nearly three assists a game and has started 51 games over two seasons.
No. 3 BAYLOR 88, No. 18 TEXAS TECH 73
WACO, Texas (AP) — MaCio Teague scored 35 points while matching a school record with 10 made 3-pointers and Baylor finished undefeated at home for the first time in 73 years.
The Big 12 champion Bears (21-1, 13-1 Big 12) never trailed, but didn’t take control for good until a 16-3 run in the second half when Teague had three 3s while scoring 12 of those points. He finished 10-of-12 from long range.
Jared Butler scored 18 points and Davion Mitchell 17 as Baylor finished 10-0 in the Ferrell Center, the first time going undefeated at home since going 9-0 in 1947-48. Vital had 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Kyler Edwards had 18 points for Texas Tech (17-9, 9-8), which was coming off three consecutive wins at home. Kevin McCullar and Terrence Shannon Jr. both had 11.
No. 5 IOWA 77, No. 25 WISCONSIN 73
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Luka Garza scored 21 points and had 16 rebounds as defeated Wisconsin.
Minutes after the game, Iowa athletic director Gary Barta announced Garza's jersey No. 55 would be retired after the season, bringing Garza to tears.
It was the 12th double-double of the season for Garza, who leads the Big Ten in scoring and is third in the nation. He is Iowa’s all-time leading career scorer with 2,201 points.
The Hawkeyes (20-7, 14-6) have won seven of eight and will be the third seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
Micah Potter shot 9 for 12 and scored 23 points for Wisconsin (16-11, 10-10), which has lost five of six.
No. 9 HOUSTON 67, MEMPHIS 64
HOUSTON (AP) — Tramon Mark hit a long 3-pointer as time expired to lift Houston over Memphis.
After Memphis tied it with 1.7 seconds left, Marcus Sasser threw the ball to midcourt, where Mark picked it up. He dribbled through two Memphis defenders and launched a 35-footer off the backboard and in. Houston mobbed Mark in a hectic scene under the basket.
DeJon Jarreau had 19 points and eight rebounds, Quentin Grimes added 17 points and eight rebounds, and Justin Gorham had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Cougars (21-3, 14-3 American), who won their fourth straight game. Mark finished with eight points and shot 3 for 12 from the field.
Landers Nolley II scored 14 points, Lester Quinones and DeAndre Williams each added 11 points for Memphis (15-7, 11-4).
No. 20 LOYOLA CHICAGO 75, DRAKE 65
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Cameron Krutwig and Braden Norris scored 20 points apiece to lead Loyola Chicago over Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
The Ramblers (24-4, 16-2) will be making their seventh NCAAs appearance and first since the 2018 team reached the Final Four as a No. 11 seed.
Keith Clemons added 13 points for Loyola, which has won six in a row and 17 of its last 18.
Tremell Murphy and D.J. Wilkins scored 20 points each for Drake (25-4, 15-3), a bubble team.