NCAA Conference Tournaments 2016: Predictions, Results for Wednesday's Top Games
The major college conference tournaments are in full swing, and Wednesday’s action produced some expected blowouts, but also a couple of notable close games.
Play got underway in the Atlantic 10, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Mountain West, Pac-12 and SEC tournaments, while the ACC completed its second day of action in Washington, D.C.
In addition to sending its automatic qualifiers to the NCAA tournament, the majority of the at-large teams come from the major conferences.
The Duke Blue Devils may be the defending national champions, but they have endured a difficult season and were pushed to the limit before beating North Carolina State 92-89.
The most thrilling game was played in the Mountain West Conference where UNLV defeated Air Force 108-102 in triple overtime. Senior Ike Nwamu led the way with 38 points.
The action continues hot and heavy from the major conferences Thursday.
ACC
1 of 8
Pittsburgh 72, Syracuse 71
Both teams desperately needed a victory to help secure a bid to the NCAA tournament, and Pittsburgh (21-10) managed to recover from a late charge by Syracuse (19-13) to win 72-71.
Trevor Cooney's three-pointer clanged off the iron in the final seconds for the Orange, who had battled back from a 12-point deficit with four minutes remaining. Michael Gbinije scored 24 points, but Syracuse will now watch from a precarious perch on the bubble.
Thanks to Cameron Johnson's 24 points and James Robinson's pair of clutch baskets, Pittsburgh advanced to face top-seeded North Carolina (25-6) on Thursday at noon ET.
—Updated by David Kenyon
Duke 92, North Carolina State 89
Although North Carolina State (16-17) put together its best performance of the season, Marshall Plumlee's late bucket helped Duke (23-9) survive 92-89.
Brandon Ingram and Luke Kennard each tallied 22 points for the Blue Devils, who defeated the Wolfpack for the third time this season. Grayson Allen chipped in 19 points and six assists.
Cat Barber shredded Duke for 29 points and seven assists but failed to launch a potential game-tying shot before the final buzzer rang.
The Blue Devils will challenge No. 4 Notre Dame (20-10) on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
—Updated by David Kenyon
Georgia Tech 88, Clemson 85 (OT)
Georgia Tech (19-13) and Clemson (17-14) figured to play a tight game, and neither team disappointed as Tech roared from behind to win the ACC tournament game in overtime.
Georgia Tech outscored Clemson 31-13 down the stretch, as the Tigers could not solve Tech’s suffocating defense.
Georgia Tech has won six of its last seven games and was led by Marcus Georges-Hunt, who had 28 points. Teammate Adam Smith contributed 23 points to the effort.
Clemson had a chance to take the lead in the final minute of overtime, but Jaron Blossomgame missed a short shot and then fouled out on the ensuing possession.
Georgia Tech will meet Virginia on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
—Updated by Steve Silverman
Virginia Tech 96, Florida State 85
Virginia Tech (19-13) jumped out to a solid first-half lead and kept feisty Florida State (19-13) at arm’s length throughout the second half and registered an impressive victory in the ACC tournament.
The Hokies received balanced scoring because they did an excellent job of moving the ball on offense. Virginia Tech did a good job of finding the open man throughout the game.
Zach LeDay had 15 points, 12 rebounds and had five assists while playing tough defense throughout the game. Teammate Seth Allen scored 20 points and made 10- of 12 free throws. Justin Robinson scored 18 points, while Justin Bibbs added 16 points.
Devon Bookert had 19 points to lead the Seminoles before he fouled out with 1:08 to go.
The Hokies will take on Miami Thursday night at 9 p.m. Virginia Tech beat Miami by 15 points on Saturday.
—Updated by Steve Silverman
Atlantic 10
2 of 8
Saint Louis 83, George Mason 78
An unlikely source fueled the hard-fought 83-78 victory for Saint Louis (11-20) against George Mason (11-21).
Marcus Bartley entered the clash shooting 32.8 percent from three-point range this season, but the sophomore buried 7-of-8 triples and amassed a game-best 24 points. Bartley had scored 24 total points in the last 11 games combined.
Unless Saint Louis knocks off No. 5 George Washington (22-9) on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET, the Billikens will end their second straight season at 11-21.
—Updated by David Kenyon
LaSalle 88, Duquesne 73
LaSalle may have gotten hammered by Duquesne on the road in late January, but the Explorers did not let that game bother them.
Despite absorbing a 27-point defeat by the Dukes, LaSalle (9-21) was the stronger and sharper team and frustrated Duquesne (16-16) throughout the game.
LaSalle got a huge effort from Jordan Price, as the transfer from Auburn scored 36 points, and made 5-of-12 three-point shots. Cleon Roberts added 16 points for LaSalle.
Micah Mason scored 26 points for the Dukes, but it was not enough to allow them to move on in the Atlantic-10 tournament.
The Explorers will play Davidson in the second round at 9 p.m. ET.
