Top-25 College Basketball Game Capsules

Lexington, KY (SportsNetwork.com) – Kentucky’s pursuit to perfection was never challenged on Saturday night. Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 points and 10 rebounds as the top-ranked Wildcats cruised to a 110-75 win over Auburn. Aaron Harrison netted 18 points, while Dakari Johnson added 13 points and six boards for Kentucky (27-0, 14-0 SEC), which has beaten Auburn 17 straight times. Antoine Mason led the Tigers (12-15, 4-10) with 29 points.

Final Score: (3) Gonzaga 70, Saint Mary’s 60

Moraga, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – No. 3 Gonzaga needed a late 11-0 run, but Kyle Wiltjer and the Bulldogs secured the WCC regular-season title with a 70-60 win over rival Saint Mary’s. The Bulldogs trailed 60-58 with three minutes to play, but efficient offense and timely stops helped them win their school record 21st straight game. Byron Wesley tied the score with two free throws, and Wiltjer and Przemek Karnowski made consecutive layups around a pair of Saint Mary’s misses to make it 64-60 with a minute left. Karnowski then challenged an Aaron Bright layup, and Wiltjer secured the rebound with 37.7 ticks on the clock. He converted six straight free throws and blocked two shots at the other end to seal it. Wiltjer finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Karnowski and Pangos netted 14 apiece for the Bulldogs (28-1, 16-0 WCC), who won their eighth in a row against Saint Mary’s. Brad Waldow had 19 and 11 rebounds for the Gaels (20-7, 12-4).

Final Score: (4) Duke 78, Clemson 56

Durham, NC (SportsNetwork.com) – No Jahlil Okafor, no problem for Duke. The fourth-ranked Blue Devils overcame the absence of their star freshman with ease, rolling to a 78-56 victory over Clemson with Okafor sitting out due to a sprained left ankle. Quinn Cook and Justise Winslow helped offset Okafor’s loss with huge games for Duke (24-3, 11-3 ACC). Both matched career highs with 27 and 20 points, respectively, with Winslow grabbing a personal-best 13 rebounds in the rout. Tyus Jones added 11 points and nine assists in the Blue Devils’ seventh consecutive win, which came far easier than Wednesday’s come-from-behind, 92-90 overtime triumph over rival North Carolina in which Okafor sustained his injury. Clemson (15-12, 7-8) struggled on both ends in suffering a fourth loss in five outings on the heels of a four-game win streak. Jaron Blossomgame was the lone Tiger to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points.

Final Score: (5) Wisconsin 63, Minnesota 53

Madison, WI (SportsNetwork.com) – Frank Kaminsky scored 21 points with five rebounds to lead No. 5 Wisconsin to a 63-53 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. Bronson Koenig added 17 points while Nigel Hayes added nine points and seven rebounds for the Badgers (25-1, 13-1 Big Ten), who have ripped off 10 straight wins since a loss at Rutgers on Jan. 11. Nate Mason, DeAndre Mathieu and Carlos Morris each posted 11 points for the Golden Gophers (16-12, 5-10), who have dropped their last three.

Final Score: (6) Villanova 87, Marquette 76

Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) – Darrun Hilliard II scored 17 points to lead No. 6 Villanova in an 87-76 victory over Marquette on Saturday. Ryan Arcidiacono scored 16 points for the Wildcats (25-2, 12-2 Big East), who have won eight straight since a loss to Georgetown on Jan. 19. Dylan Ennis had 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while JayVaughn Pinkston gave 14 points and nine boards in the win. JaJuan Johnson had 20 points and five assists for the Golden Eagles (11-15, 3-11), who have lost their last three games. Luke Fischer had 17 points and five boards in defeat.

Final Score: (7) Arizona 57, UCLA 47

Tucson, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – T.J. McConnell had 11 points and five assists and No. 7 Arizona scraped past UCLA, 57-47, extending its win streak at McKale Center to 36 games. While the starters struggled putting the ball in the hoop, reserves Gabe York and Dusan Ristic led Arizona (24-3, 12-2 Pac-12) with 13 and 12 points, respectively. The Wildcats have won four straight games since falling to in-state rival Arizona State on Feb. 7. Bryce Alford netted a game-high 22 points for UCLA (16-12, 8-7).

