OMAHA, Neb. — Nate Watson scored a career-high 29 points and Providence turned back Creighton each time it pulled close, beating the 11th-ranked Bluejays 74-70 on Wednesday night.
Providence (8-6, 4-4 Big East) won for the first time in four games and avenged a crushing loss to the Bluejays three weeks ago. Creighton (10-4, 6-3) lost its second straight after one of its worst offensive games of the season.
Alyn Breed had 15 points, David Duke added 12 and Jimmy Nichols Jr. scored 10 for the Friars, who were playing the third of four straight road games.
Damien Jefferson scored a career-best 26 points for the Bluejays. Marcus Zegarowski, who missed the previous two games with a left hamstring injury, had 17 points and Christian Bishop added 12.
GEORGIA TECH 83, NO. 20 CLEMSON 65
ATLANTA — Georgia Tech returned from a 17-day layoff with one of its most impressive showings of the season, getting more than 20 points from three players and routing Clemson.
Michael Devoe led the way with 22 points, while Moses Wright and Jordan Usher chipped in with 21 apiece.
The Yellow Jackets (7-3, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) built a nine-point halftime lead and handed the Tigers their second straight blowout loss.
NO. 8 HOUSTON 86, TULSA 59
HOUSTON — Marcus Sasser scored 26 points, Quentin Grimes added 18 points and seven rebounds as Houston avenged its only loss of the season.
Sasser, who scored 18 points in the first half, finished 8 of 15 from the field, including 6 of 12 on 3-pointers. Tramon Mark had 11 points and six rebounds for the Cougars.
Houston (12-1, 7-1 American) shot 43%, including 13 of 32 on 3-pointers. The Cougars outrebounded Tulsa 52-24, and had a 26-7 advantage in second-chance points.
The Cougars won their fifth straight since falling to the Golden Hurricane 65-64 in Tulsa on Dec. 29.
NO. 10 WISCONSIN 68, NORTHWESTERN 52
MADISON, Wis. — Tyler Wahl paced a balanced attack with 14 points and Wisconsin pulled away in the second half in a win over Northwestern.
D’Mitrik Trice added 12 points, Brad Davison 11 and Potter 10 for Wisconsin (12-3, 6-2 Big Ten).
Chase Audige had 16 points and Miller Kopp 10 for Northwestern (6-7, 3-6), which has lost six straight.
