PORTLAND, Ore. — Western Kentucky is at it again.
The 12th-seeded Hilltoppers, who made an unexpected run in the NCAA Tournament last year, pulled off a first-round upset of Illinois, 76-72 on Thursday night.
Steffphon Pettigrew had 17 points to lead Western Kentucky (25-8), which led by as many as 17 points but had to hold off a charge by the Illini (24-10). It was the 19th time in the last 21 years that a No. 12 seed has beaten a No. 5.
Western Kentucky looked as if it would cruise to this upset, but Illinois made a late run and turned it into a one-possession game in the final minute.
Calvin Brock’s layup for the Illini made it 71-66 with 1:11 to go. Orlando Mendez-Valdez missed a long jumper for Western Kentucky, and Anthony Salley was called for goaltending on Jeff Jordan’s fast-break layup to make it 71-68.
Pettigrew made two free throws before Trent Meacham scored on a baseline drive to narrow it to 73-70.
A.J. Slaughter hit 1-of-2 foul shots to give Western Kentucky a slight cushion, but Meacham’s layup made it 74-72. Illinois tried to foul immediately, but didn’t get the call in time and Salley hit free throws with 0.9 seconds on the clock.
HEYTVELT-LED GONZAGA RALLIES TO WIN OPENER AGAINST PESKY AKRON
PORTLAND, Ore. — Staring at a third straight first-round flop, Gonzaga responded like the talented and NCAA Tournament-tested team it is.
Josh Heytvelt scored 22 points — seven during a decisive late run — and the Bulldogs rallied to get past determined but ultimately overwhelmed Akron 77-64 on Thursday night.
“They came out throwing blows and had us rattled,” Heytvelt said. “Then we snapped out of it.”
Micah Downs added 15 points and former ThunderRidge High School athlete Matt Bouldin had 12 for Gonzaga (27-5), which won for the 19th time in 20 games. The Zags are in their 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament but had lost in the first round of the last two.
Nate Linhart scored 13 points in the first half, but had no field goals after halftime for the Zips (23-13), who were up six in the second half of their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 23 years.
Michigan 62, Clemson 59
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Wolverines (21-13) stymied the Tigers (23-9) with a 1-3-1 defense and survived a late scare in their first NCAA Tournament game in 11 years.
Sparked by consecutive 3-pointers by Andre Young and K.C. Rivers, the Tigers (23-9) used a 14-0 run to make it 58-57 with just over a minute left. Clemson still had a chance after Michigan’s Zack Novak hit just 1-of-2 free throws with 13 seconds left, but Rivers’ contested 3-pointer at the buzzer was well short.
Oklahoma 82, Morgan State 54
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Blake Griffin had 28 points and 13 rebounds and survived an ugly fall that got Ameer Ali ejected as the Sooners (28-5) rolled past the Bears (23-12).
Griffin took a hard tumble when Ali flipped him over his back and onto the court in the second half after the two became entangled. Ali, a freshman forward, was immediately ejected.
LSU 75, Butler 71
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Marcus Thornton scored 30 points while coming through with one critical basket after another for the Tigers (27-7), who built an early 13-point lead and shot 49 percent.
The Bulldogs (26-6) made things interesting when Willie Veasley tipped in Gordon Hayward’s missed 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds left, making it 74-71. Chris Johnson hit 1-of-2 free throws with 4.5 seconds left to seal it.
North Carolina 101, Radford 58
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Wayne Ellington had 25 points for the Tar Heels (29-4), who led the entire way and had no trouble beating the Highlanders (21-12) even without injured guard Ty Lawson (toe).
The Associated Press
