Michigan State takes down in-state rival No. 4 Michigan

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Nia Clouden spurred a third-quarter comeback, and Michigan State toppled rival No. 4 Michigan 63-57 on Thursday night. The Spartans (13-10, 7-5 Big Ten) snapped the Wolverines’ eight-game win streak. Michigan (20-3, 11-2 Big Ten) shot 40.4% from the field, its lowest since losing to Nebraska on Jan. 4. The Spartans finished with a 46% mark. Naz Hillmon had 27 points and nine rebounds for the Wolverines, who played their second straight game without senior leader Leigha Brown. No bench players scored for Michigan compared to the Spartans’ 15 points. Clouden was the Spartans’ leading scorer with 20 points, while Tamara Farquhar had 11 points and Dee Dee Hagemann had seven rebounds and nine assists. NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 59, KENTUCKY 50 LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – Aliyah Boston had 14 points and 15 rebounds, including a key free throw and steal late that helped South Carolina get past Kentucky for its 10th consecutive victory. The Gamecocks (22-1, 10-1 Southeastern Conference) led by as many as 18 points early in the fourth quarter before the Wildcats fought back – with Rhyne Howard scoring 16 of her 21 points in the quarter. She got Kentucky to within 55-48 with 1:25 remaining on a three-point play. A review of a loose ball gave Kentucky possession, but Howard missed a jumper. Destanni Henderson and Lele Grissett each made one of two free throws to give South Carolina some needed space. Treasure Hunt’s two free throws with 53 seconds left got Kentucky within 58-50, but Boston made a free throw a couple of seconds later. The junior forward then grabbed a late rebound that helped the Gamecocks run out of the clock and sweep the Wildcats for its 14th series win in 15 meetings. Kentucky (9-11, 2-8) dropped its fourth consecutive game and eighth of nine overall. NO. 5 N.C. STATE 85, BOSTON COLLEGE 78, OT BOSTON (AP) – Diamond Johnson scored six of her 22 points in overtime to help North Carolina State escape Boston College. Kayla Jones added 17 points and 11 rebounds for N.C. State (22-3, 13-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Raina Perez had 13 points, and Kai Crutchfield and Elissa Cunane each finished with 12. Cameron Swartz paced the Eagles (15-9, 6-7) with 24 points, 18 of those coming in the opening half. Taylor Soule added 16 with 10 rebounds. Johnson’s short jumper gave N.C State a 76-74 edge with 2:09 left in overtime. BC turned the ball over, and Crutchfield had a conventional 3-point play with 1:23 left. VIRGINIA TECH 73, NO. 11 GEORGIA TECH BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) – Elizabeth Kitley scored 10 of her 18 points in the first quarter as Virginia Tech started the game on a 22-11 run, and ended up leading wire-to-wire to beat Georgia Tech. Virginia Tech (18-6, 10-3) is now 10-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play for the first time in school history, and reached 10 conference wins only once previously in the 2019-20 season. Virginia Tech hit 5 of 7 from 3-point range and 15 of 28 from the field in the first half, taking a 39-21 advantage at intermission. The Hokies knocked down 9 of 15 3-point attempts (60%) for the game and 27 of 51 from the floor (52.9%). Georgia Amoore was 5 of 6 from long range to finish with 21 points and six assists for the Hokies, while Kayana Traylor added 14 points off the bench. Lotta-Maj Lahtinen led Georgia Tech (18-6, 9-4) with 21 points. Sarah Bates added 17 points, and Lorela Cubaj added 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. NO. 13 TENNESSEE 76, MISSOURI 62 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Jordan Horston had 21 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, Alexus Dye had all 11 of her points in the pivotal third quarter and No. 13 Tennessee ended a two-game skid with a win over Missouri.