Multiple overtimes necessary to decide two of week’s thrillers
The Final Four is making its way back to Houston in April. As the college basketball season unfolds, the path is laid out and the field wide-open for dozens of teams
1 Four games to remember
Kansas 109, Oklahoma 106: It took three overtime periods for an instant Big 12 classic to finish, and the Jayhawks prevailed on Monday night to hand the Sooners their first loss of the season. The two were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in both major polls heading into the game. Southern Cal 103, Arizona 101: The Trojans escaped with a win in quadruple overtime on Saturday. Guard Elijah Stewart had 27 points off the bench, including two free throws that would be the final points of the game. Marquette 65, Providence 64: The Golden Eagles upset the No. 8 Friars on Tuesday. Guard Haanif Cheatham led Marquette with 16 points. Forward Henry Ellison scored 13 points and had 10 rebounds. Baylor 94, Iowa State 89: The Bears came back from an 11-point deficit to defeat the No. 13 Cyclones in Ames. Taurean Prince had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the win.
2 Four top performances
Buddy Hield, Oklahoma: The senior guard earned a standing ovation on the road after scoring 46 points in the Sooners’ loss at Kansas. Brice Johnson , North Carolina: The senior forward scored 39 points and grabbed 23 rebounds against Florida State. Perry Ellis, Kansas: The senior forward had 27 points and 13 rebounds in the tripleovertime win over Oklahoma. Josh Hawkinson, Washington State: The junior forward had 20 points and 10 rebounds in an 85-78 win over UCLA, then 21 points and 20 rebounds in an overtime loss to Washington.
3 Four best 6th men
Ja’Quan Newton, Miami: The sophomore guard is averaging 12.1 points, 3.0 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game off the bench for the Hurricanes. Jabari Bird, California: The junior guard has been a good defender while averaging 7.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for the 12-5 Golden Bears. Isaiah Hicks, North Carolina: The junior forward averages 10.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. that yearn to be the last one standing at NRG Stadium on April 4. We’ll take a weekly look at what’s going on in the season. Deonte Burton, Iowa State: The junior guard averages 9.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per outing for the 12-3 Cyclones.
4 Top games to watch
Kansas at West Virginia, 6 p.m. Tuesday: The Jayhawks are on a roll in the very competitive Big 12, while the Mountaineers, also unbeaten in conference play, have been one of the most impressive teams all season. Duke at Clemson, 6 p.m. Wednesday: The Tigers are coming off an upset of No. 16 Louisville. Iowa at Michigan State, 6 p.m. Thursday: The Hawkeyes’ ability to stay unbeaten in Big Ten play will receive a severe test when they visit the Spartans. Connecticut at Houston, 1 p.m. Sunday:A visit by the Huskies concludes a tough week for the Cougars, who travel to Cincinnati on Wednesday.