ST. LOUIS - There was no second-guessing for Wichita State Coach Gregg Marshall about his team’s failed bid to force overtime.
He was proud of the way the Shockers made a game of it.
Jahenns Manigat scored a season-best 16 points and hit a layup with 11.5 seconds to go that gave top-seeded Creighton just enough to repeat as Missouri Valley Conference tournament champion with a 68-65 victory over Wichita State on Sunday.
“They are beyond a reasonable doubt one of the toughest groups that I’ve ever dealt with and I’ve been coaching since 1985,” Marshall said after his team’s comeback effort fell just short. “It’s a long time and no matter what they’ve faced all year, they just continue to try to find a way to win.
“That’s their greatest attribute, their perseverance.”
The Shockers (26-8), down 13 with just over five minutes to go, are confident they’ll get an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. They were the second seed in the tournament.
“It’s been a lifetime dream for me,” said senior transfer Malcolm Armstead after scoring a career-best 28 points with nine rebounds, four steals and three assists. “So just trying to take it one day at a time now to get better and get the team better.”
Although Creighton locked up an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, Wichita State appears to be in good shape to get an at-large berth. The Shockers entered the day with an RPI of 36, four spots behind Creighton.
Reserve Ethan Wragge hit five 3-pointers for 15 points to help the Bluejays (27-7) overcome an off day from star Doug McDermott, who missed six of his first seven shots Sunday and was held to 14 points - 10 below his average.
“I didn’t have my best game, but my teammates stepped up and it feels great,” McDermott said. “It couldn’t get much better than this.”
BIG SOUTH LIBERTY 87, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 76
CONWAY, S.C. - John Caleb Sanders had 27 points, Davon Marshall added 20 off six 3-pointers and Liberty defeated Charleston Southern to win the Big South Conference tournament in Conway, S.C., and reach the NCAA tournament with a 15-20 record.
The Flames opened the season 0-8 and reached 20 losses in their next-to-last regular season game. But Liberty got hot at the right time with a five-game winning streak to gain their first NCAA trip since 2004.
Marshall, the tournament’s MVP, and Sanders got things going in hurry over top-seeded Charleston Southern (19-12) with three-pointers in the first 90 seconds. Liberty finished 9 of 18 on long-range baskets.
Saah Nimley had 18 points to lead the Buccaneers.
TOP 25 NO. 2 INDIANA 72, NO. 7 MICHIGAN 71
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Cody Zeller made a go-ahead layup with 13 seconds left and altered Trey Burke’s shot at the other end, lifting No. 2 Indiana to a victory over No. 7 Michigan that gave the Hoosiers their first outright Big Ten title in two decades. The Hoosiers (26-5, 14-4) trailed by five points in the last minute but took advantage when the Wolverines (25-6, 12-6) were unable to seal it at the foul line.
In other Top 25 action, Keith Appling scored 16 points and Gary Harris added 12 to lift No. 10 Michigan State to a 71-61 victory over Northwestern in East Lansing, Mich. The Spartans (24-7, 13-5) were eliminated from Big Ten title contention early in their game when Indiana beat Michigan, and Michigan State struggled to put away the undermanned Wildcats. Northwestern (13-18, 4-14) rallied from a 13-point first-half deficit, tying the game at 51 before the Spartans recovered. … Deshaun Thomas, playing perhaps his final home game for No. 14 Ohio State, scored 19 points to lead the Buckeyes to a 68-55 victory over Illinois at Columbus, Ohio, keeping alive their hopes of a Big Ten title tie. The victory put Ohio State (23-7, 13-5) in position to grab a share of the Big Ten title if No. 7 Michigan can win at home against No. 2 Indiana. … Khalif Wyatt scored 30 points and Jake O’Brien had 19, and Temple beat No. 21 VCU 84-76 in Philadelphia after rallying from a 16-point deficit. The Owls (23-8, 11-5 Atlantic 10) clinched the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament and earned a first-round bye. The Rams (24-7, 12-4) lost their chance to share the A-10 title with Saint Louis. VCU is the No. 2 seed. … Traevon Jackson made a contested three-pointer at the buzzer and finished with 15 points, and No. 22 Wisconsin survived an upset scare from Penn State with a 63-60 victory in its regular-season finale. The Badgers (21-10, 12-6 Big Ten) went the length of the court with less than four seconds left. Jackson pulled up at the wing and made the three-pointer over the outstretched arm of Kevin Montminy.
Sports, Pages 17 on 03/11/2013