No. 3 Michigan beats No. 10 Illinois 84-70, clinches Big Ten regular-season title
No. 3 Michigan beats No. 10 Illinois 84-70, clinches Big Ten regular-season title
The Sat, February 28, 2026 at 4:10 AM UTC
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Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. (21) and L.J. Cason (2) react during an NCAA college basketball game against Illinois, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Craig Pessman) ()
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. had 19 points and 11 rebounds against his former team as No. 3 Michigan defeated No. 10 Illinois 84-70 on Friday night and clinched Big Ten regular-season title.
Johnson, who played for the Illini last season after verbally committing three years earlier, was booed throughout the game by Illinois fans.
Aday Mara had 19 points on 8-for-9 shooting and Yaxel Lendeberg finished with 16 points and seven rebounds for the Wolverines (27-2, 17-1), who are 10-0 on the road and have won 23 games by 10 or more points.
The Wolverines won their first outright conference regular-season title since 2014, when they also clinched with a win at Illinois.
Michigan’s 17 conference victories are the most in school history.
Keaton Wagler scored 23 points for the Illini (22-7, 13-5), who have lost four of six, including three in overtime. Wagler scored in double figures for the 21st straight game.
Kylan Boswell scored 15 points and David Mirkovic had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Illini, who entered the game as the Big Ten’s top 3-point shooting team. Illinois was just 9 of 29 from distance against Michigan.
Michigan led 38-31 at halftime behind Johnson’s 13 points.
Down 16-11 after a four-point play by Wagler, the Wolverines responded with an 11-point run capped by a 3 by Johnson and never trailed again. They led by as many as 21 points in the second half.
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NO. 21 MIAMI (OHIO) 69, WESTERN MICHIGAN 67
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Trey Perry scored on a driving layup with a second remaining and Miami of Ohio rallied to beat Western Michigan to remain the only unbeaten Division I team.
The RedHawks (16-0 Mid-American Conference) remain the only undefeated team in Division I men’s basketball. Miami extended the best start in program history and added to its school record for wins in a season. Miami also boasts the best start and longest win streak in MAC annals.
Peter Suder scored 18 points for the RedHawks before fouling out with just over seven minutes remaining. Almar Atlason added 16 points, Perry finished with 14 and Eian Elmer 10.
Jayden Brewer led Western Michigan (10-19, 4-12) with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Justice Williams and EJ Ryans each added 14 points.
Miami is used to playing close games and won for the seventh time this season by less than six points.
The RedHawks trailed by four points, 30-26, at the half and fell behind by eight points twice early in the second half before tying the game at 49-all with 11:02 remaining.
Western Michigan ran off eight straight points for a 57-49 advantage with 8:40 remaining and led by nine (59-50) with 6:38 left before Miami chipped away and moved ahead 66-65 on a layup by Antwone Woolfolk with 14 seconds left.
Elmer’s free throw with 37 seconds remaining gave the RedHawks a 67-65 edge, but Western Michigan tied it with 11 seconds left on a basket by Williams before Perry made the game winner.
Source: “AOL Sports”
