No. 22 Illinois Holds Off Washington in 81-77 Thriller
Kasparas Jakucionis delivered a standout performance with 18 points, six assists, and five rebounds, leading No. 22 Illinois to an 81-77 victory over Washington. The win completed the Fighting Illini’s sweep of their Pacific Northwest trip.
Illinois improved to 11-3 (3-1 Big Ten), extending their winning streak to four games, including a dominating 109-77 victory over No. 9 Oregon earlier in the week. Tre White added 17 points and seven rebounds, while Kylan Boswell secured the win with clutch free throws in the final seconds.
Despite DJ Davis’ career-high 31 points and seven three-pointers for Washington, the Huskies fell to 10-5 (1-3). Illinois dominated inside with a 52-30 edge in the paint and a 43-30 rebounding advantage.
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No. 7 Kansas Crushes UCF 99-48
Hunter Dickinson showcased his dominance with 27 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks, propelling No. 7 Kansas to a 99-48 rout of UCF. The Jayhawks avoided their first 0-2 start in Big 12 play since the 1990-91 season.
Kansas improved to 10-3 (1-1 Big 12), bouncing back emphatically after their recent struggles. UCF, led by Keyshawn Hall’s 12 points, saw its six-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 10-3 (1-1).
No. 9 Oregon Rebounds with 83-79 Win Over Maryland
Keeshawn Barthelemy nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with 2:16 left, lifting No. 9 Oregon to a much-needed 83-79 victory over Maryland. The Ducks rebounded from their shocking loss to Illinois with a strong performance.
Jackson Shelstad led the Ducks with 23 points, making all five of his three-point attempts, as Oregon moved to 13-2 (2-2 Big Ten). Maryland, despite Rodney Rice’s 19 points, dropped to 11-4 (1-3).
No. 11 UConn Rallies to Defeat Providence 87-84
Trailing by 14 points in the second half, No. 11 UConn staged an impressive comeback to edge Providence 87-84. Hassan Diarra led the way with a career-high 19 points, and Solo Ball added 16 points.
The Huskies shot an impressive 56.3% from the field, extending their winning streak to eight games. UConn improved to 12-3 (4-0 Big East), while Providence, despite Jayden Pierre’s 24 points, fell to 7-8 (1-3).
No. 20 Purdue Dominates Northwestern 79-61
Braden Smith posted 22 points, six rebounds, and seven assists to lead No. 20 Purdue to a commanding 79-61 victory over Northwestern. The Boilermakers never trailed, building a lead as large as 29 points.
Purdue improved to 11-4 (3-1 Big Ten), shooting 50.9% from the field and holding Northwestern to a season-low in scoring. Angelo Ciaravino led the Wildcats with 19 points, but Northwestern dropped to 10-5 (1-3).
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No. 21 Memphis Holds Off North Texas 68-64
PJ Haggerty scored a game-high 27 points, and Dain Dainja added 14 points as No. 21 Memphis fended off a tough challenge from North Texas, winning 68-64.
The Tigers improved to 12-3 (2-0 American), holding on despite a late rally by the Mean Green. Brenen Lorient led North Texas with 18 points, while Moulaye Sissoko contributed a career-high 17 points and eight rebounds. North Texas saw its four-game winning streak snapped, dropping to 10-4 (1-1).
