No. 8 Michigan State wins fifth straight, beating No. 11 Wisconsin 71-62
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jaden Akins scored 19 points and Jaxon Kohler had 10 pounds and a career-high 16 rebounds to lead No. 8 Michigan State to a 71-62 win over No. 11 Wisconsin on Sunday.
The Spartans (24-5, 15-3 Big Ten) have won five straight, putting them in position to contend for the conference championship with a week left in the regular season.
The Badgers (22-7, 12-6) had won six of seven.
Michigan State freshman Jase Richardson overcame foul trouble in the first half to finish with 11 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Wisconsin’s John Blackwell had 19 points and John Tonje scored 11 in a starting lineup that was without injured guard Max Klesmit.
The Badgers led by nine points early in the game and were ahead 34-32 at halftime. Richardson’s all-around game helped the Spartans take control early in the second half.
ILLINOIS 93, NO. 15 MICHIGAN 73
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Tre White had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Illinois to a 93-73 rout of No. 15 Michigan 93-73 on Sunday.
Kylan Boswell and Kasparas Jakucionis each scored 17 points for the Illini (19-11, 11-8 Big Ten), who have beaten Michigan (22-7, 14-4) nine straight times.
The Illini struggled to make shots throughout, but 19 offensive rebounds led to 30 second-chance points.
Vladislav Golden had 22 points on 11-of-15 shooting for the Wolverines, who lost for the second time in four games. Michigan’s other four starters scored 28 points on 11-of-29 shooting.
Illinois scored 31 points in the first half, but reached that total in the second half on Jake Davis’ 3-pointer with 9:51 left. That gave the Illini a 62-50 lead and they made it a 17-point lead on a 3 by Jakucionis with 8:41 remaining.
Another 3 by Jakucionis made it 75-55 with 6:20 to go and the Wolverines didn’t have an answer.
NO. 18 MEMPHIS 88, UAB 81
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — PJ Haggerty scored 17 of his 25 points in the final 12 minutes to help No. 18 Memphis rally from an 11-point deficit to beat UAB and inch closer to the American Athletic Conference regular-season title.
Colby Rogers hit five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points for Memphis (24-5, 14-2) and Dain Dainja had 16 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Tyrese Hunter added 13 points.
Rogers hit a 3 to make it 48-47 almost three minutes into the second half and give Memphis its first lead since 6-5.
Ja’Borri McGhee led the Blazers (19-10, 12-4) with 22 points and Christian Coleman added 14 points and nine rebounds. Bradley Ezewiro scored 12 points and Yaxel Lendeborg had 10.
Memphis will clinch at least a share of the AAC title if Wichita State beats North Texas on Monday.
The Tigers lead the series 42-12, including a 15-10 at UAB.