Mar 9, 2018 5 min read

Alpha Diallo hit a go-ahead jumper with 2:22 left in overtime and fifth-seeded Providence rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit and stunned top-seeded and No. 3 Xavier 75-72 in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament Friday night.

Kyron Cartwright hit a clutch jumper with 55 seconds to go and took an offensive foul on a layup attempt by J.P. Macura with eight seconds to play as the Friars (21-12) beat the Musketeers (28-5) for the second time in three games this season.

This one was totally unexpected after the opening 25 minutes at Madison Square Garden. The win sent Providence in the title game against the winner of the second semifinal between second-seeded and No. 2 Villanova and sixth-seeded Butler.

Cartwright’s jumper gave Providence a 73-70 lead, but Trevon Bluiett cut the margin to a point with two free throws with 41 seconds to go.

Isaiah Jackson missed a layup attempt with about 12 seconds to play and the Musketeers rushed the ball up court. Macura went to the rim but Cartwright stood his ground and drew the offensive foul call from referee Jeff Anderson.

Diallo added two free throws with six seconds to go, but Xavier never got off a final shot until the final buzzer when Kerem Kanter hit a shot.

ACC

Virginia 64, Clemson 58: Kyle Guy scored 15 points and No. 1 Virginia advanced to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game with a 64-58 victory over No. 19 Clemson.

The top-seeded Cavaliers (30-2) got several crucial plays from role player Jack Salt down the stretch and will face fifth-ranked and second-seeded Duke or 12th-ranked and sixth-seeded North Carolina for the tournament title Saturday night in Brooklyn.

Virginia’s only ACC Tournament crowns came in 1976 and 2014.

Shelton Mitchell had 18 points and Elijah Thomas added 15 for the fourth-seeded Tigers (23-9), who remain the lone original member of the ACC that hasn’t won the conference tournament. Clemson was trying to reach the finals for only the third time.

SEC

Kentucky 62, Georgia 49: PJ Washington scored 18 points to help send Kentucky to the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament with a 62-49 victory over Georgia.

The fourth-seeded Wildcats (22-10), who have won the last three tournament championships and 30 titles overall, advanced to face Alabama on Saturday.

The 6-7 Washington scored 11 of his points in the second half and finished 8 of 12 from the field. Kevin Knox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each added 15 points in the victory, which was Kentucky’s fifth in its last six games following a four-game losing streak.

Alabama 81, Auburn 63:

Auburn’s offense was flowing at the end of the first half. Desean Murray hit his third 3-pointer and ripped off five straight points to put the Tigers up 41-31 over the Crimson Tide at halftime.

Then, the Collin Sexton show started.

Sexton scored 31 points and Alabama used a strong second half to defeat No. 16 Auburn 81-63 in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

The Crimson Tide started the second half on a 28-3 run keyed by three consecutive 3s by Sexton. Alabama’s surge put the Tigers away early in the half, and the Crimson Tide (19-14) outscored Auburn 50-22 after the break.

AAC

Cincinnati 61, SMU 51: The shots didn’t fall, but Cincinnati is still standing.

The No. 8 Bearcats beat an injury-depleted SMU 61-51 on Friday to advance to the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. The Bearcats (28-4) face Memphis Saturday.

Kyle Washington scored 15 points and Gary Clark had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Cincinnati. Cane Broom had 13 points for the Bearcats, who were 2 of 14 on 3-point attempts and shot 42 percent.

Memphis 67, Tulsa 64: Kareem Brewton Jr. beat the final buzzer with a leaping, one-handed 3-pointer and fifth-seeded Memphis outlasted No. 4 seed Tulsa 67-64in a hard-fought quarterfinal in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.

Memphis (21-12) faces No. 8-ranked and top-seeded Cincinnati today.

Memphis and Tulsa battled down the stretch after the Golden Hurricanes (19-12) erased an 11-point Memphis lead, reducing it to 50-49 after a 12-2 run with just under eight minutes left. At one point Tulsa made seven field goals without a miss.

Wichita State 89, Temple 81: Landry Shamet scored 24 points, Rashard Kelly had 16 and No. 11 Wichita State beat Temple 89-81 in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference tournament.

Big 12

Kansas 83, Kansas State 67: Malik Newman poured in 22 points, Silvio De Sousa filled in admirably for ailing big man Udoka Azubuike and ninth-ranked Kansas beat short-handed Kansas State 83-67 on Friday night to reach the Big 12 Tournament title game.

Devonte Graham added 15 points and Svi Mykhailiuk had 12 for the top-seeded Jayhawks (26-7), who will play No. 14 Texas Tech or No. 18 West Virginia for the championship tonight.