Thursday's college basketball: No. 17 Ohio State women spoil Naz Hillmon’s 50-point performance

Columbus, Ohio — Jacy Sheldon scored 20 points, including a 3-pointer and two free throws in the final 48 seconds, and No. 17 Ohio State beat No. 11 Michigan 81-77 on Thursday, spoiling Naz Hillmon’s 50-point, 16-rebound performance.

Hillmon broke Michigan’s program scoring record – for men’s or women’s – by making 20 of 30 field goals and 10 of 14 free throws to reach the half-century mark. It was the highest scoring output this season in Division 1, and the first 50-point game in the Big Ten since Rachel Banham’s 52 for Minnesota on Feb. 21, 2016.

But it wasn’t enough to overcome Michigan’s 16-point, third-quarter deficit.

Michigan started the fourth on a 17-3 run to take a 71-69 lead as the Buckeyes missed their first eight shots from the field. Tanaya Beacham’s layup with 1:58 left was Ohio State’s first make of the fourth, tying it at 73.

Hillmon converted a three-point play with 11.7 seconds left to pull Michigan within 78-77, and Ohio State’s Braxtin Miller made 1 of 2 free throws at the other end to give the Wolverines another chance. But Michigan turned it over on an inbounds pass and Sheldon sealed it at the free-throw line with two makes.

Hillmon, whose previous best scoring game was 35 points, broke the Michigan women’s scoring record that has stood since Diane Dietz had 45 against Illinois on Feb. 27, 1982. Hillmon also broke Dietz’s field goal record of 17 set in the same game. Michigan’s scoring record on the men’s side is 48 points set by Rudy Tomjanovich and Cazzie Russell – both in the 1960s.

Ohio State (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) had five starters finish with double-figure scoring. Madison Greene added 15 points, Dorka Juhasz had 14 points and seven rebounds, and Beacham and Miller each scored 10. Aaliyah Patty, averaging 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds, did not play due to a shoulder injury.

Akienreh Johnson added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists for Michigan (10-1, 5-1), which is scheduled to play Purdue on Sunday.

State men's

►Akron 81, CMU 67: Bryan Trimble Jr. had seven 3-pointers and 25 points, both career bests, and Akron beat Central Michigan 81-67 on Thursday night.

Loren Cristian Jackson had 13 points and 10 assists for Akron (7-3, 5-2 Mid-American Conference), which earned its sixth consecutive home victory and third in six days. Maishe Dailey added 11 points. Enrique Freeman had 10 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.

Central Michigan scored 29 second-half points, a season low for the team.

Meikkel Murray scored a season-high 23 points for the Chippewas (6-9, 2-6). Travon Broadway Jr. added 17 points and six rebounds. Devontae Lane had 12 points.

►Buffalo 92, EMU 77: Jeenathan Williams had 24 points as Buffalo topped Eastern Michigan 92-77 on Thursday.

Ronaldo Segu had 19 points and six rebounds for Buffalo (6-5, 4-3 Mid-American Conference). LaQuill Hardnett added 13 points and five assists. Jayvon Graves had 12 points.

Buffalo posted a season-high 27 assists.

Eastern Michigan totaled 50 points in the second half, a season high for the team.

Bryce McBride had 20 points for the Eagles (4-6, 1-5). Yeikson Montero added 18 points and 11 rebounds. Darion Spottsville had 12 points.

Big Ten men's

►Indiana 81, (at) No. 4 Iowa, 69: Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 23 points despite second-half foul trouble and Indiana’s defense shut down No. 4 Iowa in an 81-69 comeback victory Thursday night.

It was a season low in points for the Hawkeyes (12-3, 6-2 Big Ten), who came in second in the nation in scoring at 92.2 points per game. Iowa had its five-game winning streak snapped and fell out of a tie for first place in the conference.

Rob Phinisee added 18 points for the Hoosiers. Aljami Durham scored 14, and Armaan Franklin had 11.

Indiana (9-6, 4-4) trailed 53-44 with 12 minutes to play, then went on a 23-3 run.

Luka Garza, the nation’s leading scorer at 26.9 points per game, led Iowa with 28 points and 12 rebounds, his seventh double-double of the season. Joe Wieskamp had 16 points, all but one in the first half, and added 12 rebounds.

Men's top 25

►No. 24 UCLA 61, Cal 57: Cody Riley scored 13 points, Jules Bernard made a clutch 3-pointer with 2 minutes remaining and UCLA beat California.

The Bruins (12-2, 8-0 Pac-12) committed 14 turnovers and were sloppy offensively but ended the game on a 7-2 run.

Bernard finished with 11 points to help the Bruins to their eighth consecutive win over the Golden Bears.

Anticevich scored 21 points and made five 3s for California (7-9, 2-7).