UNDATED (AP) — It has been a tough day for ranked men’s basketball teams as Wisconsin, Houston and Ohio State all tasted defeat. It was doubly worse for the Badgers, who now have to share the Big Ten regular-season title with Illinois.
Tenth-ranked Wisconsin missed a chance to clinch the conference crown outright by falling to Nebraska, 74-73. Alonzo Verge Jr. scored Nebraska’s last nine points, part of a 12-0 rally in the final minutes.
The Badgers finished the game without Johnny Davis, injured on a flagrant foul early in the second half,
Brad Davison scored 20 points for Wisconsin, which had won five in a row.
Tyler Harris scored 15 points to help Memphis beat No. 14 Houston for the second time this season, 75-61. Landers Nolley and Lester Quinones added 11 each for the Tigers, who led by 20 in the second half and beat a ranked team for the third straight time. Kyler Edwards led Houston (26-5) with 19 points.
DeVante’ Jones scored 21 points and Michigan rallied in the second half to beat 23rd-rated Ohio State, 75-69. The Wolverines went on a 14-1 run midway through the second to jump ahead 56-44 with 10:18 left. The Buckeyes pulled within four points with 11 seconds remaining, but Terrance Williams II made a pair of free throws to seal it.
No. 20 Illinois claimed a share of the Big Ten title with a 74-72 victory over No. 24 Iowa. Kofi Cockburn had 21 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Illini to their first conference championship since 2005.
