Howard, Michigan roll past Texas Southern in NCAA tourney
– Juwan Howard got the win in his first NCAA Tournament game since taking over at Michigan, guiding Mike Smith and the top-seeded Wolverines to an 82-66 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday. It's his second season in charge, but the NCAA Tournament was canceled last year because of the pandemic. Howard and the Wolverines (21-4) had little trouble with the No 16 seed Texas Southern, but the absence of Livers could lead to adversity down the road. It wasn’t perfect as Texas Southern outscored Michigan 42-30 in the paint and got within 12 late, causing Dickinson to re-enter the game. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member Norfolk State ousted Appalachian State on the same court, marking the first time SWAC and MEAC schools won NCAA Tournament games on the same day.
No. 9 Buckeyes edge No. 4 Michigan, make Big Ten title game
Ohio State forward E.J. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – Ohio State guard Duane Washington Jr. just wanted a second chance at his home-state team. 9 Buckeyes fend off the fourth-ranked Wolverines for a 68-67 victory and a trip to the Big Ten Tournament title game. “This rivalry means a lot to a lot of our guys, a lot of our Ohio guys," Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann said. The Wolverines appeared in three straight title games before last year's was cancelled because of COVID-19.