Wiltjer's 45 points Lead Gonzaga Past Pacific, College Scores

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Published on February 20 2015 6:29 am
Last Updated on February 20 2015 9:45 am
Written by Millie Lange

Stockton, CA (SportsNetwork.com) -- It may have looked like a blowout on paper, but No. 3 Gonzaga needed all of Kyle Wiltjer's career-high 45 points to knock off Pacific. Wiltjer shot 14-for-21 from the floor, sank seven 3s and carried the Bulldogs to an 86-74 win over the Tigers on Thursday. Gary Bell Jr. netted 12 points while Kevin Pangos contributed eight assists on a night where he didn't make a field goal for just the third time in his four- year career with the Bulldogs (27-1, 15-0 WCC).

Domantas Sabonis and Byron Wesley added eight points apiece in Gonzaga's 20th straight win. Gonzaga can clinch its third straight WCC regular-season title with a win over Saint Mary's on Saturday. T.J. Wallace and David Taylor went for 19 and 18 points, respectively, to help the slumping Tigers (10-17, 2-13) keep pace with the conference leaders. Ray Bowles also scored 13 points in Pacific's eighth straight setback.


(7) Arizona 87, Southern California 57

Tucson, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) -- Kaleb Tarczewski scored 13 of his team-high 15 points in the first half and No. 7 Arizona rolled to an 87-57 win over USC on Thursday. Stanley Johnson added 13 points, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 12 and Brandon Ashley and Parker Jackson-Cartwright each scored 11 for the Wildcats (23-3, 11-2 Pac-12), who have won three in a row since a loss to Arizona State on Feb. 7.

Jackson-Cartwright returned after missing four games with a concussion and played 16 minutes. Malik Martin led USC (10-16, 2-12) with 15 points and Julian Jacobs had 13. The Trojans snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 68-55 win over Oregon State on Saturday but were never closer than nine points over the final 28 minutes against Arizona.


(9) Utah 47, Oregon State 37

Corvallis, OR (SportsNetwork.com) -- Delon Wright posted nine points, nine rebounds and five assists as No. 9 Utah beat Oregon State 47-37 on Thursday night, ending the Beavers' best home start in school history. Dakarai Tucker led the Utes (21-4, 11-2 Pac-12) with 11 points off the bench. Malcolm Duvivier scored a game-high 12 points for Oregon State (16-10, 7-7), which was held to 33.3 percent shooting. The Beavers suffered their first loss in 15 games at Gill Coliseum this season.


(16) Maryland 69, Nebraska 65

College Park, MD (SportsNetwork.com) -- Melo Trimble scored 11 of his 26 points in the final 3:41 to lift the 16th-ranked Maryland Terrapins over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 69-65, on Thursday. Trimble, who went 7-of-9 from the field, also had six rebounds and five assists for the Terrapins (22-5, 10-4 Big Ten), who have won three in a row. Jake Layman and Dez Wells tallied 14 points apiece.

Walter Pitchford made five 3-pointers en route to 19 points for the Cornhuskers (13-13, 5-9), who have dropped four straight. Shavon Shields and Nick Fuller contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively, while leading scorer Terran Petteway shot just 2-for-14 from the floor but contributed a career- high nine assists.


(21) SMU 67, Temple 58

Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) -- Nic Moore helped SMU overcome another huge second-half hole against Temple. The American Athletic Conference Player of the Year candidate Moore had 18 points and four assists as the 21st-ranked Mustangs defeated the Owls 67-58 on Thursday night. SMU rallied from a 10- point second half deficit in this one after storming back from a 13-point gap in a 60-55 victory in Philadelphia on Jan. 14.

Cannen Cunningham netted 10 points for the first-place Mustangs (22-5, 13-2 AAC), who have won four straight and 20 of their last 22 games. Will Cummings was the lone double- digit scorer for Temple (19-8, 10-4), tallying 14 points to go with seven steals and seven assists. The Owls had a seven-game winning streak snapped.

 

SIUE Men Claim OVC Tournament Title

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- SIUE men's basketball locked up its second straight Ohio Valley Conference tournament bid with a 75-72 victory over Southeast Missouri Thursday at Vadalabene Center.

Thursday's win is No. 600 in the history of SIUE's men's basketball program.

"Anytime you have goals over the course of the year and you achieve one, you feel good about it," SIUE Head Coach Lennox Forrester said. "But we understand the work is not done."

SIUE improved to 11-14 overall, matching its win total from last season. The Cougars are now 7-7 in the OVC, which also matches last year's win mark. Southeast Missouri fell to 12-15 overall and 6-8 in the OVC.

It what truly was a game of runs, it was SIUE who, for the second consecutive game, got out to a fast start. The Cougars opened up a 7-1 lead before the first media timeout. SIUE pushed its lead to 30-17 before Southeast Missouri pushed back.

Isiah Jones personally ran off the next 13 points for Southeast Missouri to knot the score 30-30 with 1:46 to play before halftime. The Redhawks finished the half on a 17-2 run to lead 34-32 at the break.

 

UT Martin Slipes By EIU

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Twymond Howard had a rebound tip-in with four seconds remaining in overtime as UT Martin slipped by Eastern Illinois, 75-73, on Thursday night at Lantz Arena.
 
EIU dropped to 15-12 overall, 8-6 in the OVC.  The Panthers will host Southeast Missouri on Sunday evening at 5:30 p.m. with the game televised on the American Sports Network.  UT Martin improved to 17-9, 9-4 in the OVC.
 
In overtime EIU jumped out to a four point lead on jumpers by Chris Olivier and LeTrell Viser.  Oliver would turn in a solid performance with 25 points, seven rebounds and six blocks.  The six blocked shots ties the single game school record.
 
The Skyhawks would tie the game and take the lead on free throws by Marhun Newell.  Two more free throws by Howard put UTM up 73-70 with 1:04 to play.  Freshman guard Cornell Johnston sank his fifth 3-pointer of the game knotting the score at 73 all with 46 seconds remaining.
 
UT Martin would pull down two offensive rebounds keeping alive the winning possession for the last 46 seconds before Howard finished off the game with the third offensive rebound of the possession.  The Skyhawks finished the night with 19 offensive rebounds leading to 17 second chance points.  They won the battle on the glass by a 46-21 margin.  Howard finished the night with a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.


Illinois Hosts Michigan State Sunday

(Champaign, IL) -- Illinois hosts Michigan State Sunday night.  Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. The Fighting Illini had their four-game winning streak snapped with a 68-49 loss at fourth-ranked Wisconsin this past Sunday. Illinois is 17-9 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten. The Spartans are 18-8 and 9-4.


Thursday, February 19 Scoreboard

NCAA Top-25 Men's Basketball  ("USA Today" Rankings)

#2 Gonzaga Bulldogs 86, Pacific Tigers 74

#7 Arizona Wildcats 87, USC Trojans 57

#9 Utah Utes 47, Oregon State Beavers 37

#15 Maryland Terrapins 69, Nebraska Cornhuskers 65

#21 SMU Mustangs 67, Temple Owls 58


Friday, February 20 Schedule (All Times Central)

NCAA Top-25 Men's Basketball

No Games Scheduled