COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Ian Martinez made two free throws with 4.2 seconds remaining, and No. 20 Maryland avoided another loss this week by edging Hofstra 69-67. Hofstra had the ball with the score tied and the shot clock off, but Omar Silverio’s deep 3-pointer was blocked by Eric Ayala, and when Silverio instinctively went for the loose ball, he fouled Martinez. After Martinez made both free throws, Hofstra never got another shot off. Ayala led Maryland (4-1) with 14 points but went just 5 of 17 from the field. Jalen Ray had 18 points for Hofstra (1-3).
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The No. 8 Iowa women’s basketball team canceled a game against Drake on Sunday and won’t travel to the Cancun Challenge tournament because of positive COVID-19 tests in the program, the school announced Friday night. The school’s news release didn’t specify whether the tests were athletes, staff or both, and also didn’t specify how many people had tested positive. A spokesperson didn’t immediately return a request for details. It appears to be the first COVID-19 cancellation in college basketball this season. The Nov. 13 Southern California-California football game was postponed because of an outbreak for the Bears, and Drake football canceled a game in late October. Iowa is off to a 4-0 start this season.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Michigan State coach Mel Tucker promised his players they would be playing for championships. The No. 7 Spartans could get one step closer if they can upset No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday at the Horseshoe. That’s a tall order for the one-loss Spartans, who come in as big underdogs. The winner will stay in the Big Ten East and College Football Playoff races. The Buckeyes and their high-powered offense have won eight straight since being upset by Oregon in Week 2.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s top-ranked defense faces the challenge of preparing for the unknown as it gets ready to face a Nebraska team that just overhauled its offensive coaching staff. Saturday’s matchup at Camp Randall Stadium will mark Nebraska’s first game since Cornhuskers coach Scott Frost fired four offensive assistants. That means Wisconsin had to get ready for Saturday’s game not knowing how much the Cornhuskers plan to depart from what they were doing offensively before the staff changes.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Illinois will be without coach Bret Bielema when it tries to end a seven-game losing streak in its series with Iowa. Bielema tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday and won’t be with the Illini in Iowa City. Illinois’ last win over Iowa came in 2008. The teams didn’t play again until 2014 when they were put together in the Big Ten West Division. The Hawkeyes have won 12 of the last 13 meetings since 2003. Iowa is tied with Wisconsin for first in the West. Illinois needs to win its last two regular-season games to become bowl eligible.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sean Sutherlin came off the bench to score 19 points — hitting all seven of his shots — and Minnesota beat Purdue Fort Wayne 78-49 in nonconference play. Sutherlin, a senior transfer who played for New Hampshire in 2019-20 before sitting out last season due to an injury, also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds for the Golden Gophers (4-0). Jalon Pipkins scored seven points in a game-opening 9-0 run for the Mastodons (2-1). Minnesota didn’t score until Loewe’s three-point play at the 16:27 mark. PFW led until Sutherlin sandwiched two three-point plays around Stephens’ 3-pointer, giving the Golden Gophers a 26-22 lead with 6:12 before halftime. Minnesota never trailed again and Loewe’s 3-pointer gave them a 31-26 lead at intermission.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Derrick Walker scored 14 points making all five of his shot attempts and Nebraska beat Idaho State 78-60. Alonzo Verge Jr., and Keisei Tominaga — off the bench — each scored 11 for Nebraska. C.J. Wilcher scored 10. Austin Smellie made two foul shots for the Bengals, but Lat Mayen followed with a 3, McGowens with a jump shot and Kobe Webster’s three-point play made it 55-40 and Nebraska was up up double digits the rest of the way. Robert Ford III scored 13 points for Idaho State, Smellie 12 and Tarik Cool 10.
