SATURDAY’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAMES

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

FINAL

Kent State 70, Akron 65

CLEVELAND

Jaylin Walker scored 30 points, Jimmy Hall added 19 and sixth-seeded Kent State earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2008 by beating rival Akron in the Mid-American Conference championship game. The Golden Flashes (22-13) knocked off the tournament’s top three seeds — Buffalo, Ohio and Akron — to win their sixth conference title. They barely advanced to Cleveland, needing overtime to edge 11th-seeded Central Michigan in the opening round. But Kent State finally found its groove in Quicken Loans Arena and is headed back to the NCAAs for the sixth time. Isaiah Johnson scored 24 as the top-seeded Zips (26-8) had their postseason dreams dashed by their hated next-door neighbors, who ended their 30-game home winning streak just 22 days ago. Akron also lost in the final last year. Walker, who hit a game-winning layup with 4.1 seconds left to beat Ohio in the semifinals, scored 18 in the second half.

BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

FINAL

No. 2 Villanova 74, Creighton 60

NEW YORK

Josh Hart scored 29 points and No. 2 Villanova beat Creighton to win the Big East Tournament and probably lock up the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Hart, the conference player of the year, became just the third player to win the tournament MVP award twice, joining Patrick Ewing of Georgetown and Peyton Siva of Louisville. Villanova (31-3) played Villanova basketball, just as the Wildcats did last season in winning the national championship. Good defense, sharing the ball and making 3-pointers is the formula that has led them to four consecutive Big East regular-season titles. This was their third Big East Tournament title, the others coming in 1995 and 2015.

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

SEMIFINAL

No. 8 Kentucky 79, Alabama 74

NASHVILLE, TENN.

De’Aaron Fox scored a career-high 28 points, including seven straight down the stretch, and Malik Monk added 20 to lift No. 8 Kentucky past Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The Wildcats shot 52 percent from the floor and 69 percent from the line after missing numerous chances that left openings for the pesky Crimson Tide to stay close. But Kentucky converted chances when needed, hitting 13 of 17 free throws in the final six minutes with Fox making 5 of 7 in particular and 11 of 15 overall. Bam Adebayo had 10 points and nine rebounds to send top-seeded Kentucky (28-5) to Sunday’s championship game against the winner of the other semifinal between Vanderbilt and Arkansas. Dazon Ingram had 17 points for No. 5 seed Alabama (19-14), which outrebounded Kentucky 33-28, but couldn’t get the basket when needed to overcome the Wildcats.

BIG 12 TOURNAMENT

FINAL

No. 23 Iowa State 80, West Virginia 74

KANSAS CITY, MO.

Monte Morris scored 17 points, Deonte Burton and Matt Thomas helped him deal with West Virginia’s attacking defense, and No. 23 Iowa State beat the No. 11 Mountaineers for the Cyclones’ third Big 12 Tournament title in four years. Burton had 16 points and Thomas finished with 12 for the fourth-seeded Cyclones (23-10), who will enter the NCAA Tournament as one of the nation’s hottest teams. They’ve won nine of their last 10 games, with their only loss during that stretch coming a week ago in Morgantown. They avenged that defeat in a big way at the Sprint Center. Iowa State has never lost in four appearances in the Big 12 title game, while the Mountaineers (26-8) remain without a conference tournament title of any kind since winning the Big East in 2010. Jevon Carter had 18 points for West Virginia.

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

SEMIFINALS

No. 12 SMU 70, UCF 59

HARTFORD, CONN.

Sterling Brown scored 22 points and No. 12 SMU beat UCF in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. Semi Ojeleye added 17 points, and Shake Milton had 14 of his 16 points in the second half for the Mustangs (29-4). They are back in the championship game after missing last year’s tournament because of NCAA sanctions. The Mustangs won the title in 2015. SMU has won 15 straight games and 25 of its last 26 after a 4-3 start to their season. B.J. Taylor had 20 points, and Nick Banyard 16 for the Knights (21-11). They had won six in a row.

No. 15 Cincinnati 81, UConn 71

HARTFORD, CONN.

Gary Clark scored 25 points to lead No. 15 Cincinnati to a win over UConn in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. Jacob Evans added 21 points and Troy Caupain had 18 for the Bearcats, who will be seeking their first AAC title on Sunday against No. 12 SMU. Jalen Adams scored 20 points and Christian Vital had 18 for UConn. The Huskies finish their season 16-17, their first losing campaign in 30 years. It was a typically chippy game between the teams, whose rivalry dates to the old Big East. They combined for 56 fouls, 32 committed by UConn. Cincinnati was 38 of 46 from the foul line. UConn made 20 of its 25 free throw attempts.

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT

SEMIFINAL

No. 24 Wisconsin 76, Northwestern 48

WASHINGTON

Wisconsin revved up the defense against weary Northwestern and got the desired result, a victory that earned the No. 24 Badgers a berth in the Big Ten Tournament championship game for the third time in five years. Nigel Hayes scored 18 points and Ethan Happ added 16 for the second-seeded Badgers. They never trailed in their third straight victory — second in the tournament — following a run of five losses in six games. Wisconsin (25-8) will vie for its fourth Big Ten title Sunday against No. 8 seed Michigan, which will be playing its fourth game in four days. It will be the seventh championship game appearance for the Badgers, trailing only the eight by Ohio State. Northwestern (23-11) was playing for the second time in less than 24 hours and third game in three days, and it showed. Coming off wins over Rutgers and No. 3 seed Maryland, the Wildcats missed 20 of 27 shots in the first half, had only one assist and trailed 38-21. Scottie Lindsey scored 16 points for Northwestern.

Associated Press