Top-25 College Basketball Game Capsules
Tucson, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) – The second-ranked Arizona Wildcats were in danger of dropping their second straight game, but T.J. McConnell came through in the clutch. McConnell made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:32 remaining to lift the Wildcats over the Oregon Ducks, 67-65, on Thursday. Nick Johnson ended with 18 points and went 5-of-6 from the foul line down the stretch for Arizona (22-1, 9-1 Pac-12), which lost Brandon Ashley to a season-ending foot injury in Saturday’s loss at California. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tallied 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks for the Wildcats, who have won 18 consecutive games at home. Kaleb Tarczewski added 12 points and seven boards. Jason Calliste and Joseph Young each had 14 points for the Ducks (15-7, 3-7), who had a two-game winning streak against Arizona snapped. Damyean Dotson donated 12 points.
Final Score: (7) Cincinnati 63, (22) Connecticut 58
Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) – Sean Kilpatrick poured in 26 points with 12 rebounds and No. 7 Cincinnati held off No. 22 Connecticut, 63-58, on Thursday. Justin Jackson was the only other Bearcat in double figures with 15 points. Cincinnati (22-2, 11-0 AAC) has now won 15 straight games since a 64-47 loss to Xavier on Dec. 14. Shabazz Napier had 16 points to lead UConn (17-5, 5-4), but the Huskies’ leading scorer shot a dismal 2-for-12 from beyond the arc. Lasan Kromah tallied 13 points and Niels Giffey added 10 in the loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak for the Huskies, who play at Central Florida on Sunday.
Final Score: (9) Michigan State 82, Penn State 67
East Lansing, MI (SportsNetwork.com) – One of these days Michigan State is going to be fully healthy. Thursday wasn’t one of those days, but the ninth-ranked Spartans, behind 19 points from freshman Kenny Kaminski and a dozen 3-pointers, nonetheless had plenty of firepower to manhandle Penn State 82-67 at the Breslin Center. Kaminski shot 7-of-9 from the field and made all but one of his six 3-point attempts. Adreian Payne played for the first time since Jan. 7 and chipped in with 12 points and Gary Harris had 14 in the lopsided win. The Spartans (20-3, 9-1 Big Ten) were without star guard Keith Appling because of an injured wrist. Travis Trice got the start in Appling’s place and recorded seven assists with no turnovers. Tim Frazier and D.J. Newbill carried the Nittany Lions (12-11, 3-7) with 22 and 17 points, respectively, but it wasn’t enough to extend the team’s three-game winning streak.
Categorized in: NCAA Basketball