Final Score: (8) Kansas 81, TCU 72

Lawrence, KS (SportsNetwork.com) – Perry Ellis scored 23 points thanks to 9- of-10 shooting, and grabbed seven rebounds to help No. 8 Kansas top TCU, 81-72, on Saturday. The Jayhawks (22-5, 11-3 Big 12) also got a career-high 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting from Devonte’ Graham, while Frank Mason III added 14 points and five assists. Trey Zeigler scored 13 of his 20 points in the second half for the Horned Frogs (16-11, 3-11), but their comeback fell short. Kyan Anderson chipped in with 14 points and seven assists.

Final Score: (10) Notre Dame 87, Boston College 70

Chestnut Hill, MA (SportsNetwork.com) – Bonzie Colson led six players in double figures with 16 points as No. 10 Notre Dame kept rolling with an 87-70 decision over Boston College at Conte Forum. Demetrius Jackson finished with 15 points while Zach Auguste had 14 and V.J. Beachem, Jerian Grant and Steve Vasturia totaled 10 each for the Irish (24-4, 12-3 ACC), winners of three straight and nine of their last 11, including a 71-63 result in South Bend against BC on Feb. 4. Aaron Brown clocked in with a game- high 22 points for the Eagles (9-17, 1-13), who have dropped eight in a row. Olivier Hanlan picked up 19 points and Dennis Clifford had 17 in a losing effort.

Final Score: (11) Northern Iowa 56, Bradley 39

Cedar Falls, IA (SportsNetwork.com) – Nate Buss and Wes Washpun each scored 11 points to guide No. 11 Northern Iowa to a 56-39 victory over Bradley on Saturday. Seth Tuttle had nine points and eight rebounds and Jeremy Morgan added eight points for the Panthers (26-2, 15-1 MVC), who have won 15 straight and hold a half-game lead over Wichita State for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference. Josh Cunningham, Nate Wells and Ka’Darryl Bell scored six points apiece for the Braves (8-21, 3-13), who have lost their last four.

Final Score: (12) Louisville 55, Miami-Florida 53

Louisville, KY (SportsNetwork.com) – Montrezl Harrell wouldn’t let Louisville lose a third straight game, with the star forward amassing 21 points and 14 rebounds to help rally the 12th-ranked Cardinals to a needed 55-53 victory over Miami-Florida. Louisville (21-6, 9-5 ACC) trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half but prevailed behind huge efforts by Harrell and the reinstated Chris Jones after the break. Harrell racked up 12 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 35.6 remaining, and eight boards in the second half. Jones, suspended for the Cardinals’ 69-59 loss at Syracuse on Wednesday, returned to deposit 14 of his 17 points following the intermission.

Final Score: (14) Iowa State 85, Texas 77

Austin, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Georges Niang and Matt Thomas each scored 17 points in the 14th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones’ 85-77 win over the Texas Longhorns on Saturday. Bryce Dejean-Jones added 16 points for the Cyclones (20-6, 10-4 Big 12), who have recorded four straight 20-win campaigns for the first time in school history. Naz Long and Dustin Hogue contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively. Kendal Yancy made six 3-pointers en route to 29 points for the Longhorns (17-10, 6-8), who have lost two in a row since a three-game winning streak. Isaiah Taylor tallied 23 points and seven assists.

Final Score: (15) North Carolina 89, Georgia Tech 60

Chapel Hill, NC (SportsNetwork.com) – North Carolina honored the late Dean Smith on Saturday and followed with a balanced effort that would have made the legendary coach proud. Kennedy Meeks scored 18 points and Marcus Paige contributed 13 with 10 assists for the 15th-ranked Tar Heels in an 89-60 rout of Georgia Tech. It was the first home game for North Carolina since Smith died on Feb. 7. Brice Johnson added 16 points and J.P. Tokoto chipped in 12 with six rebounds and five assists for the Tar Heels, who shot a season- best 62.3 percent and had six players score in double figures.

