WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Dakota Mathias delivered one monumental finishing flurry on Sunday.
Everyone else wearing Purdue gear enjoyed the entertainment.
The senior guard matched his career high with 25 points, made five of his career-high seven 3-pointers in the second half and left his final home game to a standing ovation as the ninth-ranked Boilermakers blew out Minnesota 84-60.
“The most important thing is that we got a win,” Mathias said. “We needed that. I don’t think I’ll reflect back any time soon on it. But maybe a few years down the line I’ll think about Senior Night and all these guys.”
For Mathias, it may go down as the best overall game of his college career. It certainly will be the most memorable.
He finished 9 of 11 from the field, missed only two shots from beyond the arc, got seven rebounds — one short of his career best — and had four assists.
Carsen Edwards added 18 points and seven assists for the Boilermakers (26-5, 15-3 Big Ten).
The Purdue seniors broke the school record for career home wins (62). They also became the fourth graduating class with 100 wins and the third to win 26 regular-season games. The 1987-88 Boilermakers hold the record of 27.
There was one glaring omission: a championship celebration.
Purdue blew its chance to win a second straight conference crown by losing three straight during an eight-day stretch earlier this month, then watched their fading hopes slip completely away when No. 2 Michigan State beat Wisconsin earlier in the day.
Michigan State 68, Wisconsin 63
MADISON, Wis. — No. 2 Michigan State arrived at Wisconsin feeling a little discombobulated with so many off-court issues swirling around the program.
The Spartans are returning to East Lansing with the outright Big Ten regular-season title and more clarity about the future of star forward Miles Bridges.
Cassius Winston scored 20 points and went 6 for 6 from the 3-point line, and Bridges hit two late foul shots to hold off the Badgers for a 68-63 win on Sunday.
The Spartans (28-3, 16-2) celebrated in the locker room after clinching the top seed in this week’s Big Ten Tournament in New York. But coach Tom Izzo could sense the weariness among his players, who had some mental lapses against Wisconsin.
“I just think we’re a little mentally worn down from all the things they’ve been through,” Izzo said. “Handling the adversity that they’ve handled I think is going to make them better men for the next 60 years.”
It appears that Bridges’ short-term future is more secure after he was cleared by the NCAA following a Yahoo! Sports article on Friday that identified him as one of many players who may have received improper benefits. The star forward had 10 points on 3-of-15 shooting, missing all eight 3-point attempts.
Cincinnati 82, Tulsa 74
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Gary Clark was honored pregame as one of Cincinnati’s seniors, but had to watch from the bench in foul trouble as the 11th-ranked Bearcats fell behind.
He made the difference when he finally got on the court.
Clark led a 24-4 run that put Cincinnati ahead to stay early in the second half, and the Bearcats held on for an 82-74 victory over Tulsa on Sunday that preserved their one-game lead in the American Athletic Conference heading into the final week.
Cincinnati (25-4, 14-2) stayed ahead of No. 13 Wichita State (23-5, 13-3) in the race for the regular-season title. The Shockers won on Cincinnati’s home court 76-72 a week ago .
Women
Ohio State 89, Penn State 64
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Kelsey Mitchell scored 22 points to become the No. 3 scorer in NCAA history and the nation’s leading double-double duo, Stephanie Mavunga and Linnae Harper, did it again as No. 14 Ohio State rolled past Penn State 89-64 Sunday to clinch the outright Big Ten regular-season title and the No. 1 seed to the conference tournament.
Mitchell’s 3,286 career points moved her past former Baylor star Brittney Griner (3,283). Mavunga had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Harper 17 points and 10 boards for Mavunga’s 15th double-double this season and 53rd in her career and Harper’s 12th this season and 22nd overall.
The Buckeyes (24-6, 13-3) led early on and by 15 at halftime. The lead reached 26 points after three quarters to a high of 38 in the fourth.
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