Michigan State survives, other scores

COLUMBUS, Ohio  Draymond Green scored 16 points with 13 rebounds and set up Keith Appling’s crucial 3-pointer with 1:34 left, giving top-seeded Michigan State a 65-61 win over Saint Louis on Sunday and sending the Spartans to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament.

Michigan State will play No. 4 seed Louisville in the West Regional semifinals Thursday in Phoenix.

Appling added 19 points for the Spartans (29-7), who had to scrap their way past the ninth-seeded Billikens (26-8).

-- (1) North Carolina 87, (8) Creighton 73—At Greensboro, N.C., John Henson proved he’s healthy enough to help North Carolina’s latest push for the Final Four. It remains to be seen if Kendall Marshall will be able to help the Tar Heels.

Henson had 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in his return from a wrist injury, but Marshall broke a bone in his right wrist during the second half of North Carolina’s third-round victory over Creighton.

The Bobcats (29-7) will play No. 1 seed North Carolina in their second trip to the round of 16.

Ohio trailed by two when Offutt swished a 3-pointer, launching a 10-0 run for the Bobcats.

-- (2) Kansas 63, (10) Purdue 60—At Omaha, Neb., Elijah Johnson scored 18 points, including the go-ahead basket off a steal in the final minute, and Kansas rallied to beat Robbie Hummel and Purdue after trailing almost the entire way.

Thomas Robinson had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Jayhawks (29-6), who were down by 10 in the second half but still managed to advance to St. Louis. They’ll play No. 11 seed North Carolina State on Friday in the Midwest Regional semifinals.

Hummel finished with 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Boilermakers (22-13).

-- (11) North Carolina State 66, (3) Georgetown 63—At Columbus, Ohio, Lorenzo Brown hit three free throws in the final 10.6 seconds and North Carolina State conjured up its glorious tradition by upsetting Georgetown.

The Wolfpack (24-12) had to survive a furious comeback by the Hoyas (24-9).

South regional

-- (10) Xavier 70, (15) Lehigh 58—At Greensboro, N.C., Senior center Kenny Frease scored a career-high 25 points to go with 12 rebounds and Xavier knocked off upset-minded Lehigh to reach the round of 16 for the fourth time in five years.

East regional

-- (6) Cincinnati 62, (3) Florida State 56—At Nashville, Tenn., Dion Dixon stole the ball and dunked to put Cincinnati ahead for good with 1:32 left and the Bearcats edged Florida State to reach their first regional semifinal in the NCAA tournament since 2001.

Cincinnati (26-10) will play No. 2 seed Ohio State in Boston on Thursday night in the East Regional, giving the state of Ohio four teams out of the last 16 still standing.

Florida State (25-10) had its six-game winning streak snapped. The Seminoles won their first Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title this season but fell short of the NCAA regional semifinal they reached a year ago.