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Tri-State Morning Tip-Off
A quick and easy daily recap of the night in area CBB and a look ahead to tonight's action.
Last night
Indiana 77 Ohio State 76 (OT)
Luke Goode's career-high 23 points -- five more than he'd ever scored before -- snapped IU’s two-game losing streak for a huge road win. IU's late 14-3 run built a 10-point lead with four minutes left. Ohio State rallied for a 71-71 tie to send the game into overtime. Oumar Ballo added 20 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal for the Hoosiers (14-5/5-3). The Buckeyes lost their third straight game, by a total of five points, to fall to 10-8/2-5. John Mobley Jr. made 5 three-pointers and led the Buckeyes with 22 points and three assists. Bruce Thornton added 18 points and matched a season high with six rebounds. IU’s previous two losses had each been by 25 points.
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Akron 92 Ohio 80
The Zips (12-5/5-0) led by 15 at the half and cruised in the showdown between two of the three teams undefeated in MAC play to begin the night. Akron was led by Isaiah Gray, who had a career high 22 points and two steals. Shereef Mitchell paced the Bobcats with a career-high 27 points. AJ Brown scored 15. The Akron defense held Ohio shooters to only 34.4 percent from the field, including 25 percent from three-point range. The Zips dished 24 assists and never trailed in the second half.
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Today
The Bearcats welcome Arizona State to 5th/3rd, 2pm on 700 WLW. A gotta get it home opportunity to make it back-to-back Big 12 wins for UC. Bobby Hurley’s Sun Devils are 10-6 overall, and like the Bearcats have dropped 4 of 5 in the Big 12. 6-9 FR Jayden Quiantance might be the best defender in the country…he’s the only player with at least 40 blocks and 20 steals….
Xavier at No. 7 Marquette, 2pm on 55 KRC. XU plays three of its next four games on the road to finish January. The Golden Eagles are 15-2 overall and 6-0 in the BIG EAST….winners of six straight. It’s the 2nd meeting of the year, Xavier suffered a 72-70 loss to then-No. 9 Marquette on Dec. 21 at Cintas Center. Marquette’s fifth straight win in the series.
Alabama at UK, Noon on ESPN 1530 …How about this three game stretch for the Cats…beat No. 14 Mississippi St, No. 11 Texas A&M and now get No. 4 Bama. The Cats 5-0 vs Top 15.
Wright State at NKU, 2pm on Fox Sports 1360. The Battle of I-75. The Norse have dropped three straight. Raiders lost to PU FTW in 2 OT earlier this week 120-113.
Virginia at Louisville, Noon. Pat Kelsey’s Cards are 6-1 in the ACC, a game back of Duke, and looking for a 7th straight win.
No. 17 Purdue at No. 13 Oregon, 3pm. Matt Painter’s Boilers have won 6 row, each by double digits.
Miami at Kent State, 3pm. The sharp shooting Redhawks try to make it seven straight wins
Loyola at Dayton, 4pm. The Flyers saw their 26 game home court win streak snapped earlier in the week, and have lost three in a row overall.