Day 2 recap: Mason thrills, Illinois thrives, Vols stink

By Rob DausterMar 19, 2011, 1:18 AM EDT

Game of the Day: George Mason 61, Villanova 57

Villanova looked to be in control of this game. Corey Fisher was playing well, Corey Stokes was shooting well, and Mouph Yarou was a monster in the paint. On the other hand, George Mason was getting nothing out of their stars, as Cam Long and Ryan Pearson were both struggling to score. The Patriots were able to chip into Nova’s lead, getting it to within one point on a couple of different occasions, but each run that George Mason made was answered by the Wildcats.

But down six with two minutes left, the Patriots made a run. Isaiah Tate hit a long three from the corner followed by a and-one in the paint from Pearson. After another stop, Mike Morrison threw down a huge tip-dunk with 55 seconds left. Fisher was fouled shooting a three and hit all three free throws, but Luke Hancock drilled a step-back three with 30 seconds left for a 59-57 lead. Villanova missed two shots at the other end, and Mike Morrison had a dunk at the buzzer to give us the final margin. Gus Johnson was perfect for this one.

Player of the Day: Derrick Williams, Arizona

In a game full of storylines, the outcome probably exceeded the hype. Williams originally committed to USC, but with the drama surrounding the O.J. Mayo scandal, Williams re-opened his recruitment. He nearly went to Memphis, but opted on staying closer to his Southern California home and head to Arizona. That choice would haunt Memphis and Josh Pastner, a former Arizona assistant.

Williams scored 22 points and added 10 rebounds for the Wildcats, including a late 3-pointer that gave Arizona a 68-65 lead late in the second half. Memphis would scrap their way back into the game, getting the lead down to 75-74 on a layup after a steal on an in-bounds pass. After two Momo Jones free throws put Arizona up by three, Arizona fouled Joe Jackson with 4.6 seconds left. Jackson missed first and hit the second. The rebound came to Wesley Witherspoon who looked to have an open layup until Williams came out of no where to block the shot and seal the win.

Team of the Day: Illinois Fighting Illini

UNLV was the overwhelming favorite to win this game. It was a combination of reasons, but the biggest was that the Illini had struggled down the stretch of the season. It wasn’t for a lack of talent — quite the opposite, actually, as the Illini have the talent to be a top 15 team. The issue was execution. Illinois, and specifically star Demetri McCamey, was playing selfish basketball. There was no aggressiveness, they were settling for tough threes, and it looked like, for the most part this team had lost their confidence.

Well, the Illini apparently solved that problem. Illinois jumped out to a 39-16 lead, took a 46-24 at half, and cruised to a 73-62 win. McCamey finished with 17 points and seven assists, making seemingly every play early in the game, while Mike Davis added 22 points, nine boards, and five assists. It sets up and intriguing situation on Sunday. The Illini will face Kansas, and if they are once again playing this well, they have a shot at knocking off the Jayhawks.

Anti-Team of the Day: Tennessee Volunteers

Well, the Vols quit on their season. Down 33-29 at the half, Michigan absolutely dominated the second half, outscoring Tennessee 42-16 and winning 75-45 despite not making a single free throw. And as much credit as the Wolverines deserve for the win, the blame has to fall square at the feet of the Vols, who rolled over and died with about 18 minutes left in the game. It’s tough to rip the kids, who have been through a tough, drama-filled season rife with scandal and rumor-mongering. The question now becomes whether Bruce Pearl will still be Tennessee’s coach next season.

– Texas 85, Oakland 81: Tristan Thompson won the battle of the bigs, finishing with 17 points, 10 boards, and seven blocks while holding Keith Benson to 15 points, 11 boards, and 6-15 shooting. More importantly, however, the Longhorns rolled past the Golden Grizzlies. Don’t let the final score fool you, Texas was in control for most of this game, opening up a lead as big as 17 in the second half. Reggie Hamilton led a surge at the end to make the score respectable, but the 40 points that Texas got from Jordan Hamilton and J’Covan Brown was just too much.

