Ring time: Rouhliadeff, Dell'Orso win conference titles

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Australian Harry Rouhliadeff’s double-double powered Hawai‘i to the Big West title while Oscar Cluff’s dominant finishing sent Purdue into the Big Ten final on Monday, March 16, 2026 (AEDT).

Anthony Dell’Orso also celebrated a Big 12 crown with Arizona, while Austin Rapp and Alex Condon produced strong individual outings in Semi-Final losses. Freshman Jacob Furphy saw brief minutes as UConn fell to St John’s in the Big East Championship game.

Related: Anthony Dell'Orso and Alex Condon set for 1-seeds in March Madness

Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors 71 def. UC Irvine Anteaters 64 (Final)‍

Lee’s Family Forum – Henderson, NV
Records: Hawai‘i 24–8 (14–6 Big West) │ UC Irvine 23–11 (15–5 Big West)

Halves: Hawai‘i 31–30 │ Hawai‘i 40–34
Largest Lead: Hawai‘i by 10
Game Flow: Hawai‘i edged ahead late in the first half and controlled the championship stretch through second-chance scoring and defensive activity. UC Irvine stayed within striking distance but could not overcome Hawai‘i’s rebounding advantage. Senior forward Harry Rouhliadeff, from Brisbane, delivered a decisive two-way performance to help secure the Big West title, leading the Warriors on the glass while scoring efficiently from inside and the perimeter.

Rouhliadeff pulled down 12 rebounds (six offensive) and knocked down two-of-three from beyond the arc, helping Hawai‘i generate extra possessions and maintain scoreboard pressure in the second half.

Patty Mills in the general manager of the team.

Rouhliadeff – 15 PTS │ 12 REB │ 2 AST │ 2 STL │ 1 BLK │ 2 TO │ FG 6–13 │ 3PT 2–3 │ FT 1–2 │ 25 MIN

Isaac Johnson paced Hawai‘i with 22 points, while the Warriors finished +4 on the boards (43–39) and recorded seven steals and 10 blocks to control defensive momentum.

By the Numbers

Hawai‘i: 41% FG │ 31% 3PT │ 60% FT │ 43 REB │ 17 AST │ 14 TO
UC Irvine: 36% FG │ 45% 3PT │ 88% FT │ 39 REB │ 9 AST │ 15 TO

Arizona Wildcats 79 def. Houston Cougars 74 (Final)‍

T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO

Halves: Arizona 44–35 │ Houston 35–38
Largest Lead: Arizona by 11
Game Flow: Arizona built separation in the first half and relied on free-throw execution late to close out the Big 12 Championship. Houston stayed within reach behind Joseph Tugler’s interior production but could not overturn the deficit. Senior guard Anthony Dell’Orso played 23 minutes off the bench as Arizona secured the conference title. The Melbourne product provided spacing minutes on the wing and converted both late free throws to help maintain Arizona’s two-possession buffer.

Dell’Orso – 4 PTS │ 1 REB │ 1 AST │ 0 STL │ 0 BLK │ 0 TO │ FG 1–4 │ 3PT 0–2 │ FT 2–2 │ 23 MIN

Arizona finished with four starters in double figures, while Dell’Orso’s rotation contribution supported perimeter balance and late-game composure in a five-point championship win.

By the Numbers

Arizona: 46% FG │ 46% 3PT │ 85% FT │ 35 REB │ 9 AST │ 8 TO
Houston: 44% FG │ 38% 3PT │ 71% FT │ 34 REB │ 13 AST │ 8 TO

Michigan Wolverines 68 def. Wisconsin Badgers 65 (Final)‍

Gainbridge Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN

Halves: Wisconsin 28–28 │ Michigan 40–37
Largest Lead: Wisconsin by 6 │ Michigan by 7
Game Flow: Wisconsin stayed level through the first half before Michigan’s interior defence and late execution created separation in the final minutes of the Big Ten Semi-Final. Sophomore forward Austin Rapp, from Melbourne, delivered Wisconsin’s most efficient scoring night in the three-point loss, stretching Michigan’s defence with perimeter shooting and providing secondary rim protection. Rapp connected on six-of-10 from beyond the arc, leading all scorers for Wisconsin and keeping the Badgers within one possession deep into the second half.

Rapp – 18 PTS │ 6 REB │ 1 AST │ 1 STL │ 2 BLK │ 2 TO │ FG 6–11 │ 3PT 6–10 │ FT 0–0 │ 29 MIN

Michigan countered through Aday Mara’s inside presence (16 points, eight rebounds, five blocks) and balanced guard play to close out the win.

