NEW YORK - Pat Connaughton scored 18 points on six three-pointers and Jack Cooley had two big offensive rebounds in Notre Dame's game-changing run as the 24th-ranked Fighting Irish beat No. 12 Marquette 73-65 on Thursday night to reach the Big East tournament semifinals for the fourth straight year.
Unfortunately for the Irish (25-8) the road has ended there each time - the last two times against No. 4 Louisville, who they will face in tonight's semifinals at Madison Square Garden.
The game was tied at 50 before Notre Dame went on a 9-2 run to take control.
• No. 4 Louisville 74, Villanova 55: In New York, Russ Smith scored 28 points in a bittersweet homecoming, leading Louisville into the Big East tournament semifinals with a victory only hours after the death of his esteemed high school coach.
Smith and the defending champion Cardinals (27-5) harassed Villanova into 25 turnovers.
• No. 5 Georgetown 62, Cincinnati 43: In New York, Otto Porter Jr. scored 18 points and Georgetown (25-5) advanced to the Big East tournament semifinals.
Markel Starks had 14 points and reserve D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera added 13 for the top-seeded Hoyas.
• No. 6 Michigan 83, Penn St. 66: In Chicago, Trey Burke scored 21 points to lead Michigan (26-6) in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Nik Stauskas each added 15 points for the Wolverines.
• No. 7 Kansas 91, Texas Tech 63: In Kansas City, Mo., Ben McLemore scored 24 points to lead Kansas (27-5) to a rout of Texas Tech, setting up an date with Iowa State in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament.
The Jayhawks (27-5) shot 66 percent from the field (31 of 47), the best mark by any team in a Big 12 tournament game.
• No. 11 Kansas State 66, Texas 49: In Kansas City, Mo., Rodney McGruder scored 24 points and sparked an 11-0 run in the second half, lifting Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament.
An all-conference senior who ranks in the top 10 in 14 of Kansas State's career categories, McGruder also had a team-leading seven rebounds as the second-seeded Wildcats (26-6) whipped the Longhorns for the third time this year.
• No. 14 Oklahoma State 74, Baylor 72: In Kansas City, Mo., Phil Forte hit two free throws with 2.9 seconds left and Oklahoma State (24-7) survived after blowing a 20-point lead to beat Pierre Jackson and Baylor in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament.
Marcus Smart scored 21 points and LeBryan Nash had 14 for the Cowboys.
• No. 19 Syracuse 62, No. 17 Pittsburgh 59: In New York, James Southerland had a second straight great effort from three-point range and Michael Carter-Williams scored Syracuse's last seven points as the Orange (25-8) won in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament.
Southerland had 20 points as he did in the second-round win over Seton Hall. The senior was 6 for 6 on threes against Pittsburgh, a day after going 6 for 9 from beyond the arc.
• No. 20 Memphis 81, Tulane 68: In Tulsa, Okla., Chris Crawford set career-highs with 24 points and six three-pointers, Adonis Thomas scored 17 points and Memphis (28-4) won in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament.
Please Wait…