The further we advance into the week, the higher the stakes get in the world of men’s college basketball, as the major conference tournaments — including the Big East, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 — kicked into high gear Friday.
The day began with an intense matchup between Big Ten regular-season champion Purdue and Rutgers, which saw the Scarlet Knights come up just short in a game that went down to the wire in Chicago.
Big East champ Marquette and defending national champion Kansas both secured wins, while Pac-12 regular-season champion UCLA blew out Oregon.
We’ve got you covered with all the action from start to finish from around the league.
Here are the top moments!
Xavier 82, Creighton 60 (Big East)
3 in 33
Baylor Scheierman has made a 3-pointer in his last 33 games, which is tied for the Creighton record.
Here comes the Boum
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Souley Boum gave Xavier a comfortable lead.
Two hands for safety
Colby Jones put his head down and muscled his way past the defense for a two-handed dunk.
Xavier’s Colby Jones flies by Creighton’s defense for a two-handed slam
Boum’s big night
Boum was unconscious from behind the 3-point line.
How did that go in?
Creighton needed every point they could get — even this one.
Indiana 70, Maryland 60 (Big Ten)
Starting hot!
The Hoosiers made their first five baskets to open Friday evening’s contest, a run that was capped off by Miller Kopp’s layup.
Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis connects with Miller Kopp for a stunning layup against Maryland
TJD throws it down
Trayce Jackson-Davis’ two-man game with Kopp continued, this time with TJD on the receiving end of an alley-oop.
Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis throws down a powerful put-back jam against Maryland
Carey is carrying
Carey was feeling it from deep and Maryland reaped the benefits.
Bully ball
TJD got three points the old-fashioned way.
Indy pulling away
A 15-0 run by the Hoosiers put them in a good position.
UCLA 75, Oregon 56 (Pac-12)
Andrews from above
UCLA’s Dylan Andrews came in and made an instant impact.
Second chance points
Kelel Ware battled hard on the offensive glass before jamming it home himself.
With the left!
Amari Bailey broke away from the defense and slammed one home with his left hand.
Defense to offense
Adem Bona’s monster block turned into a transition opportunity for UCLA. Bailey finished it off with a sweet mid-range jumper.
Eye of the Tyger
Tyger Campbell set a new season-high for points vs. Oregon.
Kansas 71, Iowa State 58 (Big 12)
Coming through!
Kansas made a statement right out of the gate, courtesy of K.J. Adams’ big-time dunk that brought fans to their feet.
Neck and neck
Iowa State settled into a rhythm early in the second half to keep the Jayhawks within arm’s reach.
All gas, no brakes
Both teams continued to heat up as the second half continued, and the Cyclones kept their foot on the gas.
Rock Chalk!
In the end, Kansas’ power was too much for Iowa State to overcome, and the Jayhawks cruised to a strong win, 71-58.
Marquette 70, UConn 68 (Big East)
Hot start!
Marquette came out of the gate swinging, setting the tone with a monster dunk on the first play of the game.
UConn didn’t waste any time making a statement of its own, sinking a 3-pointer for its first points in Friday’s tilt.
Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro opens Big East semis with a spectacular slam
Anyone’s game
Both teams went back and forth in the first half, bringing things to an even 38-all at the break.
Marquette’s Tyler Kolek scores layup to add to his stellar performance
From downtown!
Marquette stayed right on target in the second half to keep UConn within striking distance.
Securing the W
In the end, Marquette was able to hold on to a two-point lead and secure the big win at Madison Square Garden.
Penn State 67, Northwestern 65 OT(Big Ten)
Style points
Northwestern took a 4-0 lead to start things off, but Penn State had a few tricks up its sleeve as well.
The Wildcats held a one-point lead, 26-25, at halftime.
Northwestern’s Boo Buie finds Matthew Nicholson for alley-oop dunk
Star power
Northwestern’s stars brought out all the stops to continue to extend its lead when things resumed.
After trailing since the 19: 34-mark in the beginning of the second half, Northwestern tied the score at 45-all with less than eight minutes to play.
Northwestern’s Matthew Nicholson throws down alley-oop dunk vs. PSU
Overtime
After a hard-fought battle, things headed to overtime, where Penn State narrowly sealed the win by one basket.
Ohio State 68, Michigan State 58 (Big Ten)
Hot start
Ohio State was first to strike in this one, but Michigan State’s Tyson Walker sparked a run for the Spartans early.
Then, the Buckeyes heated up as the first half got underway, connecting on one shot after another to build a small lead.
Throw it down big man!
Ohio State big man Felix Okpara threw down a two-handed flush to give the Buckeyes a 24-17 lead over the Spartans.
The Buckeyes took a 33-24 lead into halftime.
Ohio State’s Felix Okpara throws down a dunk
No quit
The Spartans went on a run early in the second half after a much-needed spark from Mady Sissoko, who came up with a massive block to swing the momentum Michigan State’s way.
Michigan State’s Mady Sissoko records a filthy block against Ohio State
Eyes on the prize
Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton drained a quick bucket thanks to a smooth pass from teammate Sean McNeil that extended their lead to double digits, 46-36, midway through the second half.
Ohio State held on to win by the same margin, 68-58.
Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton makes the quick bucket
Purdue 70, Rutgers 65 (Big Ten)
And we’re off!
Rutgers center Clifford Omoruyi accounted for the first points of the game on this smooth reverse dunk.
The Scarlet Knights jumped out to a 12-4 lead by the first official TV timeout, making a big statement early.
Rutgers’ Clifford Omoruyi drops a one-handed reverse dunk vs. Purdue
Keeping it close
Purdue went on a 5-0 run midway through the first half to keep Rutgers within arm’s reach, 17-10.
The Scarlet Knights had a few tricks up their sleeve, however, as the first half continued. Exhibit A: Cam Spencer.
Boom!
Boilermakers center Zach Edey slammed it home to tie things up for Purdue ahead of the break.
It was a one-point game at halftime, 29-28.
Purdue’s Zach Edey delivers a MONSTROUS two-handed jam vs. Rutgers
Back and forth
Rutgers regained the lead early in the second half, but Purdue turned up the heat and didn’t stay behind for long.
Not how they drew it up
Rutgers guard Derek Simpson drained a 3-point jumper to make it a one-point game, 50-49, late in the second half after the team’s initial play didn’t go as planned.
Rutgers continued to bring the pressure with one big bucket after another as the game wound down.
Tensions running high
Things got heated as the final moments approached. Edey was assessed a flagrant 1 foul during the sequence, which involved players from both teams getting in a dust up on the court.
In the end, the Boilermakers were able to hang on to the lead and secure the win, 70-65.
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