Most Top-25 teams saw their regular seasons end on Saturday, drawing conference races to an end. All major conferences had regular season champions decided already, but there were a lot games that decided seeding in conference tournaments. In mid major tournaments, a top 10 team fell and teams on the bubble for the NCAA tournament may fear that there is a team that will steal a bid out of the Missouri Valley Conference. Another team clinched their NCAA tournament bid, as the champion of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament was named.
Let’s get to the games:
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(21) Butler Bulldogs | 68 | (22-9) |
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(24) Providence Friars | 64 | (21-10) |
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Butler clinched the third seed in the Big East tournament, beating Providence, who was playing for the second seed in the tournament in New York City. Butler was 20-20 from the free throw line and were led by 16 points from Roosevelt Jones. Kris Dunn scored a game high 23 points for Providence, but the Friars were done in by four of 18 three point shooting. Butler and Providence wait for the beginning of the Big East tournament, where the Bulldogs are seeded third and the Friars fourth.
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Oklahoma State Cowboys | 72 | (18-12) |
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(20) West Virginia Mountaineers | 81 | (23-8) |
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West Virginia worked to maintain seeding for the Big 12 conference tournament, beating Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon. West Virginia was paced by 22 points and 13 rebounds from Devin Williams and Daxter Miles Jr. scored 15 points. Jeff Newberry scored a game high 23 points for Oklahoma State, made 11 three pointers as a team, but was outshot from the free throw line 23 to nine. Oklahoma State is the sixth seed in the Big 12 tournament and West Virginia is seeded fifth.
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St. John’s Red Storm | 68 | (21-10) |
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(4) Villanova Wildcats | 105 | (29-2) |
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Villanova outscored St. John’s by 33 points in the second half, running away for their 29th win. Daniel Ochefu scored 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and blocked five shots for the Wildcats, who shot 56.1% and are still very much so in the running for a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. St. John’s was paced by 21 points by Rysheed Jordan and 16 points for Phil Greene IV, but only had eight bench points. Both teams’ focus turns to the Big East tournament, where St. John’s is the fifth seed and Villanova is the number one seed.
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LSU Tigers | 81 | (22-9) |
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(18) Arkansas Razorbacks | 78 | (24-7) |
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In one of the most important games of the day, LSU all but clinched an NCAA tournament bid by pulling out a road win against Arkansas to close the season. LSU was paced by 27 points from Jarell Martin and 20 points from Jalyn Patterson. Arkansas was lead by 21 points and 15 rebounds from Bobby Portis, but could not overcome a six point halftime deficit. Arkansas and LSU look forward to the SEC tournament, where the Razorbacks are the number two seed and the Tigers are seeded fourth.
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Florida Gators | 50 | (15-16) |
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(1) Kentucky Wildcats | 67 | (31-0) |
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For the 31st straight time in 2014-2015, University of Kentucky was victorius, beating the University of Florida on Saturday afternoon to cap a perfect regular season. Kentucky was paced by 13 points, nine rebounds, and six blocks from Karl-Anthony Towns and forcing 17 turnovers by Florida. The Gators were led by a game high 15 points from Kasey Hill, but only made three free throws. Florida is seeded ninth in the conference tournament and will play Alabama while Kentucky is the number one seed in the upcoming SEC tournament.
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Illinois State Redbirds | 65 | (21-11) |
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(8) Wichita State Shockers | 62 | (28-4) |
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In the Missouri Valley Conference tournament semifinals, the number one seed Wichita State Shockers fell to Illinois State. The upset was fueled by 25 points by Daishon Knight of Illinois State, who held Wichita State to four of 18 shooting on three point field goals. Wichita State was led by 19 points from Fred VanVleet and four steals from Ron Baker, but were out shot on free throws 17 to four. Illinois State will play the University of Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship against while the eighth ranked Shockers wait until next Sunday to find out their seed for the NCAA tournament
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Clemson Tigers | 67 | (16-14) |
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(12) Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 81 | (26-5) |
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Notre Dame finished the ACC season strong, beating Clemson on Saturday afternoon. Jerian Grant and Zach Auguste each had 19 points to fuel Notre Dame, who had 20 assists compared to only four turnovers. Clemson was bolstered by a game high 22 points and 10 rebounds from Jaron Blossomgame, but were only four of 18 on three point field goals. Both teams turn their focus to the ACC tournament where Clemson is the eighth seed and will play Florida State and Notre Dame is the third seed.
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(9) Kansas Jayhawks | 73 | (24-7) |
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(15) Oklahoma Sooners | 75 | (21-9) |
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Oklahoma pulled out a gritty win in the last seconds over Big 12 regular season champion Kansas. Buddy Hield supported Oklahoma’s win with 18 points and Jordan Woodard had four steals. Kansas had a game high 21 points from Frank Mason III, but only shot 38.1% from the field. Each team turns their focus to the Big 12 conference tournament, where Kansas is the top seed and Oklahoma is the third seed.