By the Numbers

Wisconsin: 38% FG │ 42% 3PT │ 60% FT │ 29 REB │ 14 AST │ 11 TO
Michigan: 43% FG │ 32% 3PT │ 83% FT │ 40 REB │ 13 AST │ 14 TO

Vanderbilt Commodores 91 def. Florida Gators 74 (Final)‍

Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Records: Vanderbilt 26–7 (11–7 SEC) │ Florida 26–7 (16–2 SEC)

Halves: Vanderbilt 47–34 │ Florida 44–40
Largest Lead: Vanderbilt by 25
Game Flow: Vanderbilt controlled the Semi-Final from early in the first half, building separation through perimeter scoring and free-throw pressure. Florida never reduced the margin below double figures after the break. Junior forward Alex Condon, from Perth, produced an efficient frontcourt performance despite Florida’s loss, finishing as one of four Gators in double figures and contributing on the glass in extended minutes. Condon scored around the rim and stepped out to hit a three, while helping Florida maintain its rebounding advantage.

Condon – 13 PTS │ 7 REB │ 2 AST │ 0 STL │ 0 BLK │ 5 TO │ FG 6–10 │ 3PT 1–1 │ FT 0–2 │ 31 MIN

Florida shot 46% from the field but was held to 29% from three, while Vanderbilt countered with five players in double figures and 55% overall shooting.

By the Numbers

Florida: 46% FG │ 29% 3PT │ 74% FT │ 38 REB │ 13 AST │ 14 TO
Vanderbilt: 55% FG │ 48% 3PT │ 91% FT │ 23 REB │ 21 AST │ 8 TO

Purdue Boilermakers 73 def. UCLA Bruins 66 (Final)‍

United Center – Chicago, IL
Records: Purdue 26–8 (13–7 Big Ten) │ UCLA 23–11 (13–7 Big Ten)

Halves: Purdue 34–27 │ Purdue 39–39
Largest Lead: Purdue by 10
Game Flow: Purdue controlled the opening half before UCLA rallied late to tie the game. The Boilermakers closed the Semi-Final on an 11–4 run over the final 3:41 to advance to the Big Ten Championship Game. Senior centre Oscar Cluff, from the Sunshine Coast, delivered a dominant interior performance, anchoring Purdue on the glass and finishing key possessions in the closing minutes.

Cluff recorded a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double, scoring multiple put-backs during Purdue’s decisive late run and converting four clutch free throws inside the final minute.

Cluff – 17 PTS │ 14 REB │ 2 AST │ 1 STL │ 1 BLK │ 1 TO │ FG 6–11 │ 3PT 0–0 │ FT 5–7 │ 28 MIN

Trey Kaufman-Renn added a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Fletcher Loyer contributed 14 points as Purdue advanced.

By the Numbers

Purdue: 46% FG │ 36% 3PT │ 68% FT │ 37 REB │ 21 AST │ 10 TO
UCLA: 44% FG │ 35% 3PT │ 82% FT │ 26 REB │ 18 AST │ 6 TO

St John’s Red Storm 72 def. UConn Huskies 52 (Final)‍

Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Records: St John’s 28–6 (18–2 Big East) │ UConn 29–5 (17–3 Big East)

Halves: St John’s 40–27 │ St John’s 32–25
Largest Lead: St John’s by 22
Game Flow: St John’s controlled the Big East Championship from the opening half, using interior defence and balanced scoring to pull away. UConn struggled offensively, shooting 34% from the field and 3-of-19 from three, and never mounted a sustained comeback. Freshman guard Jacob Furphy, from Smithton, saw brief championship minutes off the bench late in the loss and collected a defensive rebound during his one-minute stint.

Furphy – 0 PTS │ 1 REB │ 0 AST │ 0 STL │ 0 BLK │ 0 TO │ FG 0–0 │ 3PT 0–0 │ FT 0–0 │ 1 MIN

Tarris Reed Jr. led UConn with 17 points and seven rebounds, while St John’s had four players in double figures, highlighted by Zuby Ejiofor’s 18 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks.

By the Numbers

UConn: 34% FG │ 16% 3PT │ 79% FT │ 38 REB │ 11 AST │ 16 TO
St John’s: 48% FG │ 25% 3PT │ 76% FT │ 30 REB │ 13 AST │ 8 TO