Villanova vindicated with Butler win
Plus: Virginia Tech upends Virginia
PHILADELPHIA — Topranked Villanova found a way to defeat Butler after three straight losses to the Bulldogs, varying its defenses and getting a career game from Donte DiVincenzo.
DiVincenzo established a career high with 30 points, Jalen Brunson added 27 and the top-ranked Wildcats, playing without two starters, defeated the Bulldogs, 86-75, in a Big East game played before a sellout crowd of 20,603 at the Wells Fargo Center. VIRGINIA TECH 61, No. 2 VIRGINIA 60 (OT): In Charlottesville, Va., Kerry Blackshear Jr. scored on a putback with 5.8 seconds left and Virginia Tech spoiled Virginia’s opportunity to climb to No. 1 with a victory. No. 4 MICHIGAN STATE 68, No. 3 PURDUE 65: In East Lansing, Mich., Miles Bridges made a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 2.7 seconds left and finished with 20 points. No. 5 XAVIER 72, CREIGHTON 71: In Omaha, Neb., Quentin Goodin made two free throws with three-tenths of a second left, allowing Xavier to hold off Creighton. No. 7 TEXAS TECH 66, KANSAS STATE 47: In Manhattan, Kan., Keenan Evans scored 19 points and Texas Tech beat Kansas State to take sole possession
of the Big 12 lead. No. 8 AUBURN 78, GEORGIA 61: In Athens, Ga., Jared Harper scored 24 points and Auburn (223, 10-2 Southeastern Conference), playing without top scorer Bryce Brown, showed impressive depth by beating Georgia. No. 14 OHIO STATE 82, IOWA 64: In Columbus, Ohio, Keita Bates-Diop had 14 points and eight rebounds, and Ohio State (21-5, 13-1) gained sole possession of first place in the Big Ten. ALABAMA 78, No. 15 TENNESSEE 50: In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Donta Hall had 17 points and 11 rebounds and Collin Sexton scored 16 points as the Crimson Tide (16-10, 7-5 SEC) thoroughly dominated the Volunteers (186, 8-4) around the basket and
cashed in on a number of fastbreak chances. IOWA STATE 88, No. 17 OKLAHOMA 80: In Ames, Iowa, ISU freshman Lindell Wigginton upstaged Trae Young by scoring 26 points and the Cyclones (13-11, 4-8 Big 12) handed the Sooners their sixth consecutive road loss. OKLAHOMA STATE 88, No. 19 WEST VIRGINIA 85: In Morgantown, W.Va., Kendall Smith and Cameron McGriff each scored 20 points for Oklahoma State (15-10, 5-7 Big 12).
MWC
No. 23 NEVADA 83, SAN DIEGO STATE 58: In Reno, Nev., Jordan Caroline scored 26 points and Lindsay Drew just missed a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in Nevada’s victory over San Diego State (13-10, 5-7 Mountain West).
Kendall Stephens added 21 points for Nevada (21-5, 10-2). The Wolf Pack rebounded after falling to UNLV on Wednesday night for its first home game of the season.
COLORADO STATE 90, SAN JOSE STATE 79: In Fort Collins, Colo., Nico Carvacho had a career-high 26 points and a career-high-tying 20 rebounds to help Colorado State beat San Jose State (3-20, 0-12 Mountain West).
Colorado State (11-16, 4-10) suspended interim head coach Steve Barnes just hours before the game and assistant coach Jase Herl took his place, helping the team snap a seven-game losing streak.
UNLV 85, WYOMING 70: In Las Vegas, Nev., Shakur Juiston scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and UNLV beat Wyoming (16-9, 7-5 MWC).
Juiston was 11 of 15 from the floor for the Rebels (18-7, 7-5), who are three games behind conference leader Nevada.
UTAH STATE 71, BOISE STATE 65: In Logan, Utah, Koby McEwen scored 23 points to lead Utah State to a victory over Boise State.
Utah State (14-12, 7-6 MWC) has won four of its last five games. Boise State (20-5, 10-3) had a fivegame win streak snapped and is now a half-game back of conference leader Nevada.