Illinois (17-13, 6-11) closed to 40-39 with just over 15 minutes left, but missed three chances to tie or take a lead. Meyers Leonard led Illinois with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Darius Miller hit five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points, and No. 1 Kentucky beat Georgia 79-49 on Thursday night to extend the nation’s longest home winning streak to 52 games and push its overall run to 21 in a row.
Kentucky (29-1, 15-0 Southeastern Conference) made an emphatic statement in its final game at Rupp Arena this season with an offensive flurry that nearly equaled the stiff defensive effort the Wildcats have given all season.
Kentucky, the nation’s best defensive team by field goal percentage, made a season-best 15 3-pointers, hitting six in a row in the second half.
Donte’ Williams led Georgia (13-16, 4-11) with 17 points. The Bulldogs were 3 of 19 from 3-point range.
NO. 22 FLORIDA STATE 63, NO. 24 VIRGINIA 60
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Ian Miller made a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left and No. 22 Florida State rallied from 11 points down in the last 4 1/2 minutes to stun Virginia.
Miller scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half, and got just free enough from Sammy Zeglinski in the final seconds to make the shot from deep in the right wing. It was Miller’s fifth 3-pointer and the seventh for the Seminoles (20-9, 11-4 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Mike Scott scored 28 points, his career high in an ACC game, for the Cavaliers (21-8, 8-7), who lost for the first time in 18 games when scoring 60 points. Jontel Evans added 10 points for Virginia, which played with only seven scholarship players available to coach Tony Bennett.
Michael Snaer and Xavier Gibson added 12 points each for the Seminoles.
NO. 13 MICHIGAN 72, ILLINOIS 61
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Tim Hardaway Jr. had 25 points and 11 rebounds to help keep Michigan in the Big Ten title race with a victory over Illinois.
Trey Burke added 21 points for Michigan (22-8, 12-5).
Illinois (17-13, 6-11) closed to 40-39 with just over 15 minutes left, but missed three chances to tie or take a lead. Meyers Leonard led Illinois with 18 points and nine rebounds.