College Basketball Roundup: Top 25 Action
No. 15 Oregon 73, Ohio State 71
Jackson Shelstad delivered in the clutch, sinking two free throws with seven seconds left to secure No. 15 Oregon’s victory over Ohio State in a nail-biter on Thursday night in Columbus, Ohio. The Ducks (14-2, 3-2 Big Ten) held off the Buckeyes after Bruce Thornton missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer with two seconds remaining. Nate Bittle added a free throw with one second left to seal the win.
Shelstad matched his career high with 24 points, while Bittle contributed 21 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Ohio State (10-6, 2-3 Big Ten) had briefly taken the lead when John Mobley Jr. hit two free throws with 12.6 seconds left, following Thornton’s steal. Thornton led the Buckeyes with 20 points, and Mobley added 16 in the tough loss.
No. 16 Michigan State 88, Washington 54
Jaden Akins scored 20 points, and Michigan State extended its winning streak to eight games with a dominant victory over Washington in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten) led nearly the entire game, with Jeremy Fears Jr. recording his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 assists.
Contributions came from all corners as Jase Richardson scored 12 points and Tre Holloman added 11 points with six assists.
The Huskies (10-6, 1-4) struggled offensively, missing their first 14 field-goal attempts and going scoreless from the field for the first 10 minutes. Tyler Harris led Washington with 14 points, while Zoom Diallo chipped in eight points.
No. 20 Purdue 68, Rutgers 50
Braden Smith powered No. 20 Purdue with 16 points and 14 assists in a commanding road win over Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey. The Boilermakers (12-4, 4-1 Big Ten) maintained control throughout, shooting 50% from the field and never trailing.
Trey Kaufman-Renn matched Smith’s scoring output with 16 points, including a dunk late in the game that solidified Purdue’s lead. Fletcher Loyer added 13 points to the effort.
Rutgers (8-8, 1-4) saw a standout performance from freshman Ace Bailey, who scored a game-high 17 points, including four 3-pointers. However, fellow freshman Dylan Harper struggled, shooting just 2-of-9 and finishing with six points in 28 minutes.
The action-packed night saw strong performances across the Big Ten as teams continue to jockey for position in the standings.
