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Thursday’s college hoops slate delivered in conference action. Graham Ike exploded for 34 in a statement WCC win, Illinois posted a massive defensive stretch, and Michigan State survived a big night from Nick Martinelli. Several top-25 teams covered key stretches with rebounding, second-chance points, and late shot-making.
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Top Takeaways
- Ike Drops 34: Graham Ike’s 34-point night on 13-of-17 shooting led No. 8 Gonzaga to its 10th straight win.
- Illinois Goes on a 20-0 Tear: The Illini closed the first half on a 20-0 run and held Rutgers scoreless for over eight minutes.
- Spartans Survive Turnovers: Michigan State overcame 15 turnovers behind Carson Cooper’s 18-point effort.
- Santa Clara Slowed Down: The Broncos had won four straight in WCC play before running into the Zags.
- Rutgers Ice-Cold: The Scarlet Knights went 0-for-13 on final first-half possessions and shot under 38% from the line.
CBB Game Recaps
The Thursday night slate featured ranked dominance, scoring bursts, and defensive clamps. Each matchup brought value insights for bettors — from scoring runs and rebounding gaps to key individual performances that swung the results.
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Santa Clara vs Gonzaga Recap: Gonzaga wins 89–77
Graham Ike led the way with a season-high 34 points and 11 rebounds, pacing No. 8 Gonzaga to a strong WCC win. Emmanuel Innocenti added 13, and Braden Huff chipped in 12.
The Bulldogs stayed unbeaten in conference play and improved to 52–6 all-time vs. Santa Clara. Gonzaga’s efficient shooting and rebounding edge helped pull away from a Broncos team that came in riding a four-game conference win streak.
Allen Graves had 18 points and nine rebounds for Santa Clara. Christian Hammond (14), Bukky Oboye (12), and Brenton Knapper (11) also scored in double figures.
Northwestern vs Michigan State Recap: Michigan State wins 76–66
Carson Cooper posted 18 points and nine boards as the Spartans won a physical Big Ten contest. Jaxon Kohler and Jeremy Fears Jr. added 15 points each.
Michigan State overcame 15 turnovers by dominating the glass and capitalizing on second-chance looks. The game stayed tight until late when the Spartans closed with better execution.
Nick Martinelli dropped a game-high 28 points for Northwestern, which remains winless in conference play.
Rutgers vs Illinois Recap: Illinois wins 81–55
The Illini ran off the final 20 points of the first half to flip the game. Keaton Wagler led a balanced attack with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Illinois held Rutgers scoreless for 8:11 before halftime and out-rebounded the Scarlet Knights 45–32. Tomislav Ivisic added 14 points, with Andrej Stojakovic and Jake Davis each scoring 12.
Kaden Powers had 12 to lead Rutgers, but the offense never got going — finishing under 37% from the field and 38% at the line.
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