INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Gianna Kneepkens scored 19 points and Kiki Rice added 15 points and eight assists as No. 2 UCLA rolled past No. 9 Iowa 96-45 to win its second straight Big Ten Tournament crown. Rice was named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player. It’s the first time the Bruins have captured back-to-back postseason conference titles, and it’s also the first time they have won regular-season and league tournament titles in the same season. The Bruins also extended their school-record win streak to 25 games and their Big Ten win streak to 24. Ava Heiden scored 15 points for the Hawkeyes.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg scored 19 of his 27 points in the first half and Morez Johnson Jr. had 18 points, leading No. 3 Michigan in a 90-80 win over No. 8 Michigan State to give the Big Ten champions a 15th straight conference win Sunday. The Wolverines head to the conference tournament, hoping to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before shooting for the school’s second national championship and first since 1989. The Spartans were swept by their rivals in the regular season, but might get a third shot against them in a week at the Big Ten Tournament final.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — No. 9 Nebraska has matched its program record for wins in a season with 26. The Cornhuskers beat Iowa 84-75 in overtime on Sunday. Cale Jacobsen came off the bench to score 13 of his 15 points after halftime and hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer in OT. Sam Hoiberg scored 15 points and had five steals on his senior day. Nebraska led by 10 points with five minutes left in regulation but missed five of its next seven shots and a couple of late free throws to let the Hawkeyes back in it. Kael Combs and Cooper Koch had 18 points apiece for Iowa.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears drew attention for another kick toward an opponent’s groin. Fears was called for a technical after a video review Sunday that showed he swung his right leg backward and into Elliot Cadeau during the first half when the eighth-ranked Spartans played at No. 3 Michigan. In the emotionally charged first half, the Wolverines were called for two technical fouls as officials tried to keep the rivals in check.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — David Mirkovic had 22 points and 11 rebounds as No. 11 Illinois held off Maryland 78-72. The Terrapins have had a desultory season under new coach Buzz Williams, losing 20 games for the first time since 1988-89, but they gave the Illini a battle on Sunday. Illinois led 63-62 before Ben Humrichous made a 3-pointer that started a 7-0 run for the Illini. Andre Mills scored 30 points for the Terrapins. The win gives Illinois a bye into Friday’s quarterfinals in the Big Ten Tournament.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Rutgers closes its regular season with a 74-62 win over Penn State behind strong scoring from Tariq Francis and Lino Mark. On Sunday, Rutgers finishes the Big Ten schedule by sweeping the season series. Francis hits three 3-pointers and scores 18 points. Mark adds 16 points. Darren Buchanan Jr. pulls down 12 rebounds and scores eight. Jamichael Davis chips in 11 off the bench. Penn State gets 16 points each from Ivan Juric and Freddie Dilione V. The Nittany Lions struggle from deep and fall behind early after a big Rutgers run.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — John Blackwell made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points, Nick Boyd added 23 and the Wisconsin Badgers set a school record with 18 3-pointers in a road game in a 97-93 win over No. 15 Purdue. The Badgers have won three straight overall and six of their last eight after going 18 for 34 from beyond the arc. That tied he second-highest single-game 3-point total in school history, and they also set a school record with 12 3s in the first half despite playing without forward Nolan Winter, who has an injured left ankle. Fletcher Loyer had 23 points and six 3-pointers as he broke the school’s career record with 282. It marked the first time in nearly 14,000 days and 135 games Purdue topped the 90-point mark and lost.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Kwame Evans Jr. scored 20 points, which included the last nine of the game, and Oregon blew a 21-point lead before the Ducks rallied to beat Washington 85-79 in the regular-season finale for both teams. Evans was fouled on a 3-point shot and made the and-1 free throw to give Oregon a one-point lead with 11.5 seconds left. Evans stole the ball from Hannes Steinbach, who quickly fouled, and Washington coach Danny Sprinkle, who thought Steinbach had been fouled, erupted. He was assessed back-to-back technical fouls and was ejected before Evans made 5 of 6 from the free throw line with five seconds left to seal it. Steinbach had 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds for Washington (15-16, 7-19).
