NCAA Conference Tournaments 2015: Predictions, Results for Friday's Top Games
They don’t call it March Madness for nothing.
Friday’s slate of conference-tournament games came and went with a few upsets, some intriguing new storylines and several teams that saw its tournament hopes rise or fall.
It was a real tough night for the top seeds in the ACC.
Top-seeded Virginia and No. 2 seed Duke both went down in upsets.
No. 19 North Carolina scored its third win in as many days, upending the defending ACC champion Cavaliers 71-67 behind 22 points from Justin Jackson.
The Tar Heels will face No. 11 Notre Dame, who will compete in its first ACC tournament title game in school history Saturday.
The Fighting Irish trailed No. 2 Duke 2-0 in the opening seconds but never fell behind again in a 74-64 upset that could well cost the Blue Devils a top seed once the brackets are released on Sunday.
In one of the wilder scenes of the night, UConn senior guard Ryan Boatright proved that the Huskies’ magic might have some life in it yet.
Boatright, channeling his inner Shabazz Napier, sank a buzzer-beating three to lift the defending national champions to a 57-54 win over Cincinnati and a trip to the AAC semifinals on Saturday against Tulsa.
Saturday’s action will be highlighted by the championship games in several power conferences.
In the Big 12, No. 13 Iowa State advanced to the Big 12 final when Oklahoma’s Ryan Spangler blew a layup in the closing seconds of a 67-65 win.
The Cyclones will face No. 9 Kansas, who beat Baylor 62-52 in the other semifinal.
The Big East will be decided by something old and something new, as No. 4 Villanova battles Xavier.
And in the Pac-12, No. 5 Arizona will meet upset-minded Oregon, which beat No. 17 Utah on Joseph Young’s deep three with 1.1 seconds left on the clock.
Keep it locked on Bleacher Report throughout the day for all your live, up-to-the-minute coverage of March Madness.
AAC Tournament
1 of 9
Results
Temple 80, Memphis 75
Temple needed a win in the AAC tournament to improve its chances at gaining a spot in the NCAA tournament, and it did just that in beating Memphis 80-75.
AAC Coach of the Year Fran Dunphy picked up the 500th win of his career with the victory. The Owls have won 11 of their last 13 games, and they will meet top-seeded SMU in the AAC semifinals.
Guard Will Cummings led Temple with 21 points and six assists. Teammate Quenton DeCosey added 14 points and eight rebounds. Trahson Burrell had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Tigers.
Memphis has lost four of its last five games.
— Updated by Steve Silverman
SMU 74, East Carolina 68
East Carolina pushed the top-seeded SMU Mustangs hard, but the Pirates did not have the complete game to come up with an AAC tournament upset.
SMU overcame East Carolina's hot three-point shooting and came through with a 74-68 victory. The Pirates scored 45 of their 68 points on shots from beyond the arc, but an inability to score inside was decisive.
Guard Nic Moore led the way for the Mustangs, as he scored 20 points and handed out five assists. Center Yanick Moreira scored 10 points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Terry Whisnant and Antonio Robinson led the way for the Pirates with 18 points each.
— Updated by Steve Silverman
Tulsa 59, Houston 51
Tulsa has absolutely no margin for error when it comes to its tournament hopes, and it avoided a potentially devastating setback with a 59-51 win over Houston on Friday night.
The Golden Hurricane entered the AAC tournament with back-to-back losses to end the regular season, placing themselves into selection purgatory, but they survived a streaky Cougars team behind a solid team effort that saw a lot of players contribute a little.
Only two Tulsa players reached double digits in scoring, but it was enough to survive and play another day.
Shaquille Harrison led the team with 14 points and nine boards.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
UConn 57, Cincinnati 54
The magic might not be dead yet for the defending national champions.
Ryan Boatright's three at the buzzer lifted the Huskies, who are looking to steal a bid after a disappointing season, to a 57-54 win over Cincinnati on Friday night. They advance to Saturday's semifinal where they'll face fellow bubble team Tulsa for a chance at securing the AAC's automatic bid.
Boatright, perhaps trying to channel his inner Shabazz Napier or Kemba Walker, finished the game with 18 points, but none was bigger than the game-winning shot that may help save his team's season.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
ACC Tournament
2 of 9
Results
North Carolina 71, Virginia 67
North Carolina proved Friday night that its one of those teams capable of beating or losing to pretty much any elite team in the country. The Tar Heels never trailed, as they upended regular-season ACC champion Virginia 71-67 to advance to the ACC championship game.