– Marquette 66, Xavier 55: The Golden Eagles made a statement against Xavier. The Musketeers, who were considered the best team in the Atlantic 10, lost to the only bubble team in the Big East conference. And that 11 point final margin doesn’t do this game justice. The Golden Eagles were up by as much as 18 points in the second half, and Xavier never was closer than eight. Tu Holloway finished with five points on 1-9 shooting. Darius Johnson-Odom had 19 points to lead Marquette, while Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder combined for 25 points on 9-14 shooting.

– Washington 68, Georgia 65: This was an impressive win for the Huskies. They had no answer for Trey Thompkins inside — he finished with 26 points and 11 boards — and they shot just 4-18 from three, but they still managed to hold a pretty solid lead for much of the second half. Washington used a 17-7 push at the start of the second half and was bouyed by 19 points and seven assists from Isaiah Thomas.

– Florida State 57, Texas A&M 50: In one of the uglier defensive battles we’ve seen in this tournament, the Seminoles pulled away down the stretch on the strength of Derwin Kitchen (15 points, seven boards, three assists), Bernard James (10 points, three blocks), and a big jumper from Michael Snaer. More importantly, however, Chris Singleton was back in action. He played just 16 minutes, and had nearly as many fouls (four) as points (five). He’s definitely not 100 percent yet.

– VCU 74, Georgetown 56: VCU jumped all over the Hoyas, taking a 35-24 into halftime and pushing the lead to as much as 25 in the second half. VCU hit 12 threes and got 26 points out of Brandon Rozzell in the win. Joey Rodriguez added 17 points and seven assists. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Jamie Skeen that made the difference tonight. Georgetown never seemed comfortable against the Ram’s press and Chris Wright was clearly not at 100 percent. How about this — Wright and Austin Freeman combined for 16 points, no assists, five turnovers, and 6-27 shooting, including 0-14 on threes.

– Syracuse 77, Indiana State 60: The Sycamores hung around for about 30 minutes, but the Syracuse frontline ended up being too much. Rick Jackson had 23 points and seven boards, CJ Fair added 14 points and seven boards, and Kris Joseph had 10 points and 10 boards in the win.

– UNC 102, Long Island 87: The Blackbirds never seriously threatened the Tar Heels, but this was still one of the day’s most entertaining games. Both teams like to get up and down the floor, and the result was 189 combined points. John Henson was the star, finishing with 28 points, 11 boards, and six blocks, but Tyler Zeller (32 points, nine boards, three blocks) and Harrison Barnes (24 points, 16 boards) also played great. I think it is safe to say that UNC’s front line was too much for LIU.

– Notre Dame 69, Akron 56: The Zips gave the Irish a fight, trailing by just four points at the half and remaining within striking distance for much of the second half. Carleton Scott was too much inside — 14 boards, three blocks, three steals — while all six of the Irish rotational players finished with between eight and 15 points.

– Purdue 65, St. Peter’s 43: The Peacocks proved to be tough defensively, but they just didn’t have enough firepower offensively to knock off the Boilermakers. JaJuan Johnson finished with 16 points (on 6-16 shooting) and 16 boards while E’Twaun Moore scored 19 points in the win.

– Duke 87, Hampton 45: There usually isn’t much to report for a game like this. But since Kyrie Irving played for the first time in three months, there is. Irving led the team with 14 points, but most of them came in garbage time. He looked rusty and out of shape, but that is sure to wear off in the next week. Watch out.

– Ohio State 75, Texas-San Antonio 46: This was a game for all of about seven minutes. Then Ohio State took over. William Buford led four scorers in double figures with 18 points, and the Buckeyes assists on 26 of their 29 field goals.

– Kansas 72, Boston 53: Kansas won by 19 points, but it was a dog fight in the first half. BU’s John Holland, playing on a bum ankle, scored 19 points and kept the Terriers within four points at the half. In the end, however, the Jayhawks were just too talented. The five Jayhawks starters finished with between eight and 16 points.