Final Score: (17) Oklahoma 79, Texas Tech 75 (OT)

Lubbock, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Isaiah Cousins scored 22 points and the 17th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners needed overtime to beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders 79-75 on Saturday. Texas Tech guard Toddrick Gotcher made a 3- pointer with 3.6 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, then connected from beyond the arc with 1:17 remaining in the extra session to make it 75-75. TaShawn Thomas then made 1-of-2 free throws to put Oklahoma in front, and Keenan Evans missed a 3-pointer at the other end before Cousins made two free throws to make it 78-75 with 17 seconds left. Texas Tech’s Isaiah Manderson missed from beyond the arc before Jordan Woodard made 1-of-2 from the line to put the game away. Frank Booker scored a career-high 17 points for the Sooners (19-8, 10-5 Big 12), who beat these Red Raiders by a 81-36 margin in Norman on Jan. 28 to establish a Big 12 record for fewest points allowed in a league game.

Final Score: (18) Arkansas 65, Mississippi State 61

Starkville, MS (SportsNetwork.com) – Rashad Madden had 16 points, Bobby Portis scored 13 and No. 18 Arkansas grinded out a 65-61 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday at Humphrey Coliseum. Portis added nine rebounds and four blocks as the Razorbacks (22-5, 11-3 SEC) overcame shooting 35.2 percent to extend their winning streak to six games. Michael Qualls ended with 14 points and Anton Beard supplied 11 for Arkansas. Craig Sword paced Mississippi State (12-15, 5-9) with 15 points and five assists. Gavin Ware posted 13 points and nine rebounds for the Bulldogs, who stayed close despite committing 23 turnovers and going nearly eight minutes without a field goal late in the second half.

Final Score: Xavier 73, (19) Butler 56

Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) – Myles Davis posted 18 points as Xavier routed No. 19 Butler, 73-56, on Saturday. Trevon Bluiett added 11 points while Jalen Reynolds contributed nine points and 11 rebounds for the Musketeers (18-10, 8-7 A-10), winners in four of their last five games. Roosevelt Jones scored 14 points and Alex Barlow poured in 10 with five rebounds and two steals for the Bulldogs (19-8, 9-5), who have lost two of three since taking five in a row.

Final Score: (20) Baylor 69, Kansas State 42

Waco, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – With five scorers in double figures and its typical stingy defense, No. 20 Baylor earned a 69-42 win over Kansas State on Saturday. Taurean Prince paced the Bears (20-7, 8-6 Big 12) with 14 points and five assists. Rico Gathers added 13 points and 10 rebounds, Lester Medford chipped in 12 points, and Al Freeman and Royce O’Neale scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. Baylor limited the Wildcats (13-15, 6-9) to 38.3 percent shooting and a 1-of-16 display from 3-point range. The Bears scored 19 points off 15 Kansas State turnovers. Thomas Gipson scored 11 points and added six rebounds for Kansas State.

Final Score: (23) West Virginia 73, (22) Oklahoma State 63

Stillwater, OK (SportsNetwork.com) – Juwan Staten had 22 points with seven assists, Gary Browne scored 18 while sinking 9-of-12 free throws and No. 23 West Virginia topped 22nd-ranked Oklahoma State 73-63 on Saturday. Devin Williams posted nine points and 12 rebounds for the Mountaineers (21-6, 9-5 Big 12), who have won three of their last four games. Le’Bryan Nash led four Cowboys in double figures with 12 points. Anthony Hickey and Michael Cobbins finished with 11 points apiece in the third straight loss for Oklahoma State (17-10, 7-8).

Final Score: (25) VCU 78, Massachusetts 72

Richmond, VA (SportsNetwork.com) – Treveon Graham had 24 points and 10 rebounds and No. 25 VCU rallied in the second half to record a 78-72 win over Massachusetts in an important Atlantic 10 clash. The Rams put together a 17-5 run midway through the final period after briefly relinquishing the lead, with Mo-Alie Cox netting eight of his 12 points during the surge to help VCU (21-6, 11-3 A-10) keep a hold on first place in the conference with its third straight victory. JeQuan Lewis added 15 points for the Rams.

Categorized in: NCAA Basketball