LAS VEGAS (AP) — No. 19 Illinois rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat No. 8 UCLA 79-70 in the Continental Tire Main Event. Terrence Shannon Jr. made 8 of 9 3-pointers and scored 29 points with 10 rebounds. The Illini will play No. 16 Virginia in Sunday’s championship game. UCLA faces fifth-ranked Baylor in the consolation game. UCLA led 44-29 early in the second half. The Bruins were in front by 10 points when Illinois then went on a 22-6 run take a lead it never gave back.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 30 points, Xavier Johnson had 23, and No. 12 Indiana endured a late rally to beat Xavier 81-79. The Hoosiers led 78-70 with 2:25 left, but Xavier rallied within a point in the final minute. Adam Kunkel missed a potential go-ahead layup with 2 seconds left. The Musketeers got a boost from the return of Colby Jones, who missed one game and was limited in practice this week with a right ankle injury. He was cleared to play before warmups and had 13 points and six assists. Zach Freemantle and Souley Boum scored 15 points apiece to lead Xavier.
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Boo Buie scored 28 points, making a career-high seven 3-pointers, and Northwestern held off Fort Wayne 60-53 in an on-campus game of the Cancun Challenge. Buie hit a 2-point jumper and a 3-pointer, keeping the Wildcats (4-0) ahead 58-52 with 1:46 to go. His personal 5-0 run turned back a challenge from the Mastodons who had made five of six free throws over a two-minute span to get within one point. Buie scored 12 points in the first half — all on 3-pointers, making 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. He hit a layup and a four-point play in the opening minutes of the second half and the Wildcats were up 37-24.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Rutgers will look to snap a 15-game losing streak against No. 11 Penn State this weekend. The Nittany Lions are 8-2 overall and 5-2 in the Big Ten Conference. Their only losses have been to No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan. Rutgers is 4-6 overall and 1-6 in the conference. It has lost its last three games and needs to win its final two to have a chance at a postseason bowl game. Penn State is bowl-eligible.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — No. 3 Michigan hosts Illinois on Saturday with the Wolverines hoping to stay undefeated before their showdown next week with No. 2 Ohio State. The Illini have dropped two straight games but want to keep their Big Ten West title dream alive. Michigan and Illinois boast the top two defenses and two of the top three running backs in the nation.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — It’s common knowledge No. 2 Ohio State faces Michigan the weekend after this one. That means Maryland is all that stands between the Buckeyes and an unbeaten record heading into that titanic rivalry game. Ohio State is used to focusing on other opponents while never really forgetting about Michigan. The Buckeyes’ ability to compartmentalize will be put to the test on Saturday. The Terrapins have been slipping lately after a 6-2 start. They lost 30-0 at Penn State last weekend, and the previous week they fell 23-10 at Wisconsin.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Khalif Battle scored 24 points, Jamille Reynolds had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Temple beat former conference rival Rutgers 72-66 in the Hall of Fame Showcase. Battle scored 13 points in the first half and didn’t score after halftime until the 10:02 mark, but Temple was able to keep its double-digit lead until Rutgers used a 7-0 run to get within 51-45 with 6:57 left. Rutgers got as close as four points, 70-66, down the stretch but Hysier Miller sealed it with two free throws. Miller had 12 points and 10 assists and Zach Hicks scored 10 for Temple.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Grant Basile scored 17 points, Justyn Mutts had 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, and Virginia Tech beat Penn State 61-59 to advance to the championship game of the Charleston Classic. Mutts extended Virginia Tech’s lead to 59-53 with 1:55 left on a shot in the lane before Andrew Funk and Myles Dread each made their 5th 3-pointer of the game to pull Penn State within two with 40.8 seconds left. After Virginia Tech missed a 3-pointer, Penn State guard Camren Wynter got into the lane but the ball was knocked loose by Hunter Cattoor and the Hokies gained possession with 1.1 left.
