Jeremiah Wilkinson scored 18 points to help Georgia make history on Saturday with its wire-to-wire 87-68 win over visiting South Carolina on Senior Day in Athens.

Georgia (20-9, 8-8 Southeastern Conference) reached 20 wins for the third consecutive season. The Bulldogs achieved their 16th 20-win season, and only the sixth time they’ve reached the mark during the regular season.

Wilkson was 5-for-11, with four 3-pointers, to lead Georgia’s balanced attack. Somto Cyril scored 12, Kareem Stagg added a season-high 11 points and Justin Bailey and Marcus “Smurf” Millender each chipped in 10.

South Carolina (12-17, 3-13) has lost nine of its last 10 games. The Gamecocks were led by Meechie Johnson with 20 points. Kobe Knox and Eli Ellis each scored 12.

Georgia took control of the game early, going up by 10 on Justin Abson’s dunk at the 14:12 mark. The Bulldogs built the lead to 13 points at 37-24 on a bucket by Stagg at 5:57, only to have South Carolina go on a 7-0 run and narrow the lead to six points. Georgia, sparked by a pair of 3s from Wilkinson and another from Millender, finished the half on a 9-2 run and led 48-35 at intermission.

The 13-point lead matched Georgia’s largest at the half in an SEC game this season. They led Arkansas by 13 on Jan. 17.

Georgia extended its lead to 14 early in the second half before South Carolina scored eight unanswered points to make it to 53-47 with 15:16 remaining.

The Bulldogs opened up the game with a 10-0 run a few minutes later, which featured a windmill dunk from freshman Jake Wilkins, son of Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, and four points from Justin Bailey that gave Georgia a 16-point lead. South Carolina never got within 12 points after that.

The win gave Georgia a sweep of the two-game series with South Carolina. Georgia has won four straight against South Carolina.

–Field Level Media

One word springs to mind for Detroit forward Ausar Thompson when asked to describe teammate Jalen Duren’s recent surge.

“Domination,” Thompson said.

It’s an ominous thought for the Orlando Magic, who host in-form Duren and the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons on Sunday.

Duren matched his season and career high of 33 points, along with 16 rebounds and three blocks, leading the Pistons to a 122-119 overtime victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

Duren is in some of the best form of his blossoming career, chalking up at least 25 points and 13 boards in each of his last four outings.

The first-time All-Star is averaging a career-best 18.5 points this season, to go with 10.8 rebounds.

“Super aggressive, super strong — I feel like if you take a bump from him, it’s not a normal bump,” Thompson said of Duren. “It’s like getting hit by a train. Him coming down with a full head of speed, (and) them playing back is to his advantage.

“He’s just doing extra now. He’s just trying to show off.”

Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff is excited by the impressive way Duren has turned things around.

“It’s that moment when you figure it out, and all the things coming together,” Bickerstaff said. “And I think they’re coming together for him. The game slowed down for him, his understanding of the spacing and when to attack, all those things have slowed down and given him opportunities.”

Fellow All-Star Cade Cunningham compiled 25 points, 10 boards and seven assists before fouling out, while Thompson chipped in with 18 points and eight rebounds.

The Pistons trailed for most of the fourth quarter before clawing back to draw level at the end of regulation, then controlled overtime defensively.

Detroit’s lofty standing at the top of the East is no fluke.

“We’re ready,” Thompson said. “We’re ready for any moment. Minor setbacks don’t mess with our heads. We just keep our heads at the task ahead.”

That task will be in the form of an Orlando side smarting after a 113-108 defeat to the visiting Houston Rockets on Thursday.

Desmond Bane scored 30 points and Paolo Banchero flirted with a triple-double — posting 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

Led by that duo, the Magic were in complete control, up 76-57, before that big lead was wiped in the space of just 3:31 as Houston went on a 21-0 third-quarter tear.

Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley is confident about what his team must improve to prevent a repeat of that disaster.

“Not turn the ball over,” he said. “We need to take care of the basketball. That’s what sparked them (Rockets). We had done a great job prior to that, taking care of the ball, making them have to play long possessions one-on-one individually.”

Bane, who hit 12 of 19 from the floor, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range, is averaging 20.3 points on the season.

He is averaging 28.3 points across the Magic’s past six, which includes four 30-plus outings.

“We’re going to respond for sure,” Bane said. “I think we’ve done that all season long. … I don’t think responding is something that this team has struggled with. Two days off, good opportunity after coming off a west coast trip to have a break and reset. Excited for another game at home.”

–Field Level Media

Maurice Odum scored 15 points as Arizona State completed a season sweep over Utah with a 73-60 victory at Tempe Ariz.

Massamba Diop scored 14 points for the Sun Devils (15-14, 6-10 Big 12) and Anthony Johnson added 13. Santiago Trouet delivered his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds for Arizona State.

Keanu Dawes had 16 points for Utah (10-19, 2-14), alongside 14 from Don McHenry. The Utes’ Terrence Brown failed to score in double digits for just the third time this season, shooting an uncharacteristic 4 of 12 from the field. Brown missed his one attempt from 3-point range.

The Sun Devils shot 52.9% (9 of 17) from 3-pont range, the team’s second-best performance of the season. Arizona State had just five turnovers, while Utah’s eight turnovers were its lowest in eight games this month.

Dawes tallied seven points in the first five minutes of the game, highlighted by a poster dunk over the 6-foot-11 Diop. It started a 7-0 run that gave the Utes an early 14-5 advantage.

Brown nailed a routine jumper to give Utah a 21-18 lead with 9:19 remaining in the half before the Utes went on a scoring drought of over seven minutes.

Arizona State capitalized with a 13-0 run for a 31-21 lead with 3:13 remaining in the first half. Don McHenry ended Utah’s drought with a 3-pointer and Odum answered with a 3-pointer of his own as the Sun Devils led 34-32 at halftime.

Odum finished the first half with 13 points and went 3 of 3 from 3-point range.

Trouet made a pair of free throws to give the Sun Devils a 43-30 lead with 16:19 remaining before the Utes went on a 9-0 run to pull within 43-39 with 13:33 remaining.

Johnson responded with a 3-pointer, quickly followed by a steal at half court to set up a Bryce Ford 3-pointer that once again extended Arizona State’s lead to double digits at 49-39 with 12:47 left.

A 7-0 run brought Utah within 57-51 with 7:54 remaining before Arizona State delivered a 9-0 run to take control at 68-53 with 3:52 left. The Sun Devils closed the run on a Diop dunk.

–Field Level Media