Tri-State Morning Tip-Off
Last night
NKU 73 Green Bay 60
Josh Dilling and Trey Robinson combined for 45 points for the Norse (12-14/7-8). The Phoenix (2-24/0-15), coached by national sports talk radio host Doug Gottlieb, lost for the 21st straight time.
Kent State 76 Ohio 75
Kent State put four players in double figures, winning for a fourth straight time. Cian Medley led the Flashes (17-8,7-5) with a new career high of 24 points.The Bobcats (13-12, 7-5) were led by Shereef Mitchell’s 25 points and four steals.
UCLA 72 IU 68
Dylan Andrews hit two free throws with four seconds left to allow UCLA (19-7/10-5) to hold off IU. The Hoosiers (15-11/6-9) lost for the 8th time in the last 10 games. It was their fourth loss by five or fewer points in the last six. Mick Cronin picked up career win No. 499. Afterwards, Cronin was bombarded with questions concerning his potential interest in the IU job. Columnist Gregg Doyel of the Indy Star called it a ‘job audition” in the Indy Star.
Milwaukee 88 Wright State 80
Themus Fulks scored 21 points and dished 12 assists, and Milwaukee (17-9/10-5) used an 8-0 run to open overtime to win. Brandon Noel finished with 25 points and seven rebounds for the Raiders (13-14/7-9).
Today
DePaul at Xavier, noon, 700 WLW…..gotta have it game. XU won five-straight in the series.
Xavier won 77-63 on Jan. 11 at DePaul. Donte Maddox Jr. 50 last two games.
UC at Iowa State, 4pm, 700 WLW…a chance for a Quad 1 win and fourth straight Big 12 win for UC. The Cyclones have seven Quad 1 wins this year. After scoring just 59 points a game in their first 10 Big 12 games, the Bearcats have averaged 87 over their last three. The Bearcats visit Iowa State for the first time since Dec. 2016, when they knocked off the Cyclones in overtime on three free throws by Jacob Evans with :20 left in OT.
Purdue hosting Wisconsin, 1pm…trying to bounce back from the loss at Michigan earlier in week.
Duquesne at Dayton, 2:30…The Flyers stand 3rd in A10, and have won 6 of 8
Miami at Western Michigan, 2:30. A Redhawks win would be No. 20 on the year. The last time Miami had a 20 win season was the Charlies Coles/Wally Z led NCAA tournament run of 1998-99. Lost to UK in Sweet 16.
Kentucky at Texas, 8pm …first ever trip to Austin for the Cats. third-ever meeting between the programs: 1993 in the Maui Invitational (Kentucky won 86-61), followed by the 2014 meeting in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.