—Updated by Steve Silverman
Big 12
3 of 8
Kansas State 75, Oklahoma State 71
Dean Wade collected a career-best 20 points, propelling Kansas State (17-15) to a 75-71 victory over Oklahoma State (12-20).
The Wildcats zoomed ahead 40-23 at halftime and controlled the game down the stretch, never allowing the Cowboys to pull within one possession in the closing moments.
Kansas State will have an opportunity to begin a Cinderella story opposite top-seeded and rival Kansas (27-4) on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Or, the Jayhawks will defeat their in-state rivals for the third time in 2016.
—Updated by David Kenyon
TCU 67, Texas Tech 62
TCU was not supposed to survive and advance against powerful Texas Tech, but nobody gave the Horned Frogs the memo.
TCU (12-20) hung tough throughout the game, and despite their 10th-seed status, the Horned Frogs played hard and nasty defense, and they stifled the Red Raiders (19-12) who seemed to be disinterested throughout most of the game.
With the score tied 58-58 in the final stages of the second half, TCU scored five straight points to take control of the game.
While the Red Raiders attempted to come back, TCU made its free throws and held on. Chauncey Collins led the way for Texas Christian with 19 points.
The Horned Frogs became the first No. 10 seed in Big 12 history to record a tournament victory.
The Horned Frogs will play West Virginia at 7 p.m. Thursday night.
—Updated by Steve Silverman
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Big East
4 of 8
Georgetown 70, DePaul 53
Georgetown (15-17) may not have had one of its better seasons, but it has gotten off on the right foot in the Big East tournament.
That’s not a surprise considering the Hoyas matched up with DePaul (9-22) in the first round. Georgetown beat DePaul by double digits for the third time this season.
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera led the Hoyas with 20 points, while teammates Bradley Hayes and L.J. Peak both reached double figures with 10 points each.
Eli Cain scored 14 points to lead head coach Dave Leitao’s Blue Demons.
The Hoyas have a huge assignment Thursday when regular-season champion Villanova at noon ET.
Updated by Steve Silverman.
Marquette 101, St. John’s 93
Even though St. John’s had the home-court advantage, Marquette had the basketball advantage and knocked the Red Storm and head coach Chris Mullin out of the Big East tournament.
The Golden Eagles (20-12) started the game in strong fashion and built a 50-38 halftime lead. St. John’s (8-24) made a strong comeback in the second half and cut the deficit to two points, but Marquette had just enough to hold on.
The Golden Eagles received an excellent effort from Henry Ellenson, who score 27 points and was a force on the boards with 13 rebounds. Haanif Cheatham scored 19 points and made three crucial free throws in the final minute for Marquette.
Christian Jones led the way from St. John’s with 29 points.
The Golden Eagles will meet Xavier at 7 p.m. ET Thursday night. Marquette lost to Xavier twice during the regular season, both by eight points.
—Updated by Steve Silverman
Big Ten
5 of 8
Illinois 85, Minnesota 52
Two strong halves led to a convincing 85-52 triumph for Illinois (14-18) over Minnesota (8-23).
Aided by four double-digit scorers, the Illini rattled off a 38-22 edge in the first half before sealing the win with a 47-30 advantage after the break. Michael Finke rained in five triples to notch a team-high 17 points.
The Gophers simply never sustained a rhythm offensively, connecting on just 20-of-51 shots. Minnesota's disappointing season ended in unceremonious fashion.
Illinois will battle No. 5 Iowa (21-9) on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
—Updated by David Kenyon
Nebraska 89, Rutgers 72
A 10-0 run midway through the second half allowed Nebraska to (14-17) to pull away from Rutgers (7-24) and ultimately lock up a 89-72 win.
The Cornhuskers rode a balanced scoring attack to advance in the Big Ten tournament. Shavon Shields, Andrew White, Taj Webster and Michael Jacobson each tallied at least 14 points.
Mike Williams led Rutgers with 14 points, but the Scarlet Knights committed 17 turnovers and lost the rebounding battle 39-29.
Nebraska earned a chance to stun sixth-seeded Wisconsin (20-11) on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.
—Updated by David Kenyon
Mountain West
6 of 8
Utah State 88, Wyoming 70
Wyoming (14-18) steadily clawed its way back into the game, but a 25-point first-half deficit was too much for the Pokes to overcome. Utah State improved to 16-14 after the 86-72 win.
Four Aggies netted double figures during the victory, including a 24-point effort from Shane Rector. Chris Smith (20), Jalen Moore (19) and Julion Pearre (14) rounded out the top contributors.
Utah State also limited Wyoming to a 5-of-28 mark from three-point range, holding leading scorer Josh Adams to a 2-of-9 clip from beyond the arc. He managed 18 points on 4-of-17 shooting overall. Jason McManamen led the Cowboys with 23 points.
Looking ahead, the Aggies will face No. 1 San Diego State (23-8) on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.
