Top 25 roundup: B.J. Taylor sparks UCF to 53-49 win over No. 15 Cincinnati

B.J. Taylor scored 27 points and 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall had seven points and four blocked shots to help UCF pull off a 53-49 upset over No. 15 Cincinnati on Sunday in Orlando, Florida.

After Cincinnati pulled within two points when UCF missed two free throws in the waning seconds, Fall came through by making two free throws with 2 seconds remaining to hold off the Bearcats.

It was the first time in nine meetings that the Knights defeated Cincinnati.

And this loss could be biggest for the Bearcats (25-4, 14-2) who were trying to stay in step with American Athletic Conference-leading SMU.

The Knights (19-10, 10-7), who are trying to position themselves to make a postseason tournament, won their fourth straight game and recorded their first win over a Top 25 opponent since defeating No. 4 UConn in 2011.

(7) Louisville 88, Syracuse 68: Donovan Mitchell made six 3-pointers for 25 points, Ray Spalding added 18 points with 11 rebounds and the Cardinals (23-6, 11-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) shot 57 percent to pull away for from the Orange (17-13, 9-8) in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Cardinals rode a 14-4 run entering the break for a 15-point lead that grew to 23 early in the second half as Louisville rebounded from its loss at No. 8 North Carolina.

Deng Adel had 17 points and Quentin Snider 12 for Louisville.

Tyus Battle had 20 points and Tyler Lydon 17 for Syracuse.

Michigan State 84, No. 16 Wisconsin 74: Nick Ward had 22 points and nine rebounds, Miles Bridges had 17 points and Matt McQuaid added a season-high 15 to lead the Spartans (18-11, 10-6 Big Ten) past the Badgers (22-7, 11-5) in East Lansing, Michigan.

The Spartans have won six of their last eight games, moving them into a third-place tie in the conference and perhaps sealing their spot in a 20th straight NCAA Tournament.

The Badgers have lost four of five and lost a chance to pull into a first-place tie with No. 14 Purdue.

Nigel Hayes scored 22 points for Wisconsin and Bronson Koenig had 17.

No. 21 Notre Dame 64, Georgia Tech 60: Bonzie Colson had 20 points and 11 rebounds and the Fighting Irish (22-7, 11-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat the Yellow Jackets (16-13, 7-9) for its fifth straight victory in South Bend, Indiana.

Matt Farrell added 17 points for the Irish.

Tadric Jackson led Georgia Tech with 20 points, and Josh Okogie had 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Yellow Jackets have lost three of four.

(22) Butler 88, Xavier 79: Kelan Martin scored 25 points and the Bulldogs (23-6, 12-5 Big East) followed its biggest road win of the season with yet another when they took down the Muskateers (18-11, 8-8) in Cincinnati.

The Bulldogs were coming off a 74-66 victory at No. 2 Villanova, one of the biggest road wins in their history. They kept the momentum with a strong finish, outscoring Xavier 19-8 down the stretch for their fourth straight win.

Xavier has lost five in a row, its deepest slump in 35 years. Trevon Bluiett led the Musketeers with 21 points.