Sunday was a relatively quiet day for NCAA basketball, but there were still a handful of key games on tap. Michigan got the biggest win of the day, taking down Michigan State to claim first place in the Big Ten. Creighton was almost upset by Seton Hall, but they hung on to stay on top in the American.
College basketball scores: Michigan takes first place in Big Ten, Creighton survives Seton Hall
After a big Saturday of college hoops action, Sunday was relatively light on crucial games, but we did have Michigan beating Michigan State to claim first place in the Big Ten and Creighton almost falling to Seton Hall.
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Other action included SMU smothering UConn and Pitt continuing its late-season meltdown. Here is the scores recap from Sunday:
No. 20 Michigan Wolverines 79, No. 13 Michigan State Spartans 70
Michigan came back from an early 11-point deficit to upend their in-state rivals and take sole possession of first place in the Big Ten. Nik Stauskas led the way with 25 points and scored 21 of those in the second half, helping the Wolverines pull away down the stretch. Caris LeVert added 23 points and Glenn Robinson III chipped in 15.
Keith Appling had another slow day as he continues to be bothered by a wrist injury, scoring just six points. Gary Harris led the Spartans with 21 points and Adreian Payne grabbed 11 rebounds. Michigan completed the regular-season sweep of Michigan State and have a chance to win its second conference title in the past three years.
No. 11 Creighton Bluejays 72, Seton Hall Pirates 71
Creighton had much more trouble than they should have against the 14-13 Pirates, but they squeaked out the win and stay ahead of Villanova in the Big East. Doug McDermott was the hero once again, knocking down 29 points. Fuquan Edwin led the Pirates with 21 points and Gene Teague hauled in 11 rebounds. Seton Hall came ever so close to a major upset, but it was not to be. Creighton won its fourth game in a row and remains a lock for the tournament.
SMU Mustangs 64, No. 21 Connecticut Huskies 55
For the second time this season, SMU's defense shut down UConn, completing the regular-season sweep and notching another impressive win to their tournament resume. The Mustangs never trailed in this game, holding the Huskies to just a 29.6 field goal percentage. Nic Moore and Nick Russell both scored 15 points to pace SMU. Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright also had 15 points, but they combined to shoot just 8-of-28 from the field.
SMU is now 11-4 in conference play and third place in the American. Barring an unexpected meltdown down the stretch, they’re in good position to reach the tournament for the first time since 1993.
Pitt's late-season swoon continues with their third loss in a row, this time to the 16-11 Seminoles. Okaro White led Florida State with 22 points and Montay Brandon pulled down 12 rebounds. The Panthers had more trouble finding the basket, making just 37 percent of their field goals. PItt should still make the NCAA tournament, but their recent skid is not a good look for the selection committee. They will need to turn things around in time for the conference tourney.
Utah jumped out to a 51-26 halftime lead and never looked back. Delon Wright led the way with 22 points as the Utes couldn't miss, making 53.8 percent of their field goals. Utah is still just 7-8 in conference play, but dominating the 19-8 Sun Devils is a key victory on their tournament résumé. The Sun Devils, sitting on the bubble, didn't do much to help their cause on Sunday night.
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