—Updated by David Kenyon
UNLV 108, Air Force 102 (3OT)
The Mountain West opening-round matchup needed three overtimes for tournament host UNLV (18-14) to dispatch Air Force (14-18) by a final score of 108-102.
Falcons guard Jacob Van, who scored a career-high 37 points, buried two shots to force overtime, a jumper for second OT and three free throws for a third extra frame. However, Air Force wasn't in position for more heroics at the last buzzer.
Ike Nwamu poured in 38 points for UNLV, while Patrick McCaw added 27 points and 14 rebounds. Jordan Cornish scored 20 before fouling out.
Second-seeded Fresno State (22-9) awaits a weary Rebels squad on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.
—Updated by David Kenyon
Colorado State 80, San Jose State 61
Colorado State (17-15) may have been shaky down the stretch of the Mountain West Conference regular season with five losses in its last seven games, but the Rams started the conference tournament in decisive fashion as it pulled off a one-sided victory over San Jose State (9-22).
After finishing in last place during the regular season for the third straight year, the Spartans didn’t figure to offer much resistance. Colorado State was not about to give them much opportunity as the Rams built a 19-point halftime lead and did not let it dissipate in the second half.
Joe De Ciman led the way for Colorado State with 17 points, and John Gillon contributed 12 points and six assists. Frank Rogers and Princeton Onwas had 11 points each to lead the Spartans.
Colorado State will face Boise State Thursday in the MWC Tournament
—Updated by Steve Silverman
Pac-12
7 of 8
Washington 91, Stanford 68
Dejounte Murray had 25 points, and Washington (18-13) cruised to a 91-68 dismantling of Stanford (15-15).
The Huskies ripped off a 10-0 run to start the contest and held a 50-22 advantage at halftime. Marquese Chriss and Malik Dime both recorded double-doubles, while Andrew Andrew accumulated 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Dorian Pickens paced the Cardinal with 17 points. However, Stanford's 38.3 percent shooting mark overall—and 14.3 from long distance—doomed the team.
Washington, which needs a deep run to even be considered on the bubble, will try to upend No. 1 Oregon (25-6) Thursday at 3:10 p.m. ET.
—Updated by David Kenyon
Colorado 80, Washington State 56
George King registered 21 points, and Colorado (22-10) rolled to a 80-56 blowout of Washington State (9-22).
Josh Fortune drilled a trio of trifectas and added 13 points. But more importantly for the Buffaloes, they reinforced their place as a clear-cut NCAA tournament squad. The selection committee shouldn't find a bubble to burst in Boulder.
Colorado still has some unfinished business, though. On Thursday at 5:40 p.m. ET, No. 4 Arizona (24-7) stands in the path of the Buffaloes, who are seeking their second Pac-12 tourney crown in five years.
—Updated by David Kenyon
USC 95, UCLA 71
UCLA came into the Pac-12 tournament with the hope of avoiding their first losing season since 2009-10, but the USC Trojans (21-11) were not going to let the Bruins (15-17) have any hope of turning things around.
The Trojans opened the first half in powerful fashion and built a 48-29 lead and never let the Bruins back in the game.
Bennie Boatwright led a relentless USC attack with 19 points. Six Trojans scored in double figures and the UCLA defense was simply too generous. The Trojans defeated the Bruins three times in the same season for the first time since 1942.
Center Thomas Welsh had 12 points for the Bruins, but it was simply not enough to keep the Bruins from ending the season in depressing fashion.
The Trojans will meet Utah at 9 p.m. ET Thursday night.
—Updated by Steve Silverman
Oregon State 75, Arizona State 66
Oregon State has important business in the Pac-12 tournament this week, and the Beavers knew they could not afford to drop their opening game against the Sun Devils.
While the pressure was on Oregon State (19-11), came through in stellar fashion by outlasting the Sun Devils (15-17). Stephen Thompson Jr. led the way for the Beavers with 13 points, while Malcolm Duvivier had 12 points and six rebounds. Gary Payton II had 10 points and seven rebounds
Gerry Blakes was Arizona State’s most productive player with 20 points and eight rebounds.
The Beavers will take on California Thursday night at 11:30 p.m.
—Updated by Steve Silverman
SEC
8 of 8
Tennessee 97, Auburn 59
It figured to be close when 12th-seeded Tennessee took on 13th-seeded Auburn, but the Volunteers would have none of it.
Even though Tennessee (14-18) had lost four straight going into the SEC tournament, the Vols simply took apart the Tigers (11-20). Tennessee shot 57 percent from the field.
Armani Moore had 22 points to key the attack for head coach Rick Barnes' team, while Detrick Mostella had 17 points.
T.J. Dunans had 15 points for the overmatched Tigers.
While Tennessee had it going all its way in the conference tournament opener, the Vols are in tough on Thursday against Vanderbilt at 3:30 p.m. ET.
—Updated by Steve Silverman
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