It was the third win in as many days for the Tar Heels, who avenged a 75-64 loss back in early February at Chapel Hill, and the first time in school history that they've beaten two higher-seeded teams in the same ACC tournament.
Virginia ceded eight of the first nine points in the game and trailed by double digits in the second half, but Malcolm Brogdon did basically everything in his power to keep his team in the game, finishing with 25 points.
Justin Jackson led North Carolina with 22 points, more than doubling his season average, and dropped in 4-of-5 from behind the arc.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Notre Dame 74, Duke 64
It was a bad night for the top-two seeds in the ACC.
Just hours after North Carolina sent top-seeded Virginia home early, Mike Brey's Fighting Irish did the same to Duke, sending Jahlil Okafor and the Blue Devils packing with a 74-64 victory.
Notre Dame, which trailed 2-0 and then never again, did have a couple of dicey moments in the second half, when its 15-point lead was shaved to single digits, but it held firm to advance to the school's first ever ACC tournament final.
Jerian Grant had 13 for the Irish, but it was unheralded Bonzie Colson's 17 off the bench that made the difference.
Okafor, the best freshman big man in the county, did all he could with 28 points and eight rebounds.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Atlantic 10 Tournament
3 of 9
Results
Davidson 67, LaSalle 66
Tyler Kalinoski’s driving layup at the buzzer gave Davidson a dramatic 67-66 come-from-behind victory over LaSalle in the Atlantic 10 tournament Friday.
LaSalle had a 66-57 lead with 4:45 remaining, but the Explorers did not score another point the rest of the way. Kalinoski, who had 18 points for the game, had seven of his team’s final 10 points.
Guard Jack Gibbs had 22 points to lead the Wildcats, while center Steve Zack had 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead LaSalle.
The victory was Davidson’s 10th in a row.
— Updated by Steve Silverman
VCU 70, Richmond 67
VCU got 23 points from Melvin Johnson and made the defensive stops it needed in the final few minutes to hold on for a narrow 70-67 win over Richmond on Friday afternoon.
The Spiders sit firmly on the bubble—likely on the outside looking in—and missed a big chance to secure a quality win that might persuade a few people of their tournament worthiness.
JeQuan Lewis nailed a clutch three to give the Rams the lead for good with just over 90 seconds remaining on the clock and prevent Richmond from beating VCU for a third time this season.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Dayton 75, St. Bonaventure 71
Dayton took both of its regular-season meetings from St. Bonaventure by double digits, but it wasn't nearly as easy on Friday night.
The Flyers trailed by two at halftime and had to overcome tremendous individual efforts from Bonnies juniors Marcus Posley and Dion Wright to hold on for a dramatic 75-71 victory. With the win, Dayton advances to the quarterfinals on Saturday, where it will face either Rhode Island or George Washington.
Kendall Pollard led the Flyers with 26 points and seven rebounds.
Posley led the Bonnies with 26, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, but Wright was the story with 24 points and nine rebounds on an astonishing 10-of-11 from the field. But unfortunately for St. Bonaventure, those performances weren't enough.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Rhode Island 71, George Washington 58
Rhode Island trailed at halftime but pulled away over the second 20 minutes for a 71-58 quarterfinal win over George Washington.
The Rams, who are the best defensive team in the conference, did what they do best, limiting the Colonials to just 31.1 percent shooting from the field.
Rhode Island got 21 points from sophomore guard E.C. Matthews to win its first Atlantic 10 tournament game since 2011 and set up a semifinal match with Dayton.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
.png?w=256 "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship")
Big Ten Tournament
4 of 9
Results
Purdue 64, Penn State 59
Purdue nearly got punched in the mouth by the Penn State Cinderellas.
After Penn State had beaten Nebraska and Iowa in the Big Ten Conference tournament, the Nittany Lions built a double-digit lead over the Boilermakers and took a five-point lead into the locker room at halftime. However, Purdue responded boldly in the second half and came away with a 64-59 victory.
The win was very important to the Boilermakers’ NCAA chances. They have an excellent shot to make the tournament, but a loss to Penn State would have been a huge blemish.
Purdue was led by A.J. Hammons, who scored 23 points and had nine rebounds. Guard Jon Octeus contributed nine points and 11 rebounds for the winners. D.J. Newbill had 19 points to lead Penn State.