Rob Dauster is the editor of the college basketball website Ballin’ is a Habit. You can find him on twitter @ballinisahabit.

Purdue’s Edey returning to school at NBA draft deadline; Kentucky’s Tshiebwe stays in

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 11:17 AM EDT

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Purdue’s Zach Edey decided it was the right call to go back to school instead of staying in the NBA draft. His predecessor as national player of the year, Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe, is sticking with his pro pursuit.

And Connecticut’s reign as NCAA champion will begin with multiple starters having left for the NBA draft and one returning after flirting with doing the same.

The 7-foot-4 Edey and UConn guard Tristen Newton were among the notable names to announce that they were withdrawing from the draft, the NCAA’s deadline for players who declared as early entrants to pull out and retain their college eligibility.

Edey’s decision came in social media posts from both the center and the Boilermakers program that earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament behind Edey, The Associated Press men’s national player of the year.

But Tshiebwe announced late in the afternoon that he would remain in the draft after a college career that included being named the AP national player of the year in 2022.

For the current champions, Newton (10.1 points, 4.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds) is returning after being one of four Huskies to declare for the draft after a run to UConn’s fifth national championship in early April. He scored a game-high 19 points to go with 10 rebounds in the victory over San Diego State in the title game.

The others were Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo, wing Jordan Hawkins and versatile guard Andre Jackson Jr. Sanogo (17.8 points) and Hawkins (16.3) have made it clear they have closed the door on their college careers, while team spokesman Phil Chardis said that Jackson (6.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists) would remain in the draft.

The Huskies have 247sports’ No. 3-ranked recruiting class for next year to restock the roster, led by McDonald’s All-American point guard Stephon Castle.

The NBA’s withdrawal deadline is June 12, but is moot when it comes to college players returning to school due to the NCAA’s earlier timeline to retain playing eligibility.

STAYING IN SCHOOL

TREY ALEXANDER: Creighton gets back a 6-4 guard who averaged 13.6 points and shot 41% from 3-point range in his first full season as a starter.

ADEM BONA: The 6-foot-10 forward and Pac-12 freshman of the year is returning to UCLA after starting 32 games as a rookie and averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks – with coach Mick Cronin praising his toughness for “competing through multiple injuries for as long as he could” in a statement Wednesday.

EDEY: He averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists while shooting 60.7% from the field. His presence alone helps Purdue be a factor in the Big Ten race.

JOSIAH-JORDAN JAMES: The 6-6 guard went through the NBA G League Combine and had workouts with multiple teams before opting to return to Tennessee for a fifth season alongside teammate Santiago Vescovi.

JUDAH MINTZ: The 6-3 freshman averaged 16.3 points and 4.6 assists for Syracuse, ranking third among Division I freshmen in scoring behind only Alabama’s Brandon Miller and Lamar’s Nate Calmese.

OWLS’ RETURNEES: Florida Atlantic got good news after its surprise Final Four run with the return leading scorers Johnell Davis (13.8) and Alijah Martin (13.4). ESPN first reported their decisions, while Martin later posted a social media statement.

TERRENCE SHANNON JR.: Illinois got a big boost with Shannon announcing his night in a social media post. The 6-6 guard is returning for a fifth college season after averaging 17.2 points.

SPARTANS’ RETURNEES: Michigan State announced that guards Jaden Akins and A.J. Hoggard have withdrawn from the NBA draft. Standout guard Tyson Walker had previously withdrawn in April, setting up Tom Izzo to have five of his top scorers back.

GOING PRO

KOBE BROWN: Missouri’s 6-8 swingman opted against returning for a fifth college season after being an AP first-team all-Southeastern Conference pick averaging 15.8 points last season.

