College Hoops Sunday: Buckeyes Beat Spartans, Big Ten Title Split 3 Ways

VIDEO: William Buford Hits Game-Winner For Ohio State

William Buford was the hero of the day for Ohio State as he finished with a game-high 25 points in the Buckeyes' 72-70 win over Michigan State in the final game of the Big Ten regular season. The win gave the Buckeyes a share of the Big Ten regular season title, along with Michigan State and Michigan. It's like one giant ball of rivalry hate, all atop the Big Ten standings.

It wasn't just Buford's scoring output that was impressive, though. His clutch shots were huge for the Buckeyes and his fadeaway two with one second to go proved to be the game-winner. Here's a sampling of his body of work from Sunday.

Notice Sam Thompson under the hoop after the first shot. He should get two points for the takedown, plus a bonus point for dropping a second Michigan State player in the process. Just textbook form there.

For more on the Spartans, check out Michigan State blog The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit. For fans' takes and analysis of the Buckeyes, visit Along The Olentangy. For everything on the Big Ten, head to Off Tackle Empire.

VCU Vs. George Mason Final Score: Rams Advance To CAA Conference Championship Game With 74-64 Win

The Virginia Commonwealth Rams led 32-4 at one point in the first half, as the George Mason Patriots went over eight minutes without a field goal to start the game. George Mason eventually found something resembling offensive rhythm, but the large early deficit proved too much to overcome. The Rams will play in the CAA Conference Championship Game on Monday after defeating the Patriots 74-64 on Sunday.

VCU started 7-for-7 from beyond the 3-point arc, but went just 4-for-18 the rest of the way. Bradford Burgess and Troy Daniels stayed hot for 40 minutes, however, leading the Rams with 20 and 17 points, respectively. The two were a combined 9-for-17 from long range.

Mike Morrison was dominant for George Mason, scoring 20 in addition to 11 rebounds to help his team claw back. The Patriots dominated the Rams on the boards, with 38-20 advantage on rebounds. They also committed 17 turnovers, however. CAA Player of the Year Ryan Pearson never got going with just three field goal attempts and six points for the game.

For all news and information regarding college hoops, please visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub.

No. 10 Ohio State Vs. No. 5 Michigan State Final Score: William Buford Hits Buzzer-Beater, Forces 3-Way Tie Atop Big Ten

The Ohio State Buckeyes forced a three-way tie for the regular season Big Ten Conference title, defeating the Michigan State Spartans, 72-70, on a long William Buford jumper with one second to go in the game. The Spartans led by as many as 15 points in the first half, and took a nine-point lead into halftime. Buford keyed a big comeback for the Buckeyes, scoring 14 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half to lead Ohio State with 25 points.

The Spartans took a 70-68 lead with under a minute to go, but the extra attention paid on center Jared Sullinger left Aaron Craft wide open in the left corner for a long 2-pointer. A missed Green jumper gave the Buckeyes the ball back with 24.7 seconds on the clock. Craft dribbled the clock down before dumping the ball off to William Buford, who hit a long 2-pointer over Keith Appling near the top of the key to put the Buckeyes up 72-70 with one second to go.

The Buckeyes took the lead back for the first time since the early minutes of the game on a DeShaun Thomas layup with under 10 minutes to go in the game. The game featured nine lead changes from that point on. Both teams played tight throughout. The Spartans owned a slight advantage shooting from the floor, 45.5 percent to 42.1 percent for the game. The Buckeyes were strong from the free throw line, going 20-for-28 from the stripe.

Jared Sullinger and Draymond Green both missed extended minutes in the second half after picking up their fourth fouls. Both players started out 4-for-15 from the floor, but were counted on in key moments down the stretch. Sullinger had three rebounds, a tip-in and a key assist after returning with three minutes to go. Green scored the Spartans' final four points to lead the team with 19 for the game.

For more on the Spartans, check out Michigan State blog The Only Colors and SB Nation Detroit. For fans' takes and analysis of the Buckeyes, visit Along The Olentangy. For everything on the Big Ten, head to Off Tackle Empire.