— Updated by Steve Silverman
Wisconsin 71, Michigan 60
Wisconsin did not play like a potential No. 1 NCAA tournament seed against Michigan.
Instead of taking care of the overmatched Wolverines with ease, the Badgers were pushed hard for nearly 40 minutes before they emerged with a 71-60 victory in the Big Ten conference quarterfinal.
Sam Dekker's three-point shot with 3:42 remaining allowed the Badgers to extend a two-point lead to five, and that seemed to deflate the Wolverines.
Dekker led the Badgers with 17 points, while player of the year candidate Frank Kaminsky had 16 points. Zak Irvin had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Wolverines.
— Updated by Steve Silverman
Maryland 75, Indiana 69
Indiana had a big chance to boost its tournament hopes with a win against No. 8 Maryland, but it couldn't get the job done.
The Terrapins, who could be playing for a spot on one of the top two lines when the brackets come out on Sunday, were led by Dez Wells with 22 points and six rebounds.
Super freshman Melo Trimble, who was named first team all-conference on Monday, added 17 points of his own to help Maryland advance to Saturday's semifinal.
The Hoosiers kept the game in single digits throughout the game but just couldn't get over the hump. They'll now spend the next 48 hours sweating as they await their fate.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Michigan State 76, Ohio State 67
Michigan State and Ohio State have won the last five Big Ten tournaments, but only the Spartans will advance to the semifinals for a shot to capture the 2015 crown.
Tom Izzo's team ensured that all top-four seeds would play in Saturday's semifinals, advancing to a date against Maryland with a 76-67 victory on Friday night behind Denzel Valentine's game-high 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Travis Trice also chipped in 18 points, including nine from long range, which pretty much negated uber-freshman D'Angelo Russell's 19 points to lead his team.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Big 12 Tournament
5 of 9
Results
Kansas 62, Baylor 52
Welcome to the big time, Wayne Selden Jr.
The sophomore forward, who averaged just nine points and under three boards per game during the regular season, picked a heck of a night to explode.
Selden Jr. led his team with 20 points and eight rebounds to key a 62-52 victory over Baylor on Friday night and set up a huge game with either Iowa State or Oklahoma on Saturday night.
Kansas hasn't won more than two games in a row since February, but it will be looking to break that streak against the Cyclones and secure the conference tournament championship.
Kenny Chery led the Bears with 20 points.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Iowa State 67, Oklahoma 65
That sound you hear is hearts breaking all over the state of Oklahoma.
Ryan Spangler's layup with the final seconds ticking off the clock didn't find the bottom of the basket, and Iowa State was able to hold on for a 67-65 win and a finals date with Kansas on Saturday.
It was a back-and-forth battle for pretty much every second of the 40 minutes between two evenly matched teams, and the difference was one Georges Niang jumper with just a shade under two minutes left in regulation.
Niang would add a free throw to finish with a team-high 13 points and eight boards.
Buddy Hield had 16 points for the Sooners, but on an atrocious 6-of-20 from the field.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Big East Tournament
6 of 9
Results
Villanova 63, Providence 61
It's fair to say that Villanova is breathing a big sigh of relief after escaping a big-time challenge from Providence with its hopes of a No. 1 seed still intact.
The Wildcats sealed a 63-61 victory on a pair of Ryan Arcidiacono free throws with 3.1 seconds left, after something of a questionable call, to advance to the Big East final. It will be their first chance at a conference tournament title since 1997.
Daniel Ochefu was the story for Villanova, scoring 15 points and grabbing 13 boards despite his team being beaten on the boards to the tune of a 42-30 Friars edge.
Kris Dunn had 22 points for the Friars, but LaDontae Henton had a rough night at the office, finishing with just nine points on 2-of-9 shooting.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Xavier 65, Georgetown 63
Do you want the good news first, or the bad news, Georgetown fans?
The good news it that Xavier didn't blow out your Hoyas this time. The bad news is that they still lost.
Xavier made it three in a row over Georgetown with a 65-63 win that will send it to the Big East final on Saturday against top-seeded Villanova.
Early in the second half, the scene looked familiar if you've seen either of the games between these teams this season. The Musketeers led by as many as 20 with under eight minutes to play, but Georgetown scored 30 of the final 42 points to make things very interesting.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Mountain West Tournament
7 of 9
Results
Wyoming 71, Boise State 66 (OT)
Wyoming barely took care of business against Utah State to advance to the Mountain West semifinals, but maybe the Cowboys just have Boise State's number?
