College Basketball
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Kelan Martin scored 22 points and fueled a stunning second-half rally to lead No. 22 Butler past No. 2 Villanova 74-66 on Wednesday night, snapping the Wildcats’ on-campus home winning streak at 48 games.
Kamar Baldwin added 15 points for the Bulldogs (22-6, 11-5 Big East), who have handed the defending national champion Wildcats two of their three losses this season.
Jalen Brunson scored 24 points and Josh Hart had 18 for Villanova (26-3, 13-3), which came into the game having already clinched at least a share of their fourth consecutive Big East regular-season championship.
The game marked the first time Hart and fellow seniors Kris Jenkins and Darryl Reynolds lost a game at the Pavilion in their four-year careers.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – John Gillon hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer, and Syracuse upset No. 10 Duke 78-75 on Wednesday night as the Orange kept alive their postseason hopes.
With just 7.5 seconds left on the clock after a Duke miss, Gillon drove to the top of the key and banked in a desperation shot to send the huge crowd into a frenzy as they stormed the court.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Justin Jackson scored 21 points and No. 8 North Carolina pulled away after halftime to beat No. 7 Louisville 74-63 on Wednesday night in a matchup of Atlantic Coast Conference leaders.
Kennedy Meeks added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar Heels (24-5, 12-3), who strengthened their hold on first place in the league. UNC entered the night leading both Louisville and No. 10 Duke by a game, but stretched the lead by beating the Cardinals after the Blue Devils’ lost at Syracuse earlier in the evening.
The Tar Heels took over with a 13-3 second-half run to break a 40-all tie and led by 17 points late.
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Frank Mason III scored 20 points, Carlton Bragg provided a big lift off the bench and No. 3 Kansas pulled away in the second half to beat TCU 87-68 on Wednesday night and clinch a share of its 13th consecutive Big 12 championship.
Devonte Graham added 17 points and seven assists, and Bragg and Josh Jackson scored 15 points apiece, as the Jayhawks (25-3, 13-2) cruised to their NCAA-leading 60th conference title.
Their streak dating to coach Bill Self’s second season in Lawrence matches the Division I record of 13 consecutive league titles UCLA set in the 1960s and ’70s. To put it into perspective, Kansas has not failed to win a share of the Big 12 since the 20-year-old Jackson was 8.
College Football
JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi has self-imposed a one-year postseason football ban for the 2017 season after officials say the school received an amended Notice of Allegations from the NCAA that alleges more rules violations by the program.
The school did not release the NOA, but discussed its contents in a 21-minute video posted on YouTube on Wednesday afternoon. The school said the NCAA has added eight new violations, including six that are Level I, which the NCAA deems most serious.
The university has also been charged with lack of institutional control. The new charges include cash payments from boosters and also involve previous staff members.
The eight new violations are on top of 13 previous violations from the NCAA’s previous NOA in 2016. The program is now facing 15 Level I violations.
Associated Press
