UC vs Providence
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Kadeem Batts scored 25 points and Providence narrowly won its second straight game after holding a late lead, beating No. 17 Cincinnati 54-50 Wednesday night.
The Bearcats had cut their biggest deficit, 47-34 with 6:49 left, to 49-48 on two free throws by Cheikh Mbodj with 2:28 remaining. It was 52-50 when Batts missed two free throws with 13.4 seconds to go and Justin Jackson rebounded for Cincinnati. But Sean Kilpatrick, who led Cincinnati with 13 points, lost the ball on a backcourt violation with 2 seconds to play and Batts finished the scoring with two free throws.
On Saturday, Providence (12-11, 4-7 Big East) beat Villanova 55-52 on a 3-pointer by Bryce Cotton after blowing a nine-point lead with 4:34 left.
Cincinnati (18-5, 6-4) lost for the second time in seven games.
Toledo’s Boothe hits 3 to beat Miami (Ohio) 65-64
OXFORD, Ohio (AP) — Nathan Boothe knocked down a 3-pointer with 1 second left to lead Toledo to a 65-64 victory over Miami (Ohio) in Mid-American Conference play.
Reggie Johnson’s layup had given Miami a 64-62 advantage with 4 seconds remaining.
Julius Brown had 18 points and eight assists, Rian Pearson scored 16 and Boothe contributed 13 for the Rockets (10-10, 6-3), who have won four in a row.
Johnson scored 16 points, Allen Roberts had 15 off the bench, Geovonie McKnight scored 11 and Will Felder 10 for the RedHawks (8-13, 3-6).
Miami led 62-58 on Roberts’ 3-pointer with 3:41 left, but Matt Smith’s 3-pointer with 2:27 remaining closed it to 62-61. Brown tied it at 62 with a free throw at 1:03 before the final heroics.
The Rockets shot 51.1 percent from the field (24 of 47) to the RedHawks’ 46.8 percent (22 of 47).
