MANHATTAN, Kan. — Travis Releford scored 12 points and No. 3 Kansas held off No. 11 Kansas State down the stretch for a 59-55 victory Tuesday night that gave the Jayhawks sole possession of first place in the Big 12.
Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey added 11 points each for the Jayhawks (17-1, 5-0 Big 12), who pushed their nation-leading winning streak to 16 games and ended the Wildcats’ 12-game home winning streak.
Shane Southwell, who scored a career-high 19 points, got Kansas State (15-3, 4-1) within 56-53 with a scooping layup with 38.2 seconds left. Naadir Tharpe made two foul shots to restore a five-point lead.
Rodney McGruder finished with 13 points and Angel Rodriguez had 12, all in the first half, as the Wildcats lost for the 45th time in 48 games against their in-state rival.
Kansas State had its own eight-game winning streak snapped.
Also on Tuesday:
Villanova 73
No. 5 Louisville 64
PHILADELPHIA — Achraf Yacoubou hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer late in the second half to help Villanova (12-7, 3-3 Big East) to the upset. Peyton Siva had 15 points and 13 assists for the Cardinals (16-3, 4-2) which had an 11-game winning streak end in a loss to Syracuse on Saturday.
No. 13 Michigan State 49
Wisconsin 47
MADISON, Wis. — Keith Appling scored 19 points and Branden Dawson added 18 for Michigan State (17-3, 6-1 Big Ten).
No. 14 Ohio State 72
Iowa 63
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Deshaun Thomas, who missed part of the second half with a cut above his eye, scored 16 points as Ohio State (14-4, 4-2 Big Ten) built a big lead and then held on.
Wake Forest 86
No. 18 N.C. State 84
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Freshman Devin Thomas had a season-high 25 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for the Demon Deacons (10-8, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) in a win over the Wolfpack (15-4, 4-2).
No. 22 Missouri 71
South Carolina 65
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Earnest Ross and Jabari Brown hit key 3-pointers in the final 1:11 and Missouri (14-4, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) overcame five-for-27 shooting from long range and a 13-point second-half deficit.