The Cowboys have a chance to punch their ticket to the Big Dance on Saturday after knocking off the Broncos for the second time this season in a 71-66 overtime victory on Friday night.
Josh Adams, Wyoming's best player not named Larry Nance Jr., exploded for a game-high 27 points, and Riley Grabau sealed it on the line to send Boise State packing.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
San Diego State 56, Colorado State 43
Pretty? No
Effective? Yes.
San Diego State limited Colorado State to just 32 percent shooting from the field in a stifling defensive/ugly offensive performance, take your pick, to advance to the Mountain West final Saturday against Wyoming.
The Aztecs had three players in double digits, led by junior Winston Shepard's 16 points and five rebounds.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Pac-12 Tournament
8 of 9
Results
Arizona 70, UCLA 64
It wasn't a clinic on offensive efficiency, but Arizona is through to the Pac-12 conference tournament final after a nail-biting 70-64 win over UCLA.
Brandon Ashley led the Wildcats, who are very much still in the conversation for a No. 1 seed, with 24 points and a pair of clutch free throws.
UCLA fought hard, using its zone defense to stay in the game before a 15-0 Wildcats run in the second half gave them some space.
The Bruins survived the run and pulled within two with 19 seconds left, but Ashley and T.J. McConnell were a perfect 4-of-4 from the line in the closing seconds to seal the win.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Oregon 67, Utah 64
Joseph Young and the Oregon Ducks saved the best for last.
The senior guard drained a deep three with just 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Ducks a 67-64 win over Utah.
And that, ladies in gentlemen, is how we do March.
Young finished with 25 points on the night, and the Ducks will face an Arizona team that thrashed them twice this year for a chance at a second Pac-12 title in three years.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
SEC Tournament
9 of 9
Results
Auburn 73, LSU 70 (OT)
Auburn’s KT Harrell hit the game-tying three-point shot at the end of regulation and scored four points in overtime to lead Auburn to a 73-70 victory over LSU in the SEC tournament.
The loss could play havoc with LSU’s chances of getting an opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament, but it was a spectacular moment for Auburn, the 13th seed in the conference tournament.
Harrell had 29 points and four rebounds to lead Auburn, while teammate Malcolm Canada had 14 points and five boards. Keith Hornsby scored 24 points for LSU, while Jarrell Martin had a massive game with 18 points and 16 rebounds.
— Updated by Steve Silverman
Kentucky 64, Florida 49
The beat goes on for Kentucky as the undefeated Wildcats recorded their 32nd straight victory this season, beating a game but overmatched Florida squad.
The Gators pushed the Wildcats through much of the first half, but Kentucky gradually pulled away in the second half, and head coach John Calipari's team came away with the 64-49 victory.
It was not an impressive offensive performance from the Wildcats, as Aaron Harrison and Karl-Anthony Towns finished as the leading scorers with 13 points each. However, the Kentucky defense shut down the Gators offense. Florida made just 22 of 56 shots from the field—including shooting 2-of-11 from beyond the arc—and the Wildcats blocked six shots.
Kentucky defeated Florida in all three meetings this season, the fifth time the Wildcats have accomplished that feat against the Gators.
— Updated by Steve Silverman
Arkansas 80, Tennessee 72
Arkansas must've thought this one was over at halftime.
The Razorbacks scored the first 13 points of the game, raced out to a huge 45-25 edge at the break and seemed well on their way to a trip to the SEC semifinals. But boy, were those final few minutes dicey.
Tennessee mounted a blistering rally down the stretch, getting within four points before Bobby Portis and Co. slammed the door on the upset bid.
Portis finished with a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Senior guard Josh Richardson led the Volunteers with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
Georgia 74, South Carolina 62
Georgia advanced to what effectively can be called the SEC consolation game with a 74-62 win over South Carolina in Nashville on Friday night.
Still, while Kentucky remains an overwhelming favorite, you could do worse than giving the Bulldogs, who pushed the Wildcats to the brink twice during the regular season, one more shot at the big boys.
Four Bulldogs, led by Marcus Thornton, who missed the first Kentucky game, were in double digits.
Thornton led all Georgia scorers with 15, and Yante Maten added 13 off the bench.
— Updated by Kevin McRae
.png?w=480 "NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Championship")
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