JAYLEN CLARK: The third-year UCLA guard averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while leading the Pac-12 with 2.6 steals en route to being named Naismith national defensive player of the year. Cronin called him a winner with strong intangibles who made UCLA “a better program because he chose to be a Bruin.”

BRICE SENSABAUGH: The Ohio State freshman averaged 16.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 31 games before missing his final two in the Big Ten Tournament due to a knee injury. He’s a potential first-round prospect.

TSHIEBWE: The 6-9, 260-pound forward is a tough interior presence who led the country in rebounds for two straight seasons (15.1 in 2022, 13.7 in 2023) while racking up 48 double-doubles. But he faces an uncertain next stop and is projected at best as a second-round prospect.

North Carolina transfer Caleb Love commits to Arizona

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 10:59 AM EDT

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Caleb Love is now headed to Arizona.

The North Carolina transfer tweeted, less than a month after decommitting from Michigan, that he will play next season with the Wildcats.

“Caleb is a tremendously talented guard who has significant experience playing college basketball at a high level,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said in a statement. “We look forward to helping Caleb grow his game at Arizona. And as we near the completion of the roster for the upcoming season, we feel great about how everything has come together. Now it’s time for the real work to start.”

A 6-foot-4 guard, Love averaged 14.6 points and 3.3 assists in three seasons at North Carolina. He averaged 17.6 points in seven NCAA Tournament games, helping lead the Tar Heels to the 2022 national championship game.

Love entered the transfer portal after leading North Carolina with 73 3-pointers as a junior and initially committed to Michigan. He decommitted from the Wolverines earlier this month, reportedly due to an admissions issue involving academic credits.

Love narrowed his transfer targets to three schools before choosing to play at Arizona over Gonzaga and Texas.

Love will likely start on a team that will have dynamic perimeter players, including Pelle Larsson, Kylan Boswell and Alabama transfer Jaden Bradley.

Biden celebrates LSU women’s and UConn men’s basketball teams at separate White House events

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 11:56 PM EDT

Jack Gruber / USA TODAY NETWORK

WASHINGTON – All of the past drama and sore feelings associated with Louisiana State’s invitation to the White House were seemingly forgotten or set aside Friday as President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden welcomed the championship women’s basketball team to the mansion with smiles, hugs and lavish praise all around.

The visit had once appeared in jeopardy after Jill Biden suggested that the losing Iowa team be invited, too. But none of that was mentioned as both Bidens heralded the players for their performance and the way they have helped advance women’s sports.

“Folks, we witnessed history,” the president said. “In this team, we saw hope, we saw pride and we saw purpose. It matters.”

The ceremony was halted for about 10 minutes after forward Sa’Myah Smith appeared to collapse as she and her teammates stood behind Biden. A wheelchair was brought in and coach Kim Mulkey assured the audience that Smith was fine.

LSU said in a statement that Smith felt overheated, nauseous and thought she might faint. She was evaluated by LSU and White House medical staff and was later able to rejoin the team. “She is feeling well, in good spirits, and will undergo further evaluation once back in Baton Rouge,” the LSU statement said.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, Biden said, more than half of all college students are women, and there are now 10 times more female athletes in college and high school. He said most sports stories are still about men, and that that needs to change.

Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex in federally funded education programs and activities.

“Folks, we need to support women sports, not just during the championship run but during the entire year,” President Biden said.

After the Tigers beat Iowa for the NCAA title in April in a game the first lady attended, she caused an uproar by suggesting that the Hawkeyes also come to the White House.

LSU star Angel Reese called the idea “A JOKE” and said she would prefer to visit with former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, instead. The LSU team largely is Black, while Iowa’s top player, Caitlin Clark, is white, as are most of her teammates.

Nothing came of Jill Biden’s idea and the White House only invited the Tigers. Reese ultimately said she would not skip the White House visit. She and co-captain Emily Ward presented team jerseys bearing the number “46” to Biden and the first lady. Hugs were exchanged.

Jill Biden also lavished praise on the team, saying the players showed “what it means to be a champion.”

