Associated Press CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Tyler Zeller had 30 points in his final home game to help No. 6 North Carolina beat Maryland 88-64 on Wednesday night. ADVERTISING John Henson added 19 points for the Tar Heels (26-4, 13-2
Associated Press
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Tyler Zeller had 30 points in his final home game to help No. 6 North Carolina beat Maryland 88-64 on Wednesday night.
John Henson added 19 points for the Tar Heels (26-4, 13-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who led all game to set up a matchup with No. 4 Duke this weekend to determine the league’s regular-season championship.
Zeller went just 5 for 12 from the field, but finished with his best scoring performance in an ACC game thanks to the number of times he went to the free throw line. Zeller made 20 of 23 attempts, breaking Tyler Hansbrough’s Smith Center record for made free throws in a game and finishing one shy of matching the program’s and ACC’s all-time mark.
In addition, Kendall Marshall added eight assists to set UNC’s season record.
Nick Faust had 17 points to lead the Terrapins (16-13, 6-9), who shot just 37 percent and got no closer than six points early in the second half.
Terrell Stoglin, the ACC’s leading scorer at 21 points per game, finished with 16 for the Terrapins on 4-for-18 shooting.
NO. 7 MISSOURI 78, IOWA ST. 72
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Michael Dixon scored 21 points to lead five Missouri players in double figures and the seventh-ranked Tigers clinched the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 tournament.
Dixon’s driving layup with 3:36 left gave Missouri (26-4, 13-4) a 66-64 lead. Marcus Denmon followed with a 3-pointer and Phil Pressey had a steal and layup with 1:23 remaining to cap a 7-0 run for the Tigers.
It was Missouri’s 13th Big 12 win, the most in school history as it prepares to leave for the Southeastern Conference next season. Finishing in second place would be the Tigers’ best regular-season performance since coach Norm Stewart’s final season, 1998-99.
Scott Christopherson scored eight points in the final minute, including a 3-pointer with 25.5 seconds remaining to close the deficit to 76-72. Dixon added two free throws with 15 seconds left.
Royce White led Iowa State (21-9, 11-6) with 20 points and nine assists.
CINCINNATI 72, NO. 8 MARQUETTE 61
CINCINNATI — JaQuon Parker scored a career-high 28 points to lead Cincinnati.
The Bearcats (21-9, 11-6) have won six of their last eight, including home victories over then-No. 17 Louisville and Marquette (24-6, 13-4). The Golden Eagles had won five straight, including a 95-78 drubbing of the Bearcats in Milwaukee on Feb. 11.
Cincinnati repeatedly drove through Marquette’s defense for layups, with Parker leading the way. Dion Dixon added 21 points for the Bearcats. Cincinnati’s front line dominated with nine blocks, including seven by Justin Jackson.
Darius Johnson-Odom scored 18 points, and Jae Crowder added 17 points and 12 rebounds for Marquette, which never got the lead under double digits in the second half.
Cincinnati improved to 5-3 against ranked teams this season. It was Cincinnati’s most lopsided win over a top 10 opponent since it beat No. 4 Louisville 101-80 on Feb. 22, 2003.
NO. 10 OHIO ST. 75, NORTHWESTERN 73
EVANSTON, Ill. — Jared Sullinger banked in a turnaround shot with 3.1 seconds left for Ohio State, which recovered after squandering a 13-point second-half lead.
Sullinger’s game-winner completed a 22-point, 18-rebound night for the Buckeyes’ sophomore star.
Northwestern’s Alex Marcotullio tied the game on a 3-pointer with 7.7 seconds to go as the Wildcats went on a late 8-0 run.
But after a timeout, Aaron Craft got the ball to Sullinger and he hit the go-ahead shot from the right of the basket. Northwestern’s John Shurna came down court and threw up a desperation shot that hit the rim at the buzzer.
Ohio State (24-6, 12-5), which had lost three of five, has a chance to tie for the Big Ten title if it can win at No. 5 Michigan State in Sunday’s regular season finale.
Deshaun Thomas added 19 points and 10 rebounds and Craft scored 14 points with four 3-pointers for the Buckeyes, who outrebounded Northwestern 44-18, including 20-6 on the offensive boards.
Drew Crawford scored 23 points and Shurna, Northwestern’s career scoring leader playing in his last regular-season home game, had 22 for the Wildcats (17-12, 7-10).
COLORADO ST. 66, NO. 17 UNLV 59
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Dorian Green scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half to lead Colorado State back from a 16-point deficit.
The Rams (18-10, 7-6 Mountain West) capped a perfect home mark in league play with their 13th straight win at Moby Arena.
They trailed 41-26 at halftime and by 16 points in the opening minutes of the second half before rallying to their third straight home win over a ranked team.
The Rebels (24-7, 8-5) fell a game behind New Mexico and San Diego State in the Mountain West standings. They got 17 points from Oscar Bellfield, but he had just one basket in the second half, a 3-pointer that put UNLV ahead 47-31.
From that point, the Rams outscored the Rebels 35-12.
SOUTH FLORIDA 58, NO. 19 LOUISVILLE 51
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jawanza Poland scored 16 points and South Florida got the signature win the Bulls have desperately sought for their NCAA tournament resume.
South Florida (19-11, 12-5 Big East) has won six of seven since a 30-point loss at Georgetown and was considered on the bubble with a game remaining at home against West Virginia on Saturday.
The Cardinals (22-8, 10-7) had won their 10 previous home finales. Their two starting seniors made the biggest contributions with Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith scoring 14 points each.
But the Bulls went 8 of 10 from the free throw line in the final minute to seal the victory.
Toarlyn Fitzpatrick scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Ron Anderson Jr. grabbed eight rebounds and Hugh Robertson added seven for South Florida.
NO. 21 SAN DIEGO ST. 66, BOISE ST. 53
BOISE, Idaho — Jamaal Franklin had 18 points and 12 rebounds and three of his teammates scored in double figures to lead San Diego State.
The win was the third straight for the Aztecs (23-6, 9-4 Mountain West), who stayed in a tie for first place with New Mexico heading into Saturday’s regular season finales. San Diego State travels to TCU this weekend, while New Mexico hosts the Broncos.
Franklin scored 12 points in the first half, helping SDSU take a 38-22 lead.
Tim Shelton and Chase Tapley each scored 11 points and Xavier Thames added 10 for SDSU, which shot 50 percent from the field in its first-ever visit to Boise State.
The Broncos (13-15, 3-10) were just 2 of 16 from behind the 3-point arc and shot 44 percent from the free throw line en route to their third straight loss.
Derrick Marks led the Broncos with 13 points and Anthony Drimic had 10.
NO. 23 TEMPLE 90, MASSACHUSETTS 88, OT
PHILADELPHIA — Khalif Wyatt scored 26 points, including the winning layup in the final seconds of overtime, to help Temple clinch the top seed in the Atlantic 10 tournament.
The Owls (23-6, 12-3) clinched a tie for the regular-season conference title, though they hold the tiebreaker over Saint Louis. Micheal Eric scored 19 points and Juan Fernandez had 18 for Temple.
The Owls blew a 10-point lead over the final 2 minutes of regulation and saw UMass score the first six points of overtime.
Temple made 30 of 40 free throws while UMass was 6 of 10.
Chaz Williams led the Minutemen (19-10, 8-7) with 26 points and 11 assists.