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Stanford Cardinal | 69 | (18-12) |
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(5) Arizona Wildcats | 91 | (28-3) |
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Arizona rolled over Stanford on Saturday afternoon and turns their focus toward a number one seed in the NCAA tournament. TJ McConnell led Arizona with 10 points, 11 assists, and three steals while Brandon Ashley added 15 points and nine rebounds. Chasson Randle added a game high 16 points for Stanford, but the team shot 37.3% from the field. The Pac 12 tournament is next for each of these teams and Arizona is the top seed of the tournament and Stanford is the sixth seed and will play Washington.
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(13) Utah Runnin’ Utes | 68 | (23-7) |
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Washington Huskies | 77 | (16-14) |
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Utah could not finish the Pac 12 schedule strongly, losing to Washington on Saturday afternoon. Washington was lead by 28 points from Nigel Williams-Goss and eight of 14 shooting from three point range. Utah was supported by 21 points from Delon Wright and 18 points from Jakob Poeltl, but only shot five of 19 on three point field goals. Focus turns to the Pac 12 tournament where Washington is the 11th seed and will play Stanford and Utah is the third seed.
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Loyola Chicago Ramblers | 49 | (19-13) |
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(11) UNI Panthers | 63 | (29-3) |
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Northern Iowa outpaced Loyola Chicago to make the Missouri Valley Conference tournament chanpionship. Northern Iowa was paced by 13 points from Seth Tuttle, four steals from Jeremy Morgan, and 51.2% shooting from the field. Loyola Chicago was led by a game high 14 points from Montel James, but only shot four of 15 on three point field goals. Loyola Chicago will hope for a bid to the a non-NCAA tournament and Northern Iowa will play Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference championship.
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(2) Virginia Cavaliers | 57 | (28-2) |
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(16) Louisville Cardinals | 59 | (24-7) |
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Virginia went down by as much as 12 in the first half and could not come back against Louisville. Montrezl Harrell led Louisville with 20 points and 12 rebounds and Terry Rozier had 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Virginia was led by 17 points from Malcolm Brodgon, but was only seven of 12 on free throws. Each team turns their focus to the ACC tournament where Virginia is the top seed and Louisville is the fourth seed.
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Belmont Bruins | 88 | (22-10) |
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(25) Murray State Racers | 87 | (27-5) |
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As the first conference tournament ends, Belmont is heading the NCAA tournament. Craig Bradshaw led Belmont with 25 points and the Bruins made 15 three point field goals. TJ Sapp led Murray State with a game high 28 points and Cameron Payne had 20 points and 10 assists, but Murray State could not stop Belmont’s offense. Murray State could be a hard luck team to miss the NCAA tournament at 27-5 and Belmont will anticipate their seeding on Selection Sunday next week.
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(17) Iowa State Cyclones | 89 | (22-8) |
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TCU Horned Frogs | 76 | (17-14) |
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Iowa State solidified their standing in the Big 12 with a win over TCU on Saturday. Iowa State was fueled by 19 points from both Georges Niang and Monte Morris, a part of an offense that shot 56.6% from the field. TCU had 17 points from Kenrich Williams and 16 points from Kyan Anderson, but could not hold on to a six point halftime lead. Iowa State is the second seed in next week’s Big 12 tournament and TCU is the ninth seed and will open with a matchup with Kansas State.
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(3) Duke Blue Devils | 84 | (28-3) |
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(19) North Carolina Tar Heels | 77 | (21-10) |
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Duke pulled off a sweep of archrival UNC on Saturday night, closing their season with a huge road victory. Duke had a torrid second half and was led by 24 points from Tyus Jones and 20 points from Quinn Cook. Marcus Paige rebounded from a poor outing in the first matchup by scoring 23 points, but 16 Tar Heel turnovers were the difference in the game. Both teams move their focus to the ACC tournament and Duke is the second seed in the tournament with UNC as the fifth seed.
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San Francisco Dons | 72 | (14-18) |
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(7) Gonzaga Bulldogs | 81 | (30-2) |
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Gonzaga did not slip up in their conference tournament on Saturday, beating San Francisco in the West Coast Conference tournament quarterfinals. Przemek Karnowski scored 24 points to pace Gonzaga who shot 52.7% from the field. San Francisco led by two at halftime and had 21 points from both Mark Tollefson and Tim Derksen, but only shot 36.9% from the field. San Francisco will see their season end and Gonzaga will play Pepperdine in the West Coast Conference semifinals.