No. 4 Vols capture SEC title with 89-56 victory

ASSOCIATED PRESS

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Chris Lofton scored 28 points, including six 3-pointers, and No. 4 Tennessee routed South Carolina 89-56 Sunday, prompting fans to engage in a delayed celebration of the school’s first outright SEC title since 1967.

JaJuan Smith fouled out with 17 points and four 3s, receiving a hearty standing ovation from the crowd on his and Lofton’s final home games as Volunteers.

The 33-point margin was the worst of the season for South Carolina, which suffered its second worst defeat when the Vols won 80-56 in Columbia in January.

It was the final regular season game for South Carolina coach Dave Odom, who will retire after a 22-year head coaching career after the Gamecocks play in the SEC tournament.

No. 9 Texas 62, Oklahoma St. 57

AUSTIN, Texas — D.J. Augustin scored 20 points and the Longhorns captured a share of the Big 12 regular-season championship, and clinched the top seed in the league tournament because of a victory over co-champion Kansas in February.

Damion James added 13 points and 18 rebounds for Texas (26-5, 13-3), making four free throws in the final 36 seconds to help maintain the lead. After the game, Texas players hoisted the championship trophy at midcourt. Texas has won a share of the conference title two of the last three seasons and three overall in 10 years.

No. 13 Connecticut 96,
Cincinnati 51

STORRS, Conn. — Stanley Robinson scored 18 points and had eight rebounds as Connecticut swept the regular-season series, in a game postponed a day because of a Midwest snowstorm.

No. 20 Drake 79, Illinois St. 49

ST. LOUIS — Adam Emmenecker added the conference tournament MVP to his regular-season MVP, finishing with 16 points and six assists as Drake won its first postseason championship in the 32-year-old Missouri Valley tournament.

No. 24 Clemson 70,
Virginia Tech 69

CLEMSON, S.C. — Freshman Demontez Stitt hit two free throws with 3.8 seconds left, and the Tigers (22-8. 10-6) held on to lock up third place in the ACC, its best finish since 1990.

No. 25 Davidson 82, UNC Greensboro 52

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Stephen Curry had 26 points and the Wildcats (25-6) won their 21st straight game to reach the Southern Conference tournament championship.