“In this room, I see the absolute best of the best,” she said, adding that watching them play was “pure magic.”

“Every basket was pure joy and I kept thinking about how far women’s sports have come,” the first lady added, noting that she grew up before Title IX was passed. “We’ve made so much progress and we still have so much more work to do.”

The president added that “the way in which women’s sports has come along is just incredible. It’s really neat to see, since I’ve got four granddaughters.”

After Smith was helped to a wheelchair, Mulkey told the audience the player was OK.

“As you can see, we leave our mark where we go,” Mulkey joked. “Sa’Myah is fine. She’s kind of, right now, embarrassed.”

A few members of Congress and Biden aides past and present with Louisiana roots dropped what they were doing to attend the East Room event, including White House budget director Shalanda Young. Young is in the thick of negotiations with House Republicans to reach a deal by the middle of next week to stave off what would be a globally calamitous U.S. financial default if the U.S. can no longer borrow the money it needs to pay its bills.

The president, who wore a necktie in the shade of LSU’s purple, said Young, who grew up in Baton Rouge, told him, “I’m leaving the talks to be here.” Rep. Garret Graves, one of the House GOP negotiators, also attended.

Biden closed sports Friday by changing to a blue tie and welcoming the UConn’s men’s championship team for its own celebration. The Huskies won their fifth national title by defeating San Diego State, 76-59, in April.

“Congratulations to the whole UConn nation,” he said.

Marquette’s Prosper says he will stay in draft rather than returning to school

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:08 PM EDT

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

MILWAUKEE — Olivier-Maxence Prosper announced he is keeping his name under NBA draft consideration rather than returning to Marquette.

The 6-foot-8 forward announced his decision.

“Thank you Marquette nation, my coaches, my teammates and support staff for embracing me from day one,” Prosper said in an Instagram post. “My time at Marquette has been incredible. With that being said, I will remain in the 2023 NBA Draft. I’m excited for what comes next. On to the next chapter…”

Prosper had announced last month he was entering the draft. He still could have returned to school and maintained his college eligibility by withdrawing from the draft by May 31. Prosper’s announcement indicates he instead is going ahead with his plans to turn pro.

Prosper averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds last season while helping Marquette go 29-7 and win the Big East’s regular-season and tournament titles. Marquette’s season ended with a 69-60 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

He played two seasons at Marquette after transferring from Clemson, where he spent one season.

Kansas’ Kevin McCullar Jr. returning for last season of eligibility

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 9:18 PM EDT

Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports

Kevin McCullar Jr. said that he will return to Kansas for his final year of eligibility, likely rounding out a roster that could make the Jayhawks the preseason No. 1 next season.

McCullar transferred from Texas Tech to Kansas for last season, when he started 33 of 34 games and averaged 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds. He was also among the nation’s leaders in steals, and along with being selected to the Big 12’s all-defensive team, the 6-foot-6 forward was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.

“To be able to play in front of the best fans in the country; to play for the best coach in the nation, I truly believe we have the pieces to hang another banner in the Phog,” McCullar said in announcing his return.

Along with McCullar, the Jayhawks return starters Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams from a team that went 28–8, won the Big 12 regular-season title and was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where it lost to Arkansas in the second round.

Perhaps more importantly, the Jayhawks landed Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson, widely considered the best player in the portal, to anchor a lineup that was missing a true big man. They also grabbed former five-star prospect Arterio Morris, who left Texas, and Towson’s Nick Timberlake, who emerged last season as one of the best 3-point shooters in the country.

The Jayhawks also have an elite recruiting class arriving that is headlined by five-star recruit Elmarko Jackson.

McCullar declared for the draft but, after getting feedback from scouts, decided to return. He was a redshirt senior last season, but he has another year of eligibility because part of his career was played during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a big day for Kansas basketball,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “Kevin is not only a terrific player but a terrific teammate. He fit in so well in year one and we’re excited about what he’ll do with our program from a leadership standpoint.”