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Top 25 roundup: No. 4 Vols capture outright SEC title

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[March 07, 2024] No. 4 Tennessee held on for a 66-59 win over No. 17 South Carolina on Wednesday in Columbia, S.C., to clinch its first outright Southeastern Conference regular-season title since 2007-08.

Dalton Knecht scored 26 points on 9-for-23 shooting to lead Tennessee (24-6, 14-3 SEC), which won its seventh game in a row.

Meechie Johnson scored 18 points on 8-for-19 shooting to pace South Carolina (24-6, 12-5). Collin Murray-Boyles finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Gamecocks, whose three-game winning streak ended.

Knecht pointed toward his ring finger and embraced his teammates after the final buzzer sounded. The Volunteers smiled and slapped hands with one another but otherwise stayed subdued on the court in the moments after securing the regular-season title.

No. 1 Houston 67, UCF 59

L.J. Cryer scored 25 points as the Cougars recovered from a sluggish start and clinched at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season title with a win over the Knights in Orlando.

Cryer scored 19 after halftime when the Cougars (27-3, 14-3 Big 12) outscored the Knights 39-28. Jamal Shead added 16 points and eight assists for Houston, which earned its ninth straight victory over UCF (15-14, 6-11).

C.J. Walker scored 15 points for the Knights, who fell to 0-3 all-time when facing the top-ranked team.

No. 2 UConn 74, No. 8 Marquette 67

Alex Karaban had 23 points and Cam Spencer added 17 to lead the Huskies past the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee.

Marquette, which trailed by 14 with just under eight minutes left, used an 11-2 run to pull within 72-67 with 56 seconds remaining. UConn then turned it over, but the Golden Eagles missed a chance to make it a one-possession game with their own turnover, and they lost for the second straight time without star guard Tyler Kolek (oblique).

Karaban and Spencer each hit five 3-pointers for UConn (27-3, 17-2 Big East). Kam Jones had 18 points and Oso Ighodaro added 16 to lead Marquette, (22-8, 13-6).

No. 6 Iowa State 68, No. 20 BYU 63

Tamin Lipsey scored 19 points and made a late steal to help the Cyclones win their home finale by overcoming the Cougars in Ames, Iowa. BYU went without a field goal for almost six minutes to close the game and didn't score at all in the last four minutes.

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When Iowa State's Robert Jones missed both free-throw attempts with 22 seconds left, the Cougars trailed by just one after the rebound and were in position to win. Lipsey's steal altered that plan. Iowa State's Keshon Gilbert sank four free throws in the last 10 seconds.

Curtis Jones added 18 points for Iowa State (24-6, 13-4 Big 12), while Richie Saunders poured in 20 points off the bench for BYU (21-9, 9-8).

No. 15 Kentucky 93, Vanderbilt 77

Rob Dillingham scored 23 points off the bench to lead the Wildcats past the Commodores in Lexington, Ky.

Antonio Reeves added 20 points and six rebounds for Kentucky (22-8, 12-5 SEC), which won its fourth consecutive game. Freshman Reed Sheppard matched his career best of 11 assists for the Wildcats, who put away the Commodores with a strong second half.

Tyrin Lawrence established season bests of 23 points and nine rebounds for Vanderbilt (8-22, 3-14). Ezra Manjon had 17 points and seven assists.

No. 22 Utah State 90, San Jose State 70

Senior guard Darius Brown II sank a career-high seven 3-pointers while recording 21 points and nine assists, leading the Aggies past the host Spartans.

Mason Falslev added 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting for Utah State (25-5, 13-4 Mountain West), which clinched at least a share of the conference's regular-season crown. Great Osobor had 16 points and eight rebounds, and Javon Jackson established career bests of 15 points and five 3-pointers.

Myron Amey Jr. had 20 points and seven rebounds and Alvaro Cardenas added 18 points and matched his career best of 10 assists for San Jose State (9-22, 2-16).

--Field Level Media

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