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ACC
No. 13 Virginia (13-3, 2-2) got big nights from Malcolm Brogdon (20 points) and Anthony Gill (15 and eight boards) to win for the first time in three games, as they handed eighth-ranked Miami (13-2, 2-1) its first conference loss, 66-58 in Charlottesville.
Big 12
For the third season in a row, top-ranked Kansas (14-2, 3-1) left Morgantown with a loss. 11th-ranked West Virginia (15-1, 4-0) dominated the Jayhawks for most of the night to take sole possession of first place in the Big 12, 74-63. Jaysean Paige led the Mountaineers off the bench with 26, while Perry Ellis had a typically productive night for the defeated, picking up 21 for the Jayhawks. It was the first win for WVU over a top ranked team since 1983.
No. 17 Iowa State (12-4, 1-3) also tasted defeat away from home, as Texas (10-6, 2-2) jumped the Cyclones in the Big 12 table with a 94-91 win after overtime. Isaiah Taylor scored 28 for the Longhorns, while Georges Niang put up 27 for the Cyclones, who have now dropped two straight.
In Manhattan, Kansas State (11-5, 1-3) picked up its first league win, topping Texas Tech (11-4, 1-3), 83-70. That was not a good result for the Red Raiders' hopes.
Big East
As you'd expect, DePaul (6-11, 0-5) proved to be no match for No. 7 Xavier (15-1, 3-1) at the Cintas Center. Trevon Bluiett scored 19 in the first half and 24 for the game to lead the Musketeers to an 84-64 win over the typically struggling Blue Demons.
Kris Dunn hit an incredible in-and-out-and-in shot at the buzzer to give No. 12 Providence (15-2, 3-1) a 50-48 win at Creighton (12-6, 3-2). The Friars only took their first lead with a little more than four minutes to go in Omaha, as the Bluejays were deprived (by their own arena's basket, in my opinion) of an absolutely vital win for an at-large case.
Can you get enough of that buzzer beater? No eh? Here's a GIF. pic.twitter.com/ji8RTHijYJ
— Big East Coast Bias (@becb_sbn) January 13, 2016
Big Ten
Caris LeVert may have been out, but that didn't stop Michigan (13-4, 3-1) from picking up a significant 70-67 win over No. 3 Maryland (15-2, 4-1), a result that knocked the Terrapins out of a first-place tie in the Big Ten. Zak Irvin led the Wolverines with 22, while Diamond Stone led the Terps with the same total, while grabbing 11 boards in the losing effort. The result was a needed one for the Michigan profile, which needed a true marquee win heading into the night.
Wisconsin (9-9, 1-4) continues to struggle in conference play, falling by a 70-65 score at Northwestern (15-3, 3-2). Bryant McIntosh was the only Wildcat to register in double-figures, scoring 28 on a 10-for-19 shooting night. Nigel Hayes led the Badgers with 17.
Minnesota (6-11, 0-5) continues to look like Rutgers' biggest challenger in the race for 14th. The Golden Gophers were obliterated at Nebraska (10-8, 2-3), 84-59.
SEC
Mississippi State (7-8, 0-3) rallied late at Rupp Arena, but to no avail as No. 14 Kentucky (13-3, 3-1) made its free throws late to survive the Bulldogs' visit, 80-74. Jamal Murray and Tyler Ulis combined for 43 of the Wildcats' 80 points, while Craig Sword put in 20 for MSU.
For the second season in a row, Florida (10-6, 2-2) played a close one at No. 15 Texas A&M (14-2, 4-0), but a lack of scoring punch exacerbated by foul trouble for John Egbunu, Justin Leon, and Dorian Finney-Smith doomed the visitors to a 71-68 defeat. Jalen Jones contributed 26 for the Aggies, and Finney-Smith scored 17 for the Gators, including a three that cut the Ags' lead to one with 26 seconds to go.
Both late games, with their limited impact on the bid picture, were blowouts. Auburn (7-8, 1-3) was no match for host Vanderbilt (9-7, 1-3), which picked up its first SEC win in style, 75-57 in Nashville, while Arkansas (9-7, 3-1) won by a 94-61 count at Missouri (8-8, 1-2).
Of these four games, the Gators' encounter with the league-leading Aggies in College Station is by far the most interesting and potentially impactful on the bracket. Last season, UF lost by just a point there, thanks to some offensive struggles. You can expect a similar result tonight, as long as the Gators do a better job of showing up than they did in Knoxville last Wednesday night.
American Athletic
Tulane (8-10, 1-4) topped USF (3-15, 0-5), 81-70 at the Sun Dome. The Bulls' loss means they and East Carolina are the lone remaining winless teams in American play.
Atlantic 10
George Washington (14-3, 3-1) won at UMass (8-8, 1-3) by a rather convincing 81-70 score. On the other hand, Davidson's (10-5, 2-2) late rally at Dayton (13-3, 3-1) fell short, as the Flyers held on for an 80-74 victory.
Elsewhere
All twelve MAC teams were in action at the same time, and Northern Illinois (14-2, 3-0) is now the league's lone unbeaten squad, thanks to a 71-66 win at Toledo (10-6, 1-2). Akron (13-3, 2-1) dropped its first league game by a 92-81 score at Central Michigan (9-7, 2-1).
In the night's two Mountain West games, UNLV (10-7, 1-3) topped visiting New Mexico (10-7, 3-1), 86-74 to avoid its first-ever 0-4 conference start, and Utah State (10-6, 2-3) blew out Air Force (10-7, 1-3) in Logan, 79-60.
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