Late-night snacks: a recap of Friday’s action

By Raphielle JohnsonNov 10, 2012, 3:05 AM EST

The first day of the college basketball season offered up a wide array of contests, from your standard “sacrificial lambs” visiting power conference teams to made for TV showdowns in unconventional environments.

Here’s a rundown of what happened on Friday for those of you who may have missed anything. And since it isn’t mentioned below congratulations to VCU guard Briante Weber, who racked up 13 points and ten steals in 18 minutes of action in the Rams’ 80-57 win over Florida Gulf Coast.

Games of the Night

1. No. 3 Kentucky 72, Maryland 69
The Wildcats jumped out to a big lead early, only to need to hold on against a Maryland team that played a lot better after relaxing and taking better shots. Kyle Wiltjer scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds in 24 minutes of action and freshman guard Archie Goodwin added 16 points. The unsung hero: Jarrod Polson, who contributed ten points and three assists with starting point guard Ryan Harrow dealing with the flu.

2. Alabama 70, South Dakota State 67
Trevor Lacey’s three-pointer as time expired lifted the Crimson Tide past the Jackrabbits in Tuscaloosa. Nate Wolters led SDSU with 30 points and Jordan Dykstra added 16 and nine rebounds, but the other Jackrabbits combined to shoot just 8-of-23 from the field. Trevor Releford led Alabama with 18 points and Rodney Green added 17.

3. Northeastern 65, Boston University 64
Demetrius Pollard’s three-pointer, his lone field goal of the night, with just over a second remaining gave the Huskies the win over their city rival. Joel Smith led the Huskies with 20 points, while D.J. Irving finished with 18 to pace the Terriers.

Important Outcomes

1. South Alabama 76, No. 25 Florida State 71
The Seminoles shot 5-of-21 from beyond the arc and Michael Snaer made just two of his eleven shots from the field in a surprising home loss to the Jaguars. For a team some believe can contend in the ACC, this isn’t the best way to begin the season.

2. No. 16 Creighton 71, North Texas 51
The Bluejays’ ability on the offensive end of the floor can’t be questioned, but it’s what they did on the defensive end against the Mean Green that stood out. Tony Mitchell got his 18 points (8-of-15 FG) and seven rebounds, but his teammates shot 14-of-54 from the field. Doug McDermott finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, but the story has to be Creighton’s work defensively.

3. Connecticut 66, No. 14 Michigan State 62
Will one game result in head coach Kevin Ollie getting a long-term deal? No, nor should it. But this is a step in the right direction for the Huskies, who came out of the gates firing then did enough down the stretch to hold off the Spartans. Shabazz Napier led the way with 25 points, and the postgame happenings displayed how much the players think of their coach. Definitely a win the program can build on.

Starred

1. Cory Jefferson (Baylor)- 26 points and 13 rebounds in the Bears’ 99-77 win over Lehigh in Waco.

2. Dee Davis (Xavier)- 22 points and 15 assists in the Musketeers’ 117-75 thrashing of Fairleigh Dickinson.

3. C.J. McCollum (Lehigh)- Baylor may have exploited Lehigh’s lack of interior size but they weren’t as lucky with McCollum, who finished with 36 points and eight rebounds in the 99-77 loss.

Stunk

1. The idea of playing games outside at night. Both games played on aircraft carriers, Ohio State/Marquette and Georgetown/Florida, were canceled (the Hoyas and Gators played a half before stopping) due to condensation on the court. Playing outside during the summer? Cool. November? Not so much, even if last year’s game in San Diego worked out.

2. Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights out-rebounded Saint Peter’s 40-19 but still lost by the final score of 56-52. Why? They couldn’t shoot, hitting just 35.8% of their shots from the field and 2-of-13 from beyond the arc.

3. Fairleigh Dickinson’s defense. Yes the Knights were shorthanded with just seven players making the trip to Xavier, but so were the Musketeers. Xavier shot 70.5% from the field and 61.9% from deep, scoring 117 points (their highest total since dropping 118 on Loyola Marymount during the 1989-90 season).

Three Facts

1. No. 7 Kansas won it’s home opener for the 40th consecutive season on Friday night, beating Southeast Missouri State 74-55 at Allen Fieldhouse.

2. Per Creighton SID Rob Anderson the Bluejays haven’t lost a Friday home game since 1975, and they’ve won every Friday home game since December 2, 1989 by double digits.

3. Per the ESPN stats department, Duke tied a school record with its 95th consecutive non-conference home victory. The last time Duke lost a non-conference home game: February 26, 2000, as a Bootsy Thornton jumper gave St. John’s an 83-82 victory at Cameron.

Other Top 25 scores of note

1. No. 13 UCLA 86, Indiana State 59
The Bruins celebrated the reopening of Pauley Pavilion with a beating of the Sycamores. Kyle Anderson (ten points, nine rebounds and five assists) was all over the stat sheet, Jordan Adams went for 21 and eight rebounds off the bench and the Wear twins combined for 30 points and 16 rebounds.

2. No. 1 Indiana 97, Bryant 54
Hours after Tom Crean’s contract extension was made official the nation’s top-ranked team took care of business in their season opener. Cody Zeller led six Hoosiers in double figures with 18 points (and ten rebounds), and freshman point guard Yogi Ferrell finished with ten points, seven assists and five rebounds.

3. No. 8 Duke 74, Georgia State 55
NC State and Kansas won their games by larger margins, but the Blue Devils’ victory stands out because of who didn’t play. Alex Murphy, a player some expected to be a starter this season, didn’t play a single second despite being healthy. Mike Krzyzewski said following the game that “we didn’t get to where Alex would play” according to the Associated Press. What does this mean for Tuesday’s game against Kentucky? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Lastly, here’s Marquette freshman Steve Taylor displaying exactly why their game against Ohio State was canceled.

Raphielle also writes for the NBE Basketball Report and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.

Marquette extends Shaka Smart’s contract through 2029-30 season

Associated PressJun 6, 2023, 9:55 PM EDT

Adam Cairns/USA TODAY NETWORK

MILWAUKEE — Marquette coach Shaka Smart has received a contract extension after leading the Golden Eagles to their first outright regular-season championship and tournament title in the Big East.

Smart’s contract now runs through the 2029-30 season. This is the first extension Smart has received since signing a six-year deal when he took over as Marquette’s coach in 2021.

Marquette didn’t release financial terms of Smart’s deal.

“In a very short period of time, Shaka and his staff have done a tremendous job of establishing a winning culture, both on and off the court,” athletic director Bill Scholl said in a statement. “Shaka’s vision for the program is focused on extended, sustainable success. The individuals who interact with the team on a daily basis are able to observe frequent examples of growth and the excitement around the program is contagious.”

Marquette has gone 48-20 in Smart’s two seasons and reached the NCAA Tournament each of those years.

The Golden Eagles went 29-7 and won the Big East’s regular-season and tournament championships last season after the league’s coaches had picked them to finish ninth out of 11 teams. Marquette’s season ended with a 69-60 loss to Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32.

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.