VCU Vs. George Mason Score: Anemic Start Puts Patriots In 48-32 Hole At Halftime

The George Mason Patriots did not make a field goal for over eight minutes to start the first half, going down 32-4 at one point before clawing their way back to be down only 48-32 against the Viginia Commonwealth Rams on Sunday.

The Rams shot lights out from the starting gate, at one point going 7-for-7 from beyond the 3-point line. They cooled, making just 1-of-6 to finish out the half, but the offensive performance was impressive nonetheless. Bradford Burgess and Troy Daniels had 11 points each to lead the way, combining to go 6-for-10 from beyond the arc.

Mike Morrison finally got things going for the Patriots, scoring 12 on 5-for-7 from the field, adding six rebounds and two blocks to put George Mason on the verge of respectability going into the locker room. CAA Conference Player of the Year Ryan Pearson has just two points and three turnovers for the game.

For all news and information regarding college hoops, please visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub.

Illinois State Vs. Creighton Score: Bluejays Hold Off Redbirds In Overtime To Win MVC Championship

The Illinois State Redbirds held a one-point lead at halftime, and took the top-seeded Creighton Bluejays to overtime during Sunday's MVC Tournament Championship Game. They couldn't complete what would have been a bubble-busting upset for one unlucky major conference team, however, falling 17-13 in OT for a final score of 83-79.

Illinois State was down as many as 11 points, but a big rally to close the first half gave them the lead. The two teams went back and forth over the next 20 minutes, trading the lead nine times. Nic Moore tied the game for the Redbirds at 66-66 on a layup with just six seconds left in regulation. Antoine Young missed what would have been the game-winning jumper for the Bluejays, and Gregory Echenique missed the tip-in off the rebound to send the game into overtime.

Creighton dominated after intermission, going up by nine points on a 13-4 run out of the gate. The Redbirds clawed back, however, pulling within three points on a Jon Ekey three-pointer with 12 seconds on the clock. Out of options, Illinois State fouled Young who made the front end of his two free throws to seal the win and the NCAA Tournament bid for the Bluejays.

Doug McDermott led the way for Creighton with 33 points on 12-for-18 shooting. Young scored eight of his 14 points in overtime, going 8-for-14 from the free throw line. Moore paced the Redbirds with 20 points. Jackie Carmichael picked up nine rebounds to go along with his 17 points. He couldn't fully make up the difference in a 36-29 advantage for the Bluejays on the boards.

For all news and information regarding college hoops, please visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub.

Drexel Vs. Old Dominion Final Score: Dragons Win Spot In CAA Tournament Final

The top-seeded Drexel Dragons are headed to their first CAA championship game since 1993, beating the Old Dominion Monarchs 68-51 on Sunday for their 19th straight win.

The Dragons' three-guard lineup was highly effective against the Monarchs. Frantz Massenat led the way with 20 points, while Damion Lee and Chris Fouch added 17 and 16 points respectively.

Dragons forward Samme Givens added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Drexel led 27-17 at halftime and the Monarchs never got closer than eight points after that.

The Dragons meet the winner of VCU and George Mason.

Follow Sunday's college basketball action on our College Basketball Sunday StoryStream. For more on the CAA men's basketball tournament 2012, be sure to check out this SB Nation DC StoryStream. Meanwhile, SB Nation's college basketball hub will have all the news and nuggets you need in preparation for March and the madness it brings.

Drexel Vs. Old Dominion Score: Drags Lead Monarchs 27-17

The top-seeded Drexel Dragons opened up the CAA men's basketball semifinal with a 9-0 run and haven't looked back against the Old Dominion Monarchs, leading 27-17 at halftime behind some staunch defense.

The Dragons are getting most of their production from the backcourt duo of Chris Fouch and Frantz Massenat.

When these teams played just one week ago, the Dragons were able to escape with a 73-72 win in Norfolk, Va. But if form holds form the first half, then this time it doesn't look like it'll be quite as close.

The winner will move to the conference tournament final and face the winner of George Mason and VCU.

Follow Sunday's college basketball action on our College Basketball Sunday StoryStream. For more on the CAA men's basketball tournament 2012, be sure to check out this SB Nation DC StoryStream. Meanwhile, SB Nation's college basketball hub will have all the news and nuggets you need in preparation for March and the madness it brings.

