CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Freshman Malaki Branham scored 31 points to lift No. 22 Ohio State to an 86-83 win over No. 15 Illinois on Thursday night. The result dealt a serious blow to Illinois’ Big Ten title hopes, dropping them a full game behind leaders Purdue and Wisconsin two weeks left in the regular season. With the win, the Buckeyes are in fourth place in the conference, a game-and-a-half behind Purdue and Wisconsin. Illinois guard Alfonso Plummer finished with 26 points. Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell was questionable with the flu before the game, but made the start and finished with 21 points and six rebounds. Kyle Young had 18 points.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Xavier Johnson scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half when Indiana pulled away from Maryland to win 74-64 and end a five-game losing streak. Race Thompson added 19 points, 12 in the second half, and had a game-high nine rebounds. Johnson had six assists. Trayce Jackson-Davis added 10 points, eight shy of his average, for the Hoosiers (17-10, 8-9). Fatts Russell scored 23 points, making 5 of 9 3-point tries, Hakim Hart added 14 points and Donta Scott 10 for the Terrapins, who had a two-game win streak snapped.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg will return for a fourth season but has agreed to a pay cut and a reduced buyout if he’s fired after next season. Athletic Director Trev Alberts made the announcement on Thursday night. Hoiberg is 21-65 overall and 6-49 in the Big Ten entering a home game against No. 25 Iowa on Friday. The Huskers are 7-20 this season, with just one win in Big Ten play. Hoiberg’s salary will be reduced to $3.25 million from $3.50 million, and he will forfeit a $500,000 retention bonus. His contract buyout was reduced from $18.5 million to $11 million.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Coach Steve Pikiell and Rutgers are just about to finish one of the toughest stretches in college basketball history. The Scarlet Knights will wrap up a run of six of seven games against ranked teams when they host No. 13 Wisconsin on Saturday. Rutgers has gone 4-2 in the stretch and thrust itself back into the NCAA Tournament picture. The run included wins over four straight ranked opponents. The Scarlet Knights are 16-11 overall and 10-7 in the tough Big Ten Conference.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Phil Martelli pumped his left fist in the air, celebrating a win Michigan needed after Juwan Howard’s swipe. The former Saint Joseph’s coach filled in for the suspended Howard for the first of five games Wednesday night, and guided the Wolverines to a 71-62 win over Rutgers. Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel was standing in the corner of the court closest to the team’s locker room, waiting to hug the 67-year-old veteran coach temporarily in charge of a basketball program without its coach for the rest of the regular season.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Caitlin Clark scored 16 of her 32 points in the fourth quarter and No. 21 Iowa held off Rutgers 87-78. The Hawkeyes had a 15-point lead late in the second quarter and took a 62-54 lead into the fourth quarter. Shug Dickson’s second-straight jumper with a minute left made it 81-78. Clark found McKenna Warnock inside to make it 83-78 with 37.4 seconds to play. Rutgers then missed three shots on its next possession. Clark made two free throws with 10.4 to go, stole the ball and made two more from the line. Czinano finished with 23 points on 10-of-11 shooting and Warnock hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points for the Hawkeyes. Dickson had 19 points for Rutgers.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Naz Hillmon had 28 points and eight rebounds in her final home game, lifting No. 6 Michigan to a 62-51 win over Michigan State on Thursday. The Wolverines pulled away with a 10-0 run to open the fourth quarter. Michigan can clinch its first outright Big Ten title in women’s basketball if closes the regular season with a win at No. 21 Iowa. The Wolverines earned a share of the conference championship by beating the Spartans. The Spartans led by nine points early in the game, but could not pull off a second straight upset against their rivals.