No. 13 Michigan Vs. Penn State: Wolverines Win To Keep Big Ten Title Dream Alive

Led by Trey Burke's 19 points, No. 13 Michigan won at Penn State 71-65, surviving a late rally from the Nittany Lions. With victory in hand, the Wolverines are now in the uncomfortable position of cheering for their arch-rivals from the south: if No. 11 Ohio State can upset No. 5 Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., the Wolverines, Buckeyes and Spartans will finish in a three-way tie for the Big Ten's regular-season crown.

Michigan led by as many 19 with 9:05 left in the game, but Penn State battled back over the next eight minutes to make it a four-point game with 69 seconds left. That's as close as they could come to an upset, though, as the Wolverines made four of five free throws once Penn State resorted to fouling to stop the clock.

Jermaine Marshall scored 27 points while playing all 40 minutes for Penn State. Ross Travis (15 points) and Tim Frazier (11 points) were the only two other players to score in double digits. Marshall also finished with eight rebounds, while Travis accounted for five of Penn State's eight assists in the game.

For Michigan, Evan Smotrycz scored 17 points off the bench, hitting 3 of 4 three-point attempts. Tim Hardaway, Jr. added 13 while Zack Novak scored 11 before fouling out in 26 minutes.

For more on this game, visit Michigan blog Maize n Brew, SB Nation Detroit, Penn St. blog Black Shoe Diaries and SB Nation Pittsburgh.

Illinois State Vs. Creighton Score: Redbirds On Way To An Upset At Halftime Of MVC Championship

The Illinois State Redbirds weren't supposed to challenge the Creighton Bluejays too much in the MVC championship game on Sunday afternoon, but they're doing their best to earn a guaranteed berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Redbirds trailed 27-16 with less than seven minutes left in the first half, but went on a big run to take a 31-30 halftime lead.

The Redbirds are led by junior guard Tyler Brown, who had eight points and a key three-pointer with nine seconds left in the half that gave Illinois State the halftime lead. Jackie Carmichael contributed seven points and five rebounds in the first half.

As far as the Bluejays are concerned, sophomore standout Doug McDermott had a great first half with 12 points and three rebounds, but his teammates weren't enough help in the first half. Grant Gibbs scored six points and grabbed seven rebounds, though, so at least he's doing his part.

For all news and information regarding college hoops, please visit SB Nation's dedicated NCAA basketball hub.

No. 1 Kentucky Vs. No. 16 Florida: Wildcats Clamp Down To Complete Undefeated SEC Schedule

The top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats completed their undefeated SEC schedule on Sunday afternoon with a victory over the Florida Gators. John Calipari's team wasn't able to run away with the game until late, but they did so in spectacular fashion on the way to a 74-59 victory.

Kentucky allowed Florida to score just four points in the last nine minutes and three seconds of the game thanks to excellent defense from Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

Davis was outstanding in the final couple of minutes, closing out any hope for Florida on a sequence where he swatted a shot, led the breakaway to the other end and then capped it off with an emphatic putback dunk for good measure. Davis finished with a game-high 22 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks while Jones added 19 points, three steals and a pair of blocks himself.

The Gators were led by Patric Young's 21 points while Erik Murphy scored 14, but Florida made just 38 percent of its field goal attempts as they went ice cold in the second half.

The Wildcats are now the top seed in the SEC tournament while the Gators fell to the fourth seed with Sunday's loss.

For more on the Wildcats, check out A Sea of Blue. For more on the Gators, be sure to check out Alligator Army.

No. 1 Kentucky Vs. No. 16 Florida: Wildcats On Top At Halftime

The Kentucky Wildcats have already wrapped up the top seed in the SEC Tournament, but still need a win against the Florida Gators to cap off an undefeated regular season in conference play. The game is far from over, but the Wildcats are on their way with a 40-32 lead at halftime.

Kentucky looked like it would breeze through the game after taking a 36-22 lead with four minutes left in the half, but Florida had other ideas as they went on a 10-4 run to finish strong heading into halftime

Sophomore forward Terrence Jones has made seven of his nine shot attempts on the way to a game-high 14 points to go with three rebounds, two steals and two blocks while filling up the first half box score. Patric Young led the Gators with 12 points and five rebounds while Erving Walker made a pair of three-pointers to go with his team-high six assists.

It'll be interesting to see if Kentucky reasserts itself to begin the second half or if the Gators continue to play their SEC rivals as tough as they did during the last four minutes of the first half.

For more on the Wildcats, check out A Sea of Blue. For more on the Gators, be sure to check out Alligator Army.

Rhode Island Fires Jim Baron After 11 Years, According To Report

Rhode Island has reportedly fired head coach Jim Baron after a 7-24 season. Baron had a 183-167 record in 11 years as head coach of the Rams.

No. 10 Ohio State Vs. No. 5 Michigan State: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Big Ten's regular season title all comes down to this: No. 10 Ohio State visits No. 5 Michigan State Sunday afternoon. The winner gets to hang a banner.

Missouri Valley Tournament 2012 Championship, Creighton Vs. Illinois State: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

On Saturday, the Illinois State Redbirds pulled off a surprising upset of the Wichita State Shockers in the semifinals of Arch Madness. Bubble teams will be biting their nails on Sunday, when that Illinois State team takes on the Creighton Bluejays in the final of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Creighton and WSU are already at-large locks for the NCAA tournament, so a Redbirds win will take away a spot from a bubble team.

Creighton comfortably defeated Illinois State in both of their regular season games, and they scored 102 points on the Redbirds in their meeting in Omaha. The Jays are coming off a fantastic team performance in the semifinal, where they hung 99 points on an Evansville Aces squad that gave them problems earlier in the year. Creighton are heavy favorites to win on Sunday, but Wichita State were just as heavy favorites to defeat Illinois State in the semifinal.

Game Date/Time: Sunday, March 4th, 2:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri

TV: CBS

Bracketology 2012: North Carolina Takes Fourth Top Seed (For Now)

Thanks to a big win at Duke on Saturday night, the Tar Heels are the fourth top seed in Chris Dobbertean's Sunday bracketology.

2012 CAA Tournament Semifinals, Drexel Vs. ODU: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Drexel Dragons could have potentially done enough to get into the NCAA Tournament with their win over UNC-Wilmington on Saturday, but they will be much more confident in their chances of getting in with an at-large bid if they defeat the Old Dominion Monarchs in the CAA Tournament semifinal on Sunday. ODU need to win the CAA tournament to get into the big dance, and if the regular season meeting between these two teams is any indication, they have an excellent chance to get to the final.

Drexel clinched the CAA regular season title by beating ODU away in Norfolk in the season's final regular season game, but they only won by one point. The Monarchs outrebounded Drexel by a significant margin in that game, but did not shoot the ball well. In dramatic fashion, Old Dominion's Kent Bazemore was fouled while attempting a three-point shot in the dying seconds of the game while his team was down by three points. He made the first two free throws, but missed the third, giving Drexel the 73-72 win.

Game Date/Time: Saturday, March 4th, 2:00 p.m. ET

Venue: Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, Virginia

TV: ESPN3 and Comcast Sportsnet

CAA Tournament 2012 Semifinals, VCU Vs. George Mason: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

It's a mystery as to what the NCAA Tournament selection committee thinks of the Colonial Athletic Association this year, and how much stock they put in computer rankings, but it's possible that Sunday's CAA tournament semifinal between the George Mason Patriots and VCU Rams is an at-large bid eliminator. Even with a somewhat soft bubble this season, it's tough to envision the CAA being more than a two-bid league.

Virginia Commonwealth and Mason met twice during the CAA regular season, splitting the two meetings between the home teams. VCU lost by just one away to Mason while they won comfortably on their home floor. The most recent meeting between the two teams was VCU's 89-77 win over George Mason in Richmond, in which Bradford Burgess scored 31 points. VCU got to the line an incredible 47 times in that game, leading to Mason losing by double digits even though they won the rebounding battle and shot better from the field by a significant margin.

Game Date/Time: Saturday, March 4th, 4:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, Virginia

TV: ESPN3 and Comcast Sportsnet